Hughes walks out on Fulham

STEPHEN HUGHES dramatically walked out on Fulham before yesterday's goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

The GBP 4million-rated midfielder returned to Arsenal after completing less than half his three-month loan period at Craven Cottage.

Hughes was included in Fulham's squad for Saturday's home win over Charlton but a lack of full match fitness meant he was not selected.

He told manager Paul Bracewell on Sunday that he no longer wanted to play for the club. Bracewell said: "It's obviously disappointing but he has made his decision. He wanted to go back to Arsenal. The club is bigger than any player."

Fulham's other on-loan star, Stan Collymore, missed both weekend fixtures with a groin injury but should be fit by the end of the week.

The unlucky Alan Neilson, who deputised so well for Rufus Brevett against Charlton, limped off with a hamstring problem after just 25 minutes as Fulham preserved their unbeaten record.

A win in their next League game at Port Vale on 11 September would set the stage for the all-ticket derby at home to QPR the following week.

LEYTON ORIENT boss Tommy Taylor will widen his search for a striker this week after watching chances go begging in the 1-1 draw with Southend.

Taylor, who tried unsuccessfully to take Kevin Gallen from QPR on loan, is desperately short up front with Iyseden Christie and Tony Richards scheduled for knee surgery tomorrow and Amara Simba returning to Paris for his father's funeral after scoring in Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Halifax.

Alex Inglethorpe and Steve Watts failed to capitalise on Orient's superiority at Roots Hall and Taylor admitted: "We are simply not finishing teams off when we are on top.

That's got to change."

Orient paid the penalty for trying to sit back on a single goal lead.

They could easily have added to Belgian Wim Walschaerts's powerful 27th minute header. Only desperate Southend defending kept out Walschaerts and Inglethorpe. But Orient sat back and handed the initiative to Southend. Leo Roget's 85th-minute leveller had them hanging on grimly for a point.

BARNET followed up their 6-3 win over York on Saturday with a 2-1 victory at Cheltenham to move into the top six in division three.

The last time Barnet won at Cheltenham Town was nine years ago.

That season they went on to win the Conference championship and the early signs indicate they can emulate that feat to gain promotion.

Barnet manager John Still said: "The boys were magnificent. We anticipated a tough test but we attacked with urgency."

Barnet snatched an early lead when Darren Currie's astute delivery from the right flank caused mayhem in the Robins' box and Scott McGleish scrambled the ball in for his fourth goal in eight days.

Hugh McAuley hit a post with a Cheltenham penalty before Bees captain Greg Heald added a second for Barnet with a header. Town substitute John Brough reduced the deficit with 10 minutes left.

Copyright 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.