Stevenage promoted to League One

John Mousinho scored the only goal, firing a powerful shot home from the edge of the box.

Stevenage dominated the first half at Old Trafford, with the lively Darius Charles heading over and wide.

Torquay improved after the break and Jake Robinson came close, hitting the bar from 20 yards.

The fact that the two teams were Blue Square Premier rivals two years ago demonstrated the ever-narrowing gap between the top non-league teams and the bottom tier of the Football League.

And Graham Westley's side, in their first season of being a league team following last season's promotion from the Blue Square Bet Premier, repeated Exeter's feat of double promotions to the third tier in 2008 and 2009.

Stevenage, who dropped the Borough from their name last summer following their Blue Square Premier title win, could have taken the lead within four minutes.

Craig Reid saw his shot blocked by a diving combination of Guy Branston and Damon Lathrope after a good cutback from Charles.

Charles, a defender by trade who was converted to a striker this season, was causing the Gulls defence all kinds of problems and another cutback gave Mousinho a chance but he fired into Scott Bevan's hands from 18 yards out.

And it was the former Ebbsfleet player's chance to have a go at goal next but his header from Ronnie Henry's cross went wide.

He had another chance but fired just over from the edge of the box after Bevan parried Lawrie Wilson's cross and Eunan O'Kane was caught in possession.

Stevenage, who had not beaten Torquay in six previous games, had a penalty claim when Chris Robertson appeared to shove Charles over in the box but referee Darren Deadman was not interested.

Torquay were struggling to create anything and it was telling that Billy Kee's shot from distance, which was high and wide, was probably their best chance in the opening 35 minutes.

And Stevenage captain Mark Roberts had to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Gavin Tomlin, who would have been through on goal.

Charles saw his towering header bounce off the ground and just over from Stacy Long's cross before Jake Robinson saw a carbon copy of Kee's effort finish in a similar vein - nowhere near the target.

But the goal was coming for Stevenage and Mousinho picked the ball up 40 yards out from the net and charged towards goal before firing past Bevan from 20 yards out.

However, Torquay had a chance to level moments later as Ronnie Henry put Tomlin's cross out for a corner with Chris Zebroski lurking just behind him and from Kevin Nicholson's corner, Guy Branston headed just over.

Chris Zebroski had Torquay's final two chances of the first half, curling well wide from inside the box and then squandering a good opportunity to shoot by trying to get the ball onto his right foot and seeing the ball deflected out for a goal kick.

Torquay boss Paul Buckle would have been glad to get his side in for half-time and they looked more purposeful in the second half.

Robinson shot an effort wide, then got the ball stuck in his feet and lost possession when he was in a good position.

Graham Westley

Billy Kee had a major chance for the Gulls when he was put through on goal by Nicholson's incisive long ball but Chris Day was able to make a comfortable save from his disappointing shot.

Kee then had another chance when Tomlin's ball was blocked in the box but he was inches away from making connection with the ball just six yards out.

Charles, who was not as influential after the break as he had been in the first half, could have killed the game off but his first touch was terrible after being found in acres of space and Bevan kept out his shot after he did well to keep his chance alive.

Buckle in no rush to decide future

Roberts made another brilliant saving tackle when Zebroski was set to pull the trigger, although minutes later the striker hit the side-netting after the same centre-back lost possession.

Robinson forced a save from Day after being picked out by Tomlin but Lawrie Wilson could have double Boro's lead soon afterwards, however he headed wide.

And next came Torquay's closest effort, Robinson's drive skimming the woodwork from just outside the area.

Branston had a good double chance for the Gulls, first seeing his effort blocked by Charles and then blazing the follow-up over the bar.

The Gulls never really had another chance as Stevenage, who were struggling in 17th in mid-January, saw it out for a famous double promotion.

And Torquay will be left nervously waiting on the future of manager Paul Buckle, who had refused to rule out taking over managerless Bristol Rovers, and will make a decision on Monday.

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Champions League final tickets plan looks a nice little earner for the Football Association

Well, there’s a way up Wembley Way, a very expensive way. The Football Association is offering Uefa-sanctioned hospitality packages, including ticket, for £3,480 per person.

“Messi, Nani, Xavi, Rooney, Iniesta et al going head to head, what a fantastic final this promises to be – certainly one not to be missed,’’ reads the excited blurb from Wembley as if United supporters needed reminding.

