A full round of 12 fixtures for us to report on over two days, after a weekend of FA Cup football, but first of all we can’t forget two games that have slipped under the radar from last weekend’s league programme.
IPSWICH 0 HULL CITY 3
League leaders Hull had a comfortable win on the road against rival promotion contenders Ipswich Town. Although the Tractor Boys dominated possession it was the Tigers who were clinical in front of goal and as early as the 2nd minute with Malik Wilks getting Hull off to the perfect start. Josh Magennis kept up his superb recent streak with a goal bang on half time, and Tom Eaves wrapped it all up ten minutes from time.
OXFORD 1 SWINDON 2
Hated rivals Oxford and Swindon went toe to toe at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday and it looked like Oxford had it all sewn up with a goal from Matty Taylor, but in the 85th minute super sub Tom Broadbent equalised, and then deep into injury time Tyler Smith nicked a long ball forward and poked it past Eastwood in the Oxford goal leaving United and Robbo stunned.
TUESDAY NIGHT
BLACKPOOL 1 PORTSMOUTH 0
Pool continued their steady run of results with victory over a stuttering Pompey side by a solitary goal scored by Keshi Anderson, his first home goal for Blackpool. Defeat for Portsmouth leaves them in 6th place and Blackpool leapfrog a couple of teams into 12th.
CREWE 4 SWINDON 2
Swindon raced into a two-goal lead against the Railwaymen with goals from Tyler Smith and Anthony Grant, former Don Danny Powell reducing the deficit shortly before the break. But in the second half it was all Crewe as they battered the Swindon defence that gave way with three goals in 12 minutes, Perry Ng, Tom Lowery and Owen Dale securing the 3 points.
LINCOLN 2 WIGAN 1
Lowly Wigan gave the Imps a scare with a deflected Kai Naismith goal holding the lead until Lincoln finally broke the Athletic resolve in the 69th minute thanks to Jorge Grant, and with the game heading for a draw Tom Hopper worked an opening in the box firing past the stricken Wigan keeper to secure the points for Lincoln and pushing them back into second place.
OXFORD 0 IPSWICH 0
Oxford tip toed out of the bottom four and Ipswich remain in the top 5 with a bore draw at the Kassam Stadium, recording Oxfords first clean sheet of the season.
SUNDERLAND 1 BURTON 1
Rudderless Sunderland spared their blushes by equalising against a Burton side with the worst defensive record in League 1 but are currently showing signs of a revival in their fortunes. Charles Vernam gave Albion a surprise lead on the hour despite a 71% dominance by the Black Cats, and it took an 85th minute headed equaliser from Max Power to share the points.
NORTHAMPTON 1 FLEETWOOD 0
Cian Bolger’s first goal for Northampton was the deciding factor in this game despite it being almost one-way traffic as the Cobblers goal was laid siege for most of the game. But the defence repelled all boarders in a result that sees them rise to a nosebleed inducing 14th.
PLYMOUTH 0 ROCHDALE 4
In what was possibly the result of the day, Dale humiliated Plymouth on their own pitch giving them their first victory in 5 games and Plymouth their first home defeat of the season. The game was virtually done and dusted by halftime with goals from Jake Beesley who was sadly stretchered off with a nasty head injury shortly after scoring, Aaron Morley with a net buster from the edge of the area, and Jimmy Keohane in the 12th minute of first half injury time after a mistake by former Don Scott Wootton, Stephen Humphrys completed the humiliation 20 minutes from time consigning Plymouth to their third defeat in a row with 10 goals conceded.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
AFCW 2 PETERBOROUGH 1
The early kick off at New Plough Lane saw AFCW win a tight affair against Peterborough who are more than capable of putting in a dodgy result as their current form suggests. Ryan Longman and Joe Pigott scored two quick fire goals shortly after the break. Jonson Clarke-Harris lashed in a 25-yard free kick to halve the deficit, but as hard as the Posh tried they failed to find an equaliser recording their third defeat in four games.
BRISTOL ROVERS 0 GILLINGHAM 2
Former Dons Boss Paul Tisdale is finding it tough going at Bristol Rovers despite having the bulk of the possession against a Gillingham side content to play the counter attacking game. Two goals from Vadaine Oliver either side of half time claiming the points for the Steve Evans side.
HULL 2 DONCASTER 1
Josh Magennis continued his run of goals opening the scoring against Doncaster. Rovers looked to have secured a draw with less than 10 minutes to go through Tyreece John-Jules, but up popped Tom Eaves with time running out to take the points back to Hull and keep them on top of the table four points clear of second placed Lincoln City.
SHREWSBURY 2 ACCRINGTON 2
Our opponents on Saturday Accrington continued their unbeaten run but it was a close-run thing as Joe Pritchard got them off to a great start, the lead though was short lived as Aaron Pierre equalised for the Shrews. Shaun Whalley looked to have wrapped the points up for the men from Salop, but a last gasp penalty for Accy in the 95th minute levelled things but it took a second go for Ryan Cassidy as his initial effort was saved by the keeper, and Cassidy reacted quickest to spare his blushes.
