The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 18

THE GUARDIAN Monday December 12 1988 Soccer Early warnings in late-night shaking of bag Liverpool 1, Everton 1 18 SPORTS NEWS David Lacey ETaHE quality of Mersey is i lnot strained, to judge Ufrom yesterday's eventful derbv match at An Geld. But until Liverpool and Everton begin to take the sort of chances they missed against each other in this game the League championship will remain open to all-comers. Yesterday's 1-1 draw keeps the pressure off Norwich City and Arsenal for another week, although Norwich go to Anfield on Saturday. Yet Liverpool have still only won twice at home in the League and have now dropped 13 points at Anfield, three more than they did during the whole of last season. But for superb goalkeeping by Southall they would surely have beaten Everton yesterday.

On the other hand Everton had what appeared to be a perfectly good goal by Clarke disallowed 23 minutes from the end. Southall more than anybody has kept Everton in the top half of the First Division after an indifferent autumn. They are now unbeaten in nine matches. Yesterday they played quite well before half-time though in a passive sort of way, and did not take the game to Liverpool until Clarke brought the scores level with a penalty six minutes into the second half. By then Liverpool could have taken the match beyond their reach.

Whelan and McMahon took a little while to impose their authority on Bracewell and McCall in midfield. But from the outset Beards-ley's ability to run at defenders and set up quick, incisive movements with Barnes or Houghton promised to be the deciding factor. Liverpool are still not playing from the back with their old assurance. Nicol had another excellent game in the middle of the defence but with no sign of frontation has a good FA Cup feel about it, a reviving Second Division side against an expensive, improving team from the First. The clubs met in the 1968 final when Albion won with a goal in extra-time from Jeff Astle, and next month's encounter could be equally close.

Neither Manchester United nor Tottenham can be particularly happy. United were held to a goalless draw by Queen's Park Rangers at Old Trafford on the season's opening day and the odds on Rangers repeating the process must be strong. Spurs have been given precisely the sort of tie Terry Venables did not want away to Bradford City, whose indifferent Second Division form may belie a continued ability to rise to the occasion in cup ties. Tottenham faced similar opposition, from the Third, last season and lost in the fourth round at Port Vale. Arsenal would have found themselves at West Ham in the fourth round of the Littlewoods Cup had they not been eliminated by Liverpool in the third.

West Ham's subsequent 4-1 rout of Liverpool, after their 5-0 thrashing of Derby, suggests Arsenal should not set too much store by their own 4-1 League win at Upton Park in October. It is 13 years since at least one of the Big Five failed to reach an FA Cup final but over the past two seasons Coventry and Wimbledon have spoken up for democracy. Coventry, drawn away to Sutton in the third round's most intriguing confrontation, and Sheffield Wednesday, who entertain the winners of the replay between Torquay and Yeovil, look like getting head starts this time. Maybe the meeting of Derby and Southampton, one of only four all-First Division affairs, will produce an eventual finalist. Both look the sort of teams equipped for Wembley and Shilton and Wright were once Southampton players.

Who knows, Derby might be the first side led out at Wembley by their chairman. West Ham were the last Second Division club to win the Cup, back in 1980. If there is to PHOTOGRAPH: NEIL JONES Wayning influence Clarke climbs to put Wilson's cross past the Liverpool goalkeeper Hooper, but the goal was disallowed harsh. A few million pounds-worth of misses followed. Beardsley sent in Aldridge but his shot was weak and predictable and hastened the arrival of Rush, who was warming up at the time.

But when Whelan's through pass left Rush to push the winner past the advancing Southall he lifted his shot over the bar. Two minutes earlier another cross from Wilson dropped between the Liverpool centre-backs to the feet of Cottee, who seemed surprised to get the chance and wasted it accord vinced Everton that they would get something from the match. In the end they might have had even more. Burrows gave away the penalty when he lunged at the busy Steven instead of jockeying him as the situation demanded. Clarke brought the scores level and believed he had given Everton the lead when he rose well at the far post to head down past Hooper from Wilson's cross.

