Baltacha through to Indian Wells March 10, 2010 TENNIS: British No1 Elena Baltacha qualified for the main draw of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after securing a 6-3, 6-4 win over Russian Ekaterina Bychkova. She will now play American wildcard Alexa Glatch in the first round on Wednesday, joining fellow Brit Anne Keothavong and men’s No4 Andy Murray in California. Murray [...]
Portsmouth make 85 redundant March 10, 2010 ADMINISTRATORS at Portsmouth have been forced to make 85 staff redundant as a result of ongoing cost-cutting measures. Administrator Andrew Andronikou revealed Peter Storrie would remain as chief executive at the club, but has taken a 40 per cent wage cut.
Chelsea are up first March 10, 2010 HOLDERS Chelsea will take on Aston Villa in the first FA?Cup semi-final at Wembley on 10 April (ko 5pm). The following day sees 2008 winners. Portsmouth face either Fulham or Tottenham, with a 4pm kick-off.
Clarets toast Nugent leveller March 10, 2010 DAVID Nugent’s second half-header salvaged a first point in five matches for Burnley in a 1-1 draw with Stoke. Tuncay put the visitors ahead in the 23rd miniute, heading home following a trademark Rory Delap long throw. But Nugent’s equaliser, from a deep Martin Paterson cross, lifted the Clarets above Hull into 18th in the [...]
Bendtner hits hat-trick in Gunners romp March 9, 2010 ARSENAL (5) vs FC PORTO (0) Arsenal win 6-2 on agg MUCH-MALIGNED striker Nicklas Bendtner shot down his critics with a first career hat-trick as Arsenal overwhelmed Porto to reach the Champions League last eight – but even that was not enough to earn unqualified praise from his exacting manager, Arsene Wenger. Bendtner’s trio, a [...]
Beckham-mania leaves comeback king David excited by Old Trafford return March 9, 2010 MANCHESTER UTD vs AC MILAN DAVID BECKHAM insists he will have no nerves when he faces Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time with AC Milan tonight. The England midfielder makes his first return to his former club since leaving for Real Madrid seven years ago, and was mobbed by fans as he [...]
Axed Moody’s reassured as Worsley gets nod for Scots March 9, 2010 ENGLAND coach Martin Johnson insists the door is not closed on Lewis Moody after the Leicester flanker was dropped for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland. Moody was withdrawn after just 55 minutes of Saturday’s defeat to Ireland, and has now been replaced in the starting line-up by Joe Worsley, who returns for the first [...]
Capello given World Cup reassurance after England hit by bugging scandal March 9, 2010 ENGLAND chiefs have been promised round-the-clock protection at this summer’s World Cup amid fresh security fears surrounding the squad. The Football Association has launched an investigation into how spies were able to plant a bug at the team’s Hertfordshire hotel. The bug is thought to have been used to illegally eavesdrop on meetings between manager [...]
Sunderland end winless streak in style as Bent smashes a treble March 9, 2010 SUNDERLAND striker Darren Bent plundered a hat-trick as the Black Cats ended a 15-match wait for a Premier League victory with a 4-0 rout of 10-man Bolton. Fraizer Campbell set the home side on their way after just 41 seconds, before forward partner Bent took his tally for the season to 19 with a second-half [...]
Portsmouth won’t rule out European campaign March 9, 2010 CRISIS club Portsmouth insist they will not be kicked out of the FA Cup, although they are not eligible for European competition should they win the trophy. Cup rules state a club in administration faces the threat of being expelled, but Pompey administrator Andrew Andronikou is adamant the semi-finalists are safe. “The FA are fully [...]