Stryder will perform in one of the dance tents at Glastonbury

Grime vocalist Tinchy Stryder has knocked dance pop star Calvin Harris off the top of the UK singles chart.

Number 1, which co-stars N-Dubz, was a new entry for the 21-year-old, whose real name is Kwasi Danquah.  "It's just sinking in - it's mad. It's a great feeling," Stryder told BBC Radio One on hearing the news.  It is the first time a single called Number 1 has reached the top spot. Other artists who tried and failed include Goldfrapp, Pharell and EYC.

Elsewhere in the singles chart, La Roux stayed at number two with In For The Kill while Calvin Harris dropped to number three with I'm Not Alone.  Lady GaGa's Poker Face dropped to four but her album, The Fame, stayed at number one. Depeche Mode's Sounds of the Universe was the highest-charting new album, at two.

Beyonce's album I Am... Sasha Fierce moved up four places to number three.  Only By The Night from The Kings of Leon dropped two places to number four.  London trio The Noisettes had the second highest new entry on the album chart with Wild Young Hearts at number seven.  Other new entries included Fightstar's Be Human at 20 and My Maudlin Career from Glaswegian outfit Camera Obscura, which came in at 32.  The band are just about to embark on a tour that takes in Ireland, the US and Canada before winding up with a performance at the Indietracks Festival in Derbyshire in July.

Derby County finally secured safety in the Championship this afternoon with a nervy 1-0 victory over relegated Charlton Athletic at Pride Park Stadium. Rob Hulse, who collected the player of the year award before kick off, settled the contest 20 minutes from time with his 18th goal of the season. It was only the Rams’ second win in 10 matches but was enough to lift them eight points clear of third-bottom Norwich City, who have only two games to play.

Andy Todd’s hamstring injury ruled him out. Lewin Nyatanga moved to centre-back and Jordan Stewart came in at left-back for his first league start in almost three months, and his first appearance in a Derby shirt since the FA Cup fifth-round meeting with Manchester United on February 15.

A poor quality first half showed why both teams have struggled this season. The game was played at a pedestrian pace and Derby squandered possession far too easily, either through poor passing or being caught on the ball. Martin Albrechtsen’s back post header from Gary Teale’s corner was held by Rob Elliott and when Hulse tackled Jonjo Shelvey, Kris Commons moved forward with some purpose and sent a shot over the angle of bar and post.

Elliott was quick off his line to punch clear as Teale threatened to reach Stewart’s ball and Commons tricked Mark Hudson with a neat piece of skill but his shot was disappointing, the ball rolling harmlessly wide. Charlton’s first effort on target came after 23 minutes when Zheng Zhi got the better of Nyatanga in the area only to see his strike blocked by Stephen Bywater. The visitor kept probing but lacked a telling pass and cutting edge, and the final 15 minutes of the half was worse than the first 30, and that took some doing. Groans from the crowd greeted the fourth official’s board showing three minutes of added time and there were boos when the Derby players left the field at the break.

There was more pace and purpose about Derby in the opening few minutes of the second half than there had been in the entire first period. Hulse’s teasing low cross forced Charlton to concede a corner from which Hulse’s header was turned over by Elliott. Then, from Barry Bannan’s corner, Hulse sneaked in at the back post but somehow headed wide. Albrechtsen’s header from a Teale corner was off target and Charlton won two corners of their own, and Hudson headed over from the second.

Commons went down in the area looking for a penalty which he was never likely to get and was booked for diving but the Rams had a stronger claim for a penalty after Teale read Hlse’s flick on. Teale got in front of Danny Butterfield and went down after appearing to be pulled back by the Charlton defender only for the referee to wave away the protests.

But Derby went ahead after 70 minutes through Hulse. Teale’s corner from the left was cleared to the edge of the area. Bannan headed the ball back in and Hulse sent a fine header from 12 yards looping wide of Elliott’s dive and into the corner of the net. Commons was inches away from scoring Derby’s second six minutes from time. He cleverly lost Hudson and Nicky Bailey but his low shot drifted narrowly wide. Minutes later, the Scottish international’s drive from distance flashed over.


