UNITED MOMENTUM BATTERS HAMMERS

 

(Image taken from BBC)

Well beating us 2-1 at Upton Park was one of the Hammers better moments this Premiership season, or at least one of the more exciting, having spent most of it round the midtable nowheresville. United had much more to play for at Old Trafford and this turned out to be one of the rare occasions that Fergie played an unchanged side(an injury to Rooney not helping matters).

It always helps when the opposition parts like the Red Sea for Ronaldo in the 3rd minute. 1-0 United. The Hammers certainly made a match of it after that but then a 24th minute Hargreves cross was bundled in by Ronaldo followed by Tevez scorching in a 30 yarder in the 26th. West Ham replied in the 28th Dean Ashton bicycle kicked in a Hayden Mullins pass. The Reds finished the half with 10 men but the Hammers still had their work cut out.

Still, they certainly gave us a match in the second half, and had the majority of the attacking football though the Reds still had time for a 59th minute attack in which Carrick strode into the box to score our fourth. After that it was really steady as she goes, the last half an hour providing some decent Hammers moves but the Reds were cruising, OK Chelsea, your move.

That move involved the Blues facing Newcastle at St James's Park. The first half was evens with Newcastle actually having the better chances but unable to find the net. The Geordies were unable to keep the Blues down foever though and Michael Ballack and Florent Malouda scored to secure three points for the title chasers. That leaves United still top of the Premiership but level on points with second place Chelsea, just with a +17 goal difference advantage but that still doesn't count for much with a game to go!

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Dundee United in the SPL at Pittodrie. Foster opened the scoring for the Dons though the Tangerines weren't lying down for their New Firm rivals. The Reds were back on the attack in the second half with Touzani getting their second. Danny Swanson pulled one back for the visitors who had a strong period after that but it was still the Dons that finished on the attack and collected the three points.

That result leaves the Dons still 6th in the SPL but now only two points behind Dundee United and the UEFA Cup spots. There are two games to go though and the race for the UEFA Cup spots is well and truly on. It may have been a very inconsistant season for the Dons but they're now certainly ending it the right way. Fingers crossed for one last push.

Back south of the border and down a level, the Championship promotion spots were getting wrapped up. West Brom wrapped up the title by beating QPR 2-0 at Loftus Road! The big surprise though was Stoke who secured second place with a 0-0 draw with Leicester at the Britannia Stadium - that puts them in the top flight for the first time since 1985! The playoffs looks like this. 3rd place Hull face 6th place Watford(first leg Vicarage Road) while 4th place Bristol City face 5th place Crystal Palace(first leg Selhurst Park).

Down a few more levels and Exeter faced Torquay in the Blue Square Premier playoff semi finals 2nd leg at Plainmoor. City may have lost the first leg had the edge in the first half here just weren't able to hit the net and then the Gulls seemingly sealed the Grecians' fate with a Kevin Hill goal! However City had over ideas and pulled off an awesome comeback, Ryan Harley, Ben Watson, Richard Logan and Wayne Carlise all hitting the net to set up a trip to Wembley for a second year in a row where they face Cambridge United in the final!

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