PREMIERSHIP ROUND 31
 
5 April 2004

Leeds (2) 3 (Duberry 11, Viduka 13, Smith 86)
Leicester (0) 2 (Dickov 77, Izzet 79)
RED CARD : Viduka (Leeds) 90

Leeds move level on points with Leicester in the dog fight at the bottom
after beating their rivals 3-2 in a dramatic game at Elland Road. After a
scrappy opening, Leeds netted twice within as many minutes to put them
ahead. The first came after a Seth Johnson corner was cleared back to him
and his cross was nodded in by Michael Duberry. Leicester had barely
recovered when Alan Smith helped the ball on to Mark Viduka in the area and
his overhead kick found the corner. The visitors appealed for offside on
both goals, however replays showed that the second was clearly onside,
whilst Duberry was level for the first, although Viduka did look a yard off.
Both clubs had chances either side of half time, however with time running
out, Leicester repeated the earlier feat from Leeds with a quickfire double
to level matters up. Firstly, Marcus Bent played in Paul Dickov who drilled
past Paul Robinson and then Dickov turned provider to set up Muzzy Izzet who
found the corner with a stunning 25 yard shot. Leicester looked the more
likely to go on and win it, however Leeds snatched a vital victory when
James Milner's cross was chested in the path of Alan Smith by Viduka and the
England striker belted the ball under Ian Walker to clinch the points. In
stoppage time, Mark Viduka was sent off for stupidly wasting time by kicking
the ball away, earning a second yellow card of the evening.


4 April 2004

Liverpool (3) 4 (Owen 7, 24, Todd (og) 22, Heskey 79)
Blackburn (0) 0

Liverpool regain fourth place from Newcastle after a convincing win over
Blackburn, who still lurk too close to the drop zone for comfort. Two goals
from Michael Owen in the opening 24 minutes did the main damage as firstly
he fired in from the edge of the area after Emile Heskey set him up and then
he found the net with a fine half volley after El Hadji Diouf's through ball
had given him the chance. Between the brace, Andy Todd diverted a cross from
Diouf into his own net to give the home side a 3-0 half time lead. Heskey
finished the rout late on with a drilled shot after good work from Milan
Baros.


3 April 2004

Fulham (0) 0
Birmingham (0) 0

No goals at Loftus Road as Maik Taylor in the visitors goal put in a man of
the match performance against his former club. Pick of the saves were a
double effort, firstly from Steed Malbranque's shot and then he was back on
his feet sharply to deny Barry Hayles.


Middlesbrough (1) 2 (Nolan (og) 8, Greening 51)
Bolton (0) 0

Middlesbrough repeated their Carling Cup final success against a Bolton side
slipping a little too close to the relegation dog fight. The home side took
the lead courtesy of a freak own goal from Kevin Nolan, who somehow hooked a
corner from Gaizka Mendieta past his own keeper and into the net. Mendieta
also set up the second as he was tackled in the area, allowing the ball to
fall to Jonathon Greening who tapped in.


Newcastle (2) 4 (Bellamy 5, Dyer 21, Shearer 52, 89)
Everton (1) 2 (Gravesen 12, Yobo 81)

Newcastle's Champions League hopes are still alive after a 4-2 home win
against Everton, however they were made to battle by a side fighting against
being dragged into the drop zone. The hosts went ahead early when Shay
Given's long kick was headed on by Alan Shearer for Craig Bellamy to break
clear, round Nigel Martyn and slot into the empty net. Everton equalised
when Thomasz Radzinski's run and cross fell to Thomas Gravesen to fire in
from the edge of the area, however within ten minutes, Darren Ambrose
crossed for Kieron Dyer to head Newcastle back in front. Shearer added a
third when a tackle by Kevin Campbell in midfield sent him away, although
Joseph Yobo could possibly have intercepted, and the former England captain
slotted in with ease. Yobo made up for his error by heading home his first
Everton goal at the far post, courtesy of Kevin Kilbane's corner, however in
the final minute, Shearer was again on hand to blast home after Lee Bowyer's
shot was blocked.


Spurs (0) 0
Chelsea (1) 1 (Hasselbaink 38)

28 league games since Spurs beat Chelsea after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's
goal gave the Blues all three points to keep the pressure on Arsenal at the
top. The goal was simple enough as Damien Duff's cross was perfect for the
Dutchman to tap home.


Wolves (0) 1 (Camara 72)
Southampton (1) 4 (Beattie 25, Lundekvam 58, Phillips 89, 90)

Wolves stay bottom and have now conceded nine goals in their last two games
after being walloped at home by Southampton. The visitors took the lead when
a long ball found Joy Craddock hesitating and in nipped James Beattie to
score from the edge of the area. The lead was doubled when Claus Lundekvam
(yes, really!!) nodded in a free kick which was flicked on at the near post
by Kevin Phillips. It was Lundekvam's first goal in over seven years at the
club, covering 296 appearances, and only his second in his eleven year
professional history. Wolves pulled a goal back when Henri Camara ran onto a
long ball to lob home, however with the hosts pushing forward for an
equaliser, the pace of Kevin Phillips caught them out twice late on with two
almost indentical goals as he bore down on goal. The only difference was
that his first was across the keeper and inside the far post, whilst the
second went inside the near post.


Aston Villa (1) 1 (Angel 26)
Man City (0) 1 (Distin 82)

Villa's Champions League hopes took a dent after a late Man City equaliser
denied them all three points at Villa Park. The home side took the lead when
Juan Pablo Angel nodded in a Thomas Hitszlsperger corner, however relegation
threatened City levelled matters in the final ten minutes when Sylvain
Distin thumped home a header from a Michael Tarnat corner.


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