And that’s all from me. This has been fun. Same time next week?
And here’s our report from Stoke, where That Man Neil Warnock made a winning start to life at his 43,456th club:
So Arjen Robben to come out of retirement to rejoin his first club? That would be marvellous. Here’s a spindly young Arjen playing for Groningen first time round, replete with full head of hair. No, really:
Here’s our report from Elland Road, where Leeds waved a gleeful two fingers at anyone calling them chokers:
More piping hot news from Deutschland!
Hipsters assemble! Something to feign interest in: our roundup from the Bundesliga’s rather tasty final day, featuring FOUR goals from Andrej Kramarić – and plenty more besides. What is it about the final day of a season and bananas results?
Some fan mail from Simon McMahon: “Afternoon Alex. It’s Clockwatch that’s made the difference. Never fails to entertain. Who needs fans? Long live Clocko!!!”
Mum, is that you…?
Peep peeeeeep! Leeds beat Fulham to go three points clear. Hull climb to 20th, two points above the drop zone, but will rue letting their lead against Birmingham slip at the last. Boro go above them by beating Stoke in their first game under Warnock. And Wigan are one point ahead of that after a priceless win against Blackburn.
Goal! Wigan 2-0 Blackburn (Jacobs)
And Wigan make safe a massive three points, Michael Jacobs latching on to a long punt, cutting inside Stewart Downing and rifling a low shot inside the keeper’s near post.
Stoke’s Nick Powell receives his marching orders, his second yellow, for hacking down an opponent as Boro play keep-ball. Champagne stuff in Warncok’s first game.
And then the same thing happens at Elland Rd, Neeskens Kebano picking up his second booking for a pointless late foul.
Goal! Birmingham 3-3 Hull (Gardner)
I take it back! Football without fans is just as entertaining as ever. Hull let a vital lead slip from their grasp as Jérémie Bela clips in a lovely ball from the right and Gary Gardner pops up, totally unmarked, to nod a firm header into the bottom corner. What a game!
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Goal! Wigan 1-0 Blackburn (Evans)
Deadlock broken at the DW. Robinson swings in a cross from the left, and defender and keeper both go to clear it, getting in each other’s way in the process. Lee Evans helps himself to the loose ball and proceeds to batter it in off the bar. That would be a big win for Wigan – they’d go five clear of the drop zone.
Alarming news from Germany: it appears former Leicester striker Andrej Kramarić has scored four goals away at Borussia Dortmund, where his Hoffenheim side have won 4-0. Always rated him.
Goal! Leeds 3-0 Fulham (Harrison)
A sensation bit of football as Pablo Hernández channels his inner Riquelme to send a sublime first-time pass between full-back and centre-back to put in Jack Harrison, who rolls the ball under Marek Rodak without breaking stride. And that, surely, is that.
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Blackburn inches away from taking the lead at Wigan, Dominic Samuel throwing himself at a great whipped corss from the left but just can’t make contact. Gazza-against-Germany stuff.
Goal! Birmingham 2-3 Hull (Kane)
The St Andrew’s seesaw takes another swing! Herbie Kane lines up a fre-kick on the edge of the box and – brilliantly – sends it under the wall and into the bottom corner. Wonderfully mischievous stuff from the Liverpool loanee.
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Goal! Stoke 0-2 Middlesbrough
The Warnock Bounce! Marcus Tavernier cuts in from the right and wallops a great left-foot shot into the bottom corner. Stylish.
Goal! Birmingham 2-2 Hull! (Crowley)
And just like that, Hull’s two-goal cushion disappears – as does any daylight between them and the relegation zone. Daniel Crowley’s stooping header evens it up at St Andrew’s.
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Goal! Leeds 2-0 Fulham (Alioski)
Alioski’s instant impact continues! A great breakaway from Leeds ends with Ayling powering down the right and mis-hitting his cross – but in doing so he wrongfoots all three Fulham defenders, who flail vainly in cartoon style while Alioski collects the loose ball and slots coolly home.
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Ezgjan Alioski picks up the spirit of the game quickly: he’s barely set foot on the pitch before ploughing into Dennis Odoi and getting a well-earned booking. Then a terrific chance for Leeds to go 2-0 up, Jack Harrison on the edge of the box but Harrison Reed gets out just in time to hurl himself at the shot and deflect in inches wide. Top-notch Harrison on Harrison action.
