Monday 30 March 2009

Sad day for sport

It's been a tragic day for sport as 22 people died in a stadium stampede in Ivory Coast.

The news comes amid recent talking point, the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, on April 15.

No doubt, there are many who can relate to today's disaster and it will spark more stories like Tony Edwards' in today's newspapers.

I found out today that I will be going to the Chelsea versus Liverpool Champions' League second leg a day prior to the anniversary.

It has not yet been decided how a moment of respect will be marked in that game and this is questioned by The Times Online, and I agree with the piece that there should be a silence, not one minute of applause. A silence is more dignified, and as the piece states, matches the sombre mood of the occasion.

A minute's applause was only brought in to prevent a moment of respect being interrupted by mindless morons, something which one Liverpool fans' forum poster Huyton Red, speaks out against vociferously.

Some Liverpool musicians and a choir of players, including Kenny Dalglish, John Aldridge and Phil Thompson will be releasing a single to remember those who died.

However the 96 Liverpool fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster are remembered before the Champions' League quarter-final second leg, my first Champions' League match is likely to be one of the most emotion-filled games I ever attend.

While on the subject of stadium accidents, just a couple of hours ago a tennis fan had to be stretchered out of the arena and to hospital after falling down the stairs during the Miami Open match between Robert Kendrick and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. I hope that fan makes a swift return to health.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Paul McKenna talks ahead of PNE's match at Charlton

I went to the players' conference at Preston North End today and recorded what Paul McKenna's thoughts were of PNE's poor away record, Charlton Athletic and Alan Irvine.

Bamber Bridge's play-off chances slashed after loss to Garforth



Bamber Bridge 1-3 Garforth Town










Bamber Bridge’s play-off hopes were dented by a 3-1 defeat to Garforth Town at the QED Stadium on Saturday.

One goal was not enough for a Brig side which was guilty of missing chance after chance throughout the match.

Adam Hayward put Garforth ahead with a second-half penalty before Stephen Brown equalised for the home side, but a brace for midfielder Greg Kelly sealed a win for Town.

Newly-appointed boss Neil Crowe made three changes to the line-up which beat Curzon Ashton in the last game as Jamie Nay, Steven Smith and Michael Mason came in for Phil Mitchell, Stuart Shepherd and Sean O’Neil.

Garforth went into the match having lost all but one of their last six matches, despite having scored 12 goals.

Blustery conditions made it difficult for either side to settle, but Brig were on the front foot from the start against a Garforth defence which had not kept a clean sheet in six matches.

The first clear goal-scoring opportunity came on 12 minutes, when striker Alex Porter sent a ball across goal to Tom Ince, but he could not get enough contact on the ball to convert the chance.

On 20 minutes, a ball was played through to Garforth's Adam Hayward, but his shot was saved well by Brig goalkeeper Paul Horridge.
















Brig had a strong spell of pressure on the Garforth goal, with a succession of corners, but the away defence was holding strong and Town were frustrating Brig by slowing down the pace of the game.

On 40 minutes, Brig had their best chance of the half, as a series of shots were either blocked by the garforth defence of saved by goalkeeper Luke Gibbons.

The ball fell to midfielder Ryan Bowen on the edge of the box, but he could not keep a powerful shot on target and it skewed wide.

Balls were now raining in on the away side’s goal. Moments later, striker Mason barged through the defence and laid a ball across goal into the path of Porter but he failed to connect from inside the six-yard box.

Garforth started the better side in the second half, putting pressure on the Brig defence, but it was the home side who came close to taking the lead.

Tom Ince made a well-crafted run and found Mason, but the striker’s shot blazed wide of the goal.

On 59 minutes, Garforth substitute Bryce Tiani played a pass to Kelly, whose 25-yard shot was a decent effort, but was narrowly wide of the target.



A penalty on 66 minutes broke the deadlock. Hayward burst into the Brig box, but was brought down by home captain Glenn Steel.

The striker picked himself up to place the ball comfortably past Horridge.

The lead only lasted seven minutes though, as Brown equalised from a corner, drilling the ball through a crowded box, after it was played to him 25-yards out.

Brig could smell blood and started to push up, against the side who had scored but still lost in all of five of their last six games.

But as they pushed up, missed chance after missed chance went by, before Garforth countered on 85 minutes.

They raced forward and, having seen Kelly miss an almost open goal moments earlier, Hayward made sure of a second goal for Garforth by squaring to Kelly, who made no mistake this time, placing the ball into the empty net with a cool finish.

In the last minute, Kelly scored his second in quick succession with a similarly slick break for Garforth a surprise win for the away side.

