:00:40. > :00:44.best of the SkyBet Football League. And on the shortest day of the year,
:00:45. > :00:47.no better time for clubs to put some daylight between themselves and
:00:48. > :00:50.their closest rivals. For one manager, the journey ended today as
:00:51. > :00:53.Aidy Boothroyd paid the price for Northampton's poor season.
:00:54. > :00:56.Meanwhile, a welcome to the managerial ranks this week to Danny
:00:57. > :01:00.Wilson and Guiseppe Sannino. Steve's here to find out how they got on.
:01:01. > :01:04.And on our final offering before Christmas, here's what's coming up
:01:05. > :01:08.tonight. A convincing win at Blackpool last
:01:09. > :01:11.week lifted QPR back to the top of the Championship. Earlier today, it
:01:12. > :01:12.was first versus third, as Harry Redknapp's title chasers welcomed
:01:13. > :01:22.Leicester City to Loftus Road. With only one win in five,
:01:23. > :01:26.Nottingham Forest have gone off the boil in recent weeks. On Saturday,
:01:27. > :01:31.Billy Davies' side were at a steadily improving Birmingham.
:01:32. > :01:36.It's been a baptism of fire for new Boro boss Aitor Karanka. We've
:01:37. > :01:40.highlights from this evening's late kick off at Millwall, with both
:01:41. > :01:50.clubs desperate to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight.
:01:51. > :01:55.And as Barnsley arrive at let Elland Road for a Yorkshire derby, we catch
:01:56. > :01:59.up with the first player in English football and a quarter of a century
:02:00. > :02:04.to come out, as former Leeds striker Robbie Rogers returns to launches
:02:05. > :02:07.anti-discrimination campaign. Well, thanks mainly to their
:02:08. > :02:11.Scrooge-like defence, it's been a case of so far, so good for Harry
:02:12. > :02:15.Redknapp's QPR as they bid for a swift return to the top flight at
:02:16. > :02:18.the first time of asking. Back on top of the table, they faced another
:02:19. > :02:21.of their promotion rivals - third-placed Leicester City - with
:02:22. > :02:24.Nigel Pearson's side failing to win their last three.
:02:25. > :02:28.There was one change for the hosts, with Niko Kranjcar in for Jermaine
:02:29. > :02:31.Jenas. New signing Yossi Benayoun started on the bench. While for
:02:32. > :02:34.Leicester, they began with the same team that started in last week's
:02:35. > :02:34.draw with Burnley, including striker Jamie Vardy.
:02:35. > :02:45.started on the bench. While for Commentary from Jon Champion.
:02:46. > :02:51.It was steered goalwards without power by Gary O'Neil, it wasn't
:02:52. > :02:53.struck with total confidence. The build-up was neat, as we have come
:02:54. > :03:08.to expect from QPR. Kranjcar. Pounced upon by Charlie
:03:09. > :03:13.Austin. A comfortable stop for Kasper Schmeichel.
:03:14. > :03:22.We have a visitor. It represents an unusual problem for the referee.
:03:23. > :03:30.Squirrel stopped play. The fourth official, with the gloves on, and
:03:31. > :03:40.David Nugent off in hot pursuit. And at last, we can resume.
:03:41. > :03:47.He went in there with studs showing. That is just the sort of challenge
:03:48. > :03:51.that referees are being encouraged to clamp down on. We have seen red
:03:52. > :04:12.cards issued in such circumstances. Phillips denied by the plunging
:04:13. > :04:21.Schmeichel. Charlie Austin with the first incursion. O'Neill from
:04:22. > :04:22.distance. More helping out his goalkeeper and then the goalkeeper
:04:23. > :04:37.doing the rest. That is a great finish! A super goal
:04:38. > :04:45.by Jamie Vardy. He is only the third visiting player to score at Loftus
:04:46. > :04:50.Road all season and he has done so with Leicester City's first effort
:04:51. > :04:55.on target. Just allowed a yard of space and didn't he take full
:04:56. > :04:56.advantage. Tony Hernandez, the owner of Queens Park Rangers, alongside
:04:57. > :05:16.Philip Beard, the chief executive. It was a bad touch by Philips, and
:05:17. > :05:18.it made the attempted finish all the more tricky, but as incisive as the
:05:19. > :05:36.home side have produced so far. Charlie Austin couldn't do as much
:05:37. > :05:40.with it as he liked. Not impressed with the delivery. And then their
:05:41. > :06:01.physical disagreement as well. The clearance only as far as David
:06:02. > :06:05.Nugent. And that was a big chance to make its two. It would have but a
:06:06. > :06:12.very different complexion on matters. Green's poor clearance,
:06:13. > :06:13.Leicester worked it well, all bar the finish by Lloyd Dyer, which he
:06:14. > :06:30.dragged. Rather ambitious but a looping
:06:31. > :06:36.deflection took it just wide. Joey Barton nearly got very lucky. It was
:06:37. > :06:37.unlikely it was going to fly in the top corner and aided from that
:06:38. > :06:55.distance. -- unaided. Then goes Phillips, the referee not
:06:56. > :06:58.interested. -- down goes Phillips. Leon Moore thinks that Phillips took
:06:59. > :07:12.a dive. He largely lost his own footing.
:07:13. > :07:20.The referee takes exception to James' tackle. He lost control of
:07:21. > :07:24.the ball and was seeking it again in slightly dangerous fashion. And he
:07:25. > :07:34.is booked. Not dissimilar to Gary O'Neil in the first half.
:07:35. > :07:44.James, a deflection, and it clipped the bar. Still to score this season.
:07:45. > :07:51.It looped off the outstretched leg of Richard Dunne.
:07:52. > :07:57.The left arm of Barton making contact with Gary Taylor Fletcher.
:07:58. > :08:04.The yellow card is coming out from the referee. Barton arguing, and
:08:05. > :08:13.kicking the ball against Taylor Fletcher. That could be another
:08:14. > :08:19.yellow. It is. He is off. Another unsavoury chapter in the career of
:08:20. > :08:42.Joey Barton. And with him may go QPR's hopes of salvaging this game.
:08:43. > :08:51.Just about the first thing that John Porter has done wrong.
:08:52. > :09:04.Was that when I'm in the face? -- was bad and I'm in the face. Then a
:09:05. > :09:09.unit is the player -- Yossi Benayoun was the player. Vasilevksy certainly
:09:10. > :09:23.came across the player. Schmeichel gathers it, it should be
:09:24. > :09:31.enough. It is, and QPR's unbeaten home league record has gone.
:09:32. > :09:36.We knew it would be a difficult game, they are a good team.
:09:37. > :09:40.Leicester are one of the teams in this division with a big chance of
:09:41. > :09:45.going up automatically, so it was a tight game and it could have gone
:09:46. > :09:48.either way. We had a couple of good opportunities first half that we
:09:49. > :09:52.could not convert and then the lad scored a great goal for them, and
:09:53. > :09:57.that was the difference between the two teams. Evenly matched, I
:09:58. > :10:02.thought. For all the good football in the first half, it was a direct
:10:03. > :10:06.goal. Great flick, great finish. I am pleased for him, because he puts
:10:07. > :10:11.in so much hard work for the side and he got his reward is today. Joey
:10:12. > :10:16.has been great for us, great in the dressing room, on the training
:10:17. > :10:19.ground and in the games, so it is a shame to lose him, for sure, but I
:10:20. > :10:23.will have a chat with him and have a look at it. I cannot fault his
:10:24. > :10:28.attitude since I have been here, he has been top-class, so it is a
:10:29. > :10:32.shame. It is the first time he has been sent off since I have been here
:10:33. > :10:35.and I hope it is the last. We will look at the Joey Barton incident
:10:36. > :10:38.shortly but Leicester are the first team to come away from Loftus Road
:10:39. > :10:43.with all three points. Is that because they were the most resilient
:10:44. > :10:47.and organised of the two? I think it was a game that suited Leicester
:10:48. > :10:55.because of the way they play, they sit back, two banks of the four and
:10:56. > :10:58.hit sides on the counterattack with players who are quick. They are
:10:59. > :11:03.always a threat, not just sitting back and defending the 90 minutes.
