Month: April 2023

Derby head coach Paul Warne admitted missed chances prevented his team securing a League One play-off place after they were held 1-1 at home by Portsmouth.

A win would have sealed a top-six finish but a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal proved costly.

Derby swarmed all over Portsmouth for the opening 20 minutes but Nathaniel Mendez-Laing fired wide from close range and David McGoldrick was twice denied by Matt Macey.

Portsmouth stunned Derby with their first meaningful attack when Joe Morrell’s ball to the back post was headed in by Colby Bishop.

It could have been worse for Derby but for Joe Wildsmith who made two superb saves in the space of a minute to deny Joe Pigott and then Connor Ogilvie.

Derby pushed Pompey back in the second half and the pressure told in the 71st minute with James Collins volleying home after Curtis Davies flicked on a free-kick.

In front of a 31,000-plus crowd, Derby pressed hard for a winner but Portsmouth stood firm to leave Warne regretting those missed chances.

Warne, whose side are two points above Peterborough with one game remaining, said: “I think for the first 25 minutes we were as scintillating as I’ve seen a team play but we don’t take our chances and sooner or later the opposition are going to create one.

“Then I thought we wobbled massively and for the second part of the first half their goal knocked us and Joe (Wildsmith) kept us in the game.

“When you’re on top you’ve got to take your chances and I just thought that’s what let us down today, we just weren’t good enough in front of goal.

“We created enough chances to take an easy lead and we didn’t and it came back and bit us so I leave here sort of disappointed, sort of pleased, sort of frustrated because I saw how results were going and if we won today it was all over.”

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho was satisfied with a point.

He said: “It was a mixed game in terms of performance.

“The first half was 20 minutes of us being pretty awful and 25 minutes of us playing some of the best football we’ve played away from home this season.

“We could have been 3-0 up but if it was 3-3 at half-time I don’t think anyone would have had too many complaints.

“Second half we were backs to the wall so there’s plenty we have to work on but a real positive step in the right direction considering the losses away from home we’ve had this season against top-six sides.”

Reading interim manager Noel Hunt knows his side are now relying on results elsewhere to survive in the Sky Bet Championship and have only “hope” remaining.

A 1-1 home draw with Wigan kept them in the relegation zone, with Latics’ relegation confirmed by the stalemate.

Charlie Hughes headed Wigan in front after 81 minutes but were condemned to League One next season when home substitute Yakou Meite slammed home from close range in the third minute of stoppage time.

The third relegation slot is now between Reading, Huddersfield and Rotherham.

The Royals have to visit Huddersfield on the last day of the campaign on May 8 but could be down before then if the Terriers and Millers pick up points from their games in hand.

“Listen, we’re relying on other results now,” Hunt said. “And we’ll be keeping a close eye on them.

“We’ve just got to wait in hope. And, hopefully, we’ve got something to play for (at Huddersfield) on the Monday.

“I’m disappointed and gutted in terms of the result and the scoreline.

“But in terms of the performance, how we dominated the game and the character that we showed, I couldn’t be more proud of them.

“If the ball had dropped for us more, we could have scored four or five more goals.

“What the boys gave on the pitch today should be the minimum requirement for this club.

“The players are devastated in the dressing room but they can be proud of what they have done today.

“They have been written off for much of the season but, from the minute I stepped in here, they’ve shown just what good people and what good professionals they are.”

Wigan made a swift return to the third tier after being promoted as champions last season.

Boss Shaun Maloney said: “It’s a really difficult feeling at the moment. It’s been a really difficult day for everyone, a deeply painful day.

“It’s been a real mix of emotions.

“The players have given me everything since I took over and I couldn’t have asked for any more effort from them.

“We’ve won games and we’ve lost games but, in terms of the group of players, they’ve been immense for me.

“It’s been such a unique situation here at the club, especially with the three points deduction (for failing to pay players).

“We then knew it was going to be very difficult for us. But for the players and the fans, just a massive thank you to them for all they have given me and their club.

“At the end of the season, the table doesn’t lie. That’s fair.

“But from what the players have given me, they haven’t been one of the worst three teams in that time.

“I’ve now got to make sure that we don’t ever have a season like this again – on or off the pitch.

“When Charlie (Hughes) scored, I’m normally pretty calm in these moments.

“But I also know that football can take away from you as well – and, unfortunately, it did.