Bamber Bridge: Paul Horridge, Jamie Nay, Matt Mahoney (Phil Mitchell 45mins), Steve Williams, Glenn Steel, Steve Smith, Stephen Brown, Ryan Bowen (Anthony Murt 71ms), Michael Mason (Sean O'Neil 79mins), Alex Porter, Tom Ince. Unused subs: Colin McAllister, Aaron Tyrer

Garforth Town: Luke Gibbons, Nathan Kamara (George Williams 70mins), Nick Jagger, Lee Connor, Brett Renshaw, Duncan Williams, Adam Clark (Fidel Mhlolo 90mins), Wayne Harratt, Adam Hayward, Graham Marchant (Bryce Tiani 45mins), Greg Kelly

Attendance: 114

Liverpool pull of one of the shocks of the season

Liverpool pulled off one of the shocks of the season on Saturday with their four-one victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The last time United lost so heavily at home was New Year's Day 1992, when they lost by the same scoreline to Queens Park Rangers.

Some may think that the win gives Liverpool and more so Chelsea a glimmer of hope of snatching the title from United, and of course neither will truly give up until it is mathematically over, but they are both chasing a lost cause.

I fully expected United to beat Liverpool, so it was a shock to the system to see them beaten so convincingly at home, but nonetheless I am certain I will not experience any more shocks like that this season and the Red Devils will win the title comfortably.

Even if United do falter in their next match, a potentially tricky encounter against Fulham at Craven Cottage, the Premiership takes a break for International matches the following week, which will break up any bad run which United could be embarking on.

In League Two, the game of the day was indeed produced by first-placed Brentford and second-placed Wycombe. Despite both sides' impeccable defensive records this season and the previous low-scoring encounters between the sides at Griffin Park, the match produced a three-all draw.

It was a good result for both sides, but possibly more so for Wycombe in light of Brentford's loss at home to Chesterfield last night.

Wycombe are now seven points behind the league leaders with two games in hand.

The match I watched on Saturday was at Bamber Bridge, who surprisingly lost to a deserving Garforth Town in the Unibond First Division North. The result has potentially blown the chance that Brig had of a play-off place as they have dropped out of the play-off places and every other side has games in hand over the Lancashire side. For a full report on that match, click here.

Here are how my predictions faired at the weekend:

Grimsby I predicted to beat Chester away comfortably, but the Mariners, who are second-bottom of the table continued to fail to live up to what is expected of Mike Newell's side and only managed a one-all draw, despite taking the lead

Leyton Orient had a good chance away at Stockport, and did win, by a goal to nil

Peterborough I predicted would win and they did, even with 10 men for most of the game against local rivals Northampton in League One

Leeds also did as I expected and saw off Swindon Town, albeit in a narrow one-nil win

Saturday 14 March 2009

Tips for the weekend

I have finally found the time during a hectic schedule this week, in which I have been editing the Preston Journal newspaper on my journalism course, to update this blog.

While some wonderful, albeit weird, dancing is taking place on BBC for the Comic Relief Cause, blogging makes a welcome break from the monotony of the depressing appeals, and I am allowed to say that because I have sent the text message pledging a fiver to the cause.

It has been an exciting few days in football: Manchester United beat Inter at Old Trafford before Jose Mourinho 'hit' the headlines for an alleged scuffle with a United fan; Arsenal made it a double for English teams over Italians after an epic penalty shoot-out; Chelsea made a fine hat-trick by beating Juventus; and Liverpool, the exception, both in their inferiors' home country and in how impressive the result was, accomplished an astounding four-nil victory over Real Madrid.

And the excitement does not stop there. Many will be looking forward to the first versus third clash between Man United and Liverpool respectively, but my excitement comes in League Two, where the team I support, Wycombe, take on Brentford, in a second versus first clash.

Painstakingly, I will miss the match, but I will be reporting at Bamber Bridge, who are hosting Garforth Town, in hope of sustaining a play-off place in the Unibond First Division North.

Here are the results I predict for the weekend:

Grimsby were on fire with a 5-1 win against Lincoln last week, and they should beat mediocre Chester away. Expect another stuffing

Leyton Orient have done well away recently in League One and Stockport's Jim Gannon was concerned about playing slick football on home turf during the week, so an away victory could be on the cards

I am utterly convinced that Manchester United will beat Liverpool at Old Trafford

Peterborough have been in blinding form and they will beat Northampton in League One

Leeds have won their previous five at home, so they will see off lowly Swindon Town

And finally, my headline of the day is a story about French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane recommending Liverpool's Steven Gerrard as the the best footballer in the world. It reads, 'GERRARD IS ZZ' TOP'.

Let the weekend commence.

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Weekend round-up of Preston's sport

Here is my round-up of the sport in Preston at the weekend.

 

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