Saturday Soccer

Saturday Soccer - SAS Cup Group Stage, Saturday 8th January 2000
The following match reports which are the first league games of the new season are listed in Group order from A-D.

This match was delayed due to a bomb scare before the match, a phone call an hour before kick-off forced officials to empty the stadium and surrounding areas so they could make sure everywhere was safe.

The game kicked off an hour late due to this and by the time kick off came both sets of fans were really fired up and ready for it.

As both teams walked out into this magnificent SAS National Internet Stadium the 67,000 crowd went wild which was deafening, this was a game in which both teams would have been desperate to win just in case their league seasons didn't turn out as they'd like.

Arsenal seemed to settle down the quickest of the two teams and had their first good chance after seven minutes, Parlour won the ball after an outstanding challenge on the half way line, and then threaded a ball out wide to Overmars. Overmars went one way then the next before firing a low ball across the face of the goal, Andy Cole went sliding in and managed to get a toe to the ball but was unable to get a strong enough touch on the ball as it went wide.

Cole then had another great chance to score after 13 minutes, a move which came from Old Trafford outfoxed the West Ham defence, Ljungberg sent a diagonal ball from out wide towards Cole on the edge of the box, Cole dummied it and then made a move into the box, Henry received the ball and dinked it over the Hammers back line right into the path of the incoming Cole, Cole sat Hislop on his backside before shooting only to see the ball cannon back off the post and West Ham were able to clear it.

West Ham were determined not to allow Arsenal create to many chances but found it very hard work and were unable to stop Cole scoring his first of the match on 20 minutes. Butt sent Henry away down the right, the Frenchman had a free run to the line where he pulled the ball back to the edge of the box where Cole controlled it, took another touch, and planted an excellent shot into the bottom right hand corner.

West Ham kicked off, desperate to get straight back into the game, and they nearly did, a long ball from the back was brought down on the edge of the box by Keane, Keane turned Campbell and then Silvinho before curling in a great shot which had beaten Manninger but not the post and Thatcher was able to clear the ball to safety.

Nicky Butt then made a rare appearance in the box at the other end as he nearly scored his first goal for the club. Butt picked up the ball on the edge of his own box, he then beat two players before playing the ball out wide to Overmars who was on the halfway line, Overmars then sprinted down the left before knocking a ball into Butt on the edge of the box, Butt played a one-two with his old Manc colleague Cole which put Butt through on goal, he dinked the ball over keeper Hislop but watched in despair as the ball clipped the bar and went over.

Cole got his and Arsenals second on 27 minutes. A goal kick from Manninger was flicked on by Henry, the ball went over all the West Ham defenders and into the path of Cole, Cole took the ball forward about 10 yards before from just inside the right hand side of the box he slotted the ball through the legs of the advancing Hislop.

West Ham rallied but were unable to break down a very stubborn Arsenal back four which was finally looking solid unlike earlier in the season when Thatcher and Campbell had taken a while to settle down. Keane and Jeffers worked tirelessly upfront but were superbly marked by Campbell and Thatcher.

McManaman nearly scored just before half time, he picked up the ball about 30 yards out and began to run towards goal, Keane and Jeffers had pulled their makers out wide so McMananaman only had Brown to beat, which he did with a classy nutmeg, but just as he had beaten Brown, Manninger was there to smother the ball.

The second half started lethargically, Arsenal were content to knock the ball around whilst West Ham didn't want to concede a third.

In all fairness to West Ham who had battled hard, this Arsenal team were certainly a classy outfit, and a very physically strong team, who's passing was a delight to watch at times and must have made Mr Al-Khayat a very proud man stood on the sidelines. The Gooners had a slow start to the season but were now looking a lot better, probably due to the time it had taken for the new signings to settle down and for Mr Al-khayat to decide which were his best teams.

Arsenal had a great chance to put the game well beyond West Ham in the 54th minute, Silvinho charged forward, beating three Hammers players before knocking the ball square to Cole on the edge of the box, Cole then sent the ball across to the right hand side where Ljungberg picked the ball up, took a touch, and whipped a delightful ball into the box, Henry got his head to the ball but sent it into Row Z.

Then the best bit of action all day happened… streakers! Two of them ran onto the pitch, one ran to the Arsenal goal and one ran to the West Ham, the Stewards didn't know who to get first! After a bit of a chase and a lot of laughing the streakers were caught and taken away and the game continued....

But one bit of action led to another, this time in the stands, the London rivalry seemed to have boiled over as West Ham fans charged into the Arsenal section, stewards and police flew into the thick of the action but were having a tough time trying to calm it all down, eventually, a few black eyes later, the game was restarted and a massive wall of police sectioned off the opposing fans, whilst many were arrested and taken away.

The game continued and Arsenal scored their third, that man Cole again, Butt picked up the ball and knocked it to Cole on the edge of the box, Cole turned superbly before dinking the ball over the stranded Hislop for which was an outstanding goal.

That was basically the end of the game, West Ham for all their trying were unable to get past a resolute Arsenal defence, whilst the Gooners were happy to just take the heat out of the game.

Manager Darren Castellino's honey moon period after the win against Manchester United was dramatically ended as Arsenal finally showed what they are capable of.

ARSENAL: Manninger (6), Brown (7), Silvinho (8), Thatcher (8), Campbell (7), Parlour (7), Butt (8), Ljungberg (8), Overmars (6), Cole (10), Henry(7).

WEST HAM: Wright 7, Heggem 6, Dorigo 5, Stubbs 6, Woodgate 5, Margas 5, McManaman 6, Berger 6, Collins 6, Jeffers 6, Keane 7.

Match Statistics
Arsenal	Versus	West Ham United
15	Shots on Goal	3
9	Corners	1
57%	Possession	43%
Parlour	Booked	-
Andy Cole	Man of the Match	Robbie Keane
3	Score	0
Cole (3) 20, 27, 64	Scorers	-
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 65,948

In a game in which neither team dominated but both teams played exceptionally well it was a shame their had to be a loser, both teams battled, giving 100% grit and determination as well as playing some attractive attacking football. Bradford's Buck Hysen despite rumoured to be unhappy with his playing squad will be all smiles after today.

Coventry manager Joe Carfton who knows his side are at the wrong end of the table will also know after today's performance that Coventry are surely going places.

The first half started slowly with neither team looking to give anything away, and in doing so produced some poor sloppy football.

A rollicking from the sidelines from manager Joe Carfton sent the Sky Blues into action, Coventry have been struggling this season after manager had been in prison for drink driving, the players had found it very hard with no inspiration from the sidelines.

Coventry created the first clear-cut chance of the first half after the 15th minute, Hadji sent the ball out wide to Eadie who set-off on a mazy run before finally whipping a ball into the box, Wanchope met it with a firm header but the ball skimmed the bar.

Bradford then had a great chance to open the scoring, Speed knocked the ball to Lombardo, who switched play by passing to Sharpe, the ex-Man United star then beat Ardley before playing the ball into the feet of Mills, who turned and shot but found the Coventry keeper equal to it.

The Yorkshire men then had another great chance to take the lead, Di Livio went on an amazing run down the right beating four Coventry players before getting into the box, Williams tripped him, but just as the ref was about to blow the whistle Mills cracked a shot in but the ball flew over the bar.

The game then went into a bit of a lull but it was not long before there was more action, and this time it was Coventry, Eadie played the ball to Hughes who beat two players before curling in a shot from 20-yards which beat Walsh but hit the upright.

Coventry were really applying the pressure now and were unlucky once again after 30mins, Heskey received a ball in the left hand channel, a smart Cruyff turn beat Todd, he then curled the ball into the box, the ball deflected sharply off Weatherall and nearly went in but Walsh managed to scramble the ball to safety.

Hadji took the corner, the ball drifted towards the penalty spot where the oncoming Elliott met the ball only to see Walsh pull off a fantastic flying save.

Immediately Walsh threw the ball out to Lombardo who galloped forward, as the Italian reached the halfway line he sent a long ball towards the edge of the box, Mills controlled the ball on the chest before laying it out wide to Shape, Sharpe got to the line before crossing the ball in to Rankin who from 2 yards out hit the ball over the bar.

