Football Round-up: Hammers sound a warning

NEWCASTLE UNITED are fast disappearing over the horizon in the First Division but the capital's challengers have not given up hope of catching them, a confident mood encouraged further last night when Kevin Keegan's men were held at Luton Town while West Ham and Millwall won at home to pass Tranmere and narrow Newcastle's lead to a mere 13 points.

West Ham rose to second with a 2-0 victory over Bristol City, but they needed a substitute to inspire them. Matt Holmes, who replaced the Canadian Alex Bunbury after 62 minutes, set up both goals, for Trevor Morley and Mark Robson.

Millwall gripped tighter to the Hammers' coat-tails with a fine 4-0 demolition of Peterborough at The Den. Phil Barber set the ball rolling before Tony McCarthy, making his debut, Alex Rae and Jon Goodman completed the rout.

Luton were well worth a point before their best crowd of the season - 10,237. Pavel Srnicek, the Newcastle goalkeeper, needed to be on his toes to deny John Dreyer and Ian Benjamin while his opposite number, Alec Chamberlain, ensured a draw for the Hatters with sterling stops from David Kelly and Stephen Howey.

In the Second Division Stoke City's hopes of securing a ninth successive home success was ended when Alan Ball's Exeter toughed it out for a 1-1 draw at his old home, despite losing Scott Daniels for a professional foul early in the second half. Exeter even had the nerve to go ahead, through Andy Cook, before Dave Regis equalised.

Bolton Wanderers are not concentrating only on the Cup: the Trotters are focusing on the First Division as well as the Twin Towers and even though they lost Mark Seagraves for allegedly elbowing Jimmy Quinn in the 63rd minute at Reading they confirmed their current class with a 2-1 win and fourth place.