The Guardian du lieu suivant : London, Greater London, England • 23

2 1 Sport The CkiTdln Monday May 26 1997 Qolf Woosnam in charge as Ames blunders Spurs first in line to sign Berkovic mvasBmm David Davtes at Wentworth Pet Symaa foot in the air as soon as he struck it and did well to finish only two feet short. Faldo, when putting indifferently, is the world expert on leaving putts short and he plans a visit to the practice green this morning. "It is faster than the greens on the golf course." said Faldo, "so if I practise hitting them four feet past, they should go two feet past when I start playing. "The problem is that you're afraid of going too far past because on bumpy greens the little ones back become very much harder. 1 don't feel 1 have any freedom in my putter stroke: I just don't seem to be able to let it go." Despite a six, five finish, three-putting the long 17th from 15 feet missing a two-footer and then taking two in a fairway bunker at the long 18th, Faldo was relatively upbeat.

He had a nosebleed on the course and agreed with a smile that it was caused "by being too high up on the Clarke is a golfer who could do with winning a big event like this, not just for the money or the Ryder Cup points but for the confidence it would bring. Els is another who could do with a big win. He is well aware that since winning the US Open in 1994 he has under-performed, and yesterday, after eagling the long 12th and moving into the joint lead, he again failed to capitalise on his position. He bogeyed the 15th and 17th before holing a 30-foot putt on the 18th for an eagle to keep him in contention. John Daly, who is entered in next weekend's Memorial Tournament, returned after a two-month lay-off for alcohol rehabilitation by playing a nine-hole exhibition in Pennsylvania yesterday.

Annika Sorenstam of Sweden converted a six-foot putt worth $140,000 (87,000) on the 14th hole and finished with 220.000 to win the skins title in Frisco, Texas, yesterday. The defending champion, Laura Davies of Britain, was second with $140,000. THE immediate leader board, after three rounds of the Volvo PGA Championship, reads Ian Woosnam 11 under, 205: Darren Clarke 10 under: and Ernie Els and Nick Faldo both nine under. There is. however, a name missing from that distinguished group, that of Stephen Ames, who should be alongside Els and Faldo after shooting what should have been a 68.

In fact Ames, from Trinidad and Tobago, hit only 68 shots but two more were added in the recorder's hut after the round: shots that could well make a difference to his take-home pay today. Whatever it turns out to be, it is no one's fault but his own. Ames was penalised by the rules official John Para mor following an incident on the 12th green when, after the Trinidadian had addressed his ball, it moved. That is an automatic one-shot penalty hut Amps thpn marked hi ball, picked it up and then replaced it in its new position and not the original spot. That is a further one-stroke penalty and Ames had no option but to accept both penalty strokes.

The players' general ignorance of the rules that govern their livelihood never ceases to amaze. Almost every week someone loses a substantial portion of his income because he does not know how to conduct himself legally over 18 holes, and in the Players' Championship in Florida in March Davis Love III not only failed to adhere to the rules, he was disqualified, losing over (62,000) and all the Ryder Cup points. The Ames Incident marred what was a compelling day's golf. Woosnam felt that, tee to green, he had played pretty well, as indeed did Faldo. But both were critical of the state of the greens which have seeded, becoming bumpy and of uncertain speed.

One 30-foot birdie-putt by Woosnam on the 13th green jumped a Under pressure Brentford's goalkeeper Kevin Dearden palms away a Crewe free-kick in their play-off at Wembley yesterday Crewe pass final test with style Brentford Crewe Alexandra Subs Cannam (Bant h-t). Ashby However, the day was less about Brentford's inadequacy than the flowering of all those good habits instilled on the training ground at Gresty Road. "As well as being a selling club it's nice to know that we can achieve something considerable," Grady, the League's longest-serving manager, said. "When I came to Crewe, Dave Sexton told me I'd be all right because they were a coaching club. 1 said: 'What do you mean? Aren't they all coaching But of course they are not." Once Crewe settled and the influential Danny Murphy and Gareth Whalley began to stretch the Brentford defence, Webb's men were always hanging on.