Coventry created the last good chance of the 1st half, a corner from the right was headed out of the box and there was Hughes to meet the ball with a thumping volley which just went over.

The second half started very much like the first, but it was a lot longer before either team made a clear chance.

Both teams knocked the ball around impressively, but when they had the ball near the final third they each found the others defence in top form.

The star man on the pitch at this point was Bradford's star signing Angelo Di Livio, the ex-Juve star was outstanding at fullback, when defending needed to be done he was there to do it, and then as soon as an attack was on he'd also be up there, he was defiantly the most gifted player on the pitch, with his ability to defend along with his excellent attacking ability he is defiantly a quality signing, and on this performance I wouldn't be surprised if he replaced one of the wide men, Bradford could have a struggle to keep him in Yorkshire.

Bradford had a fantastic chance to score in the 65th minute, a defence splitting pass by Speed set Rankin through on goal, his first touch, his second poor, and Hedmann was able to collect the ball.

Bradford took the lead in the 78th minute through Gary Speed, a corner on the right was taken by Sharpe, Weatherall flicked the ball on and there was Speed to send a bullet header past Hedmann and into the net.

Coventry hit back and hit the post from a header by McAllister, whilst Bradford could have scored a second through Rankin who dragged a shot woefully wide.

Coventry managed to pull level on 87mins through Hadji, Eadie ran down the left wing before cutting back inside, he then layed a ball square and into the path of Wanchope who's shot cannoned back off Moore, but unfortunatly there was Hadji to drive the ball low into the corner of the net.

Coventry were delighted to have scored their equaliser, but you know what they say, your at your most vulnerable when you've just scored, and the men from Highfield road were just that.

In the 89th minute Walsh hit a long ball forward, Mills brought the ball down and knocked it out to Sharpe, Sharpe cut inside and flicked the ball into the box, the ball bounced around as players when flying in everywhere, and just as it looked like Hedman had the ball Mills knocked him out of the way and scored, the Coventry players were furious and demonstrated with the ref, but it was to late, he'd already given it.

Overall both sides will be pleased with their contributions to the game and the futures of both clubs look brighter as each day passes. If Bradford get relegated within the next season or so it's highly obvious their will be big names gunning him down for a job at a higher level.

Carfton will also know that his side will be expected to bounce back up if they go down this season and they could well make a lasting impression in the Cup. It's not over yet!

Bradford: Walsh 7, Todd 7, Di Livio 8, Weatherall 8, Moore 6, McCall 6, Speed 9, Lombardo 6 , Rankin 6, Mills 8, Sharpe 8.

Coventry: Hedman 8, Williams 7, Ball 8, Elliott 9, Eadie 6, Hadji 9, Ardley 6, McCallister 7, Wanchope 6, Hughes 8, Heskey 8.

Match Statistics
Bradford City	Versus	Coventry City
7	Shots on Goal	7
6	Corners	7
50%	Possession	50%
Di Livio	Booked	Ardley
Gary Speed	Man of the Match	Mustafa Hadji
2	Score	1
Speed 78, Mills 89	Scorers	Hadji 87
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 53,419

What a dire game this was, two teams with what looked like no overwhelming will to win and no creativity failed to give the fans anything to talk about. Both sides will know that victory against the lower profile opposition is the core to a good SAS Cup run if they were to proceed further in the competition.

The game started quite well as it happens with both teams creating a couple of decent chances in the first 15mins.

Watford went close first, a long ball from Page was flicked on by Robinson, Mooney controlled the ball before turning and striking an excellent shot, the ball flew past Jones but flicked off the edge of the post and out for a goal kick.

Soton then went close with their first attack of the match, Pahars played a one-two with Hughes before hitting a very powerful shot at goal, the ball deflected off Pearce and nearly beat the Watford 'keeper but Chamberlain scrammbled across the line and gathered the ball.

Soton then had another great chance when Hughes fed Boa Morte through on goal, Boa Morte sat Chamberlain on his backside but Page was there to make a great challenge.

Then an exact copy happened at the other end, Mooney sent Ngonge through on goal who then sat Jones on his backside but Lundvekham made a great challenge.

That was it action wise until the 32nd minute, Boa Morte won a corner down the left, Le Tissier swung the ball in, Watford failed to clear and Hughes was able to stab the ball home from 4 yards.

Southampton took the sting out of the Hornets tails after that goal and were able to knock the ball around and make sure Watford were unable to equalise.

Both managers won't really know what went wrong but neither side produced any of the football they are capable of and just seemed to have an off day at the office.

The second half didn't start as well as the first had, neither team as much as they tried were able to create anything, Robert Page was outstanding for Watford at the back, the best player on the pitch, strong in the air, great in the tackle (that doesn't mean his knob) and showed some good passing ability.

Soton then got their second on 58 minutes, Hughes again, and a classic, Oakley ran down the right before when he was level with the edge of the box, crossing the ball in, and there was Hughes to meet the ball with an overhead scissors kick which flew into the back of the net.

The Soton players all ran after Hughes and proceeded to celebrate with a 'cradling the baby' celebration similar to Romario's in the '94 World Cup. Manager Jamie Newell clapped his appreciation of the goal and looked delighted to see another source to find the net as Marian Parhars finally dried up.

Watford pressed and pressed but just didn't have the ability to break down the Soton defence, Mooney ran his heart out upfront and was unfortunate to end up on the losing team.

If the Watford manager wanted to take a positive view from the game it was that his team never gave up and the performances of Mooney, Page and Pearce would have pleased him. However it just wasn't his or Watford's day as Southampton took their chances well.

Southampton manager Jamie Newell should be happy with the win but his team are in need of some quality in the middle as Le Tissier just isn't cutting it at the moment. With only Parhars and Hughes scoring the goals, it will be worrying if either of them dry up after Ally McCoist's recent show, they may need a new striker too!

Soton: Jones 7, Dodd 7, Hiley 6, Lundekvarm 7, Vega 6, Marsden 6, Le Tissier 7, Oakley 7, Pahars 6, Hughes 7, Boa Morte 6.

Watford: Chamberlain 8, Little 7, Kennedy 7, Page 9, Molenaar 7, Pearce 8, Hyde 7, Robinson 6, Mooney 6, Ngonge 5, Mendez 6.

Match Statistics
Southampton	Versus	Watford
7	Shots on Goal	3
4	Corners	4
52%	Possession	49%
-	Booked	-
Mark Hughes	Man of the Match	Robert Page
2	Score	0
Hughes (2) 32, 58	Scorers	-
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 52,167

Blackburn Rovers (Div 4) v Nottingham Forest (Div 4) (12:00am kick off)

The SAS Millennium Stadium was the venue for this cup clash between the two Division Four clubs with Satan Taggart hoping his Blackburn side could get off to a good start in the competition against manger less Nottingham Forest. Forest manager Fabulous Bill Geddes stepped down only last week admitting the pressure of saving the side was far too great and that health and stress caused him to make the right decision for himself. It's rumoured that Forest will appoint a new manager soon.

The game got underway and Forest were immediately on the backfoot as Blackburn pressed forward and almost took the lead when a Keith Gillespie cross was met by Østenstad only for Forest keeper Mark Crossley to tip the header over the bar.

It looked as though Blackburn had took the lead after 20 minutes when Callum Davidson broke down the left and played a through ball for Matt Jansen which he tucked away clinically only for the referee to disallow for offside.

Forest then went close on 30 minutes when Christopher Wreh broke clear and pulled the ball back to Sturridge on the edge of the area but his shot clipped the outside of the post and wide for a goal kick. It was their only real opportunity up until that point and they would have been disappointed not to have taken it.

Blackburn were really on top of this game putting some great passes together and Forest were praying for the half time whistle to be blown.

On 41 minutes Luis-Jean went on a surging run through the middle and was brought down 25 yards out by Henchoz who received a yellow card. Scimeca stepped up and smashed the ball straight through the wall and into the bottom left to put Forest 1-0 up totally against the run of play shocking the Blackburn fans.

