Birmingham Give Arsenal The Blues

Birmingham City created club history by winning the Carling Cup against Arsenal, beating the Gunners 2-1 in dramatic fashion. 

Van Persie takes a knock after equalising for Arsenal.

It was Birmingham who took the lead in the 28th minute, Roger Johnson knocked the ball on from a corner to find Zigic who's superior height came to his advantage when he headed it home to make it 1-0. However Arsenal kept going and were dangerous on the attack. Jack Wilshere had a great effort which struck the crossbar, the ball found Arshavin who played it across to Robin Van Persie who struck it sweetly into the back of the net despite being under pressure from the defence.

Martin celebrates winner, followed by team mates.

The second half began and it was a cracking contest between both sides, and it was one crack under intense pressure that decided the game. A ball into the box found Zigic who headed it on but there was no danger for Arsenal. Koscielny went to clear it but pulled out, the ball hitting goalkeeper Szczesny and rebounding to substitute Obafemi Martins who put it into an open goal to win the final in horrific style for Arsenal. There were 4 minutes of additional time but Arsenal couldn't find a late reply and rescue the cup. The full-time whistle blow signalling an eruption of celebration from the Birmingham City supporters.

Arsenal still without a major trophy in approximately 5 years, Arsene Wenger's men still in the FA Cup, Champions League and the Premier League title but the hunt goes on for silverware. A major opportunity to end that record not taken and a disappointing way to lose the match as well.

Full Time: Arsenal 1-2 Birmingham City



Premier League Results:-

West Ham United 3-1 Liverpool

Manchester City 1-1 Fulham

npower League 2: Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Gillingham

Mark Wright goes for goal.

Shrewsbury 11: 25 Smith, 3 Sadler, 5 Sharps (C), 6 Sheriff, 7 Wright, 9 Harrold, 12 Wroe, 16 Ainsworth , 18 Grandison, 23 J.Taylor, 29 Davis.

Gillingham 11: 1 Julian, 2 Fuller (C), 3 Nutter, 4 Weston, 6 Richards, 7 Maher, 10 Mcdonald, 15 Lawrence, 18 Jackman, 27 Akinfenwa, 28 Payne.

Shrewsbury Town were looking to make it 5 wins in February with this npower League 2 fixture against Gillingham who lied in 7th prior to the game with 47 points, 4 behind Town in 3rd. A victory would have see Town go 7 points clear of their opponents and a climb even further up the table- subject to other results.

The game started with a very early opportunity for the home side, Gillingham conceding a corner inside 40 seconds, Mark Wright crossed the ball in from the corner, to find Shane-Cansdell Sheriff who knocked it on with his head only to see it go out for a goalkick. Town had another chance when Lionel Ainsworth went on a powerful run down the left-hand side looking to get the ball in the danger area- Gillingham captain Barry Fuller defended it well shrugging off the Town winger playing up front for this one, winning a goal kick for his side. In the 8th minute Wright went on a run attempting to tease the defenders, he managed to get a decent shot in, just hitting the side netting. It was a reasonably tight game, neither side dominating at this moment, very few chances being created and very even. Gillingham had their first major chance, Stefan Payne seeing his half volley miss the target and go into the visiting supporters. A minute later Shrewsbury almost grabbed a goal with some good play. Wright played in a wonderful looping ball over the Gills to find Matt Harrold who managed to make contact with the ball but Gillingham keeper Alan Julian collected it easily. Right-back Jermaine Grandison was getting involved on the right hand side, with a few fancy stepovers but his end product was a cross which went wide of the target. Gillingham were then offered their best chance of the first half when Adebayo Akinfenwa was one on one with Ben Smith, the strikers touch, like on many other occasions in the game, was poor. He hit the ball too late, and it was a decent save from Smith, but a wasted opportunity for Gillingham to take the lead. Towards the end of the first half Stefan Payne took a long throw., the resulting shot going close but out for a goalkick. Then Ben Smith didn't deal with a passback very well, and Gillingham's attack earned them a corner right at the end of the first half. Jackman's delivery almost ended up going in, but Smith made a very good punch, convincingly clearing the danger. That brought an end to the first half.

Half-Time: 0-0

Grandison goes on a run.

