Upset results throw First Division open

Press, 3 October 1983, Page 28

Upset results throw First Division open

NZPA London England’s First Division soccer clubs, who have grown weary of the widespread belief that the division will be a private duel between Liverpool and Manchester United, struck back with a vengeance on Satur-

day. United, whose first team squad cost in excess of JNZIO.9 million, were held to a 3-3 draw at Norwich, while Liverpool were humbled 1-0 at home by lowly Sunderland. With the league leaders West Ham going down 3-1 at Stoke, the top of the First Division is as overcrowded as London’s Trafalgar Square on New Year’s Eve. Despite their unexpected defeat at Stoke, West Ham retained the lead with 18 points from eight games, one point ahead of Southampton, who are followed by United and Ipswich on 16.

Liverpool, chasing their seventh championship success in nine seasons, find themselves among a pack on 14 points with Birmingham, West Bromwich and Queen’s Park Rangers.

The picture will become even more confused today if Nottingham Forest, currently on 13 points, beat Tottenham in the first English League game to be shown live on television.

Sunderland's unexpected victory at Anfield, courtesy of a 29th minute penalty by Gary Rowell, was only their second success on the ground since 1935. Liverpool enjoyed 99 per cent possession of the ball, but, in a rare Sunderland breakaway, Craig Johnston handled a net-bound header from Gordon Chisolm and Rowell stepped up to tuck the resultant penalty past the goal-keeper, Bruce Grobbelaar.

Stoke, third from the bottom at the start of the day, went ahead against West Ham in the 29th minute when the Scottish defender, David McAughtrie, scored with a spectacular overhead kick, and although Ray Stewart equalised from the penalty spot soon after the interval, West Ham never looked like prospective champions. The winger, Mark Chamberlain, boosted his claims for a place in the England squad for the vital European championship tie in Hungary on October 12 when he shot Stoke back in front in the sixty-eighth minute and the Welsh veteran, Micky Thomas, sealed West Ham’s fate when he took the tally to three near the end.

Queen’s Park Rangers came out on top in the big match of the day in London with a 2-0 home win over Arsenal.

But a bizarre opening

goal will give critics of Rangers’ artificial pitch at Loftus Road more ammunition.

Gary Waddock’s long throw-in from the right bounced several times without anyone getting near it before the new England cap, John Gregory, rose high into the air to head the ball past Pat Jennings.

The shocks were not confined to England, and the three leading clubs in the Scottish Premier League all surrendered their 100 per cent records.

Glasgow Celtic took over the leadership despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren, who led 1-0 at the interval through Frank McDougall. But Celtic came roaring back after the break and a magnificent equaliser by the full-back, Brian Whittaker,, a recent signing from cityi neighbours Partick Thistle, took them on to the 11 point mark from six games. Dundee United and Hearts, both of whom had amassed 10 points from their opening five games, suffered home defeats. United, the reigning champions, lost 2-0 to Glasgow Rangers, while Hearts went down by the same score to the European Cup-Winners’ Cup holders, Aberdeen. Rangers, who have not enjoyed the best of starts this season, scored through the England rejects, Ally McCoist and Sandy Clarke, who returned north from Sunderland and West Ham respectively. Results:—

English League Division one.— Birmingham 2, Leicester 1; Coventry 1,

Ipswich 2; Liverpool 0, Sunderland 1; Luton 1, Aston Villa ft Norwich 3, Manchester United 3; Notts County 0, Everton 1; Queen’s Park Rangers 2, Arsenal ft Southampton 1, Wolverhampton ft Stoke 3, West Ham 1; West Bromwich 2, Watford 0.

Division two.— Brighton 7, Charlton ft Cambridge 2, Oldham 1; Cardiff 0, Barnsley 3; Derby 1, Carlisle 4; Fulham 5, Swansea ft Huddersfield 2, Chelsea 3; Manchester City 2, Grimsby 1; Middlesbrough 1, Crystal Palace 3; Newcastle 4, Portsmouth 2; Sheffield Wednesday 4, Blackburn 2; Shrewsbury 5, Leeds 1.

Division three.— Bradford 1, Exeter 3; Bristol Rovers 2, Bolton 1; Burnley 2, Plymouth 1; Gillingham 4, Brentford 2; Lincoln 3, Bournemouth ft Millwall 1, Sheffield United 2; Preston 1, Oxford 2; Rotherham 0, Newport 1; Walsall 2, Port Vale ft Wigan 1, Hull 1; Wimbledon 2, Orient 2.

Division four.— Bury v Peterborough postponed; Colchester 1, Chester ft Hartlepool 0, Tranmere 1; Hereford 0, Bristol City 2; Mansfield 5, Andershot 2; Northampton 1, Chesterfield 1; Reading 1, Darlington ft Swindon 2, Rochdale 1; Torquay 4, Doncaster 1; Wrexham 1, Halifax ft, York 4, Blackpool 0.

Scottish League

Premier division.— Celtic 1, St Mirren 1; Dundee United 0, Rangers 2; Hearts 0, Aberdeen 2; Motherwell 1, Dundee 3; St Johnstone 0, Hibernian 3. Division one.— Airdrieonians 0, Morton 3; Ayr 4, Alloa 2; Brechin 2, Partick ft Clyde 0, Kilmarnock 1; Dumbarton 2, Raith 1; Hamilton 1, Falkirk 2; Meadowbank 1, Clydebank 3.

Division two.— Albion 1, Stirling 1; Arbroath 2, Queen’s Park 0; Berwick 1, Forfar 2; Dunfermline 2, Stenhousemuir ft, East Fife 2, Cowdenbeath 1; Montrose 1, Stranraer 5; Queen Of The South 2, East Stirling 1.