Glenmuir High will contest their first ever ISSA Champions Cup final against neighbours Clarendon College, following a 5-3 penalty shootout win over Kingston College, after they played out a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time in a keenly contested semi-finals encounter at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Interestingly, both Glenmuir and Clarendon College will also contest the daCosta Cup final, as both remain on course to secure the coveted triple crown feat.
Brandon Wallace gave Glenmuir High a 14th-minute lead, but that was cancelled out by Darnel Edwards’s 16th-minute effort, which set up the dreaded penalty kicks.
The May Pen-based Glenmuir was perfect from the 12-yard spot converting all five kicks, while goalkeeper Antwone Gooden came up big to deny Jaheim McLean and ensure the Andrew Peart-coached side a spot in another final.
Pert was delighted by the accomplishment but is well aware that the job is not yet finished with the final to be contested on Saturday at the National Stadium.
“I am very pleased; it was progressing from a semi-final to a final so for us now the focus is strictly on the game for Saturday. Well done to the boys and everyone involved, this is five finals in three years…Under-14, Under-16, Ben Francis Cup, daCosta Cup and Champions Cup, so that is commendable for the school and the objective is now to go and win it,” Peart declared.
It was a lively start by both teams, particularly Glenmuir, who gradually gained the ascendancy in the early exchanges. Kyle Gordon went on one of those early breaks, but the quality of the finish lacked the build-up, as the chance went begging.
However, Wallace spared his blushes eight minutes later with an exquisite right-footed finish from well over 20 yards out, and from an angle, that left Kingston College’s goalkeeper Malique Williams beaten all ends up.
Kingston College replied shortly after with two efforts coming in quick succession, the second proving fruitful, as Edwards’s left-footed shot from top of 18-yard box took wicked deflection and slipped past Gooden at near post.
From there, both teams canceled out each other, as they gave as good as they got in the attacking third, but faulty shooting proved their undoing and so it was left for the dreaded penalties to decide a winner.
Though disappointed about losing a second semi-final via the shootout route, Vassell Reynolds of Kingston College found solace in his team’s improvement throughout the season.
“I thought we played well enough (to win). It was a good game on both ends, both teams created a number of chances, but we knew from the beginning that it was going to be a chess game because both teams would have employed a similar system, so it was just who executed more today,” Reynolds said.
“I thought it was a good run we saw a lot of improvements from where we started in July and the boys continued to grow, we are disappointed that we are not playing in one of the finals, but I thought it was a good run for us,” he added.
Former Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer has blasted the decision which handed Paris St German a Champions League get out of jail card against his home town club “disgusting” and “s***”.
Shearer, the Magpies’ record goalscorer, voiced his frustration on social media after Polish referee Szymon Marciniak was asked to review his decision not to award a penalty when Ousmane Dembele’s cross hit Tino Livramento in the ribs and then hit the underside of his arm. The referee belatedly pointed to the spot.
Kylian Mbappe, who had been denied repeatedly by goalkeeper Nick Pope and his defenders, made no mistake from 12 yards in the eighth minute of stoppage time at the Parc des Princes to secure a 1-1 draw.
An unimpressed Shearer wrote on his X – formerly Twitter – account: “Do me a f****** favour man. What a load of s***t.
“A superb battling away performance from every single player. Shouldn’t be spoilt by a disgusting decision. Well done @NUFC.”
Shearer’s former Newcastle team-mate Shay Given was equally unhappy with the decision, which brought back memories of the night in Paris that Thierry Henry’s handball which went unnoticed and cost the Republic of Ireland a place at the 2010 World Cup finals.
Given posted on X: “What a performance from the Toon. Terrible decision to give a penalty, not the first time I’ve left Paris with a controversial handball decision.”
Former Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen also criticised the penalty decision and the way the handball rule is being interpreted.
Owen wrote: “Heartbreaking for @NUFC. Such a good performance. Never in a million years is that a penalty.
“We are further away from applying consistency to the handball rule than we’ve ever been.”
TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist branded Mr Marciniak’s decision “a disgrace”.
McCoist said: “It comes off his chest, then hits his left elbow. If that’s a penalty, we might as well forget about it.
