Tag Archives: westley

Capital One Cup: Sheffield Wednesday produce comeback to beat Oldham as Nottingham Forest see off Fleetwood

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Capital One Cup round up: Owls beat Oldham as Forest edge past Fleetwood

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UPDATED:

23:20 GMT, 13 August 2012

Sheffield Wednesday produced a fantastic second-half fightback after going two goals down to see off Oldham 4-2 in the first round of the Capital One Cup.

The npower Championship side were two goals down after just 26 minutes as Jordan Slew marked his debut with a strike from close range and Jean Yves Mvoto put the League One side firmly in control with a fine header.

But Jermaine Johnson and Chris O'Grady – both former Oldham players – rescued them after the interval, the latter bagging a brace before Michail Antonio completed the win.

Comeback complete: Chris O'Grady scores Sheffield Wednesday's third goal

Comeback complete: Chris O'Grady scores Sheffield Wednesday's third goal

Graham Westley left the Deepdale dugout to a standing ovation after his new-look Preston team booked their place in the second round with a 2-0 defeat of Huddersfield.

Westley endured a troubled time after taking over at Preston last season but saw his side make the perfect start to the new campaign when Jack King headed home after 29 minutes.

Nicky Wroe, a summer signing from Shrewsbury, then doubled the lead five minutes before the break to help the League One side into the next round.

Pushed all the way: Dexter Blackstock scored as Nottingham Forest saw off Fleetwood

Pushed all the way: Dexter Blackstock scored as Nottingham Forest saw off Fleetwood

A second half goal from Dexter Blackstock gave Nottingham Forest a narrow victory over Football League newcomers Fleetwood Town.

Blackstock earned his side a passage into the second round with the only goal of the game after 57 minutes.

The experienced Andy Reid produced a superb delivery from the left which was met by the unmarked striker at the far post.

His first header was well saved by Scott Davies but the rebound fell perfectly into his path and he stroked the ball into the empty net from close range.

Lee Trundle needs knee operation hours after signing for Preston

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Preston newboy Trundle out for four months after picking up knee injury

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UPDATED:

21:42 GMT, 30 July 2012

Preston signing Lee Trundle needs a knee operation that will keep him out of action for up to four months.

Manager Graham Westley confirmed striker Trundle, 35, suffered ligament damage in the friendly defeat by Morecambe on July 21.

He had signed a one-year contract one day earlier.

Injury nightmare: Lee Trundle was injured on the day he signed for Preston

Injury nightmare: Lee Trundle was injured on the day he signed for Preston

Ravi Bopara enjoys excellent return from injury for Essex

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Bopara confirms return from injury with superb display for Essex

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UPDATED:

18:52 GMT, 4 June 2012

Ravi Bopara confirmed his recovery from a leg injury and sent a nudge to the England selectors with a brilliant 120 not out for Essex.

His side easily reached their target of 225 to beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets in their CB40 match at Chelmsford and claim their first Clydesdale Bank 40 Group A victory of the season.

Bopara was due to bat at six for England before his injury but was replaced by debutant Jonny Bairstow, who has looked uncomfortable against the West Indies.

Return: Ravi Bopara scored 120 not out on his comeback

Return: Ravi Bopara scored 120 not out on his comeback

The leg problem ruled him out for three weeks but from the moment he walked out to open the innings, he took charge with a succession of superbly timed drives and with Tom Westley striking the ball equally well at the other end, it soon became clear that Gloucestershire's total of 224 for five was not nearly enough.

The pair had come together after Mark Pettini's departure in the first over, when he was caught at slip off Ian Saxelby without a run on the board, and went on to put together a partnership of 185.

That was broken when Westley's enterprising knock of 82 from 99 balls, nine of which he dispatched to the boundary, ended as he was stumped off Will Gidman.

But Bopara, who raised his 50 with a straight driven six against left-arm spinner Ed Young, went on to complete his century from 91 deliveries, with two sixes and eight fours, and he was to add another four boundaries as Essex secured victory with 19 balls to spare.

Shaky: Jonny Bairstow has struggled in Bopara's stead

Shaky: Jonny Bairstow has struggled in Bopara's stead

Like Essex, the visitors had also seen their openers separated in the first over when Graham Napier breached the defences of Will Gidman, a dismissal that was to put them firmly on the back foot.

It was not until the 14th over that the 50 was raised, before which Hamish Marshall was beaten for pace and bowled by Tymal Mills.

So pedestrian was Gloucestershire's progress that they needed 27 overs to send the total into three figures. But then Kane Williamson and Ian Cockbain were to inject much-needed life into the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85 in 11 overs.

It ended when Williamson was caught behind by James Foster off David Masters for 77, which came from 73 deliveries and contained seven fours and a six.

Cockbain and Jack Taylor maintained the tempo over the remaining four overs, Cockbain finishing unbeaten on 52 from 44 balls with a six among his four boundaries.

Taylor's unbeaten 22 came off a dozen deliveries and ensured a respectable if not demanding total.

Victoria Pendleton misses out in keirin – World Track Championships

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Pendleton fails to make keirin final as sprint exertions take toll on British star

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UPDATED:

11:13 GMT, 7 April 2012

Victoria Pendleton, fresh from her ninth Track Cycling World Championships title, failed to qualify for the keirin final.

The 31-year-old, racing in her final World Championships and with nine titles to her name, needed two opportunities to advance to the second round, before finishing sixth in the minor final to place 12th overall.

Australia's Anna Meares, beaten by Pendleton in the sprint semi-final yesterday, successfully defended her title.