Forest then pulled everyone behind the ball as Blackburn pressed forward in numbers looking for the equaliser before half time and should have got it two minutes into first half stoppage time when Garry Flitcroft found himself free in the area when Gillespie crossed but somehow sent his 7 yard header flying over the bar.

As the half time whistle went Satan Taggart bit his bottom lip as he lead his men into the changing rooms and Forest whose fans were celebrating looked like they'd just won the SAS Cup!

HALF TIME: Blackburn 0 Nottingham Forest 1

The teams came out for the 2nd half unchanged and Forest stepped up the pace looking for the 2nd goal that would surely finish Blackburn off but Blackburn instantly punished them. Gillespie who had been involved in the majority of Blackburn's attacks cut inside from the left on 51 minutes and unleashed a cracking shot that Crossley tipped around the post for a corner. Gillespie took the corner and Christian Dailly powered home a header from 9 yards out and Forest must ask themselves where the marking was.

Forest seemed to crack under the pressure of Blackburn and they were making mistakes left right and centre. With no manager directing them they started to lose their confidence rapidly as Blackburn's grew in stature. Whatever Taggart had said to them in the dressing room at half time worked as they seemed to find every pass and score from every shot.

Nathan Blake should have put Blackburn 2-1 up on 62 minutes when a superb ball over the top from Flitcroft sent him clear and one-on-one with the keeper but Crossley got down superbly to gather the ball from Blake's feet as he tried to go around him. An excellent chance squandered and Taggart was cursing his luck as the thought of a point started to loom.

On 69 minutes a Jason McAteer shot from long distance beat Crossley but hit the woodwork and rebounded back out to Østenstad whos thunderous drive hit the underside of the bar and down on the line for Crossley to gather in desperation. The Blackburn players surrounded the ref claiming a goal but the referee seemed to get the decision spot on and it suddenly looked like it was just not going to happen for Rovers.

It did happen though and the relief it gave the team was huge. Satan Taggart's men finally went 2-1 up after 78 minutes when Lee Carsley played a ball through which Jansen ran onto but his shot was parried away by Crossley only for McAteer to hammer the rebound home to send the Rovers fans wild. Crossley looked gutted and despite a wonderful display of goalkeeping throughout the game he could do nothing to stop the rebound as the Forest defence went to sleep.

Forest then threw everything forward looking for the equaliser and nearly got it when Wreh curled a brilliant 30 yard shot in which seemed to be heading for the top corner but Filan somehow leapt like a cat to tip the ball over the angle. The club had nothing to lose and they got caught trying to save themselves as they pushed forward in search for the equaliser.

Blackburn were pressed back but killed the game off when they caught Forest three on one in the 88th minute with a counter attack. Jansen raced towards lone defender Scimeca and laid the ball left to Blake as Scimeca came to challenge and Blake brilliantly chipped the ball over Crossley as the keeper raced out to make it 3-1 and goodnight Forest.

As the final whistle went Satan Taggart looked a very relieved manager. If the club are to push for a place in the later stages of the competition they had to beat sides like Forest today and with a score line glowing as much as their performance he'll be pleased with the Cup points.

BLACKBURN: Filan 6, McAteer 7, Davidson 7, Dailly 7, Henchoz 6, Flitcroft 7, Gillespie 7, Carsley 7, Østenstad 7, Blake 7, Jansen 7.

FOREST: Crossley 7, Doig 6, Scimeca 7, Matrecano 6, Rogers 5, Luis-Jean 6, Burns 5, Prutton 6, Merino 6, Wreh 7, Sturridge 6.

Match Statistics
Blackburn Rovers	Versus	Nottingham Forest
13	Shots on Goal	4
4	Corners	1
68%	Possession	32%
Henchoz	Booked	-
Keith Gillespie	Man of the Match	Christopher Wreh
3	Score	1
Dailly 51 McAteer 78 Blake 88	Scorers	Scimeca 41
Venue: SAS Millennium Internet Stadium
Attendance: 32,116

Derby County (Div 1) v Newcastle United (Div 4) (3:00pm kick off)

The SAS Millennium Internet Stadium was the venue for this mouth watering cup tie which saw Jeet Padaruth's very promising Derby side take on a very strong and proven Newcastle side managed by Josh Colley.

Padaruth has seen many signings and sales in recent weeks and has slowly started to see his side gel together and he was looking for all three points against so far the only side with a 100% winning record in the entire SAS League.

Newcastle's Josh Colley has so far gone where no man has before with a record that not many can ever match. With maximum points in the league already they are banking on promotion to Division 3 and are already prime favourites to qualify for the SAS Champions Cup from their Division. With goals flying in for both sides this game looked to be shaping up to be something special.

The two sides came out for this game to a great reception with both sets of fans making themselves heard. The game kicked off and both teams were really attacking and the first 10 minutes was real end to end stuff with the best chances going to Phillips of Derby who had a shot saved by Sullivan and Ferguson of Newcastle, who saw a header brilliantly saved by Robinson.

Newcastle received an early setback when Stephen Glass was caught with a nasty follow through by Kimble which the referee failed to spot and Glass was stretchered off holding his left knee to be replaced by Ketsbaia. The Newcastle players were furious with Kimble and were protesting at the referee about the severity of the hard tackling Derby Players.

Padaruth whose not renown for his tough tackling made sure his boys got stuck into Newcastle to try and unsettle their game and knock them out of their stride. The brute tactics appeared to be working as the Geordie side appeared frustrated with certain decisions.

It was Derby who then took the lead on 30 minutes when Di Canio faked a pass and curled the ball into the far corner from 20 yards beyond the outstretching arms of Neil Sullivan. The Italian looked pleased with the goal and was celebrating in style by lifting his shirt over his head and diving onto the floor.

Derby then could have gone 2-0 up on 38 minutes when Kevin Phillips was sent through by Hutchison but Warren Barton somehow made a remarkable tackle to take the ball from the Derby hit man.. Newcastle seemed rocked by Derby's tough approach and didn't expect Padaruth's men to get so stuck in.

Both teams were still pushing everything forward and it was a real eye opener of a game and Kieran Dyer should have equalised for the Geordies on 41 minutes when he was played in by Pistone but sent his shot wide of the post. Manager Josh Colley could have only wished Alan Shearer or Duncan Ferguson had the opportunity because the form they've showed so far this season would have surely seen a Newcastle equaliser.

Derby could have had a two goal cushion on the stroke of half time when Alan Smith was brought down in the area by Silvestre. The Frenchman looked on with a guilty expression and he knew that the referee was right when he pointed to the spot. Former Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips stepped up and placed the kick to the bottom right but Sullivan guessed right and saved. Nothing wrong with the penalty just a super save from Sullivan as Newcastle were handed a life line.

With the jitters still on them they were glad to see the half time whistle come and were rushing into the changing rooms to re-group.

HALF TIME: Derby County 1 Newcastle United 0

The two sides started the 2nd half as they ended the first half with both throwing everything at each other and Newcastle struck back after 52 minutes. The Derby full backs were caught forward and Solano broke down the right and played a super cross into the box to Shearer who went down under the challenge of Dunne who had been marking him closely all game. The referee then awarded what looked to be a dubious penalty and the Derby players were furious at the ref which resulted in a yellow card for Hutchison. Newcastle though were happy to get the rub of the green after the referee's poor first half display. Alan Shearer picked himself up and dusted himself down before stepping up and thundering the penalty home making the scores level at 1-1.

Newcastle could have went 2-1 up after 65 minutes when Ketsbaia went on a solo run down the left, cut in and fired a superb shot in but Robinson was equal to it. The young England Under 21 star stopped the effort by tipping the ball around the post.

Derby then went forward on 70 minutes and Froggatt got down the wing and played a great cross in which Alan Smith volleyed home to make it 2-1 to Derby. The players celebrated but then were shocked to see that the referee had disallowed the goal for a push in the box. On close camera evidence there was a call that both Goma and Phillips were tugging each others shirts and the decision may on another way had gone the other way.

