TOP 100 SOCCER SITES
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| Gary Sawyer stuns Cardiff to lift Plymouth's spirits | Football League review • Bottom club Plymouth record shock win at Cardiff• West Bromwich move clear of Nottingham Forest in secondBottom of the-table Plymouth, having lost their previous five matches without even scoring, produced the day's best Championship result in winning 1-0 at Cardiff.In front of a 24,010 crowd, Cardiff's biggest Boxing Day attendance for 39 years, the home team did much to contribute to their downfall through wasted chances. One culprit was Michael Chopra, who seemed certain to get his first goal in 11 matches when put through the Plymouth defence, only to mishit his shot over the bar. Plymouth, for whom New Zealand World Cup star Rory Fallon caused Cardiff numerous problems, seized the initiative six minutes from the end with a Gary Sawyer shot that was deflected past the keeper by Mark Hudson.While Sheffield Wednesday also did well with their draw against Newcastle, the other team in the relegation zone, Peterborough, lost 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion – an important result for West Brom after the goalless draw earned by Nottingham Forest at Watford, which increased Forest's unbeaten run to 15 matches and had enabled them to move a point above West Brom into the No 2 spot. Forest, who were not at their best in attack on a difficult playing surface, could not have been too unhappy about ending the day two points behind their Midlands rivals, even though they came agonisingly close to victory when Dexter Blackstock was thwarted by an outstanding save from Scott Loach.It was some afternoon for the Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod, who scored their second goal in the 2-0 win at Derby but could easily have had a hat-trick at least. Ormerod, having twice broken through on goal only to squander both opportunities, did have better luck with his third one-on-one with the keeper, Stephen Bywater – except that his shot was deflected into the net by the Derby defender Jake Buxton and credited as an own goal. Near the end, it was a foul on him by Dean Moxey, when he was again creating a scoring opportunity, whichled to Moxey being sent off.Among the other Championship players shown a red card was Ipswich's Jonathan Stead for a late but not malicious-looking challenge on Crystal Palace's Freddie Sears. It was 1-1 at that stage and Ipswich lost 3-1 – their first defeat in 10 matches. There were two sendings-off at Middlesbrough, where the home team recorded only their second win in nine matches under the management of Gordon Strachan – and their first at home – in overcoming Scunthorpe 3-0. Scunthorpe's Cliff Byrne was the first to go, for a foul on Jérémie Aliadière, which also brought the penalty from which Adam Johnson opened the scoring. Boro's Leroy Lita was shown the red card near the end for a clash with Andrew Wright. Still, with Aliadière looking impressive on his return to the side after two months out through injury, Strachan had much to enthuse over.Stockport County's nightmare League One run continued as they slumped to their 10th defeat in succession in losing 4-1 at MK Dons. Their present position is rather different to the one they were in 12 months ago ,when they were among the leading promotion contenders. It was then that their financial problems caught up with them, leading to the club being put into administration and the loss of their highly rated manager, Jim Gannon. Last week his successor, Gary Ablett, admitted that he had begun to question his ability to lift the team off the bottom. That thought is bound to have become more pronounced than ever after yesterday's match, the highlights of which were two excellent strikes by Jason Puncheon.The big surprise in League Two was struggling Lincoln's 2-1 win over Chesterfield – their first victory in 10 matches. Their 20-year-old defender Cian Hughton, the son of the Newcastle manager Chris, put them ahead with a far post header from a Delroy Facey cross, and Facey, on loan from Notts County, made it 2-0 with a header. However, Lincoln did enjoy some good fortune, notably when Jack Lester fluffed a golden chance to equalise for Chesterfield by hitting a penalty over the bar.ChampionshipLeague OneLeague TwoCardiff CityPlymouth ArgyleWest BromPeterboroughWatfordNottingham ForestBlackpoolDerby CountyCrystal PalaceIpswich TownMiddlesbroughScunthorpeMK DonsStockportLincolnChesterfieldJason Tomasguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
England fans warned of dangers on South African roads England's football fans have been warned of the dangers on South African roads that await them in the World Cup this year. telegraph.co.uk |
Sol Campbell to rejoin Arsenal Arsenal are expected to re-sign their former captain, who will play for the club's reserves at West Ham tonight. telegraph.co.uk |
Stoke City 1-1 Liverpool Rafael BenÃtez was denied refuge from the storm threatening to engulf him by a 90th-minute equaliser from Robert Huth. Liverpool thought they had won it with a scruffy second-half goal from Soitirios Kyrgiakos, but battling Stoke refused to accept defeat and their spirit had its reward at the death.Liverpool were quick to point out that they were denied a penalty when Lucas was brought down inside the area by Danny Higginbotham, and that Dirk Kuyt might have won it in added time, when he headed against a post when it seemed easier to score.Stoke were plucky but prosaic – as one might expect from a team for whom no player has scored more than three league goals all season – and it speaks volumes for Liverpool's decline that they could not see them off. Last year's runners-up would have been out of sight by half-time.The first surprise came early, with the announcement of the Liverpool team. There had to be sympathy for BenÃtez over the absence of Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun, who between them have contributed more than two-thirds of Liverpool's goals this season, but there was only head-scratching over the selection of Philipp Degen ahead of Alberto Aquilani in midfield. Degen, who regards himself principally as a defender, has been such a flop since his arrival from Dortmund 18 months ago that he had previously made only one start in the Premier League, at Fulham, where he was sent off.Among the sizeable scouse contingent present, there was also apprehension – unfounded as it turned out – about the promotion of another poor signing, the hirsute Kyrgiakos, who covered for the injured Daniel Agger in central defence. In the circumstances, it was with some relief that Liverpool saw Rory Delap, of the howitzer throw, depart hors de combat midway through the first half. With him went Stoke's likeliest route to goal.The only incident of note in a tediously mundane first half saw Liverpool refused a penalty when Lucas, cutting in from the right, was floored by Higginbotham. It was clearly a foul, but the referee compounded one obvious error with another, booking Lucas for diving.The theory that it could only improve proved correct in the 57th minute, when Fabio Aurelio's free-kick from the right was spilled by Sorensen and Kyrgiakos bundled the ball over the line from three yards.Suddenly the mood changed. From having the home fans taunt him with choruses of "You're getting sacked in the morning", BenÃtez heard his name chanted by the travelling loyalists.But the vocal backdrop was to change to "You're not singing any more" when Matthew Etherington's corner from the right was headed back across goal from the far post by Higginbotham for Huth to equalise from point-blank range.Stoke CityLiverpoolPremier LeagueJoe Lovejoyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Everton v Sunderland: match preview Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Everton and Sunderland at Goodison on Wedneday Jan 27 2010, kick-off 20.00 GMT. telegraph.co.uk |