:11:04. > :11:07.QPR had a moment where they had lots of position. They lacked a little
:11:08. > :11:10.bit of width down the left, but one or two fantastic moves and a couple
:11:11. > :11:14.of good chances at the end that they didn't make the most of. So what
:11:15. > :11:19.about the main talking point? Joey Barton has tweeted tonight and said
:11:20. > :11:27.it is two of the softest yellows you are ever likely to get. What do you
:11:28. > :11:30.think? In isolation, he is unlucky on both occasions. It is a silly
:11:31. > :11:34.thing to do, you shouldn't kick the ball at a player when you know the
:11:35. > :11:37.referee is going to book you, because you're giving the referee
:11:38. > :11:42.the chance to send you off, which is crazy, and he does it right in front
:11:43. > :11:46.of the rest. It is hard, no doubt, but he has to take responsibility
:11:47. > :11:49.for his own actions and it is absolutely no good doing that when
:11:50. > :11:55.you are in the position where the referee is going to book you and
:11:56. > :11:59.send you off. A bit of irony, Leicester dominated the first half
:12:00. > :12:02.against Burnley last week and didn't have much to show for it. This
:12:03. > :12:08.time, under the cosh for most of the game, they only had two chances on
:12:09. > :12:12.goal and put one of them away. As we said, there were some decent moves
:12:13. > :12:15.in this game but this is Route one. A great understanding between the
:12:16. > :12:21.front players. Nugent is excellent in the air as someone who is not the
:12:22. > :12:25.archetypal target man. And a yard of pace gets him away from Richard
:12:26. > :12:30.Duncan made fantastic finish. He is looking a really good player. QPR, I
:12:31. > :12:34.am surprised Harry didn't mention that they just need somebody to come
:12:35. > :12:38.on and give Charlie Austin a little bit of help in games like this. He
:12:39. > :12:42.was the only forward player, it is something they need to address.
:12:43. > :12:46.Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson, they need one of them back. All in all,
:12:47. > :12:49.an eventful day for foxes and a squirrel.
:12:50. > :12:52.Well, at St Andrews today, it was a case of the haves against the
:12:53. > :12:55.have-nots, as Birmingham City took on Nottingham Forest. Lee Clark's
:12:56. > :12:58.Blues had recently defied their lack of finances to string together a
:12:59. > :13:01.six-match unbeaten run, while their promotion chasing opponents had
:13:02. > :13:05.stuttered lately with just two wins in nine. Paul Walker watched this
:13:06. > :13:08.one. Applied for festive points start
:13:09. > :13:13.here. In the blue corner, Birmingham City, currently on their best run of
:13:14. > :13:17.the season -- the fight for festive points. But they do not have a
:13:18. > :13:20.victory on home soil since the start of October. In the red corner,
:13:21. > :13:28.Nottingham Forest, still in promotion contention despite this
:13:29. > :13:31.run. Last week's draw with Ipswich saw them slip out of the play-off
:13:32. > :13:35.positions. Birmingham go with the same side that won at Bournemouth
:13:36. > :13:44.last week, so Nicola Zigic continues to lead the front line. Right back
:13:45. > :13:50.Paul Caddis has been a useful supplier of goals. The Forest side
:13:51. > :13:59.shows one change from the draw with it should. -- Ipswich. David Vaughan
:14:00. > :14:19.is back. The lone striker Simon Cox has scored four in his last six.
:14:20. > :14:26.That is a great strike. What a save. They are looking for a
:14:27. > :14:34.corner, and quite rightly. That was a terrific save. But Bobby madly has
:14:35. > :14:48.given a goalkick. It is a great save from the Forest goalkeeper.
:14:49. > :14:59.One from the training ground. Headed goalwards, just over the top. It was
:15:00. > :15:19.added -- lofted back in. Bartley's header down. Darlow with a
:15:20. > :15:26.good save. Was there a hand in there as well, against Hobbs. A couple of
:15:27. > :15:30.appeals there. Burn was appealing certainly. A good stop actually from
:15:31. > :15:40.Darlow. Well read. Birmingham looking
:15:41. > :15:45.dangerous every time they come forward. Here's Burke. Good save
:15:46. > :15:54.again, Darlow. Forest keeper to the rescue once more. Terrific effort
:15:55. > :16:03.from Chris Burke. That's heading top corner. Darlow, flicks it away.
:16:04. > :16:19.Chasing back towards his own-goal here. He has given that away. Burke
:16:20. > :16:22.against Harding. Burke, clips one. Zigic miss it is completely. That is
:16:23. > :16:27.the kind of miss that drives supporters nuts here at Saint
:16:28. > :16:38.Andrews. Big money, big miss. Should have done better.
:16:39. > :16:52.Reid. A corner, I suspect it has. Andy Reid with this Forest corner.
:16:53. > :16:55.Short for Lansbury. Nicely done. Reid. They are queueing up in the
:16:56. > :17:12.middle. Cleared off the line! Really well worked corner, heading
:17:13. > :17:13.goal wards and cleared off the line. Great performance from the
:17:14. > :17:39.supporters in here. Comfortable for Randolph. Oh, what
:17:40. > :17:45.happened there? The ball has been turned in by Lansbury. It won't
:17:46. > :17:54.stand. Lansbury will complain that should be a goal. Randolph has the
:17:55. > :18:01.ball taken out of his hands by Lansbury. That would have been
:18:02. > :18:06.bizarre if that goal would have stood. Henderson though will chase
:18:07. > :18:13.it down. Still Henderson. Burn got just enough on it. Then Henderson
:18:14. > :18:17.colliding here. This is with Robinson. Robinson didn't take too
:18:18. > :18:19.kindly to the challenge. It will be interesting to see that one back.
:18:20. > :18:26.Mrit mitt Henderson didn't get any of the
:18:27. > :18:36.ball, but certainly got some of Robinson. It's a red card for Darius
:18:37. > :18:38.Henderson. He has not been on the pitch that long. What will he do
:18:39. > :18:53.with Paul Robinson? It's yellow for Paul Robinson. Lee
:18:54. > :19:03.Clark, the message is quite clear, isn't it, calm down. Mackie. Rise to
:19:04. > :19:10.the challenge from Lee. He goes down. This is getting ugly again.
:19:11. > :19:21.Mackie took exception to it. It will be another yellow card. Another
:19:22. > :19:26.yellow. Oh, he took his legs completely.
:19:27. > :19:32.I liked the way we passed the ball, certainly in the first half. We
:19:33. > :19:36.created some good opportunities. The keeper made one or two terrific
:19:37. > :19:40.saves. My goalie hasn't had a lot of saves to do. He had a couple of
:19:41. > :19:44.punches. We have restricted them. They are a top quality team. They
:19:45. > :19:47.pass it around really well in the middle of the pitch. We had one or
:19:48. > :19:52.two of the opportunities towards the end. It wasn't to be. I can't fault
:19:53. > :19:56.my players today. I thought they were absolutely terrific. A sour end
:19:57. > :20:01.to that one. What was your reading of the Henderson dismissal? I
:20:02. > :20:05.thought it was a great point it was a dog fight, as you know you are
:20:06. > :20:09.going to get here. I thought the first half it certainly was a dog
:20:10. > :20:14.fight. Second-half I thought Forest were by far the better side. All in
:20:15. > :20:17.all we have to be pleased with an excellent cleansheet and another
:20:18. > :20:21.very good point. He didn't quite answer the question there. We will
:20:22. > :20:27.get Steve's take on the red in a second. Fourth draw in a row for
:20:28. > :20:34.Birmingham. Will they feel unlucky not to take all three points from
:20:35. > :20:39.that? First half Darlow was fantastic. Really good saves. One
:20:40. > :20:44.point-blank. I think they will think on their first-half performance they
:20:45. > :20:47.should have edged this one. What about the Darius Hernedson red card
:20:48. > :20:52.with eight minutes to go. How did you read that? It's a strange one
:20:53. > :20:57.depending on what angle you look at that. Pal Robinson's reputation
:20:58. > :21:01.might proceed him. He does like to tackle. There it looks like Robbo
:21:02. > :21:06.tries to go in two-footed. He doesn't. From another angle, he
:21:07. > :21:11.turns his body and tries to pull out of the tackle. He catches Hernedson
:21:12. > :21:17.on the way through. That is why you can see why Darrylies is furious, he
:21:18. > :21:22.think he tried to top him that is why you get the reaction. There is a
:21:23. > :21:26.little bit of confusion. He thinks he has gone over the top. When you
:21:27. > :21:32.look at, it he hasn't. As a result Birmingham unbeaten now in seven
:21:33. > :21:37.despite their limit ited -- limited resources. Billy is after a strieshg
:21:38. > :21:41.in January? Both sides in the final third, they lacked maybe that bit of
:21:42. > :21:42.quality that little bit of an Tony Blairing their game to win the games
:21:43. > :21:53.that we saw today which were tight. Elsewhere in the Championship,
:21:54. > :21:55.despite drawing five of their last seven, Burnley went into their
:21:56. > :21:59.Lancashire derby against Blackpool second place, while at the same time
:22:00. > :22:02.looking to extend their unbeaten home record.
