Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to 16 points after coming from behind to beat Southampton 3-1 at Anfield.

Nottingham Forest maintained their push for Champions League football next season with a 1-0 win over Manchester City on the day it was confirmed that Stuart Pearce – who played for and managed both clubs – is recovering in a Canadian hospital after suffering a medical emergency on a flight from Las Vegas.

Salah scores penalty double as leaders avoid shock defeat

Mohamed Salah scored two penalties as Liverpool came from behind to beat rock-bottom Southampton for the second time this season and move 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Southampton threatened to pull off a stunning upset when Will Smallbone took advantage of a mix-up between Alisson and Virgil van Dijk to give the visitors the lead in first-half stoppage time.

However, whatever manager Arne Slot said at the interval had the desired effect as Darwin Nunez equalised early in the second half and was then fouled by Smallbone to allow Mohamed Salah to score from the penalty spot.

Salah completed the comeback with another penalty – and his 27th league goal of the season – two minutes from time after Yukinari Sugawara was penalised for handball.

Forest too good for faltering champions

Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late goal saw Nottingham Forest take a huge step towards Champions League qualification with a 1-0 win over Manchester City, who are now looking over their shoulder.

Hudson-Odoi caught Ederson out at the near post in the 82nd minute at the City Ground to provide a new highlight in a memorable campaign for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

They consolidated their position in third with 10 games to go, four points ahead of City in fourth and five ahead of Chelsea in fifth.

Pearce in “great spirits” after medical emergency

Forest’s win came after it emerged that their former player and manager Stuart Pearce is recovering in a Canadian hospital after suffering a medical emergency on board a flight from the United States.

Pearce, who had been in the US to attend last Saturday’s Super League match between Wigan and the Warrington team he supports in Las Vegas, became unwell on his flight home.

After receiving treatment, a decision was made to make an emergency landing in St John’s. TalkSPORT colleague Sam Matterface said Pearce was in “great spirits”.

Holders Manchester United reach last four of FA Cup

Holders Manchester United reached the FA Cup semi-finals after beating Championship club Sunderland 3-1 at Leigh Sports Village.

United took their expected place in the last four, although Sunderland emerged with credit following a battling display.

Leah Galton’s header gave United a seventh-minute lead, which was doubled by the interval when captain Maya Le Tissier headed home a Gabby George corner.

Sunderland were up against it in the second period, but they pulled a goal back when Louise Griffiths scored 20 minutes from time.

United continued to create chances, though, and Ella Toone pounced in added time as she converted Celin Bizet’s cross to secure victory.

What’s on today?

Arsenal will attempt to close the gap to leaders Liverpool to 13 points when they take on struggling Manchester United.

The gap is so wide due to the Gunners taking just one point from their previous two Premier League games, but Mikel Arteta’s side will travel to Old Trafford on the back of their 7-1 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Chelsea can move above Manchester City into fourth with a win over Leicester at Stamford Bridge, while Tottenham take on Bournemouth.

Sport

TWO men from Shirrell Heath have been jailed for violent disorder after a football match.

The pair from the village near Bishop's Waltham were among six men sentenced for violent disorder following a Premier League match in Southampton.

On Saturday March 18 2023, Southampton hosted Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's Stadium.

Just after 6pm, after the game, police were called to reports of violent disorder involving fans from the two clubs on Terminus Terrace, at the junction with Oxford Street.

Several people were involved in the disorder, with tables, chairs and glasses being hurled.

Police identified 23 men and all are due to be sentenced after previously admitting violent disorder.

Today (Thursday March 6) saw six men sentenced at Southampton Crown Court. They are:

- Charlie Glasspool, 20, of High Street, Shirrell Heath, near Bishop's Waltham, who was jailed for 12 months with a six-year order banning him from football matches.

- Gerry Glasspool, 42, of High Street, Shirrell Heath, received nine months imprisonment and a six-year football banning order.

- Ashley Page, 21, of Copeland Road, Southampton, got nine months in jail and a six-year football banning order.

- Thomas Ryalls, 23, of Oak Road, Bursledon, Southampton, received 14 months imprisonment and a six-year football banning order.

- Bradley Doughty, 39, of Holly Gardens, West End, Southampton, received 40 months imprisonment and an eight-year football banning order.

- Bradley Law, 23, of Providence Hill, Bursledon, Southampton, received 12 months imprisonment and a six-year football banning order.

Chief Inspector Stuart Ratcliffe, overseeing this investigation, said: "The behaviour displayed by these men was completely shocking and absolutely unacceptable. Members of the public had to flee the area as these men put innocent bystanders at risk of serious harm.

"We have dedicated officers from our Football Unit working alongside clubs as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce incidents like this with fans.

"We know that the vast majority of those attending football matches have no intention of involving themselves in scenes of violent disorder like this.

"However, for the minority who ruin events like these for the rest, our message is that we will not tolerate any violence and we will take action against you."