The referee decided he had fouled somebody, Burrows perhaps, but the decision was Tottenham Hotspur 2, Coventry City 1 Manchester United 0 Regis deepens United malaise Spurs show a steely side to wound the Lions David Lacey HE FA Cup will have to work hard this time to provide its annual mid- season stimulus. The season is in need of a stronger pick-me- up than usual but. so lar as im pending drama goes, Saturday night's third-round draw was full of possibilities rather than probabilities. Having bought the FA Cup response to ITV's exclusive deal with the League, the BBC insisted on putting out the season's most interesting draw just when most people, were think ing of going to bed and more than a few were already asleep. Few footballing heads can have hit the pillows easily after the draw.

"Every manager's in the blue velvet bag, Barry," remarked Bobby Gould to Tony Gubba shortly before the ceremony. The statement was inaccurate on several counts, but the Wimbledon manager's sentiment was not far off the mark. There was little in it for anyone's absolute comfort. At least Gould's desire not to be drawn against Newcastle was fulfilled to perfection. New castle were first out of the bag, Wimbledon last.

The Cup holders have to travel to Birmingham, who face an even grimmer fight to stay in the Second Division than do Wimbledon to avoid relegation from the Interest in this tie is largely academic, since the' thought of Wimbledon retaining the trophy is even more outrageous than the idea of their winning it in the first place. All the big clubs have been kept apart, which increases the chance of a strong competition in the later rounds. The way the season has gone such thoughts may be presumptuous. Liverpool ought to beat Carlisle at Brunton Park, although after last season's experience at Wembley even they cannot be sure of anything any more. Carlisle were the first League club managed by Bill Shankly and Peter Beardsley began his career there.

Everton have a much tougher tie at West Bromwich. This con Third-round draw Newcastle Watford; Carlisle Liverpool; Stoke Crystal Sutton Coventry; Hartlepool Al-dershot or Bristol Plymouth Cambridge West Ham Arsenal; Crewe Aston Villa; Middlesbrough Grimsby; Brighton Leeds; Millwall Luton; Walsall Peterborough or Brentford; Cardiff Hull; Derby Southampton; WBA Everton; Barnsley Chelsea; Tranmere Reading or Maid BAG SCOTTISH LEAGUE. Premier Division! Celtic 0. Aberdeen 0: Dundee Utd 4, Hibernian 1: Hamilton 1. Dundee 0: Hearts 2.

Rangers 0: St Mirren 2. Motherwell 1. First Division! Airdrie 0. Forfar 3: Clyde 4, Ayr 2: Clydebank 4, Queen ol Soulh 2: Dun-fermline 2. Morton 1: Kilmarnock 0, St Johnstone 3: Meadowbank 0.

Partick 2: Raith 1, Falkirk 3. A Pts 37 18 27 34 17 24 39 26 23 28 21 23 30 19 22 26 24 22 27 23 20 17 21 16 24 29 16 21 28 IS 24 33 14 21 34 13 25 36 11 17 41 6 Falkirk 18 12 Airdrie Clydebank Ounfrmline Johnstne Morton Forfar Meadowbk 9 Clyde- Rotth Ayr Utd Kilmamck- Partlck- Queen Stlt Second Division! Albion 3. Cowdenbeath East Stirling 2. Oueens Pk Montrose 2. Berwick Stenhousemuir 0.

Arbroath 0. Leading standing! 1. Albion (P17. Pls25); 2, Arbroath (17-21); 3, Stirling Alb (16-21). SCOTTISH CUP.

Flrat round replayoi Dumbarton 2, Inverness Thistle 1: Stirling 0. Stranraer 1. NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE. Armthorpe Wet 0, Grlmethorpe MW 4: Brlgg Tn 3, Belper Tn Harrogate Rlwy 4, Long Eaton Utd 2. GREAT MILLS LEAGUE-Premier Division! Bristol Farm 1.

Plymouth Argylo 2: Chard Tn 0, Paulton Rvrs 3: Frome Tn 2, Dawlish Tn 2: Minehead 1, Mangotsfield Utd 0: Swanago 1. Clevedon Tn 1: Torrington 1, Chippenham Tn 1: Welton Rvrs 2, Bldalord 0. Las Phillips Cupi Radstock Tn 0, Barnstaple Tn 1: Bridport 3. Calne Tn 1. OVENDBN PAPERS COMBINATION.

Arsenal 4, Swindon Wimbleodn 5, Southampton 0. SOUTH EAST COUNTIES LEAGUE. First Dhrlslom Fulham 1, Charllon Ath 1: Gillingham 2. Leyton Orient Portsmouth Tottenham pstpnd: OPR 2, Ipswich Tn Soulhend 2. Millwall Watford 1.

