The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 20

jjjj 20 OBSERVER SUNDAY 8 MAY 1988 Taylor's team pip Middlesbrough to go back to the First but Chelsea face the play-offs Wo DO MATTHEW HARRIS (oS) MICHAEL RALPH chester United made sure of runners-up spot in the First Division and a possible European run-out next season by beating Portsmouth. All in all a bad day for Robson, who learned that Terry Butcher will definitely not be fit in time for the European Championships after breaking his leg playing for Rangers last November. Butcher, who was injured playing for Rangers at the end of November, said 'The break turned out to be more serious than anyone thought at the time. It has been the worst six months of my Perhaps Robson will consider the claims of Butcher's teammate Graham Roberts, whom the Rangers fans begged to stay yesterday' despite the row he has had with the club. Elsewhere in Scotland, Celtic set a record Premier League points total of 72 by beating Dunfermline, and the Hibernian keeper Andy Go nun scored with a drop kick in the 3-1 win over Morton.

WHAT A MAD scramble for chairs as the music stops, and nowhere madder than at the top of the Second Division, where Aston Villa's grim 0-0 draw at Swindon proved just enough to take them back to the First at the first attempt. They go np on the strength of having scored more goals than Middlesbrough, whose collapse at home to Leicester allowed Villa to draw level on points and goal difference. Five extra goals did the trick for the- Midlanders; presumably their next claim would have been alphabetical. So Graham Taylor also returns to the top flight after one season, ironically enough as the side he left last year, Watford, drop down. Villa's rise was confirmed as Bradford blew ont at home to Ipswich.

Blackburn's 4-1 win at Millwall, who received the championship silverware before the game, was enough to give them the last play-off said the Blackburn score was be said. The players thought they were in the Heartbreak too for Middlesbrough's manager Bruce Rioch as his side missed automatic promotion 'It is a bitter pill' but at least bis boys have a second chance as the play-offs get under way next Sunday. That is bad news, though, for England manager Bobby Robson, who will not now be able to include Boro's defender Gary Pallister in his squad to be named on Tuesday for the European Championship warm-up matches against Scotland, Colombia and Switzerland. Nor, for that matter, will he be able to call upon Chelsea's England Under 21 full back Tony Dorigo, and there doubt over Viv Anderson's fitness after he limped off with an ankle injury as Man TAYLOR are offering a 50 reward for any information as to the identity of the culprits and considering that Walsall have just announced a record loss of 492,718 for last season that's pretty generous. The Humberside horizon is shrouded in a blanket of unremitting gloom following yesterday's formal completion of Grimsby's nosedive from Division Two to Four in successive seasons.

Rotherham have a chance to wriggle free from similar fate via the playoffs but yesterday's 4-1 defeat at home to the League's leading scorers Sunderland will IMSOT IMgjlhlttOT Staying up: Charlton players Crooks, Jones and Lee congratulate goalscorer Paul Miller. FBMBugJ ft ttuD ifDODDSlh) at Stamford Bridge. Charlton Athletic 1 COMPLETELY out of contention for much of the season Brighton have stolen up on the blind side of a cluster of established promotion candidates snatch the remaining automatic Second Division promotion berth alongside champions Sunderland. Urged on by a partisan gathering of almost 20,000 at the GoJdstone Ground, Brighton ended a single "season stop-over in the Third thanks to a 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers. Perhaps appropriately the goal that guaranteed their elevation was scored by Garry Nelson whose tally of 32 this season have proved the bed rock of Brighton success.

Scramble out of the Second safe at half-time. Then a series of niggling individual battles between various players began to spread without any attempt to check them by Mr Reeves or his linesmen. Once Charlton's Miller had scored the equaliser with a shot that deflected off McLaughlin and Wicks, the game began to be punctuated by players laid out by various means. At one stage players were threatening and pushing each other in the full view of the officials with no apparent restriction being imposed on them. As Chelsea straggled hard to retrieve the lead that would make them safe, the Charlton forward Carl Leaburn was laid out in his own penalty area, apparently after a clash with It took a minute to' bring Leaburn around and another five to stop him retaliating.

The introduction of the PETER CORRIGAN Chelsea 1 At one time in the second half, after several players were involved in a melee, Mr Reeves took the unusual step of calling both his linesmen into the middle of the pitch. He may have been asking if they knew of a back way out; he certainly didn't pick up any advice on how to recapture control of a match, the nervous tension of which was too easily allowed to spill into violence. Only two players were booked, the first being Charlton's John Humphrey who had his name taken for dissent after the referee had awarded a penalty against him in the sixteenth minute. Although Humphrey's tackle on Durie was deserving of punishment, the fact that it took place a couple of feet outside the area made his anger at the penalty decision almost justified. Durie piit Chelsea into the leac from the penalty spot and forwards find-lirigait difficult to piece together a cohesive challenge it was a lead, that looked it up ASTON VILLA, so dominant for so long, struggled back into the First Division only by courtesy of their challengers' final failure.

The taut nerves so evident throughout their scrappy draw at Swindon were stretched close to breaking as injury-time interminably spun out the Middlesbrough result. Villa goalkeeper Spink then collapsed prostrate in relief as the victory roar of his side's supporters announced defeat i for Middlesbrough, promotion for Villa. It was a sad -climax to the "Second Division season that teams which have set such high standards should contrive such a depressing finale. But Villa were not worrying the County Ground Aston Villa 0 Gittens too gave Villa a moment of hope with a misjudged back-pass that Thompson could not control. For the rest, the Villa forwards ran blindly into a defensive wall that was numerically and physically too strong for them.

