Sport Forward

Saturday, January 31, 2009

England draw with West Indies A

Tour match, St Kitts:
England 414 draw with West Indies A 574-8 dec & 16-0
Match scorecard

Andrew Strauss fell three short of his century for England

England have drawn their tour match with West Indies A in St Kitts thanks to fine innings from captain Andrew Strauss and ex-skipper Kevin Pietersen.

Resuming on the third and final day at 134-2, England were bowled out for 414 with Strauss firing 97 and Pietersen falling 10 short of his century.

Paul Collingwood (82) also pitched in with a decent innings for the tourists.

It meant the hosts had a 160-run advantage but after adding a further 16 runs the game came to an early finish.

The match was always likely to be a draw after the hosts opted to bat beyond lunch on day two leaving England with just under four sessions to bat.

"It was not an ideal work-out but it was a pretty good one," said Strauss as the England captain looked ahead to the first Test which starts on 4 February in Jamaica.

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Have your say on England's performance

"We head to Jamaica with just about as much as we could have got out of this practice time.

"Clearly when the Test match comes along there will be a need to raise intensity and sharpen up."

Strauss will hope to have Andrew Flintoff available for the first Test, after the all-rounder continues to recover from an injury to his left side, with the former England captain bowling the equivalent of six overs at Warner Park before play on the third day.

Once play began Pietersen was his usual free-scoring self firing a 53-ball half-century inside the opening hour.

Together with Strauss the pair looked to be heading for centuries before spinner Gavin Wallace produced a big, turning leg-break which defeated an attempted drive and hit the England captain's off-stump.

Pietersen also soon succumbed missing a delivery from off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth that he was attempting to smite to the leg-side.

Wicketkeeper Matt Prior (36) was run out for the second time in as many innings when he initially called Collingwood through for a single, but then changed his mind.

Collingwood's 50 included two sixes and three fours and came up during an 80-run stand with Prior for the sixth wicket.

His partnership with Graeme Swann was brief, the latter edging to slip off Wallace.

Collingwood fell to attacking paceman Kevin McClean when his attempted hook provided a catch on the run for wicketkeeper Devon Thomas.

Tail-enders Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Harmison both offered return catches from short balls as the final three wickets fell for seven runs.

West Indies A then returned to bat but with little time left to play, the game ended with an early handshake.

Ronaldo goal keeps Man Utd on top

By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Old Trafford

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring United's winner

Manchester United turned up the pressure on the Premier League's chasing pack and re-wrote the record books with victory over Everton at Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 44th-minute penalty - awarded after Mikel Arteta fouled Michael Carrick - put them five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea before they meet at Anfield on Sunday.

And in recording a 12th successive top-flight clean sheet, goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar eclipsed the previous league record of 1,104 minutes without conceding a goal, set by Reading's Steve Death in 1979.

United deserved their victory and could have won by more, but they were made to work for the win by an Everton side displaying all their trademark defensive resilience.

Former United keeper Tim Howard saved well from Ji-Sung Park and Carlos Tevez, while Ronaldo also hit the post from 20 yards in the first half.

Everton - admittedly stripped of almost all of their recognised attacking strength - created few openings and Van der Sar rarely looked in danger of missing out on his place in history.

Boss Sir Alex Ferguson can now relax after another efficient rather than spectacular display, and watch his two closest rivals go into combat on Sunday knowing victory is essential if they are to keep United firmly in their sights.

Carrick orchestrated United's performance in midfield and Tevez was busy in attack, but in the end they had to be grateful for a narrow victory.

606: DEBATE

United weren't great, but they didn't have to be. Everton weren't a threat.

fapb

United were presented with the opportunity to move away from the pursuing pack in the title race - but they faced an Everton side lifted by influential pair Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini passing fitness tests.

The first 45 minutes took the predictable shape of United working all their attacking options, but running into Everton's blue wall of defiance.

Former United goalkeeper Howard was in early action, making a last-ditch save to turn away Park's cross and then blocking Tevez's effort from only eight yards with his legs.

Ronaldo came close to piercing the Everton rearguard after 25 minutes when his low shot took a deflection, only to strike a post and roll agonisingly across the goal-line to safety.

Everton's best form of response was the left-sided partnership of Steven Pienaar and Leighton Baines. They worked a succession of promising openings, but the quality of delivery was poor and Van der Sar was rarely troubled.

The breakthrough came only a minute before half-time, and in the most frustrating manner possible for Everton as Arteta conceded a needless penalty.

