When Emile Heskey who limped off with a badly-bruised shin slipped his shot under the advancing

When Emile Heskey, who limped off with a badly-bruised shin, slipped his shot under the advancing Neil Sullivan in the sixth minute, it seemed a repetition might be in the air along with the rain.However, Spurs scrambled back into the game following an extraordinary shot from Patrik Berger that had ricocheted off Owen’s head into the net only to be ruled offside. Leonhardsen broke clear from the free-kick and squared for Willem Korsten. His first touch appeared to have betrayed him as he worked it on to his left foot but the Dutchman’s shot was true.Steven Gerrard, a veteran compared to some of those ranged against him in midfield, proved the outstanding figure during the first half and might have added to a collection of breathtaking goals had his 30-yard drive not been deflected on to the bar.There will be tougher challenges to come, not least the home fixture with Chelsea on 8 May, but Liverpool are still on course for the ultimate goal of the Champions’ League, although how they cope with six days without a game remains to be seen.Goals: Heskey (6) 1-0; Korsten (24) 1-1; McAllister pen (72) 2-1; Fowler (88) 3-1.Liverpool (4-4-2): Westerveld; Babbel, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher (Vignal, 64); Gerrard, Smicer (Hamann, 54), McAllister, Berger; Heskey (Fowler, 40), Owen. Substitutes not used: Murphy, Arphexhad (gk).Tottenham (4-5-1): Sullivan; Carr, Thelwell, Gardner, Young; Korsten, Davies (Piercy, 78), Sherwood, Leonhardsen, Clemence; Doherty. Substitutes not used: Etherington, Hillier, Ferguson, Walker (gk).Referee: B Knight (Orpington).Bookings: Liverpool: Fowler. Tottenham: Clemence.Man of the match: Gerrard.Attendance: 43,547..

Preston edged into fifth place by beating their play-off rivals Watford, who are also attempting to reach the play-offs as a departing gift for their retiring manager, Graham Taylor. Preston edged into fifth place by beating their play-off rivals Watford, who are also attempting to reach the play-offs as a departing gift for their retiring manager, Graham Taylor.
Watford dominated the early stages, but it was Preston who took the lead from a Graham Alexander penalty, after Jon Macken was clattered by Alec Chamberlain on 24 minutes Macken added a second nine minutes later from close range. But Watford replied with a stunning goal from Gifton Noel-Williams 10 minutes before the interval, with a looping header from 18 yards.Robert Page headed Watford level just before the hour from a Peter Kennedy corner. Parity lasted little over a minute, Macken collecting his 17th league goal of the season. A series of excellent saves from the 17-year-old keeper Andrew Lonergan kept Preston ahead.”We have scored two goals away from home and lost,” said Taylor. “Now we are going to have to do a lot of praying, hoping that Preston, West Brom and Birmingham don’t win another game.”Goals: Alexander 25 pen (1-0), Macken 34 (2-0), Noel-Williams 36 (2-1), Page 60 (2-2), Macken 61 (3-2).Preston North End: Lonergan; Alexander, Edwards, Murdock, Kidd, McKenna, Anderson (Cresswell, 67), Gregan, Rankine, Healy (Cartwright, 68), Macken. Substitutes not used: Barry-Murphy, Gunnlaugsson, O’Hanlon.Watford: Chamberlain; Cox, Robinson, Palmer, Page, Nielsen, Mooney, Kennedy (Wooter, 81), Vernazza, Noel-Williams, Smith.

Substitutes not used: Hyde, Day, Helguson, Panayi.Referee: T Jones (Leeds).Booked: Watford: Page.Man of the match: Jon Macken.Attendance: 14,071.. Brian Talbot stood on the Huish Park pitch and said, utterly without irony: “Unfortunately money rules football now. I think that is a shame.”

Brian Talbot stood on the Huish Park pitch and said, utterly without irony: “Unfortunately money rules football now. I think that is a shame.”
The sentiment was genuine but, had the Yeovil supporters who were boozily abusing the Rushden & Diamonds manager from the executive lounge been able to hear it, they would have become even more vociferous.For many in the Nationwide Conference it is Rushden who introduced money into the non-League scene. To them the £20m investment by Max Griggs, Diamonds chairman and footwear tycoon, has perverted the natural order and inflated wages and transfer fees. Thus Saturday’s top-of-the table meeting with Yeovil, a classic non-League club with a giant-killing heritage and huge local support, was a Good v Evil contest.The goalless draw left the demon Diamonds in the box seat: victories at home to Telford tomorrow, Dover on Saturday, and at Chester on 5 May will, because of their superior goal-difference, ensure promotion to the Football League will be theirs even if Yeovil win their remaining four games.

Cue much gnashing of teeth from jealous Conference rivals.The real baddies, however, are the chairmen of Football League clubs who continue to limit promotion from the Conference. Talks to increase this to two places are continuing but it appears the League chairmen will only submit if the Conference is prepared to underwrite promoted teams at punitive cost to themselves. That is what Talbot was talking about when he said “money rules”.Anyone present at Huish Park would have found it difficult to resist the moral argument for change. There was a cracking atmosphere ­ better than many a recent visit I have made to Old Trafford ­ and, according to one seasoned observer of the Third Division, better football and facilities than provided by many a League club. As Talbot observed, both teams should be going up.The reason why they are not is eloquently put by a man who sees both sides of the argument. Last season Neil Morris, as chief executive of Kidderminster Harriers, would have loved to have two-up, two-down in place as his team duelled with Rushden for promotion. The Harriers having won that race, he now sees the issue differently.”It’s turkeys voting for Christmas,” he said.