Leeds

Birmingham Panthers earned a convincing 67-43 win at Leeds Rhinos to avoid finishing bottom of the Netball Super League.

In their final fixture of the season, whoever lost knew they would end the campaign bottom of the eight-team table.

The Panthers moved into a 17-11 lead by the end of the first quarter and stretched their advantage further to go in at half-time 31-18 in front.

At 37-19 ahead, the Panthers looked to be cruising, although the hosts reduced the deficit to only 12.

But the visitors quickly ended any home hopes of a fightback by pulling clear once more, with Betsy Creak ending with 49 goals.

This was only the Panthers’ third league win of the season, but they did end with back-to-back victories having defeated London Mavericks 52-51 on Sunday.

The Rhinos began their campaign with a 54-39 away success over the Panthers in February, but that was their only league win of the year.

Tel had already shown his erratic side in the first half when he found himself in a tight spot in his own penalty, then attempted to resolve the problem by delivering a perfect cross onto the head of an onrushing Leeds United forward, only for Kevin Danso’s desperate clearance to spare his embarrassment.

This was nothing compared to a bicycle kick in his own area that connected with Ethan Ampadu’s head, leaving the Leeds captain in a heap.

The Video Assistant Referee merely confirmed what everyone else in stadium knew, De Zerbi raising his eyes to the heavens as Dominic Calvert-Lewin slammed home the penalty.

After being a relatively low-key presence in his early Spurs games, which have included vital wins away at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, this was the night when the Italian’s combustible temperament bubbled throughout.

De Zerbi jumped up and down on the spot in disgust at slow play from his team in the first half, then incurred the wrath of referee Jarred Gillett, who delivered a touchline dressing down as the Italian repeatedly left his technical area.

He received a yellow card as things threatened to boil over late on, with 13 minutes of added time increasing the unbearable tension around the stadium.

No wonder De Zerbi looked so frustrated at the final whistle, because the door to survival that opened wider when West Ham United lost so contentiously to Arsenal on Sunday, suddenly closed again as they missed the chance to open up a significant four-point advantage going into the final two games of the season.

De Zerbi told Match of the Day that the pressure of their situation may have had an impact on his players.

“We didn’t play a great game – we played a good game,” De Zerbi said.

“I think we deserved to win anyway but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much.

“Anyway I am happy because I watched my players with the right spirit, with the right mentality.

“We made too many mistakes. If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game. It is tough for us and tough for everyone.”

On Tel, he said: “He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn’t need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake. It can happen to a young player.”

De Zerbi added: “I think we have to consider the result, but we also have to consider the performance. We played a good game, we are making points – in the last four games we made eight points.

“Congratulations to Leeds. They played a great game. They have to play the last game at West Ham and we’ve no doubt that they will play the same way.”

Two months ago questions were raised as to whether Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky would ever play for the club again.

The Czech Republic international endured a nightmare 17 minutes in their Champions League last-16 match against Atletico Madrid in March which saw him concede three goals before being substituted off by then-manager Igor Tudor.

But after making one of the saves of the season to deny Leeds a late winner on Monday – ensuring Tottenham earned a point towards potential Premier League survival – the 23-year-old may just have gone some way to redeeming himself.

Mathys Tel’s 50th-minute strike had put Spurs ahead but the forward conceded a penalty for a high boot on Ethan Ampadu 24 minutes later and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot to level at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both sides probed for a winner in 13 minutes of added time and Leeds thought they had found it in the 99th minute when James Justin played Sean Longstaff through and the midfielder unleashed a powerful strike at the near post from close range.

Enter Kinsky, who stretched to get fingertips to the ball and ensure it clattered off the crossbar and not into the roof of his net.

It is impossible to say how important that save could be come the end of the season but for now it leaves Spurs two points clear of West Ham in the relegation zone with two games remaining.

“That save is one of the saves of the season,” said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carrager on Sky Sports.

“Football is an absolute rollercoaster and who would have thought he would ever play for Tottenham again – and then he does that.

“You would have to have a heart of stone if you weren’t delighted for him. Everyone thought his career was over but that save can be the moment that keeps Tottenham in the Premier League.”

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi says his players are good enough to stay up after their draw with Leeds United leaves them two points clear above the relegation zone with two games to play.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 1-1 Leeds United

Available to UK users only.