Everton's Spanish midfield man flicked out a leg at Carrick as he raced into the area, and even though referee Mark Halsey let play progress, he then awarded a penalty when United gained no immediate advantage.

Ronaldo scored comfortably from the spot - and in the process put an entirely different complexion on the second half.

United were denied what looked an even more clear-cut penalty than the one they were awarded when Carrick was once again brought down, this time by Joleon Lescott, two minutes after the break but Halsey waved away their justified appeals.

Tevez had been an industrious figure for United, and he twice threatened to grab the crucial second goal, firing narrowly over then forcing a low save out of Howard from 20 yards.

Van der Sar had been largely unemployed, but he was in the action on the hour when he held on to Arteta's low free-kick from fully 30 yards.

Everton needed to find a cutting edge from somewhere, and with 23 minutes left Moyes decided it should come in the shape of substitute Victor Anichebe, who replaced Fellaini.

But it was still United posing all the serious questions and Howard needed to be alert to turn Tevez's deflected free-kick over the top.

Everton tried to press as time ran out, but they were lightweight in attack and United ended in the ascendancy, with Howard again saving well from Howard.

It was not United at their free-flowing best, but they will be satisfield to succeed against tough opponents who have taken points off Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in recent times.

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Manchester United's Michael Carrick 7.92 (on 90 minutes).

• Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Sharma wraps up victory for India

Second one-day international, Dambulla:
India 256-9 (50 overs) bt Sri Lanka 241 (49.2 overs) by 15 runs
Match scorecard

Ishant Sharma (right) is congratulated after dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya

Sharma (right) took 4-57, including the vital early wicket of Sanath Jayasuriya

India beat Sri Lanka by 15 runs in Dambulla to win the second one-day international, and take a 2-0 lead in the five-game series.

Paceman Ishant Sharma took 4-57 as the Sri Lankans were bowled out for 241.

Full report to follow.

Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn

By Phil Harlow

Tugay battles for possession with Blackburn's Vincenzo Grella

Boro and Blackburn are still deep in relegation trouble

Middlesbrough and Blackburn cancelled each other out at the Riverside with a goalless draw that leaves both sides in the relegation zone.

Blackburn enjoyed the better of a first-half of few chances, with Keith Andrews and Roque Santa Cruz going closest for the visitors.

Boro offered more after the break, but clear chances were few and far between.

Jason Roberts twice went close late on for Rovers but Boro keeper Brad Jones rescued his side with fine saves.

With just one point separating the two sides in the depths of the relegation scap, it was perhaps no surprise that this was not a game for the purist.

Blackburn' Andre Ooijer was booked inside the first five minutes for a clumsy foul, but the resulting free-kick cleared the penalty area by some distance before bouncing out for a throw-in.

Blackburn welcomed Santa Cruz, the subject of a series of bids from Manchester City during January, back to their starting line-up and the Paraguayan provided plenty of quality.

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If we can't beat Blackburn at home then we have no chance stopping in the Premier League

hammydigrassi

Santa Cruz curled in a dangerous ball for Morten Gamst Pedersen, but the midfielder skewed his effort well wide.

Moments later, Santa Cruz conjured up another delightful pass as he put Brett Emerton through on goal but the chance was wasted by poor control from the Australian.

Blackburn had the upper hand, and Andrews showed a delicate touch on the edge of the box before firing in a low shot that Jones had to be alert to save.

Boro were largely restricted to efforts on the break, with Tuncay finding himself crowded out by Vincenzo Grella and Christopher Samba.

The visitors were playing much the better football, and a precise passing move saw Stephen Warnock force a decent save from Jones before Benni McCarthy put a curling effort well wide.

Grella was the next to try his luck with a well-executed volley from the edge of the box and Santa Cruz forced Jones into an improvised save with his legs.

Santa Cruz was controversially penalised for handball after getting on the end of a Tugay pass, although his method of control looked at least as legal as the one he employed to score against Bolton midweek.

The second half was a similarly hard-fought affair, with an early chance for Boro midfielder Josh Walker denied by Pedersen's tackle.

A nasty clash of heads between Samba and Tuncay stopped play for several minutes, but the blood-splattered Boro striker played on after receiving treatment.

Jones tipped over a long-range effort from Tugay before Boro substitute Afonso Alves added some spark with a dangerous run and low shot that Paul Robinson saved well.