Clough: A key step for Rams

Nigel Clough believes Derby County securing safety in the Championship is a small but very important step. The first aim of Clough and his staff when they arrived in January was to keep the Rams clear of relegation. They slipped into the bottom three after the narrow defeat by Birmingham City at St Andrew’s in Clough’s second League game, but climbed out a few days later and never returned.

Saturday’s nervy 1-0 home victory over relegated Charlton Athletic lifted Derby to 54 points – eight above Norwich City who occupy the final relegation place with two games to play. Clough spoke afterwards of the huge relief and said phase one had been completed. “It feels like a small step but a very, very important one,” added the manager. "I think the road would have been a lot longer from League One than it is from a Championship position. So although we shouldn’t be in this position, we were in it and we survived.”

Clough has been in the job for three and a half months since leaving Burton Albion to take up the manager’s role at Pride Park. “Is that all!” he smiled. "It does seem a lot longer than three and a half months but we have had some relatively good times in that as well and we have achieved the aim of staying up. So the first phase is done and we will enjoy this week more than we would have done if we had needed a result at Watford on the final day. We never went back into the bottom three and that’s what the four straight wins did for us. They got us out and kept us clear, and we have just managed to nick the odd result like at Sheffield Wednesday to keep our heads above water. Considering everything in the last 18 months, two years or whatever, and the injuries and everything, it does feel like a significant achievement. We are now looking forward to the challenge ahead even more. It has certainly reinforced the reasons we came here.”

DERBY COUNTY: Bywater; Connolly, Albrechtsen, Nyatanga, Stewart; Varney (Pearson, 69), Savage (Eustace, 79), Bannan (Sterjovski, 88), Teale; Commons, Hulse

Other subs: Carroll (gk), Villa

CHARLTON ATHLETIC: Elliott; Butterfield, Hudson, Ward (Wagstaff, 82), Youga; Sam, Zhi (Kandol, 72), Racon, Shelvey, Bailey; Burton

Subs: Randolph (gk), Spring, Solly

Referee: F Graham (Essex)

Attendance: 31,541 (away fans 619)

Rams' Bid To Crawl Over Safety Line Is Thwarted As Royals Show Superiority

On-loan Kitson helped Reading to an important victory

Derby County continue to make life difficult for themselves as they strive to cross the finish line this season. A fourth defeat in their last five matches means they have yet to secure safety in the Championship as we approach the penultimate weekend of fixtures. Opportunities to do so have come and gone in recent weeks. The latest chance to ease concerns at the wrong end of the table disappeared on Tuesday night but they can have few complaints about the outcome.

Promotion-chasing Reading were the better side as they won 2-0 at Pride Park Stadium to all but clinch their place in the play-offs. Home form looks to have cost the Royals automatic promotion – Birmingham City are favourites to join Wolverhampton Wanderers in the top flight – but the away form of Steve Coppell’s team remains solid.

They are unbeaten in eight League games on the road and once they went ahead through Dave Kitson 11 minutes after the break, the points were as good as in the bag. Shane Long grabbed the second 17 minutes from time.

Derby, who have won only once in nine, are five points above third-bottom Norwich City with two fixtures left. The Canaries now have a better goal difference. Barnsley, who sit just above the drop zone, are three points behind the Rams after picking up a point at Coventry City. Norwich have Reading at home and Charlton away to play, Barnsley face promoted Wolves at Oakwell before making the long trip to Plymouth on the final day. The pressure remains firmly on Norwich, who have ground to make up.

Derby might have enough points already but nothing can be left to chance. Next up are relegated Charlton at home and another opportunity to end the twitching. Reading’s scorers when they beat Derby 3-0 at the Madejski Stadium in November, Kevin Doyle and Noel Hunt, were absent through injury but it did not prevent the visitors giving the Rams a torrid time in the opening 10 minutes.

All that has been poor about the Rams’ defending as a team this season was on view and Reading twice had the ball in the net only to be denied by flags for offside. Long and Kitson saw headers chalked off, and Kitson’s firm drive brought a fine save from Stephen Bywater after Gary Teale gave the ball away in a dangerous position.