“If we’re giving penalty kicks for that, it’s a disgrace. The whole night will be remembered by that decision.”
Colleague Jermaine Jenas, who spent more than three years of his playing career at St James’ Park, added: “It is a shocking decision – not in any walk of life is that a penalty. What is meant to do with his arms – wrap them around his back?
“I am fuming.”
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was left fuming after Paris St Germain denied Newcastle a priceless Champions League victory with a controversial stoppage-time penalty.
The Magpies looked to be heading for a famous 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes as they battled their way through a second-half onslaught from the hosts until Polish referee Szymon Marciniak awarded a spot-kick against Tino Livramento after a VAR review, allowing Kylian Mbappe to level in the eighth and final minute of added time.
Howe, who said in a television interview that the official had been placed under “extreme” pressure by the PSG players, labelled a decision which cost his side two precious points “poor” in his post-match press conference.
Asked if he felt a sense of injustice, he said: “Yes, I do. It wasn’t the right decision in my opinion.
“There are so many things to take into account at that moment, the speed first. It was a ricochet that when it is slowed down, looks completely different to the live event.
“The ball hits his chest first, comes up and hits his hand. But his hand is not in an unnatural position, they [his hands] are down by his side, but he is in a running motion.
“I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us as you know how little time there is left in the game. There is nothing we can do about it now.”
The pivotal moment arrived in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Ousmane Dembele attempted to deliver the ball across the Newcastle penalty area and saw it hit Livramento’s side and rear up on to the underside of his arm.
Mr Marciniak, who had earlier seen decisions not to award spot-kicks for an Anthony Gordon challenge on Achraf Hakimi and a shout for handball against teenager midfielder Lewis Miley upheld, was advised to review the incident and this time decided to award the penalty.
The Magpies, who had taken a 24th-minute lead through Alexander Isak, defended it for grim life until the last-gasp controversy, although they needed Pope to be at his brilliant best on several occasions.
They now need to beat AC Milan at home on December 13 and hope PSG do not win away to Borussia Dortmund to progress.
Asked if that was something to cling on to, Howe, who celebrates his 46th birthday on Wednesday, said: “Yes, I think that’s absolutely right. In the next couple of days, that will become more relevant in our thoughts, I think.
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“When the draw came out, it was the ‘group of death’ and I don’t think many people gave us a chance of qualifying from it and sitting here now, I’m a little bit frustrated that it’s not in our hands because when I look back at the two Dortmund games, I felt we could have done better in those matches.
“I don’t think it’s the time for that, I think it’s probably a time to be positive and to say that if we can beat Milan, then good things can happen from it.”
For PSG boss Luis Enrique, there was a mixture of relief and frustration on a night when his side created a host of chances but were unable to take any of them until Mbappe’s late intervention.
Enrique said: “Without a doubt, we played a very great game. We deserved to win. We played better than Newcastle. The result does not reflect what happened on the pitch.
“It’s not basketball. We are one of the teams in Europe that scores the most. Sometimes the ball doesn’t want to go in.
“Sometimes the game looked like table tennis. I couldn’t believe we couldn’t score, but we carried on despite the frustration.”
Clarendon College continued their impressive vein of form, as they booked a spot in a second final for the season with a 2-0 win over Hydel High in the ISSA Champions Cup all-island knockout tournament semi-finals at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Tuesday.
The reigning daCosta Cup champions, who will defend their rural area crown against Clarendon neighbours Glenmuir High, are well and truly on course to secure the coveted triple crown, as they now wait their opponents for the Champions Cup showpiece.
Clarendon College’s ever-reliable and prolific front man Keheim Dixon, again did the damage for Chapelton-based team with a brace in the 19th and 87th minutes.
Though in the perfect position to achieve the triple feat, Clarendon College’s Head coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde downplayed their ambitions.
“The boys definitely went out and had fun, especially the first half, we had an excellent first half, but I didn’t like the second half because they brought back Hydel in the game. However, even when Hydel had their moments, we defended well, and our goalkeeper came up big today also. So, it was a nice performance, I wanted more but what they give me at this stage of the season, I’ll take it,” Hyde said in a post-game interview.