This was a meeting of the competition’s top scorers – Leeds had scored 102 points in their previous two games – and meanest defence, with Wakefield conceding fewer points than anyone else in the opening nine rounds.

That record was quickly under threat as Connor’s early penalty set the tone and after Trinity’s Cam Scott had been stretchered off and taken to hospital after a head clash, Sivo benefited from astonishingly quick hands from Handley to score the first try.

The Rhinos were brimming with confidence and flair, and Connor’s no-look pass sent Watkins slicing through the defensive cover to make it 14-0.

Oliver Pratt finally got Wakefield in the game with his 11th Super League try of the season, but Leeds were irrepressible in the first half and Lachie Miller sent Sivo away for his second try to restore the 14-point lead.

The momentum shifted just before the break as Sivo received his yellow card for a high tackle on Josh Rourke, and big Kiwi front rower Lolesio powered over the line for his first Wakefield try to bring fresh hope to the travelling fans.

Connor added a penalty early in the second half to give Leeds breathing space, but just before Sivo returned to the field Leeds lost another man as Handley was adjudged to have pushed Rourke as the two men raced after a kick into in-goal.

Again Trinity made use of the extra man as 23-year-old winger Myers finished brilliantly in the corner and Mason Lino’s conversion slashed the lead to four.

Super League’s leading points scorer Connor eventually kicked eight out of nine, a big contribution, but he showed the other side to his game with an interception and break that set up Croft for a try at a big moment in the game.

Still Trinity plugged away and Myers added another after catching Rourke’s kick over the top, but Leeds were not to be denied as Sivo came up with another strong finish in the corner, and Connor added a penalty.

Even the sin-binning of Jack Bird, Leeds’ third yellow card of the night, failed to interrupt the flow of the game as Croft continued his pursuit of team-mate Sivo at the top of the scoring charts with his second of the night and 13th in all.

If Leeds are able to retain their top-flight status, the majority of supporters are likely point to wins against relegation rivals Wolves, Burnley and West Ham as the defining moments of the season.

But Farke is almost certain to share a different view.

The 49-year-old is more likely to point to a 3-2 defeat by Manchester City in late November as the moment his side’s fortunes changed – and the numbers back it up.

After goals from Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol put City 2-0 up inside 25 minutes, Leeds were left fearing the worst.

That was until Farke made an almighty roll of the dice, summoning Calvert-Lewin and defender Jaka Bijol from the bench to switch from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2.

It was a tactical switch that allowed Leeds an extra man in midfield and, crucially, offered extra support to summer signing Calvert-Lewin in attack.

Although Leeds saw a point snatched from their grasp when Foden scored a stoppage‑time winner, the performance – and a new tactical blueprint – offered both the club and Farke a road to redemption.

Leeds bounced back from the defeat against Pep Guardiola’s side by taking four points from a possible six against Chelsea and reigning champions Liverpool in the next two games.

“He was under real pressure, there was a lot of talk about his job – other managers were getting touted – and you felt if he lost against Manchester City he would lose his job,” said ex-Liverpool and Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports.

“He didn’t win that game but they changed the system that day, played with a lot of promise and since then they’ve gone on a great run and gone from strength to strength.

“The points they’ve produced since the start of December has been fantastic.”

Since then, Leeds have lost only four out of a possible 19 league games – the ninth-best record in the division.

Consequently, Farke is on course to lead a team to Premier League survival for the first team in his career after failing to do so during his time in charge of Norwich.

Former England midfielder and BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy believes Chelsea utilised “an obvious tactical stoppage” in their FA Cup semi-final win against Leeds United, and proposes rule changes that can prevent it from happening.

MATCH REPORT: FA Cup semi-final – Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United

Available to UK users only.

Leeds: Miller; Hall, Bird, Handley, Sivo; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, Levi, Palasia, McDonnell, Hankinson, Watkins.

Interchanges: Holroyd, Jenkins, O’Connor, Smith

Catalans: Staines; Makinson, Aispuro-Bichet, Faataape, Darrelatour; Sexton, Dodd; Fa’asuamaleaui Leeming, Navarette, Garcia, Lipowicz, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Satae, Condon, Allen, Wilson.

Referee: Liam Moore.