Reading threatened each time they went forward, helped by Derby’s hesitant defending. But while Derby creaked, so did Reading at times. Robbie Savage showed a tremendous appetite and energy. He was everywhere in the first half and his midfield partner Barry Bannan, in the side for Stephen Pearson, used the ball accurately and sensibly.

Luke Varney started on the right of midfield for his first appearance in a Rams shirt in three months. The £1m striker is back from his one-month loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored twice in four appearances. He came in for Mile Sterjovski and got at Reading left-back Dan Harding at every opportunity.

Kris Commons was lively, twisting and turning his markers. When he outfoxed Michael Duberry in the corner of the area, the Reading captain appeared to pull the Scottish international back but the referee waved away claims for a penalty. Rob Hulse fired a low shot wide, nobody anticipated Martin Albrechtsen’s header across goal from Teale’s centre and Varney shot straight at Marcus Hahnemann from distance.

There were more close calls at both ends, especially when the ball struck Long at the near post and flashed just wide of Derby’s goal, and then Duberry deflected Commons’ low cross narrowly beyond the far post. Given the open and stretched nature of the contest, it was a surprise to reach half-time without a goal. But the game was never likely to end goalless and it was Derby who cracked first.

Reading’s first goal, after 56 minutes, was started and finished by players on loan. Glenn Little surged infield and found Jimmy Kebe hugging the left touchline. His centre contained sufficient menace to set alarm bells ringing and Kitson’s clever movement saw him reach the ball first and stoop to send a header flashing wide of Bywater. Teale had stung the hands of Hahnemann minutes earlier and Commons’ volley seemed to catch the goalkeeper by surprise. Fortunately for him, and unfortunately for Derby, the ball fizzed just wide.

Groans of frustration drifted around the fifth consecutive 30,000-plus crowd at Pride Park and the small band of Reading fans were celebrating again after 73 minutes. Derby’s square back line was beaten too easily by Jem Karacan’s pass and Long was in, with none of the defenders likely to catch him. He took his time and squeezed the ball under Bywater to make it 2-0 – game over. The Rams kept plugging away and Varney, now up front, had their best chance but his effort was blocked by Hahnemann, who also tipped over a fierce drive from Commons.

Reading always looked capable of extending their lead, and Bywater was called on to keep out strikes from Kebe and Marek Matejovsky. Coppell wanted his team to produce a performance and result to provide a lift going into the play-offs. He got both. Reading are rated by many as the best team in the division on their day and last night they had too much in their locker for Derby.


Clough aims for one last stand

Nigel Clough has called on his Derby County players to lift themselves for a final push to secure safety in the Championship. Tuesday night’s 2-0 home defeat by promotion-chasing Reading means the Rams are still not mathematically safe with two games left.

They face relegated Charlton Athletic at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, two days before third-bottom Norwich City entertain Reading in their penultimate match. Five points separate the Rams and Norwich. “It is just important that everybody picks themselves up for Saturday,” said Clough, after Derby suffered their fourth defeat in five games. It is really irrelevent what has happened in the last 44 games or 18 months, however long, it is just about Saturday,” added Clough. "We are looking for Reading, ironically, to do us a favour at Norwich on Monday. Seeing the way they played against us, that gives us a lot of heart. Even if they get a draw at Norwich, then we are safe. So we are still in a position where it will take a few strange results, I think. And that’s without us getting anything at all.”

Clough acknowledged Reading’s qualities after watching strikers Dave Kitson and Shane Long hit second-half goals for the Royals. “We were beaten by a better side – a good all-round team, an experienced team that has been together a while,” said the Rams manager. "I thought once they got the first goal, that was it. They looked in command from that point. If we could have nicked one, it might have been a different story but Reading are a very, very capable side and caused us problems all evening. We had a couple of shouts for penalties in the first half but it seems the situation we are in, you don’t get those.”

