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The Football Pink

Late
Final
No. 14Saturday, 31 October 2026Late FinalPrice 20p

PREMIER LEAGUE

SKY BLUES SOAR OUT OF THE DROP ZONE

Sakamoto, Awoniyi and Rudoni punish more sloppy Sunderland defending. Le Fée's penalty is no more than a consolation, and Alderete is sent off at the death

By Our Special Correspondent

COVENTRY 3 (Tatsuhiro Sakamoto 17, Taiwo Awoniyi 37, Jack Rudoni 52) SUNDERLAND 1 (Enzo Le Fée 67 pen)

Frank Lampard made four changes after last week's 1-0 defeat at Fulham, and every one of them counted. In front of 31,455 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry beat a careless Sunderland 3-1 and climbed out of the relegation zone. Régis Le Bris's side stay bottom.

It was 2-0 at half-time and 3-0 seven minutes after it. Enzo Le Fée's penalty gave Sunderland a sniff, but Stephen Mfuni made sure that was all it was. In stoppage time, Omar Alderete was sent off.

Victor Torp was booked inside seven minutes for a rash challenge on Chris Rigg, and Sunderland had their moments early on. Rigg's effort lacked power and went straight to Carl Rushworth. Then, on 17 minutes, came the first of the afternoon's gifts. Trai Hume failed to clear a ball into the box properly, and it fell to Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, who swept it into the bottom far corner. It was his first Premier League goal.

Brian Brobbey dragged a big chance to equalise wide. Robin Roefs tipped Torp's free-kick round the post. Then, on 37 minutes, Taiwo Awoniyi took the ball off Luke O'Nien, and nobody picked up his run. He bore down on goal and slotted into the far corner, a tiny deflection unable to keep it out. It was his first league goal since signing in the summer, on his first start since he was sent off in the 5-0 home defeat by Brighton on 13 September.

Sunderland had lost every one of their previous 48 Premier League games when trailing by two or more at the break. They didn't look like ending that run. Seven minutes after half-time, Torp teed up Jack Rudoni and he was allowed to get a shot away from outside the box. It took a deflection off Alderete, wrong-footed Roefs and nestled into the bottom corner.

Le Bris sent on Chemsdine Talbi and Wilson Isidor for Nilson Angulo and Rigg. Talbi dragged one agonisingly wide.

Continued on page 2

PREMIER LEAGUE

TIGERS ROAR BACK, THEN ENCISO CURLS ONE IN

Ipswich dominated the first half and led through Florentino. Hull turned it round with two in ten minutes, and Enciso's 22-yard beauty shared the spoils at the MKM

By Our Special Correspondent

The Crisis Meeting: nine without a win, and every option on the table except the obvious one.
The Crisis Meeting: nine without a win, and every option on the table except the obvious one.

HULL CITY 2 (Tim Iroegbunam 58, Oliver McBurnie 68) IPSWICH 2 (Florentino Luís 22, Julio Enciso 74)

Ipswich led 1-0, then Hull led 2-1, and it ended 2-2. In front of 24,459 at the MKM Stadium, 2,470 of them from Suffolk, two promoted sides who have both made solid starts to life in the Premier League put on an entertaining afternoon and took a point each. On balance, that was fair. Ipswich were the better side before the break, and Hull were much better after it.

For the first half hour, Ipswich had the ball and Hull let them. Gary O'Neil's side had 75 per cent of possession at one stage, and former Tigers winger Jaden Philogene was busy against his old club. Konstantinos Tzolakis had to spin his way out of trouble after taking an age to clear under pressure from Emersonn, and Town captain Dara O'Shea wanted a penalty when Nobel Mendy held his shirt. His theatrical fall didn't help his case, and Thomas Kirk gave nothing.

The goal came on 22 minutes. Abdoul Ouattara ran at the home defence and slid a pass to an unmarked Florentino, who blasted into the roof of the net for his first goal for Town. It was the first time Ipswich had scored first in seven matches, since the defeat at Manchester United.

Continued on page 2

PREMIER LEAGUE

MATETA SEES RED AND SPURS TURN THE SCREW ON SAGE

Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke head home against ten-man Palace as De Zerbi's side make it three league wins in a row

By Our Special Correspondent

TOTTENHAM 2 (Archie Gray 25, Jan Paul van Hecke 73) CRYSTAL PALACE 0

Pierre Sage needed everyone pulling the same way in north London. Thirteen minutes in, his centre-forward was walking off, and by the final whistle Palace were still in the bottom three, beaten 2-0 in front of 60,549 by a Tottenham side who suddenly look like a team again.

Jean-Philippe Mateta chased a ball in behind and slid in on Micky van de Ven just as the defender nicked it away. His studs caught Van de Ven's Achilles, and Jan Paul van Hecke tumbled over the pair of them. Michael Oliver first showed yellow, then went to the monitor and changed it to red. BBC Sport's Phil McNulty called it "reckless stupidity".

Spurs didn't waste the advantage. On 25 minutes Mohammed Kudus swung in a corner, Palace lost Archie Gray at the back post, and he headed it in. Gray, booked on 15 minutes, didn't come out for the second half, with Pedro Porro on in his place.

After that it was nearly all one way: 79 per cent possession, 34 shots to Palace's two, 19 corners to none.

Continued on page 2

Championship · page 4

LISBIE AND THE LIONS BLITZ THE RAMS INSIDE 17 MINUTES

Millwall 4, Derby 1

John Eustace's Derby had at least been decent on their travels this season. At The Den, in front of 19,762, they were blitzed. By the 17th minute they were three down, and by full-time the only argument was over how many it might have been.

Alex Neil named the side that lost at Portsmouth last weekend. Derby were without the suspended Dion Sanderson and Joe Ward, with Jack Robinson and Max Johnston coming in.

It took Millwall three minutes.

Full report, page 4

League One · page 7

COLLINS HITS FOUR AS MK DONS RUN RIOT

MK Dons 6, Doncaster 1

Aaron Collins needed less than two minutes to get going, and by the 76th minute he had four. MK Dons beat Doncaster 6-1 in front of 7,732 at Stadium MK, and finished a week of three league games with three wins and 11 goals.

The first came inside two minutes. Marvin Ekpiteta found Collins, and his left-footed shot from outside the box went into the bottom left corner. It was his tenth league goal of the season.

Full report, page 7

League Two · page 10

MARINERS RUN RIOT IN 12 LATE MINUTES

Grimsby 5, York 2

York had the ball for more than two-thirds of the afternoon at Blundell Park. Grimsby had the goals. In front of 8,111, David Artell's side were level at 2-2 after a frantic first half, then scored three times in 12 minutes to finish it.

It started with a lively spell, and Grimsby led on 13 minutes. A slick move down the left got Cameron McJannet into a crossing position, and Andy Cook headed it in.

York were level within five minutes, and their scorer was a former Mariner.

Full report, page 10

A mockup of the printed edition. Every word set here comes from the night's reports, results and tables.