“We are working, so when the next match come, we will deal with it. I don’t talk about triple crown I am just playing the games as they come along,” he added.
With both teams coming of penalty shootout victories in their respective daCosta Cup and Manning Cup semi-finals encounters, the physical and mental toughness of both teams were expected to be tested, and so it was.
Both teams were spirited at the start, but it was Hydel finding that signalled intentions first when Dontae Brooks broke into a one-on-one situation with Roshae Burrell in goal for Clarendon College, but the goaltender came up trumps with a big save to deny the attacker.
Clarendon College took heed and replied with a flurry of attacks of their own, the best of which came in the 19th when Dixon slotted home from just inside the 18-yard box, after Deandre Gallimore’s initial effort came back off the crossbar.
They almost doubled the lead four minutes later as Dixon’s shot from deep inside the box, was charged down and Jahmelle Ashley’s attempt from the resulting corner was cleared off the line.
Hydel enjoyed a decent passage of play in the latter stages of the half, but their hunt for the elusive equalizer proved fruitless at that point, as Clarendon College went to the break 1-0 up.
With their backs against the wall, Hydel came out pressing on the resumption and had a few opportunities to claw their way back into the contest, the best of which came in the 65th. This, when Omario Henry rounded Burrell, but failed to make it count.
From there, Clarendon College once again took charge of proceedings and inevitably found a second when Christopher Hull played provider for Dixon, who rifled right-footer past Kingston College’s goalkeeper Tajarie Lee for his 27th goal of the season.
Hydel’s Head coach Devon Anderson rued defensive errors which proved their undoing.
“The team that made the least mistake came out the winner. We made two critical mistakes in front of goal, and we paid, so credit to Clarendon, it was a hard-fought battle, we threw some punches, and we gave our best. So, we will lick our wound and then get ready for the Manning Cup (final),” Anderson said.
Phil Foden felt Manchester City were at their worst before recovering from 2-0 down to secure top spot in their Champions League group with a 3-2 win over Leipzig.
The holders trailed to two breakaway Lois Openda goals at half-time of Tuesday’s clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Foden sparked their recovery after the interval, teeing up goals for Erling Haaland and substitute Jeremy Doku either side of scoring a sublime effort himself.
The England midfielder told TNT Sports: “First half was the worst I’ve seen us. Courage and motivation courage changed it around. This team has great mentality and it’s so nice to see.
“We just needed that goal to get going. Even the fans were a lot louder after the goal. Once the first went in the motivation was there. We’ve got a great record at the Etihad and it only takes one goal to change things.”
City’s victory not only made certain of preferential seeding in the last 16 for a seventh successive season but extended their English record unbeaten run in European competition to 19 games.
Manager Pep Guardiola was pleased with that achievement but admitted concern about the performance.
The Spaniard said: “If we talk about the qualification it is a great night. If we talk about the game, we could do better.
“Sloppy goals – in football you have to win duels and it was quite similar against Chelsea. We were solid and now we’ve had two warnings already.
“It’s the same up front. We’ve had chances and missed them.
“But maybe for the future it’s good to win not comfortably, to show we are able to make a comeback.
“When we scored early in the second half, 45 minutes was a long time for them. It was not easy because they defended really well and they were strong, but we are there.
“Now we have five days to recover for the game against Spurs.”
Leipzig’s display was a huge improvement on their 7-0 loss at the same venue last season and coach Marco Rose felt his side were unfortunate not to get more from the game.
Rose said: “We knew we made them angry in the first half. It got more difficult.
“If we kept the clean sheet a little bit longer, maybe then the chance would become bigger and bigger to win or to take something home, but at the end you need a little bit of luck and that is what we missed maybe.
“We played a really good game, but this is City.”
Reading manager Ruben Selles admitted his side could still do better after their 5-1 thrashing of Carlisle lifted them off the bottom of League One.
An own goal from Carlisle skipper Sam Lavelle had given Reading the lead and although Luke Plange quickly levelled, a double from Harvey Knibbs gave the hosts a healthy 3-1 lead at the break.
