Soccer:Debt-ravaged Portsmouth were relegated from the Premier League on the eve of their FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. The south coast club went down without kicking a ball after West Ham beat Sunderland 1-0.
Portsmouth’s survival hopes were effectively killed off when they were docked nine points for going into administration in February.
Any lingering survival dream definitively ended today when West Ham’s win left Portsmouth 17 points from safety with only 15 to play for. Ilan’s goal gave West Ham a 1-0 victory at Upton Park, and nudged them four points clear of the relegation zone.
Portsmouth have lurched from crisis to crisis this season but still have the chance to finish their campaign on a high by reaching a Wembley final.
Administrators have held talks with several parties in an attempt to find the club new owners, and a new chief executive was appointed this week, with David Lampitt joining from the Football Association.
On the pitch, Portsmouth have managed just six wins this season, and they will return to the Championship next season after seven years in the top tier.
Graham Alexander netted a penalty double as Burnley came from behind to claim their first away win of the season and boost their hopes of survival with a 4-1 win against fellow strugglers Hull City.
Burnley looked like following Portsmouth out of the top flight when Kevin Kilbane headed Hull into a third-minute lead.
But ex-Scunthorpe forward Martin Paterson equalised after 35 minutes, Alexander tucked in penalties after 64 and 70 minutes and Wade Elliott curled in a stoppage-time fourth as the Clarets claimed just a second win in 14 Premier League matches under manager Brian Laws.
West Brom joined Newcastle in winning promotion straight back to the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Doncaster at the Keepmoat Stadium this afternoon as the Magpies took another step towards the Championship title.
Graham Dorrans’ superb free-kick and Chris Brunt’s strike put Roberto Di Matteo’s side two up at the break.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas pulled one back for Rovers two minutes into the second half only for Roman Bednar’s 73rd-minute finish to restore the Baggies’ two-goal cushion. James Hayter added a second for Doncaster in the 85th minute to ensure a nervous finish, but the visitors held on.