Brum beat off Cov, Boro batter Saints, Lincoln lay down a marker – plus our 'before and after the festive fixtures' tables
Your season ticket to everything EFL, all season and every single weekend.
Point of order: In the stats pack section this week, we have interactive before-and-after tables for each league covering the four games between Boxing Day and 4th January. When we say “four games”, we mean three in some cases. But still, have a play around to see who were the biggest winners and losers. 👇
Championship
Huw Davies
Birmingham got their first win in eight by beating Coventry 3-2 with some high-quality goals. Kai Wagner started the match within 48 hours of joining the Blues, promising assists from left-back, and delivered one within six minutes. Marvin Ducksch converted it beautifully and held his run well for his second, after Lewis Koumas had rounded the keeper for a goal of his own. Coventry equalised twice but their defence wasn’t on it, and Bobby Thomas got himself sent off in stoppage time by giving Phil Neumann an opportunity to go down flailing. His suspension will be salt in the wound for Frank Lampard amid Cov’s indifferent form: 9 points from 8 games since the start of December, and 1 from their last 3.
Middlesbrough hadn’t scored in four games, and the frustration showed in the first half against Southampton as they took 10 shots without putting any on target. Only two of those were taken from inside the box; in the second half, all 12 Boro shots came from inside it and they won 4-0. Football’s a simple game. Though the scoreline was flattering – at 0-0, Tom Fellows skied a big chance and debutant Adilson Malanda, a block-rocking beast, brilliantly denied Adam Armstrong – Boro’s second-half performance merited the win. With Ipswich’s game called off, Boro return to 2nd. As for Southampton, Tonda Eckert’s record as caretaker was WWWWL. His record since being appointed full-time? WWLDLDDL. A tale as old as time.
The other headlines belonged to those teams jostling for a top-six place. Thanks to Hull v Watford – an unexpected clash of 4th v 5th going into the weekend – being postponed 20 minutes before kick-off, Preston and Millwall were able to climb above the pair. Millwall beat Swansea 2-1 and it was only due to Swans stopper Lawrence Vigouroux that they needed a 92nd-minute goal to win it; although he could’ve done better with Caleb Taylor’s header, it’d be understandable if he’d clocked out by then.
PNE won a 0-0 game 2-0 at Bristol City, and you can’t fault it: that’s a big part of their success. Early doors, Jordan Thompson and (a possibly offside) Lewis Dobbin ruthlessly exploited a trifecta of f*ck-ups by Zak Vyner, Max O’Leary and Adam Randell, then very little happened for an hour until Alfie Devine scored a low drive. As low-margin as their games can be, Preston have nonetheless scored in 14 of their last 15 matches. That’ll do it.
And, just a single point outside the play-off places, knocking politely at the door, sit two more of the weekend’s winners. Stoke defeated Norwich 2-0 through a double scoop of ice-cold Sorba (an assist and a goal with a mad up ’n’ under sprinkled on top), while Wrexham beat Derby 2-1 on their own frozen patch to record a fourth consecutive victory. Sam Smith has started each of the last two, after just one league start all season up to then, and he’s scored in both. Kieffer who? Check out Matty James’ winner in 5iveLights, too.
League One
Matt Watts
Sunday’s reduced docket in League One began with Lincoln laying down a marker, coming from behind to beat Peterborough 5-2. There was another goal for Harry Leonard, before the Imps came roaring back to go in 3-1 up at the break. Kyrell Lisbie reduced the deficit, but only for a minute – Adam Reach’s third goal in three games restored the hosts’ two-goal lead, before Tendayi Darikwa rubber-stamped the result with his second of the afternoon.
In the third tier’s other early kick-off, Bolton were held to a goalless draw by Kevin Nolan’s Northampton. Despite the Trotters having 70% possession and 17 shots, there wasn’t a single shot on target in this ‘match that happened.’ It’s a continuation of a theme for Steven Schumacher’s side, who had a real opportunity to make their move over the festive period but followed up victory over Rotherham with a defeat to Mansfield and disappointing draws against Donny and Cobblers.
