Football

MARCUS RASHFORD has got a pep in his step once again as he hit his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa.The English striker now has seven goal contributions in just six starts since joining Aston Villa on loan in January after a bitter exit from Manchester United.Marcus Rashford bagged another goal for Aston VillaCredit: RexMarco Asensio continued his rich vein of formCredit: ReutersBrighton’s Simon Adingra saw an equaliser ruled out in the second halfCredit: AFPBut the move couldn’t have gone better for him with the forward now a Champions League quarter-finalist, an FA Cup semi-finalist and also on a sprint finish towards the top four.Rashford was on target on 51 minutes, then Brighton’s Simon Adingra had a goal chalked off by VAR for a Kaoru Mitoma handball before Marco Asensio doubled the lead on 78 minutes and Donyell Malen topped it all off in added time.Rashford’s last top-flight goal came four months ago on December 1 in Manchester United’s 4-0 drubbing of Everton.All the talk then was how the Rashford revival was on but how times have changed since then.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 27-year-old is now loving life under Villa boss Unai Emery who he has the trust of – something lost under former Old Trafford bosses Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.The fans love him too, and the away end was bouncing throughout, rubbing salt into Brighton’s wounds with chants of ‘Que Sera, Sera’ after Villa booked their spot at Wembley.Meanwhile the Seagulls suffered heartbreak when they were knocked out by Nottingham Forest in a penalty shootout on Saturday and relying on finishing in the European spots to brighten up this season.There was a nervy start for Bart Verbruggen as he spilled Ezri Konsa’s header but recovered just before Rashford could pounce on the ball.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSRashford hit back again after latching onto Boubacar Kamara’s inch-perfect cross and twisting inside and out before firing wide.On 25 minutes Adingra brought the game to life with a peach of a shot just wide of the far post after being teed up by Mitoma.Moment Marcus Rashford’s £700k Rolls-Royce is towed off motorway after tyre blew outThe Amex went bezerk as Mitoma went to the floor after a light shove from Matty Cash in the box, but referee Stuart Attwell waved the penalty shouts away.It was a clash of two very animated managers on the touchline, who started going at it.Fabian Hurzeler was giving fourth official Simon Hooper an earful before Unai Emery complained that the Brighton boss was out of his technical area, despite often being out of his own.There was a VAR check after Jack Hinshelwood cleverly poked the ball away from an onrushing Jacob Ramsey in the box, but no penalty was given.Just before the break Yasin Ayari curled a jaw-dropping free-kick off the post before the ball ricocheted onto the arm of Ramsey but there was nothing he could do about it.Brighton were livid, with huge shouts that there should have been a penalty for handball.Martinez saved a Jan Paul van Hecke header then rolled it out to Morgan Rogers who put it on a plate for Rashford to produce a lovely finish.The lead seemed to have lasted just four minutes as a desperate scramble in the box left Adingra slotting home from close range on 55 minutes.But VAR rained on Brighton’s parade as referee Attwell was called over to the monitor as the ball had struck Mitoma’s arm in the process and no goal was given.Villa were in dreamland when Asensio doubled the lead by slotting into the bottom corner, with the assist again coming from Rogers on 78 minutes.Read More on The SunThe away end was singing ‘Is this the Way to Barcelona’ as Brighton fans flooded to the nearest exits.In the dying seconds John McGinn outmuscled his man to play the ball to Asensio, who in turn teed up Donyell Malen for the icing on the cake, 10 minutes into injury time. Kaoru Mitoma was deemed to have handled the ballCredit: RexDonyell Malen added a third for Aston VillaCredit: Rex More

FENERBAHCE manager Jose Mourinho found himself in trouble after an intense derby against Galatasaray.Mourinho, 62, was caught PINCHING the nose of rival boss Okan Buruk, who then collapsed to the ground.Jose Mourinho pinched Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk’s noseCredit: CANLIBuruk then fell to the ground in an extremely dramatic fashionCredit: CANLIFenerbahce lost to Galatasaray and were eliminated from the cupCredit: CANLIMourinho was then taken away after the bizarre incidentCredit: CANLIFenerbahce hosted their Turkish rivals at the Sukru Saracoglu in the quarter-finals of the Turkish Cup.And the Portuguese tactician saw his team crash out after a 2-1 defeat to Buruk’s side.Napoli loanee Victor Osimhen scored both of his team’s goals in the first half.Fenerbahce hit back just before half-time through Sebastian Szymanski but couldn’t find an equaliser.Read More on FootballTensions flared in the second half as the referee showed three red cards.Fener’s Mert Hakan Yandas and Galatasaray duo Kerem Demirbay and Baris Alper Yilmaz were all sent off in the second minute of added time.That is despite the fact none of the three were on the pitch during that time.But it was Mourinho who stole the spotlight at full-time as he was clearly unhappy with something.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThat was when he grabbed Buruk’s nose and left everyone in shock.The Turkish tactician was caught by surprise and collapsed to the ground.Mourinho joins Prem and WWE stars at UFC London for huge Leon Edwards fightThe ex-Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea boss was ushered down the tunnel by a member of his coaching staff while both sets of players rushed to the scene.But reports suggest Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera immediately stormed over to confront the former Real Madrid manager.That bust-up came after another massive fracas on 88 minutes between the two benches as Yilmaz was substituted.The two dugouts clashed and police had to intervene to impose order on the benches.Yilmaz was seen shouting towards the opposition while members of the coaching team tried to drag him away.The winger and team-mate Demirbay as well as Yandas were then sent off by the referee.Chaos erupted after Mourinho clashed with BurukCredit: GettyThat was after an intense fracas between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray’s benchesThe two benches collided after Galatasaray ace Barıs Alper Yılmaz’s substitutionPolice had to intervene to regain orderThe referee showed three red cards after the fracasCredit: ReutersThe game restarted after the police’s interventionCredit: GettyMourinho’s confrontation with Buruk took place after full-timeCredit: Reuters More

