Relieved Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was delighted to see Harvey Barnes return to action with a bang as he came off the bench to snatch a thrilling 4-4 draw with Luton for the Magpies.
Barnes, who had been out of action since September 24 with a toe injury, was introduced as a 63rd-minute substitute with his side trailing 4-2 to the promoted Hatters having led 1-0 and 2-1, and it was his strike 10 minutes later which ensured the spoils were shared.
Asked about his £38million summer signing, head coach Howe said: “That’s what Harvey does, that’s why we brought him to the football club.
“He is a goalscorer. His record last year at Leicester was incredible and we hoped, of course, that he would come here and bring goals to us.
“Unfortunately, he’s missed such a big part of the season and it’s huge to get him back I thought it was an incredible finish off his wrong foot, a really, really good goal and I think he had another chance late on as well, so I was really pleased with his impact.”
In a chaotic encounter, Sean Longstaff twice fired the Magpies ahead only for Gabriel Osho and then Ross Barkley, who turned in a fine individual display, to level before the break.
Carlton Morris’ twice-taken penalty saw the visitors go ahead for the first time and when Elijah Adebayo made it 4-2 in the 62nd minute, they looked to be on the way to another impressive win after their 4-0 midweek success over Brighton.
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However, Kieran Trippier’s volley dragged Newcastle back to within a single goal before Barnes struck to set up a grandstand finish during which Jacob Murphy and Chiedozie Ogbene might have won it for their respective sides.
Howe, who lost Anthony Gordon to an ankle injury, said: “With the way we started, I thought this could be a really memorable game for us. But credit to Luton, they responded really well and made it difficult for us.
“It was a really open game, with two teams going right at each other. It was probably a great game for the neutral, but not so much if you’re associated to us because there was a huge determination to win, and we’re disappointed not to.”
Opposite number Rob Edwards shared similarly conflicting feelings on a day when his side once again proved its top-flight credentials.
Edwards said: “We wanted to be brave, which we were, [showed] loads of character, resilience and quality to get back into the game after going behind twice, and after going two goals up, tinged with a little bit of disappointment that we weren’t able to see it out.
“But I’ve got to respect the opposition and the level of the team, the quality of the players that we were coming up against, once they’d got that third goal back, there as still a lot of time on the clock wasn’t there and the almost inevitable happened and they got the equaliser.
“What I was pleased with was our character, our resilience and then actually some quality to keep it at 4-4 and keep pushing.
“I felt sick at times, I felt elation at times. I felt really proud watching my team play and overall, I think a point was a fair result.”
Manager John Mousinho feels his Portsmouth side are back on track after thrashing Northampton 4-1 at Fratton Park.
Paddy Lane scored twice as the leaders cruised to victory despite having debutant Tom McIntyre sent off.
Connor Ogilvie and Callum Lang also netted while Colby Bishop missed a penalty for Pompey, who had debutant Tom McIntyre sent off, before Marc Leonard grabbed a consolation for Northampton.
It is now 10 points from four games for Portsmouth since a 3-0 home defeat by Leyton Orient.
Mousinho said: “I am delighted with the performance and everything we did in the first hour.
“We came out the traps showing we meant business and were determined to cast out the demon of the Leyton Orient result. I think that has been hanging over us since then.
“We were good value for the 2-0 lead. We missed a penalty and I felt we could have had more in the first half.
“We started the second half a bit cagey and of course the sending off changed things.
“But we kept our heads and put the game to bed. They got a late goal and even with the added 10 minutes I felt we weren’t in any danger.
“My initial reaction to the sending off was that I thought it was a great tackle. In terms of appealing, we’ll look at it in detail and then decide.”
Pompey took the lead after seven minutes when Marlon Pack’s free-kick from 30 yards was headed home by Ogilvie.
The second came after 16 minutes. A long clearance from Pack found Lane, who turned inside a defender to drive home.
Pompey were awarded a penalty two minutes before half-time after Harvey Lintott pushed Myles Peart-Harris over but Bishop’s tame kick was easily saved by Lee Burge.
