U.K. soccer

Press, 6 March 1978, Page 3

U.K. soccer

NZPA-Reuter London, Nottingham Forest, bidding to become the first side ever to win English soccer’s three main trophies in one season, strengthened its grip on the first division by beating West Ham, 2-0. on Saturday. While Forest marched on, its main rivals all faltered and Brian Clough’s team was able to i stretch its lead at the top of the i table from four points to six. I Manchester City, which had ; started to mount a major challenge to Forest’s supremacy with a burst that brought it 17 points in nine games, was beaten, 3-0, at Arsenal. Everton drew level with City on 39 points but did its hopes of the championship no good by dropping a point at home to struggling Queens Park Rangers, which fought back to draw, 3-3. after being two goals down. The reigning champion, Liverpool, came dowm to earth after its European Cup triumph against Benfica in Portugal during the week when it lost, 3-1, at Chelsea. English league Division one: Arsenal 3, Manchester City 0; Aston Villa 0, Lei-cester-City 0: Chelsea 3, Liver!pool 1; Coventry City 4, Birmingham City 0; Derby County 1, Newcastle United 1; Everton 3, ' Queens Park Rangers 3; Ipswich i Town 2, West Bromwich Albion t’ heeds United 0, Bristol City 2; • ; Manchester United 0, Middles- ■ brough 0: Nottingham Forest 2, I West Ham United .0; Wolveri hampton Wanderers 3. Norwich City 3. Division two: Blackpool v. Fulham postponed because of Blackpool illness and injuries: Bolton Wanderers 1. Brighton and Hove Albion 1: Bristol Rovers 2, Burnley 2; Charlton Athletic 2, Black-

• burn Rovers 2; Crystal Palace 0. Stoke City 1; Hull City 3. Millwall 2; Luton Town 3, Cardiff City 1; Oldham Athletic 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1; Orient 0, Notts County 0: Sheffield United 2, Mansfield. Town 0; Sunderland 0, Southampton 0. Division three: Carlisle United 1, Cambridge United 1; ChesIterfield 2, Sheffield Wednesday 2; [Hereford United 1, Colchester I United 0: Peterborough United 2, (Bury 1; Plymouth Argyle 2, Chester 2: Portsmouth 1.. Walsall 2: |Port Vale 1. Shrewsbury Town 2; I Preston North End 3. Bradford I City 1; Rotherham United 2, Gillingham 0: Swindown Town 1, Lincoln City 0; Wrexham 2. Exeter City 1. : Division four: Barnsley 0, Doncaster Rovers 0; Bournemouth 1, Hartlepool 0; Brentford 3, Torquay United 0; Crew Alexandra 0. Wimbledon 0: Darlington 0. York City 2; Huddersfield Town 2, Halifax Town 2; Newport County 2, Aidershot 1; Reading 0, Northampton Town 0: Rochdale 2. Stockport County 1; Southend United 4, Southport 2. Scottish league Premier division: Ayr United v. Partick Thistle postponed: Clydebank 2. St Mirren 2; Dundee United 0, Celtic 1; Motherwell v. Hibernian postponed; Rangers 0, Aberdeen 3. Division one: Airdrieonians 3, Dundee 3: Alloa 0, Arbroath 0; East Fife 1. Stirling Albion 1: Hearts 1, Dumbarton 1; Montrose 5, Queen of the South 2: Morton 2. Kilmarnock 0: St Johnstone 1, Hamilton Academicals 1. Division two: Berwick Rangers 2: Stranraer 2: Clyde 4, Dunfermline Athletic 2: Cowdenbeath 7, Albion Rovers 1: East Stirling 1, Brechin City 0; Forfar Athletic 1, Stenhousemuir 1; Meadowbank 0, Raith Risers 0; Queens Park 1, Falkirk »