Burnley 1 - 1 Bolton
Bolton remain in the relegation zone as Burnley fought back to earn a draw in a spirited Lancashire derby at Turf Moor.
After Steven Fletcher had missed a golden chance for the home side Matt Taylor deservedly put Wanderers ahead with a stunning 25-yard free-kick.
Both sides hit the woodwork, before Bolton's run of failing to keep a clean sheet since May continued when David Nugent headed in Wade Elliott's cross.
There were chances at both ends in a tense finish to an entertaining match.
So Burnley are still without a league win over Bolton since the teams met in the old fourth division in 1987.
More significantly for their first top flight campaign in 33 years the Clarets are now without a Premier League victory in eight matches.
The strong home record, which had yielded 18 of their 19 points prior to this fixture and seen only Wigan triumph at Turf Moor this term, will be tested in contrasting fashion by Stoke and Chelsea during January.
On a bright, crisp afternoon with snow atop the hills beyond there were several unenviable records on show for both teams and Burnley must have feared the worst at the interval, having lost all seven games in which they had trailed at the break.
Bolton, in addition to their defensive frailties - the run of games without leaking a league goal stretching to 19 matches - are yet to win after conceding the first goal and it was Gary Megson's team who made the stronger start.
Burnley boss Owen Coyle:
"On the balance of the match I felt we were in control.
"We should have been in front but found ourselves behind to an exquisite free-kick - if it was a free-kick, but Mr Foy thought it was.
"I asked them to raise their game and I felt we fully deserved three points.
"I felt when we scored we were going to go on to win but Jaaskelainen is a quality keeper and always has been and he showed it."
Bolton manager Gary Megson:
"Before the game I would have been satisfied with a point given the home record Burnley have and some of the teams they have beaten.
"But we were 1-0 up, way on top and had most of the chances and were disappointed not to be more than one up.
"In the second half they were much stronger but if we'd taken the chance at 1-0 I don't know if they would have come back from that.
"We rode our luck in the second half and a draw is a fair result for both teams."
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Cardiff 0 - 1 Plymouth
Bottom club Plymouth stunned promotion-chasing Cardiff with a smash-and-grab raid at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Gary Sawyer struck six minutes from time with a deflected effort after Paul Quinn's poor clearance.
Cardiff had chances to take all three points but missed chances through Peter Whittingham, Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd and Joe Ledley late on.
Argyle keeper Romain Larrieu also denied Mark Hudson's header as the visitors ended a run of five defeats.
It was new boss Paul Mariner's first win in his third game in charge and his side's first goal in over 500 minutes of football.
Cardiff keeper David Marshall had no chance with the goal though after Sawyer's shot deflected off Hudson.
He did also keep Cardiff in it in the first half denying Alan Judge, but was the quieter of the two keepers as Cardiff blew the chance to close the gap on the Championship's top two.
Frenchman Larrieu turned Hudson's header over the bar and then sent Whittingham's 20-yard effort to safety.
Bothroyd then narrowly put the ball over the bar from inside the box before Chopra wasted a good chance.
Cardiff piled on further pressure after Sawyer's goal, but Ledley drove just wide from 12 yards as Plymouth held on for a vital win as they climbed off the bottom and attempt to reach Championship safety.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones:
"These are the type of games you have to see out and we had the chances to do that yet we never showed the creativity we are capable of and we have been caught by a sucker punch.
"This division is a difficult one but we should still have been good enough to win and it is very disappointing to lose a game like this.
"You could see it coming and three individual errors led to the goal. They were waiting for one opportunity and when it came they took it.
Plymouth manager Paul Mariner:
"We worked very hard for that result but the signs have been there for a couple of weeks.
"The players want to get this club out of the mess we are in and we knew we would get a resilient performance from them but three points is a wonderful result.
"To keep a clean sheet against such a high powered attacking force as Cardiff have is a magnificent effort.
"We haven't scored for a long time but you have to go back to the basics and that is what we have done today."
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Btw. my Premier League prediction ended with six correct picks out of eight! Cheers to those who followed.
After the run of 7 (seven) consecutive defeats, Plymouth noticed two victories, over the fellows from the bottom - Peterborough United (2-1 at home) and against “you’ll never know what to expect from us” - Scunthorpe United (2-1 on the road). Another defeat (at Blackpool, 0-2) turned them back into relegation zone. After the game, boss Paul Sturrock stated the main reason for defeat is 11 hours spent in the bus! Hm…,ok. The problem is squad didn’t return to Devon after the game and spent two days at Stoke-on-Trent (half of the distance). So, players won’t be much more rested than at Saturday. Sturrock announced intention to fresh the squad with new players (what players?!) but the question is are the lads from the bench capable to improve the team’s shape and help to resist at one hell’s place, as Ashton Gate surely is. Club’s officials have insisted that Paul Sturrock's job as manager is safe (those statements usually means opposite) despite the arrival of former Argyle and England striker Paul Mariner as head coach. And Blackpool defeat didn’t help. However, lack of quality, tired players, bad dressing room atmosphere and manager who lost control should be the main reasons (in that order) why I (guess nobody) don’t expect them to take anything from this encounter. Except mentioned freshening the squad, no other injury concerns for Sturrock.