:22:03. > :22:08.The pre-match team talk was scripted by the QPR defeat, win and you are
:22:09. > :22:12.back on top. A huge incentive for Burnley. Ings took advantage of a
:22:13. > :22:17.corner that seemed to be straight from the training ground to put them
:22:18. > :22:21.on track. At the other end a Blackpool set-piece put the
:22:22. > :22:27.Seasiders back on terms. Cathcart's first goal for more than a year
:22:28. > :22:33.lifting a side who lost three in a row and their play-off spot. Gosling
:22:34. > :22:39.took aim. Heaton pulled out all the stops to keep the scores level. A
:22:40. > :22:46.draw wouldn't be SATs factory in need of maximum points. There
:22:47. > :22:50.appeared to be no escape for Jones. Mee offered a simple solution before
:22:51. > :22:55.Arfield attempted something more complex. A magnificent goal from the
:22:56. > :23:01.Scotsman reestablishing the lead that one of the Championships
:23:02. > :23:05.defence wouldn't surrender. The manager was pleased they continued
:23:06. > :23:11.to find different ways to win. If Arfield claimed this was deliberate
:23:12. > :23:15.he would have been pushing his luck. The Clarets are top of the tree. The
:23:16. > :23:20.man who made them sparkle can hardly wait for the new year to begin. We
:23:21. > :23:29.are approaching the half way stage. We are in good shape and delivering
:23:30. > :23:34.good performances it bodes well. Is If Derby keep winning they will wave
:23:35. > :23:38.the flag before the end of the Championship season. They can't stop
:23:39. > :23:42.scoring and Doncaster can't stop conceding. Martin worked the
:23:43. > :23:47.opening. Jamie Ward had his second goal in a week. Martin was enjoying
:23:48. > :23:51.himself, as you would expect from a man among the goals. He threatened
:23:52. > :23:55.to do it on his own before being brought down. No thought of allowing
:23:56. > :24:01.any other takers of course. Number 14 of the season beckoned. Turnbull
:24:02. > :24:07.kept Rovers in touch with the help of last-ditch defending. Early in
:24:08. > :24:20.the second-half Steve McClaren's side turned on the style. Within
:24:21. > :24:26.three passes and got this fantastic shot. Rovers were back in the game
:24:27. > :24:30.from an unlikely source. Derby defend Buxton headed into his own
:24:31. > :24:35.net. That only inspired the home side to close out a seventh
:24:36. > :24:40.consecutive win. Martin, who else, was again involved. Craig Bryson
:24:41. > :24:48.curled in his fourth goal in five games. Derby are three points off
:24:49. > :24:52.the top. We have a good balance at the present moment. This team has
:24:53. > :24:56.been capable of scoring. We have to get the balance right. Generally, we
:24:57. > :25:06.have been doing that. At times we didn't have it today. All I want for
:25:07. > :25:10.Christmas is (inaudible) the Wigan boss has made an impact his 100%
:25:11. > :25:17.record continued at Reading. His side were 2-0 up inside 12 minutes.
:25:18. > :25:25.McCann got the opener. This was his first goal for the club. Two minutes
:25:26. > :25:30.later a tremendous clanger from Pearce gave Wigan their second. Nick
:25:31. > :25:37.Powell nipped in to net his second goal in as many games. Reading goal
:25:38. > :25:42.thread is such that only one side has taken a cleansheet away from
:25:43. > :25:49.here this season. Pogrebnyak was a menace. He forced a good save out of
:25:50. > :25:53.Al Habsi before half-time. Pogrebnyak also started the move
:25:54. > :26:00.that won Rheading a penalty early in the second-half. Danny Williams
:26:01. > :26:04.threw ball forced McCann to haul back Gunter. It was a perfect
:26:05. > :26:10.opportunity to put pressure on the visitors. Billy Sharp blew it, big
:26:11. > :26:15.time! Reading did eventually get their goal, the returning Danny
:26:16. > :26:19.Guthrie picked out Pogrebnyak. He headed the Royals back into the
:26:20. > :26:24.match with well over 20 minutes to go. Having started the season with
:26:25. > :26:30.nine unbeaten home games, Reading have now suffered back-to-back
:26:31. > :26:33.defeats. Wigan survived a Royals onslaught with Pogrebnyak entitled
:26:34. > :26:42.to wonder how he ended up on the losing side. 90 minutes very
:26:43. > :26:46.dangerous. That was the difference to the Bolton game. In the Bolton
:26:47. > :26:48.game in the second-half we couldn't threaten the opposition enough.
:26:49. > :26:55.Today we should have put the game to bed. Inform Brighton had the
:26:56. > :27:02.opportunity to break into the top six, new territory under Oscar
:27:03. > :27:07.Garcia. His players drew a blank on home turf. Ashley Barnes is
:27:08. > :27:12.wondering how, unable to convert the rebound. The striker has done a fine
:27:13. > :27:18.job leading the line. This wasn't going to be his day. From this
:27:19. > :27:22.cross, Barnes planted his next clear chance wide of the post.
:27:23. > :27:27.Huddersfield who lost two on the trot were dogged opponents. James
:27:28. > :27:32.Vaughan reminded the home side there was no room to relax. No lasting
:27:33. > :27:38.affect for either player from the collision with the goalkeeper
:27:39. > :27:45.Brezovan. Town keeper had nothing but praise for his team's display.
:27:46. > :27:53.This goal was a good one, stalling Albion's upward progress. I think we
:27:54. > :28:03.played much better than the other team. We de to win. We did
:28:04. > :28:07.everything but score. One defeat in 10 for Brighton. His team are doing
:28:08. > :28:12.pretty well at the moment. What about Derby County. Magnificent
:28:13. > :28:16.seven for the Rams. The last time they did that was 18 years ago when
:28:17. > :28:24.Steve McClaren was at Derby under Jim Smith? Yes. What it shows is
:28:25. > :28:33.that your previous (alliance with the club stands you in good stead.
:28:34. > :28:36.When he at for st he wasn't given a start. Everyone is pulling in the
:28:37. > :28:40.same direction. They are playing wonderful stuff. The movement. Way
:28:41. > :28:44.that the midfield players link and go past the front players,
:28:45. > :28:49.particularly Bryson has been fantastic. 10 goals and seven
:28:50. > :28:56.assists for him. He has been a model of consistency? He played well over
:28:57. > :29:01.the years for them. Some lads have come there and found at other clubs
:29:02. > :29:05.it was a difficult situation, it wouldn't quite see the best of them.
:29:06. > :29:10.They have gone to Derby and everyone is clicking. He has the balance and
:29:11. > :29:14.shape of the team right. Everyone is flourishing in the environment he
:29:15. > :29:19.put them in. Wigan got a terrific win away to Reading. After what
:29:20. > :29:24.happened in midweek they could have felt thoroughly deflated? If the
:29:25. > :29:28.game finished the way when it was abandoned they would have been level
:29:29. > :29:34.on points with fifth and sixth in the league. Could you have looked at
:29:35. > :29:38.that and said - we will never finish playing our game in hand. A good
:29:39. > :29:42.win. A tough place to go. Excellent finishes. Hanging on at the end.
:29:43. > :29:46.They were put under a fair bit of pressure at the end. They did the
:29:47. > :29:50.job early. A wonderful early finish. That is a player who is developing.
:29:51. > :29:54.A huge talent. Burnley, top at Christmas. The last five sides to
:29:55. > :29:57.have done that over the last five Christmases have all gone up.
:29:58. > :30:02.Burnley fans must be loving this campaign? Why not? People keep
:30:03. > :30:06.saying, they wouldn't have expected it. They are expecting it now,
:30:07. > :30:14.aren't they? They certainly are. A wonderful half season for them.
:30:15. > :30:18.On the first anniversary of their takeover things are looking
:30:19. > :30:21.promising for Leeds United, who started the day in the play-off
:30:22. > :30:25.positions. Clem was at Elland Road for the visit of Barnsley and caught
:30:26. > :30:28.up with former Leeds United striker Robbie Rogers. The first player in a
:30:29. > :30:38.generation, with experience of the English game, to come out.
:30:39. > :30:46.Find any reference to Robbie Rogers in the lead United trophy cabinet.
