Weekend Notes: Settling Up
Leicester lead on Saturday, Wednesday climb on Sunday, and Coventry sublime at Wembley.
Almost time to call it a day.
Most EFL clubs are cashing in their chips, settling up, and readying themselves for upward trajectories, downward dives or steady stasis. It has been a week of promotion and relegations: Portsmouth and Mansfield; Fleetwood and Port Vale.
It has also been a weekend of ever-rising stakes for an ever-reducing number of teams capable of winning titles, promotions and play-off places or taking their survival fight to the death. For those teams, there is a hand or two left to be played.
Welcome to Weekend Notes.
Windass lob sparks hurricane antics for travelling Wednesday fans
Fratton Park net swallows oversized metaphor
8 goals in 1:49 of highlights?! Only in League Two — MK v Harrogate
Coventry. Wembley. Penalties — more on that…
FA Cup Semi-Final
Coventry City 3-3 Manchester United (Manchester United win 4-2 on penalties)
A video report from intrepid NTT20.COM journalist, Ali Maxwell, who witnessed a Sky Blue performance to be proud of.
Championship
Sam Parry & Huw Davies
They have Röhlled with it… they have taken their time… Sheffield Wednesday are the big winners of this Championship weekend.
Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Sheffield Wednesday
Szmodics (9) — Windass (6), Johnson (58), Pears OG (64)
That Wednesday win began with a frenetic and dominant spell by the away side. They took an early lead through Josh Windass – a heck of a strike from range – before the Championship’s top scorer, Sam Szmodics, hit back within minutes. The first half flattened out after that, but in the second period there was only one side in it: Marvin Johnson put Wednesday ahead, and the third came courtesy of a bobble-struck backpass being comically miscontrolled into his own net by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears. Even without his help, Wednesday could’ve had more; Blackburn looked dreadful at the back, despite the odd moment of threat in transition.
The win nudges Danny Röhl’s side above the dotted line for the first time since opening day. With two massive games to go, their future is finally within their own hands. As for Blackburn, their three-point cushion to the relegation zone looks decent on paper but their final two games come against Coventry and Leicester, and it’s conceivable that both opponents have much to play for.
Huddersfield Town 0-4 Swansea City
Lowe (73), Ronald (85), Yates (90+1), Walsh (90+3)
At 0-1 down on 79 minutes, Huddersfield striker Danny Ward took aim from the edge of the area and the ball ricocheted off the post. Millimetres in the other direction, and the Terriers’ survival chances might not look so bleak.
The shot did not hit the back of the net. Three more Swansea efforts did. And that’s the brass tacks of it: the Swans found quality where the Terriers could not. Their first was a beauty from Jamal Lowe, cutting in off the left; their second came from route one; their third, from poor defending; their fourth, from 30 yards. Only Rotherham have conceded more goals than Huddersfield this season.
The bad news for Huddersfield is that they’re now in 23rd and three points from safety. The good news is that they host Birmingham next weekend…
Rotherham United 0-0 Birmingham City
Birmingham did nothing to allay relegation fears in a 0-0 draw at League One-bound Rotherham. The game flowed like a bus in traffic – two teams lacking in quality, creativity and threat; two teams cancelling each other out in an xG battle that wound up as 0.35 vs 0.42.
Birmingham now drop into the relegation zone following a Sunday win for Sheffield Wednesday, on what was a Black Sabbath for the Blues.
Stoke City 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Hoever (43), Manhoef (45+2), Burger (90+3)
Stoke stifled Argyle and set themselves up for a survival party on final day. OK, maybe not a party, but at least an opportunity for a communal forgetting of another season of doldrum-dwelling. With four teams between themselves and the relegation zone, only bad mathematicians and desperate pessimists would predict relegation for the Potters.
And even the pessimists must’ve found some cheer in this comfortable dispatching of Plymouth. If a quick-fire double late in the first period made Steven Schumacher’s team talk that bit easier, then the late third in second-half stoppage time made his post-match a breeze: one more result. And Stoke might not even need that.
Argyle managed only a single shot on target all game. They are very much embroiled in the relegation stakes over the next two games, but at least they have a hand on the tiller of destiny – Millwall and Hull to go.
QPR 1-0 Preston North End
Dykes (20)
Lyndon Dykes’ goal in the 20th minute was huge. In all probability, it secures QPR’s survival. Back in autumn, their status in the second tier wasn’t just threatened but appeared, before Martí Cifuentes arrived at Loftus Road, to be almost extinct.
