Wise faces trouble from within

Bottom club Leeds boosted their survival chances with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Elland Road but manager Dennis Wise claims one of the team ’will never play for the club again’ after news of his line-up was leaked to their opponents.

Matt Heath put Leeds ahead and Robbie Blake doubled their advantage before Lee Cort scored a consolation goal.

However, afterwards Wise declared: “One player gave my team to the opposition and I found that out.

“It disappoints me immensely and I told the players before, and he won’t be playing for this football club again. It’s as simple as that because I can’t have that. This is what you sometimes have to deal with.

“I spoke to the players and it hurts a lot and they responded for me and I’m chuffed to bits with them.”

At the top of the table, Derby manager Billy Davies refused to be downhearted despite being held to a 2-2 draw at home to Hull.

Gary Teale opened the scoring for Derby, before Andy Dawson equalised. Darren Moore restored Derby’s lead but David Livermore volleyed a late equaliser to earn Hull a point.

Davies said: “Hull scrapped for a point but I always knew it was going to be a very difficult afternoon for us, a potential banana skin.

“We have to be realistic and remember we are building a new team here and we are chopping and changing the squad all the time.”

Birmingham moved into second place with a 1-0 victory at home to Stoke thanks to Gary McSheffrey’s 71st-minute header but some home fans were not impressed - leaving manager Steve Bruce angry.

“What I have witnessed and experienced has saddened me a little bit,” he said.

“But I will get on with it and keep my mouth shut. We have got a lot of young lads and they need help not booing and jeering.

“I understand their frustration but I can assure everyone it does not help and they does seem to be an air of despondency around our place and I have to lift that.”

Preston boss Paul Simpson admitted his side deserved to lose to Wolves, who won thanks to Seyi George Olifinjana’s early goal at Deepdale.

“We lost it because we deserved to lose, having been out-run, out-fought and outplayed by a Wolves side who showed a real hunger to get something out of it,” said Simpson.

“We should not be surprised. I’m disappointed that we keep allowing teams to go a goal ahead.

“If we had got anything out of the game it would have been unjust on Wolves.”

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy added: “I thought we were good value. I think we out-played them.

“I’d like to be in the play-offs. There isn’t a great deal between any of us.”

West Brom to move into second place even though they could only manage a draw against Southampton.

Baggies manager Tony Mowbray said: “It is a big point for us. It has been a massive, massive effort in the last two months to get into this position and in the last 20 minutes there were some signs of fatigue.”

Southampton boss George Burley was happy with his side’s performance despite Kevin Phillips cancelling out Kenwyne Jones’s opener.

He said: “I thought we deserved all three points. West Brom are an excellent side but we caused them problems, closed them down and pushed them hard.

“We have to keep going, battle hard and try to stay in this position until the end the season.”

Cardiff missed the chance to move fourth after a 2-2 draw with Coventry at the Ricoh Arena where controversial referee Graham Poll was again in the spotlight.

Leon McKenzie put City ahead after just eight minutes but goals either side of the break from Michael Chopra (a 45th-minute penalty) and Peter Whittingham (58) looked to have given Cardiff victory.

But City defender Glenn Loovens was sent off and Dele Adebola (72) grabbed an equaliser.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones was fuming with Poll for sending off Loovens.

He said: “At 2-1 we were comfortable and there was only one team going to win it and that was us.

“But the sending-off changed all of that and gave them hope but then you never know what you are going to get with Graham.

“It definitely changed the game and probably for the first time in my career I had to change things to try and hold on for a point.”

Sunderland’s Anthony Stokes scored his first goal for the club and another from David Connolly helped to seal a 2-0 victory at Plymouth.

Colchester remain just outside the play-off places with a 3-0 win at Barnsley.

Captain Karl Duguid and Jamie Cureton both notched within the opening 10 minutes and Hogan Ephraim completed the rout seven minutes from time.

Burnley and Sheffield Wednesday drew 1-1 draw at Turf Moor. Wade Elliott put the home side ahead after 55 minutes but Dean Burton levelled with a header three minutes later.

Leicester moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at Ipswich, courtesy of a headed brace from Gareth McAuley.