First Division Round-Up - Saturday 17th January

Burnley 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
On the face of it relegation-threatened Burnley will be the happier of the two teams following the one score draw at Turf Moor. However, it could have been so much more for the hosts who took the lead through Robbie Blake on the hour mark against the Baggies, who only had 10-men on the field following Rob Hulse's dismissal in the first-half. Geoff Horsfield, who recently joined the Midlands outfit from Wigan Athletic, got the equaliser for the visitors with seventeen minutes left on the clock. Norwich's draw means West Brom remain two points behind leaders Norwich City, as Gary Megson's side sit in the second automatic spot.

Derby County 2-1 Gillingham
Struggling Derby gave themselves a real boost, and are now only a point away from safety, following this 2-1 victory over Gillingham. The visitors finished the game with 9-men, with Hills the first man from the visitors to be sent-off just after the half-hour mark. His dismissal came after Vincent's opener for the Rams, who doubled their lead just after the hour courtesy of an Edwards strike. However, 8 minutes later Johnson pulled the Gills back into the game, but they couldn't find an equaliser and ended the game with only 9-men as Cox was shown red for a second bookable offence with 15 minutes to go. The result sees Gillingham slip to 18th, and the team who recently knocked Charlton Athletic out of the F.A Cup will be anxiously looking over their shoulders.

Ipswich Town 6-4 Crewe Alexandra
In a day of incredible First Division scorelines, the game at Portman Road was probably the pick of the bunch with Ipswich winning the 10-goal thriller. Tommy Miller fired Ipswich two goals ahead with a brace in the opening 9 minutes, but Dean Ashton pulled one back for the Railwaymen before the break. A McGreal own goal levelled the scorelines in the opening minutes of the second-period, but Kuqi restored Ipswich's lead with a 55-minute strike. Another own goal, this time from Richards, pulled the visitors level again, but two goals in two minutes from Reuser and Counago seemed to have secured victory for the hosts. Robinson gave Crewe some hope with a goal eight minutes from time, but Kuqi's second with only moments left secured victory for Ipswich in a stunning game.

Millwall 2-1 Sunderland
Sunderland's promotion hopes took a blow with an away defeat at the New Den. Stewart gave the Tyneside club the lead on the half-hour mark, as Mick McCarthy's side had the better of the first-half. However, it was all change in the second period with a Danny Dichio double turning the game around to give Dennis Wise's side a lions share of the points! Sunderland remain in fourth after the defeat, with Millwall rising up the table to 11th place, with a play-off place still the ambition for the London outfit.

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Reading
Forest's troubles go from bad to result, as they slip just one point above the relegation zone following yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Reading. Former Bristol City midfielder Scott Murray got the only goal of the game just before half-time, with the strike giving all three points to the travelling side. After a shaky start to the season, Reading seem to be back on track with their First Division campaign, and promotion is the clear ambition for last season play-off losers. Staying up would do Nottingham Forest, who continue to slump with pressure mounting on manager Paul Hart.

Preston North End 2-4 Wigan Athletic
In a thrilling Lancashire derby, Roberts gave the visitors the lead before Dickson Etuhu equalised for Preston on the half-hour. Nathan Ellington hit his first goal of the afternoon just before half-time to send the Latics in ahead, and Sean Teale's added a third for Wigan with just under 20 minutes left. Ellington completed his brace ten minutes from time, with Graham Alexander netting a late for penalty for Preston that kept a slight element of doubt over the result in the closing stages. After a recent long stutter in form, Wigan Athletic seem to be back on track and remain in the play-off area. Preston are one place behind the Latics in seventh, three points behind their Lancashire rivals.

Rotherham United 4-4 Norwich City
It was another First Division goal feast at Milmoor, with Rotherham getting a valuable point against the Canaries, who still top the table. Five goals between the 28th and half-time left Norwich 3-2 ahead at the break, with Canary strikes from Roberts and Mackenzie sandwiched between a Butler brace for the Millers before Darren Huckerby gave the visitors the lead to the visitors just before half-time. Millers boss Ronnie Moore was sent to the stands for his protests regarding the penalty decision. The host's chances looked slim at the start of the second-half with Branston sent to the stands, but they then stunned the crowd at Milmoor by turning the game around through goals from Butler, competing his hat-trick, and Mullin. Norwich City rescued a point in the dieing seconds in impressive fashion thanks to an unstoppable strike from Damien Francis.

Sheffield United 3-3 West Ham United
In a cracking game at Brammal Lane, Sheffield United pulled off an impressive second-half comeback to earn a point against Alan Pardew's underachieving Hammers. The hosts took the lead with only a couple of minutes on the clock courtesy of a close range effort from on-form forward Paul Peschisolido. The goal came as a real wake up call to West Ham, who recently sold England 'keeper David James, with Michael Carrick equalising on 19 minutes. John Harley gave the visitors the lead three minutes later and First Division top scorer Marlon Harewood extended the lead a few minutes before the break. Warnock's side got themselves back into the game through Shaw with seventeen minutes to go, and then the Blades had a penalty saved by Cardiff City reject Stephen Bywater, who did a fantastic job in replacing James. With seconds to go, Phil Jagielka netted a late equaliser from a corner to give the Blades victory, with West Ham throwing away another lead.

Walsall 1-6 Coventry City
Coventry City put in a phenomenal display in the Midlands derby at the Bescot Ground. Andy Morrell, the ex-Wrexham forward, gave the Sky Blues the lead with the first strike of his brace this afternoon. Walsall midfielder Steven Oakes was sent-off with 36 minutes on the clock, but the 10-men Saddlers then stunned everybody with an equaliser on the stroke of half-time from Wrack. McSheffrey put the visitors back into the lead just after the break, with Morrell netting his second just before the hour. Joachim put the game beyond Walsall on 70 minutes, before a Roper own goal made it five for the visitors. McSheffrey added insult to injury with his second and Coventry's sixth goal eight minutes from time.

Watford 1-5 Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace fans who made the short journey to Vicarage Road left the ground delighted, as their side eased their troubles rising to 15th place with a colossus victory. Andrew Johnson gave the Eagles the lead early-on, with Wayne Routledge doubling the advantage on 39 minutes. Johnson then netted with a penalty to give Palace a three-goal cushion at the break, following Neil Cox's sending off for a poor tackle. Hiedar Helguson gave the Hornets a glimmer of hope with a penalty strike on 58 minutes, but goals from former Bluebird Julian Gray and Dougie Freedman sealed a vital victory for Iain Dowie's Palace. Watford now sit only three points above the relegation zone in 20th position.

Wimbledon 0-1 Stoke City
The Dons will go into their big F.A Cup tie away at Birmingham City next weekend a huge ten points away from First Division safety, following yet another defeat today. Stuart Murdoch's side reached the fourth round of the Cup by beating Stoke City away in a replay, but the Potters gained revenge today with victory at the National Hockey Stadium as their tremendous recent league form goes on. Under 4,000 in attendance witnessed Gifton Noel-Williams hit the only goal of the game 10 minutes into the second-half, which gave Stoke an impressive away win. The celebrations were marred slightly however, with Johnson sent off for the visitors during the last minute of play.

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