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Brighton 2 Sidwell 88, 89
Burnley 2 Little 44, Moore
71
Att: 6,502
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There was a stunning finish to the game at the
Withdean Stadium as Brighton shocked Burnley with a late, late comeback with two
goals from in-form striker Steve Sidwell getting the Albion a
draw. Sidwell’s goals came in the 88th and 89th minute after Burnley were two
up through goals from Glen Little and Ian Moore
which seemed enough for them to take the three points back to Lancashire but how
wrong was that. This point takes Brighton one point clear of bottom places
Sheffield Wednesday, but they are still six points from safety. Burnley, on the
other hand languish in mid-table but a push for the play-off’s is certainly
on, with them being a few points away after todays game.
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Crystal Palace 2 Black 38,
55
Preston 0
Att: 18,484
|
|
Crystal Palace continued their good form with a 2-0
win over Preston North End at Selhurst Park through a double from winger Tommy
Black, who has now scored four goals in the past three games. Preston
hadn’t won away for three months now and today this never looked like changing
as they slipped to their third defeat in a row, things aren’t looking good
without top scorer Ricardo Fuller at Deepdale but if they have a good 2003 up to
May then they could make the play-offs but on this form they won’t. Palace
kept up their promotion charge with this result, which takes them to seventh,
just outside the play-off places.
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Gillingham POS Wimbledon
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|
Gillingham vs Wimbledon – Game Postponed because of a Waterlogged pitch.
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Grimsby 1 Oster 77
Norwich 1 Abbey 51
Att: 8,306 |
|
Another team in the top five are Norwich City, who
travelled to a resurgent Grimsby, who had won their last two games. Norwich had
lost their last five away games and with a defeat by lowly Brighton on Boxing
Day, they were looking to get back on track. Both teams started brightly with
teams creating chances, Grimsby hit the bar through Paul Groves in the first
half, but the half time score was scoreless. It took a few minutes into the
second half for Norwich to go ahead, with a well taken goal from Zema
Abbey, but this wasn’t enough as John Oster scored his
fifth goal of his loan spell with a deflected shot past Rob Green. Grimsby are
four points ahead of Stoke in the relegation places and Norwich’s point helped
them move up to fourth, ahead of Forest who lost later on.
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Ipswich 3 Counago 45, 85
Gaardsoe 60
Walsall 2 Wrack 68, 89
Att: 26,550
|
|
Ipswich won their second game in row as they ended
2002 with a tight 3-2 win over Walsall with a double from Spanish striker Pablo
Counago helping them win at Portman Road. Walsall were always in the
game though, with a double from Darren Wrack which had kept the
deficit to a single goal but Ipswich had enough in them to win, with yet another
goal from defender Thomas Gaardsoe adding to Counago’s brace to
win them the game. Under Joe Royle, the Tractor boys are climbing the table with
an promotion push very possible in 2003. In the meanwhile, Walsall remain in the
lower reaches of the division.
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Nottm For 1 Dawson 90
Portsmouth 2 Taylor 56
Pericard 87
Att: 28,165
|
|
Portsmouth won 2-1 in the evening game at fellow
high-flyers Nottingham Forest to end a run of four consecutive draws to stay
four points above second placed Leicester City. Pompey’s goal at the City
Ground came from Matt Taylor and Vincent Pericard,
Forest gained a consulation through Michael Dawson but this was
not enough for them as they crashed to a fourth defeat in the past five games.
Forest remain in the play-off pack though, but now in fifth position.
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Reading 2 Tyson 5
Cureton 90
Derby 1 Burley 8 (pen)
Att: 16,299
|
|
The only other team in the play-off spots are
Reading. They beat Derby County 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium with thanks to goals
from Nathan Tyson and a last gasp winner by Jamie Cureton.
Sandwiched between these goals was a Craig Burley penalty, but
this wasn’t enough to stop Derby crashing to their third successive defeat.