Referee Midgeley was one of the busiest oh the his calming presence cooling the highly-charged tfe game flow might not have pleased Villa had Spink not saved so well from White, who was waved on by the referee despite a linesman's flag. -play-offs has introduced great corporation wants a 10-year excitehiefnf 'tb the the'deal, which will I brings the" needs extra firm control. In this vital match, that firmness was sadly missing. Scorers: Chelsea: Ourie (pen.lS): Charlton: Miller (64). Cbelsee: Hitchcock: Clarke.

Dorigo. Wicks. McLaughlin: Pates, Nevin, Bum-stead; Dixon. Durie, C. Wilson.

Charlton Athletic: Bolder: Humphrey. Raid. Mackenzie. Shlrtlitf: Milter, Stuart. Bennett; Leaburn.

Lee. Crooks. Releree: O. Reeves (Uxbridge) Chelsea chairman Ken Bates blacked out all television coverageof the match. London Weekend Television wanted to film it but Bates refused.

He declared: 'Because of my campaign to get a better deal from TV for soccer, over the last two seasons the TV companies have retaliated by blacking Stamford Bridge from their screens thinking that would damage our income from ground Bates, meanwhile, is backing satellite company BSB's bid to snatch the League television contract from BBC and ITV. The present agreement ends this season and the satellite League at least tnree, times their current TV income. triumphed and 4. Bernhard Langer, doubly-relieved to be returned to duty after two weeks of intensive manipulation, massage, physiotherapy and innumerable injections for his bulging lumbar discs, pol-ishedioff Tony Johnstone with a therapeutic burst of birdies in the third round and then tackled John Morgan in the qtiarter-finals. Morgan was round in 73 in the morning to tie and then beat at the 19th Gordon Brand, who had a 70, one of those occurrences which those who do not understand match-play cite as the weakness of this form of golf.

In a rather- high-scoring match Langer prevailed by one hole. Mark McNulty, whom we must be careful to designate as Zimbabwean in view of the Spanish government's crackdown on South African sportsmen, beat Masahiro Kuramoto, of Japan, 3 and 2 in the bottom quarter-final. Third Round: Kuramoto (Jpn) beat I Mosey at 20th: Mason beat A Garrido (Spa) at 20th; Smyth beat I Woosnam 2 and Davla beat Ralph 4 and 3: Langer (WG) beat Johnstone 2 and 1: McNulty (SA) beat Russell and Morgan beat 'Clark beatM Martin 4 and 2. 4th Rnd: Davla beat lives fast lane Hot-shot Garner wings Millivall spot and a meeting with Chelsea, who failed to gain the win they needed against Charlton at Stamford Bridge. The 1-1 draw means Charlton are safe.

At the other end of the table, Sheffield Unhed's 2-0 win at doomed, manager less Huddersfield gave them the chance to play on for their status as Reading took the second relegation place after failing to do better than a goalless draw against Hull. West Brom's fears of slipping below Dave Bassett's men were assuaged by a 2-2 draw with Barnsley. The result from Cold Blow Lane blew cold over those other contenders for Blackburn's position, Crystal Palace, whose home win over Manchester City was in vain. And there was a twist of the knife for Palace manager Steve Coppell. 'Some right cruel bastard on the radio LOUISE A 1-0 win against already doomed Doncaster was sufficient to enable Bristol City to leapfrog over Northampton and claim a play-off place which surely enhances the chances of caretaker manager Joe Jordan being offered the job on a permanent basis.

City join Notts County and Walsall in preparing for the perils of the play-offs but the latter are rightly aggrieved that their chances of second spot were disrupted by thieves who stole the favourite footwear of four key players from the Fellows Park bootroom yesterday morning. The club TONY PAWSON at Swindon 0 and it was appropriate too that they should achieve the result that mattered away from home for they go up on the basis of a splendid away record with 14 wins equalling the club's record. Having lost their way of late, Villa had clearly also lost their poise. Frenetic running and high. endeavour was all they offered at the start.

The strong wind allowecj plenty, of pressure in' the first half but' ir 'all waste for. lack of control and subtlety. The anxious moments for home goalkeeper Digby were largely of his own making and FRANK McGHEE Millwall keeps their own promotion hopes alive via the play-offs. Further unnerved by the raucous pre-match knees-up celebrating Millwall's championship presentation, Rovers could have fallen behind early on against the rampaging Cas-carino and Sheringham. Yet by half-time they should have been more than a merited two goals up, through a gliding DIVISION TWO Bradford (2) 2 Ipswich (2).

3 ADDort. a way, McCall Dozzell. Milton 16.017 Palace (0) 2 Man City (0) 0 Neooeung. v. ass Thomas Hutfdersfld (0) 0 8heffU1d(0) 2 uaoene, Phllllskirk 8.644 Mlddlesbra Leicester (1) 2 aiaven weir, McAllister 27.645 Millwall (0) 1 Blackburn 4 nenngnam price.

