History will be kind to me because I intend to write it

STOCKPORT MAKE IT FIFTH TIME LUCKY TO GAIN PROMOTION TO LEAGUE ONE

Anthony Pilkington and Liam Dickinson were Stockport County’s heroes as their team defeated north-west rivals Rochdale 3-2 at Wembley to gain promotion to League One. It was the first time in five attempts that the Cheshire-based club had succeeded on the hallowed turf in north-west London.

After an absence of three years Country now return to the third tier while Rochdale remain in League Two, where they have been for 34 successive seasons – longer than any other club. Rochdale have enjoyed promotion only once in their history – in 1969, the same year current manager, former Blackburn Rovers defender, Keith Hill was born.

In their first trip to Wembley, and under the gaze of a crowd of 36,000, they could not halt that unwanted record, despite opening the scoring through Rory McArdle after 24 minutes. Stockport had the better of the early exchanges, but the 21-year-old defender nodded in Kallum Higginbotham’s corner past Conrad Logan at the front post.

Ten minutes later Stockport levelled through Nathan Stanton’s own goal. From a short corner Tommy Rowe swung over a teasing cross from the right, and the defender could only deflect the ball past his own ‘keeper.

It took just four minutes of the second half for Jim Gannon’s team, who defeated Rochdale both times in the regular season, to go into the lead, through the impressive Pilkington.

Michael Rose fizzed in a low cross which was missed by the Rochdale back line and skilfully steered under the bar by the 19-year-old forward.

Twenty-three minutes before the final whistle Liam Dickinson showed good strength to swivel and score his 21st goal of the season to make it 3-1 to Gannon’s side.

Adam Rundle pulled one back for Rochdale to set up a tense final 13 minutes, but Stockport held on. There may only be 20 miles between the two clubs, but now a league separates them.

Labels: Jim Gannon, League One, League Two, play-offs, Rochdale, Stockport County

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 4:49 pm | Permalink | Comments

JACKETT WANTS FIGHT FROM MILLWALL

Millwall manager Kenny Jackett has told his players they must fight tooth-and-nail if they are to escape relegation from League One. His team posted a disappointing 3-0 defeat to second-placed Doncaster Rovers at the New Den on Saturday.

Jackett, who took the reins in early November, conceded it was the worst Millwall have played under his management. His team are now only one point above the drop zone with a hectic league schedule coming up.

He said: “Doncaster deserved the points – we never got going. We lacked the energy that we have been playing with recently. It was one game too far.

“We were second to the ball and unconstructive in possession. We couldn’t get hold of the ball or gain any breathing space.

“There were not many Millwall players who put their name on a starting shirt, and our performance level has to be better than that.

“We have Notts Forest, Southend and Tranmere within in eight days – it’s a period in which we have to come out fighting.”

Labels: Doncaster Rovers, football, Kenny Jackett, League One, Millwall

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 2:03 am | Permalink | Comments

DONCASTER EXTEND AWAY RUN AT THE NEW DEN

Doncaster Rovers continued their superb away form thanks to goals from Jason Price, James Coppinger and Paul Green at the New Den. Price’s successful strike two minutes shy of the interval was just reward for Rovers’ total first half domination.

Coppinger’s lobbed shot from 35 yards with 13 minutes to go sealed the win. And Green’s sweet volley at the death completed the 3-0 rout, though the travelling side could have netted a hatful more.

After 11 minutes marauding left-back Gareth Roberts hit a 35 yard shot that Millwall ‘keeper Rhys Evans could only parry. Four minutes later Green rolled a pass to Price with his back to goal in the area. The forward swivelled before blazing his shot over the crossbar.

And still the pressure did not relent for the home team. On 19 minutes James Coppinger came even closer to scoring, but his shot could only find the post, much to Evans’ relief.

The former Chelsea trainee stopper was forced to limp off ten minutes before half time, however, after a collision with onrushing Rovers striker Mark McCammon. Preston Edwards came on to replace Evans, but his first job was to pick the ball from his net.

Price, who looked busy and sharp as the main focus of the Doncaster attack, scored from eight yards after Millwall failed to clear yet another away team corner.

Robert, careering in at the far post, had his shot terrifically block, but after the ball ping-ponged in the Millwall area, Price stroked home his fifth goal in the league past the helpless Edwards.

A minute later and forward Gary Alexander squandered Millwall’s only decent chance of the game. But, unmarked, he could only head wide from Lewis Grabban’s cross.

Coppinger, who impressed with his technical ability, ensured the win with his improvised effort in the 77th minute.

