The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 35

The Guardian Thursday May 18 2000 35 Football Nationwide League play-offs First Division Second Division Smith leaves Stoke's nine no wav back if escape had sustained a knee injury' in the first game and was unable to take part. He was badly missed because it left Kyle Lightbourne to plough a lone furrow up front and his team with little prospect of alleviating the pressure that built incessantly even before the interval. As Ashby, Asaba and the impressive Nicky Southall went close in quick succession, so Stoke's defences began to wobble and their discipline came under threat. A Kavanagh foul on Hcssenthaler earned him a yellow card and there was one for Clarke too when he retaliated against Ashby. Within 60 seconds the fullback disputed another free-kick and was ordered to the dressing room.

Another illegal challenge on Hcssenthaler early in the second half brought another angry melee from which Kavanagh emerged rubbing his chin. However, the Irishman was the player to see red after order had been restored. With a two-man disadvantage Stoke could not hope to stem the tide and within a minute their aggregate lead had dissolved as Ashby nodded in a Ty Gooden corner. Peter Taylor's team should have gone on from there without the need for extra-time but the substitute Steve Butler and Iffy Onuora both missed badly. In the 102nd minute Onuora made amends with a downward header, and Paul Smith, another substitute, made absolutely sure with a simple finish two minutes from time.

Gillingham PennocV Ashby. Butters: Southall. Lewis. Hcssenthaler, Gooden. Edge (Butler.

80mm); Asaba ISmrtli. 1051. Onuora (Nosworthy, 111). Stoke City (5-3-1-1). Ward: Hansson, Mohan.

Gunnarsson. Jacobsen. Clarke. Kavanagh. O'Connor.

Gunnlaugsson (Melton, 56). Gudionsson. Lightbourne (Connor, 101! Referee: Styles (Waterloo) Trevor Haylert at Priestfield Gillingham3 Ashby 55. Onuora 102, Smith 1 18 Stoke City 0 Gillingham win 5-3 on agg; 3-3 at 90 min Gillingham, having waited 106 years for their first Wembley appearance, have begun to acquire a taste for the old stadium and will head back there a week on Sunday to try to clinch the First Division place cruelly denied them by Manchester City a year ago. That they needed extra-time to overcome a stubborn Stoke side reduced to nine men before the hour by the dismissal of Clive Clarke and Graham Kavanagh was lost in the joy that erupted around Priest-field on the final whistle.

All season Gillingham have been playing for the chance to expunge the bad memories of 1999. Now only Wigan stand in the way. Once Kavanagh had joined his team-mate in the dressing room Stoke's hopes were disappearing fast. Immediately Barry Ashby brought the aggregate scores level but, despite relentless pressure, the nine men held out and refused to fold until the game went into its additional 30 minutes. Even then there was a scare for the home team when the substitute Paul Connor broke through and rapped his shot against a post when he might have restored parity again.

Andy Hessenthaler's thunderbolt goal five minutes into injury-time at the Britannia stadium had ensured the Kent club went into this return full of belief. There was a further boost in the unexpected availability of Carl Asaba when all the signs were that he would miss out again. On top of that Peter Thorne, Stoke's 30-goal marksman, Bolton began by stifling Ipswich's passing game and, although missing the injured striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, took the lead after only six minutes. England's No3 keeper Richard Wright flapped at a cross and Dean Holdsworth poked home the loose ball. Magilton equalised from the spot after he was brought down.

On 40 minutes Bolton regained the lead when Holdsworth bent a 20-yard free-kick past Wright. But more controversy was at hand. Ipswich's 2.5m striker Marcus Stewart went down in the area under a challenge by Paul Ritchie and the referee awarded another penalty. Bolton players angry at the first decision, were incensed by the second. Five players harangued the referee and one had to be pulled away by a steward.

Again players scuffled before Jussi Jaaskelainen saved Magilton's penalty. But back came Ipswich. Four minutes into the second half Magilton beat three players to plant the ball past the Bolton keeper. Portman Road erupted in delight and relief. The dream was back on.

