|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Saturday, April 18, 1998 Published at 17:40 GMT 18:40 UK Sport: Football Ten-man Tottenham hold Barnsley Klinsmann: Substituted at half-time
Relegation issues are still no clearer after a day in which bottom club Crystal Palace secured their first home win of the season.
Barnsley and Tottenham Hotspur fought out a draw and Bolton slip to second bottom after going down 3-2 at Leeds United.
Just five points separate Bolton from fifth-bottom Everton with each having three matches to play.
Barnsley 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Battling Barnsley are still in with a chance of surviving but they will need to show their killer instinct.
Neil Redfearn put Barnsley in front but Spurs, knowing defeat would throw them into the relegation zone equalised through Colin Calderwood.
Ramon Vega was sent off after 65 minutes for serious foul play but Spurs, without Klinsmann who was substituted at half-time, kept their nerve to take a point home.
The result leaves both teams still in deep trouble. Spurs are just two points ahead of Barnsley who climbed one place but are still third bottom.
Crystal Palace 3-1 Derby County
After 16 home league matches Palace have finally won - but it still looks like a case of too little too late.
Marcus Bent scored the third in the last minute after Lars Bohinen grabbed a consolation for the Rams.
Palace, with four to play, are still eight points from safety and look like they will be making a quick return to the first division.
Derby are still in with a chance of Europe but more performances like this and they will end mid-table.
Bolton Wanderers 2-3 Leeds United
Leeds United stay on course for a Uefa Cup place after a win that could doom Wanderers to a trip back down to the first division.
United's top scorer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink put the game beyond Bolton five minutes from time but the home side still had chance to get their second through Mark Fish
Everton 1-1 Leicester City
Everton are edging to point by point to Premiership survival but Leicester, one of the season's surprises, must now realise their chances of qualifying for Europe are remote.
John O'Kane lofted a long ball from the halfway line to Duncan Ferguson, whose nod on fell into the path of Mickael Madar.
His sweet volley hit the back of the net after just 1min 58secs.
Ian Marshall levelled for City in the 38th minute to keep Everton sweating just two places off the relegation zone.
West Ham United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers suffered their second defeat in a week against London opposition and it is threatening their push for Europe.
Hartson, who will not play again this season because of suspension, signed off with both West Ham's goals.
United leapfrog above Rovers with the win and into the sixth - and possibly last - European place.
Jason Wilcox scored Rovers' reply on the stroke of half-time but they could not find the equaliser.
Southampton 1-2 Aston Villa
In-form Villa are pressing for a place in Europe after their fifth straight win - an ambition that seemed impossible before John Gregory's appointment.
Dwight Yorke netted the winner, his 14th of the season, on the hour and Southampton never looked like recovering a second time.
|