Hull City produced a manful performance to hold Chelsea to a surprise draw as the title hopefuls missed the chance to take their league lead to four points.

The Londoners were lacklustre to say the least, but that was down in no small part to Hull's brave approach.

And it was the hosts who took the lead when Steven Mouyokolo headed home.

Didier Drogba marked his return from Africa Cup of Nations duty with the equaliser from a free-kick, but Hull comfortably held on to a precious draw.

It was no less than the hosts deserved from an all-action display and even though the result was not enough to move them out of the bottom three, it could provide a welcome fillip as they enter the crucial stages of their battle against relegation.


We more than competed - Brown
Chelsea, meanwhile, can comfort themselves with the knowledge they go two points clear of Manchester United and six of Arsenal at the top of the table.

Boss Carlo Ancelotti will surely consider this a missed opportunity, though, especially with a home match against the Gunners to come on Sunday.

The Gunners' comprehensive defeat to United at the weekend looked to have turned the race for the Premier League title into a two-horse race, especially with Chelsea widely expected to move on to 57 points from 24 games with victory at the KC Stadium.

On paper, it looked a straightforward task. Six straight wins in which they have scored 21 goals and conceded only four marked Chelsea out as clear favourites against a Hull side without a win in nine.

But the hosts' disciplined and forceful approach, typified - as so often - by Stephen Hunt, stultified a Chelsea side far from their best.

Your game against Arsenal & your trip to Old Trafford just became a whole lot more important!

scobiedog
The title chasers did have two good efforts in the first half hour; Frank Lampard forced a smart stop from Boaz Myhill with a dipping 20-yarder, while Michael Ballack tamely headed Branislav Ivanovic's superb cross from the right straight at the keeper.

However, they were only the briefest glimpses of the visitors' quality as they failed to get out of first gear in the face of Hull's high-tempo tactics.

It was testament to the hosts' first-half play that it was no great surprise when they took the lead, and even less so that it was from a set-piece.

Of the 19 league goals Chelsea have conceded this season before the game, 14 had come from set-pieces, and the visitors struggled to deal with Hull's dead-ball situations throughout.

And Mouyokolo took full advantage on the half hour as he headed home Hunt's corner unmarked from six yards out.


Ancelotti positive at top spot
It served only to prompt a response from Chelsea, though, as they finally snapped out of their malaise long enough to equalise through Drogba's pin-point free-kick from the edge of the box.

Any expectations that Hull would sink into their shell were wide of the mark, though.

They continued to threaten from set plays, Anthony Gardner and Jozy Altidore both guilty of profligacy in front of goal from well directed Hunt deliveries.

Myhill kept the scores level at the other end, sprawling one way and then the other to stop headers from Drogba and John Terry, booed throughout following press revelations about his private life, in quick succession.

And that meant, with 15 minutes left, the match was finely in the balance.

However, a grand assault from the visitors never even looked like coming, their final ball and incision in front of goal - as it had been all throughout the match - absent.

With the away fans streaming for the exits there was at least a fine effort from substitute Daniel Sturridge, his left-footed shot tipped round the post by Myhill.

But it was too little, too late from Chelsea, who will be desperate for an improved performance against Arsenal knowing the title race once again looks to be a three-horse race.

Murray's next Grand Slam chance will be the French Open
Andy Murray's impressive run to the final of the Australian Open has seen him rise up to third in the world in the latest ATP rankings.

The 22-year-old, who lost in straight sets to world number one Roger Federer on Sunday, returns to the top three for the first time since October.

He replaces Rafael Nadal, who retired injured in the quarter-finals.

It is the first time Nadal has been outside the top three since before winning his first French Open in 2005.

Novak Djokovic, who lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last eight at Melbourne Park, moves up to number two.

However Murray, on 7,800 points, is only 510 points adrift of the Serbian and after his defeat to Federer, the Scot is keener than ever to lift a Grand Slam title.

"I'm hungry to win one," he said. "I haven't [achieved it] since I was 16, 17 years old when I started playing the junior Grand Slams.

"I worked really, really hard to try to do it and give myself the opportunity. So far it has not been good enough but I'm sure one day it will be.

606: DEBATE
Everyone knows that Murray is the second best player in the world at the moment, and will soon be back to No. 2. Djoko hasn't got the consistency or health to mount any serious challenges.