Pompey were reduced to 10 men after 54 minutes when McIntyre was shown a straight red for a foul on Mitchell Pinnock.
But Pompey got a third in the 58th minute, Lane playing a one-two before slotting home.
It was 4-0 after 71 minutes as an in-swinging free-kick from Pack saw Lang pick up the loose ball and stab it past Burge.
Northampton got a consolation goal a minute from time when Leonard fired into the roof of the net from a corner.
Cobblers boss Jon Brady said: “It is very disappointing.
“We’ve conceded an early goal from a set piece, which we should defend better. The goals we gave away were more down to us giving them to Portsmouth rather than them executing them well.
“They’re fighting to win the league and we’re fighting to stay in it. We’ve had some great form recently but the last two games have been too easy for the opposition.
“Just look at the team I have put out. It’s nowhere near the team I had picking up three points not long ago.
“am Hoskins has come off with his hamstring which is a blow. Sam Sherring has felt his ankle in the warm-up, so we were unable to get him on, and Ben Fox has been out all season, so could only get 15 minutes on the pitch.
“We started looking like we had purpose when they went down to 10 but then we got sucker-punched with their third a couple of minutes later.”
Tony Docherty admitted he was baffled by the award of a pivotal penalty against Dundee as they lost 3-2 to Hearts at Dens Park.
The home side had opened the scoring in the first half through Jordan McGhee before the Jam Tarts equalised after the break with an Alan Forrest goal.
The Dark Blues took the lead once more with a stunning strike from Lyall Cameron before Hearts were awarded a penalty.
Referee Graham Grainger ruled that Lee Ashcroft had handled a Lawrence Shankland shot with the striker converting the spot-kick before scoring what proved to be a late winner.
However, Dundee boss Docherty questioned the penalty decision and why the official did not have another look at the incident on the pitchside monitor.
Docherty said: “I would love to come in after a game and talk about my team and how good they’ve been.
“But it seems to be the last five weeks all you do is talk about decisions.
“I just spoke to big Ash there, who is the most honest boy you could meet. What are you meant to do there?
“Are you meant to cut off a body part? What are you meant to do when you are a yard away from the player and it hits you.
“It was such a pivotal point in the game. We had gone from 1-1 to score a wonderful goal to go 2-1 up and I thought we were comfortable.
“Hearts are a really good side with a top striker in Lawrence Shankland. I thought we were handling it well but it was just that moment in the game that changed everything.
“Why doesn’t he go and check it? I don’t understand. He’s told me: ‘Had I seen it again…’ Why did you not go and see it again?
“We have invested as an industry and a football club in a piece of apparatus there that you can go and check.
“Yet you don’t do that. It is just galling for me.”
Shankland had been the subject of intense transfer speculation during the window with Jambos boss Steven Naismith admitting the Scotland front man showed exactly why he is such a key player for Hearts.
The manager said: “He is a top striker. He is somebody who we know is really important and that’s why we wanted to tie him down to a longer contract, that’s why we want him to be here as long as possible.
“A big bit of pressure on his penalty but again he shows his quality.”
Scotland ended 22 years of hurt in Cardiff after they thwarted a spectacular Wales fightback to win an extraordinary Guinness Six Nations clash 27-26.
It was Scotland’s first win in the Welsh capital since 2002 – ending a run of 11 successive defeats – to set up a mouth-watering Murrayfield encounter against France next Saturday.
But Wales made them fight every inch of the way after the Scots had breezed into a 27-point lead after 42 minutes, with wing Duhan van der Merwe scoring two tries including a virtuoso long-range effort while prop Pierre Schoeman also touched down.
Captain Finn Russell kicked three conversions and two penalties, but it only told half the story.
Flanker James Botham’s try sparked the Welsh recovery then he was followed over the line by Rio Dyer, Aaron Wainwright and debutant Alex Mann, with Ioan Lloyd kicking three conversions.
Scotland found themselves on the rack after hooker George Turner and centre Sione Tuipulotu were sin-binned during the second period, yet they successfully closed the game out and left Wales wondering what might have been.
