Girona was looking to close the gap on league leader Real Madrid, which drew 2-2 with Valencia on Sunday (AEDT), but missed their chance to do so when Jose Copete smashed the home side in front just after the half-hour mark.

Fewer chances fell in the second period but the visitors were kept at bay by a Mallorca side which threw bodies on the line for a result, chances for Portu and Savio went begging as the hosts held on to climb further away from the drop zone.

The first chance of the match fell to Girona when Miguel Gutierrez’s cross found the head of Ivan Martinez inside the area but his header went straight to home goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.

Mallorca’s first meaningful attack came when Giovanni Gonzalez picked the ball up outside the area and fired from range but his shot kept rising above the crossbar.

Mallorca was knocking on the door for an opener and got its reward on the half-hour mark after a corner fell to Copete inside the box and he slammed the ball into the roof of the net for his first goal of the season.

Girona was looking to respond instantly and had a chance three minutes later, Savio looked to equalise in spectacular style but saw his effort go high and wide from outside the box.

Mallorca went into the break with a narrow one-goal lead and almost had a second four minutes after the interval but Antonio Raillo’s header from a Dani Rodriguez corner floated over the crossbar.

Chances were few and far between in the second period and while Girona shared most of the possession, its opponent looked to catch a second on the counter attack, this time Abdon Prats’s drilled effort whistled just wide of the far post.

Girona was beginning to look a lot more threatening and had a couple of openings when Portu’s goal-bound effort deflected over the crossbar before Savio saw one blocked behind in similar fashion, a couple of minutes later.

The away side continued to probe in the final minutes as Yan Couto opened up a chance inside the box and fired towards goal but Rajkovic had to be alert to tip the ball over the woodwork to condemn Girona to a third defeat in four.