Month: April 2023

Crawley clinched the point they needed to ensure Sky Bet League Two survival with a goalless draw at home to Walsall.

Hartlepool attempted to take matters into the final day of the season with a 3-1 home win over Barrow, but the Reds went into the game needing a point and obliged by taking their unbeaten run to four games.

Crawley had all but secured their status with a 2-0 victory at Hartlepool last week, but boss Scott Lindsey insisted going into the clash there would be no complacency.

Walsall, without an away league win since Boxing Day, threatened in only the fifth minute when winger Tom Knowles had a shot parried by goalkeeper Corey Addai before Addai also claimed the rebound from Conor Wilkinson.

At the other end, Saddlers keeper Owen Evans tipped a free-kick from Jack Powell around a post and also tipped over a header by James Tilley.

Former Crawley loanee Isaac Hutchinson had a goal-bound shot parried by Addai after Walsall had penalty claims waved away following a challenge by Dion Conroy on Knowles.

Walsall changed their keeper for the second half, with Jackson Smith replacing Owen Evans, and Smith was tested for the first time when holding a low shot from Tilley.

Crawley thought they had broken the deadlock in the 57th minute when Ashley Nadesan appeared to have forced a cross from Ben Gladwin over the line, but the effort was ruled out by the assistant referee.

A recent upturn on the pitch has done nothing to stop Crawley fans from protesting against the club’s owners and their chants throughout the game were for WAGMI United – a group of US cryptocurrency investors who took over a year ago – to quit.

Crawley clinched the point they needed to ensure Sky Bet League Two survival with a goalless draw at home to Walsall.

Hartlepool attempted to take matters into the final day of the season with a 3-1 home win over Barrow, but the Reds went into the game needing a point and obliged by taking their unbeaten run to four games.

Crawley had all but secured their status with a 2-0 victory at Hartlepool last week, but boss Scott Lindsey insisted going into the clash there would be no complacency.

Walsall, without an away league win since Boxing Day, threatened in only the fifth minute when winger Tom Knowles had a shot parried by goalkeeper Corey Addai before Addai also claimed the rebound from Conor Wilkinson.

At the other end, Saddlers keeper Owen Evans tipped a free-kick from Jack Powell around a post and also tipped over a header by James Tilley.

Former Crawley loanee Isaac Hutchinson had a goal-bound shot parried by Addai after Walsall had penalty claims waved away following a challenge by Dion Conroy on Knowles.

Walsall changed their keeper for the second half, with Jackson Smith replacing Owen Evans, and Smith was tested for the first time when holding a low shot from Tilley.

Crawley thought they had broken the deadlock in the 57th minute when Ashley Nadesan appeared to have forced a cross from Ben Gladwin over the line, but the effort was ruled out by the assistant referee.

A recent upturn on the pitch has done nothing to stop Crawley fans from protesting against the club’s owners and their chants throughout the game were for WAGMI United – a group of US cryptocurrency investors who took over a year ago – to quit.

Billy Dodds believes Billy Mckay is in the form of his life after the veteran striker took his Inverness tally to 100 goals with a double in Saturday’s 3-0 Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Falkirk.

The 34-year-old opened the scoring with an early penalty and then brought up his century for Caley Thistle with a clinical close-range finish in the second half after Dan MacKay had doubled the Highlanders’ lead.

Manager Dodds praised the forward – in his third spell at the club – for the way he has adapted his game to remain prominent.

“Billy is a credit to himself with his fitness levels because he is mid-thirties,” he said.

“A few months ago I had a chat with him and it was for his own good. I asked him to be a bit more all-action and he has taken it like a sponge, he’s just soaked it all up.

“He’s always had the goals, no problem with that. When he gets those chances, the penalty and the cross, I know they are going in because he is a finisher.

“But he is working his socks off and he is a different player. I know we all got better with age but Billy is a better player now than he has ever been.”

Dodds was pleased with the way his team took control of the match despite not being at their best in the first half.

“I thought we were magnificent, especially as the game wore on,” he said.

“It was never straightforward and I have to credit Falkirk. I thought they were really good in the first half, causing us problems with their diamond.

“We didn’t pass the ball as well as we could in the first half but we were ruthless and we got the two goals.

“As the game wore on, I was more confident in the boys. I thought they were really good in the second half.”

Inverness will return to Hampden on June 4 to face the winners of Sunday’s semi-final between Rangers and Celtic and Dodds is adamant his team will feel they can cause an upset.

“I’ve never turned up to a game and thought ‘we can’t win’, that would be madness,” he said.

