3rd Degree - 22nd Dec

The Third Degree - 22nd December 2003

WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 22 2003

Boston = Ipswich duo Sam Morrow and Chris Hogg have signed on a months loan. Hartlepool striker Adam Boyd has extended his loan spell with United for another month, keeping him at York Street into the New Year. But Hartlepool have turned down Boston on signing Boyd on a permanent basis. Boston lost 1-0 to Rochdale on the weekend but boss Neil Thompson said "This was a better performance than we have been giving lately away from home," he claimed. ""I don't think there was much to choose between the two sides, though sometimes we were careless and gave the ball away."Bristol Rovers = Bristol Rovers have parted company with assistant manager John Still because of financial difficulties. Farnborough midfielder Richard Hodgson has gone on a two day trial with the Pirates. Bristol Rovers manager Ray Graydon admitted that he was relieved to see his side hang on to take all three points from Saturday's trip to Southend United. He said: "With the two penalties and the chances for both sides it could have ended up as a cricket score, but we were due a bit of luck. How it finished 1-0 is difficult to believe, but we will take the three points."Bury = Bury have terminated the contract of manager Andy Preece by mutual consent. "This action has been necessitated by the need to make a significant reduction in expenditure," said a club statement. "The board of directors would like to record their gratitude to Andy Preece for his hard work and loyalty." Andy Preece says he is "absolutely gutted" to be walking away from Bury after the financial situation at the club signaled the end of his four-year tenure. Preece said: "I think it was always a possibility over the past few days the way things were going so it wasn't a complete shock. But I've lost my job and when it actually happens it is a shock to the system. I'm absolutely gutted." Graham Barrow has been put in temporary charge. Bury's caretaker manager Graham Barrow admitted that he was satisfied with his side's performance on Saturday, despite their 2-0 loss at Leyton Orient. "I knew it wouldn't be easy but I thought the players gave me everything," he said.Cambridge = Manager John Taylor has brought in Hull City's Danny Webb on loan for a month. The U's have turned down Gillingham's bid to sign striker Dave Kitson. Cambridge United player-manager John Taylor was relieved to see his side get back to winning ways. Cambridge won 2-1 on Friday night. After the Sixfields win, Taylor said: "I was delighted with the result, everyone gave everything and the only disappointment was their goal. John Turner and Daniel Webb ran their socks off upfront and gave their defenders a real battering. Even after they equalised I didn't think we'd lose because we've now learnt how to play against ten men and we dominated the second half."Carlisle = Carlisle goalkeeping coach Tony Elliott has left the club by mutual consent. Carlisle United player-manager Paul Simpson has signed Walsall's teenage striker Matt Fryatt on a month's loan although another Walsall player, midfielder Stefan Oakes, has turned down a chance to join Division Three strugglers Carlisle on loan as he said he wants to try to break into the first team. The Cumbrians also signed veteran striker Andy Preece till the end of the season. Chairman John Courtenay has been sentenced to 150 hours community service for his part in a brawl between Carlisle and Lincoln last season. Courtenay and Carlisle striker Richie Foran were both found guilty of threatening behaviour at Gainsborough Magistrates Court. Courtenay will also pay £50 compensation and £800 costs, while Foran has yet to be sentenced. Courtenay has said he will appeal the decision.Cheltenham = Cheltenham midfielder John Finnigan is hoping to delay an ankle operation until the end of the season to help the club's fight against relegation. Cheltenham Town's clash with Lincoln City in the Third Division was called off this weekend due to a waterlogged pitch.Darlington = Darlington's on-loan striker Lee Matthews has admitted that a permanent move to the club interests him. "I'm a local lad so obviously of all the places it's good to get a chance to prove myself up here. All my family are from here, so it's a good move all round really. If I do well then there's always a chance I could stay up here. I'm out of contract at the end of the season so who knows?" Craig James has decided to extend his loan spell at Darlington by another month.Doncaster = Doncaster Rovers have asked Wolves if they can extend JJ Melligan's loan spell at Belle Vue. Doncaster moved to top of the table this weekend after their 3-1 win over Swansea. Ex-Swan Dave Penney said: "It's nice to be top of the table going into Christmas, but we have three tough games coming up and we are there to be shot at as league leaders. In the difficult conditions, my players played well and Andy Warrington was outstanding in goal. It sets us up nicely."Huddersfield = Boss Peter Jackson has been handed an injury blow by the news that goalkeeper Ian Gray could be out for up to two months with a dislocated finger. Defender Nathan Clarke has agreed a one-year extension to his current contract that will keep him at the McAlpine Stadium until June 2005. Peter Jackson has been handed a welcome boost with the news that Tony Carss will not need surgery on his knee injury.Hull = Hull City have ruled out signing a new striker to help their promotion push. The Tigers were thought to be keen to sign a new frontman in a deal worth at least £250,000. But those plans have now been shelved with manager Peter Taylor happy to stick with his current squad.Kidderminster = Jan Molby has agreed terms with Danish striker Jesper Christiansen, who plays for Odense Boldklub, he will sign on January 1st and his first game will be against Wolves in the FA Cup. Tamworth striker Scott Rickards has signed for Kidderminster Harriers for an undisclosed fee. Kidderminster Harriers' director of football Jan Molby blasted referee Paul Taylor for his performance during Sunday's 1-0 defeat at York City, but stressed that the official had not been the reason for his side's loss. "Let me stress the reason we lost the game was not because of the referee," he said. "But I've been in football for 23 years and that was the worst refereeing performance I've ever seen without any shadow of a doubt. I found I couldn't even get upset about it at the final whistle because I felt it was a really sad affair that a referee can get away with performing like he did."Leyton O = Orient's appeal against the sending off of Goalkeeper Glen Morris at Cheltenham in the FA Cup has failed. Leyton Orient midfielder David Hunt has signed a new deal to keep him until June 2006. Dean Hammond has return to Brighton following the end of his two-month loan spell at Brisbane Road. Leyton Orient boss Martin Ling claimed his side put on a "complete performance" in the 2-0 win over Bury at Brisbane Road. "I told the players at half-time to be patient and the goals would come," Ling said. "It was a complete performance and that is what we have to aim for week in, week out. Martin Ling has been given the Leyton Orient manager's job until the end of next season.Lincoln = Lincoln chairman Rob Bradley has denied the club are going to ask former England manager Graham Taylor to take temporary charge as manager. Lincoln City manager Keith Alexander has been speaking for the first time since undergoing life-saving brain surgery nearly six weeks ago. Alexander paid a surprise visit to Sincil Bank with his father and one of his sons on Saturday afternoon. "I have to take each day as it comes, but I hope to be back after Christmas."

