Arsenal top by 2 points

Press, 11 December 1989, Page 25

Arsenal top by 2 points

NZPA-Reuter London A last-minute goal sent champions Arsenal two points clear at the top of the English soccer league on Saturday as Aston Villa battled to a l-l draw at Liverpool. Arsenal, without a win at Coventry for four years, looked to be heading for a goalless draw there until substitute Paul Merson hit an opportunist winner in the eighty-ninth minute. Villa, fighting to break a 12-year jinx at Anfield, had led at half time and were on course to take the top slot for the first time since winning the title in 1981. Villa survived a goalmouth scramble early in the second half, with England international Steve McMahon having a shot blocked and the ball floating loose in the area. Moments later, Beardsley picked up another loose ball just outside the area and curled a soft shot deftly past goalkeeper Nigel Spink’s outstretched body and inside the post. Arsenal had a dull first half at Coventry and almost fell behind in the 46th minute when Kevin Drinkell flicked a cross from Brian Burrows a fraction clear of the crossbar. The dramatic winner was one of few real scoring chances for the champions and Merson seized the moment, sending a high lob wafting over stranded goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic. Queen’s Park Rangers smashed Chelsea 4-2, piling on the agony for their West London rivals who were hit 5-2 by Wimbledon last week-end and who had been fourth before the match. The result was made even harder for the Chelsea fans by the home debut of 33-year-old Q.P.R. midfielder Ray

Wilkins, who began his goal-scoring career 16 years ago with Chelsea. Results of British soccer matches on Saturday: English division one. — Charlton 1, Millwall 1; Coventry 0, Arsenal 1; Liverpool 1, Aston Villa 1; Manchester United 1, Crystal Palace 2; Nottingham Forest ’ 0, Norwich 1; Queen’s Park Rangers 4, Chelsea 2; Sheffield Wednesday 1, Luton I; Southampton 2, Manchester City 1; Tottenham 2, Everton 1; Wimbledon 1, Derby 1. English division two. — Blackbum 2, Leicester 4; Bradford 2, West Ham 1; Brighton 1, Wolverhampton 1; Hull 2, Port Vale 1; Ipswich 1, Sunderland 1; Middlesbrough 0, Leeds 2; Newcastle 2, Oxford 3; Stoke 0, Barnsley 1; Watford 3, Oldham 0; West Bromwich 2, Bournemouth 2. English division four. — Scarborough 2, Stockport 0; York 1, Gillingham 0. English Football Association (FA) Cup second round. — Basingstoke 2, Torquay 3; Blackpool 3, Chester 0; Bristol City 2, Fulham 1; •Cambridge 3, Woking 1; Cardiff 2, Gloucester 2; Chesterfield 0, Huddersfield 2; Colchester 0, Birmingham 2; Crewe 1, Bishop Auckland 1; Darlington 3, Halifax 0; Grimsby 1, Doncaster 0; Hereford 3, Merthyr Tydfil 2; Maidstone 1, Exeter 1; Northampton 0, Aylesbury 0; Reading 0, Welling 0; Rochdale 3, Lincoln 0; Scunthorpe 2, Burnley 2; Swansea 3, Peterborough 1; Walsall 1, Rotherham 0; Whitley Bay 2, Preston 0; Wigan 2, Carlisle 0. Scottish Premier division. — Aberdeen 2, Dundee United 0; Dundee 3, St Mirren 3; Dunfermline 0, Hearts 2; Hibernian 0, Celtic 3; Rangers 3, Motherwell 0. Scottish division one. — Airdrieonians 1, Ayr 1; Clyde 0, Meadowbank 3; Falkirk 1, Partick I; Forfar 3, Albion 0; Hamilton 2, Clydebank 1; Morton 0, St Johnstone 0; Raith 1, Alloa 1. Scottish Football Association (FA) Cup first round. — Berwick 1, Stenhousemuir 1 (played at Stenhousemuir); Brechin 3, Montrose 1; Elgin City 2, Arbroath 1; Queen of the South 2, Cove Rangers 1; Queen’s Park 1, Dumbarton 2; Stirling 4, Coldstream 0 Played at Alloa).