“Of course, we are going to enjoy the day and of course it’s a big ask against one of the Old Firm.

“But we’re hoping not to just turn up and take part in the final and that’s it.

“I’ve got good players and if we’re right at it then we can give anybody a game, as we have proven against Livingston and Kilmarnock.”

Falkirk boss John McGlynn felt his League One side played the better football after recovering from an “absolute disaster” of a start but he conceded their Championship opponents showed their superior quality in front of goal.

“We had opportunities, but at the other end one great, quality ball in and (Dan) Mackay scores with a header,” he said.

“That’s the difference in the game. Our guys worked hard, they kept trying to find a way through but we couldn’t finish anything.

“They are the in-form team in the Championship. They have won 3-0 and it is very hard to get away from that but I honestly felt we were the better footballing team.”

McGlynn had sympathy for Leon McCann after a cross struck the left-back’s hand in the fifth minute, with a penalty awarded to Inverness following a VAR check.

“I don’t think he could have (done anything differently),” he said. “He was turning away instinctively and his arm was there. I am not saying it wasn’t a penalty but for me it is soft.

“It is a sore one to take. It was so early you don’t get your foot in the game.”

Veteran striker Billy Mckay scored twice as Inverness set up a Scottish Cup final against one of the Old Firm sides with a 3-0 win over Falkirk at Hampden Park.

The Championship side emerged triumphant when the two clubs met in the 2015 final and they again proved too strong for the League One outfit.

Mckay, 34, scored from the spot after seven minutes when VAR intervened to flag up a Leon McCann handball before winger Daniel MacKay headed in a second after 34 minutes to give the Highlanders the interval lead.

Mckay grabbed his second in the 57th minute with a deft finish to confirm Caley Thistle’s second Scottish Cup final appearance ever and they will face the might of holders Rangers or Celtic, who meet in the other last-four tie at the national stadium on Sunday.

Billy Dodds’ side were knocked out of the cup by Queen’s Park in January before getting a reprieve after their Championship rivals had fielded an ineligible player, and they will need more of that fortune in the final if they are to produce an unlikely shock.

There was no surprise that the ground was well short of its 50,000-plus capacity but the Bairns had the bulk of the support for the lunchtime kick-off, although it was the Highland fans who were soon celebrating.

It was the first time either side had played under the VAR system and referee Nick Walsh went to his pitchside monitor after just five minutes when Alan Muir, in charge of the technology, spotted McCann’s flailing arm had made contact with a Jay Henderson cross.

Walsh pointed to the spot after a check and McKay sent Falkirk keeper Brian Kinnear the wrong way with a confident penalty.

The Bairns almost levelled in the 12th minute when Inverness goalkeeper Mark Ridgers came rushing out of his penalty area and miskicked a clearance to Falkirk winger Callum Morris but his shot curled away from the empty goal and struck the base of the far post before the Caley Thistle defence regrouped to smother the danger.

John McGlynn’s side were on the front foot and midway through the first half midfielder Max Kucheriavyi headed a cross into the arms of Ridgers from eight yards.

Then Kai Kennedy and Kucheriavyi had shots blocked by desperate Inverness bodies but Caley Thistle raced up the pitch and doubled their lead when Mackay, on loan from Hibernian, headed in a Jay Henderson cross from just outside the six-yard box.

It was a long way back for Falkirk but they kept going.

Moments later, defender Liam Henderson headed wide from captain Stephen McGinn’s whipped-in free-kick with defender Coll Donaldson missing the target from eight yards following an early second-half corner.

The Bairns kept battling for a lifeline which was pulled away from them when Mackay slung in a deep cross from the left and McKay nipped in to cushion the ball past Kinnear from four yards.

Just after the hour mark, Inverness’ Nathan Shaw’s deflected drive from 20 yards crashed off the post and for once Falkirk survived.

In the 67th minute a short pass-back from Caley Thistle’s Robbie Deas saw substitute Gary Oliver go round Ridgers but he somehow failed in two attempts to squeeze the ball in.

At the other end, as the game sped from end to end, Nathan Shaw curled the ball against the Falkirk post and, while the Bairns kept going – helped by a clutch of substitutes – there was no way back.

The next Scottish Cup stop for Inverness is Celtic or Rangers, but firstly they will resume their quest to get out of the Championship with that showpiece occasion on June 3 put on the backburner. Falkirk will lick their wounds and try to escape out of League One through the play-offs.