Reading could have scored more with Sammy Igoe being their star man today.
Reading crept up to sixth after this result ended a run of three defeats on the
spin, and Derby, who are finding it tough at the moment, lying in a
disappointing 17th place, not something the County fans wanted as they go into
2003.
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Rotherham 1 Hurst 81
Millwall 3 Harris 40
Reid 48 Claridge 58
Att: 6,448
|
|
Rotherham’s miserable home record this season
continued as Millwall gained revenge for that 6-0 home defeat on the opening day
by Rotherham to win 3-1 at Millmoor. The Lions goals came from Neil Harris,
Steven Reid and Steve Claridge as Paul Hurst
scored a consolation goal for the Millers with a header with ten minutes to go,
under Ronnie Moore, the Millers never give up but today Millwall played well
enough to deserve the win. Both teams lie in mid-table with a play-off place
very much possible at this stage of the season.
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Sheff Utd 0
Coventry 0
Att: 20,465
|
|
A game which involved two recently in-form clubs
battled out a scoreless draw at Bramall Lane as neither Sheffield United nor
Coventry City could breach each other’s defence, but this result enables both
teams recent un-beaten records to stay intact, Coventry in the past five games
and Sheffield United in the past eleven games, they stay third, now eight points
behind Leicester in the automatic promotion spots. Coventry finished this game
as a ten man team as Dean Gordon was sent off for a second bookable offence, the
second being a bad tackle on Peter Ndlovu. Both teams had chances during
the game to score but both keepers made the saves to give their teams a point
each. The Sky Blues are among the play-off contenders.
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|
Stoke 3 Iwelumo 16, 66
Guinnarsson 90
Sheff Wed 2 sibon 23
proudlock 72
Att: 16,042 |
|
A very important game between two of the three
teams in the relegation places was played at the Brittania Stadium as Stoke City
won in the last minute against Sheffield Wednesday. This was Stoke’s first win
in seventeen league games. The scoring began as Stoke went 1-0 up when Iwelumo
scored his first goal of two of the afternoon, but the Owls soon fought back to
level, this happened not once but twice as Sibon and Proudlock
scored, but the very later winner from Gunnarsson in the last
minute proved to be too much for Wednesday, who now lie bottom on points, with
Brighton drawing. Stoke are still 22nd, four points adrift of Grimsby but The
Owls are a big seven points behind now.
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Watford 1 Helguson 29
Leicester 2 Elliott 36
Deane 66
Att: 16,017 |
|
Second placed Leicester City put behind the home
defeat by Ipswich on Boxing Day to win at Watford, although they had to come
from behind to win 2-1. Watford led through a goal from Heidar Helguson,
but a few minutes later Matt Elliott pounced a loose ball to fire
the Foxes level, of which was the state of the game at half time. The Foxes then
went on to score a winner from a Brian Deane header, which was his
eighth goal of the season. Watford now lie in 9th, just a few points off the
last place off place.
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Wolves 1 Ndah 54
Bradford 2 Jorgensen 51
Gray 59
Att: 25,812
|
|
Wolves poor form over the Christmas period
continued as they went down to another defeat, this time at home to Bradford
City, who won with goals from Jorgensen and Andy Gray,
of which these goals were either side of a leveller from George Ndah.
They also hit the bar through Dean Sturridge, with Mark Kennedy continuing to
play well since his return from injury. Wolves have now lost three in their past
four games whilst things are beginning to look rosy for Bradford again, they
have now won three in the past five games to pull clear of the bottom three.
Wolves lie in tenth place, five points off sixth placed Reading.
Full Match Previews can be found at --
Brighton IBHA
Burnley The
Longsider
Gillingham Up
The Gills.tk
Grimsby The
Mariner
Ipswich Singing
The Blues
Sheff Utd bladesfc.co.uk
Walsall The
Saddlers FC
Wolves wolvesfc.co.uk
