Weekend Notes: Leeds close the gap to Leicester, Lincoln Imping, Notts County limping
There were no red carpets in the EFL, but no shortage of blockbuster drama either...
And the Academy Award for best motion picture goes to… …
…the E-F-EFFING-L, for a weekend distilled into an Oscar-worthy blockbuster. The Championship’s promotion race took another third-act twist, a League One hopeful lost 5-1 at home and all of League Two’s top four won, each team keenly asking that eternal question: can we have a (P), please, Bob?
Welcome to Weekend Notes.
Comparing apples with apples… Cox hits delicious double.
Just Alfie May being the first in L1 to slide into 20 goals for the season.
Wrapped or open? Alex Gilbey sends the ‘keeper to the chip shop.
Direct from a corner: Player of the Month curse in reverse.
Championship
Huw Davies
Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Leeds United
Bamford (45+5), Gnonto (58)
This was all set up for a Friday night upset, with Wednesday hosting Leeds after four wins in a row, but Leeds sidestepped the banana skin deftly. The much-maligned Junior Firpo crossed for the quite-maligned Patrick Bamford to score late in first-half stoppage time, then Willy Gnonto wrapped it up, while James Beadle was also forced into several excellent saves. Pressure duly applied at the top – over to you, Ipswich…
Cardiff City 2-1 Ipswich Town
Wintle (90+5), O’Dowda (90+10) — Moore (79)
This season’s most significant period of stoppage time? If the score had stayed as it was at 90 minutes, Ipswich would be a single point behind league leaders Leicester.
After 80 minutes in which Ipswich had control but Cardiff the best chance, with top scorer Perry Ng having a shot cleared off the line, Kieffer Moore drilled home a precise finish and muted his celebration to a) honour his former club, and b) pacify the Wales fans present before he returns to the stadium in a couple of weeks’ time. In stoppage time, however, it was all Bluebirds. Callum O’Dowda failed to convert Rubin Colwill’s cross into the six-yard box, but he made amends in the 100th minute after Ryan Wintle had equalised.
The early kick-off’s late turnaround gave an opportunity to one particular team – over to you, Leicester…
Hull City 2-2 Leicester City
Carvalho (16), Zaroury (60) — Vardy x2 (31 pen, 62)
Ah. Still, Leicester did come from behind twice. First, Fabio Carvalho exploited a Wout Faes error to score – actually, first Carvalho failed to convert a penalty that’d been brilliantly won by Regan Slater – and then Anass Zaroury, having tackled Faes for the first goal, scored from outside the box because where else would he score from? Yet Vardy earned a point by firing twice through an unconvincing Ryan Allsop. It’s gone largely unnoticed that the 37-year-old is in the Championship’s top half a dozen scorers this season, helped by penalties but nonetheless averaging a goal every 95 minutes.
Leicester’s cushion is reduced to three points, and yet it could have been worse if not for Cardiff’s help.
Southampton 4-2 Sunderland
S. Armstrong (9), A. Armstrong (37 pen), Rothwell x2 (77, 80) — Mundle (62), Bellingham (71)
So, would Southampton hold their nerve? Yes. Sort of. They let Sunderland back into the game but only through a deflection and a Jobe Bellingham beaut, and for a second week running Saints won thanks to goals from their high-quality subs’ bench. They now have three weeks without a match, followed by a period of 30 days with eight fixtures – most likely nine, because another needs rescheduling. Gulp.
This marked six defeats in a row for the Black Cats, playing more like kittens: at 24, Dan Ballard was the oldest player in Sunderland’s starting XI, which had an average age of exactly 21 (yes, we counted the months). Some defensive naivété featured Bellingham, 18, assisting Southampton’s opener and Chris Rigg, 16, rashly conceding a penalty. Adam Armstrong’s conversion technically should’ve been disallowed for a double kick, but good luck seeing that in real time.