Hutchison then went on a storming run through the middle on 80 minutes, played the ball out to Korsten who crossed and Phillips rose above Goma and headed the ball home but again the referee ruled the goal out for pushing in the box. This time Phillips agreed to the decision and Padaruth looked on with frustration...

The turning point in the game came on 84 minutes when Hutchison crunched Blake from behind and received a second yellow card to reduce Derby to ten men. Colley was furious as Blake was stretchered off to join Glass in the treatment room and Robert Lee came on to replace him. Newcastle with the one man advantage started to dominate but the clock was running down as Derby desperately tried to hold on. On 91 minutes Robert Lee made a great tackle in midfield to dispossess Di Canio and played the ball to Ketsbaia on the left. Ketsbaia then got to the by-line and crossed the ball in. As Ferguson rose unmarked at the far post he was clattered by Young and the referee awarded a 2nd penalty to Newcastle. Shearer stepped up again and made no mistake in hammering the ball home to make it 2-1. The ref blew the final whistle straight from the kick off and Josh Colley will be pleased with the result but worried at the two injuries while Jeet Padaruth can feel disappointed and very frustrated as they had 2 goals disallowed and more than matched the Geordies until Hutchison got his marching orders.

Colley and Newcastle though continue a remarkable run that doesn't seem like ending very soon. Shearer and Ferguson are providing a stern test for any defence and despite a three division gap between the two sides they proved that they have enough quality to compete at a higher level.

Derby are still finding the right team to blend together. They show growing signs of improvement as each game passes but they will be hoping it doesn't click too late as this defeat could cost them in the competition.

DERBY: Robinson 7, Irwin 6, Young 6, Dunne 7, Kimble 7, Korsten 7, Hutchison 7, Di Canio 7, Froggatt 7, Phillips 7, Smith 6.

NEWCASTLE: Sullivan 7, Barton 8, Pistone 7, Silvestre 6, Goma 6, Dyer 7, Solano 7, Blake 6, Shearer 7, Ferguson 6, Glass 6. SUBS USED: Ketsbaia 6(on for Blake), Lee 6(on for Glass).

Match Statistics
Derby County	Versus	Newcastle United
11	Shots on Goal	9
5	Corners	4
51%	Possession	49%
Hutchison	Booked	-
Steve Froggatt	Man of the Match	Warren Barton
1	Score	2
Di Canio 30	Scorers	Shearer (2 pens) 52, 91
Venue: SAS Millennium Internet Stadium
Attendance: 50,532

Middlesbrough (Div 2) v Manchester United (Div 1) (7:45pm Kick Off)

Today's clash was one the biggest of the day. The Division Two leaders Middlesbrough against the Division One favourites Manchester United at the new SAS Millennium Internet Stadium.

As the teams came out onto the pitch Middlesbrough were the team looking more up for it as Manchester United dragged themselves onto the field looking like a side that has lost confidence in themselves in the past few weeks. It's reported that manager Paul Hendrie has been upset with the amount of commitment from several players at the club and that this could be the cause to their recent lack of form.

Middlesbrough in the first half were knocking the ball around with confidence and looking very much like a side leading their Division while United didn't look comfortable or organised at all. The looked shaky and if this was the time when careers were one or lost, one or two of the United stars will know that their future at Old Trafford could be very bleak.

The first good chance came to Middlesbrough in the 16th minute when Ziege played a ball to the feet of Larsson who turned and hit a powerful shot but straight at Bosnich who flapped at the shot but got it at the 2nd attempt. Larsson, who netted two on his debut relished the chance to pounce on a lack luster United defence. He looked the prime candidate to open the deadlock and with already a double on his debut it looks as though Nick Matthews has struck gold by finally finding a player capable of scoring on a regular basis.

Manchester United just couldn't keep hold of the ball as Boro piled on the pressure and another great chance fell to Larsson in the 24th minute when Luznhy got down the flank and crossed the ball in. Brian Deane rose superbly but his header was cleared off the line by Gary Neville and the United defence cleared their lines.

United's first chance came when Juninho played a one-two with Yorke and hit a curling shot which Schwarzer held comfortably. They showed glimmers of early season form and Middlesbrough were well aware that United could kick start into action at any time.

Middlesbrough had a golden opportunity to take the lead on 38 minutes when Ziege cut off a slack back pass from Desailly, rounded Bosnich, but the angle was too tight and his shot hit the outside of the post and wide. The fans vented their anger with a few slight boo's but nothing malicious and it was mainly due to pure frustration... Nick Matthews also looked disappointed and knew from the game so far, that it was their best ever chance to really take down one of the big names of English soccer.

The Boro frustration was soon lengthened with the first goal of the game came on 43 minutes and totally against the run of play. Giggs set off on a counter attack down the left, drove the ball across goal and Van Nistelrooy was there to smash the ball past Schwarzer to hand United a lead that they never really deserved. The United players piled onto Van Nistelrooy and the fans went wild.

It was the Dutchman's first goal for the club since his £10m switch from PSV Eindhoven only a month ago. The goal gave United a much need lift and they ended the half more strongly and Middlesbrough and Nick Matthews soon found out why they have to take their chances against the likes of United.

HALF TIME: Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 1

Both teams came out unchanged for the 2nd half and Nick Matthews must have felt so unlucky to be behind at half time. Boro started the second half with great eagerness and immediately United were on the back foot. Nick Matthews will have wanted his side to capitalise on their chances and show the nation why they are leading their Division.

On 50 minutes Paul Gascoigne weaved his way through two United players, laid the ball out to Gordon who crossed first time and Larsson was there to fire the ball goalwards but it struck Staunton on the line and he desperately cleared. The Boro players appealed that Staunton handled the ball but he and the referee were having none of it. Larsson could only put his hands on his hips and stare into the sky shaking his head at his disbelief of the miss.

They were nearly made to be punished again as Manchester United could have gone 2-0 up on 61 minutes when another counter attack was made. Beckham received the ball on the right and hit a marvelous cross into the box but Yorke totally miss timed his header and it went embarrassingly wide from only 4 yards out to Middblesbrough's delight.

Matthews men kept pressing and finally got their reward on 65 minutes when a corner kick was headed clear only as far as Cooper on the edge of the area who smashed a volley into the bottom left. A marvellous strike from the one time England international that had Matthews racing out of the dugout with both hands clenched and waving in the air.

There was a buzz throughout the Middlesbrough team after the goal and it was showing in their play as they sprayed the ball around the pitch with confidence and they scored they took the lead on 71 minutes. A super build up consisting of about 23 passes put together dragging the United players all over and finding a gap. Stimac played the ball into the gap and David Thompson ran onto it and placed the ball past Bosnich into the far corner to make it 2-1 to Middlesbrough. It was the youngsters first goal for his new club and his smile showed just how much it meant to him. The crowd erupted and you could hear the boos coming from the Manchester United end of the stadium.

Their fans obviously not happy at all with manager Paul Hendrie and the sides latest performance. However the Red Devils never stopped chanting his name and tried their best to get behind the side.

United started to press forward but couldn't seem to put two good passes together as Boro broke down every move they tried to put together. The frustration got to the Exhibition Shield winners which saw Beckham booked in the 77th minute for retaliation and Van Nistelrooy booked for kicking the ball away in the 80th minute.

As the thought of a United equaliser laid in the back of everyone's minds Middlesbrough suddenly rounded off this bad day for United with a 3rd goal in the 87th minute.

Dean Gordon broke down the wing, played the ball square to Ziege on the edge of the area, and Ziege hammered a shot into the top right handing the points to Boro along with a very good and convincing victory.

The referee blew the full time whistle and you could tell by the look on United manager Paul Hendrie's face that he will not be a happy person when he wakes in the morning. The United Chairman can only take so much pressure and the fans booed their heroes off the pitch but will know that signs of them coming back to life are a huge possibility and with a goal from Ruud Van Nistelrooy, his first, there can only be one way for them and that is up.