Poised: Victoria Pendleton (left) came through the keirin at the second time of asking in Melbourne

Poised: Victoria Pendleton (left) came through the keirin at the second time of asking in Melbourne

In the non-Olympic 4km men's individual pursuit, Geraint Thomas clocked 4mins 17.265secs.

The
Briton was in the first heat and his early advantage lasted until the
fifth when New Zealand's Westley Gough clocked 4:17.001.

Rohan Dennis posted 4:16.051 in the penultimate heat to usurp Gough as leader.

Leading from the front: Laura Trott is in control of the women's omnium in Melbourne

Leading from the front: Laura Trott is in control of the women's omnium in Melbourne

Dennis' Australian team-mates Michael Hepburn and Jack Bobridge, the world record holder, then met in the final heat.

Hepburn claimed victory in 4:13.224,
with Bobridge clocking 4:14.783 to set up another meeting between the
pair later this evening.

Better luck next time: Geraint Thomas finished fifth in the men's individual pursuit

Better luck next time: Geraint Thomas finished fifth in the men's individual pursuit

Dennis will be targeting victory over Gough in the bronze medal ride-off in order for the hosts to claim a clean sweep of the podium.

Thomas was fifth and is now set to recuperate for tomorrow's Madison, which he is set to ride in partnership with Ben Swift.

Graham Westley backed by Peter Ridsdalel at Preston

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Ridsdale backs Preston boss Westley despite accusations over line-up leak

PUBLISHED:

20:26 GMT, 3 April 2012

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UPDATED:

20:26 GMT, 3 April 2012

Preston chairman Peter Ridsdale insists that Graham Westley’s job is safe despite the manager’s worsening relationship with some of his players.

The atmosphere at Deepdale reached a new low on Saturday when Westley accused four members of his squad of leaking details about team selection and tactics to opponents Sheffield Wednesday before their 2-0 defeat by the Owls.

There are fears the situation will hinder Preston’s battle to stay in League One, but Ridsdale has backed the man he appointed in January, following a series of meetings with the players. He said: ‘All I can tell you is this club 100 per cent supports the manager.’

Accusation: Graham Westley claimed his players leaked Preston's line-up

Accusation: Graham Westley claimed his players leaked Preston's line-up

Preston team was leaked to Sheffield Wednesday

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Preston line-up WAS leaked to Owls before defeat, reveals chairman Ridsdale

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UPDATED:

08:30 GMT, 2 April 2012

Preston chairman Peter Ridsdale has confirmed his side's line-up and tactics were leaked to Sheffield Wednesday by their own players ahead of Saturday's 2-0 npower League One defeat.

North End were beaten by two Gary Madine goals at Hillsborough on Saturday lunchtime and furious manager Graham Westley immediately accused four players of informing the Wednesday camp of their intended team and shape in his post-match press conference.

However, Ridsdale, who appointed Westley in January, insists the actions were not malicious.

Complaint: Preston boss Graham Westley revealed his line-up was leaked

Complaint: Preston boss Graham Westley revealed his line-up was leaked

'What Graham said after the game on Saturday was true,' Ridsdale told the Lancashire Evening Post.

'It was almost said in the heat of the moment after the disappointment of a defeat, and it was disappointing that our pre-match preparations were known to the opposition in advance.

'I'm aware categorically where the information came from, although I don't think it was done maliciously.

'It's unfortunate that it happened, but it's time to draw a line under it and move on in order to focus on our game against MK Dons on Saturday.'

Westley did not take the same view in the aftermath of the defeat and believes he is working against forces in the dressing room, though has yet to name any of the accused culprits.

Bullet: Gary Madine helped Sheffield Wednesday see off Preston

Bullet: Gary Madine helped Sheffield Wednesday see off Preston

He said: 'We are where we are because the club's got a lot of losing ways installed in the playing squad and there's no better example than when their bench said to me during the second half.

'I've got to believe their dugout when it says it to me and I think from dugout to dugout I would very rarely believe that someone would lie to me on that sort of information.

'Four players of ours yesterday (Friday), at five o'clock, revealed our team to them as a football club.

'Does it surprise me When you've got a number of agendas within a club – and I've said since I've been here that that's the case within the playing squad here – this sort of thing happens and it's not the first time that something's happened that's surprised me.

Party time: Wednesday celebrate as they beat Preston on Saturday

Party time: Wednesday celebrate as they beat Preston on Saturday

'It's a difficult place at the moment, our club and our dressing room. But it's only by working through issues and sorting issues out that you get yourself into a winning position.'

Westley's short stay at Deepdale has so far been riddled with controversy after reports emerged in national newspapers that he informed players that they would not be playing by text message in the early hours on the day of a game at Yeovil.

North End have won just two of 15 games under the control of Westley and they sit just six points above the League One relegation zone.

Michael Chambers signs for Crystal Palace

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Crystal Palace beat Man United to signing of Dulwich starlet Chambers

Michael Chambers, the 17-year-old Dulwich Hamlet defender who has been monitored by Premier League clubs including Manchester United, has signed for Crystal Palace. Dulwich will receive around 80,000 for him.

Getting his man: Dougie Freedman signed the hotly tipped Michael Chambers for Crystal Palace

Getting his man: Dougie Freedman signed the hotly tipped Michael Chambers for Crystal Palace

Preston midfielder Paul Coutts, 23, who has been attracting attention from Charlton, will hold talks about his future with Graham Westley, the club’s new manager.

Westley wants to make Everton midfielder James Wallace his first signing.