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In the Championship – Wigan pulling clear
Last Updated : 05-Nov-2004 by
Stoke had battled hard, but we know all about Stoke’s battling, but when you are top you get these breaks in games and not for the first time one fell Wigan’s way.
Ipswich kept on their tales with a big 5-1 win over Sheffield United at Portman Road where Shefki Kuqi continued his goal scoring run with a couple more. Ipswich are the leading scorers in the league now although they do concede more goals than their rivals up at the top.
Only one of the clubs in the play off positions won and that was Sunderland who saw off managerless Wolves 3-1 at the Stadium of Light despite Kenny Miller giving Wolves the lead. The goals came from Liam Lawrence (2) and Stephen Elliott but Julio Arca played a massive part in all of those goals.
Just below them there were draws for both Reading and QPR whilst Alan Pardew’s Hammers were hammered at Cardiff.
Reading and Plymouth both scored two goals each at Home Park although both sides helped the other with an own goal. It was Reading’s Steve Sidwell who gave Plymouth the lead and they went 2-0 in front by half time. Then Plymouth’s Graham Coughlin brought Reading back into it before Dave Kitson equalised in stoppage time.
And at Loftus Road it was a late Paul Furlong goal that won a point for QPR after they had trailed Millwall 1-0 following a Barry Hayles goal six minutes into the second half.
Millwall had dominated despite losing Canadian defender Adrian Serioux who was sent off by referee Phil Prosser in farcical circumstances. Serioux has an amazing long throw and so QPR were positioning a player right in front of him.
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West Ham are still sixth but they returned from South Wales on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline at the hands of rejuvenated Cardiff and it was Jobi McAnuff, who was until recently a West Ham player, who inspired the Bluebirds against his former club.
It was draws all round for the bottom clubs and for the second match in succession Rotherham went to the east midlands and squandered a two goal lead. This time though they did hang on for a point at Forest. It all went wrong for them in the second half as David Johnson pulled one back before Andy Reid took it to 2-2 from the penalty spot after a foul by loan striker Junior that saw him sent off.
Sandwiched between these two clubs in the bottom three are Gillingham who kept a second successive clean sheet at home. They couldn’t emulate Saturday’s win over Wolves though and had to settle for a point in a goalless draw with Watford.
Watford’s leading scorer Danny Webber suffered a dislocated shoulder that will keep him out for some time in what is a major blow for the Hertfordshire club. Still Sir Elton John is back, even though it is for one night only, in concert in June of next year.
If you are looking for draws, check out Leicester, their 2-2 draw at Crewe was their sixth draw in the last six games. It was a new look Leicester with new manager Craig Levein in charge for the first time.
Leicester have released a further three coaches as the new man brought in Peter Houston and Kenny Black and today it was revealed that he has seen off Dave Bassett. Bassett was caretaker boss and also the Director of Football who helped with the appointment of Levein, I bet he wishes he hadn’t now.
He also made four team changes, dropping Dublin, Elliott, Makin and Gemmill and it was 0-0 at half time at Crewe. Sixteen minutes into the second half and the scoring was complete at 2-2.
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Coventry and Preston also drew, it was 1-1 at Highfield Road. Coventry were the better side but Preston pulled it level with a stunning striker from Eddie Lewis.
And that leaves Derby who won three consecutive games for the first time in over six years. Two goals from Grzegor Rasiak and a superb goal from Tommy Smith gave them a 3-0 win against Brighton.
Brighton boss Mark McGhee admitted that his side had no answer to Derby who are moving up the table nicely and have reached eighth place just three points away from the play off positions.
There’s been just one transfer since the weekend and that saw Reading captain Adie Williams move to Coventry on a free transfer. Williams was looking for a new deal at the Madejski but they wouldn’t commit for next season and so he has moved on after over four years at Reading.
The weekend gets underway at Millwall tomorrow night when they take on third place Sunderland in front of the Sky cameras without the incredible long throws of Serioux.
The midweek results | |
Tuesday 2nd November | |
Cardiff 4 West Ham 1 | Plymouth 2 Reading 2 |
Crewe 2 Leicester 2 | QPR 1 Millwall 1 |
Gillingham 0 Watford 0 | Stoke 0 Wigan 1 |
Ipswich 5 Sheffield Utd 1 | Sunderland 3 Wolves 1 |
Wednesday 3rd November | |
Coventry 1 Preston 1 | Leeds 1 Burnley 2 |
Derby 3 Brighton 0 | Nottm Forest 2 Rotherham 2 |
The midweek stats | |
Biggest win | Ipswich 5-1 v Sheff Utd (home) |
Total goals scored | 38 |
Player scoring most goals | Shefki Kuqi (Ipswich) |
Highest Attendance | 27,490 - Leeds v Burnley |
Lowest Attendance | 6,849 - Crewe v Leicester |
Total Yellow Cards | 28 |
Total Red Cards | 2 |
Most cards in a game | 6 - QPR v Millwall (5Y 1R) |
The leading scorers (league only) | |
11 | Nathan Ellington (Wigan) |
10 | Paul Furlong (QPR) Dave Kitson (Reading) Jason Roberts (Wigan) |
9 | Danny Webber (Watford) |
8 | Shefki Kuqi (Ipswich) |
7 | Dean Ashton (Crewe) Stephen Elliott (Sunderland) Kenny Miller (Wolves) Teddy Sheringham (West Ham) |
6 | Darren Bent (Ipswich) Heidar Helguson (Watford) Andy Morrell (Coventry) Paul Shaw (Sheff Utd) - 2 with Rotherham Marcus Stewart (Sunderland) |
This week's fixtures | |
Friday 5th November | |
Millwall v Sunderland | . |
Saturday 6th November | |
Brighton v Crewe | Sheffield Utd v Gillingham |
Burnley v Ipswich | Watford v Derby |
Preston v Leeds | West Ham v QPR |
Reading v Stoke | Wigan v Plymouth |
Rotherham v Cardiff | Wolves v Nottm Forest |
Monday 8th November | |
Leicester v Coventry | . |
