Friday 5th April
Reggina 1 – 0 Bari
Saturday 6th April
Brescia 2 – 1 Cesena
Empoli 0 – 0 Crotone
Livorno 3 – 0 Ascoli
Modena 1 – 0 Pro Vercelli
Novara 3 – 2 Sassuolo
Spezia 2 – 1 Grosseto
Verona 2 – 1 Ternana
Vicenza 1 – 2 Cittadella
Virtus Lanciano 1 – 1 Juve Stabia
Monday 8th April
Padova 1 – 1 Varese
On the weekend of the annual running of the Grand National, it somehow seems appropriate to raise the infamous spectre of the racehorse Devon Loch, who in 1956 mysteriously attempted to vault an imaginary fence when within sight of the winning post and consequently snatched defeat from the jaws of certain victory.
To ‘do a Devon Loch’ has since become a metaphor for cataclysmic sporting collapse, and having led the Serie B standings since the first week of September, Sassuolo are increasingly in danger of adding their name to the long list of those to have followed in the ill-fated horse’s footsteps.
Saturday’s last gasp defeat to Novara was the Neroverdi’s fourth game without a win, and saw their lead at the top slashed to just six points with seven games remaining. It was clear from the moment Bruno Fernandes dispatched a stupendous long range effort into the top corner inside the second minute that the league leaders were in for a difficult afternoon, and the situation worsened when Daniele Buzzegoli curled a wonderful free kick in off the crossbar just ten minutes later.
There is a reason that Sassuolo have led the league for so long however, and they demonstrated their resilience by drawing level before half time. Domenico Berardi reduced the arrears in the 17th minute with a truly sensational free kick, before a headed own goal from Carlalberto Ludi made it two apiece.
Both sides went in search of a winner during the second half, with Buzzegoli clipping the crossbar from distance, and Alessandro Longhi seeing an effort tipped wide of the post by Francesco Bardi, but in the third minute of injury time, Francesco Marianini whipped in a cross in from the right, which substitute Pancrazio Farago met with his head to claim the points in the most dramatic of fashions.
Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco claimed afterwards that his side would perhaps on occasion play worse between now and the end of the season and probably come away with three points. That is a matter for debate, but what is clear is that the Neroverdi need to rediscover their winning touch soon, with both Verona and Livorno now breathing down their necks.
The Gialloblu held out for a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Ternana, with Nicola Ferrari heading in the opener a minute into the second half, and Alessandro Sgrigna steering home a second seven minutes later. Ternana pulled one back through Alessandro Bernardi’s stunning long range strike but it proved to be merely a consolation. Livorno meanwhile eased to their biggest winning margin since December with a 3-0 triumph over Ascoli. Paulinho put them ahead inside the opening minute with a wonderful curling strike from distance, while fellow Brazilian Emerson doubled the advantage with a superb free kick 20 minutes later, and Mirko Bigazzi steered in the third in the 93rd minute. The result sees Livorno stay third, but level on points with Verona, with both sides now just six adrift of Sassuolo.
Of course, the three way race for automatic promotion could be rendered redundant if the side finishing fourth fails to do so by a margin of ten points or less on the side finishing third, and Empoli’s goalless draw with Crotone means that such a scenario is still a very realistic prospect. Fifth place Varese meanwhile were held to a 1-1 draw away at Padova on Monday evening, with Giulio Ebagua putting the visitors ahead from the spot shortly before half time, before Emiliano Bonazzoli’s late equaliser gave the hosts their first point in six matches. Elsewhere, Brescia kept up their hopes of claiming a play-off place with victory over Cesena, with second half goals from Fabio Daprela and Andrea Cacracciolo cancelling out Pablo Mariano Granoche’s first half header. Juve Stabia meanwhile were held to a 1-1 draw by Virtus Lanciano, with Alessandro Volpe levelling from the spot in the 80th minute following Antonio Zito’s clinical first half strike.
Modena stay in the hunt for a play-off place after Matteo Ardemagni’s second half header settled a close encounter with Pro Vercelli, a result that edges the Piedmont side ever closer towards relegation. Meanwhile, bottom side Grosseto could have their relegation confirmed next weekend after they were dealt their 18th defeat of a dismal season by Spezia. Nicolai Goian steered in the home side’s opener from close range eight minutes into the second half, while Davide Di Gennaro made sure of the points with a stunning long range effort three minutes from time. Gennaro Delvecchio fired in an injury time consolation from the penalty spot, but it was too little, too late for the Grifone.
The situation is looking increasingly bleak also for Vicenza, who fell to a fourth defeat in their last five matches with a 2-1 loss to Cittadella. Antonio Di Nardo put the visitors ahead shortly before half time, and though Dominique Malonga levelled for Vicenza on the hour, Di Nardo kept his composure to fire in the winner from the penalty spot two minutes later. It was a vital result for Cittadella, who had slipped into the bottom five for the first time this season last week. Finally, Reggina also moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Bari on Friday evening, with David Di Michele grabbing the only goal of the game inside the opening minute.
Player of the Week: Antonio Di Nardo (Cittadella)
It has been a desperate second half of the season for Cittadella, who slipped into the relegation zone for the first time last weekend following a run of just one victory in 16. Antonio Di Nardo’s double against Vicenza could not have come at a better time then, giving the side from the walled city three vital points that moved them back up to a position of safety. That the 33-year-old’s brace came in a Venetian derby and pushed their near neighbours ever closer to the dreaded drop into Lega Pro will of course have come as an added bonus for the club’s support.
Goal of the Week: Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo)
Fans of sensational, long range goals were spoilt for choice this weekend, and in all honesty any number of efforts could have walked away with this accolade. However, Domenico Berardi’s free kick for Sassuolo just about takes the plaudits. Roughly 40 yards from goal, Berardi is unlikely to hit a sweeter strike for the remainder of his career, as the ball arrowed in to the top corner with such velocity that it left Novara keeper Francesco Bardi rooted to the spot.
Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevertonFC_84