Tiger Tim
"I've got a long career ahead of me, and I'm going to have more opportunities to win them.

"I hope that I will, but if I don't there are a lot more important things to worry about than tennis.

"I'm getting closer to it and my results show that. I've just got to keep working hard."

One person who feels Murray's hard work will pay off is Federer - he remains sure a Grand Slam success will come for his rival.

"It's not an easy thing to do to win your first Grand Slam. That's not trying to screw with his head, you know. It's just a tough thing," said the Swiss.

"The next one is not going to get any easier, but his game is so good that I'm convinced he will win one.

"He has got everything you need to beat the best and to win big tournaments. I think he's extremely strong in his mind, and I just feel like he's got the game to do it. The question is just when."


Henman and Becker on the Aussie Open final
And former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker believes Murray has the mental skills to achieve his dream.

"The more often he gets to a semi or a final and doesn't win, I think the media over here is going to put even more pressure on him. I think we should all relax a little bit," he told the BBC.

"The guy did amazing. There isn't another player in sight from this country who can do what he did."

If College Causeway could speak, like Ali, he too would be shouting from the roof tops. "I am the greatest!"

The star tracker has put up some breathtaking displays over the past couple of years. But his performance in the Paddypower.com Irish Greyhound Derby final at Shelbourne Park last Saturday was his best - bar none.

Many great canines have ended their career having failed to win the Irish Greyhound Derby. Tyrur Ted is one who springs to mind. A sensational tracker who won nearly everything there was to win except the Irish Derby. Late Late Show was another hugely popular star who looked destined for Derby success during his career. He came within a short head of completing the dream for his connections. Greyhounds such as Spiral Nikita, Droopys Maldini and Premier Fantasy were other superb trackers who many believed deserved to win an Irish Derby but never did.

Going into last Saturday's Irish Derby final, even the most optimistic of College Causeway fans felt that their star was going to join that elite list of the 'nearly men'. On the night when it mattered most, it appeared as though the draw had done the 'People's Champion'. And that was after an undefeated path to the final.

But then again, College Causeway tends to enjoy doing things the hard way. And when he doesn't, he then goes and breaks track records. His first round demolition is a prime example of that when he smashed the seven years standing track record at headquarters.
As good as that first round exhibition was though, Derby final night will go down as one of the most memorable in the history of Shelbourne Park. And that's coming from people who have been going to the Derby twice as long as I have.

In a race which so many different outcomes looked possible, nearly everything went wrong for College Causeway. He broke nearly too well. That meant squeezing between Cashen Legend and Shaneboy Lee followed. He then was sandwiched going into the dreaded opening bend. Now he was last heading down the back straight. Even the great College Causeway couldn't pull this one off.

But as soon as some started to right him off, up went the customary College roar. He'd found a gap. He'd got himself back into this Derby. Within a matter of strides, he had moved himself into third. Oran Classic was the clear leader but everybody knew he wasn't the greatest of stayers. Sure hadn't 'College' overhauled him a week earlier in the semis.
Cashen Legend was the next to be passed by 'College'. It was now a two dog race. And with 'The Causeway', as he was described in commentary, going faster than ever before, it was only a matter of time. In Grand National terminology, Crisp was tiring and Red Rum had him covered.

Around the final bend and 'College' drew upsides. A quick glance across to say, 'it's me again' and off he went. The place went wild. The roof had finally come off Shelbourne Park. The 'People's Champion' had got his just reward.

It's not often that greyhound racing gets to witness such a star. But he's more than that. As Sea The Stars is to the horse racing public, College Causeway is Ireland's champion. In fact, he belongs to us.

And the best part about it all is that he's not finished yet either!

FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARD:
-15 R Karlsson (Swe) -12 A Quiros (Spa) -11 L Westwood (Eng), B Rumford (Aus) -8 O Wilson (Eng), P Casey (Eng), B Dredge (Wal)
Selected others: -7 T Bjorn (Den) -6 Pe Lawrie (Ire) -5 N Dougherty (Eng), G McDowell (NIre) -3 S Garcia (Spa)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karlsson missed four months of last season with an eye problem
Sweden's Robert Karlsson fired a final-round bogey-free 65 to claim a three-shot victory in the Qatar Masters.