PAT HARDING never got the chance to share being an adult with his famous dad.Former Chelsea vice-chairman and major investor Matthew Harding was tragically killed in a 1996 helicopter crash with five others following a League Cup game at Bolton, aged just 42.Pat Harding is following in the footsteps of his legendary fatherCredit: Chris EadesPat is the son of Chelsea legend Matthew HardingMatthew, here with Ken Bates, was Chelsea’s vice-chairman as well as a major investor of the clubCredit: GettyPat is now the chairman of non-league side Hassocks where he also mans the parking and turnstilesCredit: Chris EadesPat was 12 so his dad never saw him grow up, get married, have children or embark on a successful non-league playing career.But he did leave his young son with solid values he has put to use to help lead Sussex non-league club Hassocks to the biggest achievement in their 123-year history.Pat, in his first season as chairman, saw the village team from just outside Brighton clinch the Southern Combination League title with a 3-0 win over Crowborough Athletic on Saturday in front of a record crowd of 807.The much-loved Sussex non-league striker — who played for Eastbourne Borough,  Hassocks, Horsham, Whitehawk and Burgess Hill — is often stewarding the car park, operating the turnstiles and chatting warmly to fans.Read More on ChelseaIt has echoes of when his dad visited local pubs on Chelsea matchdays and drank with supporters rather than schmoozing in VIP boxes.Pat, 41, told SunSport: “When I was aged between eight and 11, we went to a lot of games home and away.“We’d get the train and go into the pubs before and after matches. It wouldn’t have won him any Father of the Year awards but it was fun.“Dad had been kicked out of the Chelsea boardroom on matchdays after having a row with chairman Ken Bates, so we’d go to the local pub and mingle with fans instead.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge“It taught me about giving people time, making them feel special. He’d have crowds of people around him but was happy to hold court and have a beer with them.“That’s what I do now. If Hassocks supporters come up to me, I give them time. It’s nice making people feel important, which they are.Former Chelsea star Demba Ba talks about his role as director of football of USL “I do the car park and turnstiles because we only have seven or eight volunteers.“Some people say I shouldn’t be parking because I miss any goals that are scored early.“But I like that people can see I’m doing something rather than swanning around and, secondly, it’s nice to meet and greet people by being front of house along with the other turnstile guys, who also do a great job.”Pat had a 22-year senior playing career that saw him score a remarkable 348 goals in 990 games — with winning promotion and playing in the National League at Eastbourne the highlight.And he laughed and admitted: “My goalscoring ratio would’ve been better had I not played on as an old-timer!”He also holds the distinction of netting in every senior step of non-league, from Sussex County League to National League.At first, I said, ‘That’s crazy’. But then I thought, ‘What am I going to do now I’ve retired?’ But after hanging up his boots in May last year with Hassocks — where he came through as a kid — he became chairman.Pat said: “The former chairman, Dave John, who has been at the club for more than 30 years, asked if I fancied doing it.“At first, I said, ‘That’s crazy’. But then I thought, ‘What am I going to do now I’ve retired?’ because coaching and managing isn’t for me. “Being chairman would give me a chance to put a little print on it and improve a few things — but I didn’t expect us to win the league in my first season!”Hassocks are a family club and this season not a single player got paid — not even expenses.Next term Pat says manager James Westlake is getting a playing budget but it will be the lowest in the Isthmian League South East Division.Pat added: “Being chairman involves two big things. One, it’s building and maintenance and, second, matchdays are like throwing a big party and you’ve got to make everything run smoothly.”He is overseeing the installation of new, modern LED floodlights to sit on the exact columns his dad donated to the club in 1995 to enable the club to be promoted to the Sussex League.Also he is overseeing powering The Beacon stadium with solar panels, pushing club merchandise and improving the matchday experience.Pat has added a merchandise sweet stand to cater for kids as Hassocks centre their focus on attracting families and youngsters to the club.He said: “We want to grow organically and be sustainable. We’re definitely good enough to be in the level above but whether that’ll be our ceiling or not time will tell.”His dad sadly never saw Chelsea go on to win all the glittering silverware of the Roman Abramovich era — which included five Premier League titles and two European Cups — although his legacy at Stamford Bridge lives on through The Matthew Harding Stand, which he helped finance.Pat has high hopes for his beloved HassocksCredit: Chris EadesPat learned the tragic news of his dad’s death the morning after while at home in Hassocks.And he said: “When you have a bereavement as a kid, you probably just cope with it and it’s only when you look back you understand the enormity of it. I remember waking up and hearing about it first thing.“My mum told me I wouldn’t be going to school that day. There was a big media circus outside.“It was bizarre because it was on the news. I don’t know if it made it easier because with my dad always being in the papers or on TV it was all I’d known.“Like most ordinary people and growing up as a man, you hide emotions and don’t deal with them at the time.“It catches you up sooner or later but I’ve dealt with it as I’ve become an adult.Following in dad’s footsteps“It makes you a bit stronger. You get through stuff. You cope like everyone else does — a lot of people’s dads die.”Matthew Harding would be proud of his son today. His values have been passed on to Pat, who is much loved in Sussex non-league football for his warm and sincere personality.Pat — who has his own business working as a mobile sports massage therapist and personal trainer — added: “My dad was very personable. He made people feel good. He was generous. It’s amazing now looking back how much I picked up.Read More on The Sun“Dad enjoyed people’s company. It made me realise in football and business people buy from people — personality is a big thing, more than anything.“He was good fun. He was more eccentric and charming than me.“Dad was a bit of a character and I’m so happy I took some of that forward.” More