But the crowd's cheers were silenced when, a minute later, Bolton took the lead yet again, Allan Johnston unleashing a 25-yard corker. Then Magilton popped up with his injury-time equaliser and Mike Whitlow was sent off for a second yellow. Extra-time was no less hectic. Three minutes into it, Ritchie was adjudged to have fouled David Johnson and Clapham converted from the spot. Three minutes later Robbie Elliott wits sent off for a second bookable offence and Bolton, depleted and dejected, conceded a fifth goal when Mar-tijn Reuser broke away to secure a final appearance, almost certainly against Barnsley, a week on Monday.

Ipswich Wright. Bro.n IReuser. 65min), Mowbray. Venus. Croft, Magilton, Wand, Scorcrott ITJaloi.

79), Claphjm. Jrjhnson. Stewart Bolton (4-1-4- JdisWelatncn. Beiusson, hsh, 72). Johanscn IPtulins, 90), Jensen, Elliott, Johnston: Holdsworth Hansen, 101) Referee.

Knmht COrpngton) Martin Thorpe at Portman Road Ipswich Town 5 Magilton 18pei -19 90. Clapham Reuser 109 Bolton Wanderers 3 Holdsworth 6 39. Johnston 50 Ipswich win 7-5 on agg: 5-5 after gOrrin Ipswich finally made it to the play-off final last night and the only sad aspect was that controversy dogged the occasion. After being knocked out at this stage for the past three seasons, no one but Bolton and Norwich fans would begrudge the Suffolk dub a first visit to Wembley since 1978. I lowever, this game will also be remembered for the two red cards and nine yellows, all shown to Bolton players, three penalties awarded to Ipswich and the unseemly sight of the referee Barry Knight being harangued by angry white shirts each time he pointed to the spot.

Bolton claim they were hard done by. The FA will almost certainly reply with a disciplinary charge. "I totally blame the referee for our defeat," said Bolton's manager Sam Allardyce. "As far as I'm concerned he shouldn't be allowed to referee a match again. How can you have so many bookings on one side and none on the other? It showed how biased he was." One can understand Bolton's dejection.

They were beaten in both cup semi-finals. They lost last season's play-off final. The failure will probably mean up to nine players leaving. Three times Bolton took the lead. Three times Ipswich equalised.

The final time was the most crucial. Jim Mag-ilton, much travelled and 31 only 12 days ago, conjured up a volley in injury-time of normal time to complete his hat-trick just as Bolton thought they had won. With the score 3-3, Ipswich could be grateful the away goals rule had been abandoned this year. Three minutes into extra-time Jamie Clapham scored a penalty and. with Bolton down to nine men, Ipswich were dreaming of the twin towers.

Third Division Sheridan ends rivals' run wholehearted challenge for the ball in the play-off match at Ipswich Photograph: Gary Prior Farrell's hat-trick provides Posh spice Darlington put Reynolds in mood for a holiday Daniel Taylor at the JJB stadium Wigan Athletic 1 Shendan 61 MillwallO Wigan win 1-0 on agg For Wigan it was case of never mind the quality. A tepid, niggly affair at their state-of-the-art stadium was a late contender for the season's most uninspiring game, but that will not matter when they head for Wembley on Sunday week. In a stadium worthy of the Premiership, never mind the First Division, a 6lst-minute goal from Darren Sheridan was enough to book the I.ancashire club a Second Division play-off final with Gillingham and condemn Millwall to another year in the game's third tier. Until that point it seemed that both sides were playing for penalties. But the paucity of anything approaching decent football was little more than a footnote by the finish.

"There isn't much you can say-about the game but the result is everything," said Wigan's manager John Benson. "The players believe they are good enough for promotion, and going to Wembley will be marvellous for the club and the town." But how many Wiganers will he heading south remains a moot point. Fewer than 600 ventured to the New Den for Saturday's scoreless draw and the vast expanses of empty seats here suggest it will be some time before Wigan can be regarded its anything but a town where football comes a poor second to rugby. At least the apathy was not contagious. Millwall's chairman Thco Paphitis had laid on free coaches for their fans and more than 3,000 headed north, Bolton's Paul Ritchie makes a taken out of last night's meeting, which was also watched by Hartlepool fans on a giant screen at Victoria Park.