The European Ryder Cup star held off defending champion Alvaro Quiros (67) of Spain to finish 15 under in Doha.

Australian Brett Rumford (69) and England's Lee Westwood (70) ended 11 under as overnight leaders Paul Casey and Bradley Dredge slipped back.

England's Casey carded 74 to end eight under, the same mark as Welshman Dredge as Karlsson overhauled a two-shot lead.

The 40-year-old, who in 2008 became the first Swedish player to be named European number one, missed four months of last season after suffering from blurred vision caused by fluid behind the retina in his left eye.


Bad luck for Lee Westwood, he played some great golf this week and battled hard, he wasn't far off taking this one down

BeTheBall
"It was a tough time coming back," said Karlsson, who won the last of his nine other professional victories at the Dunhill Links Championship in 2008.

"I had a couple of good finishes at the end of last year with Henrik (Stenson) at the World Cup and with a second in Japan, but it is fantastic to be back now.

"I am really happy to be back playing well, it is the first time I have played really well for a long time and the way I finished off today was very satisfying."

European number one Westwood saw his chance of victory vanish when he three-putted the par-four 16th for bogey, but he held firm to claim a 12th top-10 finish in his last 15 events.

Westwood was forced to use a new driver after cracking the face of his previous club during Saturday's third round.

He put himself in contention with four birdies in five holes after the turn, moving him within one shot of Karlsson with four holes remaining.

But after his mistake at the 16th Karlsson pulled clear with back-to-back birdies over his closing two holes.

"It's hard to imagine anything else going wrong this week so 11 under is an unbelievable score," said Westwood.

"Long, straight driving is one of my strengths and if you take someone's strengths away from them it is going to very difficult to compete."

World number nine Casey, who is back to fitness after a long-term rib injury, dropped three shots on his front nine to go out in 39 and added two further bogeys mixed with three birdies on the way home.

Dredge, who won the last of his two European Tour titles in 2006, handed in a card the exact reverse of Casey's - 35 out and 39 back.

England's Oliver Wilson (71) finished with a hat-trick of birdies to share fifth at eight under, while Thomas Bjorn carded 69 for eighth place at seven under.

Scotland's Marc Warren had a disappointing 74 to finish 11 shots adrift of Karlsson, with compatriot Richie Ramsay four shots further back after a 70.

Feldman and Schwartz on BBC Show
Last night Andrew Feldman and Luke Schwartz appeared on BBC London Regional show Inside Out in a feature about young online poker players. Schwartz was pictured driving a very nice Bentley then onto his apartment where he played a game of online poker, we met his agent and he discussed the highs and lows of poker. Feldman then also was shown in his apartment, with his section very much focussing on the lows of poker, where he revealed his lost his entire bankroll of $100,000 at the time a few years ago and went to Gamblers Anonymous, we also heard concern from his mother and he revealed he played often 80 hours a week.

It’s usually bad news when mainstream TV chooses to showcase poker in this manner and this feature did focus heavily on the low points of poker. The usually brash Schwartz actually came across more level headed than usual (At least compared to his ‘Fullflush’ alter ego) and his element seemed a lot more balanced. Feldman, however, was portrayed very much as a victim of the game, an isolated figure who had not resolved his gambling issues. Nothing was made of the sponsorship deal, the TV appearances or the jet set lifestyle we would associate with the high profile young UK player.

The overall tone of the show would suggest that it was heavily edited to portray both men and particularly Feldman in this light, or perhaps there are some personal demons he still needs to exercise. You can see for yourself on the BBC Iplayer.

Ospreys full-back Lee Byrne's blood-bin began the 16-man confusion
Wales full-back Lee Byrne has had a two-match ban overturned, leaving him free to face England in the Six Nations opener at Twickenham on Saturday.

The ban had been imposed by European Rugby Cup after his brief appearance as an illegal 16th player in the Ospreys' 17-12 Heineken Cup win over Leicester.

The suspension has been replaced by a fine of 5,000 Euros on the 29-year-old.

Wales coach Warren Gatland had delayed naming his team, Byrne now set to start at 15, James Hook possibly at centre.

Gatland will name his team at 1300 GMT on Wednesday.

An independent ERC appeal committee comprising Scots Rod McKenzie, Lorne Crerar and Bill Dunlop sat in Glasgow on Tuesday and overruled the original suspension that was imposed last week.

