Around One – Clarets drop another place

Ricardo Fuller - a techincal red card for an elbow

He actually agreed with the decision that saw Ricardo Fuller sent off but blamed Crewe’s Richard Walker despite the fact that the Preston player was sent off for elbowing, an offence that Brown conceded he shouldn’t have done and was technically a red card.

Finally someone has had a go back and Dario G retaliated to the whinging Scot by suggesting Preston are a side without discipline.

"I have no sympathy for Preston after they failed to keep their discipline," said Dario who then added, "And Ricardo Fuller hasn't got any discipline and has a serious problem."

The top clash between Wigan and Sheffield United at the JJB looked to be heading the way of the home side who had led 1-0 for most of the game through a Geoff Horsfield goal but Jack Lester earned the Blades a point with a late goal.

Meanwhile West Brom suffered defeat at the hands of Franchise despite dominating the game. They lost 1-0 to a McAnuff goal at an eerie Hawthorns that was able to accommodate all 24 Franchise supporters. We have been unable to confirm that 23 of them were called Winkelman and on free tickets.

Sunderland and West Ham remain fourth and fifth in the league respectively but both dropped home points. Rotherham earned themselves a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light whilst Forest became the latest side to draw at West Ham.

That was 1-1 in Pardew’s first match in charge of West Ham with Forest having led through Andy Reid before Jermain Defoe pulled it back in the second half.

Ipswich march on and picked up another three points at Crystal Palace and that after Palace had gone two up in the first quarter of an hour. But Ipswich came back and took a 3-2 lead with twelve minutes to go but there was more to come.

Shefki Kuqi - winner for Ipswich at Palace

Reading lost for the first time since Steve Coppell took over as manager and it was somewhat unexpected with Walsall winning 1-0 at the Madejski. Vinny Samways scored the only goal of the game after just four minutes.

Derby were another side that almost caused an upset when they still led 1-0 at Norwich after 81 minutes. The Canaries hadn’t dropped a point at home all season and that remained intact with Iwan Roberts equalising from the penalty spot before Phil Mulryne won it in stoppage time. Norwich are the only side in the Football League with a 100% home record.

Finally Scott Fitzgerald scored again for Watford as they won a point from a 1-1 draw at home to Coventry. They remain outside the bottom three, along with Gillingham, on goal difference from Rotherham. Bradford have a point less and then there’s Franchise trailing by another five points despite their shock win that went almost unnoticed in Milton Keynes.

There is one match on Friday evening with the rest of the fixtures being played on Saturday. All the Saturday games kick off at 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise shown.

Sheffield United v Reading

Bradford City v Nottingham Forest
Burnley v Millwall
Cardiff City v West Ham United (5:35 p.m.)
Derby County v Coventry City
Franchise v Watford
Gillingham v Crystal Palace
Norwich City v Sunderland
Preston North End v Ipswich Town
Rotherham United v West Bromwich Albion
Stoke City v Crewe Alexandra
Walsall v Wigan Athletic