The 32nd minute produced a rousing indication of the difference in class. Murphy, an injury doubt beforehand but determined to play in what might be his last game for Crewe Newcastle are preparing a substantial offer passed and then received the ball back from Whalley. The move deserved a goal but his shot came back off the post. Three minutes later Crewe took the lead through Shaun Smith, a full-back who is encouraged to think like a Frost bite catches Tiger Trevor Maytott at Wembley Hi AVING the best pro duction line in the business is all well and good but it will never beat real achievement, and yesterday the young men of Crewe came gloriously of age to send their remarkable club into the First Division. How this latest generation, nurtured and encouraged under the careful eye of their manager Dario Gradi, enjoyed their Sunday playground of Wembley's open spaces.

A single goal proved sufficient but they could have had six. Crewe struck the woodwork on three occasions and saw two other efforts cleared off the line. They were consummately the better side and won with assured passing and a clear idea of what intelligent movement could do to their labouring opponents. Having waited more than a century to welcome them, English football's second tier will enjoy Crewe's presence next season. Brentford led the Second Division for a large part of the season but their performance was a huge disappointment to their manager David Webb, who is no lover of the playoffs.

Re-Frain on a day TIGER WOODS, the US Masters champion and winner of the Byron Nelson in his last two starts, had to settle for joint-fourth in the MasterCard Colonial tournament at Fort Worth, Texas, yesterday. The title went to South Africa's David Frost, his 10th win on the US Tour, with the early leader David Ogrin two shots behind on 267, 13 under, sharing second place with Brad Faxon. YAL BERKOVIC. the Is rael midfielder, looks like becoming the first player to follow Graeme Soilness, the Southampton manager who left the club at the weekend Berkovic is valued at 1.5 million and Tottenham have already inquired about him. He made it clear that he wishes to leave because he is unhappy nt the departure of Soilness, who cut his links with the club after only 10 months, apparently over a cash row with Rupert Ixwe.

the new chairman. The double resignation of Souness and Lawrie McMen-emy. the Southampton director of football, left Lowe stunned But he denied they left because of the board's refusal to give Souness the cash he wanted for a 7 million transfer-shopping spree. Souness said he left Saints because he felt he could not move the club in 'he direction he wanted. McMenemy followed hours later, apparently stung by criticism from fans on a local radio phone-in and frustrated at the resignation of Souness.

Now fans are accusing Lowe of wrecking Southampton's hopes of progress under Souness by refusing to give him adequate funds to rebuild the team. But Lowe hit back yesterday at the criticism. "We never had a row about money in fact it wasn't even discussed." he said. "Law tie. Graeme and myself met on Tuesday of last week and I thought that meeting had gone very well.

"Lawrie had only just agreed a new two-year contract and he seemed happy. The manager said he wanted to bring in some new players and I said we would do everything possible to help him. "He said he was going away to think a few things over and I was surprised when Graeme resigned. He told me he had been thinking about it for some time but there was no mention of money. 1 can't think why he wanted to go.

"I was shocked when Lawrie said he was resigning as well. I certainly never expected that. He seemed happy with everything and he has been an integral part of the cluh for so long. I asked him to reconsider his decision and take a couple days to think it over but he said after speak ing to his family he felt the time was Lowe is already drawing up a short list of names as a replacement for Souness Kevin Keegan. the former Newcastle manager, is be lieved to be at the top.

Tuttle keeps an eagle eye on final foe DAV'in given his Crystal Palace team mate-; a special insight into the Sheffield 1'mted side that will today attempt to break Palace hearts fur the second successive I' ll st Division play i iff final. The Eagles defender, who was taken off in extra tune of the defeat hv U-icester Li months ago, v. as signed by Dave Hassett at Sheffield from Spurs in Hut United were soon rele gated and Hassett moved tu Palace, taking Tuttle to London with him I have been on the phone to the Sheltii Id physio and kit man this week." said ihe i.1 year old. We are still good friends Inn they said everyone there was really up for the game. "United are a lug club who deserve to he in the Premiership.