Carlisle improved in the second half but fine finishes from Lewis Wing and Femi Azeez late on sealed Reading’s second league win in succession.
“The result was good and to score that amount of goals is always difficult in football matches,” Selles said.
“But I still think that we can do better. I still think that the worst part of our games is that, after we score the first goal, then we need to control things more.
“Yet we are in a much better position than we were a month ago. Those moments in which we have conceded, we didn’t do that today or last weekend [in the 2-1 win at Wycombe].
“As a collective, the team looks like we are all learning to manage those moments. We have the potential to score goals and compete against any team in League One.
“In the end, it was a pleasure to have a calm last part of the game.
“We knew that when the other team was trying to chase, we knew that we would be able to find the spaces to counter-attack.”
Carlisle are now without a win in four league games.
“My impression from watching back the first-half goals, we just haven’t done the real basic things properly,” manager Paul Simpson said.
“We were trying to be clever in midfield instead of just turning Reading around.
“We were not clearing our lines, we were missing tackles, we were not communicating.
“I don’t think that you need to be a really good footballer to do all those things better than we did tonight. And we just got punished for it.
“I thought that we started the game brightly. It looked as though it was a game in which we had an opportunity to get something out of. But we allowed it to run away from us.
“I thought that we started the second half brightly as well. To be fair, though, their fourth goal [by Wing] was a really good strike.
“But their fifth goal was really simple. A straight run down the middle and we allowed it to happen.
“So it all ends up being a massive disappointment for us. But we’ve just got to move on.
“Defensively, in the first half, it worried me. Without a doubt. There was just too many simple mistakes, you just can’t do those things.”
Neill Collins acknowledged the bizarre nature of his Barnsley side’s late winner after Sam Cosgrove snatched a 1-0 victory for the Tykes in second-half stoppage-time.
Cosgrove capitalised on a costly mistake from Wycombe goalkeeper Max Stryjek to net his first goal for the Reds.
Wycombe player Harry Boyes was shown a second yellow for dissent amidst protests following the goal.
Collins said: “I’ve just watched it (the incident) back there. Make of it what you want; for me the contact is nowhere near enough to go down. The keeper drops the ball, if he holds onto the ball we’re not even talking about it.
“He certainly doesn’t drop the ball because of Sam (Cosgrove)’s contact. He drops the ball because he falls to the floor and Sam finishes it off like a good striker should.
“I don’t want the bizarre circumstances of the goal to take away from the fact that we deservedly won three points. We did everything but put the ball in the net in the second half and eventually got the reward.”
On the performance of Cosgrove, Collins said: “That’s two games in a row now that Sam has come on and really given us the impetus to just raise our levels and he’ll probably have a couple of opportunities he’d like back, but again he definitely helped the momentum come in our favour.
“I think Sam would be the first to admit that the first month or two wasn’t his best. He was carrying a couple of niggly injuries.
“I’ve seen a distinct change the last couple of weeks and I see a player that’s going to really help us push on.”
Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield said: “We’ve conceded a goal tonight that I’ve never seen in my time in football; the circumstances surrounding it.
“Our players put so much into that performance coming off the back of a disappointing result at the weekend. It actually looked like it was going to be us that was going to go and nick it at the end.
“We rode a storm midway through the second half, but we made some changes and it looked like it might be us that would come away with three points.”
On the dismissal of Boyes, Bloomfield said: “I couldn’t go and speak (to the referee) at the full-time whistle. I thought the most important thing at that point was to go applaud our supporters who make their way all the up here on a Tuesday night.
“We’ve seen it a multitude of times where strikers run into goalkeepers, that’s usually what happens and it’s usually given as a foul.
“To finish the game like that is really disappointing.”
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes dedicated the much-needed victory over Stoke to the memory of Terry Venables.
Rangers won 4-2 against the 10-man Potters, who had Enda Stevens sent off early in the second half.
It clinched a first win in 13 matches and only their second at home since October last year.
Venables, who died last week, was a popular player at Loftus Road and as manager guided Rangers to an FA Cup final, promotion to the top flight and then a fifth-placed finish which saw the club qualify for Europe.
