20 November 2005

Tottenham (1) 1 (Mido 16)
West Ham (0) 1 (Ferdinand 90)

Anton Ferdinand's late header, his first league goal for West Ham earned
them a point at Spurs, who had led since the 16th minute. The opening
game came from a long ball forward by Michael Dawson, which found Ahmed
Mido clear on goal, however as keeper Shaka Hislop came off his line,
Mido looped a header over him from the edge of the area whch dropped
perfectly into the net. The Hammers finally levelled matters in the
third minute of stoppage time as Hislop came up for Paul Konchesky's
corner and almost met the ball which his head, however Ferdinand got
there before him at the far post and nodded in to snatch a late draw.

Attendance : 36,154
Assists : Dawson, Konchesky (ck)


Middlesbrough (0) 3 (Morrison 64, Yakubu 76, Hasselbaink 84)
Fulham (1) 2 (John 9, Diop 70)

Middlesbrough twice came from behind to beat Fulham, however the
visitors were furious over the second Boro equaliser that they felt was
offside. Fulham were ahead at half time thanks to a stunning volley from
Collins John. It came from a throw in taken by Niclas Jensen that was
helped into the area by Sylvain Legwinski. It fell to John near the left
edge of the box and he swivelled and crashed a superb shot across goal
and over the keeper, finding the net via the far post. The second half
began slowly but then burst into life as Yakubu headed just wide for
Boro, whilst Brian McBride went even closer at the other end with a
header that smashed against the inside of the post and came out. Boro
eventually broke through when Yakubu's cross found James Morrison
unmarked at the far post and after controlling the ball, he fired in his
first ever league goal. Parity lasted just six minutes as Papa Bouba
Diop restorted Fulham's lead with a superb far post header from John's
corner, however a further six minutes on came the second equaliser that
had Fulham livid. Gareth Southgate provided the cross that saw keeper
Tony Warner dive full length out of his goal only to miss the ball.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink played it back toward goal at the far post and
it hit Yakubu and bobbled in, however with Warner well out of his goal,
Yakubu was technically offside as the ball hit him to go in. Hasselbaink
then grabbed the winner himself with a fine shot having cut inside after
collecting a crossfield pass from Morrison. Great entertainment for the
neutral, although that second Boro goal will be debated heavily.

Attendance : 27,599
Assists : Legwinski, Yakubu, John (ck), Hasselbaink, Morrison


19 November 2005

Wigan (2) 2 (Camara 28, Bullard 45)
Arsenal (3) 3 (Van Persie 11, Henry 21, 41)

Arsenal go third ahead of the afternoon games atfter a first half goal
blitz saw them winat second placed Wigan 3-2. After Wigan began well,
Arsenal burst into a two goal lead thanks to a goal from each of their
strike partners. Robin Van Persie started it off as he collected a pass
from Kolo Toure, beat his marker and fired in from the edge of the area,
although keeper John Filan should have done better as the ball went
straight under his body. Thierry Henry doubled the lead with a shot
across Filan and inside the far post having been found by Cesc Fabregas.
Wigan didn't lie down though and pulled one back when a free kick was
headed on by Arjan De Zeeuw and nodded in at close range by Henri
Camara, who found space between two defenders. Henry then struck again,
this time with a curling free kick that clipped the inside of the post
and found the net from 25 yards, however with the half almost over, the
hosts netted again as Lee McCulloch found Jimmy Bullard who cut inside
his man and netted inside the far post to end an amazing first half. As
often happens, the second half failed to live up to the high
expectations of the first, although it was never dull in fairness as
both clubs went looking for more goals, but failing to add to their
tallys.

Attendance : 25,004
Assists : Cambell, Fabregas, De Zeeuw, Cygan (won fk), McCulloch


Charlton (0) 1 (Ambrose 65)
Manchester United (1) 3 (Smith 37, Van Nistelrooy 70, 85)

Man United dislodged Arsenal from third spot after a convincing win at
Charlton, whose good start to the season is starting to disintigrate.
United went ahead through Alan Smith's low drive from the edge of the
area having been set up by Darren Fletcher, however they were pegged
back when Darren Ambrose played a one-two with Darren Bent before
curling in a beauty from 20 yards. It took United just five minutes to
regain the lead and it was largely down to a surging run from Wayne
Rooney who then clipped the ball across for Ruud Van Nistelrooy to
control on his chest, turn and volley past the keeper. The Dutchman
wrapped it up near the end with a fine solo run and shot from the edge
of the area after collecting a clearance from keeper Edwin van Der Sar.

