Brian Laws had nothing but praise for his Burnley players after watching them respond to being mauled at Manchester City last week with a 4-1 defeat of Hull City. It looked to be a similar story of woe for the Clarets when they fell behind in just the third minute to Kevin Kilbane's But after drawing level through Martin Paterson http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11708_6086289,00.html
Rafa Benitez has rounded on those who continue to question his handling of star striker Fernando Torres. The Liverpool The Reds entered that contest desperate to secure three points in order to keep their top-four dreams alive. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6085308,00.html
Derek Adams was full of praise for his side after watching Ross County dump Celtic out of the Scottish Cup. The First Division side entered their semi-final clash at Hampden Park as massive underdogs, but pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the history of the competition. Second half goals from Steven Craig http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_6085488,00.html
Champion jockey Tony McCoy triumphed in the John Smith's Grand National at the 15th attempt, when Don't Push It landed a public gamble in the world's greatest race. McCoy, who only chose to ride the horse over stable companion Can't Buy Time in the last seven days, laid the ghost of many bad luck stories in the Aintree spectacular with a textbook ride on the 10-1 joint favourite. Priced at twice those odds in the morning, the 10-year-old had never been the most fluent of jumpers and overcame a number of errors in the race to win for McCoy's boss - owner JP McManus - and trainer Jonjo O'Neill. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_6085902,00.html
Champion Hurdle runner-up Khyber Kim gained ample compensation for last month's Cheltenham defeat when he won the John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle. Paddy Brennan gave the 7-2 chance a quiet ride as Quwetwo set a steady pace, but the complexion of the race changed entering the straight as the leader fell away. Celestial Halo, second in the Champion Hurdle two years ago, took up the running but crashed out at the third last allowing Khyber Kim to take it up. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12426_6085699,00.html
Biarritz have booked themselves a home semi-final in this season's Heineken Cup after beating the Ospreys 29-28 in San Sebastian on Saturday. Despite being behind for almost the whole of the match, the Welsh region never let their opponents pull convincingly clear at the Estadio Anoeta and were poised to snatch the win following a late try scored by replacement Nikki Walker. Having been awarded a penalty in their own half, fly-half Dan Biggar kicked to touch - but the Ospreys could then have been awarded another penalty for offside within kicking distance. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,20244,11069_38565_1,00.html
More late heroics from Miah Nikora sealed Connacht a home semi-final in the Amlin Challenge Cup with a 23-20 comeback success over Bourgoin. Bourgoin thought they had claimed the scalp of the top seeds in the last eight stage for the second season running when Benjamin Boyet converted scum-half John Senio's try to put the French side 20-14 ahead. But Connacht, aided by a yellow card for Boyet, fought back in style as Nikora nailed his kicks after hard graft from his forwards paid dividends in the last 20 minutes. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,20244,11069_39532_1,00.html
Brothers Delon and Steffon Armitage were the heroes as London Irish came from behind to beat bottom side Worcester and boost their Guinness Premiership play-off hopes. The England international siblings both crossed to give their side the advantage after Worcester had failed to build on a 10-3 lead. Exiles fly-half Chris Malone notched 13 points with his boot to seal a victory which moves them into fourth, three points above Wasps. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,20244,11069_39536_1,00.html
Western Force picked up their second Super 14 victory in a row with a six-try demolition of the Highlanders in Queenstown. Just a week after picking up their first win of the season against the Stormers, Force out-scored their opponents by six tries to three with Ryan Cross and the returning Cameron Shepherd picking up two apiece. Young full-back James O'Connor also crossed and added four conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of 16 points, while replacement Jason Turner completed the try haul. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,20244,11069_38336_1,00.html
Western Force picked up their second Super 14 victory in a row with a six-try demolition of the Highlanders in Queenstown. Just a week after picking up their first win of the season against the Stormers, Force out-scored their opponents by six tries to three with Ryan Cross and the returning Cameron Shepherd picking up two apiece. Young full-back James O'Connor also crossed and added four conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of 16 points, while replacement Jason Turner completed the try haul. http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_report/0,20244,11069_38336_1,00.html
Lionel Messi stunning four-goal performance against Arsenal may have people talking about whether he is the best player of all time, but Real Madrid's Marcelo doesn't even think he is the best player at the moment. Stoking the fires ahead of Saturday night's El Clasico, where the winner will have one hand on the league title, the Brazilian winger admits Messi will be a major threat but thinks Cristiano Ronaldo is the better player of the two. http://www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/0,20144,12385_6079673,00.html
GB disability swimming executive director Tim Reddish tells BBC Sport's Nick Hope that he is confident his squad are in good shape for this year's IPC World Championships after their performances at the British Swimming Championships in Sheffield.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/8603013.stm
Smith's Scots have won three and lost three of their last six matches
Scotland face a play-off with USA after an exciting finale to the World Men's Curling Championship round robin left Norway and Canada in the top spots.