It may have been a goalkeeping error that led to the game’s only goal, but it has been assured defending that has given QPR an edge in the ensuing relegation battle. A clean sheet here, and now sitting around the midway points for xGA in the Championship – those 12 games without a win during the early months of the season are barely visible in the rear-view mirror.
Sunderland 0-1 Millwall
Watmore (71)
Manager Neil Harris has improved Millwall at the margins. Games have been tighter. Results have been mixed. But enough has been done in matches like these to make their uncertain Championship status certain.
There has been no huge improvement in performances, and Sunderland almost exploited chinks in the Millwall armour in the first half of this game. They came close in the second, too, with only blocks sparing the Lions’ graces. But former Sunderland man Duncan Watmore nabbed a goal with Millwall’s only shot in the second period, and that was enough to guarantee his side’s survival.
Meanwhile, back at the top…
Leicester City 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
Ndidi (22), Vardy (65) — Wallace (76)
Lucky Leicester, or the hallmark of champions? Not everything went their way, because Jamie Vardy did hit the post with a penalty (having won it by tucking his leg behind a defender’s ankle, as only he can do so well), but Mads Hermansen’s goal did live a charmed life before Jed Wallace eventually scored from a sensational pass by… Cedric Kipré? Wow. By then, though, Leicester were two goals up thanks to Wilfred Ndidi’s tap-in, Abdul Fatawu’s brilliance setting up Vardy, and Hamza Choudhury – apparently playing as a backstop – making not one, not two, but three goal-line blocks.
Still, you make your own luck, and Leicester are now firm favourites for promotion again. They’re four points ahead of third-placed Leeds, who travel to Middlesbrough tonight. Results elsewhere helped Albion’s play-off position.
Cardiff City 2-1 Southampton
Diédhiou (68), Ashford (90+6) — Aribo (12)
You have to laugh (unless you’re a Southampton fan). Injury-stricken Cardiff, with nothing to play for and no recent signs of even playing for that, went into this game with teenager Cian Ashford making his first start for the club, socks-rolled-down right-winger Ollie Tanner playing at left-back, and a substitutes’ bench that included five outfield players without a senior start. And they beat a Saints side who’d won three in a row and were eyeing up automatic promotion.
When the visitors took an early lead through Joe Aribo, most expected that to set the tone. Indeed, Saints had several great chances before half-time – 12 shots, six on target, one hitting the post, and none of these opportunities at 1-0 being taken:
After the break, however, a youthful Cardiff woke up. Rubin Colwill sprung to life. Raheem Conte, making his senior debut and in an unfamiliar right-back role, helped to set up fellow substitute Famara Diédhiou. Then, deep into stoppage time, Rhondda-born Ashford was fed by 17-year-old debutant Luey Giles and had his long-range effort deflected in by Jan Bednarek. Saints had no time to equalise, and to make matters worse, Stuart Armstrong was stretchered off. For Southampton, this was a nightmare; for Ashford, a dream come true.
Norwich City 1-1 Bristol City
Sainz (58) — Roberts (55)
In a lively affair, Canaries and Robins traded missed chances and woodwork hits before they traded goals, when Haydon Roberts’ brilliantly-taken goal – his first for Bristol City – was cancelled out moments later by Borja Sainz, set up by Josh Sargent. The visitors impressed, while David Wagner named his goalkeeper, Angus Gunn, as the only Norwich player who was “at his best”.
The hosts dropping points in 6th place presented Hull with an opportunity…
Watford 0-0 Hull City
…which wasn’t taken. After a match featuring 30 shots and four big chances finished goalless, the Tigers now need Norwich to beat neither Swansea nor Birmingham if they’re to have a hope in Hull of pushing the Canaries from their play-offs perch.
This was Watford’s fifth draw in Tom Cleverley’s seven matches, all coming against top-10 sides (and the defeat was to a 100th-minute Southampton strike). Sturdy. Or perhaps not that sturdy, given Hull created 2.49 xG at Vicarage Road, only to be repelled by Cap’n Bachmann. His reaction to saving Ozan Tufan’s early penalty, eschewing the usual performative anger and instead breaking into a beatific beam, was some very wholesome content.
League One
Matt Watts & Huw Davies
A season of strong starts and false starts for Port Vale and Fleetwood ends in two more relegations from the third tier.