Garner 2, Barker 15.467 Oldham (0). 2 Boumemth(O) 0 niicnie tpen), 4,750 Williams (og) Reading (0) 0 0 6.710 Shrewsbury 2 Plymouth 1 ueaois uiayton 4,510 Swindon (0) 0 A Villa (0) 0 West tan (1) 2 Barnsley 2 Hopkins, Currfe2 8.483 Phillips Goals APIs Millwall 44 25 7 12 72 52 82 41 Ttl ja 44 22 12 10 S3 36 78 1A C. 11 Bradford fllflSkJjym. Crystal Pal Leeds utd Ipswich Man City Oldham Stoke Swindon Leicester Barnsley Hull Plymouth Bournemth Shrawshrv 44 22 11 11 41.21 J4985271 44 22 9 13 86 59 75 44 19 12 13 81 51 69 44 19 9 16 61 52 66 44 19 8 17 80 60 65 44 1R 11 79 KA 44 17 11 16 SO 57 62 44 16 11 17 73 60 59 44 16 11 17 62 61 59 44 15 12 17 61 62 .57 44 14 15 15 54 60 S7 44 16 8 20 85 67 56 44 13 10 21 56 68 49 44 11 16 17 42 54 49 44 11 15 lit 11 lift Birmlnghm leading 44 10 12 22 44 70 I2 1 Hudderstld 44 6 10 28 41 100 28 Nene Group Untied Counties Premier otr. BrackleyO Spalding Holbeach 3 Arlesey Kempston 0 Cogenhoe 1: Northampton Spencer 2 Bourne 0: Raunda 2 Stotlold 2: Rolhwell 1 Corby 5: St Neots 0 Potton 1: Stamford 2 Long Buckby 0 0 Eynesbury 1: Irthllngbor-ough 0 Baker Perkins 0 Dlv Burton PW 2 Cottingham 0-.

Blackstone 4 Hlgham 3: St Ives 3 Irchester 1: Thrsp-stone 0 Sharnbrook Towcester 1 Newport Pagnell 0. Greene King Spartan Premier Dhr: Beckton 2 Redhill 3: Brlms- oown 0 Barkingside 1: Hanwell IBeaconslleld O.Dtv Chigwell Police a uia noan tiayners Lane a snor-(wood Utd 2. Check for Littlewoods. Vsrnons and Zetlers. is Blackburn in 2 5 PETER DOBERE1NER at Chepstow at The Den Rovers ......4 Joyless Palace BOB HOUSTON Crystal Palace 2 Manchester City 0 IN THE absence of any favours from the new Second Division champions, Crystal Palace did the best they could under the circumstances by simply winning.

They made a hard job of it, but in any case their fate was in others' hands. It didn't help that midway through the second half a radio report mistakenly gave a score at the Den showing Millwall pulling back to 2-3. A later retraction was lost on the Palace fans in the 17,555 crowd. Palace manager Steve Coppell scolded the media after the game, adding that his dressing room was full of 'heartbroken players'. Truly, only the most rabid of their South London fans "would-iclaim'J'thatvthis is a side ready for bigger things.

WhrtRrjBlrfdass 'there'; was at Selfnirst Park was clad: in tXryVligVbfue, Hi the form on Hinchcliffe, Redmond and Stewart in particular. Palace relied oh sheer energy, to pull them through, on a day when their double spearhead of Wright and Bright would have had trouble hitting a' barn door. Wright confirmed that if wasn't going to be his day when he shot, tamely, straight into the hands of a relieved Nixon early in the second half. It took defender Nebbeling to show his forwards how in the sixty-ninth minute, getting his head to Burke's-free kick from the left for. the ball to creep past Nixon's dive.

Six minutes later another header; this time from Thomas, put this result at least beyond doubt. Scorers: Crystal Palace: Nebbeling (69min). Thomas (75min). FINE FARE SCOTTISH LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION Aberdeen (0) 0 Motherwell CalUcfl) 1 Duniermllne (01...0 Morris Dundee Utd Hearta (01 Falkirk 0 Renders (11... Walters 2.

McColst2 (1 pen) Ferguson Hibernian (2) 3 Morton (1) 1 Orr, Goram Clinging Tortolano StMlrren(l) 1 Dundee (D). 0 Walker APIS Celtic 44 31 10 3 79 23 72 Hearta 44 23 16 5 74 32 62 Rangers 44 26 8 10 85 34 60 Aberdeen 44 21 17 6 56 25 59 Dundee Utd 44 16 15 13 54 47 47 Hibernian 44 12 19 13 41 42 43 Dundee 44 17 7 20 70 64 41 Motherwell 44 13 10 21 37 56 36 mr a Dunfrmline 44 8 10 28 41 84 26 Morton 44 3 10 31 27100 16 DIVISION ONE Dumbarton East Fife (0). i Clydebank (0). Forfar 3 Alrdrkr(0). Hamilton 1 Meadowbk (1).

Kilmarnock (0). un in sewn ciyn (11 FA Hamilton 44 22 12 10 67 39 MeaoowoK Clydebank Forfar Raith R. Airdrie Queen Sth Partick 44 20 44 21 44 16 44 19 44 16 44 14 44 16 12 12 70 7 16 59 61 16 12 67 58 7 18 81 76 13 15 65 68 15 15 56 67 9 19 60 64 Clyde 44 17 6 21 73 75 B8tT "ttBMgWS Dumbarton 44 12 12 20 51 70 DIVISION TWO Alloa (0) 0 Stirling (1) 1 Berwick (0) ....4 Arbroath (0) 0 Brechin (1)-. 2 Ayr(0) 1 Cowdenbthd) 2 Montrose 1 Queens Pk (1) 2 Stanhsemulr SI Johnstone Albion (0) 0 Stirling 2 Stranraer (0) 0 APIs Ayr Utd 39 27 7 5 95 31 61 ijonnsine 3 5 eens 21 Brechin 39 20 8 11 56 40 48 60 SI 46 51 47.43 Stirling A. E.

