Around One – Good day for bottom clubs

Lee Cook - scored Watford's winner

Watford collected their second successive win, this time 1-0 at Walsall, with a Lee Cook goal on the quarter hour. Although that keeps the Hornets right behind us on goal difference it did allow us to climb above Walsall, also on goal difference.

Derby were also winners and they came from a goal behind to beat form team Crystal Palace at Pride Park. It was Palace’s first defeat since Boxing Day, a win would have seen them in 5^th place. Derby’s goals were scored by Spaniard Manel and loan player Leon Osman.

Even BRBC got in on the winning act at the Bradford & Bingley Pulse Flamingo Land Pension Scheme Valley Parade Stadium. The club that looks to be in dire financial trouble again beat Dario G’s Crewe 2-1 with Ronnie Wallwork, on loan from West Brom, grabbing the winner.

It has hardly made any difference to their league position though and with Derby’s win they remain eight points away from safety.

Behind them are Franchise and the brilliant news here is that we can now already start saying our goodbye, the Pariahs might still be in existence but they are not going to avoid relegation. Another home defeat to Coventry means they are still to pick up a point in 2004.

Milton Keynes’ chief clown Peter Winkelman was trying to play it all up on Saturday for the television cameras but he should be hanging his head in shame at the major part he has played in the destruction of a football club.

Eoin Jess - late equaliser for Forest

Weren’t Gillingham a crap side when they came to the Turf and didn’t we wonder how on earth they were above us? Well they’re not now, they were beaten at home by Reading courtesy of a Shaun Goater goal and have slumped to 20^th place. They have though played less games than anyone else other than Sunderland.

Up at the top referee Olivier was the main topic of conversation at Norwich where they celebrated the opening of their new stand with a 1-1 draw against West Ham. Delia Smith said she cried when they signed Darren Huckerby and he must have reduced her to tears again as he grabbed an equaliser for the Canaries after Marlon Harewood had given West Ham the lead.

West Brom travelled to Bramall Lane and a clash between Neil Warnock and Gary Megson who are not the best of friends. Sheffield United lost it 2-1 in a game that saw the Baggies Darren Moore score his first goals of the season.

He put through his own goal to give the Blades the lead but then scored the equaliser before Thomas Gaardsoe hit the winner.

The top two, Norwich and West Brom, are pulling away but Wigan are now edging ahead of the play off pack but they dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at Stoke. Unbeaten since Boxing Day they fell behind at the Windy City to an Akinbiyi goal right on half time but Duke Ellington scored a late equaliser.

Elsewhere the Weary Whinger’s lot were beaten 2-1 by Millwall at Deepdale. Most of the whinging this time was aimed at his players, North End are currently in a poor run of form particularly up front.

Finally Cardiff gave seventh place Sunderland a right hammering at Ninian Park but there 4-0 win did not include a goal from Robert Earnshaw whose goals have dried up as far as league football is concerned. The results keeps Cardiff’s play off hopes very much alive with the top half of the league all within one win of the top six.

There are some midweek games this week and that includes our trip to the Madejski. We are still to play there on an afternoon. All midweek fixtures are 7:45 p.m. and Saturday fixtures at 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise shown.

Crewe Alexandra v Sheffield United
Millwall v Rotherham United
Reading v Burnley (8:00 p.m.)

Nottingham Forest v Gillingham

Coventry City v Derby County
Crewe Alexandra v Stoke City
Crystal Palace v Gillingham
Ipswich Town v Preston North End
Millwall v Burnley
Nottingham Forest v BRBC
Reading v Sheffield United
Sunderland v Norwich City (12:30 p.m.)
Watford v Franchise
West Bromwich Albion v Rotherham United
West Ham United v Cardiff City
Wigan Athletic v Walsall