“It was a roller coaster of a game and a fantastic win for us,” said Cifuentes.
“I’m really happy, first of all for the players and for the supporters and because I really wanted to win this game in memory of Terry Venables.
“The players know all about a legend like him and the impact he had not only at QPR but in English football and at Barcelona.
“We mentioned that we wanted to go that extra mile to make sure we won the three points for his memory.”
After Lyndon Dykes put the hosts ahead, Ryan Mmaee brought Stoke level just before half-time.
Shortly after Stevens’ dismissal, Wouter Burger put the Potters ahead before Dykes netted his second of the night.
Ben Pearson’s own goal was the stroke of luck struggling Rangers needed, and Chris Willock added a fourth in stoppage time.
Cifuentes said: “Conceding a goal before half-time is always a bit tougher.
“I told the guys it was a great challenge for us to show what kind of team we want to be; a losing team with sad faces and complaining or a team with ambition who chases victory.
“We did that even after they scored their second goal when they had 10 men. Emotionally, that was a big challenge and I’m so glad for them.”
Stoke boss Alex Neil was critical of referee James Linington’s performance.
“I thought there were two horrific decisions that changed the complexion of the game,” Neil said.
“It was as soft a penalty as you’re likely to get. The sending-off is also really soft. I thought both decisions were really poor.
“The problem you’ve got is that you’ve got some referees that want to make themselves the centrepiece of the game rather than letting the game take place and just managing it.
“I said to him that I thought he changed the complexion of the game and that’s not the job of a referee.
“What I said to the fourth official during the game was ‘I’m not looking for any handouts or favours. I’m just looking for fair decisions’.
“The amount of bookings dished out in this game was incredible for a game in which I don’t think there was a bad tackle.
“I don’t think it was a nasty game by any means. We got eight bookings, which is just absolutely ridiculous for a game where there wasn’t a bad tackle.
“Let’s be honest, if both teams had 11 on the pitch then I think we’re the better side.
“We took the lead and I thought we were going to go on and win the game quite comfortably.”
Boss David Wagner said Norwich fans had “every reason” to call for his sacking after Watford came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Vicarage Road.
Goals from Danny Batth and Hwang Ui-jo put the Canaries in control with just 12 minutes on the clock but Watford levelled thanks to two goals in three minutes after the half-hour mark from Ismael Kone and Mileta Rajovic.
Yasir Asprilla completed the comeback in the 77th minute with a deftly-taken goal that may have been ruled out for offside had VAR been in operation.
Many Norwich fans had lost their patience with Wagner before that, however, booing the substitution of Adam Idah, and some stayed on after the final whistle to call for his sacking.
“They have every reason – we are not happy as well,” said the German, who was appointed in January. “I understand the frustration. It is the unfortunate nature of the game.
“The supporters show their feelings, which is fine. If we had won it, it would be different.
“I am focused on the work. I have the main responsibility, I have always said this, but also it is the players who win the games.”
Canaries fans had called for Wagner’s sacking at the start of the month, when Blackburn won 3-1 at Carrow Road.
Wins over Cardiff and QPR bought Wagner time but a new sporting director has now arrived in ex-Arsenal loans manager Ben Knapper.
“I don’t feel I am on trial,” Wagner added. “I worked my socks off with my team to win this game but it didn’t happen. We have to reset ourselves and go again on Sunday.”
Watford manager Valerien Ismael was delighted with the way his team recovered from a dreadful start to bank three points that were totally deserved.
“I said afterwards to the guys ‘thank you’,” he said. “I am really proud of the boys. They stayed calm and the most important thing was to stick to the game plan as the game had not started for us.
“At half-time I told the boys to make sure we finished the job. It was hectic at the end but we deserved to win.
“The more difficult it was the more the players stuck together. It was a great win because of the way we managed the situation.”
Asprilla, the 20-year-old Colombia forward, showed great composure with the winning goal.
Norwich goalkeeper George Long parried a long-range effort from Wesley Hoedt and Asprilla latched on to the rebound, deftly rounded Long and slotted home a shot that crossed the line before Dimi Giannoulis could block.
