Although it’s a bit of a pig not to have a game, it does give us an opportunity to get a welcome break into those tired legs, also a few more days in advance getting injured players back, and lastly integrating the new lads into the squad especially our latest signing Harry Darling from Cambridge United, who judging by the comments on the CUFC Twitter feed is some prospect as some of their fans don’t look like they have taken the news that well, well we know how that feels, it does feel weird us being the bigger club this time round, I’m just looking forward to the day we make him Captain Darling……I’ll get me coat.
So feet up in front of Soccer Saturday watching Jeff Stelling as we report on what’s going on in League 1 to save you doing the legwork.
Charlton 2 Swindon 2
The Robins took a two-goal lead at the Valley, the first as the hesitant Charlton defence allowed Hallam Hope to nip in and blast the opener past Ben Amos, the second coming from a Matt Palmer deflected shot. Chuks Aneke pulled one back on the hour with a looping header and was unlucky not to get a second as he rattled the crossbar. With time up a Jake Forster-Caskey shot fell kindly for Andrew Shinnie and he slotted home to take a share of the points. Charlton stay in the top 6 and Swindon remain in that congested relegation zone.
Crewe 1 AFCW 1
The impressive Joe Pigott caught Crewe cold scoring after just 70 seconds heading home at the back post after the Crewe stopper misjudged a hopeful cross. Crewe levelled on the half hour through Oli Finney who seized on a ball coming off the post and smashed it home. Both teams never gave up the hope to win, AFC hitting the crossbar and Pigott bringing out a superb safe from the at fault for the first goal Dave Richards. Crewe finished the stronger and it looked like a fairy tale ending for former Dons loanee Stephen Walker, but he failed to get any power in his shot with the goal begging for mercy. The point edges AFC out of the drop zone on goal difference.
Gillingham 2 Rochdale 2
John Akinde’s last gasp equaliser denied Rochdale a first league win in 6 games. The Gills kicked off the scoring through Vadaine Oliver just before halftime, Oliver seizing on a spilt shot by the Dale keeper. Dale though came roaring back with two goals in quick succession from Jimmy Keohane, the first as he beat the offside trap to fire home, his second fired into the corner of the net from the edge of the box. With Dale hanging on substitute Akinde volleyed home a Kyle Dempsey headed through ball.
Ipswich 0 Peterborough 1
This defeat means 5 home defeats out of six for the Tractor Boys. Jonson Clarke-Harris had the chance to put Posh in the lead, with a hotly disputed penalty, but eventually the ref and lino agreed and pointed at the spot, JCH stepped up and smashed it over the bar and it was still rising as it left Portman Park. With about 20 minutes remaining Posh fired in what looked to be a harmless cross, but Magennis under no pressure sliced it past his own keeper, and that’s the way it stayed, giving Posh their first away win in 6 games and they move up to 3rd, and the pressure mounts on Ipswich boss Paul Lambert.
Lincoln 2 Northampton 1
The BBC reported in the first half that the Cobblers had totally changed their style of play to accommodate new signings, describing it as sexy football. But by the final whistle it turned out to be a real turn off although it took the high-flying Imps to the 75th minute to break the deadlock through former Don Conor McGrandles who fired home from the centre of the box. Less than ten minutes Lincoln later increased their lead via Tony Scully who fired high into the Cobblers net. The game appeared done and dusted, and Lincoln broke up the play with a couple of substitutions, but with seconds left Danny Rose scored a sensational consolation goal with an overhead kick from just outside the box. Lincoln stay in 2nd on goal difference but with a game in hand, the Cobblers drop into the bottom four.
Oxford 2 Bristol Rovers 0
Two former Dons managers went head-to-head, and it was Robbo that came off best, and maintained Oxford’s impressive run with a 2-0 win and their 6th successive win. Matty Taylor scored a brace against his old club taking his total to 11 goals this season, the first hitting home a lose ball from a corner, the other as he sprung the Rovers offside trap racing clear to score. That’s Oxford up to 11th now and Rovers avoiding the relegation spots courtesy of goal difference.
Portsmouth 0 Hull 4
In the big clash of the day table toppers Hull faced Pompey at Fratton Park, Portsmouth boasting 6 consecutive games without a goal conceded, but they came crashing down to earth with a huge spanking. The first was an own goal from Jack Whatmough when the Pompey keeper parried a tame header from a freekick straight at Whatmough and it rebounded into the net. In the second half George Honeyman made it two as Pompey failed to clear their lines and Honeyman pounced on the lose ball firing home through a crowd of players. Whatmough’s day got even worse when he completed a brace of own goals as he tried to cut out a speculative cross and once again knocked it past his own keeper. Hull completed the rout in injury time when Josh Magennis fired home from just outside the box, Hull stay top and Pompey drop down to 4th.
Sunderland 1 Shrewsbury 0
A Charlie Wyke goal after 17 minutes took all three points for Sunderland, their first league win on home turf since November 3rd. This was the Shrews first game back since Covid hit their team that put at one stage gaffer Steve Cotterill in Intensive Care, Sunderland move up to 7th and the Shrews five game unbeaten streak ends.
Wigan 0 Fleetwood 0
Lowly Wigan shared the possession and the points in a 0-0 draw with inconsistent Fleetwood, so little happened its hardly worth a mention, not even a single booking. The highlight for the local journo’s must have been the final whistle, Wigan stay in the bottom 4 although it is very tight, seven out of the bottom eight separated by just one win, Fleetwood slip one place down to 12th.
