Around One – Getting tighter at the bottom

Last updated : 04 March 2004 By Tony Scholes

Gareth Taylor - winner for Forest
Forest have had the good fortune this week to have played the bottom two of BRBC and Franchise and these two remain the only teams that Forest have beaten since their win at the Turf in September.

Former Claret Gareth Taylor scored early again on Tuesday night at Franchise to provide the only goal of the game.

Things are looking good/bad, depending on how you view it, for BRBC and Franchise and it is highly unlikely that either will avoid relegation now. Both in administration and even the highest placed of them now eleven points from safety it is looking as though there is only one other position that needs to be avoided.

Ours was a good point on Tuesday at home to West Ham but someone down there will always win so we should be thankful that Forest were the only midweek winners.

Gillingham’s game at home to Wigan, Rotherham at home to Palace and the BRBC v Watford clash all fell victims to the weather. Of the others to play (both last night) Derby could manage only a 0-0 draw at home to Crewe despite having 29 shots at goal to Crewe’s 6 whilst Walsall went down to a 3-1 home defeat to Sunderland.

Derby currently occupy the dreaded 22nd place but are just four points behind the Clarets and only six points behind Crewe in 15th place. It is very unlikely that any side currently above Crewe will face the drop.

At the top end of the table Sheffield United climbed back into the top six with a 2-1 home win against Millwall. What a game that was for Burnley fans – Warnock v Wise.

Clubs around them faltered with Ipswich going down 2-0 at Stoke, a second successive away defeat after a long unbeaten run, whilst the top two Norwich and West Brom fought out a 0-0 draw at Carrow Road.

Marcus Stewart - a goal in Sunderland's win at Walsall
Wigan are now within four points of the second place Baggies with a game in hand as it all tightens up at the top.

Sunderland’s win at Walsall (played a day late because of frost) takes them back to 9th, they had incredibly dropped to 12th after Tuesday’s fixtures. Julio Arca, Kevin Kyle and Marcus Stewart got the goals that take them within two points of the play offs and with three games in hand on most sides up there.

Preston got themselves a 2-1 home win against Reading with David Healy getting both, on in stoppage time. The Weary Whinger was happy with it, after all he did tell the world on Saturday after a defeat at Ipswich, "I’m not one to whinge". We believe you !!!!

Finally Coventry won again, their third in a row, this time a 1-0 win at Cardiff courtesy of a penalty from Gary McSheffrey.

There are nine fixtures in the division this weekend and all games kick off at 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise shown.

Saturday 6th March

Burnley v Preston North End
Crystal Palace v Reading
Gillingham v Nottingham Forest
Rotherham United v BRBC
Stoke City v Watford
West Bromwich Albion v Coventry City
West Ham United v Walsall
Wigan Athletic v Crewe Alexandra

Sunday 7th March

Norwich City v Ipswich Town (12 noon)

Leading Goal Scorers (League Only)

20: Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace)
19: Marlon Harewood (West Ham – 12 with Nottm Forest)
18: Robert Earnshaw (Cardiff)
15: Robbie Blake (Burnley)
15: Nathan Ellington (Wigan)
15: Ricardo Fuller (Preston)
13: Steve Jones (Crewe)
13: Peter Thorne (Cardiff)
12: David Healy (Preston)
12: Marcus Stewart (Sunderland)
11: Pablo Counago (Ipswich)
11: Jermain Defoe (West Ham)
11: Geoff Horsfield (West Brom – 7 with Wigan)
11: Andy Reid (Nottm Forest)
10: Dean Ashton (Crewe)
10: Martin Butler (Rotherham)
10: Shaun Goater (Reading)
9: Scott Fitzgerald (Watford)
9: Dougie Freedman (Crystal Palace)
9: Rob Hulse (West Brom)