Norwich West Ham 0, Chelsea 1. REPLAY DATES. Tomorrow! Bristol City Aldershot (7.45); Swansea Colchester (7.30). Wednesday! Brenllord Peterborough (7.45); Maidstone Reeding (7.45): Torquay Yeovil (7.30); Welling Bath (7.30). A bomb blast outside Oen Haag's stadium yesterday injured threo people, one seriously, lust before the Dutch League game with RBC.

which was then called oil after 20 minutes' play alter an anonymous telophono threat was received saving another device about to explode within the ground. The sraoium was evacuaroo ano searcnoo out no bomb was found. FA PI, Rangers 19 12 3 4 29 14 27 Dundee 19 9 7 3 25 11 26 Aberdeen 19 7 11 1 23 16 25 Celtic 19 11 2 6 41 23 24 Hibernian 19 7 7 5 20 16 21 St Mirren 19 8 5 6 23 25 21 Dundee 19 4 8 7 17 22 1 8 Hearts 19 3 8 8 18 23 1 4 Motherwell 19 1 7 11 17 29 0 Hamilton 19 3 2 14 13 45 8 ingly. Fittingly, Southall ended a superb performance by flicking a shot from McMahon over the bar. The referee gave a goal-kick and ITV made Nicol their Man of the Match.

Everton knew better and so did the rest of Anfield. Houghton (30min). Evertom Clarke pen (51). Liverpool! Hooper; Ablett. Venison, Nicol.

Whelan, Burrows, Beardsley, Aldridge (Rush. 65). Houghton, Barnes. McMahon. Everton: Southall; Snodin, Van Oen Hauwe.

Ratcllfle. Watson, Bracewell (Reld, 67), Steven, McCall, Clarke, Cottee, Wilson. Rttami Worrall (Warrington). typical run kept the scoreline respectable. In Sheringham and Cascarino, whose header wide was their only real chance, Millwall have top-quality strikers but their supply line has been cut.

In the absence of anyone able to change the long-ball pattern, they wandered lonely and Mimms's eccentric reactions, or lack of them, to crosses were barely questioned. "It's nice to talk to you with a smile," said Venables, delighting particularly in Gascoigne. Millwall's John Docherty barely concealed his sourness. He would not explain technically his team's "below-par" performance, saying that he was saving it for his book. And football is criticising the press for concentrating on the game's peripheral matters.

Hotspur! Waddle (18 mln), Gascoigne (62). Tottenham: Minims; Butters. Thomas. Fenwick, Fairclough, Mabbutt, Walsh, Gascoigne, Waddle, Stewart. Allen.

Mlllwill: Home: Stevens, Dawes (Salman. 71), Hurlock, Wood, McLeary, Stephenson, Briley, Sheringham, Cascarino, O'Callaghan. Referee! Axcell (Southend). Third Dlvleloni Wigan 3, Southend 0. A Pis Wolves 41 21 38 41 20 38 40 19 34 36 26 31 30 23 31 25 22 30 30 26 28 22 19 27 27 26 27 22 21 27 31 31 27 Swsnsee Preston Mansfield Fulham Bristol City Chaster Bolton Reading Brentford Huddersfld Blackpool Cardiff Northmptn Wlgan Southend Notts Cnty aiding ham Aldershot Chestsrfld 6 30 23 26 6 30 26 20 7 25 24 26 8 21 27 24 6 24 20 22 19 22 20 27 31 10 23 28 18 22 36 18 19 21 17 16 31 13 15 36 11 9 46 8 IRISH LEAGUE.

Bangor 2. Newry 0: Clil-tonville 1. Crusaders 0: Coleraine 2. Porta-down 0: Oistillery 0. Carrick 2: Glenavon 3.

Ards 0: Glentoran 3. Ballymena 2: Lame 3. Llnfield 2. LEAGUE OP IRELAND. Alhlone 0.

Cobh Ramblers 0: Cork 0, Bohemians 0: Dundalk 3. Waterlord 0: Limerick 1, Shelbourne 0: St Patrick's 1, Derry 0: Shamrock Rvrs 0. Galway 2. FRENCH LEAGUE. Nantes 1, Paris Saint-Germain 1: Metz 2.

