Q.P.R. favourites

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34126, 12 April 1976, Page 3

Q.P.R. favourites

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter—Copyright) LONDON. Queens Park Rangers ' looked favourites to win the English soccer [league title for the first time in their 90-year history after beating Middlesbrough, 4-2, on I Saturday. I Two goals by the England captain, Gerry Francis, and two more from Don Givens iand Stan Bowles brought Rangers’ tally to 23 points 'from their last 12 league games and gave them a clear lead at the top of the firsti division table. | With three matches reImaining Rangers took their total to 55 points for an advantage of one point over | Liverpool, who could manage [only a 0-0 draw away to I Aston Villa. Third-placed Manchester United, with two games in .hand over the leading pair and chasing a league and [Football Association Cup 'double, suffered a serious setback when they were ham.mered 3-0 by Ipswich. United still have a chance Ito make up lost ground, though the defending champions, Derby County, looked lout of contention after edging to a 4-3 defeat in an I incident-packed match away to Manchester City. Manchester City got away :to an explosive start when two goals in a minute by | Dennis Tueart and Joe Royle gave them a 2-0 lead with (only nine minutes gone. i Derby looked likely to make up the deficit when the (Manchester City captain, 'Mike Doyle, was ordered off in the fourteenth minute for aiming a blow at Leighton | James after a foul for which (James was cautioned. But despite being reduced to 10 men, Manchester Citv increased their lead through 'Tony Power only four

minutes later. Two goals by Bruce Rioch put Derby back in the game but Tueart netted another for City before Colin Todd scored Derby’s third : with eight minutes remaining. Manchester United’s dreams of a double were dented by a superbly-lobbed goal from Ipswich’s Mick Lambert in the thirty-fourth minute and shattered by two goals in five minutes near the end from Trevor Whymark and David Johnson. The defeat of Manchester United sparked off a series of pitched battles between United and Ipswich fans in the streets around the ground after the match. About 30 fans were arrested. Leeds United, the only other club in contention on the last lap of the champion.ship race, were held 0-0 by Tottenham Hotspur. Sheffield United, already destined for division two next season, scored only their fourth win in 38 matches by i beating West Ham, 3-2. The individual scoring (honours in the first-division programme went to John i Richards, whose second-half hat-trick helped Wolverhampton Wanderers to a crushing 15-0 victory over Newcastle United. . In the second division promotion race, Sunderland returned to the front of the 'queue with a convincing 3-0 home win over Blackbum Rovers. Bristol City were | pushed down to second spot I after being held to a 2-2 (home draw by Chelsea. At the foot of the table, Portsmouth are now unable to avoid relegation after their 5-2 defeat away to Oldham Athletic. Hereford drew 0-0 with Millwall in their big division three promotion battle to hold on to the top spot ahead of Cardiff, who won 1-0 away to Crystal Palace. Brighton jumped from fourth to third

| position with a 3-0 win over Port Vale. , I The fourth division pacemakers, Lincoln City, took only a point from their 1-1 draw with Reading but were still three points clear of their rivals. ENGLISH LEAGUE Division one: Aston Villa 0, Liverpool 0; Burnley 1, Birmingham 0; Everton 0, Arsenal 0; Ipswich 3, Manchester United 0; Leicester 0, Norwich City 0; Manchester City 4, Derby 3; Queens Park Rangers 4, Middlesibrough 2; Sheffield United 3, West Ham 2; Stoke 0, Coventry 11; Tottenham 0, Leeds 0; Wolverhampton 5, Newcastle 0. I Division two: Bristol City 2, Chelsea 2; Carlisle 4, Bristol Rovers 2; Fulham 1, Hull 1; Luton ,1, Notts County 1; Nottingham (Forest 4. Oxford 0; Oldham 5, Portsmouth 2; Orient 0, Bolton 0; Southampton 3, Blackpool 1; Sunderland 3, Blackburn 0; York City 3, Plymouth 1. Division three: Brighton 3, (Port Vale 0; Bury 4, Rotherham 0; Crystal Palace 0, Cardiff 1; I Grimsby 2, Chester 0; Hereford 0, Millwall 0; Mansfield 1. Aidershot 0; Peterborough 0, Chesterfield 1; Preston North End 4, Gillingham 0; Swindon 3. Shrewsbury 0; Wrexham 3, Slieffeld Wednesday 0. ' The Halifax and Colchester game was postponed because of illness and injuries In the Halifax team. Division 4: Barnsley 1, Brent.ford 1; Bradford 1, Northampton ,2; Darlington 2, Tranmere 0; Doncaster 1, Bournemouth 1; Exeter 1. Workington 0: Hartlepool 2, Watford 1; Huddersfield 1, Scunthorpe 1; Newport 1, Rochdale 1; Reading 1, Lincoln 1; 'Swansea 2, Southport 0. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division: Ayr 1, Aberdeen 1; Dundee United 3, Celtic 2; Hearts 1, Motherwell 2; Rangers 3, Dundee 0; St John'stone 0, Hibernian 2. | SCOTTISH SPRING CUP Sixth round: Alrdrieonlans S. Stranraer 2; Arbroath 3, Albion Rovers 2; Clyde 1, Queen of the (South 0; Dumbarton 3, Stenhousemuir 1; Falkirk 2, Kil(marnock 0: Hamilton Academicals Q, Dunfermline Athletic 2; Morton 1, Stirling Albion It Partick Thistle 1, St Mirren 3; East Stirling 1, Montrose 1; | Meadowbank Thistle 1, Forfar 'Athletic 0; Alloa 2, Berwick Rangers 0; Brechin City 1, East Fife 1; Cowdenbeath 1, Queens Park 3; Raith Hovers 2, Clydebank 1; Morton 1, Stirling Albion