Blackburn were still the more dangerous side though, and Boro were grateful to survive two goalmouth scrambles with McCarthy and Santa Cruz both finding their way blocked by desperate defending, while David Dunn also had two decent efforts saved.

And Jones made himself the hero for Boro late on with two fine saves from Roberts, the first from an acute angle, the second from a header inside the six-yard box.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate:

"A point is probably fair. It was a tense afternoon and a scrappy game.

"We knew we'd have to defend strongly and we did. But Brad Jones made some fantastic saves and everybody worked hard for us.

"In the long run that could prove to be a very important point for us."

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce:

"We produced several opportunities and we should have won the game and this is happening too often when chances are going begging.

"We are not burying the opposition when we are on top and as a result we have found ourselves in the bottom six.

"I'm pleased that we have kept out unbeaten run going but we should have far more wins in this period."

Middlesbrough: Jones, Wheater, Riggott, Huth, Pogatetz, Adam Johnson, Bates, Walker, Downing, King (Emnes 65), Sanli (Alves 65).
Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Hoyte, Shawky, Arca, McMahon.

Blackburn: Robinson, Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Emerton (Dunn 50), Andrews (Kerimoglu 42), Grella, Pedersen, McCarthy (Roberts 73), Roque Santa Cruz.
Subs Not Used: Bunn, Villanueva, Givet, Simpson.

Booked: Ooijer, Nelsen, McCarthy, Pedersen.

Att: 24,303

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Middlesbrough's Brad Jones 8.33 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Hull 2-2 West Brom

By Mark Ashenden

Brunt gives the away fans something to cheer about at Hull

Hull City and West Brom had to settle for a point each after a scrappy but lively affair at the KC Stadium.

Hull took a deserved lead with Bernard Mendy out-sprinting the defence after a long punt from Ian Ashbee before rounding Scott Carson and poking in.

Jay Simpson grabbed the equaliser after good work from James Morrison, but Hull struck back with a Craig Fagan header.

Kamil Zayatte hacked down Robert Koren in the box and Chris Brunt blasted in under Matt Duke to secure the draw.

Both managers revealed during the week that this was a match they could not afford to lose with West Brom at the foot of the Premier League and Hull with just one win in 14 league games before Saturday.

Avoiding a seventh successive league defeat was clearly uppermost in Hull boss Phil Brown's mind, packing the midfield and starting Fagan up front, with Geovanni and Manucho dropped to the bench.

Despite the Premier League's two most leaky defences on show, a goal seemed to be the last thing likely to happen in the opening exchanges, with few clear-cut chances to cheer about.

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The cliche of Hull being 'a breath of fresh air' is clearly now a thing of folklore. We are heading back down

rovers4evaaa

The opening 20 minutes seemed to involve a competition to see who could shoot the furthest away from the target. Hull's Fagan and West Brom's Morrison the two most guilty of poor efforts.

Simpson made a hash of West Brom's first chance after he blazed a volley over the bar, but Hull were looking lively and hungry and had an opportunity to take the lead on the half hour.

Kevin Kilbane, making his 450th career league appearance on the eve of his 32nd birthday, crossed from the left, but the unmarked Richard Garcia's header went flying over the target.

With many of the home supporters leaving their seats for a half-time hot beverage, they would have been stunned to see their side grab a fully deserved goal.

As soon as the ball fell to Ashbee in the middle of the park, Mendy, starting his run on the right wing, seemed to instinctively know where the looping through-ball was heading.

The Baggies defence looked shocked as the lightning-quick Mendy was soon rounding Carson and poking the ball into the net to send the majority of the stadium into a state of delirium.

Hull looked determined to add to their one goal after the break with Mendy and Fagan linking up well with Dean Marney denied by the arms of Carson.

French star Mendy grabbed the opener for Hull City

A Garcia shot and a Michael Turner header continued to keep Carson busy, but then West Brom struck.

Perhaps doing very little for 52 minutes had caused the Hull defence to fall asleep, but after struggling to get the ball away they stood back and watched Morrison twisting dangerously into the area.

The ball fell to Simpson who crashed the ball into the net past Matt Duke for a hugely undeserved equaliser.

The Tigers wobbled for a few minutes, but they did not have to wait long before grabbing the lead again.

Mendy powered down the right and crossed in for Fagan to place his header past the diving Carson.

The second half was a complete transformation with both teams being less cautious and West Brom were level within three minutes of falling behind.