Auxerre 1: Marseille 3, Toulouse 1: Laval 1, Sochaux 1: Monaco 2, Caen 1: Matra Racing 1, Nice 1: Bordeaux 0, Lille 0: Strasbourg 3, Montpelller 1: Cannes 1. Toulon 0: Lens 1, Saint Etienne 3. Leading standlngsi 1. Parrs Saint-Germain (P22, PIS47): 2. Auxerre (22-45): 3.

Marseille (22-39). SPANISH LEAGUE. Elche 0. Sporting 0: Espanol 1. Real Sociedad 1: Malaga 2.

Real Belis 2: Cadiz 0. Real Madrid 2: Alletlco Madrid 3. Real Zaragoza 1: Sevilla 2. Real Val-ladolld 4: Athletic Bilbao 3. Barcelona 2: Lo-grones 0.

Real Murcia 0: Real Oviedo 4. Celta 0: Valencia 3, Osasuna 2. Leading standlngsi 1, Real Madrid (P15. Pls25): 2, Barcelona (15-23): 3, Atletico Madrid (15-18). WEST GERMAN LEAGUE.

Werder Bremen 3, Forluna Cologne 1 (ael): Bayer Lever-kusen 5, Waldhol Mannheim VIB Stuttgart 2, Saarbruecken 0 (aet): Schalke 2, Borussia Dortmund 3. DUTCH LEAGUE. Haarlem 2. Forluna 2: RKC 5. Utrecht Roda 1, MW Twente 6, Feyenoord 1: Sparta 3, Volendam 0: Aax 5, BVV Oen Bosch 1: Veendam 1, Wlllem II 1: PEC Zwolle 2.

VVV Venlo 2. Leading standlngsi 1, PSV (P15, Pls23); 2, Ajax (16-11); 3, Fortune (16-22). ITALIAN LEAOUK Ascoll 1. Cesena 1: At-alanta 1, Pisa 0: Bologna 2, Torino 0: Florentine 3, Poscara 2: Juvontus 0. Sampdorla 0: Lecce 1.

Lazio 0: Milan 0, Internazionale 1: Roma 1, Como Verona 0. Napoli 1. Leading standlngsi 1. Internazionale P9. Pts17); 2.

Napoli (9-15); 3. Juventus (9-12). WORLD CUP (Wellington) Oceania QrouD. first match! New Zealand 4. Taiwan 0 Group flvei (Belgrade) Yugoslavia 4, Cyprus 0.

Group alxi (Valetta) Malta 2, Hungary 2. Sheff Utd Port Vale Bristol Bury Hansen returning it cannot be long before Molby is recalled. burrows showed his inexperi ence yesterday, although oddly enough Liverpool's goal followed one of his mistakes. He was caught in possession by McCall just inside the Liverpool half, but the Everton player was then neatly dispossessed by Barnes whose through pass sent Houghton clear and onside. Houghton coolly drew Sou thall off his line before swerving away from the goalkeeper and tapping the ball into an have intended using his fullbacks as attackers, but his team often had seven or eight men behind the ball and sent out raiding parties of only two or three, which was not enough to put a suspect Coventry defence under sustained pressure.

Nevertheless they should have won through the chances that were created, five altogether, with the busy Hughes often supplying the crucial' spark. But the finishing was apologetic rather than incisive. United have lost so many leads recently that they seem nervous of taking the initiative. So Coventry find themselves in third place this morning after a muddled performance alleviated only by Regis's first-time touches and strength in the air and the ability of Hou-chen to hold the ball under pressure. Speedie's swerve past Donaghy and the neat centre which led to the goal redeemed an otherwise anonymous afternoon.

"No room for small hearts out there," said John Sillett, the Coventry manager. But so far as good football went, it was a desert. City: Regis (80 mln). Coventry! Ogrlzovic; Borrows, Downs, Sedgley, Kilcline. Peake.

Phillips. Speedie. Regis, Houchen. Smith. Manchester United: Leighton: Garton (Milne, 20), Martin.

