Webber: Tyre battle was tough Red Bull driver admits second stint was 'very strange'

Mark Webber says he feels "incredible" after winning in Monaco for a second time in wake of an impressively controlled performance in Sunday's race.

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Webber led for most of the race in Monte Carlo, but with weather a constant threat and teams opting for a 40-lap run on soft tyres it was always going to be a tough task to make a one-stop strategy work.
The Australian, who lost the lead to team-mate Sebastian Vettel mid-race as the German ran a longer first stint on the soft tyres, eventually held off Nico Rosberg by less than a second with the first six frontrunners covered by around six seconds after a concertina effect in the last 10 laps.
But Webber was predictably happy afterwards, saying: "I feel incredible. It was a very interesting race, reasonably straight-forward at the start, just managing the gap to Nico.
"But then the weather was threatening at the first pit-stop window, but Nico went for it, and people had to react.

Australian pride

"The second half of the race was very strange because it was very hard to get the soft tyre warmed up.
"I had very low front grip, I had to manage things around that, and I had to make sure Seb didn't get a gap of 21 seconds. That was not part of the plan."
Webber joins Vettel on 73 points in the Drivers' Championship, just three behind new outright leader Fernando Alonso, and added: "I'm really glad to have won here again, it's a great victory for me."
skysports.com

Why James McClean Must Start For Ireland

It's fair to say that, if you want a fine example of what it's like to bang your head against a brick wall for four years, speak to an Irishman in favour of inserting a little flair into their football team.
Since 2008, Giovanni Trapattoni has molded a side in his own image. Functional would be the kindest way to describe an Irish side that, in 20 qualifying games under Trap, scored only 25 goals. His Ireland builds their success on a mean, mean defence, only bettered by four other sides in qualification. Indeed, they conceded the same number of goals as Germany, and one fewer than Holland.
Indeed, so stodgy have Trap's Ireland been, that even after he secured their first qualification for a major championship final since 2002, and their first European Championship since 1988, F365 received a number of missives from thrill-starved Irishmen calling for the Italian's head. The theory seemed to be that so joyless was his football, they'd rather get rid than let Europe see them play.
The image of Trapattoni as a man absolutely suspicious of creativity is slightly misleading, given that he persists with the talented but terminally frustrating Aiden McGeady, but the source of much Irish frustration are the men who barely get a chance. He seems utterly uninterested in Wes Hoolahan, Liam Lawrence last played a year ago, he was eye-gougingly slow to give James McCarthy a chance (although admittedly he would've been in the Euro 2012 squad were it not for personal reasons) while the likes of Seamus Coleman and even Anthony Pilkington had cases for involvement. Meanwhile, Keith Andrews has 31 caps.
It was slightly surprising therefore that James McClean was selected in Trap's final 23, but having picked him for Polkraine, he absolutely must start against Croatia in a couple of weeks.
In a group also featuring Spain and Italy, Ireland's best chance of advancing is to be tight, compact and solid in both defence and midfield, then hope to nick a goal or two. Luckily for them, that seemed to be Trap's game plan even against Armenia, so at least his players will know the drill.
Of course, the problem with that is some creativity and pace is required. Ireland need a little spice, a little vim, and McClean is arguably the only man who can provide these things. Damien Duff still has a trick but isn't as fast as he used to be, McGeady is, as mentioned, a constant source of annoyance and Stephen Hunt started twice after Christmas for the worst team in the Premier League (and they were dead games in May). In addition, the less said about the imagination of the central midfielders the better (perhaps a smidgen harsh on Darron Gibson) and Robbie Keane aside, the Irish strikers are either honest triers or poachers.
Someone is needed to provide something unusual. Against Bosnia on Saturday McClean didn't score or create a goal, but by golly he scared the living hell out of a few defenders. He showed some of the terrifying directness that made him look like he belonged at Sunderland from the very first minute, from both the left and the right.
McClean is a largely unknown wildcard, he's young, he's quick and he can score goals. In short, Trapattoni can't afford to ignore him.
football365.com

Hodgson off to winning start

Ashley Young scored an early goal as England beat Norway 1-0 in Roy Hodgson's first game in charge of the national side in Oslo.