Stirling Alloa Montrose Arbroath Stenhsmuir Cowdenbth Albion R. Berwick Stranraer 39 18 39 15 39 16 39 12 39 10 39 12 39 10 39 10 39 6 39 4 10 11 13 8 15 11 16 14 15 9 18 13 16 11 18 4 29 8 27 50 46 40 45 51 35 54 66 34 49 SB 33 51 66 33 45 75 31 32 77 16 34 84 16 hardly have acted as a morale booster. A year after managing an emergency stop on the road to the Vauxhall Conference Torquay were stalled on the runway to Division Three by Scunthorpe who they now join next to Swansea in the play-off bracket. The Devonian's 2-1 defeat enabled Bolton to accelerate past them on an assured promotion ticket along with Wolves and Cardiff. At the less-than-euphoric end of the table Newport bowed out of the League in ignominious fashion and in front of one of their best souvenir programme-hunting crowds, losing 1-0 at home to Rochdale.

Against the wind, Villa were more constructive in midfield with Andy Gray the dominant figure. Aspinall, Piatt and Thompson all ran with fevered determination and after the tatter's floated header rebounded off the bar, Piatt drove his angled shot against a post. To match those escapes for Digby, Spink was reprieved as Bamber twice totally missed the ball when scoring seemed simpler and Quinn headed; wide in tne anxious final minutes. Swindon Town: Digby: Hbckaday, 'Ktofli Parkin. Cadorwopa, Bamber.

Gittens. Quinn. Foley. While. Subs: Barnes.

McLaughlin. Asian Villa: Spink; Gage. Gallagher. A Gray. Sims, Evans.

Birch, Aspinall. Thompson. Gray. Plan. Subs: Daley.

Mclnally. Releree: Midgley. Bolton. Home from his line and shot beneath his diving body. The unmarked Barker settled matters when he met a cross from Sellars and hit a weak shot that looped over Home's head.

Scorera: Millwall: Sheringham (49). Blackburn: Price (33). Garner (40. S3). Barker (81).

Millwall: Home: Stevens. Coleman; Hurlock. Wood, McLeary, Carter. Brl-; Sheringham, Cascarino, O'Cal-laghan. Subs: Morgan.

Horrix. Blackburn: Gennoe; Price, Millar, Barker, Hendry, Mail, Raid. Ainscow. Gayle, Garner, Sellars. Subs: Hill, Paterson.

Reed (Birmingham). DIVISION FOUR Burnley (0) 1 Cardiff (0) 2 ugnam uurus. Gililgan 8.525 Cambridge (1) 1 Carlisle (0) .....2 uun ryie, Hetherington 1.738 Crewe (0) 0 Peterborough Luke 1.533 Enter (1) 1 Haitian (0). 2 Delve Dutlleld. Richardson 1,602 Hartlepool (0) 1 Hereford (1) 2 Toman Stevens, Stan! 1,002 Orient (0).

0 Wotvas(i). 2 Dennlson. Robinson 7.738 Newport (0). 0 Rochdale 1 Walling 2,560 Scarborough Stockport Hamlll Williams (pen) 2.236 Swansea (1) 3 Darlington (0). 0 Oavles.

4,071 McCarthy 2 (1 pen) Torquay (0). .1 Scunthorpe 2 Dobaon (pen) Flounders. Richardson 5.00X1 Wreiham 0 Bolton (0) 1 Savage 5,977 Goals A'Pta Wolves Cardiff 46 27 9 10 82 43 90 24 13 9 68 41 85 ilton a 1i ft 1 77 SRiinthnrnM Srantta ft2IL.ULlfi.6i Peterboro 46 20 10 16 52 53 70 Tnrnuav ill 21 14 11 Hi II 77 Leytono. 46 19 12 IS 85 63 69 Colchester 46 19 10 17 47 51 67 Burnley 46 20 7 19 57 62 67 Wrexham 46 20 6 20 69 58 66 Scatboio 46 17 14 15 56 48 65 Darlington 46 18 11 17 71 69 65 Tranmere 46 19 9 18 61 53 64 CamhririnA AR Ifi ia 17 111 Hartlepool 46 15 14 17 50 57 59 Crewe 46 13 19 14 57 53 58 Halifax 46 14 14 18 54 59 55 Hereford 46 14 12 20 41 59 54 Stockport 46 12 15 19 44 58 51 Rochdale 46 11 15 20 47 76 48 Exeter 46 11 13 22 53 68 46 NlwiS'r, 4. 'MS Siotg Building Scene Eastern wnifraam nffs orarmree Harwich 1 Newmarket 1: Sudbury 2 Wisbech 1: Tlptree 1 Great Yarmouth 2.

Dan Air La ague: Ash Utd 1 Cobham iwaioen vale Godalm-ing Town 1 Merstham 0. CharringkHi Chlttonlan Dhr Penn and Tylers 3 Brill Sandhurst 5 Molina 2. wln'nots. home win' CHELSEA'S First Division status now dangles at the mercy of the play-offs after a match that was allowed to degenerate into an ill-disciplined rough-house long before the end of this fateful Stamford Bridge match. Charlton's 65th-minute equaliser to Chelsea's disputed first-half earned the south-east London side a reprieve from the relegation that has haunted them for most of the season but it means Chelsea face the first match of their play-off torments at Blackburn next Sunday.

