Almost a full programme this week with just Crewe, AFCW, Charlton, and Gillingham putting their feet up, although as I type this up the snow continues to fall and I’m expecting to get a few cancellations here and there as the temperatures plummet.
A few strange results came in from Saturday, Burton toppling Hull City, and Accrington who were on a bit of a roll failed to make the home advantage count against a struggling Northampton Town side and only managed a dull goalless draw.Just heard Blackpool v Burton Albion has succumbed to the weather, so we are down to nine games tonight.
Accrington 0 Plymouth 1
Although Accrington dominated the game in terms of possession and had a whopping 23 shots they could not break Argyle down and a second half goal by Niall Ennis was the difference between the two sides at full time and it was much of Stanley’s own making. Ben Barclay attempted to back head a ball to his keeper, but it fell well short allowing Ennis to intercept, round the keeper and slot it home. That’s seven games without defeat now for Argyle as they appear to have regained that early season form.
Bristol Rovers 0 Oxford 2
Defeat last week seems like a minor blip for Oxford as they went back to winning ways over Paul Tisdale’s Bristol Rovers in this clash of the former Dons managers. Elliot Lee scored Oxford’s first as he raced onto a through ball and hit a low shot past the advancing Day in the Rovers goal. It was a fairly even game with Rovers well in contention until substitute Brandon Barker powered into the box and hit a low shot from a tight angle deep into injury time. The win moves Oxford back up to 9th, Rovers are one on four teams all on 24 points with just two goals separating them in the goal difference equation.
Hull 0 Lincoln 0
The two top teams battled it out, I say battled it out, despite it being freezing cold you may well have dropped off to sleep watching this as between them they only managed one shot on target in the whole game…. enough said.
Northampton 0 Wigan 1
A match low on quality and looked to be heading for a dull draw until Callum Long popped up late on to seize upon a Cian Bolger mistake in the back four and coolly fired home past Mitchell in the Cobblers goal. Amazingly that result drags Wigan up to 21st place, meanwhile the Cobblers slump to 23rd.
Peterborough 2 Ipswich 1
Ipswich took a 6th minute lead in this game via Oliver Norwood who surprised Posh keeper Christy Pym with a half volley that beat him at his near post.
Just before the break it was all square when JCH headed home a cross giving him his 15th goal of the season. The comeback was complete 5 minutes after halftime when Joe Ward hit a spectacular 25 yard freekick past a static Tomas Holy. Posh had Pym to thank late on as he pulled off two excellent saves to deny the Tractor Boys a point.
Portsmouth 2 Swindon 0
Ronan Curtis scored his 10th goal of the season early on to get Posh off to a quick start latching on to a Charlie Daniels freekick, and then Ellis Harrison came off the bench to convert a penalty after Ryan Williams had been fouled in the box. That’s the first win in three games at home for Pompey, meanwhile Swindon are struggling in the bottom four and have played at least two games more than all the clubs around them.
Shrewsbury 2 Sunderland 1
Harry Chapman scored his 4th goal in 4 games as the Shrews came from behind to inflict the Black Cats first away defeat of the season. Sunderland looked to be going well after Aiden O’Brien beat the Shrews offside trap to fire home. Just after half time the Salop side were level when former Don Ethan Ebanks-Landell forced home the ball from a Curtis Main cross. Twenty minutes from time the game was turned on its head when the in form Chapman latched on to a deep cross to smash a volley into the net.
Fleetwood 3 Doncaster 1
The result of the day has to be the defeat of the flying Doncasterlona at the hands of Fleetwood, although you wouldn’t have thought it would end up this way as Rovers got off to a cracking start after just 8 minutes through Jason Lokilo. With an hour gone Fleetwood turned on the after burners and blew Rovers away, Kyle Vassell got his first goal for the club and then just six minutes later Paddy Madden took full advantage of a terrible Doncaster defensive blunder selling the keeper down the river with a short back pass to put Fleetwood in front, Madden rounding the keeper to slot home. Rovers went in search of the equaliser, but it was game set and match to Fleetwood 2 minutes from time when left back Danny Andrew fired home a 30 yard screamer to take all three points.
