from soccernet.
Updated: Feb. 7, 2006
Zola nets brace in Macclesfield fundraiser
Gianfranco Zola scored twice but finished on the losing team as his A-Line Allstar team went down 5-2 to a Macclesfield Legends side in a charity game to raise funds for the Silkmen.
The League Two club are facing a penalty payment to the Football Association of more than £250,000 following an inquiry into the funding for one of the stands at Moss Rose.
The game attracted a crowd of 4,377, and the £50,000 raised from the evening takes the appeal's current total to more than £150,000.
Zola opened the scoring for a team also containing Christian Karembeu, Mark Hughes and Bryan Robson, clipping a Graeme Le Saux cross home, but Rae Ingram equalised before half-time.
A Gus Poyet own goal and strikes from Phil Power and Andrew Smart gave the hosts a 4-1 lead, Zola pulled one back from the penalty spot before Smart added a fifth.
hi dragg nice forum even though very less people here
most of the people in sgforums are either liverpool fans or does not like football.
I noticed it already thank for the reminder
chelsea 4 - 1 everton 1, FA cup
from bbc sport.
Chelsea have no plans to re-lay their pitch before their Champions League game with Barcelona on 22 February.
The Stamford Bridge pitch has raised concerns, with large patches having no grass, which means the players may find it difficult to control the ball.
But Chelsea believe the poor surface has been caused by the pitch being re-layed twice each season.
A spokesman told BBC Sport: "We are looking at the long term and want to give next season's pitch every chance."
Don't forget the pitch is the same for both teams
Chelsea spokesman
The Blues spokesman added: "We have always had problems with the pitch.
"In the past we generally re-lay once during the season and then reseed in the summer.
"But that creates a vicious circle as it makes it harder for the pitch to bed down in the summer.
"We've also got a problem in that we need a two-week window to re-lay the pitch and we're involved in so many games that it is just not possible."
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is wary of re-laying the pitch as he believes the players are more likely to injure themselves as the turf settles down.
Last season, former Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker blamed the newly-laid Stamford Bridge pitch for the broken foot he suffered during the 4-0 win over Norwich in December 2004.
"The pitch was pretty poor, I seemed to buckle my foot and I knew straight away because I felt something pop," he said.
"I went to a specialist and we've ruled out it being a stress fracture. We think it is a straight break."
Despite the problems with the pitch, Chelsea have yet to lose at Stamford Bridge this season.
"I'm certain the players would prefer to play on a pristine pitch," said the Chelsea spokesman.
"But hopefully they will benefit in the long term. Don't forget the pitch is the same for both teams and, let's face it, our football isn't suffering."
Pele: Chelsea's Cole too flash for own good
tribalfootball.com - February 16, 2006
Pele has hailed Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole - but wants him to cut out the fancy-dan stuff.
Pele said: "The No 10 for Chelsea, Joe Cole, is a very good player and when I saw him against Charlton in the first half he was excellent.
"He has the skills of a Brazilian but he needs to learn when to show the skills and when to play the simple game.
"In the second half, when the game was very close, he kept losing the ball because he was trying too hard and Chelsea nearly lost the game.
"The tricks are fine at 3-0 or 4-0 but not at 0-0 or 1-1. When I was playing and it was 0-0 we would keep the ball and pass it around.
"That's why Ronaldinho is so good - he knows when to do the tricks and when to keep it simple.
"When it's 0-0, he concentrates on passing the ball. The time to do tricks is when the game is won."
Pele's comments echo those of Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho, who also accused Cole of being too flash
SUNDAY'S FA CUP FIFTH ROUND REVIEW
Two Joe Cole goals helped Chelsea into the FA Cup quarter-finals, after Colchester had stunned Jose Mourinho's millionaires by taking a shock early lead at Stamford Bridge.
Cole came off the bench at half-time and grabbed two late goals to spare the blushes of the Barclays Premiership champions in the FA Cup fifth round.
Ricardo Carvalho had put the visitors into a deserved lead in the first half with an own goal.
But Paulo Ferreira scored his first Chelsea goal to level before the break.
Phil ParkinsonÂ’s team were outstanding for the first 45 minutes, taking the game to the Blues and showing no fear.
They could have scored more in the first half but once Frank Lampard and Cole came on at half-time, Chelsea were always stronger.
Cole struck his first in the 79th minute when Us keeper Aidan Davison failed to hold a shot from Hernan Crespo, and then added a second in stoppage time.
Micah Richards headed an injury-time equaliser on his FA Cup debut to earn Manchester City a deserved replay against Aston Villa.
There were only seconds remaining when the 17-year-old powered home Joey BartonÂ’s corner to cancel out Milan BarosÂ’ 72nd-minute goal for the home side.
City had a host of chances but failed to take them and it looked like proving costly until Richards struck at the death.
Stuart PearceÂ’s side should have killed off the game in the opening 45 minutes with former Villa hero Darius Vassell amongst their culprits in front of goal.
The misses seemed set to prove costly as Baros struck his ninth goal of the campaign.
But Pearce would have been entitled to feel aggrieved had his side not earned a second crack at Villa, and Richards ensured a return match at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Mikael Forssell continued his scoring run in the competition as Birmingham City progressed at the expense of Coca-Cola Championship outfit Stoke.
The Finland international has scored four goals in his last seven appearances and, with three of those in each round of the cup, is proving something of a lucky charm for boss Steve Bruce.
Blues reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 22 years as the cup continues to provide a ray of light in the Barclays Premiership strugglers' season.
Two quality second-half finishes from Aiyegbeni Yakubu secured MiddlesbroughÂ’s place in the cup quarter-finals after a tight game against another Championship side, Preston.
North End, whose 25-match unbeaten record was brought to an end, had the better of the game but could not convert their dominance into clear chances.
Yakubu made them pay with a half-volley following a flick-on from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink just after the break.
He then doubled the lead with 13 minutes remaining to take his tally for the season to 18 goals. Following Callum DavidsonÂ’s foul on Franck Queudrue, Stewart DowningÂ’s lofted free-kick picked out the Nigerian at the far post and his header had too much on it for former Boro keeper Carlo Nash to keep out.
David Nugent was a threat for Preston, particularly in the first half, but Boro held firm to clinch a 2-0 win and make it safely through to the last eight.