:30:47. > :30:51.He only played for the team four times. He is more known for his
:30:52. > :30:54.courage off the field. Quitting Elland Road and the game in
:30:55. > :30:59.February, he made his sexuality public via Twitter a few weeks
:31:00. > :31:03.later, but such has been the level of support he has received that he
:31:04. > :31:09.is back in business with LA Galaxy and back at his former club for the
:31:10. > :31:14.first time today, to launch his own anti-discrimination campaign. Was
:31:15. > :31:19.there any point in that you contemplated coming out while you
:31:20. > :31:25.were still playing football? No, I was too afraid. I learned afterwards
:31:26. > :31:28.that I could've done it but I was so afraid, I wanted to take some time
:31:29. > :31:35.to myself. I was afraid of dressing room reaction, wood attitudes with
:31:36. > :31:39.the same as they were before? Afraid of the fans, especially away fans
:31:40. > :31:46.and the kind of reaction I would get. A footballer coming out as gay
:31:47. > :31:54.is fantastic, there are plenty of fans here who are delighted you came
:31:55. > :32:00.out. Thank you very much. This year has been about progression, moving
:32:01. > :32:04.things forward, bringing people back in from the community. Robbie is one
:32:05. > :32:07.of our old players, we support old and new players. He was very brave a
:32:08. > :32:20.year ago and we want to encourage that. It is crazy that there are not
:32:21. > :32:23.any other out footballers. It shows there is a huge problem. For someone
:32:24. > :32:29.to come out, it is a very personal thing, so one part of me wanted to
:32:30. > :32:33.say, who's business is it, and another part of it said, it is a
:32:34. > :32:41.huge problem and I need to do something about it. I wonder how
:32:42. > :32:46.long it is going to take. It is a great question. Again, I thought
:32:47. > :32:48.some guys might come out in the United States, but it will change. I
:32:49. > :33:03.have confidence it will change. Danny Wilson couldn't have picked a
:33:04. > :33:07.more intimidating stage to launch his Barnsley comeback and if Matt
:33:08. > :33:11.Smith had been his usual self, it could have been thoroughly
:33:12. > :33:16.uncomfortable. Jack button pulled up the first two excellent early
:33:17. > :33:22.saves. Paddy Kenny also had to look lively, Marcus toured gay testing
:33:23. > :33:29.him. -- markers to J. The same player could have a change the
:33:30. > :33:34.game. Having beaten the defence, he couldn't beat the goalkeeper. The
:33:35. > :33:38.such a form team against the bottom club, Leeds must have hoped for a
:33:39. > :33:46.handful but local pride plus a new manager proved a combination that
:33:47. > :33:51.could not be beaten. Even Leeds's trump card, Ross McCormack, with 17
:33:52. > :33:56.goals this season, could find a way through. Jack button again stood
:33:57. > :34:03.firm. -- could not find a way through. Wilson could not have asked
:34:04. > :34:05.more from his players. Whatever Leeds United tried, Barnsley have
:34:06. > :34:12.the answer and when they didn't, the ball would not go in. Matt Smith did
:34:13. > :34:15.everything but score. Late on, Barnsley made a rare. Move which
:34:16. > :34:20.could prove costly over Christmas. Tudgay's ugly challenge at the
:34:21. > :34:27.referee reaching for the red card immediately. For the first time in
:34:28. > :34:33.30 years, a derby between Leeds and Barnsley finished goalless.
:34:34. > :34:38.Do you not, a little bit, want to be pulling your boots on as you are
:34:39. > :34:41.watching? Definitely. When I sit there watching, I think for any
:34:42. > :34:48.player when you are watching, you always think, it should have done
:34:49. > :34:51.this, look at the space here... I remember the fear I had when I was
:34:52. > :34:59.playing football, so it is kind of cool to be able to be playing and
:35:00. > :35:05.come back to Leeds and the part of the support. Thanks very much. Merry
:35:06. > :35:10.Christmas. A good point that the new Barnsley boss, or the old Barnsley
:35:11. > :35:15.boss, Danny Wilson. Let's talk about Robbie Rogers, it has always been a
:35:16. > :35:20.thorny issue, gay footballers, but if a player in rugby can come out, a
:35:21. > :35:27.high-profile player, white... What is it going to take for a
:35:28. > :35:31.high-profile footballer to do the same? It will take a bit of courage,
:35:32. > :35:34.I would say. To equate one sport with the other is difficult, because
:35:35. > :35:40.we are talking about a different sets of fans going to the games.
:35:41. > :35:44.People who go to rugby Rob different backgrounds, they behave
:35:45. > :35:48.differently, it is looked upon differently -- from. They are
:35:49. > :35:52.probably a little more forgiving, not as cynical as football fans.
:35:53. > :35:57.They come from a harder background, shall we say? They are very much
:35:58. > :36:03.black or white. Which makes it harder than someone to come out
:36:04. > :36:07.while they are playing. It will take longer in football. It is not to say
:36:08. > :36:12.they are better or worse, it is just a little bit harder than rugby or
:36:13. > :36:16.cricket fans in general. Will it happen, do you think? Undoubtedly it
:36:17. > :36:21.will happen and in the end, it will become a normal part of the game.
:36:22. > :36:25.But it is just going to take someone with a bit of courage to come out
:36:26. > :36:28.and do it and you will see, it will gather momentum and it will be an
:36:29. > :36:31.accepted part of football, no doubt. Our last look at the Championship
:36:32. > :36:34.starts with Saturday's late kick-off at the Den between Millwall and
:36:35. > :36:37.Middlesbrough. Both teams are in danger of being dragged into a
:36:38. > :36:40.relegation scrap. Steve Lomas made one change to his Millwall side,
:36:41. > :36:43.with Scott McDonald coming in for Martin Waghorn as the Lions looked
:36:44. > :36:47.to extend their seven-match unbeaten home league run. Aitor Karanka made
:36:48. > :36:48.five changes for Boro, as they aimed to end their nine-match winless away
:36:49. > :36:49.form. home league run. Aitor Karanka made
:36:50. > :37:06.Dan O'Hagan describes this one. The shot is in the end taken by Shay
:37:07. > :37:10.given, the first shot of the half comes on 42 minutes. This has not
:37:11. > :37:25.been, so far, a sizzler. It has been a stinker, in truth.
:37:26. > :37:33.Ledesma goes on, fabulous goal! The game comes to life. It has two.
:37:34. > :37:38.Ledesma has done it, it is a beauty. The Argentine twists and
:37:39. > :37:43.turns and brings a wretched game to some kind of life. Emmanuelle
:37:44. > :37:52.Ledesma with a beauty in a game which has been a beast.
:37:53. > :38:01.Morrison with a header, pushed away by Shay given.
:38:02. > :38:16.That header was clawed away by Shay Given. Albert Adomah is through. And
:38:17. > :38:27.that is the points, signed and sealed, Millwall pierced again, the
:38:28. > :38:31.most leaky defence in the division breached again. Albert Perdomo,
:38:32. > :38:40.on-site, cool head, calm finish, job done is Mac Albert Adomah. And the
:38:41. > :38:41.shared held up for Stuart Parnaby, who with his wife, lost a baby
:38:42. > :38:57.recently. -- the shirt. A game, there is jeering. The fans
:38:58. > :39:03.here are absolutely livid at how their team has not performed today.
:39:04. > :39:09.They have been awful. Millwall fans not happy. Not happy one bit. There
:39:10. > :39:14.is one beleaguered manager of Millwall. I can understand the
:39:15. > :39:18.frustration, they want to come and win games of football and recently,
:39:19. > :39:23.we haven't been doing that. The reason we are in the relegation area
:39:24. > :39:29.is because the away form is not good. We now have the opportunity to
:39:30. > :39:33.put that right. A first game in charge of Watford
:39:34. > :39:35.forger said this in charge of Watford for Giuseppe sa Nino, who
:39:36. > :39:47.does not speak a word of English and has never managed in England. Lesson
:39:48. > :39:52.one, David McGoldrick has a magical right foot. Lesson number two,
:39:53. > :39:58.missed opportunities change games. Lesson three, referees do not always
:39:59. > :40:04.get it right. The handball looked harsh but resulted in an Ipswich
:40:05. > :40:10.penalty. McGoldrick gave Town a 73rd minute lead. Lesson four, Troy
:40:11. > :40:17.Deeney is your best player. With nine minutes to go, the top scorer
:40:18. > :40:20.rescued a point in typical circumstances. His 10th goal of the
:40:21. > :40:26.season preventing a defeat for the new man. And lesson five, it is
:40:27. > :40:34.great to play well but it is better to be lucky. And finally, if you
:40:35. > :40:38.don't feel like doing the post-match interview, you can ask the
:40:39. > :40:42.goalkeeping coach. We had to defend at times and that will be a pleasing
:40:43. > :40:45.aspect for the manager, backs to the wall at times but everybody stuck
:40:46. > :40:48.together and we came through and got a well earned point. I thought the
:40:49. > :40:52.second half performance was excellent, we did really well
:40:53. > :40:59.against a team that played soccer Park last year.