Goal! Birmingham 1-2 Hull (Dean)
A potentially huge three points for Hull becomes less certain: Harlee Dean send a rasping drive into the bottom corner to halve the deficit.
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Double change at the break from Leeds: Bamford and Costa off, Alioski and Hernandez on.
So as it stands Leeds go three clear at the top and Fulham’s hopes of automatic promotion are slipping – they’re seven points off. But with the league’s top scorer somehow still on the pitch for Fulham – and looking up for it – that could all change before the afternoon is out.
Hal-time listening:
And that’s half-time across the board.
Birmingham 0-2 Hull
Leeds 1-0 Fulham
Stoke 0-1 Boro
Wigan 0-0 Blackburn
“Those Leeds supporters at Elland Road look just the same as they did before the lockdown,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Rigid with the terror of Bielsa’s team taking a 1-0 lead and knowing what’s probably going to happen next.” Boom-tish.
This time it’s Leeds who want a penalty, after Patrick Bamford is bundled to the ground while chasing a through-ball. He appeals in vain as the world’s smallest violin provides the soundtrack.
To continue a theme from earlier, another member of the Championship’s nearly-but-not-quite brigade, Tom Ince, has just come on for Stoke. An pre-halftime change from Michael O’Neill.
Fulham appeal for a penalty after the ball strikes Tyler Roberts’ hand in the box. The ref rightly waves away the claims. Then Anthony Knockaert and Alex Mitrovic hit good effort from range, the first flying just wide, the second stinging Meslier’s hands.
I have seen quite a bit of Harrison Reed since the restart. He certainly gives off the impression of being the very definition of a ‘tidy player’.
GOAL! Stoke 0-1 Middlesbrough (Fletcher, 29)
Warnock is having an impact! Former Manchester United striker hits the first goal - and it could be a crucial one - of the Warnock era.
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NO PENALTY! Fulham have claim for a penalty as Arter lays it off to Decordova-Reid six yards out but the Fulham man takes a bad touch and then chucks himself to the floor. The referee is having none of it.
Mitrovic claims for handball after heading the ball against White’s back. Admittedly, the referee has missed him elbow the defender in the face already, so there is a chance he could have agreed with the striker again. Instead the Serb gets a corner and laughed at by Ayling.
Here is the Leeds opener ...
He's had his critics this season, but Patrick Bamford has just struck the opening goal for #LUFC!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 27, 2020
Watch #LEEFUL live on Sky Sports Football or follow it here: https://t.co/LYjK50FHCt pic.twitter.com/JUqiFcHcRG
A long ball over the top from Fulham makes its way to Mitrovic, who lets it bounce and then flashes a volley well wide from 20 yards out.
GOAL! Birmingham 0-2 Hull (Scott, 16)
Another one for Hull! Scott on his full debut finds a lot of space in the box, allowing him to calmly head a pinpoint cross into the corner.
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Just in case you were wondering exactly what Mitrovic did ...
An early flash point at Elland Road! 🔦
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 27, 2020
Should Aleksandar Mitrović have seen red for this elbow on Ben White? 🟥
Watch #LEEFUL live on Sky Sports Football or follow it here: https://t.co/LYjK50FHCt pic.twitter.com/ZiK7UvAj2J
Luckily, the man Jolly has a stat.
Patrick Bamford scores Leeds' first goal in June since Allan Clarke against Juventus in the 1971 Fairs Cup final.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) June 27, 2020
GOAL! Leeds 1-0 Fulham (Bamford, 9)
Costa does well down the right, gets into the box before puling it back for an onrushing Bamford who calmly slots it into the corner.
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Mitrovic has a more positive impact by flicking it out to Knockaert but he drags his show well wide from the edge of the area.
Will we ever get over what Mitrovic has just done? It is possibly the stupidest thing I’ve seen all season. At least the striker has had a haircut.
HOW IS THAT NOT A RED?! Mitrovic casually wanders over to White and whacks him across the face with his elbow but the referee misses it.
GOAL! Birmingham 0-1 Hull (Magennis, 2)
A very good start for the struggling Tigers as Magennis puts them into the lead.
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Kick-off
The 3pms have started!