Torger Nergard's Norwegians finished in pole position in the table after defeating Kevin Koe's Canadians 9-8.
Warwick Smith's Scots, the only rink to have defeated Norway, slumped to a 9-7 defeat by Switzerland in Cortina.
That left the Scots with an 8-3 record, the same as Pete Fenson's improving USA and with one less victory than Canada.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/8602332.stm
Olympic champions Pete Reed and Andy Hodge aim to use this weekend's GB trials to secure a second chance to win a world title in the coxless pair.
The duo, who won gold in Beijing in a four, moved into a pair last season and came second at the World Championships.
But Reed said: "If we were in the pair, I think it could be the fastest boat that Britain can field in its event."
Hodge and Reed took World Championship silver last year
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/rowing/8612162.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/rowing/8612162.stm
Players must take quantum leap - Hearn
World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan has urged his fellow professionals to back World Snooker chief Barry Hearn's radical makeover plans for the sport.
Hearn's reform proposals include plans for an extended professional tour.
The promoter has also confirmed that players will break from tradition at April's World Championship, entering the Crucible to their choice of music.
O'Sullivan said: "Sometimes you have to back people with a little blind faith. It has to be voted through."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/8607633.stm
Harrison improved his record to 27 wins and four defeats
Audley Harrison produced a stunning last-round left hook to stop Michael Sprott and perhaps keep his faint world title hopes alive.
Harrison went into the fight claiming he was close to challenging for a world heavyweight title, but by the final round was behind on all three cards.
Despite an injured right shoulder, he caught Sprott with a huge shot to secure the vacant European title.
Andrew Dixon and James Roby scored two tries apiece for St Helens as they held off rock-bottom Harlequins to go third in Super League.
Full report to follow.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/8607201.stm
Schumacher took his last win in China and returns hoping he can improve
Michael Schumacher insists his comeback with Mercedes is going "according to plan" despite a disappointing start.
He has nine points from the opening three races after front wing problems in Australia were followed by his first retirement of 2010, in Malaysia.
"The last two races have not been very fortunate to me," Schumacher, 41, said.
"But I know how things go in F1 and everything is still going according to plan. You can only improve step-by-step and I'm confident we're achieving it."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8605793.stm
Younus Khan has played 63 Tests and 202 one-day internationals for Pakistan
Lancashire are in talks with former Pakistan captain Younus Khan over becoming their overseas player, BBC Sport understands.
The county side are targeting Younus as a replacement for Kumar Sangakkara, whose Sri Lanka commitments appear to have scuppered a move to Manchester.
Younus, 32, has played county cricket for Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.
Last month, he was banned from playing for his country for allegedly causing infighting on a tour of Australia.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/counties/lancashire/8600926.stm
Woodbridge was pleased with his performance in the combined run and shoot
Britain's Nick Woodbridge could only manage 14th place in the final of the men's Modern Pentathlon World Cup Series event in Medway, Kent.
Woodbridge, Britain's lone remaining man, started badly in the fencing and a good combined event was not enough as Hungary's Adam Marosi won.
"I think it could have been something more for me," admitted the Shropshire 23-year-old, who rued his bad start.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/modern_pentathlon/8607036.stm
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