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Hundreds more prisoners released early but jails still full
New data shows more than 600 prisoners have been released early from Scotland’s jails since November but it has done little to ease overcrowding.
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Key events
5 min: Making his full Premier League debut, Forest right-back Luca Netz gets on the ball as Forest go in search of a second goal.
4 min: Awoniyi’s goal came on 98 seconds and has stunned Stamford Bridge into silence. Dilane Bakwa stictched Marc Cucurella up like a kipper before sending in his cross and Awoniyi had a free header which he placed in the top corner.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Awoniyi 2)
Forest lead! Taiwo Awoniyi puts Forest ahead, leaping unmarked at the far post to nod a Dilane Bakwa cross from the byline past Robert Sanchez.
1 min: Forest win an early throw-in deep in Chelsea territory, the ball going out of play off Marc Cucurella. Zach Abbott takes responsibility, starting just his second senior game.
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest is go …
1 min: Nottingham Forest get the ball rolling, playing it straight back to Matz Sels. He passes it back upfield.
Not long now: The teams are out on the Stamford Bridge pitch and going through the last of the pre-match formalities. Kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.
Chelsea: Currently on a run of five Premier League defeats without scoring, the hosts will set an unwanted club record if they lose without finding the back of the net this afternoon.
Calum McFarlane: “It’s a great opportunity for Jesse,” says Chelsea’s interim head coach of his decision to hand young Master Derry his full debut. “He’s training with us a lot, he’s been in squads, he’s played in other games. We trust him, we know his talent because I’ve worked with him previously. The boys trust him, he’s trained really well so I’m really excited for Jesse.” McFarlane goes on to tell Sky Sports that both Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are sidelined with knocks that aren’t serious.
Vitor Pereira: In a pre-match interview with Sky Sports, the Forest manager is asked about his team selection and the potential risks involved in resting so many first-team regulars. “They need to show, to prove in this moment that they are ready to help the team,” he says of the players he has picked. “I truly believe we can do a competitive game and we can fight for the points.”
Unai Emery adopted the same approach with the Aston Villa team he picked to face Tottenham Hotspur yesterday and if he believed his largely second-string side could be competitive he was quickly disabused of the notion as they stank Villa Park out with an embarrassing performance that seems to have prompted far more upset among West Ham’s fans than those of the Villa.
Today’s match officials
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Referee: Anthony Taylor
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Referee assistants: Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn
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Fourth official: Michael Salisbury
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VAR: James Bell
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Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan
Chelsea: Having recently returned from a club-imposed two-match ban for telling reporters how much he’d like to live in Madrid, Enzo Fernandes only went and spent his three days off this week in the Spanish capital watching tennis with his teammates Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro.
“It says a lot about the group that they go away together,” said McFarlane. “I love that they spend time together. They went to Madrid to watch tennis, I don’t see an issue. It’s a positive sign for the unity of the group.”
On his own role as interim head coach of a team that has lost five consecutive Premier League matches without scoring a goal before his appointment, McFarlane hd this to say: “I’ve been involved at games at Stamford Bridge as assistant and support staff but there might be a different feel leading the team and it will be a great honour in front of the Chelsea fans. Really looking forward to it and hoping we can put in a similar level of performance as we did at Wembley.”
Nottingham Forest: “I will try to think just about the Chelsea game because it’s our Champions League,” said Vitor Pereira when asked about this match being sandwiched between both legs of a Europa League semi-final. “It’s very important for us and we will try to go there to compete with the players. I prefer a fit player without injury problems, than someone that goes inside the pitch with problems, because with problems, we cannot give 100% and in this moment we need to run and fight.”
Jesse Derry: Maybe it’s just his hairstyle but Jesse Derry reminds me of Jamie Tartt, star player of AFC Richmond in the comedy series Ted Lasso. Unlike Jamie, he seems unlikely to take a sabbatical from football so he can appear on a Reality TV Show. If he’s as good and unselfish a player as Tartt in his series three pomp, Chelsea fans are in for a treat.
Pre-match listening: Myself, Barney Ronay and Jonathan Wilson were up with the lark to join Max Rushden and pick over the bones of the weekend action in the latest episode of our Football Weekly podcast. Warning: may contain middle-aged men bickering and one extremely laboured tea analogy.
Those teams: Vitor Pereira has channeled his inner Unai Emery and made eight changes to the side that beat Aston Villa on Thursday night. Morato, Nico Dominguez and Igor Jesus are the only survivors as a host of first team regulars drop to the bench for a rest.
It’s a risky strategy that may prove to have backfired come season’s end, but Pereira clearly feels his players have enough about them to pick up the points they need to avoid relegation in their remaining games, even if they lose today. And let’s face it, given they are playing Chelsea-in-freefall, there’s every chance Forest won’t lose today.