And if they fall into the Second Division, a drop that will also cost controversial chairman Ken Bates his place on the League Management Committee, they will curse the lack of control that allowed Charlton to force their way back into a game that looked lost to them for an hour. But most of all the match will be remembered for the ugly sprawl of reckless tackles and off-the-ball intimidation, most of which I completely escaped the attention of referee Darryl Reeves, RODGER DAVIS, of Australia, he of the natty plus-twos and the even nattier personalised stockings, won a 30,000 Porsche when he holed in one with a four-iron shot to the 219-yard 13th at; St Pierre in the quarter-finals of the Epson "Grand Prix of Europe. He also won enough money to insure the crimson brute, the ultimate status symbol among professional golfers, because that eagle followed a run of three birdies and virtually sewed up his match GM VAUXHALL CONFERENCE FINAL POSITIONS Goals APIs lincnm a II Barnat 42.23 1 Kettering 42 22 9 11 68 48 75 Runcorn 42 21 11 10 68 47 74 Telford 42 20 10 12 65' 50 70 StattordR. 42 20 9 13 79 58 69 Kddrmnatr 42 18 IS 9 75 66 69 Sutton Utd 42 16 18 8 77 54 66 Weymouth 42 18 10 14 53 42 64 Maidstone 42 18 9 15 79 64 63 Macclesfld 42. 18 9 15 84 62 63 Enfield 42 15 10 17 68 78 55 Cheltnham 42 11 20 11 64 67 S3 AlUncham 42 14 10 18 59-59 52 Fisher Ath 42 13 13 IB 58 61 52 Beaton 42 14 7 .21 GO 75 49 Northwich 42 10 17 15 48 57 47 Wycombe 42 10 14 18 49 76 44 Welling Utd 42 11 9 22 50 72 42 Bath 42 9 10 23 48 76 37 Wealdatne 42 5 17 20 39 76 32 Dagenham 42 6 31-37104 21 Base NW Counties Coins Dynamoes 2 Klrkby 0: Glossop 0 Colwyn Bay Warrington 4 Darwen 1.

Dlv IhBlackpool Mechanics Cheadle 2: Ford Motors Motors 0: Chadderton Great Harwood Town 0 Aahton Utd 2: Maine Road 2 Oldham Town Nelson 2 Nantwlch Newcastle Town 1 Daisy Hill 0: Newton 0 Wren Rovers 3: Whitworth Valley 2 Alherton Colls 3. Key Consultants South Midlands League: Prem Dhr. Shiliington Hod-desdon Town 1: Selby 1 Langlord Pirton 2 Biggleswade Town 2: Welwyn Garden City 3 New Bridewell St Peter The 61 FC (Luton) 2 Electrolux 2. Dlv Caddington 4 Buckingham Ath 1: Milton Keynes Town 1 Brache Sparta Stonay Stratford Town 0 Pitstone and Ivlnghoe 1. Central Mkflanda League.

supreme Dlv: Hincuey i own 3 Boston FC Louth Utd 0 Harworth OiCrookes FC 2 Kimberley Town 1. (3.0 unless stated) WELSH FINAL; Wrexham Cerdltt (Swansea 11.0). MAC CUP FINAL. Horwlchv Weymouth. RUOBY LCAGUE.

Stones Bitter Premiership Semi finals: St Helena Bradford: Widnes Warrington. Dlv II Premiership Semi finals: Featherstone Wakefield (3.30): Oldham Spring-tleld. Whitbread Badminton Trials Badminton). SUMTNQ English National Championships (Croyde. N.Devon).

TABLE Open Junior Finale Bridlington 9.0) Italian Open (Rome). MOTOR Autosport 1.000 kms (Silverstone). CRICKET. REFUGE ASSURANCE LEAGUE (2.0) Derby: Derbyshire Essex: Southampton: Hampahlre Glamorgan: Lelceeien Leicestershire Kent: Northampton: Northamptonshire Gloucs: Trent Bridge Notts Lanes: Taunton: Somerset Worra; The Oval: Surrey Mlddx: agbaakw Warwlcks Yorks. Tourist match (Arundel) Lavi-nia.

Duchess of Norfolk's XI West Davis season out- tne tension it imposes upftajgames like; this 'ldw that will relax as he puts his cares behind him. Howard Clark is also going through a period of adjustment. 'I have reached the. stage of my career where I can afford a temporary interruption in my earnings and if there is room for improvement in my swing, now is the time to nuke it: My problem has always been that I hit so many fliers that- I could never be sure how far the ball would go. With- the new method I never hit a flier'.

For the uninitiated, a flier occurs when sappy grass is compressed between the clubface and the ball, reducing the backspih and producing a longer shot than Clark has gone to a flatter swing plane which gives him a shallower angle of attack to the ball and a cleaner strike. Clark had three birdies and an eagle in disposing of Miguel Martin by 4 and 2 and in the quarter-finals his new swing was not required to produce spectacular scoring to handle a faltering Carl Mason. Clark .4.0 (6f) DIADEM DANCER' (S Cauthen) 5-11, All AlfuttK 7-1 2 Squlr-sky 10-1 3 18 ran Stanstead Flyer 9-2 (av (J Sutclllfe) 1 Tote: 7. 2.50. 2.30.