Both teams started brightly under the stadium’s closed roof and Scotland struck first when Russell kicked an angled 20-metre penalty, before quick lineout ball gave Tuipulotu a chance that Wales managed to defend.
Wales, though, could not stop wave after wave of attacks that led to the game’s opening try after 11 minutes.
Russell created initial space and after a strong run by wing Kyle Steyn, Scotland’s forwards took over and Schoeman crossed from close range. Russell’s conversion made it 10-0.
Scotland enjoyed scrum and lineout dominance and they controlled the opening quarter, even if Wales established promising attacking positions at times.
Russell extended Scotland’s lead with a second penalty – Wales wing Josh Adams was punished for throwing the ball away and denying Scotland a quick lineout throw – and alarm bells were beginning to ring for Gatland’s team.
Inevitably, Russell was at the heart of everything good about Scotland’s magic and he weaved his magic to devastating effect 10 minutes before half-time.
Scotland set up a strong position inside Wales’ 22 and the rest was all about Russell, who ghosted into space, threw a half-dummy pass, then delivered a try on a plate for Van der Merwe.
There appeared no way back for Wales, with their problems showing no sign of abating as fly-half Sam Costelow went off for a head injury assessment as Scotland led 20-0 at the interval.
It got even worse for Wales just two minutes into the second period when Van der Merwe carved them open from deep to claim a blistering solo touchdown, and Russell’s conversion put further daylight between the teams.
Costelow failed his HIA and Gatland made three half-time changes, sending on scrum-half Tomos Williams, hooker Elliot Dee and prop Keiron Assiratti, and Wales opened their account when Botham crashed over.
Turner was sin-binned for an offence in the build-up to Botham’s try and Wales struck again, this time through Dyer, with Lloyd’s conversion cutting the gap suddenly and unexpectedly to 15 points.
It was panic stations for Scotland when Tuipulotu went into the sin bin and Wales punished them immediately as Wainwright touched down for a third try in 13 minutes, with Lloyd converting.
The capacity crowd could scarcely believe what they were witnessing, but it was Williams’s influence off the bench that proved key as he injected pace and purpose into Wales’ game.
And when Mann claimed a 68th-minute try, again converted by Lloyd, the improbable dream edged closer, with Scotland looking bewildered and devoid of answers.
But they somehow held out, Wales left with the consolation of two losing bonus points.
Swansea head coach Luke Williams struggled to hide his frustration after the Whites went down to a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship defeat to Plymouth.
Morgan Whittaker struck the only goal of the game after 18 minutes – his ninth in his last 10 games as Argyle made it six games without defeat.
Back-to-back Championship defeats and a fourth loss in a row in all competitions leaves Swansea head coach Luke Williams still searching for his first league win since he took charge.
It also leaves the Swans just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Williams said: “I am frustrated that we didn’t turn really good actions into goals. When you create 19 chances and at least four of them are in the six-yard box, there’s not an excuse to not win the game.
“What is it that’s wrong with those chances? For me, nothing. It’s just concentration, finish the action correctly and we’ll win the game of football.
“The goal we conceded, we lose concentration again from a long ball forward. Whittaker hits the shot that leads to the corner. Then, from the corner we switch off, the player gets blocked and it’s a good strike.
“It’s unfair that he (Ronald) doesn’t have at least one assist. We tried to make it clear what his role is.
“We have had a few guys to interpret on the training pitch and I am really happy because he didn’t try to do his own thing or show off.
“He just tried to play in the game I asked him to play it – so much energy, so many runs in behind. So many players don’t want to do that because it’s hard, you have to keep sprinting and then you have to provide for someone else.
“I want him to feed the striker. I am happy with him.
“I don’t like that (relegation situation), of course I don’t like that. We need to concentrate on trying to play really well.
“If we can create 19 chances every week and create openings in the six-yard box, we’d have to be a very unlucky team to suffer more.
“We have some tough fixtures but that’s the job. There’s no sulking or feeling sorry for myself.”
Plymouth head coach Ian Foster was glad to see his side grind out a victory.