The final whistle sounds at Oakwell and Pride Park. On another day that might look like a good point for Barnsley. On this particular day it looks like two dropped: Luton’s shock win leaves them bottom of the league. Derby, meanwhile, are three points off the play-offs.
Right – just time to make yourself a cuppa before the slew on 3pm kick-offs.
New Middlesbrough honcho Neil Warnock brings in Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher for his first game in charge, at Stoke. Boro have also announced this afternoon that non-scoring striker Rudy Gestede has left the club – his contract was up at the end of the month.
Some pre-match reading:
Team news from the big one at Elland Road:
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Hélder Costa, Roberts, Klich, Harrison, Bamford
Fulham: Rodák, Odoi, Hector, Ream, Bryan, Reed, Cairney, Knockaert, De Cordova-Reid, Arter, Mitrovic
And it’s full-time in the early games: Cardiff beat Preston to tighten their grip on sixth, and two massive wins in and around the bottom, for Charlton against and for Luton against Swansea.
Goal! Preston 1-3 Cardiff (Glatzel)
Cardiff makes the points safe. Robert Glatzel pounces on some hesitant defending, scurries towards goal and fires home via a defender’s shin.
Updated
Goal! Derby 2-1 Reading (Rinomhota)
Reading pull one back against the play-off hopefuls, Ben Hamer’s weak punch punished by Andy Rinomhota, who heads over the stranded keeper into an unguarded net.
Goal! Preston 1-2 Cardiff (Mendez-Laing)
And Cardiff retake the lead with another great goal – Nathaniel Mendez-Laing haring down the right, playing a one-two and slotting a tidy finish inside the near post. Superbly simple and simply superb.
Scenes at Swansea! It all kicks off after a truly magnificent succession of one, two, three, four, five vicious tackles! In the resulting melee Jordon Garrick puts in a left hook and is sent off. Marvellous stuff.
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Goal! Preston 1-1 Cardiff (Johnson)
Thick and fast! Preston equalise almost immediately. It’s a bit of a scramble, with Joe Bennett initially doing well to block a shot from close range, but the ball breaks to Johnson who sweeps confidently home. All square.
Goal! Swansea 0-1 Luton (Collins)
And a potentially huge goal for the division’s bottom club. Izzy Brown crosses for James Collins to head in. Woodman gets a hand to it but can’t keep it out.
Updated
Goal! Preston 0-1 Cardiff (Ralls)
Cardiff boost their promotion hopes with a great head for Joe Ralls, who leaps high at the back post to meet Dion Sanderson’s deep cross. A very pleasing header.
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Charlton cling on to their lead, Dillon Phillips making a point-blank save from Jordan Hugill. He should have put that away.
Goal! Derby 2-0 Reading (Rooney, pen)
And just like that, it’s two. Bogle steams gloriously down the right and square into the box, Waghorn draws a clumsy foul from Moore, and Wayne Rooney rattles home the spot-kick. London buses.
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Goal! Derby 1-0 Reading (Lawrence)
Lovely strike to break the deadlock at Pride Park: Tom Lawrence latches on to Chris Martin’s layoff to curl home from the edge of the box for his 10th goal of the season.
JR writes in: “Does Junior Hoilett count as an almost but never was? I seem to remember people thinking he was real hot stuff about ten years ago. How about Andreas Weimann? I’m not sure what the expectations were for him but I remember thinking he was going to be pretty good a long time ago.”
You can have Hoilett, not so sure about Wiemann. Deal?
We’ve got a fairly decent sample size to work from now, so can we conclude that football without fans is of a much lower quality? As in, the football itself, rather than the atmosphere. One goal in five games in the Championship today, not a whole lot of excitement last weekend – and two watchable Premier League games out of 22 so far. Are players less fired up? Scared of getting injured? Taking fewer risks?
A flash of class at Pride Park, where Ovie Ejaria jinks past his marker on the byline and side-foots against the post. Great footwork to beat his man.
Millwall hit the woodwork at Oakwell, Shane Ferguson firing a free-kick against the crossbar.
💙💛 Few familiar faces in the crowd pic.twitter.com/wnHxkuYCx7
— Leeds United (@LUFC) June 27, 2020
Almost entirely goalless so far, and half-time in all the early kickoffs. Oh football, how we’ve missed you.
In the meantime, a good question from Joshua Reynolds: “Who are all the ‘almost but never were’ players currently plying their trade in the Championship besides Ravel Morrison, Jack Rodwell, and Scott Sinclair?”
