Alfie Doughty screamer helps Premier League Luton past Gillingham in Carabao Cup
Alfie Doughty scored a screamer as Premier League Luton knocked League Two side Gillingham out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 second-round victory at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters, who are still searching for a first top-flight point of the season, were ahead after just two minutes. Summer signing Jacob Brown was fed by Luke Berry and arrowed an unerring left-footed shot beyond Glenn Morris into the bottom corner. He had another go after seven minutes, unable to repeat the feat from further out this time, as Gills did not threaten a great deal during the opening stages, Jayden Clarke firing well over from range. Berry’s shot was easy for Morris, but Luton had a second after 28 minutes when a clever free-kick routine saw Doughty unleash a truly magnificent 25-yard strike that flew into the top corner, giving Morris no chance at all. After the break, the Gills tried to pull one back, Max Clark’s long-range effort straight at Tim Krul, before the visitors did halve the deficit with 55 minutes on the clock. Clarke escaped Luton’s defence on the left and went through to sidestep a tackle before lofting into the net. Gills should have levelled moments later, Amari’i Bell failing to deal with a high ball forward, as Ashley Nadesan out-muscled the Jamaica international to be faced with Krul, denied by the trailing leg of the Dutchman. The corner led to another glorious chance as the ball dropped to Macauley Bonne, who skied his inviting half-volley well over the bar. Luton brought on summer signings Ross Barkley and Issa Kabore to try and regain the ascendancy and it worked in the 66th minute. A ball forward was headed out to Cauley Woodrow who, with Morris slightly out of his goal, was able to power an effort over the backpedalling keeper for a first goal of the season. Kabore saw his calls for a penalty waved away by referee Jeremy Simpson, before the Gills made it 3-2 with two minutes left, sub Tom Nichols’ stooping header going in despite the best efforts of Krul. Nichols’ shot was saved by Krul, as midfielder Jonny Williams went close to a stoppage-time leveller, his snapshot flicking off a covering defender and going behind. Ross Barkley almost wrapped up victory even later, a four-on-one break seeing the midfielder’s effort beaten away by Morris, as the Hatters edged their way through. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Penalty agony for Spurs and Ange Postecoglou as Fulham progress in Carabao Cup Bournemouth substitute Ryan Christie nets stoppage-time winner at Swansea Josh Laurent nets brace as Stoke hit Rotherham for six in Carabao Cup
1970-01-01 08:00
Bournemouth substitute Ryan Christie nets stoppage-time winner at Swansea
Ryan Christie came off the bench to steer Bournemouth past Swansea and into the third round of the Carabao Cup, just as penalties were looming. The Scotland international turned the ball into the far corner in the first minute of stoppage time after he was fed by fellow replacement Justin Kluivert to seal a 3-2 victory. Swansea had made spot-kicks appear likely when another substitute, Jamie Peterson, drove the ball through a crowd of players to make it 2-2 with 11 minutes remaining, but Christie had other ideas. It was a deserved win for the Cherries, who are still searching for their first Premier league victory of the season. The Swans had taken a first-half lead through a penalty from Matt Grimes, but fell behind in the second half as they suffered at the hands of Wales international David Brooks. It was his well-taken strike that levelled things up at 1-1 in the 55th minute before the same player supplied the cross from which Hamed Traore gave the Cherries a 2-1 lead. Bournemouth reacted to their 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham by making seven changes, including giving a debut to goalkeeper Andrei Radu. The loan signing from Inter Milan had previously sat on the bench for three Premier League matches this season. Wales striker Kieffer Moore, a loan target for Cardiff City among others, was handed his first start of the season. Swansea made five changes from the side that had lost 2-1 away at Preston, a result that left them still searching for a first league victory under new head coach Michael Duff. But they took a deserved lead in the ninth minute through a penalty from their skipper Grimes. A Swansea free-kick on the left was only half-cleared before a rising drive from Liam Cullen was blocked by the arm of Bournemouth’s Wales defender Chris Mepham. Referee Matthew Donohue had no hesitation in awarding the spot-kick from which Grimes scored his first goal of the season. It took the Cherries a while to muster much of a response, but they should have levelled through Traore just before the half hour. The Ivorian was given time to place his shot after being teed up by Brooks, but his effort from 10 yards was dragged beyond the far post. Just before the break, Traore went closer when he struck the outside of the post after he turned sharply near the penalty spot. Cherries boss Andoni Iraola made three changes at half-time – taking off Moore, Lloyd Kelly and Joe Rothwell, who were replaced by Dominic Solanke, Milos Kerkez and Lewis Cook. The improvement was immediate and after sustained pressure the visitors equalised through Brooks in the 55th minute. Traore controlled possession in midfield and struck a beautiful volleyed pass wide out to Brooks on the right who had been given too much space by Swansea. The Cherries captain for the night controlled the ball instantly and then drilled a precise low drive across goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and into the far corner. Brooks then reached the byline and although Solanke’s header struck the bar, Traore was on hand to force the ball home to make it 2-1. Paterson was on target for Swansea from a rare attack to level the scores, but the class of the Premier League club eventually told when Christie scored his winner. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Josh Laurent nets brace as Stoke hit Rotherham for six in Carabao Cup Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy fire Leicester to battling victory over Tranmere Matt Doherty at the double as Wolves east past Blackpool