“At 1-0 we had to find a structure to see the game out. But from a set play, the bounce of the ball landed to Reading.”

Dave Challinor described Stockport as “one special group” after becoming only the second team to win at Leyton Orient this season but remained pragmatic about their hopes of snatching automatic promotion on the final day.

Goals from Akil Wright, Callum Camps and Connor Evans secured an impressive 3-0 victory for County at the League Two champions and they received a further boost when third-placed Northampton suffered a late home defeat to Bradford.

Those results have left Stockport two points behind the Cobblers heading into the last round of the season, where Challinor’s men host relegated Hartlepool and Northampton go to Tranmere.

Challinor said: “If we do what we do well next week, which is all I can ask, then I can’t ask for more.

“We are one special group. If it has to be the play-offs, so be it.”

Wright and Camps gave County a two-goal advantage inside the opening 10 minutes at Orient and from there they remained in control before substitute Evans wrapped up matters in the 81st minute.

Stockport were backed by 1500 of their vociferous fans who were also tracking events in Northampton’s game and Challinor celebrated with those supporters when news of Bradford’s late winner came through.

“It was the first time in 13 years as a manager that I wanted to know what was going on elsewhere,” he added.

“To start the game like we did was excellent and made us more comfortable although not easier by any stretch and overall, we thoroughly deserved all the three points.

“Orient wanted to win the game because it was a special occasion for them collecting the League Two trophy.

“Set-pieces were important which we used well and it was great to get the second goal so early because it allowed us to control the game.

“We were missing some big players for us today but we’ve got a couple of days to assess our injured bodies and it helps with the last game of the season not coming until Monday week.”

O’s boss Richie Wellens had no complaints about the result as Stockport became only the second side after Newport in October to win a league game at Brisbane Road this season.

“We were playing against a team who were quite aggressive, and we were miles off it,” he said.

“We were nowhere near it, but it is understandable.

“It’s still a brilliant day, the club has been on a great journey for the last 14 months, and to see all the players on the pitch with their families – they will remember this for the rest of their lives.

“Next week’s game at Bradford City is difficult because we want the players to enjoy it, but we’ll try to be as professional as we can because it’s a massive game.

“It’s been a long gruelling season but every player in the squad has played a part in our success no matter how many minutes they’ve had on the pitch.

“The morale and vibe in the changing room is something like I’ve never seen before, whether as a player or a manager.

“It fills me with immense pride to be part of this club.”

Roberto De Zerbi credited Brighton’s Wembley agony as the stimulus for Saturday’s history-making 6-0 Premier League demolition of Wolves.

De Zerbi hailed the finest performance of his managerial career after the ruthless Seagulls ripped apart Wanderers to emphatically reignite their European push.

Doubles from Deniz Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck at the Amex Stadium paved the way for Albion’s greatest result in the top flight.

The thumping triumph moves the Sussex side on to 52 points – two behind Tottenham in fifth – to match the club-record tally, accrued in 1982.

De Zerbi felt his team’s stunning display was a direct response to the pain of last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United, which was followed by a meek 3-1 midweek defeat at lowly Nottingham Forest.

“I think it’s the best performance in my career as a coach,” said the Italian former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk manager.

“We scored six goals but if we speak about the level of the play, the style of the play, the quality of the play, I think we are playing a very high level of football.

“This victory started in Wembley, not today, because today we showed pride, we played well.

“We suffered a lot after Wembley because we deserved to win, we suffered a lot in Nottingham because we played the Nottingham game with the heads still in Wembley and today you watched the reaction.

“The players are not like the players on the PlayStation or robots. They gave soul, heart and in those five days they suffered a lot.”

De Zerbi opted to begin with influential trio Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma on the bench due to fatigue fears amid a hectic fixture list.

But the surprising selection did not remain a talking point for long as the reshuffled Seagulls blitzed their shell-shocked visitors in the south-coast sunshine.

German forward Undav fired Brighton ahead in six minutes with his first Premier League goal before Gross’ brace and a Welbeck header made it 4-0 at the break.

Woeful Wolves were frequently exposed defensively and, despite making three changes for the second period, former England forward Welbeck claimed his second just after the restart before Undav’s delightful dinked finish compounded their misery

Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui apologised to the travelling fans as he took responsibility for the humiliation.