There are a further 17 men due to be sentenced for the violent disorder in the future.

Mike Apps

BBC News, Southampton

A company that ordered the evacuation of an apartment building in Southampton has said a disaster could have happened at any time in the past 20 years.

Residents at Sundowner Court in Ocean Village were told to leave their homes two weeks ago after an inspection found the block's steel structure was not fireproof.

Engineers who carried out the survey told the building's new management company that, in the event of a serious fire, it would have been in danger of collapse.

The developer said the building was signed off by the local authority's building control at the time of construction.

Southampton and Eastleigh Building Control says its investigations into the building's construction are ongoing.

Hampshire fire service said similar surveys would be carried out on other buildings in the complex.

In the past 18 months the waterfront building, which contains 40 flats, has had cladding removed and its underground car park shut because of fire safety concerns.

On 22 February, leaseholders and tenants received a letter from HMS Property Management Services telling them to evacuate the building by 19:00 GMT.

The company had been due to start managing the block in April, but stepped in early after fire engineers hired to carry out the "invasive survey" informed it of the crisis in a late-night phone call.

Leasehold owner Penny Bowen said: "I messaged [my tenant] and said 'you're going to have to get out of this building by seven o'clock'. He thought it was a joke, and then he panicked."

Tenant Remy Kirk travelled home from Cornwall to pack after being told to leave her home.

She said: "I grabbed my bag in 10 minutes and stayed somewhere else that night."

At a residents' meeting on Monday, HMS said the survey also found an issue with the separation between apartments and communal areas that could affect how fast a fire could spread.

Director Sean Eckton said residents had been lucky a disaster had not happened in the 20 years since the apartments were built.

The original developer, Wilson Bowden, built a number of properties at Ocean Village.

The company has since been taken over by Barratt Redrow.

A spokesperson for the firm said it supported the decision made by the fire service and the block's managing agent to move the residents out.

The developer said: "Residents are being provided with accommodation and support, at no cost to themselves, and will be kept regularly informed of progress as we work with all parties to ensure the building is remediated as quickly as possible."

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Southampton Select Board Chair Christine Fowles, a member of the committee organizing the town’s 250th anniversary celebration, holds a photo of the Sheldon Academy, which stood between the church and town hall from 1829-1949. A series of events are taking place throughout 2025 to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS

SOUTHAMPTON — In the 1630s, proprietors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony began to settle the Northampton area, spreading into the land that would become Southampton by the 1680s.

Southampton was established as the Second Precinct of Northampton in 1741, on Nonotuck and Woronoco land, and deemed New Hampton. Twelve years after becoming a Precinct of Northampton, it became a District of Northampton, before finally adopting the name “Southampton” at a Town Meeting in 1773, and ultimately separating from Northampton in 1775.

With 250 years of rich history to commemorate, Southampton residents knew they couldn’t pack all of their anniversary celebrations into one day, or even one week. Instead, the town has kicked off a yearlong celebration filled with events aimed at bringing local residents, businesses, creatives and history buffs together to pay homage to the roots running through the town they call home.

Comprising scenic hikes, beard growing contests, Valentine’s Bingo, landmark trivia and much more, the 250th anniversary of Southampton presents many opportunities for members of the community to share interests and learn about the people and history that make their town unique.

“The events for the 250th anniversary aren’t just about a celebration, they are the opportunities to deal with the tattered edges of the fabric that binds us together as a community,” said Heidi Corbett, curator for the Southampton Historical Society, in an email to the Gazette.

Plans for much of Southampton’s town center were laid out as early as 1730, and are still largely recognizable today. For example, the town’s church was established in 1743, and still continues on through the present. In the early days of Southampton’s settlement, a town couldn’t be recognized as a town until it had an established church. Regardless of whether present-day Southampton residents attend the church, the historic building is present in much of the town’s imagery, from the town seal to the 250th anniversary logo.

In an interview with the Gazette, Corbett explained that it’s one of the oldest churches in use in New England.

“We are a town where no buildings are built taller than our barns or our church, something most of us in town are very proud of,” Corbett wrote.

Article continues after...

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The town’s history is a veritable mosaic of captivating tales, individual stories, and local folklore that has been passed down through the centuries. For instance, it is believed in town that four buildings may have played a hands-on role in the Underground Railroad. Through some local sleuthing, hidden rooms and other historical indicators have suggested this, though historians have yet to find proof definitive enough to recognize the buildings with an official designation.

Events on tap

Southampton’s 250th anniversary offers a chance for all in the community to get involved and learn more about the history of the town. In fact, one of the celebratory events on tap for February is a talk by Robin Krawitz from the National Park Service, who will speak about the Underground Railroad in western Massachusetts on the 27th. This event is preceded by Valentine’s Music Bingo at Paisano’s on the 15th and an Edwards Library Book Club on The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff on the 25th.