Middlesbrough manager Nick Matthews will be a happy man after this game. His side played entertaining football and scored some good goals too.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer 6, Luznhy 7, Gordon 7, Hendry 6, Cooper 7, Stimac 6, Gascoigne 6, Thompson 7, Larsson 7, Deane 7, Ziege 7.

MAN UTD: Bosnich 6, G.Neville 6, Johnsen 6, Desailly 6, Staunton 6, Giggs 7, Beckham 7, Juninho 6, Johnson 6, Yorke 6, Van Nistelrooy 7.

Match Statistics
Middlesbrough	Versus	Manchester United
9	Shots on Goal	3
4	Corners	0
60%	Possession	40%
-	Booked	Beckham Van Nistelrooy
Christian Ziege	Man of the Match	Ruud Van Nistelrooy
3	Score	1
Cooper 65 Thompson 71 Ziege 87	Scorers	Van Nistelrooy 43
Venue: SAS Millennium Internet Stadium
Attendance: 52,494

Tottenham Hotspur (Div 3) v Wimbledon (Div 1) (12:00pm kick-off)

The fireworks boomed, the sparks flew, the tension ran high as Brian Thompson and Alain Borl stepped into the National Internet Stadium for the first time to compete in a grueling encounter that would leave both exhausted...

This was one game the fans across the country wanted to see... it was more than a SAS Cup game, more than Tottenham versus Wimbledon, this was Brian Thompson versus Alain Borl.

The two have been at loggerheads for much of the season whilst Borl was at Leeds United. Borl whose controversial argument with Thompson led to his sacking was back in the limelight with struggling top flight side Wimbledon Football Club.

The side, crippled by disastrous league form were out to impress the new manager in his first game in charge. Could he turn the fortunes around at the struggling club? This was the perfect opportunity for him to start his managerial career and Wimbledon's season...

For Thompson, this game would be the icing on the cake for what has already been a satisfying Christmas with his side leading the division after four games. Thompson's Tottenham were very much the favourites despite the enormous gap in divisions with his side playing like a Division One side and Borl's woeful Wimbledon looking more like a Division Four side...

Borl though had his time to prepare his men and prepare them he did. His limp visible on the touchline as he took his seat, he was disappointed to see far more Tottenham supporters in the crowd than Wimbledon... that was noticeable due to the thousands holding up banners saying 'SMITH OUT' in protest to the recent merger plans of Gordon Smith's son Gavin Smith, who was placed as Chairman of the club only a week or so ago. However Smith has only recently made public appearances expressing his views on the merger and that he isn't interested if it goes ahead or not. Those Spurs fans who held the banners though, cannot forgive Gavin Smith's father for his actions of trying to merge with their arch rivals.

Spurs manager Brian Thompson clapped the fans as they vocally cheered his and Spurs name as the two sides were announced. The 95,000 seated capacity was near to overflowing with 77,432 taking their places in the stands. Around 50,000 of those were Spurs fans and the thundering noise they made drowned out Wimbledon's supporters who tried their best to fight back.

However, many of The Dons fans have stayed away due to the clubs league form and Borl knows he has got to get the team playing if he wants to see them return.

Tottenham's Brian Thompson sat once again with the clubs Supporter Association Leader Kevin Sherman and his close friend and Assistant Manager Sammy McLintock... New Chairman Gavin Smith was seated high into the VIP section and had his ear plastered onto a mobile phone for most of the game, sparking more rumours that he is pushing for the merger plans with Arsenal Football Club. However before the game it was noted that Smith had offered the team place alongside him in the VIP section but the three of them declined to take up positions on the touchline.

The game which had all the credentials of a true Cup game was another masterpiece in the SAS League. Borl's Wimbledon were good but Thompson's Tottenham were just too big, too bad, too strong and too precise at the end of the day. They finished the end of last year with a bang but this year they started with an explosion.

With the superb display of wizardry counter attacking football they played against Liverpool only weeks ago was once again mixed with the fine art of pass and move which ripped Wimbledon to shreds.

David Ginola making his first appearance against his old club since his departure received a mixture of boo's and applause. However the boo's soon stopped throughout the game as the Spurs fans only needed one thing to shout about; their team's performance.

Spurs were awesome... They played with the attacking wonders Stephen Hughes and Les Ferdinand who provided the most inspiration and led the Spurs attacking moves. They linked well so many times together that it was almost inevitable that either one would break the score sheet first.

In the 12th minute of the game Hughes played a one-two with Sherwood deep into his own half and then found Ferdinand with a killer through ball which saw the former Magpies star power home a shot which Shay Given could not even get a hand too...

Tottenham didn't stop their as Ferdinand soon repaid the favour with a well worked move with Rory Delap. The Irish international won the ball from Ginola just inside his own half, skipped past the challenge of Nigel Winterburn and squared the ball just inside to Ferdinand who spotted Stephen Hughes's run around the back of full back Kenny Cunningham and placed the ball onto his head for him to loop the ball over Given who could only helplessly watch it float in...

The more Tottenham scored the more they looked like they were going to get. Ali Daei, Allan Nielson and Ruel Fox were all close with good efforts but were denied on all occasions by Shay Given...

Wimbledon though crept in and out of the game and Zola and Ginola provided moments of magic that look to ensure The Don's are in for a much brighter future under Borl. Zola's cheeky skills tormented Jacob Laursen all afternoon but Sherwood dropped deep on more than one occasion to pitch in and put a stop to the Italian's magic.

Sherwood though will be remembered for another fine defensive play on the Frenchman David Ginola who was given the freedom of the pitch to work his magic. Sherwood though was always close to him and stuck in a foot with Nielson to stop any real damage being done.

Wimbledon did cause on or two problems down the flanks and Jupp got the better of Stephen Hughes on two occasions but was frustrated to see his crosses fall not to John Hartson but the little Gianfranco Zola whose headers weren't powerful enough to trouble Walker.

Spurs who handed a debut to Gareth Barry could have taken a three-nil lead at half time but Iranian hit man Ali Daei was guilty of a horrendous mis-kick which was well wide of the Wimbledon goal.

As the half time whistle went, Borl could only walk back to the dressing room with a face ridden with shock. Tottenham were literally unstoppable.

HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Wimbledon

As the sides came out to a warm sunshine in the second half Wimbledon tried to impose themselves into the game. Had this been a different occasion and a different team the score-line may well have been different. However they soon realised what all the fuss down Tottenham was about as they continued to strangle the life out of Wimbledon's midfield and using the the wide men's long crosses to find Daei or Ferdinand's aerial presence.

The high balls didn't work as well for Tottenham as they did against Wimbledon, purely because of the fact The Dons are used to the style of play but with Laurent Charvet and Steve Howey making debuts, it was to quick too soon for them. Either hadn't played a single game before today and it showed as both looked to be lacking first team games and their fitness wasn't as sharp as it could have been.

It was the pair of them, on loan from Newcastle who made a double error to gift Tottenham's fourth goal. Charvet had the ball wide on the right in the 66th minute and his cross field pass was easily cut out by Nielson. The Danish International instantly fed Fox who held the ball up well and played in Delap on the overlap.

The Irishman skipped past a Winterburn challenge and whipped the ball into the box as Howey was caught ball watching and the rest of the defence watching Ferdinand and Daei, Tim Sherwood snuck around the back to head across Given and into the bottom right hand corner of the net handing Spurs a three-nil lead.

Sherwood's smile had a look of 'It's oh so easy' on his face as he raised over to the celebrating Spurs fans who roared them on. Thompson just stood on the touchline with his arms folded and occasionally barking at his players to concentrate.

Borl just sat looking at the heavens. His side were being easily swept over and although the signs of life at Wimbledon look to be coming back in a flourish, many will criticize whether his side were up for the game or not.

Both sides concentrated channeling their efforts down the wings but Spurs had their tactics well worked out and Borl's Wimbledon were just not good enough on the day.

They managed to pull a goal back in the 85th minute through David Ginola's mazy run which saw him beat Sherwood and Nielsen and his chip looped over Walker but hit the underside of the bar and John Hartson was on hand to scramble the ball in. He seemed delighted after as Wimbledon had managed just one goal before today. They doubled that and despite this being their best performance of the season so far, they will have to play better to compete with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur.