:41:00. > :41:04.-- of the park. After their best run of the season, Yeovil have shown
:41:05. > :41:08.they can cope with the Championship standard. The second season is bound
:41:09. > :41:13.to be a long haul and it took acrobatics to stop Blackburn in the
:41:14. > :41:21.first half. After the break, a different story, with the home side
:41:22. > :41:26.much improved. Simon is to add -- Simon Eastwood at full stretch,
:41:27. > :41:30.before Ishmael Miller called him into action again. It looked like a
:41:31. > :41:34.matter of time before Gary Johnson's men would make the
:41:35. > :41:40.breakthrough. Miller's next effort was more dangerous. But Blackburn
:41:41. > :41:44.boast a specialist finisher, Jordan Rhodes, said to be the target of
:41:45. > :41:51.many Premier League clubs, made the difference. His finish making it a
:41:52. > :41:58.worthwhile trip for the travelling fans, although they were kept on
:41:59. > :42:03.tenterhooks. Blackburn's soap did his best to ease the tension with
:42:04. > :42:17.the most extravagant effort of the afternoon. The striker who has
:42:18. > :42:21.scored more the goals than the rest of the squad put together could not
:42:22. > :42:26.quite add a second. We had to see a stormy period at it from Yeovil,
:42:27. > :42:29.which we expected, unfortunately, we carried on in the same manner and
:42:30. > :42:36.created several chances, it fell to the right man and he does what he
:42:37. > :42:39.does best. Both Dougie Freedman and Chris
:42:40. > :42:43.Powell though they will be a hard road ahead if they don't start
:42:44. > :42:49.climbing the table, -- know there will be. It was the South London
:42:50. > :43:00.team who made the early running. Yan commode and matching the run with
:43:01. > :43:08.the sweet finish. -- Chris Eagles was in one of those irresistible
:43:09. > :43:13.moods. Kevin McNaughton feeling the benefit, his first goal in five
:43:14. > :43:17.years. The full-back, on loan from Cardiff, may have forgotten how to
:43:18. > :43:24.celebrate but he knows how to cross the ball. Charlton could have
:43:25. > :43:28.snatched a rare win, Kermogant making great contact, but so did the
:43:29. > :43:32.goalkeeper. I'm disappointed with the result but not the performance.
:43:33. > :43:36.We created enough opportunities to win the game, with a golden spell
:43:37. > :43:40.just before the end of the first half, we created some very good
:43:41. > :43:45.chances. If you don't take them, you won't win the game.
:43:46. > :43:48.Caretaker manager Stuart Gray has the festive fixtures to prove his
:43:49. > :43:53.suitability for the Sheffield Wednesday job. For him, this was the
:43:54. > :43:58.nightmare before Christmas. Matt Ritchie got Bournemouth's opener
:43:59. > :44:02.with only ten minutes on the clock. Stuart Gray blamed Wednesday's
:44:03. > :44:08.sloppy defending their defeat. In party season, Andrew Surman led the
:44:09. > :44:13.Wednesday players a merry dance before Martinez made the save. But
:44:14. > :44:16.it wasn't long before Bournemouth broke through a game. Lewis Grabb
:44:17. > :44:23.and put the cherries on their way to a second consecutive away win --
:44:24. > :44:30.Luis Grabow. A waterlogged pitch letter Wednesday after the hook in
:44:31. > :44:41.midweek. There was no reprieve here. They did pull one back when Maghoma
:44:42. > :44:45.scored his first for the club, but Bournemouth clung on. Wednesday
:44:46. > :44:50.still occupied the drop zone. I think you always expect a hard game
:44:51. > :44:52.at Sheffield Wednesday, a club of huge tradition. They are going
:44:53. > :44:56.through a transitional period, without a full-time manager, so we
:44:57. > :44:59.are delighted with the wind and it gives us a good platform for
:45:00. > :45:03.Christmas. We started reasonably well, but if you can't defend, and
:45:04. > :45:07.they are poor goals that we conceded, we are very disappointed
:45:08. > :45:12.with the manner of the goals, it is individual errors that have cost us.
:45:13. > :45:16.Record back-to-back away wins the Bournemouth, we will talk about them
:45:17. > :45:21.in a second, but first, that game at the Den, the loser between Millwall
:45:22. > :45:26.and Astra will always face a tough Christmas, but are rarer away win
:45:27. > :45:29.for Middlesbrough. It was a toxic atmosphere afterwards, 300 fans
:45:30. > :45:33.protesting, not happy with the way things are going. Can you
:45:34. > :45:37.sympathise? They are four points above
:45:38. > :45:42.relegation. It's the manner in which they play. There is a particular
:45:43. > :45:46.ethos of the way that Millwall, what the fans expect down there. I have
:45:47. > :45:52.been at the football club, the club have been in the bottom three and
:45:53. > :45:58.they have been singing their manage 's name. It is a different football
:45:59. > :46:04.club in many facets and aspects. I think that a performance like that
:46:05. > :46:08.means that as a player, maybe manager, you don't get what is
:46:09. > :46:13.required to get them on your side. We need to see something different
:46:14. > :46:17.to turn that around. Talk about Bournemouth. You know, not quite
:46:18. > :46:20.sure where they were heading come the half way point of the season. It
:46:21. > :46:27.has been bit an up-and-down ride? Has been. The last two away
:46:28. > :46:34.performances will give them great heart. Grabban and Matt Ritchie?
:46:35. > :46:37.They started the season well. A fun rollercoaster ride, first time back
:46:38. > :46:41.in. Everybody has enjoyed what is going on. There is obviously a
:46:42. > :46:45.learning process, no doubt about that. I think as well that Eddie
:46:46. > :46:49.wants them to play. There will be times when you are not going to be
:46:50. > :46:51.able to play and you might have to get results when you have to grind
:46:52. > :46:55.out a little bichlt they are learning to do that as well. The
:46:56. > :46:59.last two results, as you say, have been fantastic results. When things
:47:00. > :47:04.started to maybe looking over their shoulder at what was below them.
:47:05. > :47:11.They have given themselves breathing space and shown they have character
:47:12. > :47:15.and fight to turn things around. To League One now and a draw last week
:47:16. > :47:18.at Bradford was enough for Leyton Orient to regain top spot. Could
:47:19. > :47:25.John Gregory keep Slade off of number one for Christmas?
:47:26. > :47:31.Leyton Orient away. There have been few tougher assignments this season.
:47:32. > :47:40.The League One pacesetters were first to strike, 14 minutes elapsed
:47:41. > :47:44.when they went in front by Odubajo. Mitt crawedy had gone nine games
:47:45. > :47:50.without a win. That would be to reckon without the influence of the
:47:51. > :47:56.new manager John Gregory. This cross located Alexander and the law of the
:47:57. > :48:00.ex-unfolded. Alexander scored a half century of goals during a
:48:01. > :48:06.four-and-a-half stint with the O's. Connolly's shot was handled by Lloyd
:48:07. > :48:11.James. The orient did his best to convince the world that the ball hit
:48:12. > :48:17.him in the face. The referee wasn't born yesterday. Crawley enjoyed a
:48:18. > :48:21.2-1 lead at the break. A narrow advantage became a winning one when
:48:22. > :48:27.Adams displayed a delicate touch to end a run of 21 matches without a
:48:28. > :48:31.goal. He once had a loan spell at Brisbane Road. There was late
:48:32. > :48:40.anxiety created by the scrappest goal of orient's season so far.
:48:41. > :48:46.Bartley's in finish couldn't denied them a win. It's not often Slade is
:48:47. > :48:50.eclipsed at Christmas. We hope it's a minor setback. We don't like
:48:51. > :48:55.losing football matches. Not something we want to get into the
:48:56. > :48:59.habit of doing it. We go in on Boxing Day top of the league and in
:49:00. > :49:03.good position. We could have been winning the game four, five, one
:49:04. > :49:07.with the opportunities we created. They are the side that set this
:49:08. > :49:18.division alight this season, Leyton Orient. Full credit to the players.