2. OF: 24.10. CSF: 40:47. Nrs: Dublin Dragoon, Karlovac. Miss Mlschlevious.

4.30 (1m 21) FRIDU (R Cochrane) 5-1 1. Men Ray 3-1 2. House of Commena 7-4 lav 3. 15 ran (L Cumani) 1), 1 1 Tote: 6.60. 2.70.

1.50. 1.60 OF: 9.70. CSF: 19.69. 5.0 (71 H'cap) TOP DREAM (B Raymond) 94 lav 1. Moon Sunshine 12-1 2.

Baker's Lamb 14-1 3 14 ran (M Jarvla) 41. 111. Tote: 4.60. 2.20. 3.40.

4.20. DF: 19.20. CSF: 29.97. Trlcast: 290.43. Jackpot not won.

Placepot: 199.40. BATH 1.45 (51) MIA SCINTILLA (P Cook) 3-1, 1, Dam PlaaU 11-8 lav, 2, Prime Saint: 20-1. 3. 7m (N Vigors) II. 51.

Tote: 4.00. 2.00, 1.70. DF: 3.70, CSF: 6.62. 2.15 (51) NORTHERN ALERT (I Johnson) 10-11 fav, 1. Always Ready 8-1.

2. Lovlslone 4-1. 3. 9rn (C Nelson) 1)1, hd. Tote: 2.50.

1.20, 1.50, 1.60. DF: 78.50. CSF: 8.60. nr: Gillies Express. 2.45 (2m 1f H'cap) SNEAK PREVIEW (J Carter) 6-1.

1. Breakout 4-1, 2. Celtic Dove 8-1. 3. Urn Shah's Choice 7-2 fav.

(H Candy) 31, 71. Tote: 6.00. 1.90. 2.10. 2.60.

OF: 9.80. CSF: 25.23. Tricasl: 109.62. nr: Vfaual Identity. 3.15 (1m 21 60yds H'cap) EARLY CALL (W Nawnes) 7-2 tt-tav, 1, Unearthed 16-1.

2, Georgetown Belle 9-1. 3. 11 rn Straight Gold 7-2 it-fav. (H Candy) Tote: 4.30, 1.70, 10.20, 2.00. OF: 436.80.

CSF: 40.05. Trlcast: 297.82. 3.45 (1m 31 150 yds) ROYAL BOROUGH (G Outfield) 5-2 fav, 1, Siesta Kay 9-2, 2. Owedme 10-1. 3.

19rn (J Dunlop) 31, II. Tote: 5.50. 2.50. 210. 3.70.

OF: 3.70. CSF: 15.61. 4.15 (51 167yds H'cap) TEEMING SHORE (G Dutlleld) 100-30, 1. Sleepllne Fantasy 11-1. 2.

Duratlve 11-1. 3. Urn Very Special Lady 7-4 fav. (M Prescott) 2,1. 31.

Tote: 3.30. 1.70. 3.70. 2 70. OF: 28.30.

CSF: 39.58. Trlcast: 348.12. Placepot: 38.20 THIRSK 2.15 (511 BEFORE THE CRASH (E Johnson) 7-2, 1, Resolute Bey 8-1. 2. Novel Fen 8-1.

3. 21rn Flaming Sword 3-1 fav, (W Musson) Tote: 4.00. 1.80. 4 30. 2.80.

DF: 78.50, CSF: 39.78. 2.45 (1m 41) WHAT A HENRY (M Birch) 5-1, 1, Vagog 20-1. 2. Qualttelr Oucheee 20-1. 3.

18rn Ballymore Park 9-4 fav, (M Easterby) tjl. 1)1. Tote: 4.60. 1.70. 12.30.

15.00. OF' in the i i AS MILLWALL'S cowboys rode off into the sunset of this season they left behind the uneasy feeling that when dawn breaks for them in the unknown badlands of the First Division they will be galloping into ambushes set by opponents with far greater skill and cunning. Certainly most of what little controlled football there was came from Blackburn, without their biggest names Archibald and Ardilles, whose victory BARCLAYS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Chelsea 1 Chariton (0). i Omie (pen) Miller 33.701 Coventry (0). 0 QPR(0) 16.089 Everton (1) i Arsenal (2) a Watson Thomas, Hayes 22.445 Man Utd (3) 4 McCtalr 2 (1 pan).

Davenport. Robson Newcastle (0) 2 O'Neill. Dicks (og) Norwich (0) 0 NotlmFat(4). 5 Webb 2. Carr.

Clough 2 Portsmouth 1 Quinn (pen) 35,105 West Ham (1) 1 Robson 23.731 (01 1 UIDSOn 11.H7Z Oxford (1) 3 Foyle 2. Hebberd 12.762 Shell Wed (0) 1 Liverpool (2) 5 Hirst Johnston 2. Barnes, Beardslay 2 35.893 Southemptn 1 Luton (1) i Clarke Wilson 12.722 Goals API. Liverpool Man Utd Nottm For Everton Q.P.R. Arsenal Wimbledon Newcastle Coventry Shetf Wad Luton Souihmptn Tottenham Norwich Derby Cnty West Ham Chf rjipn cnelpea Portsmth Watford Oxford 39 26 11 2 86 23 89 39 22 12 5 69 37 78 38 20 11 7 65 37 71 40 19 13 8 53 27 70 40 19 10 11 48 38 87 40 18 12 10 S3 39 66 39 14 15 10 57 45 57 40 14 14 12 55 53 56 40 13 14 13 46 53 53 40 15 8 17 52 66 53 37 14 8 15 54 55 50 40 12 14 14 49 S3 50 40 12 11 17 38 48 47 40 12 9 19 40 52 45 40 10 13 17 35 45 43 40 9 15 16 40 52 42 An a ie co 44 40 7 14 19 36 69 35 40 7 11 22 27 5 32 40 6 13 21 44 80 31 PLAY-OFFS Sunday.