Off the top of my head I can give you Aiden McGeady and Curtis Davies. Any more for any more?
(On an unrelated note, the Soccer Saturday panel are currently eulogising the talents of Phil Foden.)
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And those fans are witnessing a decent performance – Charlton could easily be 2-0 up, but Macauley Bonne’s effort is matched by a decent save from Liam Kelly.
We’ve heard a lot about ‘plastic fans’ in recent years. Here’s some cardboard ones, at the Valley:
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Remember when Scott Sinclair played for Man City? Alongside Jack Rodwell?
Or remember when he played for Plymouth? And did this:
Either way, he’s looking dangerous today, tricky and direct as ever.
Spurs loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers puts in a heroic bit of defending to keep Luton on level terms, winning a towering header in his box before charging down a shot. Just the sort of bravura battling our old friend Jose likes in a centre-back.
And we’ve kicked off at Pride Park and Oakwell. Barnsley need a win today.
Great chance for Junior Hoilett to give Cardiff the lead: the ball breaks to him on the edge of the box, but he snatches at the shot and slices it wide.
Updated
Some goings-on at Swansea, where Andre Ayew draws a great save from Simon Sluga, before Harry Cornick flashes his shot over the bar following a breakaway.
Wayne Rooney starts for Derby, who would be in touching distance of the play-off places if they win today. One last hurrah for the former golden boy? (One last season in the top flight…?)
Exclusive snap from Pride Park:
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Goal! Charlton 1-0 QPR (Pratley)
The first goal of the afternoon comes from south London, as Darren Pratley nods home from a corner to take the Addicks, as it stands, four points clear of the drop zone.
Updated
Down the other end at Deepdale, Adomah cuts in from the right and engineers shooting space, but scuffs the shot wide of the near post. The Bacuna larrups one from range, deflected wide. Goalless all round so far.
One to keep an eye on: Rhian Brewster, who has six goals for Swansea since joining on loan from Liverpool in January and scored twice in half an hour at the Riverside last weekend. There’s been lots of hype around him since he won the goalden boot at the U17 World Cup three years ago – this is the first run of games he’s had at senior level.
We’re under way in the early kickoffs. Early penalty appeal for Preston as Scott Sinclair takes an ostentatious tumble under a clumsy tackle.
As a selfless service to you, the reader, I will do my best to see out this five-hour blog without using the terms “eerie”, “unprecedented times” or “the new normal”. No mean feat in these, erm, unparalleled times.
Team news from the Valley!
Charlton: Phillips, Matthews, Lockyer, Pearce, Oshilaja, Pratley, Cullen, McGeady, Morgan, Bonne, Hemed.
QPR: Kelly, Rangel, Masterson, Barbet, Manning, Ball, Cameron, Osayi-Samuel, Chair, Eze, Hugill
I’ve seen a bit of QPR this season and can exclusively reveal that their two wingers, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Eberechi Eze, are good enough to give any side in the division serious problems. More importantly, they’re incredibly fun to watch. Looking forward to this.
Packed stands.
The race for Championship playoff spots is a fascinating one. Only three points separate the teams from Preston in sixth to Derby in 12th and the latter certainly have the quality in their squad to put a run together.
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This is what happened last night in the Championship:
Neil Warnock is back ...
Preamble
Good morning!
Another big day in the Championship as teams fight for promotion and others battle to beat the drop.
Leeds hosting Fulham looks like the highlight of the day on paper, while in the early kick-offs Deepdale is the venue for an intriguing clash in the race for a playoff spot. Down at the bottom Middlesbrough head to Stoke City for Neil Warnock’s first game in charge in search of a much-needed win. Will he turn to Ravel Morrison to turn the tide? I will say no.
Here is the full fixture list for today:
- Charlton Athletic v Queens Park Rangers (12.30pm)
- Preston North End v Cardiff City (12.30pm)
- Swansea City v Luton Town (12.30pm)
- Barnsley v Millwall (1pm)
- Derby County v Reading (1pm)
- Birmingham City v Hull City (3pm)
- Leeds United v Fulham (3pm)
- Stoke City v Middlesbrough (3pm)
- Wigan Athletic v Blackburn Rovers (3pm)
Here we go!