The deal includes a “ticket located behind the goals or in the corners on Level Two; pre and post-match access to the hospitality lounge in Wembley Arena; informal seating with a range of bars and food options with pre- and post-match buffet; Champagne reception with inclusive beer, wine and soft drinks pre- and post-match; live entertainment; ex-player expert panel; photo opportunities and one match programme per person”. At £3,480, that’s a nice little earner.

For those wondering whether the governing body of English football, a non-profit-making organisation, should be involved in such trade, the small print confirms that “hospitality packages are being provided by the FA on behalf of Uefa” and adds that “the price for the packages has been set by Uefa”.

Whatever happens on the pitch, this 2011 Champions League promises to be the greatest money-spinner in club history.

United fans sing when they're winning

Now that a 19th title seems destined for Old Trafford, Manchester United fans have set their sights on finishing No 1 in the charts. United fans are busily spending 79p to download the Paul Hardcastle song 19; they believe they need around 30,000 to be No 1 by Sunday. Hardcastle has given the United fans his blessing even though he’s a currently crestfallen follower of Chelsea.

“I’m asking EMI to put proceeds to charity,’’ he tweets. “I see it then as a good cause. Anyway we will have the title back in 2012, ha ha.” Hardcastle also points out a quirk of the 1985 charts to Liverpool fans disappointed at United breaking their 18-title mark. Having spent five weeks at No 1, 19 was knocked off its perch by a charity version of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

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Manchester City face hard grind to secure Champions League spot following defeat to Everton

For all the money spent by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a talent for making life unnecessarily complicated remains and the next few days will be far more arduous following this defeat.

Victory at Goodison Park would have enabled Roberto Mancini to rest the legs of his key men against Tottenham tomorrow night, with the FA Cup final against Stoke to come on Saturday.

But after surrendering a lead that revealed a worrying weakness for crosses, which will have been noted by Tony Pulis, who could not even venture to the toilet without being grilled by supporters about Matthew Etherington’s hamstring, the visit of Spurs retains important.

It may be a little removed from the Champions League decider that was the penultimate match of last season but there will be no shortage of tension at Eastlands.

Mancini plans to bring Carlos Tévez, sidelined with a hamstring problem since April 11, on for up to half an hour against Harry Redknapp’s side but even that may be thrown into question if the game is not going City’s way.

The City manager, who was involved in an ugly exchange with Phil Neville after the final whistle, maintains that a six-point lead over Tottenham with a vastly superior goal difference and three games remaining means that fourth place is not a major concern.

“I am not worried but I am disappointed because, if we had won this game, [the race for fourth] was finished and we could have prepared very well for the final but now we are thinking only of Tottenham,” Mancini said. But the nature of City’s collapse under Everton’s second-half onslaught – they conceded both goals from headers – will give Rory Delap and Stoke’s own list of potential NBA recruits plenty of encouragement.

Nigel de Jong, who has been nursing a hip problem, is one who might have been spared tomorrow night but the Dutchman is certain that 35 woeful minutes will not disrupt City’s attempts to end their 35-year trophy drought.

“We have now got to grind through the Tottenham game before the Cup final and that will be hard,” De Jong said. “It is our own mistake and we just have to get our heads clear again. This is a very important week for the club, the players and the fans. This is do-or-die for Manchester City. Fourth place is in reach and everything is in our hands.

“We just have to win that game against Tottenham, we then have a chance to be FA Cup winners after 35 years but we just have to learn from this game.

“We just have to think what we did wrong, take the mistakes out and if we do that, we can be in fourth place and FA Cup winners.”

In the opening period at Goodison, the excellent David Silva and Yaya Toure combined to pull the hosts apart regularly and it was they who worked the opener, with the Spaniard slipping through for the Ivorian to finish with a cross-shot.

But again they simply seemed to stop doing what was so productive and Everton forced their way back, with Sylvain Distin heading in from Mikel Arteta’s free-kick and Leon Osman beating Vincent Kompany to glance in from Neville’s cross.

At the final whistle Aleksander Kolarov accused Seamus Coleman of elbowing him, resulting in Mancini and Neville having to be pulled apart as they roared insults at each other.

Moyes has come out on top in each of his four meetings with Mancini and the closest the Italian has come to any sort of victory was ripping the ball from his counterpart’s grasp at Eastlands last season.

