Aston Villa keeps three-point lead

Press, 10 November 1980, Page 21

Aston Villa keeps three-point lead

[NZPA-Reuter London [ Aston Villa kept its three- : point lead at the top of the i English soccer league at the iweek-end when its nearest chai lenger, Ipswich, jsquandered a two-goal lead at Southampton. Ipswich, the only unbeaten .’side in the first division, looked set for an easy win when they scored twice in the opening 24 minutes. But after having a defender, Terry Butcher, sent off in 'the seventy-first minute it ■was happy to settle for a 3-3 draw. Villa's goalless draw awayi to West Bromwich produced little of the excitement pack-, ed into the match at South-; ampton. but the point they gained was just as valuable, ; The clash between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, who have dominated the European Cup for the

Hast four years, also ended I in stalemate. Forest, the visiting team, would dearly have liked to end Liverpool’s run of 58 consecutive unbeaten home league matches but the goalless draw keeps it in third place. ■ Arsenal moved into fourth; (place above the champions J i Liverpool, with a stunning; (5-0 away win over Leeds. ■ 1 The London club, who’ (have struggled for goals all 'season, scored twice inside a( quarter of an hour in the; first half through John Hol-' lins and Steve Gatting and; after the break they tore. Leeds apart. Both Forest and Arsenal' have 21 points, one fewer, than Ipswich and four, behind the pacemaker Villa. ; While Arsenal’s victory,' was the most comprehensive; in the first division, there I was little doubt that the most dramatic game featured!

I Ipswich’s bid to keep its unbeaten league record intact. • i When Southampton con's ceded two goals in five min’■utes midway through the ”first half its record seemed (in no danger. But after 49 L minutes, Southampton, one of the pacemakers early in ‘[the season, were level. J An error by the Yugoslav ’[international goalkeeper. J Ivan Katalinic. gave Paul [Mariner the chance to restore Ipswich’s lead but in a (thrilling finish Steve Moran 'equalised for the home side | a few minutes after Butcher 'had been sent off for a foul lon Steve Williams. At the other end of the division. Norwich was the only side among the bottom [six to win, though Manchester City continued its revival under the former Norwich i manager. John Bond, by i ■drawing 1-1 at Leicester. ; ’ Norwich, struggling to I

-.pick up the pieces after [Bond’s departure, beat EverJton 2-0 with goals by Justin . (Fashanu and Joe Royle. J Brighton, the bottom club, j continued its depressing run I — the 1-0 home defeat by >[ Middlesbrough at the week--end means that it has gone [nine games without victory! .jin the league. I In the second division, the' [ leader, Notts County, had its! ..two point advantage cut to [[one. It could manage only a goalless draw with Derby; J while second-placed West' i Ham beat Grimsby 2-1. ! David Cross took his goal! tally for the season to IS by; scoring both the West Ham .goals. Chelsea stays in third: place with a 1-0 home win (over Oldham. ’ The Scottish Premier; : League leader, Aberdeen.! [gained some consolation for! ! its European Cup defeat byl [Liverpool in midweek by I ’stretching its lead in the'i

■championship to three points) [with a 2-0 home win overi (Celtic, one of its nearest: ■ challengers. Walker McAIl. who joined the club recently from the North American Soccer! [League side Atlanta Chiefs.! [followed his hat-trick againti i Airdrie last week with an-1 'other two goals. 1 The match was held upi for several minutes early in; the second half when a| spectator raced on to the; ■ pitch and threw Aberdeen's! 'Scottish winger, Gordon! Strachan, to the ground.; ! Players from both sides’ 'rushed to Strachan's rescue; :and six policemen were, needed to carry the angry! fan from the pitch. Rangers’ bid to stay in close touch with the cham-( pion. Aberdeen. took a knock when it was held to a. goalless draw away to St Mirren, but it remains in second position.

ENGLISH LEAGUE Division one.—Birmingham 1. ' Crystal Palace 0; Brighton 0, Middlesbrough 1; Leeds 0. Arsenal 5; Leicester I. Manchester City 1; Liverpool K, Nottingliam Forest 0; Manchester I nited ■ 0. Coventry O: Norwich 2. Ever- ! ton 1: Southampton 3, Ipswich ( 3; Sunderland 0. Stoke 0; Tottenham 2. Wolverhampton 2; West I Bromwich t>. Aston Villa 0.

, Division two.—Bristol City 2. ' Blackburn 0; Cambridge 2, New- ; castle 1; Chelsea I. Oldham 0; Notts County 0, Derby 0; Pres- : ton 3. Cardiff 1; Queens Park | Rangers 3, Luton 2; Sheffield [ Wednesday 2, Wr exham 1; I Shrewsbury 3. Bristol Rovers 1; | Swansea 0. Orient 2; Watford 3. (Bolton 1; West Ham 2, Grimstn , 1.

■ Division three.—Burnley I. Reading 2; Carlisle 2, Fulham 2; i Charlion 2. Rotherham 0; Ches . ter 3. Sheffield United 2; Chester- | field 2. Brentford 1; Colchester 1. [ Swindon 0; Exeter 0. Barnsley '1: Gillingham 0. Portsmouth I; Millwall 2. Huddersfield 1; Newport 4. Hull 0; Oxford 0. Blackpool 2; Plymouth 2. Walsall 0. Division tour.—Aidershot 0. Peterborough 0; Bury 3. Bournemouth 0; Crewe 1. York 1; Darlington 2. Tranmere 0; Halifax 1. Hartlepool 2; Lincoln 2. Southend 1: Mansfield 1. Torquay 1; Port Vale 1, Rochdale 1: Scunthorpe 3. Hereford 1; Wigan 0, Bradford 1; Wimbledon 1. Northampton 0. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division.—Celtic 0,! Aberdeen 2; Hearts 0. Dundee! United 3; Kilmarnock 0. Airdrieonians 1; Partick 0, Morton 0; St' Mirren 6, Rangers 0. Division one.—Berwick 2. Dumbarton 2; Clydebank 0. St Johnstone 2; Dundee 2. Motherwell! 1; Dunfermline 0. Falkirk 1; East I Stirling 1, Hibernian 1; Hamilton! 1. Ayr 0; Raith 3. Stirling 0.

Division two.—Albion 0, East Fife (l; Forfar 0. Brechin 0; Meadowbank 0. Queen of the South 2; Montrose 3. Cowdenbeath 2; Queen's Park 2. Arbroath 2: Stenhousemuir 3, Clyde 0; Stranraer 1, Alloa 3.