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Plymouth Argyle
Szmodics (7) — Whittaker (74)
Two huge moments here in the relegation bunfight: Arnor Sigurdsson hitting the woodwork when clean through at 1-0, and Kyle McFadzean’s red card. With Blackburn leading through Sammie Szmodics’ lovely first touch and finish, McFadzean dimly tugged back Ryan Hardie and received his marching orders – not what Rovers needed from the veteran they signed in January. In the 40 minutes that followed, Plymouth racked up nearly two goals’ worth of xG and Morgan Whittaker cancelled out Szmodics’ goal in their race for the Golden Boot.
Millwall 1-0 Birmingham City
Tanganga (90)
“We have to get something from the two home games coming,” said Blues’ caretaker manager Mark Venus after this defeat, adding pressure ahead of this week’s matches against Middlesbrough and Watford. Birmingham conceded from a corner once again – John Ruddy having had to save well from one already – and Millwall beat a relegation rival… or snatched a late win at home to an out-of-form team who played poorly and still should’ve had a penalty. Under Neil Harris, they’ve taken 10 points from four games that, on balance, probably should’ve yielded two or three. How long will the returning hero’s luck continue?
Watford 1-2 Coventry City
Porteous (20) — Wright x2 (40 pen, 72)
Cov are back on track, hitting back after the setback of back-to-back defeats with back-to-back wins off the back of this comeback. After Ryan Porteous gave Watford the lead in a fashion to make Graham Taylor proud – long throw, header, no other touches – Josh Eccles won a penalty with some tidy footwork and Haji Wright did the rest.
The American’s second goal, against a defence seemingly going through the motions, was enough to see Val Ismael sacked by Watford following six defeats in eight games. Tom Cleverley takes temporary charge, on secondment from trying to break through into Manchester United’s first team.
Preston North End 1-2 Stoke City
Osmajic (68) — Hughes OG (64), McNally (87)
Preston’s first home defeat of 2024 gave their top-six bid a kick in the shins – and a self-inflicted one at that, which is biomechanically quite hard to do. Defensive mishaps caused both Stoke goals and, having scored a fine header, Milutin Osmajic missed a glorious chance to level at the death. The Potters threatened often but mainly through set-pieces, and they’ll be thankful for the three points’ extra breathing room ahead of meetings with 6th-placed Norwich and 7th-placed Hull.
Norwich City 5-0 Rotherham United
Sara x2 (13, 47), Sorensen (21), Sainz (32), Sargent (45+1)
How are Rotherham this bad? How are Rotherham this bad? How are Rotherham this bad? Put the emphasis where you like – a ninth consecutive defeat, and second 5-0 thrashing in a week, took the miserable Millers to 53 goals conceded in 19 away games, and they also took just two shots in the match. Truly alarming. In the first half, Stacey set up Sara, Sara set up Sorensen, Sorensen set up Sainz and Stacey set up Sargent. S-s-s-sensational. Then Norwich led 5-0 just after the break when Borja Sainz decided to one-up Gabriel Sara’s rocket, and that way it stayed.
QPR 0-2 Middlesbrough
Latte Lath (64), Forss (76)
Boro withstood pressure and were indebted to Rav van den Berg’s superb last-ditch challenge on Paul Smyth before taking the initiative themselves, as Emmanuel Latte Lath volleyed home and Marcus Forssed a winner. They saw it out comfortably. QPR had just beaten Leicester 2-1 and thumped West Bromwich Albion 2-2, so to draw the latter and lose this is disappointing, but only in the context of their excellent recent form; Middlesbrough, eight points off 6th yet with a game in hand, are just clearing their throat and attempting to enter the play-off conversation.
Huddersfield Town 1-4 West Bromwich Albion
Burgzorg (30) — Johnston x2 (51, 73), Bartley (60), Yokuşlu (66)
Can anybody stop Mikey Johnston? In helping the Baggies to win comfortably from behind against Huddersfield, the Celtic loanee took his Albion tally to six goals, including four in the last three games. His brace was less spectacular than recent efforts (though Andi Weimann deserves credit for his great work in making the first) but counts just the same. The highlight, however, was this more-than-Okay strike from Yokuşlu, hit so hard it took the net off its moorings.