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Barnet celebrate another final-day Football League survival success

It was a win that guaranteed this 123-year-old club at least one more season in the Football League.

Nothing against Lincoln City, the fall guys on the final day of the League Two campaign, but it was a heart-warming scene. There is something engaging about Barnet, whose idiosyncratic ground, Underhill, sounds like a hobbit’s home, and slopes so drastically that one goalkeeper’s boots are level with the other’s crossbar.

The phrase “family club” is often used for anywhere without a 30,000-seat stadium and a shady absentee owner, yet at Barnet it truly seems to apply.

In April, they suffered a managerial crisis when Martin Allen left for Notts County after only 19 days in the job. Their response was to appoint Giuliano Grazioli, their community development officer, as caretaker manager.

“I was here every Saturday afternoon, watching the boys play, keeping my face around the place,” chuckled Grazioli, a former Barnet striker who scored 62 goals in a five-year stint at Underhill. “I would give the chairman a little wink when things weren’t going well. There was a method in my madness, because this is what I want to do. And it means so much more because I am a fan of this football club.”

Allen had started the revival for Barnet, who were eight points from safety on April 1. Grazioli continued it. Coming into Saturday’s deciders, Barnet knew that if they could beat Port Vale, they had a chance.

That was not the end of the story: a win for Lincoln over Aldershot would still knock Barnet out of the Football League, no matter how many goals they scored. But Lincoln had taken just one point from the previous nine matches. The Imps were limping towards the finish line in what was now a two-horse race.

In the early stages the diminutive Mark Byrne was at the heart of everything Barnet did, running the game like a cut-price Scott Parker. He had promising outlets in a pair of speedsters: left-winger Mark Williams and striker Izale McLeod, who once earned a transfer fee of £1million on his way to Charlton Athletic.

Port Vale, who had nothing to play for, were coming second on every 50-50 ball. And yet, for all their energy, Barnet could not get the ball home.

They were fortunate that Port Vale were so disinterested, and indeed charitable: a ridiculous penalty at the start of the second half meant that Grazioli’s nervous strikers did not even have to score from open play.

Straight from the restart, Byrne slipped the ball to McLeod, who ran 40 yards into the Port Vale penalty area without being challenged. When a tackle did finally come in, from centre half Gareth Owen, it was mistimed and brought McLeod down. McLeod struck the ball home.

Soon afterwards, news began filtering through of Lincoln’s plight: Aldershot landed a penalty of their own just before the hour, and eventually romped home 3-0.

“We’re all grateful to Aldershot,” said Grazioli afterwards, “but what really gives me pleasure is that six weeks ago nobody gave us a chance in hell. I looked at the crowd and saw a lot of the kids I’ve been coaching for the last year with their families: it was great to do it for them.”

So what now? “On Monday, I’ll be back in the community development office,” he replied. “The chairman has to think about what he has to do. If I’m part of it, fantastic, if I’m not the manager, I’d still like to have a place.”

Grazioli was a folk hero at Barnet during his playing days, and after Saturday’s feat of escapology – the second time in as many seasons that they have defied the drop on the final day — he is more revered than ever.

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Roman Abramovich 'obsessed' with Champions League – Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Roman Abramovich is "obsessed" with winning the Champions League. Chelsea have lost four semi-finals and also the 2008 final to Manchester United since Abramovich bought the club in 2003 and will have their hopes ended for another year unless they can overturn a first-leg deficit in their quarter-final at Old Trafford.

If they do go out, many believe Carlo Ancelotti will get sacked in Abramovich's quest for European success. But Ferguson feels the Chelsea owner has set himself a stiff target.

"It does seem to be an obsession with Chelsea to win the European Cup," Ferguson said. "That is why they signed Fernando Torres. The owner has very much nailed his colours to the mast in that respect. I have felt that for quite a while with him.

"To have an obsession of winning the European Cup is stretching yourself a wee bit. At the end of the day it is a very difficult competition to win. But I can understand it because I had the obsession myself for quite a while. I lost semi-finals and you say to yourself you are never going to do it. When we achieved it in Barcelona [against Bayern Munich in 1999], it was the greatest feeling of all time. It took the monkey off my back."

This season, as then, Ferguson's side have the Premier League title and FA Cup to go for as well, should it go wrong against Chelsea, but that does not diminish his desire.

"Chelsea are no more desperate than Manchester United, believe me," he said. "For any club when the expectations are high you come to a situation where it is all or nothing. People talk about us winning the league but we are desperate to win this game."

