Wayward Wolves

Round-up

THE Endsleigh League programme was all but totally obliterated by snow and ice yesterday - ironic, really, when one considers the amount of hot air generated by the clubs' chairmen at their extraordinary general meeting on Friday. Only three First Division matches, and one each in the Second and Third divisions survived and the scene in Scotland was even worse: only three out of 20 scheduled games were played.

Two sides under new management but still beset by indifferent form or a rancorous crowd did little to improve their supporters' tempers by tossing away two-goal advantages. At Molineux, Mark McGhee's Wolves charged into the lead after five minutes when Steve Bull reacted quickest as the Portsmouth goalkeeper Alan Knight could only parry a Mark Atkins shot. Don Goodman made it 2-0 but Pompey sent on Fitzroy Simpson after 50 minutes and took charge. Jimmy Carter's 25-yard drive and Deon Burton's 65th-minute equaliser kept Wolves at bay.

"It took me about a year to get Leicester playing the way I wanted and I don't think it will be much quicker than that here," McGhee said. That assumes he doesn't resign in the interim, of course.

The shivering faithful at Carrow Road must have thought they would have three points to warm them when, with two goals in four minutes at the start of the second half, Norwich established a 3-1 lead over Reading, who defended as abominably as snowmen. Then it was Gary Megson's side's turn to hit the self-destruct button. It ended 3-3.

Stoke scored both goals at Huddersfield but had to be content with a point. The Terriers' equaliser was a real howler by Mark Prudhoe, Stoke's goalkeeper . Chester went top of the Third after a 2-1 win at balmy - well, comparatively - Exeter.

In Scotland, Dundee United drew 2-2 at home with Airdrie. The Terrors got into the hogmanay spirit by gifting an own goal (by Robert Winters, who else?) after two minutes. Sendings off then reduced the aptly nicknamed side to 10 men for 83 minutes and nine for 28 minutes.