As the game ended the two managers of each respective sides seemed to just acknowledge one another but didn't shake hands and Borl would have wanted to get out as quickly as possible as his Wimbledon side trudged off the pitch.

The game which although wasn't the most exciting of Cup games will make no difference to Thompson. Three points and a winning start in the Cup is all he needs and he'll be delighted with both the performance and result.

Borl on the other hand may have expected defeat but will not have realised just how badly Wimbledon's torrid season has affected the side so far. They were much better today but simply not good enough.

Both managers will be delighted that despite much of the hype and controversial incidents surrounding this tie, their were no bookings or sending off's and the game was conducted in an extremely professional manner.

TOTTENHAM: Ian Walker 7, Gareth Barry 7, Martin Keown 6, Jacob Laursen 6, Stephen Hughes 8, Rory Delap 7, Tim Sherwood 8, Allan Nielsen 7, Ruel Fox 7, Ali Daei 6, Les Ferdinand 8.

WIMBLEDON: Shay Given 6, Duncan Jupp 6, Nigel Winterburn 6, Steve Howey 6, Dean Blackwell 6, Maurizio Taricco 6, Laurent Charvet 5, Robbie Earle 7, John Hartson 7, David Ginola 6, Gianfranco Zola 6.

Match Statistics
Tottenham Hotspur	Versus	Wimbledon
6	Shots on Goal	3
5	Corners	2
55%	Possession	45%
-	Booked	-
Les Ferdinand	Man of the Match	Robbie Earle
3	Score	1
Ferdinand 12 Hughes 15 Sherwood 66	Scorers	Hartson 85
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 77,432

Aston Villa (Div 3) v Charlton Athletic (Div 4) (3:00pm kick-off)

Aston Villa's men saw new manager The Professor and new signing Stefan Iversen paraded to the fans just before kick-off. The stadium wasn't as full as the Tottenham v Wimbledon game which kicked off at 12:00am but there were still around 50,000 enjoying the wonderful atmosphere. The club, rooted to the relegation zone this season and with just a point to their name had to produce the goods today against a Charlton side whose results in the past couple of weeks has taken a dip but their form has remained high.

The game had all the right aspects to be a cracking cup tie but failed to live up to expectations in the first half. The Aston Villa team looked slightly nervous and with the club looking like favourites for relegation the pressure sunk in only minutes into the game.

Charlton and manager Top Gun had nothing to prove. Already in a season booming with success Charlton knew that even a draw against Villa would be a good start to their cup campaign.

The Addicks though came out looking the better side as Villa nervously defended their goal. Charlton with Stefan Freund making his debut on loan from Tottenham and he immediately seemed to just sit in front of the Charlton back four in order to protect them.

Charlton despite being the more attacking side in the opening 20 minutes concentrated mainly on their defence and looked to make sure they didn't concede any early or sloppy goals.

Both sides defended quite deeply but Villa were the side who were looking to attack far more. They pushed forward but couldn't find a way past the five man Charlton defence and lacked any real conviction.

As the half time whistle approached Charlton had the best chance of the game when Jason Wilcox found the ball just inside his own half after a mistake from Mark Draper gifted Charlton with possession. Wilcox then thread a through ball to Baiano who just nipped onto it and skipped past a challenge from Ehiogu who steered him onto his left side and the Italian struck well but David James made a comfortable save.

James looked delighted to be back in the Villa goal after the previous manager stuck with Michael Oakes for most of the season. James was commanding and despite one or two shaky moments in the first half, he already looks to be staking a strong claim for the Villa No 1 jersey.

HALF TIME: Aston Villa 0-0 Charlton Athletic

In the second half Villa came out a lot more confident having gone in at nil-nil. With Charlton concentrating on their defence and frustrating the Villa forward line it gave The Professor's men time to pass the ball about.

Up until the hour it was all Villa as they ploughed men forward in search for a goal. Their season already in tatters from a woeful start needed to be kick-started into life again and Dion Dublin came closest in the 61st minute.

Ian Taylor drove forward with the ball in the midfield and his through ball was well blocked by Youds and it fell to Iversen from 25 yards and his shot ricocheted off Richard Rufus and fell out to the right hand side to Steve Stone. Stone took one touch and whipped the ball into the penalty area and Dublin met the ball and directed it to the bottom corner of the left hand post only to see Sasa Ilic pull off a superb save to deny him.

Top Gun has got his team playing some good football. He's managed to shunt out most of the goals going through the back door but knows that stronger quality sides like Aston Villa will be able to break through with the quality. There's been talk that Richard Rufus will leave the club for a huge fee and after his wonderful performance which stopped the threat of both Dublin and Iversen.

However Top Gun knows that if he loses Rufus then his side may never reach the potential they have been showing in recent weeks. Rufus was by far the best player on the pitch today and defensively he will have impressed many watchers who have been inquiring about his services.

Charlton though did concede a goal in the 75th minute. A freak incident saw Steve Stone cross for Iversen and the ball rebounded off Eddie Youds chest and the referee whistle for a penalty. Dion Dublin stepped up and for once Richard Rufus could do nothing to stop him. Dublin breathed heavily before he struck the penalty and Illic scrambled across to his right hand side but the power of Dublin's strike beat him and sent The Professor wild as Villa had the lead.

Top Gun looked in dismay as his side's heads seemed to drop. Their performance was worthy of a victory and although they never threatened the Villa defence on many occasions, when they did they always looked a threat.

With the clock ticking down it looked like Charlton had given up. They were still playing defensively and Villa were still coming forward. There were tired legs throughout the game and Villa had to watch out as they already had seen Alan Wright, Steve Stone and Ian Taylor pick up bookings for late challenges.

Charlton though pounced four minutes from time. Shaun Newton's pace frightened Alan Wright and the Charlton player stormed past him and managed to get to the bi-line and whip the ball back across the face of the goal which rebounded of Southgate and hit the Villa post and fell straight into the path of Francesco Baiano who blasted the ball into the roof of the net and nearly took the whole stadium with it!

Top Gun jumped up and down in celebration as The Professor could only grind his teeth as Villa's lead was cut. The game finally ended 1-1 and despite either side feeling they could and should have got all three points, they'll both be pleased to get at least a point from this game.

Villa looked a lot more brighter than in previous weeks and new signing Stefan Iversen will surely cause defences problems this season. His move will provide them with a different outlet up front and with a little work they may well see a much better second half of the season.

Charlton and Top Gun will know that Villa will probably not be the hardest team they'll face in the group and know that they must win games to ensure they get further in the competition.

ASTON VILLA: David James 7, Alan Wright 6, Steve Watson 6, Ugo Ehiogu 6, Gareth Southgate 6, Lee Hendrie 6, Mark Draper 6, Ian Taylor 7, Steffen Iversen 6, Dion Dublin 7, Steve Stone 6.

CHARLTON: Sasa Ilic 7, Shawn Newton 7, Andy Sinton 6, Richard Rufus 8, Eddie Youds 6, Stefan Freund 6, Mark Kinsella 6, Matthew Holmes 7, Clive Mendonca 7, Francesco Baiano 7, Jason Wilcox 7.

Match Statistics
Aston Villa	Versus	Charlton Athletic
5	Shots on Goal	3
4	Corners	3
52%	Possession	48%
Wright Stone Taylor	Booked	-
David James	Man of the Match	Richard Rufus
1	Score	1
Dublin 75 (pen)	Scorers	Baiano 86
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 51,135

Everton (Div 3) v Liverpool (Div 3) (7:45pm kick-off)

Everton and Liverpool already saw one of the highlights of the season in their controversial outing at Anfield which saw the game end 2-2. Everton manager Long Ball whose recently taken Nicky Barmby off the transfer list looks set to be playing a key role in the Everton line up as he led them to a first half of entertainment. The capacity crowd hit just under 93,000 and the fans were treated to a feast of more attacking football.