Clough felt his players kept going. “There was a lot of commitment and effort and some decent football at times but we were just not quite up to their standard,” he said. Luke Varney, back from his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, returned to the team for the first time since January. “We were pleased with Luke, he looked sharp and fit,” said Clough. “Ironcially, he had probably the best chance for us at 2-0. He’s been putting those in with his eyes closed in training.” Leading scorer Rob Hulse came off seven minutes from time with a cut on his eyebrow but should be ready to face Charlton. Central defender Andy Todd is doubtful with a tight hamstring.

Reading boss Steve Coppell said the Pride Park Stadium pitch was a delight for his players to play on. “It was a real passing surface and compliments should go to the groundsman for the condition of the pitch,” said Coppell, whose Reading side share the Madejski Stadium with the London Irish rugby team. Coppell was also full of praise for the Rams fans. “Derby is a terrific club,” he said. "There was a crowd of 31,000, that is a magnificent effort by the Derby public. If they keep supporting in such numbers and with Nigel (Clough) at the helm, I can only see good times ahead.”

Derby County: Bywater, Connolly, Albrechtsen, Nyatanga, Todd (Pearson 80), Varney, Savage, Bannan, Teale, Hulse (Villa 83), Commons (Barazite 89).
Subs Not Used: Price, Sterjovski

Booked: Bannan

Reading: Hahnemann, Rosenior, Bikey (Pearce 87), Duberry, Harding, Little (Stephen Hunt 75), Karacan, Tabb, Kebe (Matejovsky 89), Kitson, Long.
Subs Not Used: Federici, Cisse

Goals: Kitson 56, Long 73

Att: 31,345

Ref: Colin Webster (Tyne & Wear)

 

Dance artist Calvin Harris has topped the UK singles chart for a second consecutive week with I'm Not Alone.

The 25-year-old Scottish singer held off a challenge from chart climbers La Roux, who rose from four to two with their song In for the Kill.  Lady Gaga's Poker Face fell to three, although her debut The Fame stayed top of the albums chart for a third week.  Eminem's new single We Made You scored this week's highest new entry, entering the Top 10 at number eight.  The US rapper mocks singer Jessica Simpson and former vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin in his controversial track.

 Elsewhere in the album chart, Kings of Leon took the second spot with Only By The Night while Doves' Kingdom of Rust dropped one place to three.  Veteran rocker Chris de Burgh is the highest new entry, his latest album Footsteps going straight in at number four.
 

Hollywood loves remakes or re-versions or reboots or, God forbid, re-imaginings. Whatever you want to call this new trend, a slate of them are in the pipeline including Footloose, Robocop and Total Recall.

But if anyone could have a decent crack at resurrecting Star Trek - one of television and cinema's longest running franchises - it could be worse than self-confessed fan, Lost creator JJ Abrams. But does he manage it?

Well, the answer is a pretty simple one. Yes. Star Trek is a decent film that does exactly what it says on the tin. It's big, flashy and action packed with impressive special effects. Kids will enjoy it and the snappy dialogue provides enough laughs for mum and dad.

The James Tiberius Kirk that the audience is introduced to, long before he's been given the captaincy of the fabled USS Enterprise, spends his evenings drinking and brawling in bars. A chance meeting with an officer sends him on his way to Starfleet Academy.  On the other side of the galaxy, a young Spock is taunted by his Vulcan classmates for his half-human blood. He turns down an offer of a life spent in science and research to become a cadet himself.  And so, Star Trek becomes a kind of buddy movie as it deals with Kirk and Spock's fledgling relationship.

The relative newcomer Chris Pine is well cast as the young Kirk. He's good looking and carries just the right amount of arrogance and humour to make him a sympathetic lead.

As for the story, there is also the small matter of a renegade Romulan general called Nero, hell-bent on destroying every planet in the federation, starting with Earth.  It's up to Kirk and Spock and their hastily assembled crew to try and stop the crazed Nero, played by a menacing Eric Bana, and save billions of lives.

As familiar as most of us have become with the characters, it's good fun to watch the young cast coming together. Harold and Kumar star John Cho plays the young Mr Sulu, and he manages to show off his impressive sword-fighting skills, even if his first attempt to fly the Enterprise is a humorous failure. The intergalactic equivalent of stalling the car.  Anton Yelchin, from the US drama Huff, takes on the role of Pavel Chekov. Interestingly, the young actor - who was raised in the US but born in St Petersburg to Russian parents - managed to raise some giggles with his thick Russian accent.

