minnows

BOURNEMOUTH goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was lobbed from near the HALFWAY LINE in Serbia’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Andorra.

The former Chelsea star was caught cold by Andorra forward Guillaume Lopez from inside the CCentre D.

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Serbia midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic’s wayward loose pass was eagerly intercepted by Lopez from 35 yards inside 17 minutes.

Lopez then had the presence of mind to drill a shot over helpless Premier League stopper Petrovic, who was way out of his six-yard box.

Petrovic, 26, flippantly dived backwards, but was unable to stop the ball from hitting the back of the net.

But Serbia hit back instantly through Christian Garcia’s own-goal, before Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic gave them the lead in the 54th minute.

Both teams are in England‘s Group K, with Serbia sitting third outside the play-off spots and Andorra rock bottom.

Since leaving Stamford Bridge for the Vitality Stadium in July, Petrovic has started all seven games for Andoni Iraola‘s side.

Petrovic was left out of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad in June before securing his £25m exit to the south-west.

He replaced fellow former Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who joined Arsenal in a £5m deal this summer.

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He earned national hero status after saving a penalty in the World Cup qualifier against Albania – a match charged with a lot of tension, because of politics and history.

The Serb, who joined Chelsea from New England Revolution in a £14m deal in 2023, spent last season on loan at French club Strasbourg.

He was named player of the season as Strasbourg secured a Europa Conference League spot by finishing seventh in Ligue 1.

BOLTON hero Nicky Hunt has started his management career in the TENTH tier of British football.

The 42-year-old spent a decade at The Reebok, before spells at Accrington Stanley, Leyton Orient and Crewe.

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But he has dropped down into non-league to kickstart his coaching career and is now leading the dugout at his local club Daisy Hill FC in the North West Counties, Division One North.

The former defender explained: “I grew up literally five minutes’ walk down the road, and my parents still live in Daisy Hill, so for me, it’s really close to home.

“I came here to watch the team as a kid, so I’ve got an affiliation with this football club.

“It was a family club back then, and it’s even probably more of a family club now.

“The fans, the committee members and everyone involved at the club, they just love it to a point where it’s become their lives, which is what I’m all about football-wise.

“ I put everything into it, whenever I’m into the coaching or the playing side.

“The way the club is run now, with the new sponsorships they’ve got, I can only really see it going one way.”

Daisy Hill have enjoyed an upturn in fortune after appointing a Twitch streamer who ran the team on the Football Manager computer game took over.

Aaron Hunt – who regularly streams online with his pal and darts wonderkid Luke Littler – said: “Everyone at the club is really looking forward to working with Nicky.

“He’s a local lad who had a brilliant playing career at the top level.

“He holds a UEFA A-Licence, and knows the local non-league scene, too, so he’s got great experience at all levels of the game.

“We believe that he is definitely the right man for Daisy Hill, and that there are going to be some exciting times ahead for everyone who follows the club, starting on Saturday when we host Nelson.”