With Pedro Neto and Alejandro both absent from the home squad, Jesse Derry comes into the Chelsea side to make his full senior debut. The 18-year-old winger is the son of Shaun Derry, the former Notts County, Crystal Palace and QPR legend. As expected, Reece James and Levi Colwill are on the Chelsea bench.
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest line-ups
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella, Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer, Derry, Fernandez, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Colwill, Fofana, James, Hato, Santos, Essugo, Delap.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Abbott, Morato, Jair Cunha, Netz, Yates, McAtee, Dominguez, Bakwa, Igor Jesus, Awoniyi.
Subs: Ortega, Williams, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Wood, Da Silva Moreira, Lucca, Hutchinson, Milenkovic.
Early team news
Filip Jorgensen, Estavao Willian and Jamie Gittens remain sidelined but Chelsea could welcome Reece James and Levi Colwill back into their matchday squad. Colwill is back from an ACL he suffered in pre-season and has not played since the Club World Cup final. “When someone’s had an injury for that long, you have to be patient,” said Calum McFarlane. “We just need to manage his minutes, not push him too much. We don’t want to risk re‑injuring him, but he looks brilliant and he is in a really good place.”
Forest right-back Ola Aina limped out of Thursday night’s Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa but may return this afternoon. At his pre-match press conference, Vitor Pereira was unable to offer updates on the fitness of Dan Ndoye, Ibrahim Sangare, Jair Cunha and Murillo. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Nicolo Savona, John Victor and Willy Boly are definitely out.
Premier League: Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Stamford Bridge hosts a high-stakes Bank Holiday clash between two sides suffering different end-of-season anxieties. Chelsea have an imminent FA Cup final to focus on but must win today to end a remarkable five-match Premier League losing streak to keep their already slim hopes of playing Champions League football next season alive.
Dragged back into a relegation battle they hoped they’d escaped, Nottingham Forest currently find themselves between two legs of a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa. While the lights of Villa Park beckon for Thursday’s second leg, Forest cannot afford to take things easy this afternoon. Kick-off is at 3pm (BST) but we’ll have team news and build-up in the meantime.
UK News
Kent v Derbyshire, Somerset v Yorkshire, and more: county cricket, day four – live | County Championship
Key events
Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater are trying to wrap this up before sandwiches. Notts 41-0 need just 32 to beat Leicestershire.
At Lord’s, Ben Raine and Matthew Potts are keeping pavilion would-be slumberers awake, reducing Middlesex to 55 for three. They still trail Durham by 81 so this isn’t dead yet.
Jonny Bairstow decides Joe Root is going to be the partnership breaker. My son plonks himself on the sofa and is instantly disapproving of the Yorkshire kit “too much colour.” “Ooooh,” Root’s hands fly to his head, “aaaah”, as Abell hits close to mid wicket. Somerset 48-3.
Over to The Oval, where Surrey are getting into their work. They’ve taken two wickets this morning – Hughes for 39 and Hudson-Prentice for 15. Charlie Tear is proving tricky to dislodge, 43 not out. Sussex 152-6, trail by 112.
Kent are nearly there after Jas Singh sends Zak Chappell’s off stump spinning away – an entertaining 20. Derbyshire 82-7.
Ben Brown (62) and Scott Currie (25) are sticking it out at Southampton…actually as I type Crane has just been lbw to Mason Crane. Hampshire 194-7.
Notts need 73 to win!
Two valuable not outs for Josh Hull, Ben Green is Patterson-White’s fifth wicket, out for 37. This should be a over just after lunch at Grace Road.
Delight at Taunton, meanwhile, as James Rew is caught behind by YJB off Dom Bess. A second low score of the match. Bairstow leaps about, as do his teammates – you see how highly they all rate Rew. Somerset 21 for three and in deep trouble.
Oh dear, that wasn’t a good ball to leave, Tom Lammonby. Plonks a big front foot forward, raises his bat and glances under his armpit to see the off stump dance. A second for the impressive Hill. Somerset 18 for two. Time for a James Rew special.
At Canterbury, Kent are fair frolicking. Four for Matt Milnes now, Martin Andersson, sometimes a steadying hand, and Brooke Guest, have their stumps dismantled. Derbyshire 52-6.
Thomas has a complete slog, misses, and White, wild-haired, appeals with imploring arms. No says the umpire.
Aha, here comes Dom Bess. Vic thinks this is a good idea.
Four wickets for Patterson-White now at Grace Road, Ben Green, if seven wickets weren’t enough, is now trying to haul Leicestershire towards a lead of 100.
Great to see Joe Root clapping enthusiastically, part of a co-ordinated Yorkshire appreciation of George Hill from the slips. Somerset 11-1.
At Taunton, where the clouds are fluffing up like threatening candy floss, Archie Vaughan’s bails spray up into the air, bowled by good un from George Hill for four. Vaughan thuds his bat into the grass in frustration as he walks off Somerset 9-1.
