Big guns kept apart as Spurs held by Stevenage February 19, 2012 A HIGH-PROFILE FA Cup final line-up moved a step closer yesterday when the competition’s biggest hitters were kept apart and handed home ties in the quarter-final draw. Chelsea, who were held at home by Birmingham on Saturday, will host more Championship opposition in Leicester City, who beat Norwich at the weekend, if they win their [...]
Star trio give rampant Reds the joy of six February 19, 2012 LIVERPOOL (6) vs BRIGHTON (1) LIVERPOOL manager Kenny Dalglish hailed his attacking triumvirate of Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll after romping into the FA Cup quarter-finals. The Reds’ star trio started a match together for the very first time and the result was the club’s biggest win since September 2009. They were aided [...]
Hoy gold lifts Brits top of medal table February 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S Sir Chris Hoy underlined his status as a leading London 2012 medal hope by claiming individual sprint gold at the Track Cycling World Cup at the Olympic Velodrome yesterday. Hoy’s second gold of the weekend ensured a happy ending to the four-day competition, which doubled as a test event for this summer’s Games, and [...]
Stevenage bring Spurs down to earth February 19, 2012 STEVENAGE (0) vs TOTTENHAM (0) TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp blamed an unpredictable League One pitch after his top-flight high-fliers were forced to a replay by Stevenage in the FA Cup fifth round. January signing Louis Saha had the ball in the net for Spurs but his second-half tap-in was disallowed because it ricocheted in via [...]
Tigers end Sarries’ run and give Lancaster a headache February 19, 2012 SARACENS (19) vs LEICESTER TIGERS (20) LEICESTER boss Richard Cockerill admits England coach Stuart Lancaster faces a selection headache after Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi starred in yesterday’s last-gasp win at the Premiership champions. Captain Geordan Murphy’s 80th-minute drop-goal condemned Saracens to a first home defeat in the competition for 16 months, just seconds after [...]
Ennis leads track stars’ showcase February 19, 2012 CYCLISTS were not the only Team GB hopefuls to boost their London 2012 medal chances at the weekend, with domestic athletes shining at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday. Heptathlete Jessica Ennis posted new personal bests in the 60m hurdles and long jump, beating a strong field in the former with the fastest [...]
Chelsea will bounce back at Napoli, says Villas-Boas February 19, 2012 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his side’s struggle to salvage an FA Cup replay against Birmingham will not dent morale ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League trip to Napoli. The west Londoners needed a second-half equaliser from Daniel Sturridge to avoid a major fifth-round shock against the Championship promotion hopefuls at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. That [...]
Wenger riled by critics as trophy hopes vanish February 19, 2012 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has hit back at armchair critics after FA Cup elimination at Sunderland capped a dreadful week for the club. A 2-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light ended the Gunners’ best remaining hope of silverware, having been humbled 4-0 at AC Milan in the Champions League last 16 just days earlier. [...]
One-day wonders boost Finn’s hopes of gatecrashing England Test team February 19, 2012 ENGLAND fast-bowler Steven Finn hopes his starring role in the one-day series win over Pakistan will earn him a recall to the Test side. Finn’s 11 wickets for just 92 runs have helped the tourists open up an unassailable 3-0 lead ahead of tomorrow’s final match. Yet the rangy 22-year-old has played in only one [...]
Stoke avoid Crawley slip-up February 19, 2012 Stoke recovered from an early red card to end Crawley Town’s FA Cup run and book their own quarter-final place against Liverpool. Rory Delap was dismissed in the 17th minute for a tackle on David Hunt, but goals either side of half-time from Jon Walters, a penalty, and Peter Crouch prevented the League Two side [...]