The Spaniard conceded his side contributed to their own downfall as they slipped to an embarrassing loss which keeps them looking over their shoulders in the battle to avoid relegation.

“It’s a very bad day for us,” said Lopetegui, whose side sit eight points above the drop zone.

“I accept my responsibility today. We are sorry a lot for the fans who came here. I don’t recognise my team today, my players they are better than they showed.

“I am guilty more than ever today because I am the coach. In the same way, the players have to know they have to do better.

“I apologise for the fans. It’s a bad day for them. We play for them and we are very sad about the end (result).”

Vincent Kompany is ready to demand even more of Manuel Benson after a fourth outstanding strike in as many games put promoted Burnley on course for a 2-1 Championship victory at Ashton Gate.

The Belgian winger is fast making it his trademark to score from distance, but the superb curling effort from the right corner of the box after 33 minutes was special even by his recent standards.

Tommy Conway’s low drive from Andi Weimann’s pass for his 12th goal of the season had City level on the hour and made him the club’s top scorer for the campaign.

But two minutes later, a defensive error allowed Burnley substitute Jay Rodriguez to score the winner from 12 yards after being teed up by Scott Twine to keep the champions on course to top 100 points for the season as they moved onto 98.

When asked if Benson’s left foot was magic, boss Kompany smiled and said: “If he gets five in a row that I will say so. But I want another one to be sure.

“Today he was running back towards his own goal when he struck the ball. It’s no coincidence that he keeps scoring like that. It’s something he has been doing since he was a kid and we are very happy to have him.

“Goals others would find hard to score are just normal for him. I will still be asking him for some tap-ins, but what he has done for us is fantastic.

“It was a good performance from the whole team, although we allowed Bristol to gain some momentum in the last 20 minutes and that made it a difficult game for us.

“We started really well and for long spells we looked threatening. We scored two goals, but maybe our end product was a little less than I would have liked.

“When we did come under pressure, we did what we had to do in those moments, defending crosses and getting up the pitch. It was a side of our game we needed today.”

Rodriguez replaced Lyle Foster, who was injured in a clash of heads with Kal Naismith during the first half.

Kompany added: “He was feeling dizzy so we could take no chances, but we think he’s OK.”

City boss Nigel Pearson said: “You could see why Burnley are champions in the first half, but I am very disappointed with the two goals we conceded.

“We talked all week about not allowing Benson to get the ball onto his left peg. The second mistake might have knocked the stuffing out of us, but we reacted well and they knew they had been in a game by the final whistle.

“Our biggest progression this year has been in finding an identity. We go into every game looking to win it and play with an energy that causes opposing teams problems.

“It has been a priority since I came here to improve fitness levels and the way we finished the game was testimony to how the players have taken that on board.

“We know we have a way to go to become top-six challengers next season, but if we can out-run teams, we will have a chance.

“We wanted to end our home programme with a good result, but there were plenty of positives in the performance.

“I was pleased with how we continued to stretch them and our substitutes had a positive impact, which is a huge improvement on recent seasons.”

Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich are going to go from strength-to-strength after a 6-0 win over Exeter secured promotion to the Championship.

Five goals came in a pulsating 24-minute opening spell through Massimo Luongo, George Hirst, Nathan Broadhead and two from Conor Chaplin. Wes Burns added the sixth in the second half.

Ipswich have had a magnificent run towards the end of the season and the win made it 13 victories from their last 14 League One games.

McKenna said: “The scenes outside the ground (prior to kick off) were incredible. To see the passion from those fans and this club is just going from strength-to-strength and today was a good example of that.

“It was a great performance, the whole 90 minutes. From when we got the first goal we were everything I wanted us to be.

“We try to go out to perform and make the next performance our best of the season and we said it yesterday, ‘why can’t this be the best performance of the year and let’s go out and not be tense, let’s go out and enjoy it and try and play really, really well’ and we managed to do that.

“Today is about the club, the community all coming together to have a successful season and we want more of that now.

“The big goal was to get this club back to the Championship. It’s been an incredible season… at the moment we just want to enjoy today and think about the last game and what we are going to try and do.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell admitted he was a “little embarrassed” by the scoreline.

Caldwell said: “I think we have seen a very good football team and if you are a little bit off it you can get punished and that’s what we did today.

