Division 1 Round Up

By Longsider
December 15 2003

No real changes at the top with West Brom still leading the division whilst Franchise move a step closer to 2nd Division football.

West Brom stay top of the table despite dropping more points at home. They had to come from behind late on to gain a point against a resiliant Crewe side. It was former Preston midfielder Sean Gregan who scored the equaliser after Steve Jones and David Wright had given the visitors a shock lead. Bernt Haas scored a stunning opening goal for WBA.

Cardiff hadn't beaten a side in the top ten prior to their match at Norwich, this run was extended thanks to a good performance from Darren Huckerby who ended his 3 month loan spell at the club. He scored two of the goals as City maintained the pressure at the top of the table by beating promotion rivals Cardiff 3-1. Huckerby, who will now return to Manchester City, opened the scoring before Iwan Roberts added a second. Peter Thorne continued his goal-scoring run to bring Cardiff back into it, but further goals from Craig Fleming and Huckerby wrapped up the points for Norwich.

Watford fought back from a goal down to earn a point at Sheffield United despite the dismissal of Lenny Pidgeley. Phil Jagielka headed the Blades in front before Pidgeley handled outside the area. It was a close call but i think the linesman just got it right. Most people would have thought that would be game over but Watford had other ideas and hit back through Jack Smith and Heidar Helguson, before Smith handled in the box late on and Jack Lester rescued a point for United from the spot.

The come back of the day once again took place at Upton Park where West Ham recovered froma 2-0 defecit to defeat Sunderland. Jason McAteer and John Oster scored the goals with England goalkeeper, David James, looking very suspect again. Jermiane Defoe started the fight back with two goals in the second half before Ian Pearce grabbed a late winner for Alan Pardew's side.

Ipswich stay fourth even after gaining a point at Millwall. Georges Santos was sent off for two bookable offences however this proved to be the only action of the day.

A stunning hat-trick from Peter Hoekstra, his first goals of the season, gave Stoke victory over Reading at the Britannia Stadium. His second, a thunderbolt from outside the box, is a contender for goal of the season and he completed his hat trick with a cheeky penalty late on.

Ricardo Fuller's early goal for Preston was enough for them to see off Gillingham. They stay just outside the play-offs going into the Lancashire Derby on Saturday.

Wigan had Geoff Horsefield to thank for his late goal which ended the Latics dismal run whilst heaping more misery on Bryan Robson's Bradford.

Andrew Johnson scored the only goal as struggling Crystal Palace beat Nottingham Forest, who had defender Wes Morgan sent off at Selhurst Park.

Rotherham's recent good form continued with a point from a goalless draw with Derby at Millmoor, while Franchise were beaten by a Neil Emblen goal for Walsall and surely now face the drop into the 2nd Division.