Western Morning News, The

Outstanding Given Keeps Blues at Bay ; Premier League Round-Up

MANCHESTER City manager Mark Hughes credited an outstanding performance from goalkeeper Shay Given for earning his side a fortunate Barclays Premier League goalless draw against Birmingham at St Andrews yesterday. Given made a string of outstanding saves and then capped his display by stopping a second-half penalty from Blues' midfielder James McFadden.

Grecians Do Not Deserve Negative Fan Vibes ; Tackling City

IT was always going to be the case that Exeter City would find life tough this season. Rarely can a team achieve what they have in two years and expect a third year of equal success, but that, it seems, is what a minority of some supporters are expecting. In last Saturday's home clash with Wycombe Wanderers, there was a strange negative vibe around St James' Park. It was like a throwback to the pre-Trust days where supporters were constantly bemoaning the goings on both on and off the pitch. ...

Forward Foray From Tully Pays Dividends ; Exeter City 3 Brentford 0 Stuart James at St James' Park

PICTURES: MATT MINSHULL EXETER City have always had a habit of scoring goals from all over, but never before has one come from the boot of Steve Tully. However, the popular full-back notched his first in City colours with a sumptuous volley in Saturday's 3-0 League One win against Brentford. Tully, who will forever be remembered as the man that scored that winning penalty in the shoot-out win at Oxford United in May 2007, but never before had he scored from open play. He has come close, hitti...

Tisdale Delighted by Committed Team Show ; Match Reaction Paul Tisdale

THE importance of scoring first was not lost on Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale in the wake of his side's 3-0 win over Brentford. In their 17 league and cup games so far this season, City have scored first on only four occasions, but once Bertie Cozic broke the deadlock after seven minutes of Saturday's encounter, there was no looking back for the Grecians.

Yetton Bags a Brace As Truro Breeze Through ; Non-League Round-Up

TRURO City stormed through to today's FA Trophy third qualifying round draw following a 4-1 home win over Zamaretto Southern League rivals Thatcham Town. City - who saw off Premier Division rivals Tiverton Town 4-0 away in the first qualifying round - breezed through against their Division One South & West visitors at Treyew Road on Saturday.

Relaxed Button Ribbed

YOU could tell the end of a tense Formula One season had arrived as new world champion Jenson Button found himself at the humorous mercy of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. Vettel had just made history by becoming the winner of F1's first day-night race around Abu Dhabi's astonishing Yas Marina circuit, even if the grand prix itself did not do justice to the Pounds 800- million facilities.

Animated Albion Relish a Comfortable Victory

MATCH FACTS PLYMOUTH ALBION ....................31 Tries - Fisilau, Mercer, Cushion, Hallett, Stephen; Conversion - Hallett (3). NOTTINGHAM .............................25 Tries - Johnston, Sammons, Streather; Conversions - Taylor (2); Penalties - Taylor (2). Plymouth Albion: K Hallett (capt); B Mercer, K Fisilau, S Tu'ipulotu, L Gibson; A Davies (G Kingdom 75), R Cushion; M Rice, J Owen (D Porte 44), R Hopkins (G Dawe 72); M Lewis (T Skelding 75), T Hotson; S-M Stephen, R Watts-Jones, K Marr...

Chiefs Show No Signs of Losing the Winning Habit

EXETER Chiefs must be so wishing this season's Championship was being played under the old first-past-the-post format. Saturday's hard-earned victory at Bedford was their ninth on the trot, and with Nottingham and London Welsh both suffering surprising defeats, they are now seven points clear at the top of the table.

Taunton Out-Muscle Plucky Exmouth ; National Lge Three South

NATIONAL League Three South leaders Taunton notched up their 31st consecutive league win, but having scored 24 points in as many minutes to collect a bonus point, they could only add a further eight against a plucky Exmouth, running out eventual 32-12 victors. The visitors, who were unable to sort out their final selection until quite late, were hit early on by a five-try salvo.

Battling Abbot Get the Best of Brixham ; Sw Leagues

GOING into the latest round of matches, three sides were locked together on 14 points, but after Newton Abbot's 15-9 win over Brixham, the All Whites have joined still unbeaten Hartpury on 16 and the Fishermen find themselves joined by Cullompton. Whilst the leaders - who have a game in hand on everyone but fifth-placed Paignton - were seeing off Clevedon 53-8, Abbot and Brixham were doing battle at Rackerhayes.

Hoy Takes Plaudits ; Sport in Brief

Shrewd Loan Moves Could Help Gulls to Take Wing

MICHAEL Poke made some incredible saves against Northampton Town on Saturday to justify his man of the match selection. It's not the first time this term that the on-loan Southampton goalkeeper has been the Western Morning News' star player and I am sure it will not be the last.

'Credit to the Players'

PAUL Buckle praised his side after they ended in-form Northampton Town's unbeaten six-match run. Ian Sampson's Cobblers arrived in South Devon on the back of a 4- 2 League Two win at Morecambe, following a 1-0 victory over Lincoln. Third from bottom United bossed a goalless draw at Lincoln last week and on Saturday built on that result to claim their second home win of the season ahead of next Saturday's FA Cup encounter against fourth from bottom Cheltenham Town at Plainmoor.

Hargreaves Grabs Win ; Torquay United 1 Northampton 0 Ross Reid at Plainmoor

TORQUAY United extended their unbeaten League Two run to six matches thanks to skipper Chris Hargreaves' 81st-minute winner against one of his former clubs, Northampton Town. Hargreaves' first goal of the season could not have been a more valuable one. The former Town player of the year was first to pounce on a bouncing ball following a throw-in from the right by Kevin Nicholson - who also spent a spell with the Cobblers back in 2001.

Tavistock Climb Above St Blazey ; Peninsula Lge Premier Division

TAVISTOCK made the most of Bodmin Town's Friday night defeat at Saltash to win their top-of-the-table encounter, against St Blazey, 1-0 to move above their hosts and into pole position. The Lambs travelled to Blaise Park defending an 11-match unbeaten run, while league leaders Blazey were nursing their wounds after four straight defeats.

Fisher Clinches Crown ; Sport in Brief

Radcliffe Reign Comes to End ; Sport in Brief

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