:49:19. > :49:35.Outstanding performance. When have you lost your last two legal games
:49:36. > :49:40.you will take goals from any source. Dicko continued his sparkling form
:49:41. > :49:47.after Pringle bent the ball in from the right. Nine minutes before the
:49:48. > :49:51.break the home side went in front. Seven goals in 11 games for the
:49:52. > :49:57.former Everton youngster. Wolves appeared to be heading for a third
:49:58. > :50:05.consecutive defeat when Dicko put away a sixth goal in his last five
:50:06. > :50:17.Rotherham appearances. It came from another Pringle delivery. You sensed
:50:18. > :50:23.Wolves needed to strike back. After Sako hammered home the penalty they
:50:24. > :50:27.completed a superb comeback. James Henry latched on to a sweet little
:50:28. > :50:31.pass from Edwards. Only goal difference now separates Kenny
:50:32. > :50:39.Jackett's Wolves from leaders Leyton Orient. Both sides attacked from
:50:40. > :50:43.start to finish. You could see a capacity crowd here at Rotherham. It
:50:44. > :50:49.was a big day for them. Rotherham are a good side, with good players.
:50:50. > :50:52.We did well to turn that round in the second-half. They went 3-1 up
:50:53. > :50:59.with tremendous response from my players. I was pleased with that.
:51:00. > :51:09.Two long unbeaten runs were on the line at Deepdale. Donaldson saw Rudd
:51:10. > :51:16.mistime his challenge. Forshaw made Rudd pay for his error. The Bees new
:51:17. > :51:19.manager began with a win last week. Within three minutes of the opener
:51:20. > :51:27.here, he was on his way to his first triumph on the road. Rudd managed to
:51:28. > :51:32.push away Forshaw's shot, he clipped the ball back for Trotter. Preston's
:51:33. > :51:35.unbeaten run which stretched back 11 games in all competitions was in
:51:36. > :51:40.jeopardy. They were given a life line when Clarke hit the deck. The
:51:41. > :51:44.referee pointed to the spot for a second time. Joe Garner was unable
:51:45. > :51:50.to mark his return from suspension with a goal. Keeper David Button was
:51:51. > :51:55.Brentford's man of the moment. A poor afternoon for the Lillywhites
:51:56. > :52:03.was sealed when Forshaw led another Bees raid. They were closing in on a
:52:04. > :52:06.ninth win in ten league outings. Saville found Saunders, who added a
:52:07. > :52:13.top-class finish they could celebrate all the way to London. I
:52:14. > :52:17.thought the boys were tremendous today, their character and
:52:18. > :52:20.commitment. They worked hard on the training pitch and brought it into
:52:21. > :52:27.the game on Saturday. Which is what you want to see. Pleased with the
:52:28. > :52:38.performance. The Builders watched on from the recently bull dosed end of
:52:39. > :52:46.London Road, Clay had a pot-shot. The construction men were save,
:52:47. > :52:51.Bradford weren't. Is Assombalonga got his 17th of the season. League
:52:52. > :52:57.One may not be his pinnacle, signed from Watford in the summer her
:52:58. > :53:02.scored from his debut and has barely stopped since. Got a clatering and
:53:03. > :53:07.sympathy, but no goal. Even with half-time a prospect rather than a
:53:08. > :53:16.memory, Peterborough were looking good value for only a second win in
:53:17. > :53:22.nine league outings. For all their application and inspiration, Porsche
:53:23. > :53:26.loud Bradford back into the game. Andy Grey supplied Yorkshire hope
:53:27. > :53:31.with a quarter of an hour to go. A match of cut and thirst ended with
:53:32. > :53:39.Darren Ferguson's team coming close to a third. Assombalonga display
:53:40. > :53:49.fallibility rather than ruthlessness, just for a change.
:53:50. > :53:58.Leon Clarke fell out big time with di Canio's Swindon after he made
:53:59. > :54:02.four appearances. His low header to give Coventry the lead would have
:54:03. > :54:04.been a special moment for him, his 15 of the season in all
:54:05. > :54:13.competitions. Clarke was clearly in the mood. Turning creator
:54:14. > :54:17.afterwards, before Baker forced Foderingham to hit this shot against
:54:18. > :54:24.the upright. That was a turning point. In the next attack Kazim
:54:25. > :54:29.fired a shot through a crowded box for the Swindon equaliser. The
:54:30. > :54:34.22-year-old with his first goal in league football. Coventry had scored
:54:35. > :54:48.ten goals in their previous four away games. This shot shot came from
:54:49. > :54:56.35 yards. They have won eight at home this season. More than any
:54:57. > :55:00.other side in League One. Dean Smith was able to field the 11 which
:55:01. > :55:08.started in Walsall's victory last week. The prospect of back-to-back
:55:09. > :55:12.successes looked batter when this pass led to Sawyers winning his dual
:55:13. > :55:25.with Amos. His charges were presented with an
:55:26. > :55:42.golden opportunity to level as Taylor used his hand to stop David
:55:43. > :55:54.Amoo. The shot was skied upwards. Chelsea loanee (inaudible) Miller
:55:55. > :55:58.had another pop, it wasn't his day. The Slovakian grabbed the winner
:55:59. > :56:12.last week and security the points here with a peach of the finish. The
:56:13. > :56:15.visitors landed a man light. Bond produced the red card to compound a
:56:16. > :56:23.miserable afternoon for the Cumbrians. That result for Walsall
:56:24. > :56:32.keeps them in touch with the top six which is a fabulous achievement. A
:56:33. > :56:44.few sides score three in a come back. Crawley at the home of the
:56:45. > :56:49.league lead, Leyton Orient. We are looking above us. I think we have a
:56:50. > :56:53.really good chance of getting in the play-offs. He is positive from the
:56:54. > :56:57.start. There is no doubt that will filter through to the players. They
:56:58. > :57:01.have taken that on board. The two great results so far. That goal gets
:57:02. > :57:04.better every time we see it from Nicky Adams. The first time that
:57:05. > :57:09.Leyton Orient have conceded three at home in over a year. What a
:57:10. > :57:15.statement from Brentford to score three at the home of your
:57:16. > :57:19.promotional rifles, Preston, and -- rivals Preston and keep a
:57:20. > :57:26.cleansheet. Absolutely. They are a good side, good players, good budget
:57:27. > :57:30.and a good manager. Sometimes the soft softies don't travel. They
:57:31. > :57:36.travelled today. They showed a statement of fact of their intention
:57:37. > :57:40.to grab a top two spot. Mark Waugh Burton settling in well. Let us see
:57:41. > :57:44.how the rest of League One panned out starting with Friday night's
:57:45. > :57:51.game between two sides flirting with the relegation zone, Tranmere and
:57:52. > :57:56.Gillingham. Tranmere's pre-Christmas offer of football for ?5 attracted a
:57:57. > :58:02.crowd of over 6,000. Gillingham marked the occasion by wearing
:58:03. > :58:15.shocking pink. Taylor's team took the lead through Akinfenwa.
:58:16. > :58:22.Gillingham's McDonald nearly made them pay for their misapprehension
:58:23. > :58:25.he tempted McNulty into a challenge. The referee took little time to
:58:26. > :58:32.dispense justice, leaving Rovers man down, as well as a goal down with
:58:33. > :58:37.more than half an hour to play. Gillingham were without Kedwell, his
:58:38. > :58:42.absence was offset by the goalscoring form of Akinfenwa. His
:58:43. > :58:48.second of the night effectively sealed the contest. There was time
:58:49. > :58:53.for Ryan Lowe to remind those watching of his poise in front of
:58:54. > :59:07.goal. 14th of the season for the striker. MK Dons win last weekend
:59:08. > :59:12.put them in tremendous heart. Gleeson's first goal since April
:59:13. > :59:17.arrived inside four minutes against Port Vale. Ben Reeves had doubled
:59:18. > :59:23.the lead. Sam Johnson was left with no chance. The ball flew past him
:59:24. > :59:28.through a crowded penalty area. The Dons are on their way to another
:59:29. > :59:33.impressive victory. The outstanding Reeves laid on the third for stop
:59:34. > :59:36.scorer Bamford. Successive league wins for the first time this season.
:59:37. > :59:45.They are seven points behind the play-off places, with a game in
:59:46. > :59:56.hand. The influence of the London clubs was apparent in Crewe's
:59:57. > :00:04.opener. Tom Hitchcock celebrated his second goal in as many games.
:00:05. > :00:10.21-year-old Hitchcock has a taste for the goals Steve Davies's side
:00:11. > :00:25.badly need. They are prone to conceding. Taylor beat Ben Garrett.