Hartlepool had enjoyed scant good fortune in the first leg and fared no better last night when Gary Strodder headed into his own goaf after only nine minutes. The veteran defender was unchallenged when he met Phil BruinweH's cross 10 yards from goal only to deflect the ball into the bottom corner. It was an undeserved setback for Hartlepool, who had created an early chance for Tommy Miller. They were stunned by the goal and almost conceded another five minutes later when Peter Duffield's header hit the bar. Hartlepool's only avenue of hope came in the 71st minute when Chris Freestone headed in but the goal was disallowed.

Dv(lngtM4-4-2) Collett, Biwrwell. bridle, ruMllfieed, 71min), Hjorth INiylci, 661, Olner. Cray, Heaney (Atkinson. 701. Gafjbiadim.Duffield Hartlepool United 13-4-31 Ditible.

Strodder. Westwriod. Barron; Arnison. Stepnenson iritipalrick. 74).

Miller. Clarke; lee, Jones IMcAyoy. 81), freestone Referee: Hasley (Liverpool). when in an offside position he touched a goal-bound shot and denied the Posh a precious goal at Underbill. "It was an absolutely brilliant hat-trick," said Fry.

"I gave him a telling-off on Saturday but he has more than made up for it tonight. You won't see a better hat-trick anywhere." For Barnet a summer of strife looms. Possibly without aground for next season, this defeat was a bitter blow in financial as much as football terms. Their manager John Still formerly with Peterborough, just as Fry was manager of Barnet looked on the bright side. "We are disappointed after being in the top six all season.

But the big picture is how far the football club has come. That's two playoffs in three years, which is a phenomenal achievement." Peterborough United M-d 2); Tyler. Scott (Hooper. qQrtnnl, Edwards, Rea.Oiurv.Fairelt, Oldficld. Caslle.

Jelleynian (Gill, S4I; Clarke. Green IHanlon. 87). Barnet (3-5-2). HainwniBossu, 75).

Mea'd. Bashanl. Arbor; Stockfey, Currie, Doolan, Brown (King, 541. Toms: Chatlery Referee: Henbron (Newlon Ayclifti'l. John Wardle at Ffjethams Darlington 1 Strodder 9oy Hartlepool United Datlington win 3-0 on agg Darlington will be a town of sick notes and the funerals of long-lost aunts on Friday week.

David Hodgson's team are on the way to Wembley to meet Peterborough. A sell-out crowd of 8,238 their best for nine years witnessed a victory that put Darlington within one match of the Second Division at the end of a season spent mostly in an automatic promotion spot. The club chairman George Reynolds said afterwards: "I'm going to have a word with a few people because I want to make next Friday a public holiday in Darlington. I wish it was within my powers to do so, but the mayor's a friend of mine and we'll have a chat. "I'll do it for the fans.

There's no football without the fans and this win is for them. They have waited so long for something like this." as vociferous as ever. Sadly, but perhaps predictably, some of them ended their night skirmishing with mounted police. "It's been a bad night, a really bad night," said Mill-wall's assistant manager Alan McLeary. "To say we're disappointed is an understatement." To say the game was disappointing was an even greater one.

All huff and puff with precious little guile, neither side could even register a meaningful attempt on goal during the entire first half. Having nurtured a reputation as a neat passing team, Wigan were particularly disappointing and Millwall could feel aggrieved to have lost after spurning several late chances. Without producing much in the way of flowing football, Millwall showed a greater sense of ambition in the second half. But just as the London club seemed to be taking the initiative, Sheridan profited from a slice of good fortune to give the home side the lead. The midfielder's free-kick was struck powerfully enough but was heading straight for Tony Warner until a slight but decisive deflection off David Livcrmore diverted the ball through his goalkeeper's legs.

After that it was a story of near incessant pressure from the visiting side, but a combination of shoddy finishing and sturdy defending saw Wigan through. On this evidence, however, should they reach the First Division their millionaire owner Dave Whelan will need to dig deep into his resources. Wigan Athletic 13-5-2); SMIif; Mcdbbon. Balmer, Oe 7eeuw; Green. Kedlearn, Sheridan.

Killord, Sharp; hav.ortti, Udell Millwall (4-4-2): Warner; lamnce, Ni'lliercott. Tuttle, RyanlShaw, 77mm), Ifill. Livermore, Cahrll. NeilllKmcl, 65); Moody, Harris. Referee: Laws (Whitley Bay).