Durham have added another 37 this morning at Lord’s and lost a wicket – the lead over Middlesex 137. Seems unlikely this will be anything more than a draw, but perhaps Potts and Raine can conjure magic.
At Taunton, YJB may have just dropped Vaughan, but tricky to tell. Jack Leach watches intensely from the boundary edge.
Archie Vaughan and Josh Thomas start the Somerset chase. Expecting this to zig and zag – with Somerset 43 for three, then stumble to the finish held together by Craig Overton’s heave-ho 57.
Derbyshire’s unlikely run-chase against Kent is already in tatters at 34 for four. Three wickets for Matt Milnes: Came, Jewell, Montgomery and Madsen all done and dusted.
Kevin Hand says that Glamorgan are on track for their biggest ever thrashing of Hampshire. And just to hurry things along, Felix Organ is obligingly lbw to Jamie McIlroy. Hampshire are six down, and still trail by 190.
Somerset need 260 to win!
Richardson nibbles, gives James Rew a leaping take, just after making fifty. Now the fun begins.
So far not so good at Grace Road though, where Leicestershire are now eight down – Scriven to the fourth ball of the m orning.
Last night Paul Farbrace said there were no signs of concussion for Tom Haines, which is excellent news, and Sussex will need him.
“We’ve had a bad couple of days,” said Farbrace. “We were in the field for six hours and then find ourselves 0 for 2.
“They had their tails up and bowled very well with the new ball. We will have to bat well tomorrow but Dan Hughes has been nice and calm and showed what’s possible.” So far so good.
We are underway all round the grounds.
Free entry at Canterbury
To see Kent cross the line for the first time this season. Maybe.
“I think all three results are possible (but) I think we’re in the driving seat,” said yesterday’s centurion Chris Benjamin. “So if we can bowl the way we did this evening, we’ve got a great chance.”
Sunday’s round up
Emilio Gay’s third century of the season may have come with an unspectacular trowel down to third man, but it could be career-defining. Like Zak Crawley, Gay is playing Division Two cricket, but two of his Durham centuries have come against the challenging Lancashire, and now Middlesex, attacks, even if the Lord’s pitch was friendly. David Bedingham also flew to a hundred, while poor Kasey Aldridge was lbw for 99.
Gay’s former county Northamptonshire grabbed their first win of the summer, after Ben Sanderson rampaged through Worcestershire’s second dig. His six wickets in 29 balls skittled an innings that had been progressing, if slowly, at 88 for two. Fourteen overs and 26 runs later, Worcestershire were all out. Sanderson’s seven for 31 gave him a career best 11 wickets in the match. James Sales and Lewis McManus had earlier hit hundreds in Northants’ 597 for seven declared.
There was youthful joy at the Oval where 19-year-old Adam Thomas frisked to a century on Championship debut, a companion piece to Dom Sibley’s 187. Sussex wheeled through the onslaught until Surrey were finally bowled out for 622. Matt Fisher then immediately firebombed Sussex’s reply. His first ball spat off the pitch and hit Tom Haines in the grill, who staggered backwards and immediately retired hurt. Fisher then removed Tom Clark lbw with his second ball and had James Coles caught behind from his sixth.
An intriguing game has built up at Taunton, where 64 from Joe Root, 92 from James Wharton and some wagging of the tail ensured Yorkshire’s bowlers would have something to go at against Somerset on the final day.
Despite a flamboyant first-innings century from Stevie Eskinazi, Nottinghamshire thundered towards victory. Olly Stone, who picked up five wickets in Leicestershire’s first innings, plucked out another three as they followed on, including Eskinazi lbw, this time for a duck. Ben Green and Jonny Tattersall ensured Notts would have to bat again
Hampshire’s rough season continued, following on they finished five down, still 204 behind Glamorgan. Mason Crane pocketed four wickets at his former home. Kent can dream about a first win of the year, against Derbyshire, thanks to a partnership of 184 between Chris Benjamin (123) and Joey Evison (88).
Scores on the doors
Division One
Southampton: Hampshire 214 and 118-5 v Glamorgan 536-7dec
Leicester: Leicestershire 308 and 215-7 v Nottinghamshire 490
Taunton: Somerset 274 v Yorkshire 162 and 365-9
The Oval: Surrey 622 v Sussex 358-9dec and 76-4
Division Two
Canterbury: Kent 352 and 335 v Derbyshire 304 and 19-1 Derbys need 365 to win
Lord’s: Middlesex 430 v Durham 530-8
Northampton: Northants 597-7dec BEAT Worcestershire 306 and 114 by an innings and 177 runs
Preamble
Hello and happy bank holiday Monday! If you’re not off doing lovely things, there’s some absorbing cricket to keep an eye on. The weather, typically, may misbehave, with bands of showers particularly across the south. But we cross our fingers. Play (should) start at 11am, do join us on the sofa, there’s plenty of space.
“His Majesty The King has been informed and is delighted with the news,” Buckingham Palace said.
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