Bristol City 1-0 Swansea City
Dickie (73)
The winner of this encounter would effectively be able to call themselves safe, so it was understandably… nervy, to use the polite euphemism. In the first half, Bristol City didn’t have a shot. In the second, not a great deal more happened, but Rob Dickie neatly headed in the goal that means the Robins can breathe easier and the Swans can’t. Oh, and Ronald, the visitors’ mercurial Brazilian, passed a short corner straight out for a throw-in and was also penalised for a foul throw. Elite.
League One
Top two
Rob Langham & Matt Watts
Barnsley 1-5 Lincoln City
Phillips (77) — Taylor (15), Moylan x2 (55 & 72), Mandroiu (58), Makama (79)
If Barnsley were hoping for an easy game after their Tuesday night tear-up with Bolton, they would’ve been disappointed. Very disappointed.
Joe Taylor opened the scoring for Lincoln after some excellent work from Danny Mandroiu and Lasse Sorensen. Irish youngster Jack Moylan doubled the lead, channelling his inner Luis Suarez and bundling his way through the Tykes’ defence before side-footing into the corner. Mandroiu, another Irish Imp, made it 3-0 just three minutes later after some more eye-catching build-up play, before Moylan’s dipping long-range strike outfoxed the hapless Liam Roberts. Our League One Player of the Month for February, Adam Phillips, pulled one back but another fine run from Moylan resulted in Jovon Makama netting his first Football League goal.
Michael Skubala’s upwardly-mobile Imps are unbeaten in their last eight games, winning six of them. Until now, Barnsley were winning matches despite an inability to shut out the opposition, but one clean sheet in 19 games is starting to undermine their promotion hopes.
Blackpool 0-0 Portsmouth
Leaders Portsmouth were held by 10-man Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. Jordan Rhodes received the first red card of his 17-year career when his stray arm caught Joe Rafferty in the face, but despite dominating possession, Pompey failed to make their numerical advantage tell. With time running out, Kusini Yengi saw Dan Grimshaw tip his effort onto the post.
Having lost 4-0 to Blackpool earlier in the season (and lost four of their last five meetings with the Tangerines), a point isn’t the end of the world for Pompey, still five points clear at the top.
Bristol Rovers 0-3 Derby County
Gayle (55), Barkhuizen (58), Waghorn (89)
Derby moved back into the automatic promotion places with a convincing victory over Bristol Rovers. Dwight Gayle bundled the ball over the line after Tom Barkhuizen’s effort hit the underside of the bar, but Barkhuizen got to double Derby’s lead three minutes later, coolly slotting Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s low cross into the roof of the net. Paul Warne’s promotion-chasers put the game to bed when Martyn Waghorn tapped in Korey Smith’s cross to make it 3-0.
Bristol Rovers are an enigma under Matt Taylor. Having drawn his first league match with the Gas back in the first week of December, they haven’t drawn another one since: eight wins, nine defeats.
Burton Albion 1-3 Peterborough United
Ola-Adebomi (70) — Jones (56), Knight (88), Clarke-Harris (90+6)
Promotion-chasing Peterborough made it four consecutive league wins (following four consecutive league defeats) thanks to a late show against Burton.
After Ricky-Jade Jones had opened the scoring with a clever header from Harrison Burrows’ pinpoint cross, the Brewers drew level with a first senior goal from on-loan Palace youngster Ademola Ola-Adebomi. This day belonged to Posh, however. Josh Knight latched onto Jonson Clarke-Harris’ knock-down and fired through the legs of Max Crocombe, then outstanding play on the right from Malik Mothersille in stoppage time presented Clarke-Harris with his first goal of 2024.
With just a single point from their last four games, Martin Paterson’s Burton drop to 20th.
Cambridge United 1-1 Northampton Town
Kachunga (16) — Guthrie (82)
A Monk at The Abbey? Some things are just meant to be. Unfortunately for Cambridge, Garry Monk’s first match in charge yielded a solitary point when it looked as though they might take all three. Elias Kachunga finished off a flowing move involving Liam Bennett and Jack Lankester; however, Northampton took a share of the spoils when Mark Leonard’s free-kick was met by captain Jon Guthrie.
Cambridge are now five points clear of the bottom four, while the Jon Brady Bunch have hit the magical 50-point mark.