After Duke saved from Marc-Antoine Fortune, Zayatte hacked down Koren to give away a clear penalty and Brunt despatched comfortably.

The visitors looked the most likely to grab the winner as Hull reverted to their early cautious approach, but both teams had to settle for the single point.

Although Hull avoided another loss, Brown will be thinking this is two points dropped.

Hull boss Phil Brown:
"We all want to win games and we put enough energy and effort in today to win it.

"The game plan was to get ahead. It made for a good spectacle. We did everything we possibly could and we came up against a very good keeper."

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray:
"The second half livened up and we chased the game and we showed great determination and character.

"We have found points away from home very hard to get this season so we'll take this one. Jay Simpson works hard and got his rewards today."

Hull: Duke, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Mendy, Garcia (Folan 81), Ashbee, Marney, Kilbane, Fagan.

Subs Not Used: Myhill, Doyle, Geovanni, Hughes, France, Manucho.

Booked: Dawson, Mendy.

Goals: Mendy 44, Fagan 69.

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Meite, Robinson, Morrison (Kim 76), Koren, Borja Valero (Pele 88), Brunt, Fortune (Bednar 75), Simpson.

Subs Not Used: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Filipe Teixeira.

Booked: Robinson, Meite, Morrison, Zuiverloon.

Goals: Simpson 53, Brunt 73 pen.

Att: 24,879

Ref: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Hull City's Bernard Mendy on 7.22 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Aston Villa 0-0 Wigan

By Owen Phillips

Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland clears his lines

Aston Villa missed out on the chance to overtake Chelsea and Liverpool and go second in the Premier League on a frustrating day against resolute Wigan.

Villa were lacklustre in a dull first half, which saw Wigan's Maynor Figueroa denied by keeper Brad Friedel.

But the home side upped the pace after the break and bombarded the Wigan goal.

Zat Knight hit the post, Paul Scharner twice cleared off the line and Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and John Carew were all denied by last-ditch blocks.

The frantic finale seemed unlikely for more than an hour in a below-par home display, but Villa created enough chances in the last quarter to have won two home matches.

606: DEBATE

Villa have showed today that we're not as 'lucky' as the rest of the premiership seems to think. 4 cleared off the line and one off the post as well as another load of shots saved or blocked

randomhomer

The day began with a minute's applause for former Villa manager Vic Crowe and 1957 FA Cup winning captain Johnny Dixon, who both died earlier this month.

And Villa started in confident fashion, looking eager to mark the occasion in fitting style and build on their fine 1-0 win over Portsmouth in midweek.

Agbonlahor and home debutant Heskey saw plenty of the ball in the early exchanges, and all signs pointed to a victory that would put Martin O'Neill's side at least temporarily level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester United.

Heskey almost got on the end of a hanging Gareth Barry free-kick, and the Villa skipper had a shot deflected wide after a driving run from midfield.

But apart from Heskey's pace and power, the home side offered little in attack and Wigan coped with the minimum of fuss.

Chris Kirkland easily tipped over a looping Agbonlahor header and the lively Heskey, facing his former side just eight days after leaving them, also headed straight at Kirkland.

But the Latics, who were thumped 4-0 in the reverse fixture in October, finished the half stronger and started to play with confidence.

Scharner tried his luck from 30 yards but was off target before Wigan created two excellent chances to take the lead.

Brad Friedel superbly blocked with his feet as Daniel De Ridder raced through on goal following a lovely dummy from Scharner.

And the American keeper then stretched to tip over Figueroa's header from Michael Brown's clipped cross when Villa failed to clear a corner.

But O'Neill's men stepped up a gear on the resumption and started to create chances.

Knight's downward header bounced up and beyond Kirkland and onto the far post but Curtis Davies was unable to tap in the rebound and the visitors somehow cleared their lines.

Agbonlahor also blazed over the bar after a neat turn on the edge of the box, and another goalmouth scramble saw Wigan escape with their goal intact when Agbonlahor's close-range header was cleared off the line and then bobbled onto the post.

And within minutes Wigan had another remarkable escape after the third almighty goalmouth scramble of the second half.

A Villa break saw Brown's defensive lunge penalised as a pass-back.

Carew, playing his first game since November, had his shot superbly blocked by Scharner and the same player then reacted brilliantly to stop Luke Young's stinging volley.

But despite the constant late pressure, Wigan held on for a valuable point.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill:
"A draw was frustrating in that we had some great chances but could not score, but apart from that I was delighted with all the other areas of our play. We are 12 games unbeaten in the Premier League, which is great.