"A British team coming here is different," he continued. "Though Juventus and Milan have played here a few times over the years, Chelsea play here every year. In that respect there is a familiarity about it. The stadium, the size of the pitch, the condition of the pitch, all these things are in their favour over other European teams."

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Anton Hysen: It's time a Premier League player comes out

By Alex Kay
Last updated at 12:36 AM on 22nd March 2011

Every day for the past fortnight, Anton Hysen has received dozens of emails from people telling him he is their hero. They have come from Chile, Belgium, America and the UK.

There are requests for interviews, pleas for autographs and, more than anything else, messages telling him he is an inspiration. Why? Because Hysen is the only footballer in the world brave enough to admit he is gay.

Considering no footballer has come out during their career since Justin Fashanu in 1990, Hysen was going into the unknown when he took on football’s final taboo.

Breaking new ground: Openly gay footballer Anton Hysen hopes his bold admission will ease the burden on others wanting to do the same

He told the world he was gay in Swedish football magazine Offside a fortnight ago. Remarkably, doing so was not a big deal for the 20-year-old - son of former Liverpool defender Glenn - even if it grabbed the attention of the rest of the world.

‘I started to think I was gay when I was 18,’ says Hysen, a midfielder for his dad’s fourth-tier side Utsiktens in Gothenburg. ‘I had probably known deep down for a lot longer but it was then that I started to think about it more seriously.

‘I told my cousin first, who is a lesbian. Then I told my mother and my dad, and then my uncle because he’s gay too. I probably went a year between knowing I was gay and telling my parents. I thought, “I don’t care. If they kick me out, then they kick me out. What are they going to say?” ’

Proud parents: Anton's father, former Liverpool defender Glenn, has had no problem adjusting to his son's sexuality

Hysen chats away enthusiastically, with a bizarre American twang. We meet at Utsiktens’ clubhouse and he is free with his time - insisting only that he gets back home in time to watch Liverpool on television. He seems unfazed by his emergence from relative anonymity to being one of the most famous people in Sweden.

‘People say it is horrible living with the secret, but it wasn’t like that for me. If people said, “Look at that girl, she’s hot”, I’d just say, “OK”.

‘I haven’t had anything negative so far from my family, friends or team-mates. We joke around about it all the time. I was aware that being a gay footballer hadn’t been done often but I figured that is other people’s problem, not mine. I just want to play football.

Difficulties: Justin Fashanu was the first footballer in England to 'come out', but faced real hardship following the announcement

'If people want to call me things, go ahead. I don’t care. I’m still going to play football. I have two managers. My dad was, of course, fine and the other one said that if anybody makes any comments, to tell him and they will be kicked out the team.’

There is no hint of bigotry from his team-mates. Hysen’s only public embarrassment has come from being famous rather than being gay - his ex-girlfriend circulated a nearly naked picture of him online.

But he sees it as a tiny price to pay, and is hoping others - including players in the Barclays Premier League - follow his example and come out, after Fashanu’s tragic story appeared to have put people off.

Fashanu came out 21 years ago but struggled to find sufficient support from his family - including brother and England striker John - and eventually committed suicide in 1998 after his career nosedived because of injuries.

‘I know about Justin - tragically,’ he says. ‘My dad had told me what happened. It’s a tragic story. Who turns their back on their own brother like that? It’s really sad. What kind of human being are you if you do that? His story has had a knock-on effect.

‘The reason no footballer has come out since Justin is that they are afraid. Of fans’ reactions, that their families and friends will turn their backs on them. Or they are afraid their football careers are going to disappear. It might not be easy but it’s better to be honest with yourself.

‘I’m not in a top division so it might be different, but I’m still in a team, still playing football. England is the biggest league in the world and there would be a big pressure to come out over there.

‘I understand in some ways that somebody wouldn’t come out but you just have to be strong and have the support from your family. I hope someone takes that step.’

It would be a huge step, even taking into consideration the support rugby player Gareth Thomas and cricketer Steven Davies have had since they came out.

Hysen has yet to see if there will be any fan backlash when the season starts in Sweden. He has only received one negative email since the interview was published.

‘There must be players everywhere in the world who are gay or bisexual. I hope people can learn from this. Some people obviously think it matters that you’re gay but they just need to learn to accept it. They need to learn more about it.