Bruce, Blackmore, Donaghy, Robson. Strachan. McClair, Hughes, Sharpe. Referee: Foakes (Clacton-on-Sea). John Jeffers, Liverpool's highly rated 20-year-old mid fielder, has gone to Port Vale on a month's loan.

left in the cold Celtic should be consoled by the realisation that they have recovered the respect from others they are due as champions. Aberdeen's cautious approach was conclusive evidence of that. Further consolation, of course, comes from chipping another point off the lead of Rangers, whose unconvincing lorm toiiowea them to Tyne-castle, where they lost 2-0 to Hearts. The match was ill-tempered and Mike Galloway, scorer of the opening goal, and Mark Walters, the Rangers winger, were sent off; three others were booked. Iain Ferguson made sure of victory by rur.ning the ball into the empty net after a dreadful error by Terry Butcher had left the goalkeeper Nicky Walker clawing thin air and the ball at Ferguson's feet.

Dundee United never cease to amaze. While Rangers have dropped points all over the country in recent weeks. United have collected them like berries and are now in second place, two points off the top and ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference. Their 4-1 victory over Hibernian left them nicely tuned for their crucial clash with Celtic at the weekend. empty net.

Everton have one of the most effective offside traps in the League but on this occasion Snodin appeared to have moved up a fraction too late. Five minutes later their defence was spreadeagled again after McMahon had taken the ball off Bracewell and released Aldridge on the right. His centre was low and true and Barnes, alone in the goalmouth, struck the ball well only to see Southall achieve an astonishing save to tip the shot over the bar. That moment probably con Chelsea 3 Portsmouth 3 Bumper goal giveaway down at the Bridge Don Beet Fuktsmuuth's manager Alan Ball wore the widest smile after an extraordinary game at Stamford Bridge in which two defences handed out festive gifts. Goals were given away in tront ot Chelsea's biggest crowd of the season in the manner that delights spectators but dismays managers and coaches.

Ball rubbished his defend' ers for their waywardness as Chelsea went into a two-goal lead, and then for relying too much on offside once they had turned the match on its head by going in front. "Chelsea's third goal was two yards otrside," he claimed. "But we pushed up too much, lived too dangerously, and got punished, Still, most of the top teams have to come to our place and, apart trom wattord, we've played them away." Bobby Campbell, Chelsea's manager, saw his side's face-saving equaliser differently. "A brilliant ball from one of the best left-backs in the country Dorigo gave Kevin Wilson his chance," he said. "And what about the other full-back, Gareth Hall? I thought we'd signed Johnny Haynes when he put Dixon away to make the second goal for Durie." Campbell said his former side had played with passion while Chelsea had "their worst game of the An extravagant complaint, but Chelsea could come to regret throwing away their handsome lead.

Dixon and Durie put the home team in command, but visions of going to the top were dispelled just before the break. As Ball chased a linesman to demand that a Hardyman header had crossed the line "I thought he was Russian but I couldn't catch him" Chamberlain crossed and Quinn flashed a header into the net. Kuhl, from 20 yards, and an unchallenged Kevin Ball header put Portsmouth in front before Wilson's lobbed equaliser. After a game of brilliant touches, belted clearances and some flat patches a draw was perhaps the least surprising result. The clubs have now met 59 times in League matches, each winning 19 and each scoring 100 goals.

Alan Ball says it is tight at the top "because most sides play percentage football. We don't." What about 19 offside decisions won by his team? "It should have been 20," he moaned. SCORIRSV Chelsesi Dixon (4 min). Ourie (35), Wilson (70). Portimoulhi Ouinn (41).

Kuhl (46), Ball (S3). Chetaeai Freestone: Hall. Dorigo. Roberts. Lee.

Wood. Wilson, Nicholas, Durie (McAllister, 48). Wilson. Portsmouth! Knight; Neill, Sandtord, Kuhl, Hogg, Ball. Chamberlain, Dillon, Asplnall.

Ouinn, Hardyman. ReferMi Hackett (Shellleld). Millwall 0 even crept past the referee with the ball at his feet before unleashing a dipping shot from 25 yards that went in off the underside of the bar. Gascoigne, in the parlance, then showed who was guv'nor. His powerful runs left Millwall floundering and his playing the wag amused all but the most rabid of visiting supporters.

His danger from free-kicks grows, as his curling 20-yarder past a disorganised wall and ill-positioned goalkeeper proved. Afterwards the talk was of Mackay and Hoddle. Hold the horses. Tottenham's manager Terry Venables had wanted to introduce the Moroccan-born Mohammed Amar to the First Division but such was the cohesion of the team that they cannot be disturbed. The substitute was left on the sidelines to do a stretch longer than Jan Molby's.