It was Asprilla’s third goal of the season and Ismael is expecting more to follow.
“He is starting to get this breakthrough now,” he said. “We need to give him the confidence he needs and to support him. He can be a key player for us in the future.
“I am really pleased his goal decided the game. He has all the capability to score when he decides. He has everything to score a goal and is unpredictable.”
Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens believed that his side warranted the three points after their 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.
Rovers took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time through Grant Ward, and Wellens was not happy with how his side defended the set-piece.
Orient did dominate possession and territory however, if unable to fashion chances, finishing the match with only two shots on target.
Their last-gasp equaliser was an own goal by Rovers defender Tristan Crama.
“The set-up is poor on our part. We shouldn’t be letting good players have a strike from the edge of the box but then we weren’t really in any danger,” said Wellens.
“I remember watching the second half and I don’t remember looking right, it was always in their half. Our football was smooth, that system really suited us but we just need to make more clever and unselfish runs to pick up space.
“Then apart from when we went to 1-1 and Browny (Jordan Brown) headed back and Marquis ran onto it we weren’t really in any danger.
“The performance was such that we deserved the three points.”
Andy Mangan, interim Bristol Rovers manager, explained that his side are being affected by the ongoing managerial situation following the sacking of Joey Barton.
Mangan said that he recognises that the players are not playing freely currently, after they took the lead through Ward but were unable to keep a second clean sheet in four league games.
“I’m gutted for the lads. We’ve dropped deeper and deeper and they keep getting balls in there and one has dropped for them. The goal should stand. The officials haven’t done anything wrong there,” he explained.
“The lads were nervy at that point (late in the game). They’re desperate to do well for the staff. But balls keep coming into the box and you have to see it out. In these winter months you’re going to see games like that.
“I can’t be any prouder of the players – they’re desperate for the staff to stay and they can’t give any more.
“I thought Leyton Orient were decent tonight. We’re not firing on all cylinders at the moment, which is completely understandable. They’re not playing free at the moment, with the situation going on at the moment.
“Everyone knows what’s happening at the club: are the staff going to stay or are they going to go? It’s a difficult situation.
“All I can say is that it’s been a wonderful experience and I’ve got nothing but thanks for the owners. All I can do is be thankful for the opportunity (to manage the club since Barton left).”
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho was thrilled with his side’s performance after they returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at 10-man Burton.
Mousinho was looking for a response after Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat to Blackpool and he got it thanks to Colby Bishop’s first-half penalty and Alex Robertson’s second-half finish – his first senior goal.
“With the context of everything that has happened over the past few days, with the blow to morale that we took on Saturday, the question was asked after the game ‘is this just a blip?’” the former Brewers midfielder said.
“I asked them for a solid grown-up performance where they had to show a lot of mettle and they did that in pretty much everything they did barring a 10-minute spell.”
Bishop failed to appear for the second half after picking up an ankle injury late in the first half.
“That is probably the only negative to come out of the game. I saw it right in front of me, he just went over on his ankle.
“It has swollen up. He tried to play on but couldn’t put any weight on it. He turns over his ankle, there is nothing we can about it, the pitch is fine, it wasn’t a bad challenge, just bad luck.”
Mousinho was delighted with Manchester City loanee Robertson getting off the mark as well.
He said: “I thought he was our best player on Saturday, shining light in a poor performance, and our best player again tonight.
“The only criticism I’ve had of him is the final (end) product and he has put it together tonight.”
Burton boss Dino Maamria was pleased with his side’s effort but felt they contributed to their own downfall at two crucial moments.
“We shot ourselves in the foot twice,” he observed.
“It is very harsh. I thought for 37 minutes we were well on top of the game and asking them questions. Their keeper made an unbelievable save from KB [Kwadwo Baah].
“We make a bad, bad decision where we give them the easiest penalty ever and when you give a team like Portsmouth a leg up, when you don’t need to, it is always going to make it difficult.”
Despite a strong start to the second half, Maamria saw his side threaten without finding the crucial equaliser before Pompey picked the Brewers off when Mark Helm and Kwadwo Baah collided with each other.
