By J Bateman
January 12 2003

All the reports from this weekends Nationwide League Division One fixtures.

Bradford v C Palace MATCH OFF

POSPONED DUE TO FROZEN PITCH 

Burnley 1  Blake (pen) 66 Ipswich 1  Counago 22 Att: 15,501

Burnley and Ipswich keep in midtable after this draw at Turf Moor this afternoon , the visitors took the lead when from a Darren Ambrose corner - Jim Magilton flicked on and found Pablo Counago who converted from close range , Burnley had to wait until the 66th minute to level up , Ian Moore was sent tumbling by Ipswich keeper Andy Marshall and Robbie Blake converted from the spot kick . Burnley were to rue a guilt egde miss from  Dimitri Papadopoulos he fired wide from four yards with the clocking ticking away.

Coventry 0 Brighton 0 Att: 15,951

Brighton will go away from this game a very unhappy team after giving Coventry headaches all afternoon , and very unlucky no to win the game , the Seagulls missed a few chances in the game especially when Bobby Zamora smacked a cracking shot against the woodwork , and if it wasn't going to be Brighton's day Danny Culip proved it when he hit the woodwork as well , Coventry were limited to half chances but could have had one in the game , Richie Patridge tested the Brighton keeper but Michel Kuipers was equal to it and pushed the low drive round the post.

Derby 1  Zavagno 64  Gillingham 1  Ipoua 57  Att: 22,769

Derby still flatter to decieve and were lucky to get away with a piont against a spirited Gillingham side who are still in the hunt for a playoff place , the Gills took the lead 10 minutes after half time when Andy Hessentaler put Guy Ipoua through on goal and the trusty striker made no mistake and put the Gills in front , Gillingham will fume that within 7 minutes off taking the lead they conceded it , Zavagno put away a penalty after Barry Ashby brought Lee Morris down in the box , both teams had chances to score more but Gillingham will be gutted they didn't take a lot more out of the game.

Leicester 0 Stoke 0 Att: 25,038

Leicester will be devastated that they couldnt take advantage of Pompey's posponed game today after only drawing with Stoke , but the Potters will be encouraged in the fact they seem to be turning the corner and this piont will be very welcome in there quest for survival. Stoke infact gave the Foxes a load of frights in the game and were very unlucky not to hit the net , Brynjar Gunnarsson fired a shot straight at Ian Walker and Marc Goodfellow spurned a great chance right at the death , Leicester will rue missed chances as well Paul Dickov fired wide early on and Matthew Jones also missed a great chance striking his drive just wide of the post , Both teams had dismissals Peter Handysides and Gerry Taggart both sent off for second yellows.

Millwall 4  Claridge 10 Ryan 41 Ifill 79   Sweeney 89 Watford 0 Att: 9,030

Millwall run rampant today against a dumbstruck Hornets side , Steve Claridge the old sniffer bagged the first for Millwall after a great drive from Paul Ifill , the second goal didn't come until four minutes from half time from a Robbie Ryan strike which was drilled under the keepers body , Paul Ifill staked his player of the game award by scoring a beautiful third for Millwall , he controlled the ball sweetly in the box and turn the defender with ease and prodded the ball over the stranded Alec Chamberlain , Millwall finished the rout Peter Sweeney chipped camberlain from 20 yards for the fourth , Watford's closest chance to a goal was a Gifton Noel Williams strike but it was saved well by Tony Warner but they were never at the races and Millwall deserved the victory fully.

Norwich 1  McVeigh 59 Rotherham 1  Garner 33 Att: 19,452

Norwich have been slipping up off late this was there second home game without a win and more worringly there fourth game without a win ,Rotherham kicked of the Canary wobbles in the 33th minute when Darren Garner curled a excellent free kick home from around 25 yards to put Rotherham ahead, into the second half and normal service was resumed from Norwich's leading scorer Paul Mcveigh , he almost matched Garner goal when from the edge of the area on 60 minutes curled the equaliser into the top corner for 1-1. On the balance of the game the piont for both sides was about right but Norwich will have to improve if they won't to stay in the playoffs.

