Tigers blow lead in six-goal sensation
AMBITIOUS VILLA CHIEF IS AIMING TO GATECRASH TOP-SIX’S PARTY
HULL saw their promotion push suffer a setback as they blew a two-goal lead at
Doncaster and saw George Honeyman leave the pitch on a stretcher.
The Tigers led 3-1 at the break through two Mallik Wilks headers and a first club goal for Jacob Greaves, with Reece James replying for Rovers.
Omar Bogle’s 68thminute penalty gave the hosts hope and after a delay for Honeyman to be carried off on the stroke of full-time, James Coppinger
(right) fired home a free-kick to snatch a 3-3 draw.
The result saw Grant McCann’s men slide out of the top two, with a double from Sammie Szmodics and a late effort from Jonson Clarke-Harris helping
Peterborough overhaul them with a 3-0 win over
AFC Wimbledon at London Road.
It also enabled
Lincoln to extend their lead at the top, though they had to come from behind to beat struggling
Wigan 2-1 at the DW Stadium.
Portsmouth fell to a
1-0 defeat to Blackpool at Fratton Park with Jerry Yates grabbing an
82nd-minute winner.
Sunderland cruised to a 3-0 win at bottom club Burton, who had Josh Earl sent off. Grant Leadbitter, Lynden Gooch and Charlie Wyke got the goals.
MK Dons launched a late comeback to beat
Northampton 4-3 and extend the Cobblers’ run without a win to nine.
Shrewsbury drew 1-1 at Accrington, while Scott Twine’s injury-time strike grabbed three points for Swindon in a
2-1 win over Crewe. Paddy Madden scored for Fleetwood in a 1-1 draw against Charlton and Gillingham beat
Bristol Rovers 2-0.
The games between Ipswich and Oxford, and Rochdale and
Plymouth ended goalless.
Korea ace blocking noise around Jose men as they look to rise again
HEUNG-MIN SON insists talk is cheap as Tottenham’s oncepromising season is in danger of complete derailment.
Jose Mourinho’s men, who topped the table back in November, were languishing in ninth place going into the weekend, a staggering 20 points behind leaders Manchester City.
But as the North Londoners prepare to take on red-hot West Ham away this afternoon, Son is in no mood to make excuses.
In fact, he is adamant the only way they can address the current slump of four defeats in their last five league outings is with their actions on the field rather than through hollow words off it.
Son, with 17 goals this term but only one in the last nine games, said: “When we were winning the games there was not any criticism.
“When we have a couple of bad results, the conversation and the main issue is about our way of playing.
“We know what we’re doing but obviously it’s about results. I say that all the time because when you win it feels good, and when you lose it’s never great.
“It’s always easy to do when speaking but we have to show it on the pitch – if we really want to win competitions.”
If a sudden revival from Spurs seems unlikely on current form, you need only look at Chelsea’s surge of late not to rule it out.
The Blues were in an identical position to that which Tottenham are in now when Frank Lampard was sacked a month ago.
After five games under new boss Thomas Tuchel they were up to fourth.
So does turnaround that latest rapid in this weirdest of campaigns give Son and Co – who face Manchester City in the EFL Cup final in April – belief anything is still possible?
Star attacker Son said: “It’s been a strange season but we have to do better and can do better.
“We’re going to try to win something obviously because we’re in the Carabao Cup Final and still in the Europa League, a big competition.
“When you win, time just flies and you don’t even remember. If a bad time arrives, you realise people are speaking.
“This is very sad but true.
It’s all about our responsibility to carry on positively.
“We had a good time at the start of the season but now a bad time has come.
“We must stick together and go the tough way – through the tough tunnel.
“As a team we can do that. We have the belief.”
If manager Mourinho seems all-powerful in North London, Son is quick to point out there are enough senior figures in the dressing room to put things right.
He added: “Players have conversations, we have meetings, we speak one by one about what I ask for and what they ask from me.
“We have a really good group of players having these chats. It’s no problem.”
ASTON VILLA boss Dean Smith would love the Premier League’s Big Six to become a Big 10 in the future.
But, in the meantime, Smith’s sole focus is on his Midlands high-flyers gatecrashing the Champions League places this season – or, at the very least, securing a Europa League spot.
Villa can take another significant step towards that immediate goal with a victory at home to local rivals Leicester this afternoon.
In many ways the Foxes, third in the table, are exactly where Smith’s troops would like to be in terms of overall development at their club.
