PREMIERSHIP ROUND 13
 
10 NOVEMBER 2002

West Ham (1) 3 (Di Canio 21, (pen) 50, Sinclair 74)
Leeds United (4) 4 (Barmby 11, Kewell 28, 41, Viduka 45)

Two so-called crisis clubs battled out a seven goal thriller at Upton Park at
West Ham almost produced a sensational fightback, only to lose 4-3 to
Leeds. The visitors took the lead when Harry Kewell lobbed keeper David
James following a long kick from Paul Robinson, allowing Nick Barmby to
nod into the empty net, however within ten minutes West Ham were levelled
when Robinson failed to hold Michael Carrick's long range effort and Paolo
di Canio tapped in the rebound. The Hammers when fell apart at the back
as Leeds blitzed them with three goals in seventeen minutes. Firstly Kewell
header home at the near post from Ian Harte 's corner and then volleyed
into the far corner after another Harte cross wasn't dealt with. In first half
stoppage time, Christian Dailly's underhit backpass led to James thumping
a clearance against Mark Viduka, allowing the Australian a tap in to an empty
net. West Ham rallied after the break and pulled one back when Gary Kelly
tripped Di Canio and the Italian made no mistake from the spot and then
with twenty minutes remaining, Trevor Sinclair crashed home a near post
header from Sebastien Schemmel's corner to set up a tense finale, however
although Ian Pearce came close with a couple of headers, the equaliser
wouldn't come.


Sunderland (0) 2 (Phillips 60, Flo 62)
Spurs (0) 0

Sunderland move out of the bottom three after their first win under new boss
Howard Wilkinson continued Tottenham's recent mini-slump. Both goals came
in a three minute spell in the second half as firstly Kevin Phillips netted his first
of the season, a powerful header from Michael Gray's cross and then Phillips'
through ball found Tore Andre Flo, who held off Chris Perry before scoring from
a tight angle.


9 NOVEMBER 2002

Arsenal (1) 1 (Wiltord 24)
Newcastle (0) 0

Arsenal kept pace with leaders Liverpool with a second successive 1-0 victory,
this time against Newcastle. The only goal of an uneventful match came
midway through the first half when Sylvain Wiltord netted from close range
after good work from Thierry Henry and Oleg Luhzny.


Aston Villa (1) 3 (Angel 20, Allback 66, Leonhardsen 83)
Fulham (0) 1 (Boa Morte 51)

A day of firsts at Villa Park as all three Villa scorers netted for the first
time this season, two of which also celebrated their first goals for the club.
Juan Pablo Angel gave the hosts the lead with a far post header after
Ian Taylor had helped on a corner, however early in the second half Luis
Boa Morte equalised, firing home after muscling out Steve Staunton in the
area. Marcus Allback then opened his Villa account, firing neatly into the net
after Oyvind Leonhardsen had collected Gareth Barry's cross and then
returned the favour as he set up Leonhardsen who scored his first goal
in two years with a sweet volley.


Bolton (0) 1 (Frandsen 89)
West Brom (1) 1 (Dobie 17)
RED CARD : N'Gotty (Bolton) 22

Bolton played for almost seventy minutes with ten men against West Brom,
but still found enough late on to salvage a point. Scott Dobie gave the
visitors the lead, turning well after a free kick had hit the wall, and five
minutes later, Bolton's plight worsened when Bruno N'Gotty was shown a
straight red card for an apparent elbow on Jason Roberts, although replays
showed little more than a flayling arm. However with time running low,
Per Frandsen popped up with a late equaliser, heading home a Simon
Charlton cross.


Chelsea (3) 3 (Gudjohnsen 3, 31, Zola 42)
Birmingham (0) 0

Chelsea move into third place after a comfortable victory over Birmingham.
The game was all over by half time with the home side three goals up. Eidur
Gudjohnsen scored both opening goals, firstly firing across the keeper after
Jody Morris sent him clear and then did a repeat performance having been
freed by Gianfranco Zola. The Italian then added a third before half time,
blasting in from the edge of the area after his planned pass had struck
Kenny Cunningham.


Everton (1) 1 (Radzinski 31)
Charlton (0) 0

Everton go fifth after notching up four successive Premiership wins for the
first time ever. The only goal to beat Charlton came from Tomasz Radzinski
who netted confidently having been put through by Thomas Gravesen.


Middlesbrough (0) 1 (Southgate 82)
Liverpool (0) 0

England's only unbeaten record finally fell as Liverpool flopped at the
Riverside against Middlesbrough. Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek was the villain for
the away side as he failed to gather a cross from Szilard Nemeth, allowing
Gareth Southgate to sneak in and score. Liverpool stay top but are only a
clear of Arsenal.


Southampton (1) 1 (Beattie (pen) 38)
Blackburn (0) 1 (Cole 90)
RED CARD : Tugay (Blackburn) 75

Southampton dominated against Blackburn but after failing to kill them off,
were caught by a late sucker punch. James Beattie gave Saints the lead from
the penalty spot after David Dunn was judged to have tripped Anders
Svensson, and after Tugay was sent off for a second bookable offence -
not allowing Southampton to take a quick free kick - the game looked over,
however in stoppage time Andy Cole snatched a point, bundling in Lucas
Neill's cross from close range.


Man City (2) 3 (Anelka 5, Goater 26, 50)
Man United (1) 1 (Solskjaer 8)

Two goals from Shaun Goater helped Man City win a Manchester derby for the
first time in 13 years as Kevin Keegan's side beat United 3-1 in the last ever
league derby at Maine Road. City took an early lead when Nik Anelka robbed
Rio Ferdinand in midfield and having found Goater, was then on hand for a tap
in after his weak effort was only parried by Fabien Barthez. The lead lasted less
than four minutes as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, by far United's most potent striker
on the day, converted a Ryan Giggs cross. The visitors then dominated for
twenty minutes before City regained the lead and again it was an individual
mistake from United. A long ball forward by Marc Vivien Foe saw Gary Neville
try and sheppard the ball over the goal-line, however he was disposed by
Goater who made a better angle to slot past Barthez. Early in the second
half, Goater latched onto Eyal Berkovic's neat pass to clip the ball over the
advancing keeper and ultimately wrap up the points. Both clubs had a good
penalty appeal rejected whilst Peter Schmeichel saved well from a Solskjaer
header, although that was all eclipsed in stoppage time by a glaring miss
from three yards by sub John O'Shea. In many ways it summed up United's
afternoon.


Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Topica Premier-L list
Leeds United and Scotland and proud of it
http://www.topica.com/lists/premier-L