Crystal Palace came from behind to spoil West Ham’s hopes of moving further clear of the relegation zone with a 4-3 victory at Selhurst Park.

Jordan Ayew cancelled out Tomas Soucek’s early opener for the visitors before Wilfried Zaha marked his return with his seventh of the season and Jeffrey Schlupp added another.

Antonio got his name on the scoresheet for the Hammers before the break and Eberechi Eze restored Palace’s advantage with a second-half spot kick.

Aguerd clawed one back to keep his side in it, but the hosts held on to make it 40 points for the season – and likely secure their own top-flight safety.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to 12:45 due to issues with the turnstiles at Selhurst Park, with plenty of seats still empty at the initially scheduled start.

Palace were buoyed by the return of Zaha, who last featured in Roy Hodgson’s return to the dugout on April 1 but sustained a groin injury in that victory.

Michael Olise quickly found himself punished by the visitors after he nodded down Jarrod Bowen’s corner but into the path of Soucek, who fired past Sam Johnstone on nine minutes.

The advantage was fleeting. Olise repented for his involvement in the opener when he slipped a fine pass to Ayew, who levelled with a lovely low finish and West Ham were soon dealt another blow when Kurt Zouma was forced off.

When Zaha sustained his injury earlier this month Palaces supporters feared the worst – that they had seen their talisman at Selhurst Park for a final time. Instead, he handed Palace the lead on Saturday.

Olise’s cross from the right initially skipped past Ayew but Zaha was waiting at the post where he pounced and gave Lukasz Fabianski no chance as he sent the ball into the top right.

The visitors worked the ball back into Palace’s half where Soucek tested Sam Johnstone with a low effort, forcing a simple save from the Eagles’ shot-stopper.

Schlupp extended the hosts’ advantage on 30 minutes as he picked the ball off Soucek and was through on goal, taking his time as he slotted through the legs of Fabianski.

This time it was West Ham with the quick reply, through a corner flicked on by Soucek to Antonio, who headed the ball in at the back post to close the gap and limit the first half to five goals despite a nervy flurry of activity at both ends.

Fabianski got just enough on Olise’s curling effort to tip it over the bar after the restart but the hosts restored their two-goal advantage after Eberechi Eze was deemed to have been dragged down by Nayef Aguerd inside the area.

The Morocco international protested but the penalty stood after a VAR check, Eze making it 4-2 after sending Fabianski the wrong way with his spot-kick to the bottom left corner.

As was the pattern of the afternoon, the pendulum swung back in the opposition’s favour, again from a corner. As the ball initially flicked on by Soucek, three bodies rose and it was Aguerd who was adjudged to have had the last touch at the back post, the goal standing after a VAR check for handball.

Despite both sides threatening, neither was able to take advantage of six minutes of second-half stoppage time, and Palace prevailed on a topsy-turvy afternoon.

– Newcastle have only lost once at home in the league this season 
– Joelinton has scored four goals in his last five appearances 
– Recommended bet: Joelinton to score and Newcastle to win

Newcastle have a top-four finish in touching distance and they will be confident of adding another three points to their tally when rock-bottom Southampton travel to St James’ Park on Sunday.

The Magpies sit third in the Premier League heading into the encounter, eight points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more than the north-east outfit.

As for the Saints, they are six points adrift of safety with just five matches remaining and it only seems like a matter of time before their relegation to the Championship is confirmed.

Team news

Newcastle remain without defender Emil Krafth and winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who is also a doubt to play against Arsenal on May 7.

Callum Wilson scored twice in the win over Everton in midweek but he could be dropped to the bench for Alexander Isak, who was given a rest from starting duties. 

Jacob Murphy and Dan Burn also dropped out of the XI for that victory but are pushing for recalls.

For Southampton, Juan Larios and Mohammed Salisu are both missing while Tino Livramento is expected to miss out as he continues to build fitness following his ACL injury.

James Ward-Prowse will be assessed closer to the game after picking up an illness and Romain Perraud is a doubt with an ankle knock, but Armel Bella-Kotchap is available after missing the Bournemouth defeat in midweek.

The stats

Newcastle are one of five clubs to have only lost once at home in the league this season, while their tally of 32 points at St James’ Park is only bettered by five clubs.

The Magpies have already beaten Southampton three times this term — once in the top flight and in both legs of their League Cup semi-final, with Joelinton having netted the only goal in the first.

Brazil ace Joelinton has six league goals in the campaign so far — his best scoring season since arriving on Tyneside — and four of those have come in his last five appearances.