On the hill behind the church, the local Cub Scouts will be hosting a “snow box derby day,” but Fowles said that this event is “totally snow dependent.”

In March, Town History Trivia will be held at the Southampton Country Club on the 21st from 6 to 9 p.m., and a pancake breakfast will be held at the First Congregational Church on the 29th from 9 to 11 a.m.

On April 5, the Third Massachusetts Regiment Re-Enactors will be at Conant Park starting at 11 a.m. Little League Opening Day will also take place in April, with plenty of fun events for all ages, such as cornhole competitions.

The Spring into Southampton celebration will take place the weekend of May 17th and the town’s Memorial Day Parade will take place on May 26th.

Two music events are also scheduled — one on June 21 at Glendale Ridge Vineyard and one at Conant Park on Aug. 23, which is widely considered the town’s “birthday.”

Aug. 16th will kick off the town’s annual Celebrate Southampton event.

Select Board Chair Christine Fowles, who is also on the committee planning the 250th anniversary events, said that she and other committee members are working to plan more hikes to local conservation areas as well, following the success of January’s Pomeroy Mountain hikes.

In addition, there are several ongoing events throughout the celebration, such as beard growing contests — where residents can show off their fastest-growing, longest, most rugged and most creative facial hair — and landmark trivia posted on Facebook.

Merchandise will also be available for those wishing to don some 250th anniversary spirit, including T-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags, mugs, pint glasses and ornaments. Fowles said that she and others planning the festivities are trying to get local businesses, artists and artisans involved in merchandising and events.

Additional events are always welcome on the 250th anniversary calendar. For local residents, businesses or organizations interested in spearheading an event this year, Fowles said the main requirement is that they be willing to take charge in making that event a reality. For more information on getting involved in event planning or volunteering, contact Christine Fowles at cfowles@townofsouthampton.org.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.

Timeworn directories offer a captivating glimpse into the past. Dog-eared, dry, and often crumbling, their aged pages whisper tales of bygone eras.

Between faded covers, these historical records provide a rare and fascinating insight into the everyday lives of people who lived centuries ago, revealing the social and commercial fabric of their communities.

The April 1855 edition of the Post Office Directory of Hampshire, doubles as a portal to a world so different, yet connected to our own.

Unlike the later Kelly’s street directories, this Victorian predecessor doesn't list every resident and road.

Instead, it focuses on those deemed "Gentry," followed by a separate section dedicated to "Traders."

Imagine leafing through these lists, encountering the names of those who shaped the social and commercial landscape of the time.

The mid-19th century was a period of significant change.

In 1841, the population of Southampton was a mere 26,952 – a number that could comfortably fit within the confines of St Mary’s Stadium, with plenty of room to spare. Just ten years later, that number had swelled to 34,092, reflecting the town's burgeoning growth.

The directory itself paints a vivid picture of Southampton in 1855: "The town is beautifully situated on a peninsular tract of land, rising with a gradual ascent from the north-eastern shore of Southampton Water, while the approach from the London road, through an avenue of stately elms, and a well-built suburb, is striking.”

One can almost visualise the scene, the grand elms lining the road, the town sloping gently towards the water.

Southampton, the directory continues, was transforming.

No longer just a "water-place," it was rapidly becoming one of Great Britain's premier maritime ports.

The fine harbour, the spacious and convenient docks, and the railway connections to London, Salisbury, Portsmouth, and Dorchester all contributed to this rise.

The Corporation's recent acquisition of more than 60 acres of common fields, which were then being planted and laid out for "ornamental purposes," is also highlighted.

This "desirable improvement" was a source of great public satisfaction, promising pleasure and enjoyment for residents and attracting visitors to the "beautiful town."

Beyond the grand descriptions of the town itself, the real charm of the directory lies in the listings of everyday businesses.

Alongside the familiar bakers, butchers, and ironmongers, we find a fascinating array of trades that have long since vanished.

In Bugle Street, a barometer maker plied his trade, while in Manchester Street, a "bird and beast stuffer" catered to a peculiar niche with their skills of taxidermy.

A cheesemonger could be found in East Street, and in Hanover Buildings, a cork manufacturer worked diligently.

Winchester's Canon Street boasted a cricket bat, ball, and stump maker, while grindery dealers – sellers of leather workers' materials and tools – were abundant throughout the county, numbering an impressive 42.

Portswood had its own fellmonger, skillfully removing wool from sheepskins.

In Orchard Street, a japanner, an expert in the art of Japanese varnishing, practised his craft.

And for those with a thirst, four ginger beer manufacturers operated in the High Street and St Mary Street.

The directory is a veritable treasure trove of forgotten trades: straw bonnet makers, sugar boilers, a tripe dresser, truss makers, a comb maker, bath chair owners, a fossil dealer, stone cutters and gem polishers (known as lapidaries), and even a mustard maker.

Each entry offers a tiny window into the lives and livelihoods of Hampshire residents 170 years ago, bringing the past vividly to life.