And Green iced the cake for Rovers, who are now unbeaten in 12 games on their travels, with seconds of the game remaining. Dreams of reaching the second tier for the first time in fifty years are starting to look a reality for Sean O’Driscoll’s team.

Labels: Doncaster Rovers, football, League One, Millwall

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:13 pm | Permalink | Comments

CLASSY DONCASTER TO PASS TO PROMOTION SUCCESS

Doncaster Rovers manager Sean O’Driscoll is convinced that, contrary to popular belief, the easiest way to gain promotion from League One is to play classy football.

His side thumped Millwall 3-0 at the New Den on Saturday, extending their unbeaten away run to 12.

Jason Price scored from close range two minutes before the interval while James Coppinger and Paul Green added superb second-half goals.

They remain in second behind Swansea and are dreaming of playing in the second tier for the first time in 50 years.

O’Driscoll said: “We have just got to keep our feet on the ground and not worry about the teams below us – we are aiming to catch Swansea.

“People said, ‘You can’t play football to get out of this division’.

“But arguably the best two footballing teams are us and Swansea and we are sitting on the top of the division.

“You have to be brave to play football in League One and if you do it well enough I think you can walk the division.”

Millwall are just one point from the relegation zone and manager Kenny Jackett admitted it was the worst he had seen his team play since he took charge in early November.

“Doncaster deserved the points,” he conceded. “We never got going.

“There were not many Millwall players who put their name on a starting shirt.”

Labels: Doncaster Rovers, football, League One, Millwall

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 8:10 pm | Permalink | Comments

CONFIDENT BEES FOR LEAGUE ONE - POOLE

Glenn Poole is delighted with how Brentford are playing under new manager Andy Scott – and thinks there is every chance that the Bees will be in League One next season.

The 26-year-old winger netted the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over high-flying Chesterfield at Griffin Park on Saturday – his eighth of the season – and admitted that since Terry Butcher’s departure, things couldn’t be better.

Scott, Butcher’s former assistant, has won five of his first seven games in charge, moving the Bees up to twelfth in the table – only eight points of a play-off berth.

And Poole is confident that under the 35-year-old full-time manager Brentford can gain promotion.

He said: “I’m really enjoying my football at the moment – I don’t think I have been happier.

“There is no way that Brentford are a League Two club – and now we could go up to League One. At the moment it’s a dream come true. When May comes hopefully we’ll be in the mix.

“The team is doing well and we are winning. We are playing with smiles on our faces and going into games knowing that we are not going to lose.”

Labels: Brentford, Chesterfield, Glenn Poole, League One, Terry Butcher

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 6:01 pm | Permalink | Comments

BEES STING CHESTERFIELD AND FLY UP TABLE

Glenn Poole's left-foot curler earned new Brentford manager Andy Scott a great win at Griffin Park against League Two high-fliers Chesterfield. Left-winger Poole scored the winner – his eighth of the season – with half an hour remaining as the Bees’ climb up the table continues under Scott.

The 35-year-old had been assistant to Terry Butcher, who was sacked in mid-December, and has impressed so much in his seven games in charge that he fully deserves the full-time role he has now been given: five wins, a draw and only one defeat is play-off form.

Scott has instilled confidence in his charges and they attacked from the off yesterday. Chesterfield were sluggish – the three-hour trip down the M1 looked to have drained them. Luckily for them, their goalkeeper was alert to the task.

Barry Roache, 25, was first called into action after 13 minutes when Alan Connell teed up Poole from a Gary Smith’s corner. Through a packed box Roache did well to dive down to Poole’s drive.

Five minutes later, again from a Bees’ corner, the ‘keeper managed to push out Connell’s header at the far post and then he tipped Smith’s rasping shot round the post for another corner.

But Roache was finally beaten by midfielder Smith after 25 minutes. Connell’s pass dissected the visitor’s defence to allow the 23-year-old to steal in and slot the ball under the ‘keeper’s despairing dive.

The goal shook Chesterfield to life and Jack Lester netted his 18th goal in only 23 games four minutes shy of the break. The 32-year-old former Nottingham Forest striker, latching onto Derek Niven’s pass, swivelled and shot neatly past the onrushing Ben Hamer.

A exciting and flowing second-half was played out, and Poole’s winner came about after the Bees had peppered Roache’s goal. The ball broke to the 26-year-old on the edge of the area, having only been half-cleared, and he showed excellent composure to steer his shot past the groping hand of the Chesterfield ‘keeper.

Labels: Brentford, Chesterfield, football, Glenn Poole, League One

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 7:31 pm | Permalink | Comments

Bristol City gained promotion to the Championship for the first time since 1998 by beating Rotherham. Read about the pitch invation, oh, and the game here - a match report I did for the Observer.