Portsmouth v Sheff Utd Rearranged for Monday 13th January Live On SKY

MATCH CALLED OFF DUE TO A FROZEN PITCH AFTER A FRIDAY AFTERNOON PITCH INSPECTION

Preston v Nottm Forest MATCH OFF

MATCH CALLED OFF DUE TO A FROZEN PITCH AFTER A FRIDAY AFTERNOON PITCH INSPECTION

Sheff Wed 3  Quinn  52 Sibon  69 Johnston  71   Reading 2  Forster  9  Butler  19 Att: 17,715

Sheffield Wednesday staged the comeback of the day after being 2-0 down to a strong Royals side , within the first 20 minutes Wednesday might have been thinking here we go again , Nicky Forster back in the side and fully fit again bagged the first he headed home from close range from a Graeme Murty cross , ten minutes later Martin Butler stole into the box after slack defending and slotted home in style, Reading must have though that was that and completed switched off in the second half , the comeback started when Alan Quinn pulled one back for Wednesday he slammed home a great shot past Marcus Hahnemann , on 69 minutes Hillsborough erupted when Gerald Sibon burst towards the area and unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot past the Reading Keeper , the comeback was complete 2 minutes later when Allan Johnston was put through and with the keeper off his line lobbed it inch perfect and sent Hillsborough into dreamland.

Walsall 0 Wolves 1  Ndah 64 Att: 11,037

As derby games go this one was one of the worst in history , both teams set out against a third oppenent that being the pitch , Walsall have all this week tried in vain to make the playing surface at Bescot a playable one but failed miserably , Neither side really deserved to win the game and really a piont should have been the worthy result , Walsall created the first of well possibly one chance when Danny Sonner curled a free kick in but was deflected behind for a corner , Wolves had a chance before half time only a half one mind you from Denis Irwin but his drive was easily saved by Jimmy Walker.  But on 64 minutes the Peter Enkleman show came to town again thanks to the Bescot surface , a easy backpass from Danny Hay back to Walker bobbled up infront of the Walsall keeper as he was about to clear it , the ball trickled towards the line and bravely Walker managed to clear it off the line but straight to George Ndah who rolled it in from right on the goaline. In the end the scoreboard should have read WALSALL 0 THE PITCH 1.

Wimbledon 3  Agyemang 67 Darlington 69  Francis 73  Grimsby 3  Boulding 19 Andersen og 52  Campbell 72  Att: 1,336

Firstly the crowd and yet another low gate for the Dons , secondly the game and jeez what a game a six goal thriller and a ding dong battle going from end to end , Grimsby have been picking pionts up for fun off late and today was another example of Paul Groves team spirit , Grimsby took the lead early doors from onloan Michael Boulding fierce drive that the Dons keeper could do nothing about , just after half time Grimsby doubled there lead a Trond Anderson OG deflected off the unfortunate player and wrong footed Kelvin Davies in the Dons goal , But two goals in a minute on 67 and 69 the first from Patrick Agyemang luckily thanks to Danny Coyne - a clearance from the keeper hitting Agyemang square in the face but straight into the net for 2-1 , the second from Jermaine Darlington though was a peach the player cut in from the left and arrowed a brilliant shot past the stranded Coyne , the action wasn't over yet at all and Grimsby retook the lead Stuart Campbell scoring from a Darren Mansaram square pass across the box , Wimbledon though got out of jail and equalised a minute later Damein Francis the hero he burst through a packed defence and prod the ball into the net.

Full Match Reports can be found at --

Brighton IBHA

Burnley The Longsider

Gillingham Up The Gills.tk

Grimsby The Mariner

Ipswich Singing The Blues

Sheff Utd bladesfc.co.uk

Walsall The Saddlers FC

Wolves wolvesfc.co.uk