Charlton Athletic 3-2 Carlisle United
May x2 (37, 75), Kanu (54) — Armstrong (20), Charters (63 pen)
There isn’t much that Alfie May can’t do but, on Saturday’s evidence, he’s yet to master the iconic tunnel jump. Thankfully for May and Charlton, when it comes to scoring goals in the third tier, there really isn’t anyone better.
May had to wait his turn, mind, as Carlisle took a surprise lead through Luke Armstrong. Nathan Jones’ resurgent Addicks levelled before the break when Daniel Kanu’s deflected effort found its way into May’s path, and the turnaround was complete in the second half when May set up Kanu. Paul Simpson’s strugglers equalised when Macaulay Gillesphey was adjudged to have fouled Armstrong inside the box, with Taylor Charters slotting home the penalty, but they couldn’t hold on: May latched on to Sam Lavelle’s under-hit back pass and rounded Harry Lewis before finishing from a tight angle.
Charlton were thankful that, on this occasion, May kept his footing.
Exeter City 2-2 Bolton Wanderers
Cox x2 (46, 49) — Maghoma (33), Toal (87)
One of the most surprising aspects of Exeter’s long winter of discontent, which saw the Grecians go three months without a win until Boxing Day, was the decision to let youngster Sonny Cox go out on loan to Yeovil. Since returning, he has more than justified his recall, and here he struck two superb goals after a first half that Bolton had controlled – the first, coming within seconds of the restart. Journeyman keeper Joel Coleman looked shaky throughout, undoing the good work of Paris Maghoma, who had scored while looking especially pleasing on the eye.
The Trotters drop to 3rd despite Eoin Toal’s towering header squirming through the grip of Vil Sinisalo. Exeter will take heart from a battling display that leaves them with a still acceptable seven-point buffer to the relegation spots.
Oxford United 2-1 Cheltenham Town
Murphy (45+3), Leigh (88) — Ferry (80)
If Cheltenham were to survive, it would be a notable feat – but they have to come good on the promise first. They’re on a worrying run of five winless matches, and they remain five points below the dotted line.
Oxford have been struggling for points under Des Buckingham but are clinging to the chance of a play-off spot, one point behind Stevenage. A powerful back-post header from Greg Leigh sent Cheltenham away empty-handed on their short journey down the A40.
Port Vale 1-2 Shrewsbury Town
Dipepa (69) — Udoh (6), Bloxham (53)
This was a game Vale simply had to win, with Shrewsbury having been accommodating opponents to so many teams this season. Instead, what could have been a three-point gap between the teams has now stretched to nine, and in this kind of form, Darren Moore’s men are unlikely to make good use of their game in hand.
Here, Daniel Udoh put the Shrews on the front foot with an early goal, then in-form Tom Bloxham made it 2-0. The only sprinkling of Vale comfort was a first senior goal for 17-year-old Baylee Dipepa, while Salop moved up to 17th.
Reading 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers
Smith (74) — Lonwijk (16), Lubala (88 pen)
Even after this defeat, Reading are five points clear of Cheltenham in 21st. Superficially, their position in the table, together with the robust form they have displayed since the November international break, would appear to present few concerns. Yet the high likelihood of yet another points deduction, coupled with this being their second consecutive home defeat to a potential relegation rival (not any more, perhaps), will make the Royals’ journey to Derby this week an unenticing one.
In truth, they fashioned enough in the way of chances after half-time to have won here, making Clinton Mola’s mistake to give away a penalty even more frustrating. Wycombe have a long wait for the high point of their season – an EFL Trophy final against Peterborough – but memories of Nigel Lonwijk’s outrageous scissor-kick here should tide them over for a while.
Stevenage 0-0 Fleetwood Town
If two patterns can be gleaned from Charlie Adam’s short tenure at Fleetwood Town, it’s a non-negotiable insistence on vigorous tackling and peak fitness. That’s exactly the way to combat Stevenage, of course, and it took Adam & Co. to a fourth match unbeaten. The seven-point gap to safety is still considerable, but a draw in one of the division’s more unforgiving environments is yet more evidence of improvement, especially given Harrison Holgate’s 68th-minute dismissal.