Labels: Bristol City, Championship, League One

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 10:03 am | Permalink | Comments

Relief for Adams in cup tie thriller

FA Cup: Third Round

Bristol City 3 Coventry City 3

Brooker 14, Showunmi 18, Jevons 21 Cameron 13, McKenzie 33, John 81

Ashton Gate

6/1/2007

When it rains it pours. At least that was what Coventry manager Micky Adams must have been thinking when his side were 3-1 down after 21 minutes against League One side Bristol City in inclement conditions. Floundering in 16th in the Championship, the Sky Blues remain without a victory in nine games. But a late Stern John goal earned them a draw in a thrilling match, and Adams retained his position by the slenderest of threads.

It is now 20 years since Coventry - traditionally a top-table team, equipped with a £60m stadium and wealthy support - won this trophy, their one and only piece of silverware, when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at Wembley. Also inked into their record book is their highest scoring victory - a 9-0 defeat of, you've guessed it, Bristol City. That was way back in the 1933/4 Division 3 South, and certainly a world away from happening at Ashton Gate on Saturday. As it stands, there are currently only 11 places between Coventry and Bristol City, and the way things are going there is every chance these two teams could swap leagues come May.

With the rain falling, and the banks of the nearby River Avon ready to burst, Coventry kicked off expecting a tough battle with Bristol City, currently occupying the second play-off berth in their division.

It was the visitors who claimed first blood after 13 minutes, after a frenetic start to the game. Midfielder Colin Cameron found space in the middle of the pitch, and after a neat give-and-go with Dele Adebola fired past Adriano Basso.

Bristol equalised immediately through forward Steve Brooker. His shot, from outside the area, skidded past Luke Steele’s groping right hand. Four minutes later Brooker turned provider as he crossed to Enoch Showunmi, who managed to nod the ball over the line, despite the efforts of Coventry’s veteran skipper, Robert Page.

The Reds scored their third goal in seven minutes - “A fantastic spell”, manager Gary Johnson gushed - when Showunmi’s deep cross found Phil Jevons’s head. Jevons, the former Everton forward, capitalised on Coventry’s woeful defending. Adams confessed: “We’re disappointed with the goals we conceded, I think they were soft and could have been avoided.”

That goal should have clinched it, but when Coventry pulled one back through Leon McKenzie’s 32nd minute strike the remainder of the game was played with true adrenaline-pumping cup tie to-and-fro.

Stern John replaced Adebola at half-time, and after failing to convert a number of chances, including a shot from Cameron which almost snapped the bar, Coventry did draw level eventually. The substitute John finished the lively McKenzie’s cutback with ten minutes remaining.

The draw was a fair result in the end, and Adams, relieved to still have a job, praised his team's battling mentality: “We’re delighted with the spirit that we showed, it was a terrific fight back.”

The replay, due to be played on 16th January, will be eagerly anticipated by both players and fans. Johnson, the Bristol City manager, commented: “I was just happy that we were involved in a fantastic cup tie. We‘ll enjoy going to the Ricoh Arena, and of course we‘re not out of it.” While the Bristol faithful will be happy for the adventure - they haven’t reached the fourth round for six years - they will be conscious that their blue rivals, Bristol Rovers, have already secured their place in the next round after a 1-0 victory over Hereford on Friday. Micky Adams meanwhile will be crossing his fingers for a win to re-ignite his team’s season, that is, if he is still in charge.


Man of the Match: Enoch Showunmi

The Bristol City midfielder, was lively from the outset, and scored his team’s second goal and laid on the third. In the second half he showed his defensive grit. An all round impressive performance.

Match rating: 8 out of 10

Attendance: 13,336

Teams:

Bristol City:

Basso; Orr, McCombe, Keogh, McAllister (booked 45); Murray, Russell, Johnson (booked 24), Showunmi; Jevons (substituted for Skuse, 60), Brooker

Unused substitutes: Fontaine, Noble, Weale and Myrie-Williams

Coventry City:

Steele; Virgo (booked 44), Page, Turner, Whing; Cameron, Osbourne, Doyle (booked 24), McKenzie; Adebola (substituted for John, h-t), Kyle (booked 39, substituted for Andrews, 52))

Unused substitutes: Birchill, Tabb and Marshall


Referee: P. Joslin (Nottinghamshire)

Labels: Bristol City, Championship, Coventry, FA Cup, League One, Micky Adams

Posted by Oliver Pickup at 9:08 pm | Permalink | Comments