City late show closes gap on leaders United

Updated December 23, 2012 09:07:14

Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester United in dramatic fashion as Gareth Barry's stoppage-time winner clinched a crucial 1-0 victory over Reading on Sunday morning (AEDT).

With United not in action until Monday morning's trip to Swansea, Roberto Mancini's team desperately needed to put pressure on its bitter rival and it finally seized the opportunity in the closing minutes at Eastlands.

After labouring to break down struggling Reading for long periods, the champions broke the deadlock when England midfielder Barry headed home from a David Silva cross.

That was enough to move City within three points of United and keep its challenge alive heading into the busy Christmas programme, while Reading stays bottom after its 11th defeat of the season.

"We had lots of possession but if you don't score early it is very difficult," Mancini said.

"You need to score quickly in these games and sometimes you have to take a risk to score, but I think we deserved to win."

Reading boss Brian McDermott added: "That goal at the end is just wrong. He (Barry) is on Nicky Shorey's back and it is an absolutely certain foul."

Arsenal climbed to third place, nine points behind City, as Mikel Arteta's second-half penalty sealed a 1-0 win over Wigan at the DW Stadium.

The only goal of a scrappy encounter arrived in the 60th minute when Spanish midfielder Arteta fired home from the spot after referee Jonathan Moss gave a penalty for Jean Beausejour's clip on Theo Walcott.

For all the talk of a crisis enveloping Arsene Wenger's side after its humiliating League Cup defeat at League Two minnows Bradford, the Gunners have now won their last three league matches and are back in the race to secure a Champions League place.

"It was very important because we beat West Brom at home and now we have two away wins," Wenger said.

"It was a difficult game because they stopped us from playing. I believe they are in the wrong position in the table."

Everton surged into fourth place with a 2-1 win over West Ham at Upton Park.

The Hammers took a 14th minute lead through Carlton Cole, but Victor Anichebe levelled with a 64th minute header.

Cole was sent off midway through the second half for a clash with Leighton Baines and Everton took advantage of its numerical superiority to grab the winner through Steven Pienaar's deflected effort in the 73rd minute.

Everton had midfielder Darron Gibson sent off for a high challenge in the closing stages, but David Moyes' side held on.

That win for Everton meant Tottenham slipped down to fifth place after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Stoke at White Hart Lane.

Liverpool winger Stewart Downing finally ended his Premier League goal drought as the Reds beat Fulham 4-0 at Anfield to record its biggest win of the season.

Downing had gone 44 league matches without a goal since joining from Aston Villa in a 20 million pound ($31.1 million) deal in 2011, but he netted in the 51st minute after first half strikes from Martin Skrtel and Steven Gerrard. Luis Suarez got the fourth in stoppage-time.

Newcastle ended a miserable run of six defeats from its last seven league games as Shola Ameobi clinched a 1-0 victory against QPR at St James' Park.

Ameobi came off the bench to hit the winner with a fine finish in the 81st minute, handing QPR boss Harry Redknapp his first defeat since officially taking charge last month.

West Bromwich Albion also remains in the hunt for a top-four finish after a 2-1 win against Norwich at The Hawthorns left it sixth and level on points with Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham.

Robert Snodgrass put the visitors ahead in the 23rd minute, but Albion equalised through Zoltan Gera in the 43rd minute and on-loan Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku headed the winner with eight minutes remaining.

Sunderland boosted its survival hopes as Steven Fletcher's 42nd minute goal sealed a 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Southampton.

AFP

Tags: english-premier, soccer, sport, england

First posted December 23, 2012 08:01:58

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Leaders Central Coast held by rivals

Updated January 14, 2012 22:42:55

Newcastle held runaway A-League leaders Central Coast to a 1-1 draw in a thrilling F3 derby at Gosford on Saturday.

Labinot Haliti put the visitors in front early in the match with the Mariners equalising in the second half through a Patrick Zwaanswijk header.

The Mariners extended their unbeaten run to 13 straight matches, with the draw leaving the club nine points clear of closest rivals Brisbane and Melbourne Heart.

The ninth-placed Jets picked up a valuable point to leave the visitors just a point outside the top six but coach Gary van Egmond admitted he was disappointed not to pick up a win after taking a lead.

"It feels a little bit like a loss because of the way the game panned out and we're pretty disappointed that we conceded off a set piece," van Egmond said.

"You come up against the team that's winning the comp and you play well, as I think we did the majority of the game, and you only get a point so it's a bit frustrating."

Newcastle looked strong in the opening half, creating chances early with Marko Jesic forcing Mariners' keeper Matthew Ryan into action with a shot just 10 minutes in.

It did not take long for the Jets to break the deadlock when a perfectly placed Jeremy Brockie cross found Haliti in the box who slotted home in the 17th minute for his third goal of the season.

The crowd of 10,904 erupted in the 23rd minute when lineswoman Allyson Flynn spotted what appeared to be a handball by the Jets' Nikolai Topor-Stanley in the box.

Despite replays showing a penalty should not have been given, referee Matt Gillett pointed to the spot.

Troy Hearfield stepped up to the mark but could not get it past Jets glovesman Ben Kennedy who made a flying stop.

Van Egmond admitted he would have been more upset had Kennedy not pulled off the fine save.

"I don't know where that came from but the penalty karma gods were with us so it was all good in the end," van Egmond said.

The host kept searching for the equaliser late in the half and had a chance when Olyroos skipper Oliver Bozanic played a superb ball right across the face of goal, but no one got on the end of it.

The visitor came back from the break looking to widen the gap and Brockie and Taylor Regan continued to cause problems for the usually impenetrable Mariners defence.

Central Coast coach Graham Arnold was on the attack in the second half changing his formation to a more aggressive 4-3-3 and it did not take long before the move paid off.

Hearfield played a cross to the waiting Bernie Ibini in the box, but the teen was just not quick enough to get to it before the Jets defence.

Only a minute later the Mariners levelled the score when Dutch import Zwaanswijk got on the end of a Bozanic corner, his 60th minute header at the near post squaring things up at 1-1.

Mariners: 1 (Zwaanswijk 60')

Jets: 1 (Haliti 17')

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, gosford-2250, nsw, australia

First posted January 14, 2012 20:34:11

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