LONDON, 30 November 2003 — The Premier League’s bottom club Leeds United put aside fears about administration to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Charlton Athletic yesterday.
Teenage forward James Milner scored the goal which ended a run of five league defeats for the debt-ridden and loss-making club whose board warned last week of possible administration.
With all the top teams playing today, when second-placed Chelsea host champions Manchester United and leaders Arsenal are at home to Fulham, the Premier League focus switched to the mid-table and struggling clubs.
Alan Shearer’s equalizer earned Newcastle United a 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers beat Everton 2-0 and three struggling clubs recorded victories.
Leicester City’s recovery continued with a 2-0 win at Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 and Aston Villa ran out 1-0 winners over Southampton.
Wolves’ game was marred, though, by a wayward firework, part of the pre-match display, which struck a woman in the crowd and caused lacerations that required hospital treatment.
The club has opened an investigation into the incident.
Celtic Win to Move Eight Points Clear of Rangers
In Glasgow, Chris Sutton scored twice to help Celtic beat bottom club Partick Thistle 3-1 at home and move eight points clear of champions Rangers in the Scottish Premier League yesterday.
Celtic have 40 points from 14 matches, having dropped only two points. Rangers, on 32, can reduce the deficit when they travel to Hibernian today.
James Grady put Partick, who have only two points and no wins, ahead after 12 minutes but Swedish striker Henrik Larsson equalized in the 23rd before Sutton struck twice, in the 36th minute and on the hour.
Third-placed Hearts, on 26 points, are also away on Sunday at Dundee United while fourth-placed Motherwell lost 2-0 at Kilmarnock and were joined on 20 points by Dunfermline, who drew 2-2 at home to Aberdeen.
Debt-ridden Dundee, who were forced to lay off 20 players in mid-week after going into administration, fought back to draw 1-1 at Livingston.
Stuttgart Stay Two Points Clear With Away Draw
In Berlin, VfB Stuttgart stayed two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 0-0 draw at VfL Bochum yesterday.
Stuttgart, who booked a place in the knockout phase of the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Rangers on Wednesday, remain undefeated 14 games into the championship.
Second-placed Werder Bremen drew 1-1 at Hamburg SV and Bayern Munich also had to be content with a share of the points, drawing 2-2 at home with bottom-place Cologne.
The result did little to boost the champions’ confidence and left them in fourth place, six points off the pace.
None of the front-runners managed to win, Bayer Leverkusen drawing 2-2 with TSV 1860 Munich to stay third, three points behind the leaders.
Stuttgart suffered against sixth-placed Bochum in a tactical game with few highlights.
Leverkusen found themselves 2-0 down after 56 minutes against the run of play but recovered with goals from striker Robson Ponte and defender Lucio, both Brazilian.
TSV 1860’s chances of upsetting Leverkusen suffered a blow when they had striker Benjamin Lauth sent off for pushing Lucio in the 69th minute.
Ten-Man Lyon Beaten 3-1 at Rennes After Two Own Goals
In Paris, champions Olympique Lyon suffered a nightmare at Stade Rennes yesterday, losing 3-1 after two own goals and the dismissal of midfielder Mahamadou Diarra shortly before half-time.
Lyon, who had won their previous four Ligue 1 games and were unbeaten in the league for three months, wasted a chance to pull level with Monaco at the top against a Rennes side which has yet to lose at home this season.
The visitors took the lead in the 22nd minute when Florent Malouda scored after good work by Sidney Govou down the right.
But three minutes later Lyon’s Anthony Reveillere put through his own goal trying to save a shot from Dominique Arribage on the line.
In the 39th minute Lyon’s Nicolas Puydebois was credited with an own goal after a shot by Alexander Frei came back off the post and ricocheted off the keeper’s back into the net.
Murcia Battle to 2-2 Draw Against Sociedad
In Madrid, Struggling Murcia produced a determined performance to come from behind twice and earn a 2-2 draw at home to Real Sociedad in the Primera Liga yesterday.
Sociedad, who have also been in poor form in the league, took the lead against the run of play when midfielder Igor Gabilondo curled in a free kick on the edge of the area on 30 minutes.
