Soccer Everton jumps to lead

Press, 12 February 1979, Page 3

Soccer Everton jumps to lead

NZPA-Reuter London A magnificent hat-trick by Andy King sent Everton to the top of English soccer s first division on Saturday. King scored three In 35 minutes as Everton crushed Bristol City 4-1 to leapfrog ahead of Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion, which were both without a match. Their games fell victim to another bout of bleak, wintry weather which forced the postponement of 27 matches in England and Scotland. Everton’s lead is likely to be short-lived. It haa 36 points from 25 games but its neighbour, Liverpool, just one point behind, has three games in hand. Fourth placed Arsenal missed a chance to edge nearer the leaders when ft was surprisingly held nil-all at home to lowly Middlesbrough. who hardly mounted a worthwhile attack throughout. But in-form Leeds kept in touch by winning 1-0 away to the bottom club, Birmingham, which became £IM richer bv selling its star striker. Trevor Francis, to the champion club. Nottingham Forest. Even where games went ahead, conditions were dreadful and

Everton was among the teams; which had trouble adapting to the swirling winds and bonehard pitches. Bristol City went ahead after only nine minutes through Clive Whitehead and it was a long time before Everton started to plav like league leaders. Then King took control. He equalised after 33 minutes then scored two in three minutes, both from Trevor Ross crosses, after half-time. Billy Wright hit the fourth from a long-range free-kick. ENGLISH LEAGUE Division one.—Arsenal 0, Middlesbrough 0; Birmingham City 0, Leeds United 1; Coventry City 1, Tottenham Hotspur 3; Derby County 1, Norwich City 1; Everton 4, Bristol City 1; Ipswich Town 0. Southampton 0; Manchester City 0. Manchester United 3; Queens Park Rangers 3, Wolverhampton Wanderers 3.

Division two.—Bristol Rovers 2 r Cambridge - United 0; Charlton 'Athletic 2, Blackburn Rovers 0; ■Crystal Palace 1. Stoke City 1; Fulham I, Oldham Athletic 0; Leicester City 5, Orient 3; Luton Town 1. Sheffield United 1: Preston North End 1. Brighton and Hove Albion 0; West Ham United 3, Sunderland 3.

i Division three.—Blackpool 2. Colchester United 1; Brentford 1, Swansea City 0; Carlisle United 1, Mansfield Town 0; Chester 1, Bury 1; Exeter City 1, Peterborough United 0; Oxford United 1, Hull City 0; Rotherham United 1, Plymouth Argyle 0; Tranmere Rovers 1, Watford 1. Division four.—Crewe Alex* andra 1, Halifax Town 0; Doncaster Rovers 2, Northampton Town 0; Hartlepool United 3, Torquay United 2; Portsmouth 1, Bournemouth 1; Reading 1, Barnsley 0. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division. —Hearts 1, St Mirren Mothenypll 0, Hibernian 3i Raftgers 1, Dundee United 0. **•: r Division Urie.—Arbroath 0, ffilmarnock. iH’Xyr United 2, Stirling Albion O. Division two.—Berwick Rangers 1. Forfar Athletic 0; East Stirling 3, Alloa 1; Meadowbank Thistle 1, Falkirk 1. ' N. IRISH LEAGUE Bangor 2, Distillery 0; CliftonVille 1, Crusaders 0: Glentoran 1, Ards 0; Larne 0, Coleraine 1; Linfield 0, Glenavon 0; Portadown 2, Ballymffiia 0.