Liverpool who have been criticized in recent weeks for defensive errors and weaknesses looked to ensure that this time they got things right at the back. They've been getting careless over the weeks which has seen them drop points to the likes of Everton and Tottenham in the league. Gallery though was keen to stop the goals leaking in despite the side playing well generally.

Everton have been one of the surprise teams this season by providing a team capable of keeping the goals out and also putting them in at the other end. Their no nonsense approach to games seems to have benefited them hugely and they were slightly more the favourites in many peoples eyes today.

They came out once again looking to tactically stifle a Liverpool side who seem to go into bursts of good and poor form. Today was one of those days for them where they just couldn't get going and Everton punished them for it.

In the 9th minute of the game Mikael Forsell was given a wonderful opportunity to score when a long ball from Scott Gemmill found him with his back to goal. He turned Hyppia well but sliced his shot wide of the post as the fans roared thinking it was 1-0 Everton.

Everton concentrated on the wide men which surprised Liverpool and caught them napping again at the back as they tried to play the offside trap to stop Everton's counters.

Barmby out wide on the right caused problems for Matteo and he and Xavier linked well twice which led to Kevin Campbell having an effort brilliantly blocked by Carragher.

Westervield had an indifferent start to the game by twice completely wasting opportunities to hit Everton on the break. The Dutch keeper threw the ball completely out of play near the half way line as his inaccuracy was frustratingly booed by the Liverpool fans and jeered willingly by the Everton ones.

Westervield though kept Liverpool in the game in the first half. Frank Lampard picked up possession in the Everton midfield and his short passing created simple but effective channels for Everton to play in. Kinkladze was well shut out by Song but the Georgian's constant drifting infield caused problems for the Liverpool defence.

As Kinkladze was well picked out by Lampard his curling cross was well met on the half volley from Forsell but Westervield's save was worth the entrance fee alone. The Dutch keeper was at full stretch to dive low to his right and save with one hand a powerful and pacey effort.

Liverpool look thin up front without the direct pace of Michael Owen they relied on Rod Wallace who dropped deeper on most occasions to find the ball. His pace was a problem for Everton but he couldn't get near enough to the Everton penalty box to really scare them.

He had two long efforts in the first half which barely forced Simonsen to move and this credited the Everton defence. Robbie Fowler also provided little inspiration and was caught offside on more occasions than not.

Liverpool's best effort in the first half fell to Joe Cole. The youngster pounced on a poor touch from Gemmill and his shot warmed the hands of Simonsen but didn't really test him.

However Everton, who were by far dominating the midfield areas struck gold in the 44th minute. Lampard and Gemmill both teamed up on Redknapp to win the ball on the half way line. Lampard emerged with the ball and broke through the middle drawing out Hyppia and he slipped the ball through the Liverpool defence to Kevin Campbell who stormed through but his shot was deflected off for a corner from the sliding challenge of Jamie Carragher who stuck to him like glue all evening.

From the resulting corner Everton pushed forward into the Liverpool box and as it flew across the face of the goal the ball came off Song and spun past Westervield before he could react and ended up in the back of the net giving Everton a 1-0 lead.

Rigobert Song couldn't believe his luck and held his head in his hands as the Liverpool players and Rory Gallery couldn't believe their bad misfortune.

HALF TIME: Everton 1-0 Liverpool

The second half saw Liverpool come out knowing that they had to get the goals to make sure they got something out of the game. Everton though who conceded poor goals at Anfield in the league made sure they were crisp at the back this time.

They blocked out Fowler and Wallace and they took care of Cole leaving only the wingers to provide a rare threat. Liverpool though stuck to their guns and had to come forward if they were to get something out of the game.

Vladimir Scimer has a cross loop towards the goal but Simonsen tipped over and Dominic Matteo steered a header over from the corner. As Liverpool started to attack more they were leaving gaps at the back again.

Redknapp was double teamed on more than one occasion by Lampard and Gemmill and another pass from Lampard found Forsell whose control let him down allowing Hyppia to gobble the remains up.

Young Steven McPhail was once again shut out of another game as he failed to get to grips with the system at Liverpool. He was seen on more than one occasion repeatedly calling for the ball but to no avail. His frustration followed through with a cheeky kick at Xavier which saw him yellow carded.

In the 65th minute Everton brought on youngster Danny Cadamarteri for Mikael Forsell who has yet to score since arriving at Goodison Park. Cadamarteri who Liverpool anticipated would start added a fresh and exciting look to the Everton front line. The youngster whose already bagged a goal against Liverpool raced onto a Nicky Barmby pass and steamed pass Hyppia in the 72nd minute but could only steer his shot into the side netting as he slipped and skidded into the advertising boards.

It's believed that Cadamarteri wants a more permanent role in the Everton line up and his enthusiasm when he came on certainly warranted a chance to show what he can do on a more regular basis.

Just before the effort Liverpool replaced debutant Rod Wallace with another debutant in Carlos Aturo Marinelli. The Argentine was greeted by an almighty roar from the Liverpool fans and they were hoping he could conjure up some magic to guide his side to at least a draw.

He was involved again in the 79th minute when he raced to close down Matteo's clearance on the half way line and won the ball convincingly and proceeded to race towards the Liverpool goal with Hyppia, Carragher and Song in persuit. The Liverpool defence breathed a sigh of relief as Cadamarteri appeared to lose steam and Song caught up with him and fairly barged him off the ball as Cadamarteri was just about to pull the trigger.

As the game approached the end it Liverpool pressed for an equaliser. They came so close against Tottenham and got punished at the depth, they came so close to beating Everton and got punished at the depth, so this time they were slightly more aware that they could get caught on the break again and in effect just didn't get enough men forward.

Fowler and Wallace all evening were starved of service and Cole was well taken care of... McPhail wasn't seeing the ball either and Smicer, who was probably Liverpool's best player couldn't do everything alone...

The appearance of Carlos Aturo Marinelli also failed to spark Liverpool into life and he'll be hoping to get another chance to show what he's all about.

Redknapp came close in the 89th minute when a 35 yard strike skidded along the floor but went wide of the post. Everton held out strong and camped in their own half protecting their goal but in all honesty, Liverpool never looked like scoring and eventually as the whistle went Long Ball walked off knowing he has chalked up another wonderful victory for a club who were expected to go down at the beginning of the season.

Liverpool manager Rory Gallery will have been frustrated with the result but knows there is time to sort things out and they're certainly not out of the Cup yet.

EVERTON: Steve Simonsen 7, Abel Xavier 7, David Unsworth 7, Slaven Bilic 7, David Weir 6, Frank Lampard 7, Scott Gemmill 6, Georgi Kinkladze 6, Nick Barmby 6, Kevin Campbell 6, Mikael Forssell 6, (Danny Cadamarteri (65) 7)

LIVERPOOL: Sander Westervield 6, Rigobert Song 6, Dominic Matteo 6, Sami Hyppia 6, Jamie Carragher 6, Vladimir Smicer 7, Stephen McPhail 5, Jamie Redknapp 6, Joe Cole 5, Robbie Fowler 5, Rod Wallace 5(Marinelli (71) 6).

Match Statistics
Everton	Versus	Liverpool
5	Shots on Goal	3
4	Corners	2
56%	Possession	44%
-	Booked	McPhail
Frank Lampard	Man of the Match	Vladimir Scmicer
1	Score	0
Song 44 (OG)	Scorers	-
Venue: SAS National Internet Stadium
Attendance: 92,942

Leicester City (Div 4) v Sheffield Wednesday (Div 2) (12:00am kick-off)

The brand new SAS Millennium Internet Stadium hosted it's first game as Leicester City took on Sheffield Wednesday in the SAS Cup. Both sides haven't had the best of seasons with Wednesday playing in out out of good spells while Leicester have been awful.

The Owls had new manager Joshua Foo on show and he was keen to pick up some much needed points for his club against lower league opposition.

Leicester manager Simon Clark who has recently brought in John Aliosi and Youseff Chippo from Coventry was hoping to pick up a victory of any sort this season as his side slipped towards non-league obscurity.