Attendance : 26,730
Assists : Fletcher, Bent, Rooney, n/a 


Chelsea (0) 3 (Cole 47, Crespo 51, Parker 90 og)
Newcastle (0) 0

Chelsea are back on form and go nine points clear at the top after a
second half blitz on injury ravaged Newcastle. Missing Kieron Dyer, Alan
Shearer and Michael Owen, the visitors held out until half time and then
conceded twice in four minutes, firstly when Titus Bramble's error in
midfield gifted the ball to Eidur Gudjohnsen and he sentJoe Cole through
on goal to make no mistake, although keeper Shay Given did get his foot
to the shot. The lead was doubled when Frank Lampard set up Hernan
Crespo whose shot from a tricky angle found the far corner superbly and
with time almost up, Damien Duff added a third when he cut in from the
left and shot home with the help of a deflection.

Attendance : 42,268
Assists : Gudjohnsen, Lampard, n/a


Liverpool (2) 3 (Zenden 23*, Cisse 39, Morientes 80)
Portsmouth (0) 0
* rebound after Crouch penalty was saved.

Liverpool's recent good form continued as struggling Portsmouth were
swept aside at Anfield. They needed a doubtful penalty to get start
though as Bolo Zenden went down after what looked to be little more than
a hand on the shoulder from Andy Griffin, however the ref awarded a
penalty which gave Peter Crouch a golden chance to score his first ever
Liverpool goal. The script didn't go to plan though and Jamie Ashdown
saved his spot kick, only for Zenden to nod in the rebound. The second
also had an element of luck as Dietmar Hamann found Djibril Cisse wide
on the right and after taking on his marker, his cross looped over
Ashdown and into the far corner. Ten minutes from time, the win was
confirmed as Steven Gerrard's cross was nodded across goal by Crouch and
after a touch from Sami Hyypia, Fernando Morientes pounced to clip the
ball in.

Attendance : 44,394
Assists : n/a, Hamann, Hyypia


Manchester City (0) 0
Blackburn (0) 0

No goals at the City of Manchester Stadium and no shots on target
either! City had a couple of efforts find the side netting, however Andy
Cole came closest with along range shot that drifted just wide.

Attendance : 44,032
Assists : n/a


Sunderland (0) 1 (Whitehead (pen) 90)
Aston Villa (0) 3 (Phillips 55, Barry 82, Baros 83)

Aston Villa ease their relegation fears whilst deepening those of bottom
club Sunderland. After a goalless first half, Villa went ahead from
former Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips, who glanced in a cross from Aaron
Hughes. Two goals in a minute then put Villa well out of sight as
firstly James Milner crossed for Gareth Barry to tap in and then Luke
Moore sent Milan Baros through to finish clinically. Sunderland did
score a late consolation penalty through Dean Whitehouse after Liam
Ridgewell had fouled John Stead, but it was far too late to make any
impact.

Attendance : 39,707
Assists : Hughes, Milner, Moore, Stead (won pen)


West Brom (1) 4 (Ellington (pen) 45, 69, Clement 51, Earnshaw 90)
Everton (0) 0

West Brom move out of the bottom three with a thumping win against
Everton, who themselves take the place of the Baggies in the drop zone.
The hosts went ahead in the final minute of the first half when Nathan
Ellington was fouled by Tony Hibbert and although contact was clearly
outside the area, the referee awarded a penalty, calmly converted by
Ellington. Early in the second half, the lead was doubled when Neil
Clement headed home Kamara's corner and a third followed later on as
Kanu set up Ellington again who made space on the edge of the area and
curled in his second. He was replaced late on by Robert Earnshaw who then
grabbed the fourth goal in the final minute as he latched onto an awful
pass by Kevin Kilbane to race clear and slot past Nigel Martyn.

Attendance : 24,784
Assists : Ellington (won pen), Kamara (ck), Kanu, n/a


Gary Dowden
Chief Editor SoccerAge UK

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

http://www.peanutsfan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/footiemad
The Unofficial Premiership Site