He watched as Walsh's misses and Home's excellent save from Gascoigne after a Second Division! Barnsley 1. Walsall 0: Birmingham 0. Crystal Palace 1: Blackburn 1, Ipswich 0: Brighton 1, Stoke 1: Chelsea 3, Portsmouth Leeds 2. Shrewsbury 3: Leicester 3. Sunderland 1: Man City 4, Bradford Plymouth 1.

Bournemouth 1: Swindon 2, Oldham 2: Wattord 1, Oxford 1: West Brom 2. Hull 0. 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 20 20 20 20 19 20 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 10 11 10 A Pts Man City Blackburn 28 17 38 34 25 30 Watford 32 20 30 36 22 34 29 19 34 Chelsea. WBA- PorUmth Barnsley Plymouth Leicester Crystal Pat-w Boumamth 32 24 32 6 26 26 30 7 29 29 20 5 26 27 20 5 29 25 28 8 23 23 28 6 22 26 28 Stoke. Ipswich.

9 27 25 27 6 24 22 2B 5 26 26 26 5 25 25 26 9 31 32 24 9 25 33 24 7 32 32 23 7 20 25 23 8 16 26 20 12 25 36 18 10 17 26 14 12 15 38 14 VAUXH ALL-OPEL LBAOUB. Premier Dlvleloni Barking 0, Carshalton 1: Bishop's Storttord 3. Dagenham Oulwich 1, St Albans 0: Grays 1, Farnborough 2: Harrow 2, Tooting Mitcham 1: Kingstonian 1, Bromley 0: Leytonstoneflltord 1, Leyton Wingate 1: Marlow 1. Hendon 1: Slough 2, Hayes 0: Wokingham 1, Windsor Eton 0. Leading standings! 1, Slough (P18.

Pls40): 2. Farnborough (18-38): 3, Bishop's Stortford (19-32). BEAZER HOMES LEAGUE-Premier Dlv Utoni Atvechurch 2, Waterlooville 1: Bad-worlh 1. Bromsgrove 1: Burton 3, Worcester 2: Corby 1. Ashford 3: Crawley 1.

Merthyr 1: Darlford 0. Cambridge 0: Dover 4, Dorchester 0: Fareham 1, Leicester Utd 0: Moor Grn 3. Wealdstone 1: Redditch 0. Gosport 2. Leading atandlngst 1.

Darlford (P16, PIS28): 2, Cambridge (19-27): 3, Wealdstone (15-27). Midland Dhrlslom Ashtree Highlield 0. Gloucester 0: Banbury Uld 3, Willenhall Tn 1: Bilston Tn 2, Bridgnorth Tn 6: Forest Grn Rvrs 0, Spalding Utd 2: Halesowen Tn 6. Kings Lynn Nuneaton Bor 1, Dudley Tn 3: Rushden 5, Mile Oak Rvrs 0: Sutton Coldlleld Tn 4. Stourbridge 2: Tamworth 2, Coventry Sporting Wellingborough Tn 0.

Alherstone Utd 4. Southern Dlvleloni Burnham 0, Erilh Belvedere 1: Bury Tn 1, Gravesend Northfleet Canterbury 0, Baldock Tn 0: unstable 0. Poole Tn Folkestone 1, Salis bury 0: Hounslow 2. Buckingham Tn 1: Ruls-lip 4, Andover 2: Sheppey Utd 1, Chelmsford 5: Tonbridge AFC 1, Corinthian Trowbridge Tn 4, Thanet Uld Witney Tn 1, Hastings Tn 2. BASS MUM 1 n-HHO I UUUN1IU LEAGUE.

First Division Ashlon Uld 2. Skelmersdale Uld 2: Bootle 2. Flixton 5: Burs-cough 1. Darwen 1: Colwyn Bay 2, St Helens Tn 1: Knowsley Uld 2, Atherton LR 2: Prescot Cablos 0, Ellesmere Port 3: Sallord 0, Formby 2: Warrington Tn 0. Rossendale Uld 1.

