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| Saturday, October 5, 2002 15:26 EST |
Middlesbrough moves up to third
[Reuters]
LONDON -- Middlesbrough chalked up its fourth successive win with a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers to consolidate its third position in the English Premier League on Saturday.
On a day of just four matches in the top flight, Boro enjoyed its moment in the limelight as goals from Ugo Ehiogu and Geremi moved the team to 17 points, one behind second-place Liverpool and within three of leader Arsenal, which both play Sunday.
Middlesbrough was the only team in the top half of the table in action Saturday, but its northeast rivals Newcastle United, which started the day in 11th place, moved up to sixth with a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion, thanks to two goals from Alan Shearer.
Southampton moved up from 18th to 13th as two goals from Brett Ormerod were enough to beat Manchester City 2-0 at St Mary's. Last-place West Ham United was left still looking for its first home win of the season after losing 2-1 to Birmingham City -- Stern John getting both for the visitors.
All the leading teams are in action Sunday and Monday.
Leader Arsenal hosts Sunderland, Leeds United visits Aston
Villa, Blackburn Rovers hosts Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool visits
Chelsea and Fulham plays Charlton Athletic in a London derby.
On Monday, Manchester United hosts Everton.
Middlesbrough's current position of third matches its best finish, achieved back in 1914, and although the team is unlikely to stay there, it is playing some good football at the moment.
It made all the early running against a disappointing Bolton, and after Massimo Maccarone had an early effort ruled out for an offside, Middlesbrough got its deserved breakthrough after 23 minutes when defender Ehiogu headed home from a corner.
Maccarone then missed another good chance midway through the second half before Geremi, the Cameroon international on loan from Real Madrid, got the second in the
68th minute.
West Brom went ahead against the run of play after 28 minutes at St James' Park when Igor Balis cashed in on some sloppy defending to send a low shot past Shay Given.
Newcastle equalized just before halftime after the referee harshly penalized Albion's debutant keeper Joe Murphy for picking up what appeared an accidental back pass.
With the entire Albion team camped on the line Nolberto Solano rolled the ball to Shearer, who drilled a low shot through them all. The former England striker got the winner in the 69th minute, sweeping in a Solano knock-down.
Southampton climbed out of the bottom three with a total domination of City and only superb goalkeeping by Peter Schmeichel kept the score down to 2-0.
Ormerod, who got three in the 6-1 midweek League Cup thrashing of Tranmere when Saints scored after 16 seconds, was on target early again, this time heading the hosts ahead after 45 seconds.
Schmeichel then produced a series of great saves -- tipping a Fabrice Fernandes curler on to a post and then brilliantly denying Ormerod and Chris Marsden as Southampton dominated the first half.
Schmeichel was to blame for the second after 42 minutes, however, as a mis-hit Ormerod bounced back off his chest right back into the path of the striker, who banged it in.
Fernandes hit the bar and Kevin Beattie completely missed the ball in front of an empty goal as Saints continued to rack up the chances in the second half.
The game ended badly for Gordon Strachan's side, however, when substitute Marian Pahars was sent off for a second booking after diving in the box.
City, which has now scored only once in its five Premier League away games, never looked like pulling one back in a poor display.
West Ham was booed off the pitch at Upton Park after another limp display.
Joe Cole's equalizer was a brief highlight but two for John, another midweek hat-trick man, earned Birmingham three precious points.
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