We have to stop the likes of Don Hutchison. Dane Whi-tehouse. Alan Kelly and Mitch Ward, who certainly all have the quality to play at the highest level." If Tuttle is celebrating tomorrow he will also spare a thought for his old mentor Hassett. who left Palace for the now relegated Forest in the middle of last season. "Dave has helped me a lot through my career," said Tut tie.

"There has been specula tion that I might join him at Forest but I want to get into the Premiership with Palace and go from there." If Tuttle does return to the top flight, it will also keep another of his ambitions alive to play for England. "There have been a few in juries in the England side recently which have opened some doors," Tuttle said. "John Scales of Spurs is a good example of someone getting a chance out of the blue by being called up tor the squad against South Africa. And that gives hope to everybody else." FRANK BARON (0) (1) 1 (Hurdle 74). Fernandes Booked Hurdle.

(0) 1 (0) 0 Frain Cterkaon Tot-pay (Rennie41j. White IGayle 77), Gibb Booked Lacey Booked Thomas. Ampadu, Frost, with a final 67 for 265, was in the clubhouse when Woods reached the par-four 17th one shot behind. The 21-year-old hit a greenside bunker with his second shot, chipped out beyond the pin and effectively handed Frost the title when, taking two putts, he dropped two shots. "I watched the leader board for the first time," said a relieved Frost.

"It was a tough day out there." COACHING Statham, Bates. Canham, Anderson Seni off Statnam Craw Scorer Smitti 34 Subs Garvey (Rivers 70). Johnson (Murpny 8bi Lightfoot (ChamockBS) Booked Whalley 34. 149 Wetarae Rennie (Sheffield) Jrr WIN A DAY'S CD WORLD CLASS is Simply the Best of Cobblers galore Northampton Town Swansea City striker. He has scoredseven goals this season, including three against Brentford, and lashed the ball home from close range after Steve Ma-cauley had knocked back Murphy's cross.

Brentford pushed their leading scorer Carl Asaba further forward in the second half but he made little impression on Macauley and Ashley Westwood, who were defend ing with utmost composure. They would have enjoyed a great deal more comfort had Crewe converted one of a stream of opportunities. It all got rather silly, particularly after Brentford's Brian Statham had received his second yellow card 16 minutes from time. Dele Adebola got away to thump a cracking drive against the woodwork and Carl Hutchings was twice in the right spot on the goal-line to deny Colin Little. Grady accepts it is "highly unlikely" that this team will start life in the First Division.

"We can't afford to pay them enough and if they have the chance they will go and seek their fame and fortune elsewhere," he said. "But we've had no offers for them yet and there won't be any tomorrow because I won't be answering the phone." possession as a temporary phenomenon anyway. In the early stages the Northampton goalkeeper Andy Woodman made one tremendous save from Carl Heggs, before Swansea's portly player-manager Jan Molby almost gifted the opposition a goal. Then the game collapsed into a pastiche of a had low-division game. Northampton's manager Ian Atkins has spent three seasons dis mantling the team of gifted Lilliputians he inherited and picking up Brobding-nagian long-ball intimida-tors instead, in the utter certainty that was the only way to escape upwards from this division.

He has been proved right. But on this occasion they often resorted to the long ball sideways. The extraordinary climax came out of nowhere. And suddenly all Northampton went berserk, singing "Simply the Best" with a fervour that is pretty ludicrous on behalf of a team that has just proved it is fourth-best in the Third Division. However, the history of these two clubs made it a day to suspend rational examination.

Both have brushed the stars (Northampton one season in the top division, Swansea two), then come close to extinction. It took miracles Matthew Engel at Wembley sees his 40-year dream come true as Northampton escape the Third Division with a 1-0 win over Swansea TENNIS CO Q. CO Tim Henman has energy to become but his coach, David instrumental in his Qayto Of Thomas Ht Coates Molby SOME of us a very few of us have dreamed for years about the moment Northampton Town would score the winning goal at Wembley. About 40 years in my case. As this truly awful match maundered into injury-time, that seemed more farfetched than it usually dot's, even on routine afternoons in the Third Division.