Roab archer Cup. Second round rtptayi Clilheroe 2, Newcastle Tn u. Leeae uta Swindon Sunderlnd Oxford Hull Oldham Bradford Shrawsbry Brighton Walsall Blrmlnghm be another this season it could be Leeds. Brighton are unlikely to stand in the way of Howard Wilkinson's team for long. Another second Division club, Blackburn, travel to non-League territory to meet Welling or Bath; but Kettering's conquest of Bristol Rovers brought the anticlimax of a trip to Halifax.

Millwall's home tie against Luton recalls their quarterfinal at Kenilworth Road in 1985 when TV coverage of the riot brought the Prime Minister into the hooligan question for the first time. There is unlikely to be trouble at the Den, where the game will be all-ticket, but the FA must be praying there is no replay. in full stone; Sunderland Oxford Charlton Oldham; Manchester QPR; Nottm Ipswich; Shrewsbury Colchester or Swansea; Bath or Welling Blackburn; Hud-dersfield Sheff Sheff Yeovil or Torquay, Manchester Leicester; Bradford Tottenham; Blackpool Bournemouth; Kettering Halifax; Port Vale Norwich; Portsmouth Swindon; Birmingham Wimbledon. Ties: January 7. Enfield 1 Cardiff City 4 Cardiff take a Sunday stroll Ian Ridley WHEN Sunday Comes does not quite have the same ring to it, especially in the FA Cup.

A passive suburban atmosphere in Middlesex contributed to a tedious tie yesterday, with Cardiff City strolling to a fourth-round date at home to Hull. Remarkably it took the Third Division team 44 minutes and SO seconds of mind-numbing mediocrity to take the lead, and fortuitously at that. Cooper, on the ground, was adjudged to have handled and Wimbleton struck home the penalty. Lynex was left with an easy volley into the net after the ar-chetypally lanky defender Abraham had headed on Cur-tis's cross four minutes into the second half. The striker Gilli-gan was then on target in the 54th and 74th minutes with a near-post header from Curtis's free kick and a turn-in from Wimbleton's cross.

The substitute Bate managed a goal in the 75th, tapping in after Wood had fumbled Reeves's speculative shot, as Enfield flurried belatedly. But the chant of "You're worse than Newport County" from visiting supporters rang true. Enfleldt Pape: Cottington. Smith. Howell.

Cooper (Bale. 65 min), Wilkinson, Parkin (Hayzelden, 65). Reevos. Francis, Lewis. Furlong.

Cardiff Cltyi Wood: Rodgerson. Ptatnauor, Wimbleton. Abraham. 8oyle. Cuitis, Barllett.

Gilligan. Gummor (Balor, 75), Lynex. Refereei Hutchinson (Abingdon). Sixteen people arrested when fighting broke out at the end of the match will probably appear in court today. Ian Ridley "HI OTTENHAM are finding their feet, Millwall are being found out.

One side is just discovering its potential, the other has probably achieved it. They should soon meet somewhere in mid-table. With players of the quality of Chris Waddle and Paul Gas-coigne, it is inevitable that Spurs will entertain, periodically at least. Yet their brittle-ness is equally well known, and it was remarkable that the aptly-named Lions failed to expose it at White Hart Lane. Tottenham showed the required needs-must attitude.

They matched Millwall's physical challenge in the first 15 minutes, then let their talent take over. It was like seeing Sebastian Coe win an AAA Championship in days gone by. Gascoigne and Allen tamed the warriors Hurlock and Bri-ley early on, leaving Waddle to purr through the midfield. He Weekend results BARCLAYS LEAGUE Flrat Division Liverpool (1)1 Everton (011 Houghton Clarke (pen) 42,372 Charlton 1. OPR 1: Coventry 1, Man Utd 0: Derby 0, Luton Middlesbrough 3.

Aston Villa 3: Newcastle 2. Wimbledon 1: Norwich 0. Arsenal 0: Southampton 1. Noilm Forest 1: Tottenham 2, Millwall 0: West Ham 0. Shell wooo.