Neither side made any changes for the beginning of the second half, and the final 45 minute period began. Four minutes in to this, Town won a free-kick, Jon Taylor played it in- Town captain Ian Sharps attacked it but the Gillingham defence cleared it well. Moments later Danny Jackman had a glorious effort on goal, his shot brilliantly executed from long range, just hitting the top of the net. In the 54th minute Graham turner made his first change of the game bringing on James Collins for Lionel Ainsworth. In the 56th minute there was an incident on the left hand side where Matt Harrold appeared to have been struck by Matt Lawrence of Gillingham, the referee didn't award a free-kick and no punishment was given to the offender much to the anger of the home supporters who were certainly not happy about the decision. Shrewsbury started to increase the pressure and the second half improved with more chances, the atmosphere raising in the Greenhous Meadow. Then Town won a corner which was poorly delivered by Wright. However the ball fell to Grandison who quickly crossed it in, Harrold got a header, Sharps knocked it on and it fell to Jon Taylor who's volley was just off target from close range. The flag appeared to be up for offside anyway but a decent move from the hosts. Gillingham were under the cosh and conceded another corner, Wright with a better ball in this time finding Harrold at the back post who headed it wide. 3 minutes later Shrewsbury had another corner, it fell to Taylor who took on the defender edging past him, he kept balance and put in a great cross which was unfortunately cleared.  The 72nd  minute saw Gillingham have a rare chance in the second half with a long throw in search of Kevin Maher who hit his half volley wide. With about 15 minutes to go Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler made a double substitution with Jackman and Weston being replaced by Barcham and Oli. Shrewsbury were really dominating in the final third, and had the better of possession creating more chances but lacking that final cutting edge required to claim a win. It was in the 90th minute when the main action of the game actually happened. Ian Sharps got on the wrong side of Cody Mdonald allowing the striker  to go on a run towards goal. However he was halted as Sharps being the last man brought him down just outside of the box. It was inevitable that the centre back would receive a red card for his foul despite his efforts to try and hide from the referee. Much to the delight of the travelling fans, the referee showed Sharps the red card, and the former Rotherham United defender walked off the pitch with clear disappointment on his face. The free kick as a consequence of Sharps' foul was superbly saved by Ben Smith off John Nutter's testing effort. The corner was then cleared and Shrewsbury were on the counter attack, Mat Sadler had the ball running to the box, he laid off Wright to his left who's effort to find the far corner went horribly off target and a major chance for Town to find a last-gaps winner in very dramatic fashion was wasted. In the 92nd minute Connor Goldson came on to replace Jon Taylor. The referee blew his final whistle and the game came to an end.

Overall it wasn't a fantastic spectacle and an average performance from Town, they lacked fire power up front, but the defence were solid and dealt with the pace of Mcdonald and the physical presence of Akinfenwa. A point nonetheless and still unbeaten to end a very successful month for Graham Turner's men. 4 wins and 1 draw with 11 goals scored and 1 conceded. After the game Graham Turner said ' I was disappointed with the first half but the second half was better and we created 1 or 2 good situations' When questioned on the sending off of Ian Sharps he replied 'Contact was made and i've got no problems with that but some incidents could have gone our way'. Ian Sharps was also interviewed and said 'I'm annoyed with my self, it was some bad defending to get into that position. I tried to hide a bit, but the referee made the right decision'. On the actual game itself Sharps said 'It was a decent reaction in the second half''. 

After this result Town drop to fourth and Gillingham remain in seventh position, the next game for Salop is against Bury at the Greenhous Meadow this Tuesday night coming up in the re-arrranged fixture after the match was called off on Boxing Day last year. It will be a very important game for them, a victory would be very welcoming. 

Other results from League 2:

Accrington Stanley 1-0 Torquay United

Aldershot Town 1-2 Port vale

Barnet 4-2 Lincoln City

Bradford 3-2 Stockport

Burton Albion 2-4 Rotherham United 

Bury 3-1 Crewe Alexandra

Chesterfield 0-2 Morecambe

Macclesfield 0-1 Wycombe

Oxford United 0-2 Hereford

UEFA Champions League: Marseille 0-0 Manchester United

Marseille fans showing their passion.