May 15 semifinals, first leg: Blackburn Chelsea. Bradford Mid dlesborough, Bristol City Sheffield United. Notts County Walsall. Swansea Rotherham. Torquay Scun thorpe.

Second legs to be played Wednesday May 18. FA TROPHY FINAL Enfield 0 Telford 0 (After extra time, replay iz May at WBA. POOLS FORECAST Telephone claims required tor 23 and 24 points, possible jackpot dividend for 24 points. There are 8 score draws and 6 no score on the coupon. against Des Smyth, of belaud.

-The departure of Ian Woos-nam was bad luck for sponsor' and gate but justice was served by the 2 and 1 victorjf of Smyth in their morning third-round match. Smyth is a good match-player and he made up: for his wild driving with immaculate' chip- -ping, and putting, needing only 26 putts for the 17 holes. we can all stop worrying about Woosnam. His golf is inconsistent, particularly his short game, but his good shots are as good as ever and without doubt they will set up a breeder-reaction and multiply. You can see his confidence returning by his demeanour on the course as he leaves everyone trailing down the fairway with his light-infantry pace while his caddie, the faithful Wobbly, so called because he has the.

nervous palpitations for both of them, almost trots at his heels. The. only sign I could detect of the strain caused by his slump was a tighter grip than usual and RICHARD BAERLEIN THE WITHDRAWAL of Alwuhush, who lost front shoe at the start of the Calor Derby Trial at Lingfield yesterday, ruined what should have been an interesting contest. At the time he was joint favourite with Kahyasi, and backers had 30p in the pound deducted from their winnings, when they took board prices. Kahyasi kept his unbeaten record but the time was slow after the colt had found difficulties in obtaining a clear run.

The colt was priced at 16-1 with Corals, who offer Cumani's other Ever -Ready Derby candidate, Kefaah, at 12-1. Storm Forecast Page 19. LINGFIELD Z0 (61 H'cap) DORKING LAD (G Cart-er)16-1, 1, Keen Edge 4-1 jnt-fav 2. Careless Whisper 5-1 3, 13 ran Powder Keg 4-1 Intfav (M Tompkins) head, neck. Tote: 23.40, C4.50, 1.50.

1.50. 2.10 OF: 58.80. CSF: 69.81. Trlcast: 335.94. Nr: Crank's Quality 2-30 (1m 41) BAHAMIAN (Pat Eddery)11-4 tav1, Shuddabot 8-1 2.

Trlste Oell 9-1 3. 7 ran (J Tree) 1. 2) Tote: 2.70. 1.50.4.40 DF: 10.50. CSF: 21.12 3.0 (1m 41) KAHYASI (R Cochrane) 5-8 (av 1, Inaan 9-1 2.

Jorurl 7-1 3. 8 ran (L Cumani) 2. Tote: 2. 1.10. 2.40.

C2 DF' 8.30. CSF: 1082Nr: Alwuhush. 3.30 (51) WHERE'S THE MONEY (Pat Eddary) 13-2 Astata 12-1. Sharp Thistle 11-2, 14 ran Tracsy's Lad 9-2 lav (M Godley) Tote: 7.80, 2.40. 3.60.

2.70. OF: t76.70.CSF' 86 Nr: Encore Vingt Hull. header by Price and Garner's wickedly accurate low drive. There was an element of the freakish about the goal which dragged Millwall back into it the 49th Sheringham's shot struck defender Mail and looped high in a crazy arc over keeper Gennoe. But justice was quickly restored when Garner made a strong run from inside his own half, drew DIVISION THREE Brentford (0).

1: York (2) Cerroll Helllwell. Stanlforth 180 .....1 Brighton (1). Bremner. Nelson ..2 Bristol (01.... Clark 19, ,800 Bristol (0) 1 Doncaster Gordon 18, 0 373 Bury(0) 0 Chaster (0), Bennett 1 1,941 Chesterfld (1) 1 Fulham (0) .....0 Waller 3.084 Grimsby (1) 1 AWershot 1 North Langley 5.639 Port Vale (0).

1 MensMeld(0) 1 Mills Owen 3,617 Preston 1 Notts Co (0) :...2 Ellis McParland, Pike 5.822 Rotherham (0) 1 Sunderland Lemon Gabbladinl 2, MacPhail (pen) Bertschin 9574 Southend (1) 4 Blackpool (0) 0 Butler. 5,541 Crown, Ling 2 Walsall (0) 0 8,850 Goals APta Sunderlnd 46 27 12 7 92 48 93 Briohlon 46 23 15 8 8a 17 Hi Walsall Notts Cnty 46 S3 13 10 64 50 82 dR tO 11 Ol JA Be firjsjg.l.Sity Normmpin Wigan Bristol R. Fulham Blackpool Port Vale Brentford Giilingham Bury Chester Preston Southend Chestartld Mansfield 1 ru 01 46 18 12 16 68 56 66 46 19 9 18 69 60 66 46 17 14 15 71 62 65 46 18 11 17 58 56 65 46 16 14 16 53 59 62 46 14 17 15 77 61 59 46 15 14 17 58 57 59 46 14 16 16 51 62 58 46 15 13 18 48 59 58 46 14 13 19 65 83 55 46 15 10 21 41 70 55 46 14 12 20 48 59 54 Sr iff irt ill York 46 8 9 29 48 91 33 Doncaster 46 8 9 29 40 84 33 Northern Counties East League -Prem Dlv: Bridlington Haliam 1: Har- Ossett Albion T. Abacus Welsh League. Nations! Dlv: A.F.C.