A Pie is ao 17 28 13 28 12 25 Norwich-Araenil Coventry Mlllwal 27 20 24 26 22 24 18 12 23 20 IS 23 20 20 22 19 14 21 14 15 21 Southmptn Derby Cnty Everton Nottm For Utd Shetf MWdlejbro 8 22 29 20 7 17 16 10 QPR Aston Villa 5 25 25 1 0 6 16 17 18 6 26 28 18 7 17 28 1 6 8 15 26 1 3 9 14 29 1 3 9 11 28 13 Tottenham. Charlton Wimbledon Weet Ham Newcastle: FA CUP Second round Don caster (0) 1 Daly 7.000 Sheffield Utd (2) 3 Stanclltle Dufliald Anana (Shell Uld away to Hudderslield) Enfield (0) 1 Cardiff (1)4 Bate Wlmbleton (oen) 4.500 Unex Gillioan 2 (Cardiff home to Hull Citv) Aldershot 1. Bristol 1: Altrincham 0, Halilax 3: Aylesbury 0, Sutton Utd 1: Bath 0, welling 0: Blackpool 3, Bury 0: Bognor 0, Cambridge Utd 1: Bolton 1. Port Vale 2: Colchester 2, Swansea 2: Grimsby 3, Rolherham 2: Hartlepool 1. Notts County 0: Hudderslield 1, Chester 0: Kettering 2.

Bristol Rvrs 1: Northwich 1. Tranmere 2: Peterborough 0, Brentford 0: Reading 1, Maidstone Runcorn 0. Crewe 3: Scarborough 0, Carlisle Yeovil 1, Torquay SHERPA VAN TROPHY, Preliminary round, Southern section! Chosterliold 2, mansfield Gillingham 2. Fulham 1. OM VAUXHALL CONFERENCE.

Barnet 1, Wycombe 0: Chorley 0, Newport Fisher 2, Cheltenham 0: Kidderminster 0, Macclesfield 1: Weymouth 2, Boston 2. Leading landings) 1, Kidderminster (P22, Pts 43): 2. Maccleslleld (21-40): 3, Kettering (17-37). HPS LEAQUIV-Premier Division! Bannor 0. Fleetwood 0: Gateshead 1, Mosstey 2: Hor-wlch 0.

Gainsborough 4: Marine 3, Buxton 1: Southport 4, Matlock 0: Worksop 2, Caernarfon 7: Shepshed 3. Stalybridge Celtic 0: Liverpool 1. Hyde 2. Leading standings Marino (P25. Pls44); 2.

Hyde (22-42): 3. Goole (21-39). SKOL NORTHERN LEAOUfc First 01 leieni Brandon Uld 0. Tow Law Tn 3: Durham 1, North Shields Easington 3, Ferryhill Ath Gretna 4, Slockton Gulsborough Tn 3, Shlldon Newcastle Blue Star 0, 811-lingham Tn 1: Seaham Red Star 2. Soulh Bank 1.

David Lacey the moment Manches-. ter United are being followed less for pleasure than tor the sake of cunosity. Saturday's defeat at Coventry did nothing to alter the feeling that Alex Ferguson's team, cast adrift in the middle of the First Division since the start of October, have lost their bearings. Eleven League matches have produced one victory, two defeats and eight draws. When Cyrille Regis flung himself forward to meet David Speedie's centre at the far post and head Coventry's winner 10 minutes from the end United almost seemed relieved at the prospect of a definite result, even if it meant no points.

In a season which has been slow to set consistently high standards anywhere Old Traf-ford supporters are finding Un-ited's mediocrity hard to stomach and are beginning to stay away in droves. After the Coventry defeat Ferguson sounded uncomfortably like Dave Sexton as he talked about what a good game it had been, played end to end, with good performances only let down by careless finishing. The truth is that while Hughes, McClair and Strachan provided most of the skilful touches in a generally artless match United approached the afternoon in a defensive frame of mind. Ferguson played with three centre-backs and might Scottish round-up McAvennie still FRANK McAVENNIE will again be shunned by Scotland's coach Andy Roxburgh this morning when the squad for next week's friendly in Italy is announced, writes Patrick Glenn. But Gordon Durie, the Chelsea forward, is reinstated after a year.

Confirming that the Celtic striker the country's leading scorer and widely regarded as the Premier Division's most consistent player of the season will be omitted, Roxburgh said: "In my time with Scotland, Frank has done nothing to suggest that he is better than those already in the squad. "Durie is a young player we can develop and he has done well when he has been with us. But it's good to know that players like McAvennie and Alan Mclnally, about whom we have been hearing great things, are putting pressure on those in possession. That's healthy for any national squad." McAvennie, in common with all the others on the field, did not score in the home match with Aberdeen on Saturday, but looked full of menace throughout 90 minutes in which the visitors were largely defensive. If the loss of a point rankles,.