Michu and Diego Costa scored either side of half-time as Rayo eased to a 2-0 derby victory over Getafe.
Both teams struggled with the freezing conditions early on but the hosts took control of the game on 33 minutes as Michu prodded home at the second attempt after Miguel Angel Moya had saved his first header.
The visitors were then reduced to 10 men 16 minutes after the break when Michel was somewhat harshly shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Costa. And the Brazilian sealed the victory three minutes later as he nipped ahead of Moya to head in Jose Luis Movilla's cross.
Movilla had claimed earlier in the week that the pitch at Vallecas was not conducive to his side's passing style of play and neither team were able to find their rhythm in a stop-start first-half.
Piti was denied by a combination of Moya and Cata Diaz as he tried to lob the keeper when played through on eight minutes and the keeper again did well to parry a fierce shot from an angle by Costa before Michu put the rebound over.
The opener arrived just after the half hour though as poor marking from the visitors allowed Michu a free header inside the area and after Moya had done well to repel his first effort, the midfielder had the easy task of slotting into an empty net for his 11th goal of the season.
Things only got worse for Getafe early in the second period as Michel was giving his marching orders and a series of slack passes out from the back were eventually punished as Movilla's ball in from the right found Costa free to head in his second goal in two games since joining on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Costa should have made it three moments later but steered his shot just wide when clean through on Moya. However it mattered little as a second straight win takes Rayo above Getafe and into the top-half of the table.