Over half of Southampton’s 24 points have come away from home, 14 in total, but they are on an eight-game winless streak and have not won at St James’ Park since January 2015.

Prediction

The contrast in seasons for these two could hardly be any greater and given the confidence Newcastle are playing with right now, they should be able to chalk up an 18th league win of the campaign.

Eddie Howe’s men have been ruthless in recent weeks, scoring 23 times in their last eight matches, and more goals should be on the agenda against a Southampton side that has conceded 57 times.

While a lot of praise has gone to the likes of Wilson, Isak and Miguel Almiron this term, Joelinton is in red-hot form and he can keep his impressive scoring run going.

Back Joelinton to score and Newcastle to win at 3/1 with LiveScore Bet.

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Michael Beale has implored his Rangers players to grab the chance of glory with a Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic at Hampden Park on Sunday.

With the Hoops 13 points clear of their Old Firm rivals at the top of the cinch Premiership, and with the ViaPlay Cup already in the trophy room after beating the Gers in the final, the Light Blues have only one chance left to win silverware this season.

To do so, they will have to beat Celtic for the first time in six games, indeed, since they ousted Ange Postecoglou’s side out of the Scottish Cup at the same stage last season before going on to beat Hearts in the final.

Gers boss Beale said of his players: “I don’t think they have to prove anything to me, maybe to themselves. It’s a big opportunity as a player.

“We’re at a club where there’s an opportunity to win.

“And in your career as a player, whatever age you are, there’s only a certain amount of years that you have an opportunity to win, and depending on whether you’re the youngest player, the oldest player in the squad, you’ve got more, you’ve got less.

“I think this weekend’s a big opportunity for our team to win a semi-final and take us to the final.

“After that, you’d have to go and perform again there as well.

“They don’t have to prove anything to me, maybe themselves and maybe to the fans. That will to win, that’s what they signed up for, coming here.

“This season we’re going to finish second in the league, we’re runners-up in one competition, we want to go and win the cup, that’s clear.

“It will be bitterly disappointing if we don’t but we have to keep moving forward.”

As the season approaches its end, the former QPR boss, who took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst last November, is “super-positive” about the future.

He said: “We’ve won a lot of football games. I think in 23 games we’ve won 19 and until a couple of weeks ago their record looked strong.

“We’ve had a couple of defeats that have been hard to take the last couple of weeks.

“I think progress has been made in terms of we’re much clearer now in the decisions that we need to make this summer.

“Those decisions have obviously clearly been on-going in the background. We know where we need to recruit and the areas we need to improve.

“Obviously, this will be the fourth game (with him in charge) against the team that’s in front of you and you have a good idea of what you need, maybe to overcome them.

“I think progress has been made, there’s a lot of harmony behind the scenes.

“There’s obviously been change within the club structurally as well and that’s ongoing but I’m super-positive about the future.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche believes a softness has crept into his side’s game that has derailed their bid for Premier League safety.

A 10-match run with just one win has left the 19th-placed Toffees facing the prospect of losing their 69-year top-flight status and Monday’s match against fellow strugglers Leicester has taken on must-win importance.

But Dyche, who took six points from his first three games after replacing Frank Lampard in late January, is confident the kind of performance which saw them beat Premier League leaders Arsenal in his maiden match in charge can be rekindled in time to save them from the drop.

Although the first 25 minutes of Thursday’s match at home to Newcastle may have been encouraging, the lowest scorers in England’s top five divisions – with 25 in 33 games – failed to trouble goalkeeper Nick Pope and their second-half capitulation was hugely damaging to already-fragile confidence.

“We made some strides when we came in but it has softened again and we need to pick it up really quickly as there are five big ones coming, that’s for sure,” Dyche said.

“I don’t use the word worry, it’s realities. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and I saw it against Fulham (where they lost 3-1 having got back on level terms). It’s a correction that needs to be made.

“There’s no point worrying because worrying isn’t going to solve anything, work solves things: work on the training pitch, work with the players. That’s what takes away any problems.

“I think we can do it. A very similar side (to the one which lost to Newcastle) beat Arsenal in my first game so there’s the evidence it can be done.

“It’s bringing back that edge and performance.”

Dyche believes his players have to concentrate on improving the smaller details which have such an effect at both ends of the pitch.

“It is fair to say the thing that gets in the way is the details of what’s going on, the tightness if you’re not doing well,” he added.

“The next one (game) will be a case of saying ‘right lads, a lot of the basic principles of what we are doing are correct but the details are massively important and every detail counts’.