Young earned England their first win over the Norwegians since 1980 with a clinical finish after only nine minutes.
But it was worrying to see half-time substitute Gareth Barry last only 26 minutes before making way for stand-by player Jordan Henderson.
Barry had been part of the 2010 World Cup squad when not fully fit and failed to show his best form.
The line-up selected by Hodgson is likely to bear little resemblance to the side which will face France in the Euro 2012 opener in 17 days time.
Only Andy Carroll, skipper Steven Gerrard, Scott Parker and Ashley Young are near certainties to play in Donetsk, and the entire back five will probably change.
But there were still encouraging signs for Hodgson, who maintained the record of no England manager having been beaten in their opening game since Alf Ramsey in 1963.
Young looked sharp and confident in the second striker role and showed encouraging signs in tandem with Carroll.
Parker looked to be suffering no ill-effects from his Achilles problem and dictated and bossed the midfield in his 55 minutes of action.
Centre-back Joleon Lescott also staked his claim to have a major role in Hodgson's plans in Poland and Ukraine with a commanding performance.
Carroll made his first England start for 14 months in a line-up which showed seven changes from the side which started against Holland at Wembley in February.
Gerrard skippered the side for the 16th time - but the first as official England captain.
Carroll threatened the first moment of danger when he got on the end of a left-wing cross from Stewart Downing but headed wide under pressure from Brede Hangeland.
After nine minutes the sharp-looking Young broke the deadlock. Carroll played the ball to the Manchester United winger, who turned past Hangeland before firing a low shot past Rune Almenning Jarstein into the far corner of the net.
Norway retaliated and Robert Green reacted well to parry aside a rising shot from Markus Henriksen which deflected off Leighton Baines.
But the West Ham keeper was relieved when the resulting inswinging corner from Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen struck the near post.
England looked the more dangerous and Norway were again stretched when James Milner broke down the right and, after cutting inside, he forced Jarstein to save at his near post.
Gerrard was spoken to by German referee Michael Weiner shortly before half-time after showing his studs in a challenge on Tom Hogli, who tried to resume after treatment but was substituted and replaced by Espen Ruud.
The Liverpool player was booed by Norway fans for the remainder of the half and did not start the second half - as indicated by Hodgson on Friday. Barry came on and took over the armband - until his early exit.
Young was quickly back into his stride after the break and earned a free-kick on the edge of the box after being fouled by Vadim Demidov.
Baines' free-kick flew right through the defensive wall and forced a fine low save by Jarstein away to his left.
Riise continued to look Norway's most dangerous player and he skipped past substitute Theo Walcott before forcing Green to parry out a near post drive.
Ruud made good contact on a 20-yard volley but it flew straight at Green.
Hodgson gave debuts to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martin Kelly in the closing stages - as replacements for Young and Phil Jones respectively - as England held on with relative ease for the victory in warm conditions.
football365.com

Travis Porter Talk 'From Day 1' Album, Short Film & Chart Success

What has three heads, six legs and more club hits than anyone without a proper album down South?

That would be Travis Porter, the oddly named rap group of three performers from ­Decatur, Ga. After a slew of popular mixtapes and a ­collaborative tape with the ­undisputed king of neo-crunk, Waka Flocka Flame, the group is finally set to release its debut, "From Day 1," on May 29 on Porterhouse/RCA.

The album's title refers to the patience of rabid (and largely female) fans who have known about the act since the members still attended high school. "People recognized our music, but now they know us for real," Lakeem "Ali" Mattox says. "They've seen the hard work, they've seen us passing out our own CDs, they've seen us come up from riding in a van to a tour bus now."

Though the members just reached the legal drinking age, "Travie" (as the act is known to fans) has been making music since stepbrothers Mattox and Donquez "Quez" Woods met Duncan "Strap" Harold in middle school. Together, they've filled more than a half-dozen mixtapes with countless street hits, having built local buzz to a fever pitch by the time the act signed with Jive in fall of 2010.

"We started performing at clubs when we were 16, 17, and we just had that chemistry, so we took it to the next level," Harold says. Today, that next level is a proper album release to reach the kinds of fans who aren't interested in the mixtape market. "Some people out there only know about albums," Woods says. "If you put out an album, you're in the upper echelon of rap. I want people to look at me like that."

"The root is consistency," group manager Charlie Jabaley says. "Travis Porter has been putting out hit records for four years but, on top of that, [they've had] a strong viral campaign, like the 'Proud to Be a Problem' documentary, and the movie that we have coming out." The so-called "movie" is a short film titled "Red Rock" that the group hopes will be the first of many forays into acting.

For now, Travis Porter is promoting the album's first official single, "Aww Yea" (produced by B-Beck), with appearances including Prom Week on BET's "106 & Park," a hosting spot on MTV2's "Sucker Free Sunday" and a performance on MTV's "Hip Hop POV."billboard.com

EastEnders star held over sex assault Joshua Pascoe arrested

 Joshua, 16, who plays tearaway Ben Mitchell, was quizzed by detectives and freed on bail.
A source said: “His mum is distraught. He’s only 16, so his arrest is very upsetting for the whole family.” Joshua was questioned at Wimbledon police station in South London on Thursday.

In March he was suspended from the Italia Conti Academy stage school in Islington, North London, after unrelated allegations of bullying. His mum Sheree, 48, and father Gary are separated and he lives with his builder dad in Sutton, South London.

Joshua first appeared in EastEnders in December 2010 — the fourth actor to play troubled Ben, son of Phil Mitchell.

Gay Ben has clashed with his hardman dad, has been kidnapped and was abused by Phil’s girlfriend Stella.

After a spell in juvenile detention for attacking Jordan with a spanner, his storylines turned even more sinister. He pushed Glenda down a flight of stairs, held Patrick to ransom and framed his dad for murder.

And this year Ben killed Heather Trott as he raided her house for cash.

Scotland Yard said: “A 16-year-old boy was arrested on May 24 in connection with an allegation of sexual assault. He has been bailed to return to a North London police station on July 31.”

Last night a BBC spokesman said: “We are aware of the allegations.”

r.parry@the-sun.co.uk

thesun.co.uk