blog.great-save.com

By Danny Wright

Portsmouth reached the FA Cup Final for the first time in 69 years with a fortunate 1-0 win over Championship side West Bromwich Alboin. The Baggies dominated the first half, passing the ball nicely but they seldom threatened David James’ goal, and this was punished (doesn’t it always?) when former Alboin player Kanu tapped home a scrambled effort. There was a suspicion of handball in the build by Milan Baros, but Howard Webb didn’t see the incident. Much like the first half it was all West Brom from then in, and Robert Koren hit the bar with a fine effort. Portsmouth held on though to book a place in the final against Cardiff, who saw off fellow Championship side Barnsley by the same scoreline. Joe Ledley scored the decisive goal, his overhead kick after nine minutes doing the damage. Quarter final hero Kayode Odejayi did have Barnsley’s best chance, but the Nigerian fluffed his chance when through on goal.

Manchester United dropped points in a 2-2 draw at Middlesborough, who put in a fantastic display to stifle the potential champions. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his statutory goal for the game when he finished Michael Carrick’s cross, but Afonso Alves scored his first goal for Boro and added another to give them a shock lead. You always knew United would pull it back though, and Wayne Rooney did just that in the 74th minute.

Chelsea maintained pressure on Manchester United in the title race by beating their cross-city rivals Man City 2-0 at Eastlands. Richard Dunne helped Avram Grant’s men on their way with a fine own goal and Salomon Kalou rounded Joe Hart in the second half to seal the win, but the score could have been higher had it not been for Hart’s tremendous save from Nicolas Anelka’s close range header. Arsenal kept themselves in the title chase too with a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool, Peter Crouch and Nicklas Bendtner  the respective scorers, meanwhile Everton kept their push for fourth place up with a 1-0 over already relegated Derby.

You don’t win for three months, then three come along at once. That’s was the case for Newcastle at the weekend as they stuffed Reading 3-0 at St James Park in a stellar performance. Even the Magpies dodgy defence couldn’t mess this one up, as Kevin Keegan’s deadly strike force trio of Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka and Michael Owen all scored goals to see off the Royals, who rarely troubled Steve Harper.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce put his old club to the sword as his side saw off Birmingham in a 2-0 win at the JJB Stadium. Ryan Taylor was the unlikely hero, his sweetly struck left shot giving them in the lead before City captain Damien Johnson saw red for an ugly challenge on Kevin Kilbane. Taylor was then on hand in the second half to score a scuffed effort after Maik Taylor had twice saved brilliantly from Emile Heskey.

Sunderland’s 3-1 win at Fulham virtually secured survival for themselves and the two fore mentioned clubs. Fulham had to win this to have any chance of survival but they were doomed from the outset when Danny Collins headed home unmarked. Michael Chopra came off the bench to score a clever lob past a stranded Kasey Keller, meanwhile David Healy curled in a beauty of a goal to reduce the arrears. Kenwyne Jones sealed the game and his side’s Premier League status with a late goal that found the corner of the net. Bolton look likely to join Fulham in the Championship next year after they capitulated at Aston Villa, 4-0 the score in favour of Martin O’Neil’s side. Gareth Barry headed in front after he was unmarked and Gabriel Agbonlahor finished off a sweet five man move to put the game out of reach. Barry grabbed a deflected second, and to add to Bolton’s misery Marlow Harewood glanced in from a free-kick.

A 1-1 draw between Blackburn and Tottenham was more exciting than the scoreline suggests. Spurs dominated early on and Dimitar Berbatov finished off Jermaine Jenas’ cross, but Morten Gamst Pedersen scored in a similar fashion to equalise, although he was indebted to the excellent service of David Bentley. Rovers had a penalty appeal turned down which invariably lead Mark Hughes to have a good whinge after the match.