Northampton and Swansea were both so wretched that the score threatened to be 0-0 even after a penalty shoot -out. Then, after 92 minutes of normal time, Northampton won a free-kick on the edge of the area. John Frain booted it predictably against the wall. However, the referee decreed that Swansea's Jonathan Coates had encroached on the no-go area, and ordered the kick to be re-taken. This, perhaps, is the difference between Third Division players and the sort who normally play at Wembley: they need two chances to get something right.

The second time Frain curled the ball left of the wall into Britain's No.1 tennis player, Fekjate, has also been success. We've teamed up with KeMoggfc Sustain, in whose new ad Henman stars, to offer readers the chance to win a day's tennis coaching with David Fetgate. On Friday July 1 1 the three first-prize winners will join David at the Queen's Club. London, where they will experience top level coaching from him and two Lawn Tennis Association coaches. Travel to London, accommodation in a top London hotef, and lunch at the Queen's Qub are all included.

Each of the winners will also receive a box of KeKogg's Sustain a tasty mix of grains, fruit and nuts, developed with the Australian Institute Of Sport to help you to go the distance. 50 runners-up wW win a limited edition Ayclifte) the corner of the net. There was barely time to re-start the game and Frain, a balding left-back who came to Northampton on the way down after 300 appearances for Birmingham, found himself an unexpected ad dition to the list of Wembley heroes. The circumstances gave the victory celebrations a hysterical quality for both players and Northampton-ians. "Fans" would hardly be the word, since Northampton sold 31,000 tickets, the overwhelming majority to people who had clearly never attended a football match anywhere, let alone at Wembley.

Throughout the game they seemed as nervous as the players, and even more uncertain what to do. The regular Cobblers cheerlead-ers tried frantically to rouse them but they sat there as if it were cricket, allowing themselves to be out-shouted by the far smaller Welsh contingent. On the field the contest was more even. Swansea had most of the possession but all the players regarded brothers Pascal and Stephane Plancque. Around 100 Manchester United supporters were in the 9.000 crowd who saw the Frenchman score in the second half for a North of France side that lost 4-2 to the Lille select team.

Across the border Lierse shown determination and enter 333 455 1 1. You nwy atsso submit your oaMm CoaoNna OBW, to th ooet Hp par mki at Saw. J. Una Adidas T-shirt. To the drew simpry caH the hotline number betow.

Scorer Frain 90 Subs Peer Clarkson. Qayle Hunter Iwaneea Subs Brown (Thomas 83). Chappte. Ccato 46.804 ajataraa Heilbron to get either here at all. Northampton still do not have the money to make success in the Second Division very likely.

But the memory of Frain's goal will sustain them for ages. These Wembley play-offs really do work. The cup the Cobblers waved around looked suspiciously EPNS, Feyenoord in second place have also qualified for the Champions League. Paris St-Germain made it too, but only at the death. A late goal gave them a 2 1 win over Strasbourg in their final league match, clinching second place behind Monaco.

(Newton and the guest of honour was not a duty royal but the retail operations director of the Nationwide Building Socictyi But what the heck? We were there, we won, we've gone up. It was wonderful; it was dreadful; it was wonderful; it was dreadful. It was wonderful. a Faustino Asprilla has pleaded innocence over his alleged punch-up with Colombian police. "I stepped in to break up a fight, not start one," he said.

Asprilla is confi-dent the row will not affect his Tyneside future once Kenny Dalgllsh is aware of the facts. Cantona defies close guard to score and reward fans' pilgrimage 0891 I lamfe 1 1, Cm ERIC CANTONA marked his return to football with a goal last night, seven days and two hours after announcing his retirement. Flanked bv bodyguards. Cantona arrived in the north ern French town of Lille to play in the testimonial of the clinched the Belgian First Division title for the first time in 37 years. A 3-0 victory at Standard Liege on Sunday put them beyond last year's champions Club Brugge.

PSV Eindhoven won their 14th Dutch League title yes terday with a match to go. eaari at MMstS on 27417 mi eioaa at aMaay on S18S7. WlawaTJrFJ VarJI BS) IWmMM Sn fmnOmm WQffl mm Wm tSWISJBJ ma mm. S. Ms ant aoMMans aaaaataa an raojuaat.

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