:00:26. > :00:35.A point a piece and an early Christmas card for Taylor.
:00:36. > :00:39.Oldham have booked themselves in for their annual FA Cup date with
:00:40. > :00:46.Liverpool in two weeks' time, but in the interim, then the position will
:00:47. > :00:57.-- their league position will concern them. Ellis Plummer giving
:00:58. > :01:02.them a lead with an own goal. Jabo Ibehre turning in the second. By
:01:03. > :01:05.contrast, Oldham hadn't lost at home in four months and a half time
:01:06. > :01:13.talking to stir them into belated action. After daylight had given way
:01:14. > :01:16.to darkness on the shortest day of the year, substitute John Pritchard
:01:17. > :01:21.went close to providing some consolation for the boundary Park
:01:22. > :01:29.brethren. Oldham's day it was not, Colchester move above them in the
:01:30. > :01:32.table. Sheffield United extended their
:01:33. > :01:36.unbeaten run to six matches, but they will be disappointed not to
:01:37. > :01:41.have one, after White and Baxter struck the woodwork against
:01:42. > :01:45.Stevenage. This time last year, the blades were top of League One and if
:01:46. > :01:50.they are to push up the table after Christmas, they will need to book up
:01:51. > :01:59.in front of goal. No side has scored fewer league goals.
:02:00. > :02:03.This dustup at the bottom revolved around to big decisions by the
:02:04. > :02:10.referee. He upset the Meadow Lane faithful by penalising Dean Leacock
:02:11. > :02:18.for impeding aid and fleet. -- aid in Flint. The visitors held the lead
:02:19. > :02:22.until another intervention by the referee. This time he adjudged Dean
:02:23. > :02:28.Leacock to be the victim, being held by Marvin Elliott. Responsibility of
:02:29. > :02:36.the spot kick fell to Alan Sheehan. A confident finish by the Irishman.
:02:37. > :02:42.Co sensed a third successive win and the substitute nearly clinched it
:02:43. > :02:47.against a former club. A point of these, leaving City bottom at
:02:48. > :02:50.Christmas. -- a point apiece. It has been a
:02:51. > :02:53.tough first top of the season the Notts County and Bristol City. A
:02:54. > :02:59.couple of very good wins, particularly MK Dons. They have had
:03:00. > :03:04.a nightmare period, we talked about them last week when they got turned
:03:05. > :03:08.over at walls. 3-1 winners against Port Vale, and players coming back
:03:09. > :03:13.from fitness, which has been undermining Karl Robinson so far.
:03:14. > :03:20.Undoubtedly. At this level, if you have five or six out, it can make a
:03:21. > :03:23.huge difference. It is massively important that the chairman and
:03:24. > :03:29.chief executive have responsibility to weigh up everything that is
:03:30. > :03:30.happening, not just of the results. When you get players out,
:03:31. > :03:33.happening, not just of the results. When you get you can't replace them,
:03:34. > :03:36.sometimes you have to be patient and wait for them to come back. It means
:03:37. > :03:42.there might be a slight dip in results, that has to be taken into
:03:43. > :03:46.consideration. Stephen Gleeson came back to score, he has been out for
:03:47. > :03:51.awhile, but he is still missing several players. The same goes the
:03:52. > :03:56.Colchester. What a result last week against bottom club County, when
:03:57. > :04:02.they shipped in four, but players coming back and they win at Oldham.
:04:03. > :04:05.It is a good result, they had a good result of a club the other day, and
:04:06. > :04:10.even more so than MK Dons, if they lost players at this level, they
:04:11. > :04:15.cannot replace them. It is not a club who can play good wages for
:04:16. > :04:22.loan players. So they very much have two work within a rebate, which can
:04:23. > :04:28.make things tight when you do miss players. There are some tough jobs
:04:29. > :04:33.out there. I think he offered his resignation. Speaker at this time
:04:34. > :04:36.last year. But he is doing a really good job at this stage.
:04:37. > :04:39.Right, time for League Two and Oxford maintained their title charge
:04:40. > :04:43.thanks to another late winner last week against Dagenham Redbridge.
:04:44. > :04:56.Next up for Chris Wilder's side, a trip to struggling York City.
:04:57. > :04:59.Oxford came into this match is the only side in the country still
:05:00. > :05:11.unbeaten on the road, but York's Josh Karsh -- Josh Carson missed a
:05:12. > :05:16.great chance before the break, and Jarvis: Convert a one-on-one after
:05:17. > :05:21.the break. It was Oxford's Dave Kitson who was frustrated late on.
:05:22. > :05:29.The save denying Oxford the chance to go top of the Christmas. We have
:05:30. > :05:33.had to work hard. York were excellent, they really pushed us,
:05:34. > :05:38.especially the first top. I thought we picked the place up better in the
:05:39. > :05:48.second-half -- especially the first half. We their keeper work more.
:05:49. > :05:51.-- we made their keeper work more. Chesterfield had an early
:05:52. > :05:57.opportunity to go back to the top. You can ill afford to give Mark
:05:58. > :06:01.Richards a sight of goal. Three minutes after the restart, the
:06:02. > :06:05.goalkeeper was beaten, Ollie Banks with the breakthrough. And 20
:06:06. > :06:10.minutes from time, victory was assured. Richards, who scored last
:06:11. > :06:17.week, made it two in two games against Devon clubs. Conditions made
:06:18. > :06:20.it very, very difficult and it was about the result and winning, a very
:06:21. > :06:25.valuable three points in the quest for what we want.
:06:26. > :06:31.Two players vying to take this corner, but Matt Richards won out
:06:32. > :06:40.over the mascot, and laid on a goal for Troy Brown with only 34 seconds
:06:41. > :06:43.on the clock. It has been a bad week for Fleetwood, out of the FA Cup and
:06:44. > :06:50.now a first home defeat since October. Cheltenham had their
:06:51. > :06:54.goalkeeper to thank. It was the same story in the second half, another
:06:55. > :06:59.spectacular stop, this time from John Parkin's volley. Town survived
:07:00. > :07:05.the onslaught and made sure of the points late on, their fourth win
:07:06. > :07:07.from six away games. It was always on the cards. If the Robins cannot
:07:08. > :07:18.make the most of Christmas, who can? Russ Wilcox still does not know
:07:19. > :07:22.whether he will be in charge at Scunthorpe beyond January, but there
:07:23. > :07:27.is surely not much more he can do to clinch the job. Dion Burton capped a
:07:28. > :07:30.flowing move after they had weathered an early onslaught, then
:07:31. > :07:34.conjured up an eye-catching second to put the promotion chasers more
:07:35. > :07:40.firmly in control. The veteran striker also scored a two Witton
:07:41. > :07:45.last week, only to see is cancelled out by stoppage time equaliser.
:07:46. > :07:51.Scunthorpe were fired up to make sure that did not happen again.
:07:52. > :07:56.Burton was denied a hat-trick by a goal-line clearance, but the bigger
:07:57. > :07:59.picture was rosy. A fourth win in an unbeaten five under their very
:08:00. > :08:04.successful stand-in boss to move Scunthorpe into the automatic
:08:05. > :08:08.promotion places for the first time this season. We have moved into the
:08:09. > :08:11.top three, that is important psychologically, the next two games
:08:12. > :08:25.are away and are both tough games, so to win today was very important.
:08:26. > :08:28.Two teams in form. Few would have predicted the first goal arriving
:08:29. > :08:35.from the Burton full-back Phil Edwards after 80 minutes. -- 18
:08:36. > :08:39.minutes. He became one of the game's key players, fulfilling his
:08:40. > :08:44.regular role, defending the Burton net from Andy Monkhouse. Monkhouse
:08:45. > :08:52.was proving a handful, but it wasn't his day. Instead, it fell to
:08:53. > :08:57.18-year-old substitute Brad Walker to find the equaliser. He had barely
:08:58. > :09:05.been on the pitch for two minutes before he was celebrating his first
:09:06. > :09:09.senior goal. Burton go fifth. No side in the top half of League 2
:09:10. > :09:14.had scored fewer goals on the road than Rochdale before the weekend,
:09:15. > :09:19.but inside the quarter hour, 18-year-old Jamie Allen brilliantly
:09:20. > :09:23.put them in front. They would have had breathing space if it wasn't for
:09:24. > :09:27.a superb double goal-line clearance from Luke Prosser. First he kept
:09:28. > :09:30.that Scott Hogan and then denied Iain Henderson, with the Rochdale
:09:31. > :09:36.player is appealing for a possible handball. -- kept out. Only goal
:09:37. > :09:41.difference separated the sides before kick-off and Kevin Hurst
:09:42. > :09:44.equalised with his eighth of the season in all competitions. Now
:09:45. > :09:50.Southend were the favourites, but the crossbar was to frustrate them.