Wigan Athletic 1-0 Leyton Orient
Kerr (73)
Wigan conceded four to rock-bottom Fleetwood last week, causing dissatisfaction with Shaun Maloney’s arguably ponderous tactics to become louder at the DW Stadium. This win against Orient was most welcome, then, even if Ethan Galbraith’s first-half sending-off very much helped. The decision looked harsh – even Jordan Jones did his best to plead the innocence of the man who had fouled him.
Jason Kerr came off the bench to score from a free header. The result means that, for different reasons, each team can plan for a second season in League One.
League Two
Sam Parry
3Mansfield Town 3-2 Swindon Town
Akins (4), Keillor-Dunn (51), Swan (68) — Glatzel (50), Drinan (59)
Stags showed their mettle in the first half, opening the scoring through Lucas Akins and keeping it tight until the break. However, the pendulum swung in the second half – and kept swinging back and forth. Swindon would’ve hoped to build on their equaliser on 50’, but Mansfield are irresistible right now and they scored straight from the restart. In a breathless spell, Swindon equalised again. Nigel Clough acted quickly and three minutes after his triple substitution, Will Swan, one of the new entrants , nodded in the winner.
It was the sort of battling victory that title bids are founded on, but the chasing pack proved to be relentless – starting with Stockport…
Stockport County 1-0 Newport County
Madden (90+3)
It was Port v Port, County v County, and the ‘New’ variety fell at the final hurdle. Paddy Madden missed a 73rd-minute spot-kick after Stockport had controlled the game and been the better side. Thanks to Nick Townsend’s heroics in goal, it looked as though Newport might see it out for an unlikely point. But Madden made up for his earlier miss deep into stoppage time, volleying the winner to secure Stockport a first win in five.
Morecambe 1-3 Wrexham
Garner (4) — McClean (32), Mullin (55 pen), Fletcher (80)
Third-placed Wrexham made it three wins for the top three, bucking a trend of distinctly average away form to fend off those below them.
It didn’t start well. In the 4th minute, Ged Garner picked up a loose ball and took advantage of a stranded Arthur Okonkwo to put Ged Brannan’s side ahead. But Paul Mullin capitalised on a Morecambe error to set up James McClean for the equaliser, then fired home a penalty to edge Wrexham in front. Steven Fletcher’s towering header sealed the win, putting the Welsh side two points clear of 4th with a game in hand.
MK Dons 3-1 Salford City
Lofthouse (27), Gilbey (31), Tezgel (45+7) — Smith (12)
After losing late to Wimbledon last weekend, MK Dons followed the defeat by beating Mansfield on Tuesday. Mike Williamson’s side then faced a Salford team feasting on the shoot-out, scoring and conceding in their previous five away games. The former came early from Matt Smith, although how he squeezed his opener through bodies, only science can tell. The latter arrived not too much later. Goals from Kyran Lofthouse and Emre Tezgel were the carbs sandwiching a scene reminiscent of the chip shop – a chipped shot from Alex Gilbey, not hand-cut nor triple-cooked but crisp, golden and delicious.
That first-half effort was enough for MK. They are the form side over 20 games, and they’re well placed to a-salt (sorry) the automatic spots.
Doncaster Rovers 2-0 Crewe Alexandra
Adelakun (17), Rowe (59)
Hakeeb Adelakun hasn’t suffered any curses since winning the EFL and NTT20’s Player of the Month for February – quite the opposite, in fact. The whiff of the fortuitous always hangs around goals scored directly from corners, but let the record show that Adelakun’s effort was nonetheless full of power and whip. His performances have been pivotal in Donny’s resurgence, and when Tommy Rowe added a second after the break, there was no route back to parity for a Crewe side who were tidy in possession but lacked threat all game. This is a dent in their automatic hopes, while Doncaster sit 19th yet are closer in points to the play-off spots than the relegation zone. Neither is a realistic possibility.
Barrow 2-0 Colchester United
Spence (45+4), Foley (90+5)
A win for Barrow puts them two points behind Crewe with a game in hand. This time last weekend, two postponements in a row saw them slipping down the table into a false position, but the break has seemingly done them a favour.
