I can’t remember the last time we saw a complete round of scheduled fixtures with games called off mainly with Covid 19, and more recently with frozen or waterlogged pitches. It certainly makes for a confusing picture when looking at the league table with some teams having as many as five games in hand on their rivals, and it makes me wonder just what sort of impact this will have on some of the teams on catch up and I was going to say we will find out sooner or later, but I think its more a case of later for many of these.Burton Albion v Shrewsbury was called off with many Albion players still self-isolating.
Accrington 2 Hull 0
In the early kick off Accrington stunned league leaders Hull with a well-deserved victory. I’m not even sure if we should be shocked by the result as Stanley have proved time and time again that this season is no fluke and they are more than capable of taking on anyone and beating them. Stanley took the lead early in the second half as a delicate pass through the Tigers defence was stroked home by Dion Charles beating Long at the near post, to record Accy’s first goal in three games. Stanley put the game to the bed twenty minutes from time when Matt Butcher fired into the bottom corner from about 18 yards out, Hull drop to 2nd and Accrington up to 8th with plenty of games in hand and based on this they have an outside chance of a top two finish.
Gillingham 4 Crewe 1
Crewe’s unbeaten 10 game run came to a crashing end as Gillingham had the game virtually wrapped up at half time leading 3-0. Jordan Graham started the rout from the penalty spot, picking himself off the floor to convert. Loanee Olly Lee made it 2-0 selling Beckles down the river before firing past the Crewe keeper. On the stroke of halftime it was just about game over, Gillingham passed the ball all round the Crewe defence who were left chasing shadows and Kyle Dempsey made no mistake from just inside the box. Lee completed a brace of goals with a looping header past the Crewe keeper following a long throw. A Chris Porter goal for Crewe 10 minutes from time was merely a consolation.
Doncaster 2 AFCW 0
Doncasterlona kept the pressure on AFC who now fall into the bottom four and we are next up at the Meccano Stadium. This was Doncaster’s 7th win in 8 games, and they are very much in the title race moving up to 4th with goals from Fejiri Okenabirhie in the 10th minute after a misplaced pass allowed him to smash it into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, and a 20-yard deflected Taylor Richards shot wrong footed the AFC keeper to put the game out of reach.
Peterborough 0 Bristol Rovers 0
The surprise result of the day in many peoples eyes who probably had this down as a home banker, but we shouldn’t be too upset as it moves Rovers a point clear of you know who, other than that there is little else to say other than Posh stay in third place.
Portsmouth 0 Lincoln 1
Its been a nightmare of a week for Jack Whatmough, he scored two own goals against Hull City and tonight he played less than half an hour when he received a red card for late tackle on Jorge Grant, but even with a man advantage it took Lincoln until the 79th minute to break the Pompey resolve. Morgan Rodgers was the scorer with his first Lincoln goal getting on the end of a Conor McGrandles cross. The win puts Lincoln back on top and Pompey slip back down to 5th.
Rochdale 3 Oxford 4
What’s that a 6th or 7th straight win for Robbo’s side as they continue to climb the table, but the result was in doubt right up to the final whistle as the lead changed back and forth until it was finally settled. Oxford kicked things off through Dan Ageyi, then two quick goals from Done and Humphrys turned the game on its head to give Dale the lead. Back came Oxford again with goals from Moore and then Henry to regain the lead, but that lasted all of two minutes as Matty Lund fired Rochdale level, but with time almost done Olamide Shodipo seized on a hashed clearance from the Dale keeper and lofted the ball into an empty net to take the points.
Swindon 0 Plymouth 2
The Robins remain third from bottom with a dismal home display against Plymouth, goals from Pereira Camara and Ryan Hardie doing the damage in a game that saw Swindon register just four shots all game.
Wigan 0 Blackpool 5
Wigan endorsed their bottom two berth with a 5-0 home defeat against the Seasiders who hadn’t won in five games. Amazingly with such a drubbing the scores were level just a few minutes before half time, but when Ekpiteta opened the scoring the floodgates burst open. Further goals came from Yates and Virtue-Thick, yes that is his real name, and then to rub it in late sub Ellis Simms on his first ever league appearance grabbed a brace to make is a dismal night for Wigan.
Fleetwood 0 Northampton 0
A dull game took place at Highbury with no goals and little to talk about other than plenty of shooting that rarely threatened either goal, Ryan Watson with about the best chance late on bringing a decent save out of Cairns in the Fleetwood goal. Fleetwood continue to stutter and are winless in the five games since Jory Barton departed, the point drags the Cobblers above AFC and out of the bottom four.
Ipswich 0 Sunderland 1
Nothing is going right for the under pressure Paul Lambert who had to contend with a complete change of plan after just 10 minutes when Kayden Jackson was shown a straight red card for a horrible challenge on Bailey Wright. As you would expect the Black Cats dominated the game with a one man advantage and on the stroke of halftime Charlie Wyke broke the deadlock connecting with a Max Power Cross to slide the ball past the Ipswich keeper. The win moves Sunderland up to 7th and continues their impressive away from home run, meanwhile Ipswich slide down to 10th and you wonder when the Ipswich owners will pull the trigger as the fans call for Lambert’s head.
