Division One – Goodbye to the Mariners and the Owls

Last updated : 23 April 2003 By Tony Scholes

Coventry's Gary Montgomery - his fluke own goal has seen Stoke almost safe from relegation
Grimsby were beaten at home against Walsall 1-0 with Junior grabbing the goal just after the start of the second half. The result, Grimsby’s 12th home defeat, brings to an end a five year run in the First Division. For Walsall it means a third consecutive season in this division and that is a club record.

On Easter Monday three years ago we were winning a Second Division game at Brentford with two John Mullin goals and one from Ian Wright. Sheffield Wednesday were without a fixture but had beaten Chelsea a week earlier in a Premiership game. Next season though rather than play two divisions above the Clarets they will be a division below us.

Their fate was sealed when they could pick up only a point in a 1-1 draw at Brighton’s Withdean Stadium. They went in front with a goal from full debutant striker Grant Holt, signed from Barrow, but it was the same player who needlessly gave away the penalty converted by Bobby Zamora.

The point looks as though it will be the end for Brighton too, they would need to win two games as Stoke lose two games to force the Potters down otherwise it will be no trip to the Withdean for us next season – and that has to be good news.

When things go your way anything can happen and it is certainly the case as far as Stoke are concerned just now. They were in an awful mess when we beat them at the beginning of March but five wins, four draws and just one defeat have seen them just about ensure themselves another season at this level.

But things were certainly going their way at Matt Jansen’s promotion chasing Coventry. The only goal came from the most dubious looking penalty decision but it didn’t end there. Substitute Chris Iwelumo sent goalkeeper Gary Montgomery the wrong way but his effort hit the post before hitting the keeper’s backside and finding its way into the net.

So it is looking very much like a trip to the Britannia next season and there’ll be no complaints from me when I realise it could have been Brighton.

At Forest on Monday the home fans were keen to know what was going on at Rotherham in their home game against Ipswich. With Forest unable to break us down and Ipswich in front at Millmoor things were not going too well for them.

But things can change quickly in football and two goalkeeping blunders in front of the Burnley fans and two late Rotherham goals condemning Ipswich to defeat, John Mullin got the first, everything changed.

Neither Forest nor Reading are there yet but for Ipswich to get in they will need two wins with bad results for one of the others.

Reading suffered at the hands of Portsmouth whose 3-0 win took them back to the top of the league. Former Claret (yes it is looking that way) Glen Little played the full ninety minutes but they put up little resistance in what was one of Pompey’s easiest wins of the season.

Leicester were losing 2-1 at Sheffield United and this result confirms the Blades will be in the play off as will Wolves who 3-0 winners at Norwich. The result, revenge for last season’s play off tie, now ends Norwich’s hopes of making the play offs.

Other games saw Millwall beat Palace 3-2 at home, two Neil Shipperley goals saw Franchise to a 2-0 home win against Preston in front of just over 1,000. Gillingham beat Bradford 1-0 and Watford beat Derby, again both home wins.

Depending on results this weekend everything could be sorted before we get to the last day but it does now look as though Reading and Forest will be joining Sheffield United and Wolves in the play offs and Brighton will be returning to Division Two.

The weekend’s fixtures are as follows (kick off 3:00 p.m. unless otherwise shown):

Saturday 26th April

Brighton and Hove Albion v Watford
Burnley v Sheffield Wednesday (1:30 p.m.)
Coventry City v Gillingham
Crystal Palace v Stoke City
Ipswich Town v Franchise
Nottingham Forest v Millwall
Preston North End v Bradford City
Reading v Grimsby Town
Sheffield United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Walsall v Derby County

Sunday 27th April

Leicester City v Norwich City (12 noon)
Portsmouth v Rotherham United (6:30 p.m.)

Leading Goalscorers (League Only)

24: David Johnson (Nottm. Forest)
21: Svetoslav Todorov (Portsmouth)
20: David Connolly (Franchise)
20: Marlon Harewood (Nottm. Forest)
19: Neil Shipperley (Franchise)
18: Kenny Miller (Wolves)
17: Paul Dickov (Leicester)
16: Richard Cresswell (Preston)
16: Nicky Forster (Reading)
15: Pablo Counago (Ipswich)
15: Andy Gray (Bradford)
15: Gareth Taylor (Burnley)
14: Steve Kabba (Sheffield United inc. 1 for Palace & 6 for Grimsby)
14: Alan Lee (Rotherham)
13: Michael Brown (Sheffield United)
13: Darren Byfield (Rotherham)
13: Brian Deane (Leicester)
13: Paul McVeigh (Norwich)
13: Paul Shaw (Gillingham)
12: Nathan Blake (Wolves)
12: Junior (Walsall)
12: Bobby Zamora (Brighton)