He said: “In my short time at the club, we have had to find a way of winning on the road. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices in order to do that.
“Our challenge is to maintain the attacking threat we have but from a really solid defensive structure.
“That was probably a perfect performance today in terms of doing that.
“Of course at times we have to get better with the ball, but we have to start somewhere. We have to get the points on the board.
“I have worked with Morgan in the England pathway, so I know what he is capable of.
“I took him and his partner for breakfast on Wednesday, the day after the club turned down a bid for him from Lazio.
“It was just to see how he is and see what we can do to help him and keep him focussed on his game.
“It’s my job to continue to develop him into the player we all hope he can be.”
Napoli head coach Walter Mazzarri has stressed a Champions League place is still attainable for the Serie A title-holders as they prepare to host Hellas Verona on Sunday.
After winning a first Scudetto in 33 years last season under Luciano Spalletti, the Partenopei have had a significant drop off in a 2023-24 campaign that saw new boss Rudi Garcia replaced by Mazzarri in November.
Their nine league games since then have comprised three wins, two draws and four losses, and they are currently ninth in the table, four points behind fourth place.
Asked at a press conference if the Champions League spots remained a realistic objective for Napoli, Mazzarri said: “I don’t look at the table for my own reasons.
“But it’s clear that there are many teams within three to four points, and therefore the objective is possible.”
Since starting the calendar year with a 3-0 loss at Torino, Napoli – still without star striker Victor Osimhen due to international duty with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations – have won 2-1 at home against Salernitana, beaten Fiorentina 3-0, lost 1-0 to AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana and drawn 0-0 at Lazio in their return to league action last weekend.
Mazzarri said: “In the last few games we created little, for various reasons, also due to the strength of the opponents, but we returned solid and balanced, after the very bad performance in Torino.
“It’s clear that we will need to be more aggressive and proactive to create scoring opportunities, perhaps even shooting from outside, because we can’t always enter the area with triangles and penetrations.
“This week we are also working on this aspect and I think we will see the results.”
Napoli face a Verona outfit who went into the weekend just outside the relegation zone, and who brought in a trio of players on transfer deadline day – Stefan Mitrovic, Karol Swiderski and Fabien Centonze.
Boss Marco Baroni told a press conference ahead of the trip to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona: “We need points, but we have to start from the performance.
“These are complicated and difficult stadiums, where we must not be afraid. We will have to play a match of personality, having great respect for the opponent.
“These are teams against which you have to be very careful within the performance. We will need to be compact, focused, and help each other on the pitch.”
Roy Hodgson vowed to carry on fighting as Crystal Palace manager despite some of the club’s fans turning on him during the 4-1 Premier League defeat at Brighton.
Hodgson cut a forlorn figure on the touchline as goals from Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Facundo Buonanotte and Joao Pedro once again left his future under scrutiny.
Palace sacked their previous manager, Patrick Vieira, following a 1-0 defeat in this fixture last season so Hodgson, on a run of just four wins from 17 matches, could be on thin ice.
The 76-year-old knew it was not going to be his day when Michael Olise, on as a substitute, lasted just eight minutes before suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
That led to chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ from the away end with the Brighton fans, never shy to revel in their rivals’ misfortune, responding with ‘Super Roy Hodgson’.
“Wonderful, wasn’t it?” quipped Hodgson. “Is it nice? No it isn’t. Yes, my years of management have given the me resilience me to cope with that, absolutely, and taunts from away supporters are part and parcel of our lives.
“At the moment our fans aren’t very happy with everything that is happening at the club and they are making their feelings known as well.
“But I signed up to be the manager and coach of this football club and I’ve got the strength, resilience and determination to see things through. I’m certainly not going to be cowed by that type of thing.”
Hodgson is hamstrung by the absence of Eberechi Eze through injury but his decision to risk his other star man, Olise, when his side were 3-0 down raised eyebrows.
“I was told he couldn’t start the game, everyone was quite comfortable with that,” added Hodgson.
“But they told me, and he told me, he was fine to be on the bench and to play in the second half. Unfortunately I don’t have a crystal ball and I wasn’t to know that would lead to a recurrence of his injury.”