“Every time you get into the box you have to believe you are going to score a goal. Those are the details which are going to get you a win.

“There is only so much we can change. There’s a format here that can work, it’s proven to work. We need a sharpness to that performance.”

Dyche urged his side to embrace the pressure of Monday’s crucial match.

“Whatever game it is my mindset is to take it on, that’s what I learned as a player, regardless of it being a big game or a small game,” he said.

Eddie Howe is hoping Newcastle’s united front can propel them all the way to the Champions League.

The Magpies eased themselves two points clear of Manchester United in third place in the Premier League table as a result of Thursday night’s 4-1 win at Everton as Erik ten Hag’s men, who have a game in hand, were pegged back to draw 2-2 at Tottenham.

They will hope to strengthen their position further with an eighth victory in nine attempts when basement boys Southampton head for St James’ Park on Sunday, a run which has put a smile on head coach Howe’s face.

Asked how much he is enjoying his job, the 45-year-old said: “Winning is everything. Of course, it’s what you are paid to do and it’s what you plan to do, and I’m so proud of everyone connected with the club this year and what we’ve given, players, staff, board, everyone.

“We feel really united at the moment. Things are going well. We’re not taking that for granted because we know how quickly it can change, but we’re enjoying the feeling we’re having and long may that continue.”

Much has been made of the money Howe has been able to invest to bolster the squad he inherited from predecessor Steve Bruce, with the club’s Saudi-backed owners having forked out in excess of £250million on the likes of Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier.

However, the degree to which existing players have developed – in particular Fabian Schar, Sean Longstaff, Joelinton, Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy – under his guidance has been remarkable.

Howe left defender Dan Burn, who had been unwell, Murphy and Isak out of his starting line-up at Goodison Park after Sunday’s 6-1 demolition of Tottenham, with one-time talisman Allan Saint-Maximin still injured, yet still saw his team power its way to a comprehensive victory.

It would be no surprise if he rotated once again – both Callum Wilson, who helped himself to a double at Everton, and Isak have found themselves sitting on the bench the game after scoring twice in recent weeks – although that may come as little consolation to the relegation-haunted Saints.

Howe said: “There is a real confidence about the group of players we have. Regardless of who we pick at the moment, it seems that confidence is there in the group. Confidence is such a key thing in any footballer and any team.

“The key thing for us is not to take that for granted and not to back off from what we’re doing to create that and what the players are doing to create that. There’s a lot of hard work going in and we need to not take our eye off the ball.”

Unai Emery believes Aston Villa and Manchester United will do battle for a top-four spot on Sunday both in “different moments” to when they met earlier in the season.

Emery celebrated his first game as Villa manager in November with a memorable 3-1 Premier League home win over Erik ten Hag’s side.

United exacted revenge four days later with a Carabao Cup victory at Old Trafford, the Red Devils going on to win the competition and lift their first trophy for six years.

The two sides meet again nearly six months on with Emery having transformed Villa from relegation candidates to Champions League outsiders, six points behind fourth-placed United who have two games in hand on their Midlands rivals.

Emery said: “For us, it’s a very good challenge, it will be a very different match on Sunday to when we played at home when I arrived here.

“Very different match to when we played in the Carabao Cup there and lost 4-2.

“Now is a different moment for them and for us. But, as well, it will be very difficult for us.

“I think we can face the match, we can be very demanding trying in the 90 minutes to get our best performance. And if we do it, we can have chances to take some points.”

Villa have climbed to sixth after a 10-game unbeaten run that has seen them collect 26 points.

United’s run of three successive league wins was brought to an end by Thursday’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham, which saw them give up a two-goal interval lead.

Emery said: “Of course, they have good players individually and collectively.

“This year they are in the top four, like usually Manchester United have to do.

“They won the Carabao Cup final and they are going to play in the FA Cup final – it’s a very good season for them, only to leave from the Europa League. I think they are having a very good season.”

Emery believes playing in the Europa League or Europa Conference League next season is a more realistic prospect than qualifying for the Champions League through a top-four finish.

Villa have a tough run-in after visiting Old Trafford with games against Wolves and fellow European hopefuls Tottenham, Liverpool and Brighton.

“I like to play matches like we are playing now,” Emery said. “I think this is the best moment you can have.

“We have to be very focused. I like to play under pressure because, for me, it’s not negative pressure, it’s positive pressure.

“I’m not thinking ‘if I will win’ or ‘if I will lose’. I’m thinking, ‘I want to play’, because in this moment we are really playing for something important.”