"Wigan had drawn with Liverpool only a couple of days ago and they are a fine side.

"They had a couple of chances but the second half belonged to us but we could not force the ball in.

"But the effort from my players was phenomenal."

Wigan manager Steve Bruce:
"It was backs to the wall for us for much of the time.

"We were out on our feet after the midweek game we had against Liverpool.

"We rode our luck a bit but we had two good chances and should have scored from both.

"In the second half it was an onslaught and we had to hold on.

"Our attitude was terrific and we got away with a point."

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Wigan's Chris Kirkland 7.91 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Rangers 2-0 Dundee United

By Clive Lindsay

Fleck (left) sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot

Seventeen-year-old John Fleck scored his first goal for Rangers as they secured a hard-fought victory over in-form Dundee United.

Fleck took a penalty he won himself after a nudge in the back by Mihael Kovacevic as the forward thrust into the United box after 78 minutes.

The teenager had tested goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska with a first-half drive and Kris Boyd curled an effort wide.

Kyle Lafferty slotted in the second as United were caught pushing for a reply.

It meant that Rangers reduced the gap at the top of the Scottish Premier League to a point ahead of leaders and champions Celtic facing Inverness Caley Thistle on Sunday.

Rangers were coming off the back of their midweek Co-operative Insurance Cup success, although Walter Smith freshened up his side by introducing Steven Whittaker and John Fleck for Sasa Papac and Steven Naismith after their semi-final victory over Falkirk.

Darren Dods and Danny Grainger took the places of Lee Wilkie and Paul Dixon after United's exhausting semi-final defeat by Celtic on penalties on Wednesday.

United had also suffered a blow on Friday, with lively midfielder Willo Flood being transfer to Celtic.

But it was the visitors who looked the more sprightly in the early stages and Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor held well after Flood's replacement, David Robertson, burst into the box to meet a long throw-in and stabbed the ball towards goal from 14 yards.

Rangers began to threaten and a superb thrusting run from Nacho Novo, retaining his place after two goals on Tuesday, set up Kris Boyd, but his strike partner curled the ball wide of the post from the edge of the box.

Rangers striker Novo went off injured before half-time

Zaluska produced a fine finger-tip save to deny Fleck and, from the corner, David Weir was too slow to pounce on the loose ball eight yards from goal.

Novo signalled to the Rangers bench that his game was over shortly before half-time with a hamstring injury and the off-form Kenny Miller was given the chance to shine.

United were the first to threaten after the break, Warren Feeney's low, driven cross was missed by Weir's attempted clearance and Robertson's late lunge to poke the ball home from seven yards.

That was a rare foray into the Rangers box by the visitors, who were stifling their hosts in midfield and a hitch-kick by Boyd and a scuffed effort from Whittaker failed to trouble the United goalkeeper.

Misfiring Boyd was replaced with Kyle Lafferty and there was a close call for United when the Northern Ireland international fired past Zaluska only to be ruled offside.

Fleck scored the winning goal moments later, but Kovacevic had the chance to redeem himself for conceding the penalty only to head over from 10 yards following a corner.

Miller and Lafferty both squandered chances to extend Rangers' lead before the latter took advantage of United pushing for an equaliser to stroke the ball home from 20 yards.

Rangers manager Walter Smith:
"We had very few opportunities until that last 20 minutes.

"John Fleck was brought down for the penalty and that picked us up a bit and it made Dundee United come at us after that.

"John is a quiet lad, but it was good to see him have the confidence to step up and take the penalty with Kris Boyd already off the field.

"Nacho Novo has a badly sprained ankle, but it doesn't look like anything is broken and it looks like two or three weeks out for him."

Dundee United manager Craig Levein:

"I felt there was nothing in the game until the penalty, when I thought Mihael did well to get back to him.

"Both players had their hands across one another and I think the Rangers player has lost control of the ball and has gone down very easily.

"Overall, I am relatively pleased with the way we were able retain our energy levels throughout the match.

"But maybe Wednesday's game prevented us having that bit extra needed to get an equaliser."

Rangers: McGregor, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Whittaker, Davis, Mendes, Ferguson, Fleck, Novo (Miller 43), Boyd (Lafferty 74).
Subs Not Used: Alexander, Papac, McCulloch, Naismith, Niguez.

Booked: Fleck.