The Stade Velodrome was the venue for the first leg of this first knockout round between French side Marseille and Manchester United. The visitors were without Michael Owen who was struggling with a groin injury and Anderson was also missing after picking up a knee injury in the FA Cup victory over Crawley Town at Old Trafford on Saturday. The two United twins Rafael and Fabio were uncertain about their injury situation, being substituted in the Crawley   game. For the hosts, Mathieu Valbuena declared himself fit for the match, after being hit with a knee strain- he returned earlier than originally expected-starting on the bench. Loic Remy was the other doubt for Marseille but the lively winger found his place in the starting line-up. Gabriel Heinze started against his former club United, for whom he left for Real Madrid in 2007 after a report his agent was looking for a move  to Liverpool-prevented by United's hierarchy.

 The game kicked off and the atmosphere was electric, Marseille fans showing they're passion, there was an early opportunity for Loic Remy after a testing delivery from the left, the winger failing to control his shot, seeing it go way wide of the target. Patrice Evra was met with a fiesty reception from the home fans on his first touch of the ball, his home nation still not finding forgiveness to the French national team's captain after the horrific world cup campaign for France. In the 7th minute United had their first major opportunity, John O'Shea found Nani with a lovely long ball which was well controlled by the Portuguese winger before being fouled on the right hand side-earning a free-kick. Nani failed to get the ball over the wall but it fell to Fletcher on the edge who hit it first time, making an unsuccessful attempt to wrap his foot around it but a testing effort nonetheless with the keeper making his first real save-well held by Mandanda. It was still 0-0 and with Manchester United's record of only 3 victories out of 11 games in France, there wasn't much optimism for the visitors. In the 21st minute Marseille had a good chance, the threatening Fanni found Brandao with a teasing cross, forcing hesitation for Van Der Sar who changed his mind about coming out. Brandao played it back to Heinze who tried to get the ball in, the danger eventually cleared. Marseille were having a good period of pressure with quick,successive attacks increasing the intensity of the game, Sir Alex Ferguson's men staying strong at the back. Then came another chance when the dangerous presence of Ayew played a wonderful ball into the box, only to be cleared by Chris Smalling who was having a very good game in defence. The resulting corner was cleared. There was another Marseille attack which resulted in a corner- the clearance coming from Smalling. Ayew took the corner and almost completely surprised Edwin Van Der Sar when the corner curled towards the near post, the Dutchman was alert though and managed to prevent any shock goal. There was no added time at the end of the first half- bringing a battling encounter to a break.
Half-Time: 0-0

The second half begun and 4 minutes in there was a collison with Vidic and Brandao leaving the Serbian defender clutching his head on the floor. It appeared that Marseille's Brandao had gone in with a fair challenge but then struck his arm back making contact with Vidic. No punsihment was given to the striker. Luchio provided Marseille with another effort on goal, his cross was met by Brandao but the keeper confortablt saved it. In the 59th minute, Wayne Rooney went for a very ambitious effort, after seeing the keeper off his line he went for the lob, Mandanda tracking back easily and catching the ball. As the hour mark approached Ayew had a great chance to make it 1-0, his half volley just going across the goal and out. Marseille made a substitution bringing on Bruno Cheyrou for Edouard Cisse after 70 minuted had passed. United made a change shortly after, Paul Scholes replacing the below average Darren Gibson. With 15 minutes to go, there was not a lot of action happening and Marseille boss Didier Deschamps'   decided to make a second change with the impressing Loic Remy making way for Mathieu Valbuena . Berbatov almost created a goal, threading through Nani- the ball just closer to the Marseille keeper. There was some very attractive short passing between O'Shea, Fletcher and Berbatov, Fletcher's cross blocked in the end. Towards the end United almost snatched it with a break, Berbatov picking up on a loose ball- almost slicing it perfectly in to Rooney's path with the defender coming in to make a challenge, Rooney felt that he had been fouled.  A corner to Marseille was once again poorly taken by the substitute Valbuena, the last chance for Marseille. Only 1 minute was added on at the end but nothing happened in this small period. The full-tim whistle blew and the game was over. No away goal for United, but 0-0 still a good result in preparation for the return leg at Old Trafford.

Rooney, who had a less productive game than normal. 

Full-Time: Marseille 0-0 Manchester United


Other Games:

Inter Milan 0-1 Bayern Munich

There was a very dramatic end at the San Siro, Bayern Munich winning it late with a 90th minute goal from Mario Gomez claiming a vital away goal and advantage for the Germans ahead of the second leg at the Allianz arena.