Back a bit? The former West Germany goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski, left, advises Sir Gooff Hurst and Ken Bates, right, on where the England striker's shot bounced Photograph: Geoff Caddick am irmmm jasmins lington in that victory and if he repeats his form of last night Peterborough will be difficult to beat. After a nervy, scrappy opening he picked up a pass from Richard Scott 25 yards out and unleashed a fearsome strike which gave the Barnet goalkeeper Lee Harrison no chance. His second was almost identical, cutting inside from the left and again leaving Harrison stranded after 70 minutes. Both strikes followed sustained spells of Barnet pressure but, forced to pour players forward in an effort to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, the visitors were always liable to be caught on the counter-attack. Once their search for goals had become desperate Farrell, a free transfer from Wycombe in 1997, pounced again with the pick of the bunch, a 30-yard chip over Barnet's substitute goalkeeper Bertrand Bossu, who had come on when Mark Tyler pulled a hamstring.

It was some response to the criticism Farrell had received after the first leg on Saturday Bidding for the spot of turf from which Hurst completed his hat-trick will end at 2pm today. Snickers has already posted a bid of 10,000. Germany will be the visitors for the last game at the old Wembley on October 7. England have some catching up to do then and at the European championship game in Charleroi on June 17. Since 196(3 they have beaten the Germans only twice in 1 matches.

In response to the crowd trouble that marred the first leg, Reynolds had toured the pitch with a microphone before the start with a personal plea to Darlington's fans. "Please don't go on the pitch for the sake of the club and the players," he said. The only trouble last night came just before the restart when Hartlepool's goalkeeper Andy Dibble was the target of objects thrown from the crowd. However, the two-goal cushion from Saturday ensured that some of the heat had been Play-off finals (at Wembley) Third Division Darlington Peterborough Friday May 26 kick off 7.45pm Second Division Wigan vGilingham Sunday May 28 kick-off 3pm First Division Ipswich Town Barnsley or Birmingham MondayMay29 kick-off3pm time of the 1966 World Cup final. In the absence of the linesman who gave the goal Tofik Bakhramov died seven years ago the responsibility for digging up the appropriate piece of turf was shared by Sir Geoff Hurst and Hans Tilkowski, Germany's goalkeeper in the 1966 final.

Hurst seems to have won the argument once again. "I made sure the spade was Adam Sills at London Road Peterborough United 3 Farrell 28. 70, 83 BarnetO Peterborough win 5-1 on aggregate David Farrell's three spectacular strikes helped Peterborough cruise to the final last night and left Barry Fry hoping to achieve a Wembley hat-trick of his own. On his first visit to the twin towers, Fry scored for England Under-19s in a 5-3 win against Sweden. As a manager he guided Birmingham to victory in the Auto Windscreens Shield.

Now, Peterborough's manager will be aiming to inspire his side to a second play-off win a week tomorrow; they face Darlington and a win apiece in the league suggests that a nervy afternoon looms. "We had a cracking game against Darlington when we won 4-2 and then lost 2-0 up there on the worst pitch in the world. So the aggregate's four-all and it's all to play for. I'm sure it will be a magnificent occasion," Fry said. Farrell scored against Dar where he was when the goal was scored: "in the Bahamas with my family, silting on a The pitch will be repaired before Bates returns to Wembley for the Cup final the day after tomorrow.

"Wembley has a great deal of history," he said, "but, like me, it's a bit worn out." Various other parts of the stadium including another 149 spots on the pitch are being sold on the internet through qxl.com, Bates pays 20,000 to start charity's net gain JIJ 111. Ik- Ml jl I cm J.fa at fi.TV- marginally over the line," he reported. The proceeds from the auction will go to the Bobby Moore Fund for Imperial Cancer Research. Bates's piece of turf is earmarked for Chelsea's proposed museum. "It's a little bit of heritage and I wanted it in the right hands," Bates said.

"We are building a soccer museum next year and it will be deposited there." Naturally he remembers Robert Pryce Ken Bates paid 20,000 for some turf yesterday and it may not even have been the right turf. Ten million quid for a dodgy centre-forward, anyone? The Chelsea chairman won the auction for the square of the Wembley pitch upon which, it was claimed, the ball bounced down from the crossbar when Geoff Hurst put England 3-2 ahead in cvtra- wmmmr III mo.