1970-01-01 08:00
Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy fire Leicester to battling victory over Tranmere
In-form Leicester were made to work hard for their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup with a battling 2-0 win over Tranmere at Prenton Park. Second-half strikes from Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy proved to be the difference as the Foxes weathered a number of early scares to overcome their League Two opponents. The Foxes enjoyed much of the possession in the early stages and could have taken the lead as early as the seventh minute when Harry Winks’ long-range effort flew narrowly wide. The 2016 Premier League champions continued to dominate with further chances as Cesare Casadei’s header flew narrowly over the Rovers crossbar. The visitors did not have it all their own way, however, and having defended resolutely and frustrating their Championship opponents for large periods of the game, Tranmere almost took the lead themselves when Dan Pike’s 20-yard effort was pushed out by Jakub Stolarczyk in the Leicester goal. But the pressure eventually told after 55 minutes when Ndidi’s effort from the corner of the box ended up in the back of the net via both posts. And just four minutes later Leicester doubled their lead when Vardy was on the spot to force the ball home from close range following an Ndidi cross right in front of the huge travelling support to make the game safe. It is now six wins out of six in all competitions for Enzo Maresca’s side who will be in the hat for the third-round draw having also won their opening four matches of the Championship campaign. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
Josh Laurent nets brace as Stoke hit Rotherham for six in Carabao Cup
Captain Josh Laurent scored twice as Stoke thrashed Rotherham 6-1 to book their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The win extends the Potters’ perfect home record to four victories in all competitions this season – a run that started with a 4-1 triumph over the Millers on the opening day of the new Championship campaign. Stoke took an early lead when Dutchman Wouter Burger, making his full debut having recently signed from FC Basel, drove home from long distance after picking up Cameron Humphreys’ headed clearance. Ryan Mmaee doubled the home side’s advantage in the 18th minute, beautifully bending the ball into the net after Mehdi Leris, also making his full debut having signed from Sampdoria, had pulled a cross back to him. Rotherham skipper Sean Morrison’s header from a Cafu corner swiftly halved the deficit, but Stoke restored their two-goal lead just before the half-hour mark as Laurent arrowed a shot into the bottom corner after picking up possession outside the box. The advantage was further extended as half-time approached, with Tyrese Campbell curling his effort in off the crossbar after toying with defender Jamie McCart in the area. Any slender hopes the visitors had of staging a comeback were dashed in the 55th minute, when Laurent latched onto Campbell’s headed pass and rifled the ball into the net for his second goal of the night. Leris completed the rout with a fine finish 18 minutes from time, scoring a first goal for his new club after being played through by Laurent. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
Chan Kim leaves his success on the Japan Golf Tour. Now he has a PGA Tour card
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1970-01-01 08:00
Vinicius out of Brazil's World Cup qualifying matches, Raphinha in
Brazil winger Vinicius Júnior will not play the two opening matches of World Cup qualifying next month because of a right hamstring injury
1970-01-01 08:00
Oher seeks contract and payment information related to 'The Blind Side' in conservatorship battle
Lawyers for former NFL player Michael Oher are seeking his school records and information about contracts and payouts related to the film “The Blind Side.”
1970-01-01 08:00
X marks the spot as Oregon's Bo Nix and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. return for one more season
The Pac-12 Conference is loaded with talented quarterbacks
1970-01-01 08:00
Former AL MVP Josh Donaldson released by Yankees after playing just 33 games this year
Third baseman Josh Donaldson’s unproductive two seasons with the New York Yankees ended Tuesday when the former AL MVP was released
1970-01-01 08:00
Race for top seed in WNBA postseason tightens up with New York closing gap on Las Vegas
New York has tightened the gap between itself and Vegas for the top seed in the playoffs with two weeks left in the regular season
1970-01-01 08:00
Medvedev rolls into US Open second round, with Alcaraz and Venus Williams in later action
Daniil Medvedev sent an early message that this U.S. Open might be more than a two-man race between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic
1970-01-01 08:00
Irish kickers using foot skills honed for generations to target football scholarships at US colleges
More and more rugby and Gaelic football players are giving American football a shot
1970-01-01 08:00
