Newcastle put on notice in title race

Printer Friendly

Share

Text Size

LONDON, Feb 28, 2010 (AFP) - West Bromwich Albion warned Newcastle United that they are on a mission to hunt them down in the Championship title race as both clubs bid for a return to the English Premier League.

Newcastle extended their lead at the top of the second tier to six points, but West Brom overtook Nottingham Forest in second place and sent the Magpies a message in the process.

WBA manager Roberto di Matteo's lieutenant Eddie Newton said they would be breathing down Newcastle's necks till the last day of the season, with 13 games out of 46 left to go.

"We know it will be a hard slog because everyone is fighting for something so there are no easy games left," Baggies coach Newton said.

"We need to try and get away from Forest and keep putting Newcastle under pressure.

"It is in our hands at the moment and we will now try and get on a run."

Newcastle won 2-1 at Watford on Saturday thanks to goals from Argentina defender Fabricio Coloccini and local striker Andy Carroll.

"The first goal set us off and we had a period in the second half where we were very comfortable," said Newcastle boss Chris Hughton.

Despite going a goal down at Derby County, West Bromwich rallied thanks to two goals from Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Brunt and a third from substitute Simon Cox.

Former European champions Forest lost the East Midlands derby in a 3-0 reverse at Leicester City. Three goals in the last 25 minutes finished them off before 31,759 fans at the Walkers Stadium -- the Football League's biggest attendance of the weekend.

The Foxes' victory leaves them in fifth place.

"We need to look at why we went 10 months unbeaten. We will have to change things away from home and play a lot tighter," said Forest boss Billy Davies.

"There will be twists and turns before the end of the season, but I've been saying for weeks: this team is not ready for the Premier League."

Swansea, in fourth position, beat bottom club Peterborough 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium.

"It is very important to keep on winning," said Swans boss Paulo Sousa.

Their south Wales rivals Cardiff are in sixth place, the last play-off position, having lost 3-0 at mid-table Preston.

"Stupidity costs you," said Cardiff boss Dave Jones.

Sheffield Wednesday dipped below Crystal Palace and into the relegation zone on goal difference after a 5-0 thrashing at FA Cup quarter-finalists Reading.

"That was unacceptable," said Wednesday boss Alan Irvine.

"If you don't have mental strength then you are in real trouble."

Reading manager Brian McDermott said: "Now we can look forward to Aston Villa in the FA Cup next week."

Palace, now in relegation trouble after a 10-point deduction for entering administration, earned a 1-1 draw at Doncaster in what could have been manager Neil Warnock's last game if he accepts an offer to become Queens Park Rangers' fifth boss this season.

"Until I am told any differently I have a job to do and it is a difficult job," a coy Warnock said.

QPR are three points above Palace in the table, having lost 2-0 at Middlesbrough thanks to two penalties from Scotland midfielder Barry Robson.

Interim Rangers boss Mick Harford would not be drawn on Warnock but said: "If results had been as good as performances in recent weeks then maybe I would have had a better chance of a permanent crack at this job."

Sheffield United inadvertently did their cross-city rivals a favour by clinging on for a 4-3 win over Plymouth Argyle, who are second-bottom and five points behind Wednesday.

Elsewhere in a full fixture list, Barnsley beat Blackpool 1-0; Coventry beat Scunthorpe 2-1, while Ipswich and Bristol City fought out a goalless draw.