U.K. soccer Ipswich’s bad run continues

Press, 20 April 1981, Page 13

U.K. soccer Ipswich’s bad run continues

NZPA-Reuter London The injury jinx which has dogged Ipswich this season inflicted two more devastating blows on it on Saturday, to leave Aston Villa the firm favourite for the English first-division soccer championship. While Villa cruised to an effortless 2-0 home win over Nottingham Forest with goals from Peter Withe and a Gordon Cowans penalty, a depleted Ipswich went down, 0-2, to Arsenal. Villa’s victory left it three points clear at the top, although it has just three games left to play against Ipswich’s four.

Ipswich was given due warning that it was in for a tough afternoon against Arsenal when the Dutch international, Fran Thijssen, was ruled out with a groin strain just before kick-off. Its fortunes took another dip after 16 minutes when the England striker, Eric Gates, limped off, and before the substitute could be brought on Arsenal went ahead through Peter Nicholas. Any chance Ipswich had of saving the game disappeared when Kenny Sansom headed the visitors into a 2-0 lead in the fifty-eighth min- , ute.

It was Ipswich’s first home defeat of the season, a record which had stretched back 46 games, and the worst possible preparation for Wednesday’s European Football Union (U.E.F.A.) Cup semi-final second leg tie against Cologne. Arsenal went ahead with a marvellous goal from the midfielder, Nicholas, who pounced on a loose ball to send a rocketing 25m shot high into the net. If anything, the second goal was even better. John Hollins sped down the right before passing to John Devine, whose pinpoint cross , was headed home by Sansom ' at the far post. In contrast, Villa enjoyed an unexpectedly easy passage against Forest, the European champion in 1979 and 1980. Cowans put it ahead from the penalty spot in the twenty-ninth minute after the Scottish international, • John Robertson, pulled down Des Bremner. Withe, who won a championship medal with Forest, almost certainly clinched his second, when he notched the second goal with a brave diving header on the stroke of half-time. At the other end of the table, Leicester and Brighton look likely to join Crystal Palace in the depressing journey to the second division. •Ironically, neither side lost on Saturday, Leicester drawing, 2-2, "at home with Southampton, and Brighton winning, 3-0, at Palace. ENGLISH LEAGUE Division one.—Aston Villa 2 Nottingham Forest 0; Coventry 2 Stoke 2; Crystal Palace 0, Brighton 3; Everton 4, Middlesbrough 1: Ipswich 0, Arsenal. 2; Leeds 0 Liverpool 0; Leicester 2, Southampton 2; Manchester United 2, West ’ Bromwich. 1; Sunderland 3, Birmingham 0; Tottenham 2, Norwich'3. Wolverhampton 1, Manchester City 3. -r. •••; •■• ' .Division two.—Blackburn 0, Bolton 0; Bristol City 0, Chelsea ft Derby 2, Newcastle 0; Grimsby 0 Oldham ft Luton 1. Bristol Rovers 0; Notts County 0, Preston ft Orient 0, West Ham 2; Queens Park Rangers 0, Watford 0; Sheffield Wednesday 4. Cambridge 1; Swansea 1. ' Cardiff 1; Wrexham 1 Shrewsbury 2. Division" three.—Blackpool 0, Burnley ft Brentford 1, Sheffield United 1; Carlisle 0. Rotherham 1; Chesterfield 2. Chester 0; Fulham 1, Charlton 0; Gillingham 0, Colchester 0: Hull 2, Huddersfield 1; Newport 2, Exeter 1; Oxford 2, Reading 1; Plymouth 0, Swindon 0: Portsmouth 2, Miliwall I; Walsall 1, Barnsley 1. Division four.—Aidershot 1, Southend 2; Bournemouth 0, Wimbledon 1; Bury 6, Scunthorpe 1; Darlington 3, Halifax 1; Mansfield 2, Lincoln 0; Peterborough 2, Crewe 1;' Port Vale 1, Northampton 1; Rochedale 3, York 2; Wigan 2, Stockport 1; Tranmere 1, Doncaster 1. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division.—Aberdeen '3, Airdrieonians ft Hearts 1, St Mirren 2; Kilmarnock 0, Partick 1; Morton 2. Dundee United 0; Rangers 0, Celtic 1? . J - Division one.—Ayr 1, Stirling ft, Berwick 1, Falkirk 2; Dumbarton 2, Dunfermline 1; Dundee L CTydeband ft East Stirling 2. St Johnstone'2;’Hamilton 1. Motherwell 2; Hibernian 2, Raith 0. Division two.—Albion 0, Stenhousemuir 2; Alloa 1, Queen of the South 5: Cowdenbeath 1, Arbroath ft Forfar 1, - Queens Park 2; Meadowbank 1. East Fife 0; Montrose 3, Brechin 2; Stranraer 1, CJvde I.