Goals: Fleck 78 pen, Lafferty 90.

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Dods, Kenneth, Grainger, Feeney, Gomis, Buaben, David Robertson (Daly 80), Conway (Swanson 57), Sandaza (Goodwillie 70).
Subs Not Used: McGovern, Dillon, Shala, Dixon.

Booked: Grainger.

Att: 49,918

Ref: I Brines

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Rangers' John Fleck 8.83 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Fulham 3-1 Portsmouth

By Aimee Lewis

Substitute Nevland celebrates scoring his second against Portsmouth

Fulham heaped more pressure on Portsmouth manager Tony Adams with a comfortable win at Craven Cottage.

Andy Johnson opened the scoring, finishing low into the corner after being put through by Clint Dempsey.

Younes Kaboul hit the crossbar and Pompey had two penalty appeals turned down before a Simon Davies long ball put Erik Nevland through to score.

Davies was again the provider as Nevland sealed the win before Portsmouth's David Nugent headed home.

It was the visitors' sixth defeat in seven games and Adams, on a day which was cold enough to freeze breath, certainly left west London feeling the heat.

Portsmouth have won just two of their 15 Premier League games since Adams took charge back in October and have not won since their 3-2 victory over Blackburn on 30 November.

The statistics make depressing reading for last year's FA Cup winners, but they can take some solace from the fact they created plenty of chances and should have taken at least a point from the game.

606: DEBATE

Sorry Tony - time's up. We cannot afford to wait any longer

kathweb

Portsmouth started well with Jermaine Pennant and Glen Johnson getting plenty of freedom down the right flank, but that early promise counted for nothing as Fulham took the lead courtesy of some slack defending.

Dempsey received the ball from Simon Davies and the American put Johnson, who was played onside by the lingering Sylvain Distin, clear to score his eighth of the season.

David James needed to be at his best to prevent Johnson from doubling Fulham's advantage.

The England goalkeeper raced off his line and used his left foot to prevented what looked set to be a certain goal after Sylvain Distin had flapped at Davies' through ball.

Portsmouth were not without their chances and probably felt aggrieved at going into the break a goal behind.

Sean Davies twice went close against his former club and Brede Hangeland needed to be alert to block Hayden Mullins' shot from hitting the net.

Kaboul had the best chance for Portsmouth when five minutes before half-time he rose unchallenged inside the six-yard box and had the beating of Mark Schwarzer only for the crossbar to come to the Fulham goalkeeper's rescue.

Portsmouth continued to attack in the second half and had two penalty appeals turned down within minutes of each other.

Nugent, on for the ineffective Kanu, looked to have been brought down by John Pantsil just as he was about to shoot and the Ghanaian right-back was in the thick of it again when he collided with Peter Crouch.

It was all Portsmouth and Crouch, standing inside the box, should have done better with Kaboul's cross after a surging run down the right from the defender.

However, Portsmouth were made to pay for their profligacy as Fulham went on the counter-attack and Davies' long ball from the right found substitute Nevland who raced onto the ball and shot low beyond James.

Nine minutes later and the Norwegian put the result beyond doubt with his second of the game after some fine play by Dempsey and Davies.

Nugent rose above the Fulham defence to connect with Pennant's free-kick, but his goal was mere consolation for a Portsmouth side now languishing in 15th place.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Dempsey (Gera 90), Etuhu, Murphy, Davies, Zamora (Nevland 63), Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Teymourian, Gray, Stoor, Kallio.

Goals: Johnson 14, Nevland 71, 80.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Kaboul (Pamarot 76), Distin, Hreidarsson, Pennant, Davis, Mullins, Armand Traore (Utaka 63), Kanu (Nugent 46), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Lauren, Mvuemba, Little.

Booked: Mullins.

Goals: Nugent 84.

Att: 23,722

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Fulham's Erik Nevland 8.50 (on 90 minutes).

• Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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Stoke 1-0 Man City

By Phil Dawkes

Beattie grabbed the winner, his second in three games since joining Stoke

Stoke had Rory Delap sent off but still managed to beat a disappointing Manchester City thanks to a James Beattie first-half header.

Stoke were reduced to 10 men when Rory Delap was sent off for kicking out at Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Beattie gave the home side the lead when he headed home a Matthew Etherington deep cross.

The visitors had the vast majority of possession but had only one shot on target throughout the whole match.

Before kick-off Stoke manager Tony Pulis had referred to the threat his side posed if they played to their strengths, namely grit and hard work.