“I’ll take responsibility for it, I’m the manager of the football club. I pick the team and we need to be better next week and try and finish the season off.

“We have to learn this lesson, we have to be better, we have to be stronger, technically improve in every department.

“It’s a really difficult lesson. I’ve had some as a player, I’ve had some as a manager and you have to recover, you have to learn that lesson and work harder to be better.

“They (Ipswich) are a good team and we tried to press them but we did not get that right first half.

“We had some possession higher up the pitch but the goals came and we couldn’t stem the flow.”

Scott Lindsey admitted that preserving Crawley’s Football League status was the best achievement of his career.

The Reds played played out a goalless draw against Walsall in their final home game of the season to get the point they needed to survive.

The 50-year-old former Swindon boss admitted the occasion had taken on added poignancy as it marked a year to the day since the passing of his mother Jean.

Crawley’s strong home form has done much to help them stay up since Lindsey took over two-and-a-half months ago, and when asked where this ranked in his career, he replied: “This ranks at the top.

“A year ago I lost my mum, Jean, and I felt it would be the day when we got safe. That’s my mum shining down and putting it right for me.

“When coming in, I thought we needed to win seven out of 22 games and we can make it seven by winning at Swindon in our last match and this is what we will be aiming to do.

“It’s a case of mission accomplished. It’s been tough – and we lost six in a row at one point – but at the same time it’s been enjoyable and the fans have been absolutely unbelievable – the best I’ve known.”

Walsall came into the clash having won just one of their previous 21 league games, and interim boss Mat Sadler was pleased with the manner of the performance after a “passive” opening half an hour.

He said: “The players are well aware of what I want to do and it’s a fantastic learning curve for them.

“In the last 15 minutes of the first half we were more positive and looked the likelier side to nick a goal.”

The draw halted a run of three successive defeats for Walsall, and Sadler added: “We are determined not to allow the season to peter out.

“After a change of manager it’s important to see the reaction of players, and it’s not part of our make-up to allow it to be a damp squib.”

Walsall host Doncaster in their final game and Sadler is aiming to sign off in style.

He said: “It’s an absolutely fantastic football club to work for and I’m absolutely desperate to give them something to shout about.”

Salford boss Neil Wood is delighted his side’s play-off fate is in their own hands heading into the last game of the League Two season after a huge 3-2 win at Carlisle.

Luke Bolton’s stunning late strike earned the visitors a victory that leaves them needing just a point when they host Gillingham next weekend to secure a top-seven finish.

First-half efforts from Callum Hendry and Bolton put the visitors 2-0 up, but Joe Garner grabbed one back with 13 minutes to go.

Carlisle won a penalty which was eventually scored by Kristian Dennis, but before it was taken United’s Jon Mellish was given his marching orders for an apparent push in the face of Elliot Watt.

And there was time for Bolton to steal the spoils with his 88th-minute effort.

Wood said: “We’ve put ourselves into a much better position by winning this game than if we drew or lost.

“We have to be confident with the position we’re in. We’ll prepare to win the game, we won’t go out there and try to get a point. That’s not quite us.

“If you’d offered us this at the start of the season – one point, in our own hands with a home game on the last day of the season – we’d have taken that.

“It was an important game for both teams and it’s an important win for us.

“They scored and the place started to lift. They’ve got a lot of fans here and they’re a good team so you have to keep them credit.

“The winning goal was a goal that deserved to win any game.”

Despite the defeat, Carlisle are in a strong position to reach the play-offs.

Even if they lose at Sutton in the final game, they would need Mansfield to overturn a massive eight-goal swing to overtake them.

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson called on his side to “finish the job”.

He said: “I’m delighted what this group has done for 45 games, but we are not guaranteed to be in the play-offs.

“You saw it last season when Bristol Rovers smashed how many goals they did on the last day of the season – and Northampton missed out as a result.

“We won’t take anything for granted. We have to finish it.

“We’ll prepare properly this week for our game against Sutton. But if we’re not good enough to go to Sutton and get the right result – and an eight-goal swing does happen – then the truth is we don’t deserve to be in the play-offs.

“We can say it’s been a good season, but it will be disappointing if it falls away.

“We have to review this game, put it to bed and get ourselves ready for a massive challenge at Sutton.”

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher admitted his delight as his team beat resilient Burton 1-0 to clinch automatic promotion from Sky Bet League One in front of their home fans.

