Exeter captain Sweeney out for rest of season
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BBC News
31 minutes ago
- BBC News
Last season 'biggest learning curve' - Imps' Draper
Lincoln City forward Freddie Draper has labelled last season "the biggest learning curve of his career" after scoring in the Imps' 3-1 victory at Harrogate Town in the Carabao 21-year-old grabbed his first goal since February and following the match gave an honest explanation for his previous 12-match goal drought."The way I came back last year wasn't good enough, really, for what I know I can do," Draper told BBC Radio Lincolnshire."My target is not having another season like last year – that just isn't me. I know I'm never going to be the fittest anyway but it's about putting myself in the right way."Much was expected of Draper when he returned from Walsall, where he scored 10 goals from 22 appearances in League Two during the 2023-24 campaign, but the forward registered four goals in 37 league appearances on his return to explained: "I was at Drogheda and then I went to Walsall and I went straight to Lincoln, I only had about a week in 18 months where I had a holiday."Then I probably went on too many holidays and tried to enjoy my break, so this season, I planned it a little bit better."I made sure I did all the runs, made sure my weight went down – I got leaner, stronger and more athletic."Last season was the biggest learning curve of my career. I don't want to let that happen again. I want to do everything I can: control the controllable." Against Harrogate, Draper played up front alongside Rob Street, linking up to good effect and could have scored, before his goal eventually came, when his diving header in the first half was well kept out. But Draper was self-critical of his misplaced pass which was intercepted by Harrogate's Ellis Taylor, who grabbed a consolation goal for the hosts deep in stoppage time with a long-range strike."I'll learn from it. I won't get carried away, [I'll] play simpler, and [next time] get the clean sheet because it's important for the team," Draper said."At the end of the day, it's not really good enough. You wouldn't do that at 1-0 would you? "I'm a little bit disappointed because I was pleased with my performance and that kind of puts a dampener on it."As a footballer, you just think about the bad things instead of the good things, so it humbles you quickly."
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
QPR sign striker Kone from Wycombe
QPR have signed striker Richard Kone from Wycombe Wanderers for an undisclosed sought-after 22-year-old scored 21 goals in the 2024-25 season as the Chairboys finished fifth in League One and was named both the division's player and young player of the in the QPR squad reached double figures under Marti Cifuentes last season and their last player to reach 10 goals was Andre Gray in the 2021-22 season's League One top scorer Charlie Kelman, with 27 goals in all competitions on loan at Leyton Orient, joined Charlton Athletic on a permanent transfer last month. Kone, who represented Ivory Coast in the Homeless World Cup in 2019, scored 25 goals in 74 appearances for Wycombe after signing from non-league Athletic Newham in length of his contract at QPR is undisclosed."It's an amazing feeling, I'm really glad to join an amazing team, a great club. I can't wait to get started," Kone told the club's website, external. "I made my mind when the opportunity comes, I'll be ready. I'll be ready to take it. By God's grace, it took the time that it took, four years, and when the time was right, I did take my chances and here I am."Kone joins a QPR attack that includes fellow new signing Rumarn Burrell, last season's top scorer Michael Frey, and Slovenia international Zan Rs began the new Championship season with a 1-1 draw at home to Preston North End in Julien Stephan's first match in charge, and followed that with a 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Plymouth Argyle on visit Watford in the league on Saturday.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Reading's Ahmed hopes side can 'build' on cup win
Reading defender Ashqar Ahmed hopes his side can take the momentum from winning in the first round of the Carabao Cup into their league form. The Royals have lost both of their opening League One matches but were able to get their first competitive victory of the season on Tuesday as they beat Portsmouth at Fratton from Andre Garcia and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan were enough for Noel Hunt's side despite a late consolation by Olutayo Singerr in injury time."We're excited and hopefully we can build on this," Ahmed told BBC Radio Berkshire after the game. "We want to use the momentum from this and get our first league win."With the support that our home fans will give us I'm sure that we will perform with them on our back." Reading take on AFC Wimbledon at the SCL Stadium on Saturday and will hope they are able to better last weekend's home defeat by Huddersfield graduate Ahmed has made just 13 senior appearances for the club and claimed one right-back has impressed for Reading across pre-season and caught the eye again on Tuesday with an assured performance. He lined-up against new Portsmouth player Yang Min-hyeok who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and limited him from having much of an impact on the game. "I studied him [Yang] before the game on video and knew what I was coming up against," he said."He's a tricky player but I got the better of him. It was a great game for me personally and the team."You can see the cohesion on the pitch and we are all together with the same mindset of getting the win for the team and go forward together."