A late goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta could not spark a Palace revival and the loss of captain Marc Guehi to a first-half knee injury just compounded a thoroughly rotten day.
Then goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defender Joachim Andersen had a heated exchange with some supporters at the final whistle.
“They are realistic enough to know the fans aren’t going to be happy to see their team lose 4-1 and I think the players did the right thing,” insisted Hodgson.
“No one is less happy than ourselves. At least they went over to thank the fans and let them know we are grateful for their support. If people react, so be it.”
It was Brighton’s biggest win over their fierce rivals since 1956 and the perfect response to the midweek 4-0 defeat at Luton.
Boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “We are very happy because in a derby we made our fans happy, but I’m not surprised with the reaction we showed.
“Our win started on Tuesday after the Luton game. I’m really pleased with the result, the reaction, the energy.”
Blaise Bicknell recovered from a second set slump to beat Kaipo Marshall and give Jamaica the advantage against Barbados following the first rubber of their World Group II Davis Cup playoff tie at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre in Kingston on Saturday.
Bicknell prevailed 6-1 3-6 6-1.
Despite a sluggish start, and the first three games going to deuce, Bicknell saved break point in the opening game of the contest and fought to a 3-0 lead, before ultimately running away with the set 6-1.
The 21-year-old Barbadian responded in the second set, breaking early, before shocking the partisan crowd by rushing to a 3-0 lead.
However, the 22-year-old Bicknell, ranked 319 in the world and number one in the Caribbean, momentarily pulled his game together with precise serving and strong forehands to level at three apiece.
The momentum again shifted with Marshall breaking once on his way to winning the next three games and take the set 6-3.
He saved three break points and squandered three set points, before holding his nerve when Bicknell dumped a backhand return in the net.
Last year, Marshall heroically, came from a set and 4-5 down to beat Pacific Oceania's Clement Mainguy to keep Barbados in group II, but he couldn't complete this mission, as Bicknell, sensing the challenge, stepped up and ran away with the third 6-1, punctuating the victory with a second serve ace.
"I didn't play my best but I found a way to get the job done," Bicknell said following the win in sweltering heat.
"I played a good first and third set and once I relaxed I was comfortable,” he added.
Marshall also felt he was far from his best.
"I definitely didn't play the level I wanted to today, I felt definitely like I was right there with him, but I felt like I defeated myself,” he lamented.
Neither player hit their best game on the day, but ultimately, Bicknell's superior quality was the difference.
There were moments he looked like the man who is coming off his first ATP challenger title. His serve out wide on the deuce court in big moments was a major factor, and his heavy forehand also did a lot of damage.
Marshall struggled on second serve. He hit four doubles in his first service game, a problem which persisted throughout the match.
The day's second rubber between Darian King of Barbados and Rowland Phillips of Jamaica is currently underway.
Action concludes on Sunday with the doubles rubber and reverse singles.
Excitement for the historic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 being held in the West Indies and USA from 1-29 June is building with 1.2 million ticket applications received in the first 48 hours of the public ballot.
Applications have come from 126 countries, showing the global appeal of the event, but it is locals in the Americas where demand has been strongest, with over 900,000 ticket applications from fans residing within the USA and West Indies.
The ballot is not a first-come first-served system and fans applying before the seven-day window closes at 23h59 Antigua Standard Time on 7 February 2024 will still have an equal chance of obtaining tickets.
Entering the ballot at tickets.t20worldcup.com.will give fans the best chance to get tickets to all the matches they want and be part of the biggest cricket carnival ever.
Remaining tickets not reserved in the ballot will go on general sale after the ballot period is closed and these will be sold on a first come, first served basis at tickets.t20worldcup.com on 22 February.
Tickets to all 55 matches are accessibly priced to entice both cricket enthusiasts and new fans to the sport. Prices start at just US$6 and over 260,000 tickets will be on sale across the group stage, Super Eight and semi-finals for US$25 and under.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said: “The initial applications for tickets indicate strong demand for tickets to the first ICC event co-hosted by West Indies and USA. T20 cricket is a growth vehicle to bring new fans to the sport and it is reassuring to see a large majority of applications coming from the Americas, reflecting the excitement of fans in the region to see world class cricket.