The game was quite a bright and attacking affair and Sheffield Wednesday's Foo surprised many with his style of play which forced Leicester back into their own half for the majority of the game.

It may have been expected that the Division 2 side would be the favourites to win, but with a new manager and Wednesday's recent performances leaving a lot to be desired, many thought an upset was well on the cards today.

Leicester fought hard and new signing Youseff Chippo looked to be a good acquisition for them as his creativity and hard work enabled Leonhardsen to occasionally break away down the right or through the centre for The Foxes... Without Emile Heskey up front they relied on both John Aliosi and Tony Cottee to produce the goods.

In the 22nd minute Cottee has a shot well parried by Kevin Pressman and Des Walker also put in a fine tackle to stop Cottee from doing any damage in the 28th minute. Wednesday, playing for the first time under Foo were delighted to take the lead in the 33rd minute. A fast passing move from Wednesday saw Atherton breaking down the right hand side with Burley playing the ball to him... The Wednesday hard man pulled the ball back from the bi-line and De Bilde whose dummy run caught Steve Walsh sleeping saw Wim Jonk appear to fire the Owls into the lead.

Wednesday were playing some nice passing football which was at the same time fast and accurate. Sometimes they looked a little rushed and never seemed to settle on the ball as either Carbone or Jonk seemed desperate to get rid of any possession they had.

That backfired on them in the 42nd minute when Carbone had acres of time on the ball but rushed a pass with Leonhardsen intercepted and played long towards Cottee who chested the ball down and laid it into the path of Aliosi whose finish from 20 yards was superb leaving Pressman with no chance.

Foo's team battled on again until half time and they looked a little disappointed with the score as the teams came in.

HALF TIME: LEICESTER 1-1 SHEFFIELD WED

As the teams emerged for the second half there was a feeling of goals in the air as both sides went for the win. Both managers knew that they would need to get an early win if they were to get further than the group stages and it was just a question of who would strike first...

In the 47th minute Leicester sprang to life with a fine effort from Robbie Savage whose 25 yard drive spun just past the Wednesday post. Two minutes later Tony Cottee was up to his old tricks again as he out battled Des Walker to a Chippo pass and his shot just flew over...

Despite only 37,000 in the stadium, they made a lot of noise and got the sides going on both occasions. In the 53rd minute Sheffield Wednesday's Craig Burley provided a moment of magic as he skipped past the challenge of Robbie Elliott and ran inside from the right wing before playing a delightful one-two with Andy Booth and curling a left foot strike into the far left hand corner of the net handing Sheffield Wednesday the lead.

Foo was delighted on the touchline and was shouting at his players to concentrate when they got really lucky. In the 57th minute Yousef Chippo and Wim Jonk went for a 50-50 ball and Chippo accidentally caught Jonk in the groin area sending the Dutchman to the floor in pain. Despite him getting to his feet and signaling he was okay the referee sent Chippo off and an argument between the players began and John Aliosi came in to protect his former Coventry team-mate.

As Aliosi and co argued with Jonk for what they felt was 'play-acting' and push and shove game started and Aliosi appeared to head butt Carbone and the Italian fell to the floor in a heap and Aliosi was stunned to see another red card waving about but this time in his face.

With Leicester's new debutants sent off they were left with nine men to face Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 lead and eleven men. From this point on Leicester will want to forget this nightmare.

The SAS Millennium Stadium appeared to bring their players bugs as they got torn to shreds by Foo and his team. In the 68th minute Craig Burley was wide out on the right and his cross was met on the six yard box by Andy Booth giving his side a 3-1 lead. Two minutes later in the 70th minute Booth added another with a fine goal. Carbone found space in the centre of the park and danced his way around Leonhardsen before picking out Booth who slid onto his pass and directed his shot well past Tim Flowers for 4-1.

As Wednesday rioted, Leicester just crammed everyone back in hope they weren't going to get a real whacking. Wednesday though froze up... they were happy to just dominate the game and make sure they didn't lose any vital goals that might enhance their final position in the competition...

In the 83rd minute they got their fifth and final goal of the afternoon. Booth was this time the creator as he got on to a Niclas Alexandersson long ball and chested it down before squaring the ball to Carbone who rifled his shot past a stranded and frustrated Tim Flowers...

The Leicester fans sat in silence and many of them had already left... Simon Clark whose been putting a lot more work into the side recently could only watch in amazement as his unfortunate side were torn up due to the sending off's that occurred earlier.

Joshua Foo will argue that his side deserved to win by a long margin anyway, and he was probably right judging the sides performances. They weren't superb but they got the job done well and made Leicester pay for their mistakes. Neither side were tactically superb but Wednesday were playing by far the better football...

LEICESTER: Tim Flowers 6, Frank Sinclair 6, Robbie Elliot 6, Steve Walsh 6, Gerry Taggart 5, Yousef Chippo 6, Oyvind Leonhardsen 6, Andy Impey 6, Robbie Savage 6, Tony Cottee 6, John Aliosi 6.

SHEFF WED: Kevin Pressman 6, Andy Hinchcliffe 6, Des Walker 7, Emerson Thome 6, Peter Atherton 7, Wim Jonk 7, Niclas Alexandersson 6, Craig Burley 8, Benito Carbone 7, Andy Booth 7, Gilles De Bilde 7.

Match Statistics
Leicester City	Versus	Sheffield Wednesday
3	Shots on Goal	10
2	Corners	6
41%	Possession	59%
Chippo Aliosi	Booked	-
Tony Cottee	Man of the Match	Craig Burley
1	Score	5
Aliosi 42	Scorers	Jonk 33, Burley 53, Booth(2) 68, 70 Carbone 83
Venue: SAS Millennium Internet Stadium
Attendance: 37,006

Ipswich Town (Div 4) v Sunderland (Div 3) (3:00am kick-off)

Dr Olivier Cadin and his new look Ipswich side faced another team who have surprised many this season by highly under achieving. New Sunderland manager PE No 1 would only realise the extent of the problems at The Stadium of Light as his side tried to pick up their first win of the season.

Dr Cadin though has rebuilt an Ipswich side that once lacked confidence but could well see a late surge up the table to try and clinch some sort of promotion challenge. However, realistically their main hopes lie within the Cup and Sunderland were the team that they most likely would have wanted to meet at this stage of the competition.

With only Chelsea and Leeds are the real main threats it was important for them to pick up points and hopefully steal a few over either Chelsea or Leeds who faced each other later on in the evening...

The SAS Millennium Internet Stadium saw around 35,000 crammed in and they made sure the atmosphere was a warm and welcomed one for the occasion.

Sunderland and PE No 1 were looking for a good performance to get his managerial reign at the club underway. They started brightly and created two chances in the opening 15 minutes which both fell to Niall Quinn. The Irish international though couldn't direct his headers well enough as he placed both wide of the Ipswich goal.

Ipswich who seemed to be comfortable to sit back played into Sunderland's trap as they launched direct passes to Quinn who was the main man in the Sunderland attack. He won most of the aerial battles and it was from a flick down to Fuertes that Sunderland hit the cross bar in the 36th minute.

Ipswich glittered one or two times with swift and neat counter attacks but were mainly relying on defensive duties. Steve Lomas who played a good game at the heart of the Ipswich midfield started their best counter attacking moves and his pass to Blinker set up their best chance of the first half. Blinker raced away down the left and put in an early cross which zipped across the face of the goal but Ian Wright's stretching foot just failed to make contact. If the former England international had got the slightest of touches the ball would have been in the back of the net.

HALF TIME: Ipswich Town 0-0 Sunderland

The second half saw both sides playing as if they knew one goal could win the game. Sunderland caused Ipswich problems with Nicky Summerbee taking the ball wide and crossing for Quinn to get on the end. Spencor Prior though twice came out on top with good defensive headers.

Quinn was in the thick of the action again in the 55th minute when he won a goal kick from Sorensen and played the ball to Schwarz who placed a fine pass over the Ipswich defence which Alex Rae stormed on to and saw Shaka Hislop produce a quality save as he drilled his shot to the near post.

As the game wore on it