:09:51. > :09:56.This Friday night clash between promotion contenders ended all
:09:57. > :09:59.square. We have got to understand that sometimes a point is a step
:10:00. > :10:05.forward, as opposed to a negative point, and I thought tonight was a
:10:06. > :10:10.positive point. Following their mid week wash-out in
:10:11. > :10:15.the FA Cup at Crawley, Rovers' intent was soon clear. Clarkson
:10:16. > :10:20.rattling the Pompey cage. The visitors were desperate for some
:10:21. > :10:23.festive cheer, but Ryan the's tame effort was blocked. The incentive of
:10:24. > :10:27.the hosts was that victory would lift them above their opponents. The
:10:28. > :10:37.breakthrough was a moment Ollie Clarke will always saviour, --
:10:38. > :10:40.saver, his first senior goal. The Pompey manager has warned his squad
:10:41. > :10:45.that they are playing for their futures. Victory was confirmed when
:10:46. > :10:53.Clarkson swept home. Pompey's misery continues.
:10:54. > :10:55.Torquay were often on the back foot at Dagenham. Michael cloak was
:10:56. > :11:00.forced into a number of saves early on. But Torquay experienced
:11:01. > :11:14.something of a minor Christmas miracle. Despite starting the bottom
:11:15. > :11:18.of the league, one goal was enough to lift them from the bottom.
:11:19. > :11:21.Torquay holding on for their first back-to-back wins over campaign, six
:11:22. > :11:28.points that may have kick-started their season.
:11:29. > :11:32.What a turnaround in fortunes for Aidy Boothroyd. Only last May, he
:11:33. > :11:37.led at Northampton to the play-off final. Today he took charge for what
:11:38. > :11:41.turned out to be the final time. Within 14 seconds, he must have
:11:42. > :11:54.sensed the unease of his chairman as joke of your fired the visitors in
:11:55. > :11:58.front -- as Jo Kuffour. They were two to the good soon after, and
:11:59. > :12:07.Northampton may have lacked quality of late but have always displayed
:12:08. > :12:17.spirit. Ismail McLeod scoring. If that offered hope, it was only
:12:18. > :12:22.fleeting. Skip a -- skipper Lewis and increasing the lead. By the time
:12:23. > :12:26.Dean Morgan guided in a fourth, Aidy Boothroyd of the police suspected
:12:27. > :12:27.his time was up. After the final whistle, the announcement of a
:12:28. > :12:39.parting of the ways. Plymouth's major problem this season
:12:40. > :12:44.has been finding the net, but then they rarely made defences as
:12:45. > :12:49.obliging raspberry's. Allowed to run before tucking away his first senior
:12:50. > :12:53.goal on his first start for the club. The young Northern Irishman on
:12:54. > :12:59.loan from Sheffield Wednesday was a whisker away from a second. Berry
:13:00. > :13:08.had one way on the road once all season. David Flitcroft hoped to
:13:09. > :13:13.double that in his first away trip. But a different outcome thanks to
:13:14. > :13:21.the Plymouth post. But an equaliser was on the way, courtesy of Chris
:13:22. > :13:25.Sedgwick. A fine strike, but false dawn. Flitcroft says it will take
:13:26. > :13:29.more than two matches to fix two years of doing things wrong. He
:13:30. > :13:34.can't afford to wait too long. Reuben Reid's winner made
:13:35. > :13:42.Plymouth's position more comfortable and dumped Bury into the bottom two.
:13:43. > :13:46.Never mind a Christmas break, Mansfield need a break on their
:13:47. > :13:50.slide down the table. Goal shy too often recently, the home side had
:13:51. > :13:53.John McCombe to thank for the lead midway through the first half. Paul
:13:54. > :13:59.Cox's side held the advantage until the second half, when Accrington's
:14:00. > :14:04.former Rangers striker Kai Naismith stepped in with his fourth goal in
:14:05. > :14:09.five games. His form is a key reason as to why the visitors have
:14:10. > :14:19.improved, powers which are tested when the Coombe fired in his second.
:14:20. > :14:25.-- when John McCombe. Four minutes into stoppage time, Naismith struck
:14:26. > :14:29.again. 2-2. Then, incredibly, and minutes later, James Gray snatched
:14:30. > :14:33.all three points for Accrington. John McCombe couldn't believe it,
:14:34. > :14:35.but the reality is that Mansfield are now just two points above the
:14:36. > :14:45.relegation places. Amazing turn around to overcome
:14:46. > :14:49.Mansfield. The big talking about has to be Aidy Boothroyd leaving
:14:50. > :14:54.Northampton Town. 4-1 home defeat to the Wycombe. First win in nine for
:14:55. > :15:00.them. They have never reached the heights since going to Wembley last
:15:01. > :15:04.season? It hasn't got started. Not at any stage has it looked like they
:15:05. > :15:11.would replicate what they did lats season. When the bar is set that
:15:12. > :15:25.high, it is expected you will go on from that.
:15:26. > :15:37.The other stand outresult, Bristol Rovers who have had an up-and-down
:15:38. > :15:42.season. Portsmouth, no win in seven. Barker is pulling no punches. He
:15:43. > :15:49.says his players have 10 days to play for their futures? He is right.
:15:50. > :15:53.Everybody has to put up or shut up. There are no more excuses. No more
:15:54. > :15:57.free rides. People have come off the back of this is what is happening at
:15:58. > :16:00.the club. Financial situation. Troubles and why the club is in the
:16:01. > :16:05.situation. I didn't go with that, I have to say. Those around are now
:16:06. > :16:09.dissipated. As I said, now is the time when these players have to show
:16:10. > :16:14.what they are made of. If not, like he say, they will have to be moved
:16:15. > :16:20.on and others brought in. The next two league games at home. A massive
:16:21. > :16:26.period for Ritchie Barker at Fratton Park.
:16:27. > :16:31.Let's see how all those games affect the league tables. Burnley will be
:16:32. > :16:34.top of the SkyBet Championship this Christmas. However, just a point
:16:35. > :16:37.separates the current top three after Leicester's win at QPR. Derby
:16:38. > :16:40.are undoubtedly the form side of the division, a seventh consecutive win
:16:41. > :16:43.leaves them just three points behind the leaders in fourth.
:16:44. > :16:46.Middlesbrough's first away win since August moved them up two places to
:16:47. > :16:49.17th. Barnsley remain bottom despite an impressive point at Elland Road
:16:50. > :16:52.in Danny Wilson's managerial return. Orient remain top of League One
:16:53. > :16:56.despite that shock home defeat to Crawley. The O's are now winless in
:16:57. > :17:03.their last four. Wolves are level with the O's after their comeback
:17:04. > :17:07.draw at Rotherham. It was a great day for third placed Brentford who
:17:08. > :17:11.closed the gap on the top two to just a point after a fourth win on
:17:12. > :17:14.the bounce. There was no change in the bottom four who all drew.
:17:15. > :17:18.However, big away wins for both Gillingham and Colchester moves them
:17:19. > :17:21.both up three places to ease their relegation fears. Chesterfield's win
:17:22. > :17:25.at Exeter sent them back to the top of League Two as away specialists
:17:26. > :17:28.Oxford could only draw at York. It was a good day for Scunthorpe who
:17:29. > :17:31.moved into the automatic promotion places for the first time this
:17:32. > :17:34.season and extended their five-match unbeaten run under Russ Wilcox.
:17:35. > :17:36.Torquay moved off the bottom and out of the relegation zone after
:17:37. > :17:40.recording their 1st back-to-back wins. They were replaced by
:17:41. > :17:43.managerless Northampton at the foot of the table while new Bury manager
:17:44. > :17:46.David Flitcroft has another relegation battle on his hands.
:17:47. > :17:52.That's your lot from us, but don't forget we've got highlights from the
:17:53. > :17:56.Premier League on Boxing Day for you courtesy of Match of the Day at
:17:57. > :17:59.10.25pm on BBC One. The Football League Show is back next Sunday at
:18:00. > :18:03.11.50pm, also on BBC One. Steve thank you for your company, have a
:18:04. > :18:08.great Christmas, and to you as well, have a great Christmas and we will
:18:09. > :18:15.see you next weekend. Goodbye.