Smith admitted as much while discussing the race for Europe – and Villa’s short and long-term dreams.
Ahead of the derby showdown, the Villans supremo said: “This is a progressive club, with the owners we have here.
“They want us to be challenging in the higher echelons of this league. That’s my job – to design a team that can go and compete in the top six.
“It will take time, that’s for sure,
because of the head start a lot of the big clubs have over us, with us having had three years in the Championship.”
Villa could move within a point of Brendan Rodgers’ men if they take all three today and win their two games in hand on their Midlands rivals.
Which brings the thorny topic of a European Super League – and ongoing meetings between the English elite and their counterparts on the continent about a breakaway – into serious question.
Asked if such a prospect would kill the competitive ambitions of the likes of Villa and Leicester, Smith’s response was cautious yet clear.
The ex-Brentford and Walsall boss, 49, said: “That’s what sport is about. You want teams to go and break the mould of the Big Six, so to speak.
“I believe that Leicester are there already. They’re a top-four club. We want to become one of those clubs and make it a more competitive league – make it a Big 10.
“With the quality of the teams, what this season shows is that’s what it could become.
“There’s been talk about a European Super League for a long time. It’s probably not the best idea to be talking about something like that at the moment – during a pandemic!”
Villa’s rise from relegation candidates to European challengers is hugely impressive.
So too, according to Smith, has been Leicester’s bid to keep in touch with leaders Manchester City.
And he has nothing but praise for the job Rodgers (left) has done.
Smith said: “I did my Pro Licence with him many moons ago. He’s got Leicester challenging at the top of the league. As a British coach he’s been outstanding.”
BRENTFORD lost striker Ivan Toney yesterday – and they are starting to lose the plot.
The Championship’s top scorer was ruled out with an ankle problem and the promotion-chasing Bees crashed to a third straight loss.
Two goals for Tyler Walker helped struggling Coventry to this easy win which pulls them further clear of trouble.
And suddenly Brentford’s 21-game unbeaten run seems an awful long time ago – even though it only ended last week.
Boss Thomas Frank said: “Ivan is the best striker in the division so you are taking out 24 goals and nine assists from the team. “We need to learn to play without him. “Wednesday’s game against Sheffield Wednesday will be too soon but it’s a contact to the ankle and not a clear twist so it depends on how quickly it will turn round. “He should be back third or fourth game. “In the sticky periods you need to show what you are made of and some players need to step up.
“We will fight and do everything we can to put a strong team out there but any team struggles when their leading players are missing.”
Brentford’s belief seems to have gone in just a few days but they were architects of their own downfall yesterday.
Coventry won a penalty 19 minutes in following Rico Henry’s daft challenge on Max Biamou on the edge of the area.
Walker’s spot-kick crept underneath David Raya before the Bees keeper saved in superb fashion to block Callum O’Hare’s effort from point-blank range.
Brentford responded before the break as Ethan Pinnock headed just over from Mathias Jensen’s corner.
But they were at fault again as the Sky Blues helped themselves to a second just 10 minutes after the restart.
Raya’s goal-kick went straight to Biamou, O’Hare burst through and Walker finished expertly. There was no way back for Brentford despite efforts from Jensen and Henrik Dalsgaard.
And they suffered more injury woe as left-back Henry limped off midway through the second half.
This was a vital first win in six games for Coventry who wore a special one-off dark blue kit in tribute to the club’s members and staff.
Sky Blues manager Mark Robins said: “It was hard-fought but with some very brave performances.
“We took our chances. Tyler’s second goal was outstanding.
“And we put them under pressure all game. We had fight and determination. It now gives us a platform.”
COVENTRY: Wilson 6; Ostigard 6, McFadzean 6, Hyam 6; Dacosta 6 (Pask 78th), Hamer 7 (Sheaf (73rd) 6), Kelly 7 (James
(61st) 6), McCallum 6; O’Hare 8, Walker 8 (Bakayoko 78th), Biamou 7 (Gyokeres (61st) 6)
BRENTFORD: Raya 6; Roerslev 5 (Dalsgaard (58th) 6), Pinnock
6, Bech Sorensen 6, Henry 6 (Reid (65th) 6); Jensen 6, Janelt 6, Ghoddos 5 (Dasilva (58th) 6); Mbeumo 6 (Fosu (58th) 6), Forss
5, Canos 4
STAR MAN: Tyler Walker
REF: S Martin