Ipswich has three-point lead

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 20

Ipswich has three-point lead

NZPA/Reuter London! The Scottish international, John Wark, kept Ipswich) firmly entrenched at the top of the English first division on Saturday by scoring both goals in the 2-0 home win over Coventry. Wark, who scored four for Ipswich in a 5-1, European Football Union (U.E.F.A.) Cup win over the Greek side, Aris Salonika, on Wednesday, broke the deadlock in the 57th minute and followed up with his second six minutes later.

Ipswich, which has dropped only one point in seven matches, now holds a three-point lead over Southampton and Nottingham Forest,

Southampton shared four goals in a thrilling match against the champion, Liverpool, while Forest, the European champion, swamped the struggling Leicester 5-0 at home.

The England striker, Bob Latchford, scored a hat-trick in 11 minutes for Everton, which crushed the bottom

I club, Crystal Palace, 5-0, and [Stoke added to Manchester City manager Malcolm Allison’s worries by beating I City 2-1 — its first away win of the season.

Leeds, another of the first division- strugglers, gained a useful point for their new manager, the former England striker, Allan Clarke, in a goalless home draw with Manchester United.

Kevin Keegan, making his first appearance against his old club, Liverpool, was one of five players booked in a fiercely contested match at Southampton. ■ The Scotland international, Graeme Souness, gave the champion side an early lead but Southampton stormed ahead with goals by Chris Nicholl and Phil Boyer. Phil Neal then missed a penalty for Liverpool before David Fairclough earned his side a share of the spoils.

Forest’s rout of Leicester followed a disappointing 1-0 defeat by C.S.K.A. Sofia, of Bulgaria, in a European Cup tie on Wednesday. Four of their goals on Saturday came in the final 18 minutes of the match. .

Palace, one of the first division pacemakers at this time last season, were similarly blitzed by Everton. After holding the Merseyside club in the first half they allowed Latchford to complete a hat-trick with half an hour of the match to be played. John Gidman and Peter Eastoe completed Pal-' ace’s nightmare.

Aston. Villa moved back among the leading pack after two successive defeats with a 2-1 home win over Wolverhampton. The former England skipper, Emlyn

Hughes set them on their way with an own goal in the fourth minute.

Villa jump above Arsenal which lost for only the second time this season — 2-1 away to Middlesbrough. The England. newcomer, Graham Rix, gave Arsenal the lead but goals by Mark Proctor and David Armstrong floored the Londoners. Neil McNab was sent off in the second half of Brighton’s home match against Norwich for pushing the referee but Brighton went on to win 2-0. Its marksmen were Mike Robinson and Gary Stevens. The newly promoted Blackburn remains the only unbeaten team in the second division after .winning 2- at home to Grimsby. Derby was surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home by Wrexham and West Ham moved above it into second place with a 3- win over Watford, the England international Trevor Brooking scoring an 89th minute winner. i

In Scotland, Rangers swept to the top of the premier league with an 8-1 away win over Kilmarnock — a record for the premier :league. John McDonald grabbed a hat-trick, lan Redford scored two, one a penalty, and Sandy Jardine and Jim Bett added to ' Kilmarnock’s agony. ENGLISH LEAGUE

Division one.—Aston Villa 2, Wolverhampton 1; Birmingham 1, West Bromwich 1; Brighton 2,

Norwich 0; Everton 5, Crystal Palace 0: Ipswich 2, Coventry 0; Leeds 0, Manchester United 0; Stoke 2, Manchester City 1; Middlesburgh 2, Arsenal 1; Nottingham Forest 5, Leicester 0; Southampton 2, Liverpool 2; Tottenham 0, Sunderland 0. Division two.—Blackburn 2,

Grimsby 0; Swansea 4, Bolton 1; Notts County 1 Bristol City 0; Cardiff 2, Bristol Rovers 1; Chelsea 1, Preston 1; Wrexham 1, Derby 0; Luton 2, Orient 1; Newcastle 0, Oldham 0; Sheffield Wednesday 1, Queen's Park Rangers 0; Shrewsbury 2, Cambridge 1; West Ham 3, Watford 2.

Division three. —Barnsley z, Swindon 0; Brentford 3, Blackpool 0;' Colchester 2, Charlton 1; Chester 0, Burnley 0; Chesterfield 3, Newport 2; Fulham 2, Walsall 1; Huddersfield 1, Sheffield United 0; Hull 2, Portsmouth 1; Millwall 1, Exeter 0; Carlisle 2/ Oxford 1; Plymouth 4, Gillingham 1; Rotherham 2, Reading 0. Division four.—Aidershot 1, Mansfield 0; Crewe 2, Halifax !; Hartlepool 2, Hereford 0; Peterborough 1, Bournemouth 0; Port Vale 4, Darlington 2; Bradford 2, Rochdale 0; Wigan 2, Bury 1; Lincoln 1, Wimbledon 0. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division.—Celtic 1, Airdrie 1; Morton 1, Hearts 0; Rangers 8 Kilmarnock 1; Aberdeen 1, Partick 0; St Mirren 2, Dundee United 0. Division one.—Berwick 3, Motherwell 2; Clydebank 2, Ayr 2; Dundee 4. Falkirk 0; St Johnstone 2. Dunfermline 0; East Stirling 2, Stirling Albion 0; Hamilton 1, Hibernian 1; Raith 4, Dumbarton 1. Division two. — Brechin 3, Albion Rovers 2; Queen of the South. 2, Forfar 1; Clyde 2, Meadowbank 0; Montrose 2, Alloa 1; Queens Park 2, East Fife 1; Stenhousemuir 1, Cowdenbeath 1; Arbroath 2, Stranraer 0. NORTHERN IRELAND

Ulster Cup.—Glentoran 2, Ards 1: Cliftonville 3, Distillery 3; Crusaders v. Ballymean postponed: Portadown 2, Glenavbon 0; Larne 2, Coleraine 2.