With Manchester City counterpart Mark Hughes acknowledging an improvement in his side of late but also highlighting the tendency of opposing sides to raise themselves against the newly enriched Blues, the match was set as a contest between graft and guile.

This proved the case from the very first action of the match.

Stoke launched the kick-off in the direction of their physically imposing forward line, sparking a keenly-contested clash to which the visitors responded by claiming possession and looking to build patiently.

There were initial indications that this would prove productive for the visitors as Robinho jinked past Delap before chipping on to the roof of the net and then Stephen Ireland volleyed wide after a Ryan Shawcross clearance struck Craig Bellamy and looped invitingly for the Irishman.

Stoke's chief threat came from set-pieces and they tested the visitors' mettle in a concerted spell either side of the 20-minute mark.

Glenn Whelan should have done better when a Delap throw found him unmarked in the area but his tame header looped over while a Shawcross flick was on target but too close to keeper Joe Hart to trouble him.

606: DEBATE

If City had players who battled for the shirt like Stoke's did today we would be right up the table

Sparky4Primeminister

Stoke were reduced to 10 men in the 36th minute.

Delap's ire at a Wright-Phillips diving tackle resulted first in an overly-aggressive challenge of his own and then a completely unnecessary and not entirely well-directed swipe at the ball as it lay near the Manchester City winger's midriff.

The referee produced a straight red for the midfielder, depriving Stoke of not only a man but their chief attacking weapon.

If Manchester City had bossed possession before, they completely dominated after, stroking the ball around at will to the sound of constant boos from an aggrieved home crowd.

Despite this the visitors could not create a clear-cut chance before half time but Stoke could and from it they scored.

Etherington was released down the left wing and his deep cross evaded Wayne Bridge and was met by a rising Beattie to head home his second goal in three games since joining the club.

Understandably the second half was played largely in the Stoke half of the pitch with the occasional foray by the home side into blue territory.

Robinho had the visitors' first effort with a snapshot that flew harmlessly wide of Thomas Sorenson's left-hand post but it was telling of their inability to break down a resolute Stoke that their next chance was not for another 15 minutes as substitute Elano's crossshot missed both the diving Ireland and the goal.

In the last 10 minutes Robinho cleverly floated a cross into the penalty area but it narrowly eluded the outstretched foot of right-back Micah Richards.

It was the marauding Richards who almost gave the visitors a late lifeline when he latched onto a Wright-Phillips through-ball before being well-challenged by Andy Griffin.

Mark Hughes' side's calls for a penalty were representative of their desperation, whilst substitute Griffin's challenge summed up Stoke's determination.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis:
"We were smashing when Rory Delap was sent off early in the first half and we deserved the victory in the end.

"The lads were very resolute and stayed together.

"We do not condone Delap's actions but the incident would not have happened if the referee had blown up after the challenge from Shaun Wright-Phillips.

"We have got 28,000 supporters and they got behind us for every tackle and pass."

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes:
"We are disappointed because we have got nothing out of a game in which we were in total control.

"We conceded a goal right at the death in the first half and that gave Stoke something to fight for.

"It was difficult to break them down because they had two banks of four.

"Good players need space and we were not given any although we should have had a penalty when Micah Richards was brought down in the box."

Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Pugh, Delap, Whelan, Amdy Faye (Griffin 78), Etherington (Sonko 86), Beattie, Fuller (Cresswell 46).

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Lawrence, Kitson.

Sent Off: Delap (38).

Booked: Wilkinson.

Goals: Beattie 45.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Onuoha, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, De Jong (Caicedo 72), Zabaleta (Elano 55), Ireland, Bellamy, Robinho.

Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Fernandes, Garrido, Jo, Vassell.

Booked: Elano.

Att: 27,236

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Stoke City's James Beattie 7.58 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

Player Rater

Bryans claim Aussie doubles crown

Bob and Mike Bryan with the Australian Open title

The grand slam is the seventh of the Bryans' careers

Twins Bob and Mike Bryan swept to their third Australian Open doubles title after a 2-6 7-5 6-0 win over Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles.

Third seeds Bhupathi and Knowles broke their opponents in the fifth and seventh games to claim the first set.

But they squandered three break points in the seventh game of the second set, allowing the American duo to hit back and level the match.

And the Bryans took the title in style, winning all six games in the final set.

The pair regained their world number one status from Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor, after qualifying for the final.

The Australian Open title is their seventh career grand slam.