Sports Mail nostalgia – when Claridge treble ended awful run
Today we turn back the clock to the first month of the new millennium when Pompey halted a sequence of 14 league matches without a win by seeing off Barnsley at Fratton Park. Steve Claridge netted all the goals in a much-needed 3-0 victory.
Steve Claridge scored a hat-trick as Pompey beat high-flying Barnsley 3-0 on January 29, 2000.
Claridge’s first strike came on eight minutes when he headed home a Ceri Hughes corner.
Then, on 20 minutes, the forward fired an unstoppable shot past Kevin Miller after Lee Bradbury had flicked Russell Hoult’s clearance into his path.
In the second half, Hoult saved well from Bruce Dyer before Claridge completed his treble from a Mike Panopoulos corner after 54 minutes.
In the closing stages, Pompey sent on Gary O’neil, who at 16 years 256 days, became the youngest player to represent the club in a competitive fixture.
A Fratton Park crowd of 12,201 watched on as the Blues ended a run of 14 Division One matches without a victory.
Pompey went on to finish 18th that season with 51 points from their 46 games, 13 of which ended in wins. Claridge, now manager of Wessex League club Fleetlands, was their leading scorer with 14 goals.
Pompey: Russell Hoult, Dave Waterman, Andy Awford, Paulo Vernazza (Gary O’neil), Adrian Whitbread, Darren
Moore, Mike Panapoulos (Sammy Igoe), Thomas Thogersen, Steve Claridge (Guy Whittingham), Lee Bradbury, Ceri Hughes.
Meanwhile, Phil Barnett put Pompey Youth ahead in their away clash with Colchester, but the home side equalised through a freak goal as the strong wind carried Paul Delaney’s long ball beyond goalkeeper Rob Mitchell.
In the only match in the Premiership, David Beckham’s late strike gave Manchester United a 1-0 win at home to Middlesbrough. The victory took United to the top of the table.
The biggest shock in the FA Cup fifth round was at Priestfield Stadium where Gillingham, from Division Two, came from behind to win 3-1 against Premiership outfit Sheffield Wednesday.
It was the first time in the Kent club’s history that they had reached the last eight of the famous old competition.
Everton were booed off the Goodison Park pitch by their own fans at half time after Preston North End had enjoyed the better of a goalless first 45 minutes.
However, the Toffees improved after the break and goals by David Unsworth and Joe-max Moore saw them into the quarter-finals.
In Division Two, AFC Bournemouth were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Scunthorpe United.
Bristol Rovers went top of the division by beating Wrexham 3-1 at home.
Brighton drew 1-1 in their Division Three home clash with Darlington.
Havant & Waterlooville won 1-0 away to King’s Lynn in the Dr Martens League, the goal being scored by Tim Hambley in the first half.
In rugby, Portsmouth secured a vital victory in their quest for a top-three finish as they beat Andover 20-3.
Martina Hingis’s dream of winning a fourth successive Australian Open singles title was shattered by a stunning display of power tennis by American Lindsay Davenport, who raced to a 6-1, 7-5 victory in one hour and five minutes.