Schumacher, who will be 39 on Sunday, admitted: “I am overjoyed.

“It’s been an amazing season, an amazing campaign and to finish it off here on a sunny day in Devon – when the sun’s not been out for weeks – in front of our home fans…it’s just amazing.”

Striker Niall Ennis scored the all-important 45th minute winner for the hosts, who also had three efforts cleared off the line.

Schumacher said: “I am so proud of everybody associated with the club that we’ve managed to get over the line at home.

“We set a goal and achieved the goal we wanted. I could not be any prouder.

“First of all the standard that has been set at the top end of League One this season has been nothing short of amazing.

“I think big congratulations to Ipswich, who have also sealed automatic promotion today. They have been brilliant to watch, so congratulations to Kieran McKenna and their team.

“And then commiserations to Darren Moore at Sheffield Wednesday and also Michael Duff at Barnsley.

“The relentless pace and nature that all the teams have set just made you work so hard.

“So whenever we have had a good result. We’ve always said ‘well done, good but we’re on to the next one’ because we can’t take our eye off the ball and get too carried away.

“The standard has just made us consistent whether we’ve won or lost a game.

“When we have lost a game, some people have said ‘the bubble’s going to burst’ but we haven’t lost two games in a row all season and that is an amazing thing to say.

“It was a tough game and we had to fight right until the very end but we did enough.

“Twenty home league wins is unbelievable, outstanding and the fans have played a huge in that. The last 16 or 17 of the last 18 home games have completely sold out.

“Nobody liked coming to Plymouth anyway because it’s so far, now they don’t like coming down when you’ve got 11 players in front of you plus 16,000 fans screaming. Hopefully next season in the Championship it won’t be an easy place for anyone either.”

Burton boss Dino Maamria said: “I am proud of my players, we put in a performance today and it was really disappointing to concede the goal (with) the last kick of the first half.

“I changed the system as I had two injuries and had to shuffle the pack a little bit.

“If we played this game a few months ago, we probably we wouldn’t be able to compete, so we have come a long way.

“We beat Sheffield Wednesday and we came to Plymouth, who have the best home record in the division, and it was very close.

“Plymouth have not got a top four budget, they have done brilliantly to compete with the big boys. They have done very well, so congratulations to them.”

Sam Taylor was left speechless after his first senior goal earned Tranmere a 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane.

The 19-year-old striker came on for the injured Harvey Saunders five minutes before half-time and, on his third appearance for the club, swept home the equaliser in the 79th minute.

Ali Al-Hamadi had made the breakthrough for the home side midway through the second half.

But the story of the match belonged to Taylor, who confidently converted Josh Hawkes’ pull back into the top corner.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” said Taylor. “I’ve never experienced anything like that. The feeling was incredible. I’m lost for words really.

“I nearly started crying to be honest. That will always be remembered. The lads have got me the match ball signed and that will always be there.

“All I was really aiming for this season was to get minutes. I honestly didn’t expect to come on the minute I did. I’m so delighted.”

Taylor’s interim manager Ian Dawes heaped praise on the teenager.

“What a fantastic story for him,” said Dawes. “He’s worked so hard to get where he is.

“Every time he’s come on the pitch, he’s never let us down. One of the biggest bits of credit I can give him is that he never lets you down off the ball.

“His energy and his workrate and his desire to do the ugly side of the game, competing and tracking back, for a striker is fantastic.

“I thought because of all that he deserved his goal, and what a goal it was.”

For Wimbledon, the draw meant they have dropped 40 points from winning positions this season, but under-pressure manager Johnnie Jackson felt hard done by given his side’s performance.

“It was quite a close game, but I thought we deserved to win it. We had the better chances,” said Jackson.

“We scored a really good goal and could have had a couple more. It wasn’t a wholly one-sided game but I thought we were the team in the ascendancy.”

Jackson came under fire last week after the Dons were beaten 5-1 by Swindon, but the former Charlton captain insisted he is aiming high next season.

“I’ve had fantastic support upstairs in difficult moments,” said Jackson. “I recognise that, but I think they recognise enough in me.

“Apart from last week, when we got a thrashing, we’ve been competitive in every game, even in defeat.

“I’m not just here to make the numbers up. We want to be competing at the top end of the league and we have to learn the lessons of this one.”