Arsenal outclassed Bradford at Highbury to move back into second place in the Premiership and evaporate the Yorkshire club's recent hopes of a revival.
Having taken a two-goal by half time, Arsenal barely went through the motions after the break and although Ray Parlour, who hammered the opener from 25 yards, and Ashley Cole both struck the same upright with crashing drives, the Gunners seemed in the mood to let Bradford off lightly. The first goal came in the 17th minute when Ray Parlour broke forward onto Bergkamp’s pass and hit an unstoppable drive from outside the area. Cameroon star Lauren's emphatic header from Lee Dixon’s cross doubled the advantage nine minutes later, and the Gunners seemed to decide that punishment enough had been extracted.
In the Premiership’s other game tonight, Alan Curbishley got one over his old boss Jim Smith as Charlton climbed further up the Premiership table. Their eighth league win at The Valley from 13 matches took them above London rivals Chelsea and into eighth place. Goals from Matt Svensson and Scott Parker's goals were enough, but Craig Burley did reply with a cheeky free-kick. It could all have been very different for Charlton had Dean Kiely not intervened, twice. First he clattered into Malcolm Christie to give away a penalty, but he then got to his feet to claw away Burley’s penalty. That spot-kick stop proved to be the Republic of Ireland international's last meaningful contribution, the foul on Christie causing him more damage than the forward, and Tony Caig, a recent signing from Blackpool, replaced him at the break.
In Scotland Hibs failed to cut the gap on Celtic at the top of the Premier league, when they could only draw away to Kilmarnock. Gary Hay put Kilmarnock ahead in the 61st minute, but Ulrich Laursen headed a late equaliser for Hibs.
Filed by Pat Nugent
