City climb to second
Championship, League One and SPL round-up
Hesky sidelined for six weeks
Silvestre out for season
Falkirk investigate racial abuse
SFA block route to Europe
Manchester City maintained their 100% home record with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa. Michael Johnson’s goal lit up a drab encounter and ensured that Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men climb to second position in the Premier League table.
Watford are the new leaders of the Championship after they came from behind to beat Southampton 3-2 at Vicarage Road courtesy of two late strikes from substitute Darius Henderson.
Doncaster Rovers moved up to fourth in the League One table after beating Crewe Alexandra 2-0 at the Keepmoat Stadium. Paul Heffernan and an own goal by Danny Woodards sealed the points for Rovers.
Noel Hunt and Jordon Robertson were on target as Dundee United beat 10-man St Mirren 2-0 at Tannadice. Franco Miranda was sent off for the Buddies on 66 minutes.
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It has been confirmed that Wigan Athletic striker Emile Heskey suffered a broken metatarsal in yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Fulham at the JJB Sfadium. Subsequently, Hesky will be out of action for about six weeks and is a major doubt for England’s two crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers in Ocotber.
Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. Silvestre, 30, was stretchered off just before half-time in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Everton.
Falkirk have confirmed that police are investigating the racial abuse of midfielder Russell Latapy during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Hibernian at the Falkirk Stadium. A club statement read:
”An incident occurred which is currently under investigation by Central Scotland Police. Falkirk Football Club along with other SPL football clubs have published a code of ‘unacceptable behaviour. The incident was dealt with in accordance with this code.”
Latapy, 39, is a former Trinidad & Tobago international and has played in Scotland for Hibernian, Rangers and Dundee United before joining Falkirk in 2003. The veteran playmaker said:
“We have to take it in our stride and hopefully the people involved will learn from what they did. We have to try and make the situation better and try to cut out the whole racial situation in football. It is unfortunate in this day and age that things like that can still happen but it’s all part and parcel of the beautiful game.”
The Scottish Football Association are to stop the Scottish Cup runners-up competing in Europe. Chief executive Gordon Smith said:
“From next season, only Scottish Cup winners will be nominated for the Uefa Cup by the SFA. If the cup winners have already qualified through their league position, the extra European place will go to the next-highest team in the SPL. Only Celtic and Rangers are pulling their weight in Europe at the moment.”
Nathan Davies