Byrne and the Ospreys had both pleaded guilty to the misconduct complaints in Dublin on Friday, the club fined £21,666 (25,000 Euros) while the player was left facing missing out on the start of the Six Nations.

Is this a fair decision?
The committee chaired by Pat Barriscale of Ireland had found that Byrne had re-entered the pitch without the referee's permission and that he knew or ought to have known that he needed that permission.

The British and Irish Lions full-back had gone off in the second-half of the Heineken Cup Pool Three clash suffering from a dislocated and bloodied toe and was replaced by centre Sonny Parker.

But Byrne was sent back on at the Liberty Stadium three minutes later after treatment without any of his team-mates going off.

A Tigers player pointed out the Ospreys' numerical advantage to referee Alan Lewis, who then berated an Ospreys touchline official for not informing the match fourth official that Byrne had returned.

The official also did not award Leicester the penalty they should have had for Ospreys temporarily fielding an extra player.

Fly-half Dan Biggar eventually departed as the Ospreys returned to 15 men to hold on during a torrid finale of constant Leicester pressure.

Leicester claimed Byrne was involved in halting a break by scrum-half Ben Youngs as Tigers looked to claw back their 17-12 deficit.

The triumph ensured the Ospreys' qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-final, while the defeat knocked Leicester out.

Byrne is one of Wales' key players and was badly missed when injured in the autumn as they slumped to defeats to New Zealand and Australia.

Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis expressed his delight after hearing that Byrne was free to face England.

"I am delighted that the independent appeal committee have reached this decision which is great news for Lee Byrne and for Wales," said Lewis.

"It has been an extremely difficult time for the player, but we have been determined to give him all the support he needed to achieve this fair resolution of a difficult matter.

"It has not been an easy decision either for the original independent committee hearing the evidence or the appeal panel and I applaud them all on their diligence in this matter.

"I hope this sends out a message to the followers of Welsh rugby that the WRU is an organisation which will always stand by individuals who deserve and need our help.

"We sat down with Lee as soon as the original penalty was announced and started to plan for the appeal.

"There have been a lot of meetings and discussions over the past days but it has all been worthwhile because we are now celebrating an important victory for all concerned.

"I know how hard all the players, coaches and backroom staff in the national squad work for success and they must always be confident that the WRU will stand firm in support of all their efforts.

"We want every player who pulls on a Welsh jersey to know that we are with them all the way.

"Now it's back to business and we can all look forward to a great game of rugby at Twickenham."

West Indies hope Gibson can bring about "gradual improvement"
Ottis Gibson has been appointed as the new head coach of West Indies after resigning from his post as England bowling coach.

The England and Wales Cricket board says it has granted Gibson's request to be released from his contract.

The 40-year-old represented West Indies at Test level but had been part of England's coaching team since 2007.

He will take charge of the West Indies for the home series against Zimbabwe, which begins at the end of the month.

West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Ernest Hilaire confirmed the move to a Caribbean radio station.

"He will be the head coach of the WICB, not just head coach of the senior team," Hilaire told CBC.

"He will have responsibility for coaching right across all of our representative cricket teams. This will give him an opportunity to stamp a particular style of coaching, a West Indies way, across all the teams.

"This is really important because by the time our players reach the senior team, they should be the finished article, and they really ought to be focusing mainly on their strategy, tactics, how they win games, and being able to execute."

Former fast bowler Gibson, who was born in Barbados, played two Tests and 15 one-day internationals for West Indies.


Give your reaction to Gibson's appointment
He ended his playing career with county side Durham in 2007 and was immediately appointed as a bowling consultant by England, which led to a full-time staff job with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Gibson had a crucial role last summer when England beat Australia to regain the Ashes, with James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff among those to pay tribute to his influence.

Last month, Radio Jamaica carried a report that he was set to succeed John Dyson, who was sacked as West Indies coach last August.

The following day the ECB denied that any deal had been agreed, but last weekend confirmed that Gibson had been given permission to hold talks with the WICB.

Gibson handed in his resignation on Monday and England coach Andy Flower said: "Ottis has been a valuable member of my management team and we will all be sorry to see him leave.

"However, we recognise that being offered the chance to be head coach of your country was an offer that would be hard for Ottis to resist. We wish him well in the future.'