‘Being gay is the one taboo left that sport needs to deal with. I think we’re going in the right direction with Steve Davies and Gareth Thomas - I just hope more people will do it and we can have a brighter future.

One of the group: Anton has received overwhelming support from friends, family and team-mates

‘There is a macho culture. I’ve not seen it yet but you hear about these people who make comments about the showers and stuff. Because people think, “Oh, he’s gay - he must like every guy in the world”. It’s ridiculous.

‘It’s a stupid, judgmental stereotype. We have to teach people it’s not like that. People shouldn’t care what you do with your private life. More people have to come out though, first.’

That might be more likely in this country if Hysen was playing over here, rather than for his father in the lower leagues of Sweden.

And that is his ambition, a natural one, since his past and present are so linked to England. He was born in Liverpool during his dad’s time at the club and is still an obsessive fan, bellowing out You’ll Never Walk Alone in tiny clubhouse showers, emerging with a Liverpool towel and speaking of his admiration for Steven Gerrard.

Solidarity: England's premier gay football club, Stonewall FC, pictured here in 2000 after becoming the world champions of gay football

The dream is to leave his part-time footballer, part-time construction worker life behind and play full time in England.

‘I was born with a ball. And supporting Liverpool. I lived in England when my dad was playing there and we were supposed to stay, but we moved back to Sweden when I was three.

‘I wish we’d stayed - I don’t like Sweden at all,’ adds Hysen, who remains single despite his revelation. ‘I’d love to play in England. I trained with Doncaster Rovers a couple of years ago and they invited me back. But I was injured and took too long to recover. Maybe I’ll get back at some point. If a club called me up and asked to come over, I definitely would.’

A more immediate return could be to take up the invitation to be the guest of honour at gay football team Stonewall FC’s 20th anniversary celebrations in London. By the time they reach their 25th year, Hysen is hoping he will be just one of many gay men in the game.

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Kevin Pietersen's Indian Premier League dreams dashed by Mumbai Indians

Opting to bat first in the first IPL semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, the Indians were lifted to a formidable 184 for five by superb batting performances from Saurabh Tiwary (52 not out), Ambati Rayudu (40) and an excellent cameo from Pollard (33).

The West Indies international then took three for 17 in his four overs as the Royal Challengers caved in and were restricted to 149 for nine in what eventually fizzled out into a one-sided game.

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The Royal Challengers initially gained the edge when Dale Steyn had Sachin Tendulkar caught by Ross Taylor in the second over for nine, his first single-figure score in the competition this year, and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan was then run out for 12.

Abhishek Nayar (22) and Rayudu, however, briefly arrested the slide and lifted the Indians' run rate with a flurry of boundaries which had the Royal Challengers rattled and left their side poised nicely on 54 for two at the end of the powerplay.

Captain Anil Kumble called the Royal Challengers into a huddle during the strategic time-out and, when they returned, Kumble brought himself and Pietersen on to bowl from either end.

Pietersen secured the breakthrough by removing Nayar and Kumble struck in his second over to scalp JP Duminy cheaply, and the Royal Challengers again had the advantage as the two spinners put the brakes on the scoring.

But Kumble slipped up when he brought on Virat Kohli in the 14th and Tiwary, who had joined Rayudu at Nayar's dismissal, immediately eased the pressure by hitting the part-time bowler for a six in an over which yielded 10.

Tiwary then cut loose and, with Rayudu chipping in nicely, the Indians easily wrested the initiative.

Rayudu fell after a 67-run stand with Tiwary, but his replacement Pollard smacked three sixes and a four in his 13-delivery stint as the Indians finished on a high.

The Indians carried the momentum into the second innings as Jacques Kallis (11), who had earlier conceded 25 from two overs, completed a forgettable match when he edged Lasith Malinga to wicketkeeper Rayudu.

Although several batsmen got starts thereafter, the Royal Challengers lost wickets regularly and were out of the contest long before the final delivery.

Pietersen (19) was castled by Harbhajan Singh in the bowler's first over immediately after fielding restrictions were relaxed.

Although Robin Uthappa (26) and Rahul Dravid (23), who had opened alongside Kallis, briefly kept the chase alive, their dismissals within the space of two deliveries pegged the Royal Challengers back.

Pollard, who had removed Uthappa in his first over, then had Kohli caught behind and it was all over bar the shouting.

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