Week 23 Results: Straight from the horse's mouth.

Something is not right.  As I understand, whenever a retired figure returns to their field of excellence, it results in miraculous success with many scenes of joy in slow motion backed by a Westlife or Snow Patrol soundtrack.  It worked for Lance Armstrong.  Oh wait, hang on... 

The result could have been very different this week though.  Three of our five predictions were correct, which is not all that bad.  The other two games were both going swimmingly.  Both Inverness and Leicester led by a goal and it looked like some money could be heading our way.  Or it least it would have looked like that had Inverness not blown my coupon by lunchtime, deeming the rest of the afternoon a waste of time.

Ah well, at least it's not as embarrassing as the revelation that BBC Football 'expert' Mark Lawrenson has a lesser knowledge of football than Hulk Hogan.

The results in full were:

Blackburn Rovers  1 - 0  Ipswich Town

A messy goal from a goalmouth scramble was the only difference in a scrappy game at Ewood Park.  Scotland striker Jordan Rhodes has claimed the goal as the last Rovers player to touch the ball but Ipswich keeper Stephen Henderson is probably due credit too.

Inverness CT  1 - 3  Celtic

Celtic fielded a relatively weakened team ahead of their Champions League clash with Juventus but, despite taking the lead, Inverness failed to take advantage of this.  Second half goals from Rami Gershon and Miku ensured the visitors left with three points.

Peterborough United  2 - 1  Leicester City

A much needed win for the Posh to keep their survival hopes alive.  Leicester blew the chance to close the gap on Cardiff as a late Grant McCann strike sealed the win for the home team. 

Swansea City  4 - 1  Queens Park Rangers

Michu remembered where the net was to bag a brace in a fine win for the Swans.  'Arry's QPR are adrift at the bottom of the Premiership, four points from 19th placed Wigan (although if you take a look back at the Lawro link, you'll see that they are 7th going by his predictions.)

Queen of the South  2 - 1  Stenhousemuir

The Doonhammers moved 18 points clear at the top of the Second Division following a narrow win.  Derek Young and Chris Mitchell had given the home side a comfortable lead but Mark Corcoran pulled one back for the visitors.

One new betting market has appeared this week, namely the installation of a new Pope.  I decided that it would be worthwhile to somehow allow The Grambler to give a prediction on this, so I painstakingly compiled a list of every man on earth for His Randomness to choose from.  I can confirm that my money for the next Pope is on... Keith Gillespie.  You heard it here first!

I shall return next weekend, hopeful as ever of lifting the curse which has stopped us from winning the megabucks thus far.  On an unrelated note, are you looking to gain the respect of your friends, relatives, enemies or another miscellaneous grouping of people?  Click here for the answer to your prayers!