Well It made a pleasant change to put my feet up during the week and not have to write about what’s being going on up and down the league table, but its full steam ahead again now with the midweek games returning and continuing right up to the final weekend, with some teams playing three times a week.
Accrington 1 AFCW 5
Never let it be said that I’m not fair, but that’s a cracking result against an Accy side that are unpredictable to say the least. Accy took the lead after 5 minutes through Michael Nottingham heading home a corner, after that it was an AFC bumper afternoon as they fired in five unanswered goals. For the record there were braces for Palmer and Assal, and Joe Pigott got back on the scoresheet. The result lifts them out of the bottom four, and does their GD no harm, the only downside to the afternoon was a second yellow for Ben Heneghan in injury time for dangerous play.
Crewe 0 Oxford 6
Puts our result last week into prospective as the Railwaymen took a right spanking from the U’s. Oxford were on fire with 11 of their 18 shots on target and 6 of them hit the back of the net, the goals came from Ruffels, Henry, Moore, Barker, Brannagan and Winnall. That win puts Oxford in 9th and you cant rule out a playoff spot if the continue to be in this sort of mood.
Doncaster 1 Wigan 4
Probably one of the results of the day that improved Wigan’s chance of escaping the drop and reminded Donny they are a bang average League 1 side that have now lost 4 on the bounce. Wigan raced to a 3-0 lead courtesy of Dodoo, Aasgaard, and Solomon-Otabor, with Richards pulling one back during the first half injury time. With 10 minutes to go Wigan made it safe with Will Keane scoring, but they are still in the bottom 4 with work to be done, meanwhile Donny slip down to 11th.
Fleetwood 1 Rochdale 0
Dale are starting to be cut adrift, now 6 points from safety and no sign of a fight to stay up, and what makes this more painful is it was an own goal by Eoghan O’Connell that separated the sides at the final whistle. Dale face equally relegation threatened Swindon on Tuesday night, both sides will be desperate for a result.
Gillingham 0 Shrewsbury 0
The non-event of the day, although to be fair the Gills still have a chance of the playoffs, but their destiny is out of their hands and they need a few teams to record defeats it they are to feature. 30 shots in this game but neither team could break the deadlock, Gillingham are in 10th but have played more games than anyone around them.
Lincoln 2 Blackpool 2
The Imps looked to be out of this until 15 minutes from time when they were losing 2-0 courtesy of goals from Simms and Kaikai, but Lincoln staged a late recovery to grab a point with goals from Scully and Johnson. Has to be a worry for the Imps as they haven’t won in 5 games and we are next up at Sincil Bank on Tuesday night.
Northampton 1 Bristol Rovers 1
This result probably did more for the Cobblers than the Rovers, but they have played more games than most around them, so its out of their hands. Leahy scored after 19 minutes and Rovers tried to hang onto their lead until the 78th minute when Jack Baldwin brought down Alex Jones in the box. Sam Hoskins stepped up to take the spot kick and knocked it straight down the middle to take a share of the points. Neither team play on Tuesday night, but the following Saturday Rovers host Lincoln and the Cobblers have the daunting task of going to London Road to face Posh in the Nene Valley Derby.
Plymouth 0 Hull 3
A fairly comfortable afternoon for the league leaders as they strengthened their place at the top of the table, and a home defeat from Sunderland has aided that. Goals from Lewis-Potter, Magennis and Docherty doing all the damage.
Portsmouth 1 Burton 2
Burton rubber stamped their exit from the danger area with a tidy win against Pompey to record the first defeat for the Cowley brothers. Pompey had 77% possession but did little to penetrate the last line of the Burton defence. Burton created little but it was all quality with 10 shots and 6 on target and 2 of those found the net via Fondop-Talon and Powell either side of half time. Pompey did pull one back through Daniels 2 minutes from time, but it turned out to be just a consolation. Burton are now 10 points clear of the drop and Pompey slip one place into 5th spot.
Sunderland 1 Charlton 2
Charlton did their playoff aspirations no harm with a superb win at the Stadium of Light. Athletic took the lead on the half hour when Josh Scowen scored and own goal. Former Don Alex Gilbey made it 2-0 firing home from 6 yards after a headed lay off by Jayden Stockley. The Black Cats pulled one back 15 minutes from time with a header from outside the box by Josh Scowen who wiped out the own goal he had scored earlier, but the points still went back down to London. Sunderland stay in 3rd ; Charlton move up to 7th place.
Swindon 0 Peterborough 3
The Robins are looking in trouble with this home defeat that leaves them in 23rd but its not over yet for them, but they need to find a win or more quickly. Posh stay in 2nd place after two goals from Dembele and of course JCH had to get in on the act in injury time.
