From the back pages, March 18: Frank Lampard closes in on goal record after reaching double century

They sang in honour of their hero, a landmark moment that was written in the stars. If Frank Lampard was going to score his 200th Chelsea goal, it was surely destined to come against West Ham, the perfect revenge for 12 years of ritual abuse from Hammers fans. (The Mirror)
Frank LampardFrank Lampard
Frank Lampard

A Callum McManaman horror tackle on Massadio Haidara sparked a half-time melee as the Premier League clash between Wigan and Newcastle turned nasty. McManaman went in high on the Newcastle defender, who had to be carried off on a stretcher. Magpies assistant manager John Carver confronted McManaman as the teams left the pitch at the end of the first half with stewards and players also getting involved. (Daily Mail)

Kimi Raikkonen was the shock winner of the Australian Grand Prix as he showed Lotus he knows exactly what he is doing. The Finnish ace — who famously told his team to “leave me alone, I know what I am doing” as he masterminded his win in Abu Dhabi last year — stunned bookies’ favourites Red Bull to take his 20th win. (The Sun)

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Martin O’Neill was right when he said recently that Sunderland lack “true ability”, but he took no pleasure in seeing his players prove him right against a Norwich City side who played for more than an hour with 10 men and still came away with a draw. (The Telegraph)

Juan Martín del Potro handed Novak Djokovic his first defeat of the season to book his place in the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Del Potro followed up his quarter-final win over Andy Murray with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the world No1 to seal a final showdown with Rafael Nadal. (The Guardian)

Joleon Lescott was recalled to the England squad tonight just three days after being left out of Roy Hodgson’s original 26-man squad when Michael Dawson withdrew with a hamstring injury. (The Independent)

Stuart Lancaster has blamed lack of experience for the thrashing England suffered at the hands of Wales. The 30-3 defeat was painful in itself but England were reduced to spectators for much of the second half, watching as their ambitions of a grand slam and Six Nations Championship were dismantled. (The Times)