“We urge any fan interested in attending to not miss out on entering the ballot before the window closes to ensure you get the best chance of securing your seats.”
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Tournament Director Fawwaz Baksh: “Given the global appeal of T20 cricket, we anticipated a high number of applications during the early stages of the public ticket ballot, but to surpass one million applications in the first 48 hours is nothing short of phenomenal and is testament to the hard work, dedication, and collective efforts of every member of the tournament project team.
“With the ballot remaining open until 23h59 Antigua Standard Time on 7 February 2024, I again encourage all fans and in particular Caribbean fans, to take advantage of this opportunity to apply for tickets as it is the best chance to see all the games they want. The cricketing world is looking forward to you coming out in your numbers and showcasing our Caribbean energy, passion, and camaraderie in a global World Cup festival where cultures will converge, and history will be made.
Boss Philippe Clement revealed defender Leon Balogun “probably broke something in his face” in Rangers’ 3-0 cinch Premiership win over Livingston which put them in striking distance of leaders Celtic.
The 35-year-old had to be replaced by John Souttar after just 22 minutes at Ibrox after clashing with Livi’s Shaun Donnellan.
Portuguese striker Fabio Silva, who arrived on loan from Wolves last month, opened his Rangers account against the league’s bottom side in the 40th minute before winger Rabbi Matondo added a second in first-half added time.
Gers midfielder Todd Cantwell knocked in a third in the 56th minute as Clement’s side moved three points behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand.
Asked about Balogun after the game, the Belgian said: “Not good and good in a way. It is not good because it is a bad injury, he probably broke something in his face.
“The positive side is he is a warrior and he is somebody with experience who already had things like that in the past.
“He believes he can be back fast with a mask so I hope that is the case. It is the medical staff who need to decide that.”
Rangers’ game in hand is against Ross County on February 14 but Gers fans will be excited about the possibility of going top of the table against Aberdeen at Ibrox on Tuesday might, albeit Celtic, who drew 1-1 with the Dons at Pittodrie earlier in the day, take on Hibernian the following night.
Former Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco boss Clement said: “That is the nice thing to be a fan. I have been a fan also before I was a player.
“That is a totally different life. We know what we need to do our job and that is with complete focus.
“If you start to think about others, you start to lose things yourself. We are not going to fall into that trap as a team.
“I am happy with the team also in that way, I don’t hear any name of another team during the week.
“Everybody is focused on Rangers and not on his ego but on the team. There is a really good team mentality now in that dressing room and I am going to be really tight on that so it stays that way.
“That is the reason we get results. The moment we start to focus on others we can lose that.”
Livingston boss David Martindale claimed Celtic dropping two points before the kick-off at Ibrox gave everyone in Light Blue a boost, although he thought Silva’s goal should have been chopped off for Connor Goldson’s challenge on Livi debutant David Carson inside the box following a corner.
VAR checked the incident but referee John Beaton was not called to look at his pitch-side monitor.
Martindale said: “When I saw the Aberdeen result come through I was a wee bit worried if I am honest.
“It probably gave the Rangers players and the crowd real energy because now it (title) is in Rangers’ hands.
“You are coming to Ibrox and it is already a difficult game but with that fresh impetus knowing the title is in their hands, that was in the back of my mind.
“But I am genuinely amazed that VAR allowed that goal to stand.
“It’s not sour grapes because Rangers deserved to get three points from the game but Goldson’s foot is head height with Carson, he catches Carson on the way down.
“Carson can’t attack the ball the way he would because he can see the foot coming in, he is a wee bit apprehensive.
“I am astounded the goal stands. Up until that point, I thought our game plan, structure, rigidity, when to press, when to drop, was very good and the goal gives the players and crowd real energy and we conceded a sloppy second.”
Leicester boss Enzo Maresca is content to ignore criticism from some Foxes fans after seeing his side move 11 points clear at the top of the Championship with a 5-0 demolition of Stoke.