Macclesfield = Macclesfield have appointed John Askey as their new manager on a permanent basis. Macclesfield boss John Askey paid tribute to his side's battling spirit following the 1-0 win at Darlington. Askey said: "We dug in and defended superbly. It was a great team performance."

Mansfield = Stags boss Keith Curle has been fined by the FA after walking on the pitch at half time in Mansfield's game against Cambridge United in September. The manager has been charged with "improper behaviour." Mansfield Town have loaned young defender Alex Baptiste to Conference side Tamworth. Mansfield boss Keith Curle felt his side were worthy winners after he watched his side move up to fourth in the table with the 1-0 win at Hull. "I thought we had more possession in the first half, and we had more of the play than they did. There wasn't really much goalmouth action."Northampton = Northampton Town boss Colin Calderwood refused to blame the sending-off of Chris Willmott for the 2-1 defeat against Cambridge. Calderwood admitted: "It's always disappointing to lose, whatever the manner or how well you've played. Cambridge were better than us even when we had eleven players in the first half, but we produced a magnificent effort with only ten men and had a more than decent chance to win it." Northampton Town have signed a new three-year deal with Nationwide Building Society, their club sponsor for the last six seasons.Oxford = Oxford United striker Lee Steele has moved a step closer to a return to first-team action with a 90-minute run out for the reserves. Oxford manager Ian Atkins felt his side were robbed as they battled to a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield. Although Oxford grabbed a share of the spoils through Mark Rawle, Atkins said: "We were upset with the Huddersfield goal because two of their men were standing offside near the goal line when the ball went in, which is why we protested."Rochdale = Rochdale boss Alan Buckley has extended Walsall striker Andy Bishop's loan spell with the club for another month. Rochdale manager Alan Buckley was delighted after his team's revival continued with a 1-0 win over Boston. "As I said in my programme notes, it is all about winning games," said Buckley. "Our performance just faded away and it became a hard slog to watch, but we go the goal and the points and that makes a change for us at home."Scunthorpe = Scunthorpe manager Brian Laws said he had no complaints after his side's defeat at Yeovil - claiming his players looked tired after their midweek exploits. Laws said: "There is no doubt that the midweek FA Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday caught up with us today. The players have been giving me everything they have got, but today there was no more to give. But I can have no complaints about the defeat. Yeovil scored twice late in the second half when we were looking tired."Southend = Southend have spoken to ex-Bradford boss Nicky Law about the vacant managerial post at Roots Hall. Southend's acting manager Steve Tilson looked stunned at the end of his side's 1-0 defeat at home to 10-man Bristol Rovers. Tilson watched in agony as Mark Gower and Drewe Broughton both missed from the penalty spot for the home side. Southend have now missed seven penalties from 10 attempts this season and Tilson said: "I can't believe the way we keep missing from the spot. But even allowing for our failure to convert them we should still have won with plenty to spare. We had enough opportunities to have won four games."Torquay = Torquay boss Leroy Rosenior was left fuming at the final whistle after his side crashed to bottom of the table Carlisle. Torquay substitute Martin Gritton had a goal disallowed for offside, as the Gulls threatened a comeback. "Too many of our senior players didn't perform," said Rosenior. "They were trying to do things that weren't coming off. I made changes in the second half but it didn't work out. I thought we deserved a least a point. I'm very disappointed with the performance and the result."Yeovil = Yeovil Town midfielder Darren Way hopes to be fit for the FA Cup third round clash with Liverpool in early January. "I'd have targeted early January to be playing again anyway, although I'm sure people will think that's just because I want to play against Liverpool. But I'm going to make sure the leg is fully healed as I don't want to risk further injury." Yeovil Town boss Gary Johnson was delighted by Andy Lindegaard's return to action after he scored the winning goal in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Scunthorpe. Boss Johnson said: "I was proud of my team and especially Lindy, who was certainly man of the match. "I had to give them a bit of a shake up at half time but they responded well."York = York fans will have to accept a series of extraordinary restrictions if the club move to Huntingdon Stadium - including applying for permission for fans to walk further than a mile to home games.

THE THIRD DEGREE IS COMPILED BY MATTHEW PHILLIPS

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