New Zealand actor Karl Urban doesn't have much to do with the ship's bad tempered medic Dr "Bones" McCoy but shares some funny scenes with Kirk. Likewise, the role of Uhura is a little underwritten.  And Simon Pegg's role of the ship's engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is proof enough that the British actor's star is on the rise in the US.  His Scottish accent occasionally veers uncomfortably towards Brigadoon but he's always funny and likeable enough to be forgiven a few stumbles. Support to the young cast is provided by Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross, and a hopelessly miscast Winona Ryder.

And for the original Trekkies out there, Leonard Nimoy makes an appearance as an ageing Spock - and plays a fairly pivotal role in the film.  There are even a few space monsters thrown in for good measure. And it all sets itself up nicely for the, already planned, sequel.  With largely positive reviews so far, the new remade, reversioned, rebooted Star Trek will boldly go for at least a couple more adventures.

 'Star Trek' opens across the UK on 8 May

 

A sequel to Dan Brown's conspiracy theory novel The Da Vinci Code will be published on 15 September 2009.

The Lost Symbol will follow hero Robert Langdon through a 12-hour timeframe.  Brown described writing the new novel, which was originally slated for release in 2006 as "a strange and wonderful journey".  The Da Vinci Code was released in 2003. It became a world-wide hit, selling 81 million copies and spawning a hit film starring Tom Hanks.

The book saw symbologist Robert Langdon investigating a murder in The Louvre museum in Paris, a trail which led him into the murky waters of Christian history.  Details of the plot of the new novel are being kept under wraps, but Brown's editor Jason Kaufman described the setting of The Lost Symbol as "a masterful and unexpected new landscape".  Brown added: "Weaving five years of research into the story's 12-hour timeframe was an exhilarating challenge. Robert Langdon's life clearly moves a lot faster than mine."

The Da Vinci Code was Brown's fourth novel and in the wake of its success his previous works also became best sellers - with the quartet now ranking as the UK's top four bestselling adult paperback novels of all time.  A film adaption of Angels and Demons, a previous Robert Langdon story, is due for release in May this year.
 

 Diesel film drives UK box office

A fifth instalment in the franchise is already being planned

Vin Diesel film Fast & Furious has gone straight to the top of the UK and Ireland box office with takings over the weekend of £4.9m.

The high-octane movie about illegal street racers is the fourth film in the high-grossing franchise. High School Musical heart throb Zac Efron stars in the second-highest new entry, 17 Again, which came in at number three, making £2.5m.

Richard Curtis comedy The Boat That Rocked dropped to number four and former number one Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage, dropped to number five. Children's movie Race To Witch Mountain, another new entry at number six, earned £681,000 while Dragonball Evolution was at number eight, with £436,224, on its opening weekend.

Swedish indie vampire movie, Let the Right One In, earned £224,000 at number 11 despite a limited opening on 68 screens. IRA drama 50 Dead Men Walking was a new entry at 17, taking just under £100,000.

Artists like Leona Lewis and Duffy have helped boost sales by UK acts

Coldplay and Leona Lewis helped boost the British share of the US music market last year, British Phonographic Industry (BPI) figures show.

One in 10 albums bought in the US were by British artists while Coldplay's Viva La Vida was the second bestselling album in the US, according to the BPI. The figures showed the UK market share rose from 8.5% in 2007. In Canada, British artists accounted for almost 15% of album sales - up from 12.5% in 2007.

Coldplay sold more than five million singles in the US last year, closely followed by 2006 X Factor champion Leona Lewis, who shifted just under 4.75 million tracks, according to the BPI. Lewis's single Bleeding Love was also the most-downloaded single in the US last year.

