Sport

Wigan face Middlesbrough away today and host Derby County on Easter Monday in the midst of a tight battle at both ends of the table.

Bolton are 10 points clear of relegation but manager Neil Lennon knows how quickly the league table can change and wants a minimum of five points from the remaining seven games.

Wigan, currently fifth in the standings, have had far from an ideal start to the campaign and coach Shaun Wane conceded that the Warriors must be on top form in their first competitive encounter with the champions since October’s Grand Final.

Phil Neville may not have known how to cook up until three months ago, but he now has his eyes set on owning his own restaurant within the next two years.

England’s ninth highest wicket taker Darren Gough of all-time is a loyal friend to Kevin Pietersen and was best man at his wedding but thinks the controversial batsman’s chance of a national team recall are very slim.

In the inflatable dome outside Sale Sharks’ AJ Bell Stadium, year-seven Stanley High School pupil Owen Barnes caught more paper tickets in 30 seconds than anyone else to win two tickets to the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final on May 30.

Kate Cross, Lancashire’s first female professional cricketer and Jennifer Laycock, Women’s Cricket Development Officer for the county both agree that the recent development of women’s cricket will help it share a similar status to their male counterparts.

Tom Daley is back diving in his comfort zone and charting exactly the right progress towards Rio next summer, according to Olympic silver medallist Leon Taylor.

Johnny Leota and Josh Beaumont scored the tries for Sale while Danny Cipriani showed his quality scoring 13 points with the boot in tricky conditions as Sale prevailed 23-6 over Gloucester.

Goals from Rhys Bennett and Jack O’Connell gave Rochdale a 2-1 victory over Yeovil Town on Saturday to put Keith Hill’s men sixth in League One with a game in hand on their closest rivals, only increasing the expectation of promotion surrounding the club.

Captain Tim Phillips insisted King’s School, Macclesfield could still hold their heads up high despite missing out on the top prize at the 76th Rosslyn Park HSBC National Schools Sevens last week.