Cardiff responded to Lincoln going level on points with them at the top by producing one of the most dominant 1-0 wins of the season against Wigan. The league leaders had 82% possession and they completed 558 more passes than the Latics, yet Calum Chambers’ first-half piledriver was all that separated the two sides in the only stat that really matters. No team in the top six tiers of English football has picked up more points at home in their respective league this season than Cardiff City (33).
Overall, the Bluebirds are three points clear of Lincoln and five clear of Bradford, who provided League One’s only away win of the day by beating Blackpool 2-1. You’re probably sick of the sight of turkey, but it was Will Swan’s well-placed strike that made it three wins over the festive period for the Bantams, who are now seven points clear of 4th. Leam Richardson’s Reading have also won three of their last four games. With a minute of normal time remaining, a trademark ping for the ‘Ding from Lewis Wing saw off an increasingly inconsistent Stockport and moved the Royals within four points of the top six.
From Berkshire to Buckinghamshire, Wycombe got the better of AFC Wimbledon thanks to goals from Junior Quitirna and Niall Huggins. Down in Devon, Plymouth Argyle picked up their first win since before Christmas, putting in a dominant display to beat Burton 3-0. The Brewers have lost their last three and find themselves inside the bottom four.
Finally, back up in north in a county where the majority of games were called off, Huddersfield drew 2-2 with Exeter. The Terriers’ unbeaten run goes on, but Jayden Wareham’s 89th-minute equaliser meant that Lee Grant’s side had to settle for a point against the Grecians, who can now turn their attentions to their upcoming FA cup tie with Manchester City. On this evidence, Pep’s Citizens would be well-advised to not let Reece Cole let fly from distance.
League Two
Sam Parry
Both of League Two’s scheduled lunchtime kick-offs went ahead, while every 3pm was postponed. This league, eh?
They were important fixtures, too: one at the top, one at the bottom. Pre-season favourites MK Dons were looking to reel in the top three against a Chesterfield side yet to hit the levels many expected. And it was the Spireites who provided the early spark…
Included on their team sheet graphic before any club announcement were three new signings: Sam Curtis (RB), Sil Swinkels (CB) and Sammy Braybrooke (CM). One of those would have a huge hand in the result.
Early on, Paul Cook’s side were lively but wasteful, failing to capitalise on decent openings. MK duly punished them twice, as Callum Paterson turned in a low cross before Rushian Hepburn-Murphy fired in a thunderbolt.
The game flipped as MK sat off, though it still felt as if the visitors lacked end product. Until they didn’t. Sam Curtis, on debut, headed home from a Liam Mandeville set piece and suddenly the game had life. MK looked set to ride it out, but then came chaos in the 94th minute. Another Mandeville corner. Another header. Will Grigg with the equaliser. A red card for Paul Cook. And a very public disagreement among MK defenders over who had lost their man. One point salvaged, two points dropped.
It was quieter in Gloucestershire. But there was room for another “new”* signing to impact a football match…
Before kick-off, Crawley were nine without a win and had taken just five points away from home all season. With five January signings already through the door, Scott Lindsey will have hoped fresh faces might change the tone.
Cheltenham’s first shot arrived in the seventh minute. Their second didn’t come until the 48th. In between, Crawley were marginally the better side in a poor game. New arrivals featured throughout but it was Cheltenham’s November signing, Hakeeb Adelakun, who made the difference by scoring within minutes of coming off the bench, to finally shake a game that had drifted.
That goal didn’t just shake it. It broke it. Cheltenham doubled and then trebled their lead from corners, with minimal resistance. What had been scrappy quickly became one-sided, and there was little fight from Scott Lindsey’s side as the game slipped away.
Two key notes:
Crawley are now ten without a win and still have just five away points all season.
*Adelakun played his last game for Cheltenham and will become a new signing for another (we presume) EFL club soon…
🎦 Our Top 5 clips from the EFL weekend
Putting the REECE in Grecians: Cole with goal.
Departure: Matty James. Arrival: The Net.
Calum Chambers, centre-back pile-driver
If you can’t beat them, confuse them
Hepburning the midday oil: it’s a screamer for MK.
Who were the festive winners and losers?
This week we’re looking at the before and after of the festive period to see who were the biggest winners and losers in each league — you can filter the tables in the app and on your browser.
