The Third Degree - 4th January 2004

WEEK ENDING JANUARY 04 2004

Boston = Boston have lost their appeal against the red card shown to defender Lee Beevers in the 1-0 defeat against Rochdale earlier this month. Ipswich town central defender Chris Hogg has extended his spell at Boston until the end of the season. Boston boss Neil Thompson was disappointed with his team's performance as Carlisle won a vital three points in their bid for survival at the bottom of Division three. "It was a disappointing result for us today but I thought Carlisle played well and deserved the win", Thompson said. "This kind of result only happens when a lot of your players have an off day and there were too many of my players who didn't perform."Bristol Rovers = Hull Midfielder Ryan Williams has completed two year deal with the Pirates. Danny Boxall has become the sixth Rovers player this season to undergo a knee operation - and is likely to be out for a month. Boss Ray Graydon fears Andy Rammell may have played his last game for the club. The striker has only made seven appearances for Rovers this season as injuries have taken their toll. The 36-year-old is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and Graydon admits the future looks bleak.Bury = The Shakers have signed John Daly on a months loan from Stockport County. Graham Barrow admitted he was hugely disappointed with Bury's performance in the 2-1 defeat by Lincoln, their eighth in succession. "It was not good enough. It was not acceptable," Barrow said. "I told the players what I thought." "It's mistakes for the two goals, they have not given us a chance. We have been here last year and defended, but we have not got a Michael Nelson in the team."Cambridge = Cambridge United boss John Taylor is considering a move for striker Daniel Webb. Webb is currently at the Abbey Stadium on a one-month loan spell. He scored his first goal after three games for them, netting a last minute equaliser in their 2-2 draw with Lincoln.Carlisle = Carlisle United have extended the loan of midfielder Paul Arnison for another month from Second Division club Hartlepool United. Gretna have signed 21-year-old striker Brian Wake from Carlisle United. And United team-mate Ryan Baldacchino has made his move to Raydale Park permanent after having spent the first half of season on loan to the Scottish Third Division club.Darlington = Darlington could be forced to relocate from their new £20million state-of-the-art stadium back to Feethams if administrators believe the move makes financial sense. Darlington boss David Hodgson has dismissed reports that rivals Hartlepool United are about to make an approach for striker Barry Conlon.Doncaster = Doncaster Rovers have extended JJ Melligan's loan spell at Belle Vue until the end of the season. Doncaster manager Dave Penney expressed sympathy for the club's supporters after the 3-1 defeat by Huddersfield at the McAlpine Stadium. "I felt sorry for the 3,000 Rovers fans who came here," Penney said. "We under-performed and defended badly."Huddersfield = Manager Peter Jackson could not fault his side's performance as they swept high-flying Doncaster aside at The McAlpine Stadium. "It was a fantastic victory," Jackson said. "We were superb in defence, attack and midfield."Hull = Goalkeeper Alan Fettis has extended his loan deal with Sheffield United. Peter Taylor urged his Hull players not to get carried away after the 2-0 home win over Cambridge lifted them into second place in the table. Taylor said: "We've been in this position before and then suddenly found ourselves out of the top three so we need to maintain the standard. This was a professional performance and we were very solid together."Kidderminster = Kidderminster haved secured the services of free agent Adam Murray. Mansfield Town striker Andy White has extended his loan deal with Kidderminster Harriers by a further month.Leyton Orient = Manager Martin Ling admitted Leyton Orient produced their worst league performance of his three months in charge. Ciaran Toner secured a 1-0 victory over Darlington with his first goal of the season. But Ling said: "We didn't string two passes together and were second to every second ball. Darlington were the better side yet we won 1-0. We got out of jail." "Our goalkeeper, Glenn Morris, made a couple of good saves but I can't say we defended well. Their striker Barry Conlon missed three gilt-edged chances that I would have been disappointed if my strikers had missed."Lincoln = Assistant manager Gary Simpson expressed his relief after Lincoln registered a 2-1 win over Bury "I think if we had got the third we would have opened them up a bit," Simpson said. "But we conceded another sloppy goal from a corner at the death and then you are thinking they will get another. "But I have got no complaints. Over 90 minutes the opposition is always going to have a spell. You have got to weather that spell and score when you are on top, and that's what we did."Macclesfield = Stockport defender Rob Jones and Port Vale goalkeeper Dean Delaney have both had their loan periods extended by a month to the end of January. Macclesfield manager John Askey was bitterly disappointed with his side's 2-1 defeat at Swansea in the third round of the FA Cup. "I'm feeling a bit sick," Askey said. "I thought we put in a lot of effort and played some good football. We deserved to get something out of the game. It would have been nice to have been in the draw for the fourth for the fourth round." Northampton = Northampton Town defender Peter Clark will not play again this season after being forced to undergo a second operation on his troublesome knee injury. Leigh RMI have signed Northampton Town midfielder Paul Rickers on a months loan. Northampton have confirmed that defender Jerry Gill will not be offered a new contract.Oxford = Oxford manager Ian Atkins believes a total of 84 points should be enough to secure promotion from Division Three and Oxford have 51 of those. Atkins said: "It's a fantastic total and now we have to make sure we continue it. If we can get anywhere near 84 points then I think we've got every chance of stepping up a division." The FA have informed Oxford United that their appeal against Julian Alsop's dismissal during the 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town has failed, because there isn't enough evidence to make a decision. Ian Atkins is December's manager of the month after steering Oxford United to the top of the Division 3 table.Rochdale = Rochdale have parted company with manager Alan Buckley. Buckley has left by mutual consent after failing to revive the club's fortunes since taking over at Spotland in May 2003. Steve Parkin will manage the team until the end of the season.Scunthorpe = Scunthorpe's name will be in the pot for the FA Cup 4th round on Monday after they drew 0-0 against Barnsley - the replay will be at Glanford Park. Boss Brian Laws said: "It was a great result for us. We did not play particularly well, but I was delighted with the commitment that my team showed." "We defended well throughout and in the second-half, Barnsley hardly had a shot at goal. Barnsley are a good side but I am sure that in the replay, we can play better against them." He added: "It's great to be in the hat for the draw for the fourth round - now we've got to try and make sure we get there in front of what hopefully will be a bumper crowd at our place."Southend = Central defender Lewis Hunt has had his loan spell at Southend extended until the end of the current season. Acting Southend manager Steve Tilson paid tribute to Scarborough after his side were held to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup third round. "We did not perform as well as we could but I don't want to take anything away from Scarborough," Tilson said. "They put in a battling performance, particularly in the second half, and deserve another go at us."Torquay = Manager Leroy Rosenior claims his team did not deserve to lose to Rochdale following their 1-0 defeat at Spotland. "I think we should have won the game," Rosenior said. "We bossed it for long periods and created more chances. I can't remember Rochdale having too many chances themselves and they sat back when we were chasing the game."Yeovil = Ipswich Town have been linked with a move for Yeovil Town striker Kevin Gall. The 21-year-old Welshman has bagged 10 goals for The Glovers this season and is now attracting interest from other clubs.York = Chris Brass says losing defensive pair Chris Smith and Darren Edmondson to bans will be a huge blow to his side's chances against Northampton. The duo will be available to face Carlisle on January 10 before they both serve a one-match ban against the Cobblers a week later.

THE THIRD DEGREE IS COMPILED BY MATTHEW PHILLIPS

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