Related items

• Manning, daCosta Cup matches for Saturday postponed as referees withdraw services

  All 30 games scheduled across the ISSA Manning and daCosta Cup competitions scheduled for Saturday have been called off due to referees refusing to work.

  ISSA Competitions Officer Euan Scott confirmed the postponement of games scheduled for today.

  Referees have opted to take strike action in relation to a pair of incidents that occurred in the daCosta Cup over the last few weeks.

  One incident occurred during a game between Dinthill Technical and McGrath High last Saturday when a referee was involved in a confrontation with Dinthill players Maalick Whyte, Shamair Hutchinson and Tyrese Gowe after the game.

  The referee was then allegedly physically assaulted by one of the players.

  In a release on Thursday, after a meeting of its disciplinary committee, ISSA revealed that Whyte and Hutchinson have been banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one year, effective September 26, 2024 while Gowe was hit with the three-match suspension.

  The Linstead-based school was also placed on a three-year probation and faces the possibility of suspension should its players breach the disciplinary code of conduct within the period of probation.

  The other incident occurred on September 14 when assistant referee Richard Ball allegedly was struck in the chest by a missile thrown from a group of spectators during a Zone A daCosta Cup game between Maldon High and Cornwall College.

  Attempts by Sportsmax.tv to contact ISSA President Keith Wellington proved futile.

• Silva delighted with Jimenez form as Fulham's good run continues

  Fulham boss Marco Silva is delighted to see Raul Jimenez back to his best, after his 50th Premier League goal gave them all three points against Nottingham Forest.

  The Mexican has struggled for regular goals since a serious head injury he suffered playing for Wolves against Arsenal in November 2020.

  But Jimenez, who joined Fulham in July 2023, has started this season superbly and has now scored three goals in three successive matches, and he proved the difference against Forest with a well-dispatched penalty.

  Silva told BBC Sport: “It's great to see him back at that level again after that bad incident when he was at Wolves. It was tough for him to come back.

  "In an important moment of his career, when he was struggling for goals, we showed trust in him, and believed in him. He got used to scoring before the incident but we trusted him.

  “From the first moment at this club he showed his hard work and his quality. It's nice to see him score and be decisive for us."

  Silva also revealed that Jimenez had apologised for taking the ball off designated penalty taker Andreas Pereira prior to scoring from the spot.

  He told Premier League Productions: “Pereira was the penalty taker for the moment. It is not Andreas' fault but it is clearly the fault of Raul.

  "It is already decided. It is already sorted. It is not going to happen again. Has Raul apologised? Yes. He had to because he knows the rules and how important discipline is in our squad."

  Jimenez is now just four goals away from Javier Hernandez's record as the most prolific Mexican player in Premier League history.

  He said: "Yes, why not break records and set new ones. He [Hernandez] was a very good player in English football and now it's my time and I want to keep scoring.

  “The most important thing is the three points. It's early in the season, and we have a long way to go, but being there is good for us. We want to make history for Fulham and know we can achieve more."

  Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo admitted his side were not at their best, though they still had chances to get back into the match, as they fell to their first defeat of the season.

  “Not the best game from us,” Nuno said to BBC Sport. “But we still created near the end and had opportunities to score, we have to bounce back in the next one.

  “I’m disappointed for the fans – we are sad, but we have to go again.”

  Nuno refused to be drawn on the penalty decision, with VAR intervening after an infringement between Murillo and Pereira, replays showing the defender scraped his studs along the latter’s calf.

  He said: “If we start speaking about the referees, I don’t know if it’s the best thing. I hope they improve. I don’t want to go much further than that.”

• Palmer acknowledges 'I should have had five or six' despite record-breaking quadruple

  Cole Palmer said "I should have had five or six" goals, despite his history-making quadruple during Chelsea's victory over Brighton.

  The Blues forward became the first player to score four goals before half-time in a single Premier League game, as the hosts came from behind to prevail 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

  Palmer took his tally for the season to six for Enzo Maresca's side, who climbed to third place and within a point of Manchester City and Arsenal.

  Although, the England man was a little disappointed not to add to his haul, having also hit the post, been denied by the offside flag, and sending a decent second-half opportunity wide.

  "I try and play every game the best I can," he told Match of the Day. "I should have had five or six!

  "When I missed the first chance, I was upset, but with the way they played and their high line, I felt we'd get more chances.

  "The manager set up a good game plan, we knew how to attack them with first-time passes in behind. Brighton are a good team, they pass the ball well. They play similar to us. Three points are what we needed, and that is what we got."

  Palmer also addressed comparisons made by former Arsenal and England forward Theo Walcott between him and ex-Gunner, Dennis Bergkamp.

  "I know he is a legend in the Premier League, but I didn't really watch him, I was too young," he added. "I have seen clips. He was a top player, so thank you, Theo!"

  Maresca hopes Palmer can maintain his impressive performance levels, while also revealing his belief that Chelsea are "ahead of my expectations" after stretching their winning streak to four matches.

  "I told [Cole] he could have scored two or three more," the Blues boss said. "He is a top player and just has to continue in the same way.

  "A very good win, we could have done better in some moments of the game, but overall, we deserved to win. 

  "The two goals we conceded can happen. The important thing is the team continues in the same way, creating many chances. We are happy.

  "I was more focused on the way the team progressed rather than results. We are ahead of my expectations in the way we want to play."