Gibson told BBC 5 live: "Judging by what we did in the summer, winning the Ashes back, I think England are on the verge of doing something really special.

"It would have been nice to be a part of that but West Indies is in the blood and once they came calling and I couldn't say no."

We are not asking Ottis to turn around the West Indies fortunes and make them a winning team overnight

WICB chief Ernest Hilaire
Gibson now faces the task of trying to restore West Indies to their former glory after a troubled few years.

"The ability's still there, the talent's still there," he said. "There's been a lot of off-the-field stuff that has created unnecessary problems for the team.

"If we can get ourselves focused and have a period of stability, the team have showed, like in Australia just now, that we can put some good results together.

"There's some obvious talent there and that just needs to be found and nurtured. That's going to be the key role for me over the next couple of years."

Gibson will be assisted in his new job by David Williams, who is in charge of the West Indies team for their current tour to Australia.

And together, they will have the responsibility of trying to improve the team's performance.

West Indies are eighth in both the Test and one-day rankings and Hilaire acknowledged that Gibson had been handed a "long-term project".

He added: "We are not asking Ottis to turn around the West Indies fortunes and make them a winning team overnight. There has to be a gradual chain of development.

"He is a new era coach, and someone who has been exposed to all of the technologies and new approaches to coaching.

"We are hoping that he will bring to this task an understanding of West Indies cricket. He will have all requisite knowledge and skills."

England, meanwhile, must find a replacement for Gibson and England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director Hugh Morris said: "Now Ottis has confirmed his departure, Andy Flower and I will begin the process of identifying the right individual who can join the England set-up and build on the foundation laid by Ottis.'

Big Zeb left his rivals trailing at Punchestown
Big Zeb is back among the leading contenders for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March after a fine Punchestown victory on Sunday.

Barry Geraghty oozed confidence on the Colm Murphy-trained horse, who won the Tied Cottage Chase by seven lengths.

Odds-on favourite Golden Silver, under Ruby Walsh, had to settle for second.

Big Zeb, who was fourth behind winner Twist Magic when favourite for the Tingle Creek Chase in December, is now as low as 5-1 for the Champion Chase.

"We'll freshen him up and then it's on to Cheltenham, it's nice to be going over there on the back of that," said Irish trainer Murphy.



Who will be the next chasing superstar?

loudsuperstarkauto28
"We probably shouldn't have sent him over to the Tingle Creek (at Sandown) - I blame myself for that.

"His jumping was brilliant and we've done a lot of schooling with him at home."

Dual champion chaser Master Minded and Twist Magic, both trained by Paul Nicholls, are the market leaders for the big race at the Cheltenham Festival on 17 March.

One lucky British online bingo player is celebrating this week after winning over £90,000 off of a five pence stake courtesy of leading site GalaBingo.com and its Cash Climber jackpot.

The 50-year-old single mother uses the pseudonym ‘theberry’ on the site and has received £90,595 from GalaBingo.com after only winning the odd £50 prize in the past.

The Dartford resident stated that she had not been aware that she had hit the Cash Climber jackpot while playing in the Sharon Club room because she had been in her kitchen making a coffee. She only realised that she was the winner of a life-changing amount of money after seeing congratulatory messages in the site’s online chat room.

“I was shocked,” said ‘theberry’.

“At first I thought it might be a practical joke from a friend who had somehow managed to set it up. So, I called GalaBingo.com and they confirmed it was true.”

The winner had some unfortunate experiences in 2009 and stated that the prize money would certainly come in handy.

“I’ve had some bad luck last year, damaging my back, having my handbag stolen and crashing my car so this is just amazing,” said ‘theberry’.

“I think it has just about sunk in. We’ve had years of being careful so I’ve just got the children a few treats but I still haven’t spent much so far as we’re still working out what we want to do with our win. I have lots of things I want done in the house and am looking forward to a nice holiday as well.”

GalaBingo.com revealed that it pays out more than £65 million per month in prizes and is currently offering new players a voucher worth £20 to test out its services.

“We’re absolutely delighted for ‘theberry’ and her family, especially as she had such a bad run of luck in 2009,” said Lesley Hall, Online Public Relations Manager for GalaBingo.com.

“Hopefully, becoming one of our 500,000 monthly winners has helped 2010 get off to a really positive start.”