Doubles from Patson Daka and Jamie Vardy helped the visitors take another step toward an immediate return to the Premier League.
Daka opened the scoring with a tap-in shortly before Kasey McAteer’s deflected long-range strike doubled the Foxes’ lead.
After the restart the in-form Daka converted Leicester’s first penalty of the afternoon for a sixth goal in eight games.
Substitute Vardy then notched his ninth and 10th goals of the season, his second deep in stoppage time also from the penalty spot.
It was the league leaders’ biggest victory of the season, much to the delight of boss Maresca.
“The most important thing for me is the way that the team is getting better,” said the Leicester boss.
“I don’t like it when people hurt the players, because I know the effort that they’re doing to bring this club back to the Premier League.
“Since the start, I see the way that they’re working and I know that they’re doing everything they can.
“If some of the fans aren’t sure or convinced, it doesn’t matter to me. The performance was very good today and that experience will make us better.
“I’m very happy with the result and the clean sheet, especially with the first half-an-hour, that was very good and we played the way that we like to play.
“The last 10 minutes of the first half, we conceded two yellow cards that we needed to avoid as it could compromise the game, but that was it.
“We’re very happy and when we play away, the environment is always nice and the players and fans together enjoy the moment.
“I’ve said many times, our fans are unbelievable. At home some of them maybe aren’t convinced, but it is what it is.
“It’s important for us to have lots of options and every time we need them, they help, so we’re very happy.”
It was another dismal afternoon for Stoke, whose winless run at home now stands at nine games, dating back to October.
“We were miles off it and they were just too good for us,” said boss Steven Schumacher, who oversaw a third defeat on the spin.
“They showed today why they’re top of the league. They’ve done everything properly, but they didn’t have to work hard at all.
“We didn’t have the belief or the quality. We tried, but they had too much for us and their goals were too easy.
“We knew we were coming up the best team, this result wasn’t going to determine the outcome of the rest of the season, but the next two might do.
“I need to make sure that we respond and put in a better performance and try to get a win.
“It’s three games now with three defeats and we need to do something about it, so Blackburn’s going to be a big game at the weekend.
“We need to get the players ready for it. We have to react and we won’t go away and sulk.
“There’s a real lack of confidence at home. When things go against us or there’s a little adversity, the crowd turns against us and it affects the players.
“We have to work hard to try and change that now.”
Stephen Robinson savoured “a fantastic performance” after his St Mirren side eased to their biggest away win over Hibernian for 39 years.
The Buddies ran out convincing 3-0 victors in the Premiership, with first-half goals from Alex Gogic, Greg Kiltie and Mikael Mandron putting the feeble hosts to the sword.
Saints – who won by the same scoreline in their last away match against Aberdeen – have not won so emphatically at Easter Road since a 4-0 victory in April 1985.
“It’s a fantastic performance,” said manager Robinson. “It matched, if not bettered, our previous away performance at Aberdeen.
“To score three goals and not concede any, I thought we were in total control.
“We showed real quality on the ball and dominated with it. But defensively to a man, including all the subs, it was a real team display.
“Marcus Fraser made a tackle at the end that showed the togetherness and will to win and not to concede goals that we’ve added to our game in the last month, since the break.”
Hibs were jeered off at half-time and full-time and many of their supporters left long before the end of what was a humiliating afternoon for the Edinburgh side.
Manager Nick Montgomery admitted the fans were well within their rights to vent their fury after a sixth league game in a row without victory left them seventh in the table.
“It’s a real difficult one to take,” said the Easter Road boss. “The first half was nowhere near good enough.
“We got outfought, outran, outcompeted and we gave away sloppy goals. From there, it’s a mountain to climb against a decent team.
“Being outfought and outcompeted, there’s not many times I’ve said that here, but I have to accept that. The players accept that.
“In the second half we huffed and puffed. But you can’t get back into a game after showing that first-half performance.
“I can understand the supporters’ frustration. There have been times this season where we’ve played really well and not got the result we deserve – and sometimes a couple of boos have been unjust.