New acts breaking into the market, including Duffy, Leona Lewis, Estelle and The Ting Tings, helped boost the UK's share. BPI chairman Tony Wadsworth said: "Britain's creative industries consistently excel on the world stage with British music chief amongst them. After the US, we are the biggest exporter of repertoire and, in the US itself, the UK is the second largest source of repertoire after US home grown artists.

The increase in our North American market share reflects the UK's enduring ability to create world class artists."

 Rams top promotion season crowds

'Clough factor' boosts income

 Agony as rollercoaster Rams make another big contribution to downfall

Keogh had only scored four goals this season before his double against Derby

 Clough: We are limping to the finish

 Derby County:  Bywater, Connolly, Albrechtsen, Todd, McEveley (Nyatanga 43), Sterjovski (Bannan 88), Savage, Kazmierczak (Eustace 46), Teale, Hulse, Commons

Subs Not Used: Price, Villa

Goals: Kazmierczak 30, Sterjovski 55

 Wolverhampton Wanderers:  Hennessey, Foley, Craddock, Berra, Hill (Stephen Ward 70), Edwards (Reid 61), Jones, Henry, Jarvis, Vokes (Harewood 58), Keogh.

Subs Not Used: Higgs, Stearman

Goals: Keogh 7, Jarvis 74, Keogh 87

Att: 33,079

Ref: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)

 Rams pay a high price as the Bluebirds feed on easy pickings to take honours

Roger Johnson celebrates after opening the scoring for Cardiff

 Clough chews at soft centre

 Cardiff Manager Dave Jones

"I don't think we have played as well as we are capable of. This
was a big one for us because we've been chasing [the top two] down for
a long time and we had to get the three points tonight. It doesn't really matter whether it's a great performance or a poor performance, it was the result at the end of the day. We were clinical in front of goal."

 Cardiff City:  Taylor, McNaughton, Gyepes, Roger Johnson, Kennedy, Rae, Whittingham (Burke 86), McPhail, McCormack (Parry 69), Bothroyd (Eddie Johnson 65), Chopra

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Comminges

Goals:

Roger Johnson 16, Rae 61, Bothroyd 63, Eddie Johnson 79

 Derby County: Bywater, Connolly, McEveley, Nyatanga, Albrechtsen (Todd 65), Savage, Sterjovski, Teale, Eustace, Bannan (Commons 64), Hulse (Villa 63)

Subs Not Used: Price, Pearson

Goals: Eddie Johnson 90 og

Att: 18,403

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Ginormica is voiced by actress Reese Witherspoon

Animated film Monsters vs Aliens has gone straight to the top of the UK and Ireland box office film chart, taking £4.3m on its opening weekend.

The Dreamworks film, which pits classic film monsters against beings from outer space, beat British comedy The Boat That Rocked into second place. The Richard Curtis film, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rhys Ifans, took £1.8m in its opening weekend. Last week's number one, Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage, is at three.

Monsters vs Aliens features the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogan and Kiefer Sutherland. It was released just in time for the British Easter school holidays, with a 3D version showing at cinemas with dedicated 3D screens.


Dog drama Marley and Me fell from two places to four, while The Haunting in Connecticut fell from third to fifth place. Paul Blart: Mall Cop is in sixth place ahead of The Damned United - based on a book about Brian Clough's 44-day reign as coach of Leeds United - which fell two places to number seven.

Lady GaGa's is also well known for her unusual fashion

US pop star Lady GaGa's album The Fame has reached the top of the charts, while her single Poker Face remains in the number one slot.

This comes days after the singer made US chart history by becoming the first artist in nearly a decade to top the US charts with her first two singles. There, the track took longer to reach top slot, lying in the charts for five months before going to number one. Her first single, Just Dance proved a big hit in the UK also.

Flo Rida's album Roots (Route of Overcoming the Struggle) was the only new release in the top 10 this week making it to number five. Only By The Night by the Kings of Leon was a non-mover in second place, followed by Annie Lennox's The Collection at number three. Last week's number one, Ronan Keating's Songs For My Mother - released to coincide with Mothering Sunday - fell three places to number four.

There were no new releases in the top 10 of the singles chart this week, although La Roux's In For The Kill, scraped in at number seven, after reaching number 11 last week.