Cardiff 1 Aberystwyth 0: Caerleon 0 Briton Ferry 2: Milford 1 Bridgend 2: Port Talbot 0 Haverfordwest Cwmbran 1 Tonpentre 3. Premier Dlv: Ammanford 1 Abergavenny Newport YMCA 2 Newport County 1: Panteg 1 Tonyrelall: 1 Sully 4 B.P. Llandarcy 3. Halls Brewery Hellenic Dlv: Abingdon 5 Thame Abingdon Utd 3 Yate Juniors Morris Motors 2. Score draw 3ota.no-acore draw 2pta.

away ley, 450,40, CSF: 111.39. 3.15 (1m H'cap) INISHPOUR (ACul-hane) 10-1, 1, Cohvay Rally 3-1 fav. 2. Palace Dancer 10-1. 3.

14m (H Wharton) hd, 21. Tote: 14.30. 3.60, 2.10. 3.80, OF: 28.60, CSF' 40.05. Tricast: 297.82.

M5 (1m 41) -DARKORJON (Anthea Farrefl) 20-1, 1, Beau Hash 6-4 fav. 2. Genotln 14-1, 3. 19rn (N Tinkler) hd. II.

Tote: 4.10. 1.50. 2.90. OF 83.10. CSF: 54.42.

nr: Gaalgoir 4.15 (71 H'cap) TENOFUS (M Birch) 5-e fav, 1. Tambull 18-1. 2. Royal Language Oratava Valley 16m (M Easterby) 1)1. hd.

Tote: 1.80. 1.10. 10.50. 1.10 710. DF' 110, CSF: 20.46, Tricast: 102.51 .4.45 (51) ANNACERAMtC (K Brad-shaw) 3-1 fav, 1, Pendlna Sands 4-1.

2, Native River 16-1. 3. 28m (R WWtaker) 11. )l. Tote: 3.40.

1.60. 2.00. 4.80. DF: 9.50. CSF: 19.08.

5.15 (60 MfNtZEN LASS(AMunro) 20-1, 1, Theklan 20-1. 2, Donsben 20-1. 3. Veronlce'e Friend 33-1, 4, 21 rn The Devil's Music 3-1 fav. (M Brittaln) hd.

31, Tote: 41.00. 6.10. 2.20. 6.50. 15.80.

DF: 234.80. CSF: 379.59. Trlcast: 7140.11. nr. Madame Flora.

Placepot: 258.70. Hereford: 2.0 Ambasssdor 54 fav 1, Tildebo 5-1 2. Grogan 10-1 Arctic Reel 14-1 1, Mantbergls 50-1 2, Rupert's Daughter 5-1 3, Hallowed 33-1 4.3.0 Whistling Edge 5-1 1. Okeette 20-1 2, useful Edition 13-8 lav 3. 3.30 Larry-O 5-4 fav 1, Mount Oliver 6-1 2.

Kelly's Honour 5-2 3. 4.0 Condlcote Boy 2-1 1. Chemiman 50-1. 2 Nodalotte 4-1. 4.30 Poker Classic 44 fav 1, Misty Park 154 2.

Madam May 8-t 3 5.0 Pharoah'e Owen 33-1 1, Tanderagae 9-1 2, Bold Monk 5-1 3. Placepot: 54.40. HexhamAO Thetchu 20-1 1, The Cider And Bun 7-2 2. Running Shot 16-1 3 9M Fingers Crossed 5-4 fav 1, What II 3-1 2. Capallce 33-1 3 7.0 Sir Jest 4-1 1, King Kanda 3-1 nt-fav 2, Dan d'Or 3-1 jnt-fav 3.

7.30 Andrew 11-2 1, Joyful Billy 7-1 2. Miss Club Royal 2-1 lav 3. 8.0 Ratr. The Thor 3-1 1, Impany 8-11 fav 2, Sldvlc 3-1 3 8.30 Moaaberry Fair 5-2 1. Pauper Moon 3-1 2, Tina's Brig 1 1-8 fav 3 Market Marshal Blake 9-2 1, Nayshan u-B fav 2, Boxil 10-1 3.

8.30 Broiled Sper 5-4 fav 1, Even Deeper 6-1 2. Oatlands 20-1 3. 7.0 Basse-cerr Boy 2-1 1, Grange Hill Girl 6-4 fav 2. Fiesta Dance 7-2 3. 7.30 Knlght'a Heir 11-4 nt fev 1, Boreham Down 25-1 2.

Lake valentine 7-4 fav 3. 8.0 Mou-Dala 2-5 fav 1. Sharp Song 11-2 2. Starjestic 8-1 3, 8.30 Pantomime Prince 11-4 1. Hlghfields Lad 8-11 2.

Light Venture 20-1 3 Vr9.