After another weekend of exciting Football League action, we take a look back on a week that saw Wolves extend their lead at the top of the Championship, Oldham remain on top in League One and the League Two leadership change hands once again.
Wolves are sitting pretty on top of the Championship after another fine victory this weekend. Mick McCarthy’s men came through a tough test at Preston to win 3-1 despite ending the game with nine men. Chris Iwelumo’s hat-trick was enough to see Wolves clear at the top but the striker was later sent off for a head butt on Preston’s Sean St. Ledger. Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey was also shown a red card late on but Wolves had already bagged the points. They go three points clear at the top after Birmingham suffered a surprise home defeat to Blackpool. Gary Taylor-Fletcher was the Tangerine’s hero at St. Andrews but Birmingham remain second.
Below them, Preston stayed in third place despite that defeat to Wolves while QPR remain in fourth. Rangers beat Southampton last Sunday but were beaten by Coventry this weekend. Elliott Ward’s penalty gave Coventry the points at the Ricoh Arena on fifteen minutes. Bristol City continue to impress and are in the top six following a 4-1 hammering of Doncaster Rovers with two goals from Michael McIndoe helping City to the win.
The most bizarre incident of the weekend came as Watford drew 2-2 with Reading. Assistant referee Nigel Bannister appeared to award an opening goal to Reading despite the ball going yards WIDE of the goal. The incident is set to be reviewed by the Professional Game Match Officials Board.
Down at the bottom of the table, Southampton couldn’t escape the bottom three after a goalless draw at home to bottom club Barnsley at St. Mary’s. Nottingham Forest also drew 0-0, at home to Charlton as they continue to struggle to adapt to life back in The Championship.
League One leaders Oldham were involved in a six goal thriller at Hartlepool to come away with a point in a 3-3 draw. The draw keeps the Latics unbeaten after seven games on seventeen points. Scunthorpe keep the pressure on them after a 2-1 win at Hereford with Gary Hooper netting the winner. Hereford had taken the lead through Nick Chadwick but Sam Togwell eqialised before Hooper’s goal five minutes later.
Leeds saw off Carlisle in a battle of two sides in the top six and they rise to third place in the table. Millwall continue to surprise people and lie fourth after providing new Cheltenham manager Martin Allen with his first defeat. Leicester got back on track following last weekend’s defeat to Millwall by beating Leyton Orient 3-1 at Brisbane Road. That was Orient’s second heavy home defeat in a week after they were beaten 3-0 by Stockport last weekend.
At the foot of the table, Hereford continue to struggle to adapt to life in League One and are at the bottom of the league. Colchester are also still struggling following a 3-0 home defeat by MK Dons. The win takes Dons up to eighth as substitute Sam Baldock scored twice to keep their momentum going. Meanwhile, Cheltenham stay in the bottom four following that defeat at Millwall while Crewe didn’t warm up for their big game at Liverpool in the Carling Cup as they were beaten 4-3 at home by Southend in the game of the day in League One.
In League Two, Bury are the new leaders as they beat struggling Barnet at Underhill with in-form Andy Morrell netting the winner. Wycombe beat Dagenham and Redbridge in the big game of the day at the top of the table as Ben Strevens missed an injury time penalty for the Daggers. Making up the top three are Bradford who lost ground on the leaders after a home defeat to Bournemouth.
Shrewsbury lie in fourth place after Grant Holt’s goal was cancelled out by Paul McManus in their draw at Chester. Dagenham are down to fifth while Aldershot and won well at home to Gillingham, Scott Davies scoring from long range against the ten man Gills. Brentford drew at home with Lincoln to remain in the playoff places.
Down at the bottom, two sides docked points met as Rotherham reduced their deficit to minus three with a single goal win over Luton Town at the Don Valley Stadium. Bournemouth are down to minus eleven following their away win at high flying Bradford.
We now turn our attention to the midweek fixtures as the Football League clubs challenge the big guns in the Carling Cup Third Round. The pick of the challenges sees Crewe travel to Liverpool, Northampton take on Sunderland in the Stadium of Light and Watford host West Ham. There’s also a derby between Swansea and Cardiff to whet the appetite for their league meetings later this year.
That’s all for this week, see you again next Monday!
No comments:
Post a Comment