“The second goal came after we started the second half on the front foot and we were parked in their last third. We couldn’t get that goal and they scored from a transition,” he said.
Steve Seddon’s late sending off for a second bookable offence added to Maamria’s frustrations despite a positive response to Saturday’s defeat at Peterborough.
He added: “At two-nil and with a sending off it is game over when you give those teams as easy goals as we have but I have no complaints about the performance because I thought that was excellent.”
Mark Robins admitted Coventry still need to improve if they are to climb the Championship table following a 1-0 win over Plymouth.
The Sky Blues’ second consecutive win came through record signing Haji Wright, who turned in Milan van Ewijk’s cutback with 15 minutes remaining.
Argyle, who remain without an away win this season, left the CBS Arena furious after they believed the ball had gone out of play in the build-up to Wright’s controversial winner.
“I’m pleased with the win, pleased with the three points,” said Robins.
“I thought we were better in the first half than the second half, I thought we were OK with the ball, we could have just done with a little more zip, bit more oomph.
“We’ve got to be better than we were to climb the table. Three clean sheets on the bounce, we’ve looked a threat more so than we had done previously, although I still think that we have been really unfortunate in terms of results.
“We’ve created good chances again and been a little bit wasteful.
“We need to do things a little bit quicker, we had Franz Beckenbauer playing at centre-half today where they were dribbling with the ball and then losing it where we have to be better than that.
“It’s building blocks at the moment and we’re a way from where we’re going to be, where we want to be. But to get there is a process. There are some really good signs, we play some really good football, we just look a little bit unsure from time to time.
“If that ball had been over the line, the referee would have given it. I don’t think there’s any way that ball was over the line. I have no idea and I don’t care. Those are the things that happen during a season.”
Argyle boss Steven Schumacher claimed the officials had cost his team a chance of a point as they were condemned to their sixth defeat in nine away games this season, despite not playing at their best.
Schumacher said: “Disappointed. I feel like we’re saying this too often coming into these press conferences after games and we’re talking about things we shouldn’t be.
“We should be talking about two teams who give 100 per cent effort to win a game and we’re not once again because of a poor call.
“The linesman is right there, it’s on his side so it’s not as though a post or anything is in his way and in these instances he’s got to get them decisions right because they’ve cost us the game.
“Both sides weren’t at their fluent best, we weren’t and Coventry probably the same and that one decision has been the deciding factor.
“When the linesman says to me at the end of the game only half the ball is out it’s not, clearly.
“Gutted about that but thought the performance wasn’t really our best, we didn’t really show enough quality to score or create enough big chances so that’s on us and something we need to do better at.
“It’s a big call once again that’s gone against us and how many times have I said that over the last few weeks?
“We’re not getting the rub of the green on these big calls and in these big games which are so tight and when we’re up against it against these good teams we need those decisions.”
Carlos Corberan praised West Brom’s “maturity” as a hard-fought 1-0 win at Cardiff lifted them to third place in the Sky Bet Championship.
Jeremy Sarmiento’s stunning second-half strike gave Albion a fifth win in six games and seven from their last 10.
“It was total opposite win,” boss Corberan said comparing Albion’s success in the Welsh capital to their free-flowing victory over second-placed Ipswich on Saturday.
“This result was the consequence of the team competing with maturity when we couldn’t find the football we wanted to create.
“The first half was very difficult to impose our style, we couldn’t find more than four or five passes because we couldn’t link enough.
“It was very important for me not to be frustrated but to fix details.
“We improved the possession in the second half and had the ball in better positions.
“We had to show defensive spirit in the second half to secure the three points.”
Sarmiento has had a slow start to his Baggies spell after joining on a season-long loan from Brighton in July.
The 21-year-old former England youth international, who played for Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup, has been troubled by a quad injury and this was only his second league start.
On Sarmiento’s wonder strike five minutes after the break, cutting on to his right foot and curling home from 20 yards, Corberan said: “Maybe I didn’t expect him to shoot from there.
“He has the quality and he was very positive, but it was not easy from the angle that he had.
“It’s important for Jeremy to have the minutes because the injury has stopped him having the continuity he needs to have.