“But today they were fully justified. We deserved the booing at half-time. At the end of the game? The second half was a lot better, we competed more, were probably unlucky not to get a goal or two and get back in the game. It wasn’t to be.
“But it was too late. We can’t give three-goal leads. We’ve come back from 2-0 down twice this season but 3-0 down is difficult.”
Jamie George is convinced England can win the Guinness Six Nations but accepts they must learn fast after edging Italy 27-24 in Rome.
England were outscored 3-2 on the try count and were outplayed in the first half, which they finished 17-14 behind, but they rallied with an important Alex Mitchell try and two penalties from George Ford.
It was the closest Italy had come to beating them in 31 Tests between the rivals and even allowing for the five new caps in Red Rose ranks, it was a shaky start to post-World Cup rebuilding.
While England were labouring to victory at the Stadio Olimpico, Ireland looked sensational in a crushing win over France in Marseille the previous evening.
When asked is there is enough quality in the team to challenge Ireland, George said: “Absolutely. I don’t want anyone to be involved in this squad if they don’t genuinely believe we can go and challenge the best and win this tournament.
“Looking at Ireland, they were very impressive. Not many teams go to France and perform like that. It’s a blueprint for us, and any team, to look at how they approached that game.
“For us, we’re going to be learning fast and we need to make sure we learn our lessons, being very clear about what we want to go after this game.
“We’ve got a great opportunity to be back in front of our fans against Wales next weekend and really give them something to smile about.”
England have a new defence coach in Felix Jones and at times they were exposed by an inspired Italy, who took advantage of the lack of familiarity with the new system to engineer three tries.
“I’m very pleased the players found a way to change and win the game,” head coach Steve Borthwick said.
“There were areas we improved upon and it was brilliant to see five players making their debuts in the Six Nations, which doesn’t happen very often.
“But having said that there were plenty of areas we need to be better. Italy scored too easily and we need to look very closely at things that need to be improved around our defence.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada took little comfort from knowing that it was the closest the Azzurri had come to beating England in 31 attempts.
“When I spoke to the players and coaches in the changing room, no one was happy with this narrow defeat,” Quesada said.
“That’s something that’s very important for me because I didn’t care to look at the closest gap in history.
“I’m proud of the spirit showed by the team. England were close to our tryline many times but we kept them out, which is the team we want to be.”
Emmet Mullins appears to have another potential star on his hands given the way Jeroboam Machin cruised to victory in the Donohue Marquees Future Stars I.N.H. Flat Race at Leopardstown.
Continuing the dominance of the Mullins family on the opening day, Mullins’ uncle Willie was responsible for four winners, while cousin Danny rode three of them. This time is was Grand National winner Emmet taking the limelight.
The race saw the reappearance of last year’s winner, A Dream To Share, who went on to follow up at Cheltenham and Punchestown. But despite being sent off the 8-11 favourite, a repeat victory never looked likely.
Jeroboam Machin (12-1) was ridden by Derek O’Connor, who sported the light blue colours of Paul Byrne, owner in their early days of the likes of National hero Noble Yeats and The Shunter.
Having travelled sweetly to the lead, he had no problem in pulling four and a quarter lengths clear of You Oughta Know.
So impressive was the win that a number of firms promoted him to favouritism for the championship event at Cheltenham.
Mullins said: “Watching him work the last few weeks wouldn’t inspire confidence and I think I said the same after his debut, he doesn’t show much at home.
“But any time we take him away he lights up and I don’t mind what he does at home if he saves his best for the track.
“He’s green but I don’t know if that will come out of him, he comes up the gallop at home as quick with a 90-rated horse as he does a 140-horse, that’s just him. I’m just glad he’s got that bit of class.
“There’s plenty of horses we have that fall by the wayside, but Paul’s very good, he gives me free rein. I picked this lad out of an auction point-to-point which may not have been that sexy, but I loved the way he winged the last that day.”
When asked if he could go to Cheltenham, he said: “Well we came in the right-hand side of the parade ring instead of the left today, so we could go either way!”
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