Their second victory in a week came in a tight affair, where a Kian Spence free-kick four minutes into first-half added-time nudged them in front. Col U’s grip on possession never wavered, and it took resolute Barrow defending and one full-stretch save to keep them out. But they didn’t create enough clear-cut opportunities and were punished, once again in stoppage time, when Sam Foley rounded off a stone-cold breakaway.
Gillingham 1-1 Tranmere Rovers
Masterson (84) — Hendry (4)
A Regan Hendry volley put Nigel Adkins’ side ahead inside five minutes at the Priestfield, and Rob Apter should’ve made it 2-0 before the referee blew for half-time. Gillingham made a better fist of it in the second period, racking up 21 shots but lacking the finishing touch until Conor Masterson powered a header home in the 84th. The play-off hopefuls thought they’d won it at the death, but a handball call ruled out Tim Dieng’s would-be winner to leave Gills just one point clear in 7th spot… it’s tight out there, though!
Notts County 0-2 AFC Wimbledon
Rawlinson OG (80), Balmer (85)
With two-thirds of County’s points having been earned at Meadow Lane, this was an opportunity to put a full-stop on their dramatic slide. Instead, thanks to Wimbledon’s late double, they lost a fourth home game on the spin.
Macaulay Langstaff might’ve done better with an early chance and the Magpies almost bundled home an opener after good work down the right, but that was their lot. An all-too-fragile defence made first contact with a long throw but diverted it into their own net and, minutes later, they failed to make first contact from a looped corner, leaving Kofi Balmer to seal a Wimbledon win. It’s a story as old as County’s season: success isn’t built on a goals-conceded column worthy of the bottom two.
Forest Green Rovers 2-0 Walsall
Osadebe (63), McAllister (81)
Even Forrest Gump, cinema’s optimistic hero, wouldn’t have cast Walsall as the ideal visitors for a Forest Green side hoping to drag those above them into a genuine play-off fight. The Saddlers had won five on the bounce, but Saturday was like a box of chocolates for FGR: all Caramel and no Bounty. And if victory tasted sweet for Steve Cotterill, it must’ve tasted doubly sugary for goalkeeper Vicente Reyes, who made a slew of excellent stops and saved an Isaac Hutchinson penalty.
In a close game, Forest Green’s goals fell at good times: the first against the run of play; the second, a penalty, 10 minutes after David Okagbue saw red. A huge win for FGR puts them just two points off safety, while Walsall’s good form will be tested again against 6th-placed Barrow on Tuesday.
Harrogate Town 1-2 Crawley Town
Thomson (26) — Forster (58), Lolos (66)
These two faced off level on points, lurking on the cusp of the final play-off place. A win for either would steer one closer to 7th and drive the other a little nearer to the beach. And it was Crawley who crept up the table (in points, if not position). Their comeback win in an end-to-end game was sealed by a lovely solo effort by Kladi Lolos, who controlled with his chest, dink-volleyed the ball with his right foot, then spun and smashed it home with his left.
Accrington Stanley 0-3 Bradford
Wright x2 (12, 23), Cook (38)
Accrington took to post-Coleman life like an Atlantic prawn to speed chess. Bradford’s first two goals came from balls swept forward, flicked on and finished by Tyreik Wright. Andy Cook added a third inside the first half and so the game was over before Accrington registered a shot on target. In the second half, interim manager John Doolan got more of a tune of his side, but it was much too little and a little too late. Graham Alexander, meanwhile, will be hoping that a kind run-in might harbour a late rally into the play-offs.
Sutton Utd 1-1 Grimsby Town
Lakin (88 pen) — Obikwu (44)
This was arguably the first true ‘must-win’ of the season for an EFL side, and Sutton did not, in fact, win. They’ve now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 11 home matches, and found themselves deservedly behind when Justin Obikwu found the bottom corner with a flick after Sutton failed to clear their lines. Grimsby were good value for their lead and should’ve extended it. They didn’t, and a late handball inside the box allowed Charlie Lakin to level. That keeps Sutton’s faint, faint hopes of survival alive – but they’re all must-win from here.