“We know he is a young player with a lot of talent and he needs to keep building his level. The more he improves the better it is for the team.”
Cardiff manager Erol Bulut was angry his side were not given a late penalty for handball, saying in a post-match radio interview that “this league needs VAR for sure”.
Bulut said: “I didn’t mention anything about referees because I respect them and I think they need to respect Cardiff more.
“This was a penalty and we will report it. I don’t want to speak but they are pushing me. They are costing me many points. I don’t want to report it.”
Bulut absolved on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Runarsson, who was making only his third league start for the Bluebirds, of blame for Sarmiento’s winner.
He said: “We watched it and I spoke with the goalkeeper coach (Mario Galinovic) and he said he couldn’t catch the ball.
“I have to see it, but if the goalkeeper coach says this, it’s a really good shot.
“We don’t have to allow that shot. But we should push the opponent to the line.”
Barcelona booked their passage to the Champions League last 16 for the first time in three seasons as Joao Felix’s second-half goal secured a 2-1 comeback win at home to Porto.
The former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea forward netted just before the hour mark after being set up by Joao Cancelo to seal the win and ensure it would not be a third consecutive group stage exit for Xavi’s side, despite having been given an early scare by the Portuguese side.
It was former Real Madrid stalwart Pepe who scored the goal for Porto that looked like it would set Barca up for a nervous final matchday in two weeks’ time, at 40 years old breaking his own record as the oldest ever goalscorer in the competition.
The lead lasted barely two minutes and it was ex-Manchester City player Cancelo who levelled in spectacular fashion.
Pedri swept a pass out wide to Cancelo advancing down the left but there was plenty still for the Portugal international to do as he carried the ball into the box and unleashed a superb right-footed effort that flew into the far corner.
Felix then got forward after the break to finish from Cancelo’s pass and secure a priceless win.
Shakhtar Donetsk’s earlier victory against Royal Antwerp had meant that Barca and Porto went into their match locked together on nine points with the Ukrainian champions, but Felix’s winner means Xavi’s side can relax in their final match against Antwerp whilst the other two teams play off for the right to join them in the last 16.
Barca earlier announced that teenage midfielder Gavi had undergone a “successful” operation on his torn anterior cruciate ligament, which is expected to rule him out for the rest of the season and the European Championship next summer.
Port Vale boss Andy Crosby urged his squad to stick together after their 1-0 defeat to in-form Derby.
Arsenal loanee Tyreese John-Jules came off the bench and scored with his first touch as the Rams made it four wins on the spin.
For Vale it’s an 11th league game without a win, a run which stretches back to mid-September.
And Crosby said: “It was a game of fine margins. They take advantage of a blocked clearance and it falls perfectly for their wide player, he executes an inch-perfect cross and the forward scores a good finish.
“We walk away being defeated 1-0. I thought we had better spells with the ball.
“The game kicks you doesn’t it. You have to fight and stick together during this difficult period.
“The dressing room and the whole football club. We don’t let the cracks appear because when that happens it just continues.
“We have to look after each other, boost each other and give each other confidence and belief.
“When you have senior players like I have in there and the management staff I have, we know how the players are feeling.
“They crawl off the pitch at the end of the game when you’ve been beaten 1-0 by one of the bigger clubs in the league.
“We’ve pushed them, but unfortunately come off the wrong side of the result.”
Rams’ first-team coach Matt Hamshaw stepped in for Paul Warne’s media duties.
And he said: “It’s a great feeling. It’s a difficult place to come to so to win 1-0 and a clean sheet, we’re really pleased.
“JJ wrote his own script by scoring with his first touch. He’s been disappointed with injuries since coming in so a huge shout out to the medical team for getting him right.
“It was a huge squad effort. It was a really good night. A huge thanks to the fans who stuck with us all season.
“It’s tough for players when they get injured, but I don’t feel that sorry for him, he’s had a good career already being at Arsenal!
“It’s brutal as a player when you’re not playing. You just want to be part of the team. But you feel out of it, no matter what the gaffer does.
“I’m just really pleased for him. He’s a great lad, let’s hope he stays fit because he’s a huge asset for us.”
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