Portsmouth 1-2 Wigan Athletic
Yengi (85) — Chambers (22), Magennis (83)
Beach balls blowing into the back of the net, the most unexpected 45 minutes of the season for Paddy Lane and the all-important trophy-lift at full time… oh, and a game of football (which only the Wigan fans will really care about).
Liverpool loanee Luke Chambers scored his first senior goal to put the visitors in front midway through the first half. The Latics doubled their lead late when Josh Magennis muscled his way past the Pompey defence before producing a tidy finish. Kusini Yengi halved the deficit a couple of minutes later after Colby Bishop’s deflected effort had looped onto the bar, but Pompey couldn’t produce another late comeback win. Quite frankly, given the scenes on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning and beyond, this was a respectable effort from John Mousinho’s champs.
Cambridge United 0-1 Derby County
Mendez-Laing (39)
“I am Nostradamus!” Paul Warne had a feeling that the race for automatic promotion would go down to the final day of the season, but his Derby side have put themselves in a fantastic position to clinch second spot: a point at home to basement boys Carlisle will be enough to ensure promotion for the Rams.
The only goal of the game here saw an incisive counte- attack led by Louie Sibley coolly finished off by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. Cambridge remain five points clear of the drop with two games left to play.
Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Port Vale
Collins (72), Jerome (90+3)
All Bolton could do was ensure Derby have to get something on the final day. Job done. If the Trotters do end up in the play-offs, they will at least enter them in some sort of form: they’ve lost only once since the end of February, Aaron Collins has scored six times in five games, and late substitute Cameron Jerome, having scored zero goals in his first 38 Bolton appearances (36 of those from the bench), now has two in two. They had to be patient here, hitting the woodwork three times and taking 20 shots to Vale’s three before finding the breakthrough, but the result was never really in doubt.
And would it be harsh to say Port Vale’s relegation wasn’t, either? This result confirmed it, adding an unwanted new symbolism to the scythe on their club crest. It has been a dismal campaign, under Andy Crosby (30 points from 27 games) and especially his replacement, Darren Moore (9 from 16). What next? Well, relegation, obviously. But what then?
Blackpool 3-2 Barnsley
Carey (12), Husband (45+3), Coulson (47) — McAtee (67), Phillips (90+4)
Blackpool’s previous eight fixtures had featured a total of six goals. Barnsley’s had featured 26. As Neil Critchley’s side discovered, taking on Barnsley is akin to putting on The Mask, becoming unable to resist a kind of infectious, volatile madness – but this time, football’s Stanley Ipkiss prevailed.
It wasn’t as close as the scoreline suggests, with Blackpool leading 3-0 after the break, but Barnsley did come back into it and were refused their appeals for a shot crossing the line, between their two goals that definitely did. Having sat in the top six since the turn of the year, the Tykes now face a genuinely nerve-racking final day. A run of one point from five games leaves them needing a win over Northampton to guarantee a play-off berth, knowing that even a draw would leave them at the mercy of Lincoln, Oxford and Blackpool, as any two of those three would overtake Barnsley with a victory. Will sssssomebody stop them?
Oxford United 1-1 Stevenage
Brannagan (59 pen) — Long OG (32)
A philosophical question: if a team isn’t given a clear penalty at 0-0, but is given a penalty instead of a free-kick at 0-1 and then scores from it, does that make it fair? That’s up to you to decide. But two wrongs made a right mess of Oxford’s hold on a play-off place, as their draw at home to managerless, motivationless Stevenage on Friday night gave Lincoln a chance to nab 6th spot, and Lincoln duly took it.
There’s no doubt that Oxford were extremely unlucky to draw 1-1 after outshooting their visitors 25 to 2 and racking up some two and a half goals’ worth of xG. Ultimately, though, they were Stevenaged – and without Steve Evans in sight.
Cheltenham Town 1-2 Lincoln City
Sercombe (15 pen) — Taylor (40), Draper (52)
With one team fighting for survival and the other chasing a play-off berth, Lincoln’s trip to Cheltenham had plenty riding on it. Liam Sercombe’s penalty gave Darrell Clarke’s Robins the lead, and the faint sound of The Great Escape theme went up a notch or two. Unfortunately for the hosts, Lincoln possess some serious firepower in the final third. Luton loanee Joe Taylor curled in his 10 goal for the Imps before the break (cue his trademark ear-cupping celebration) and in the second half, some hesitancy in the Cheltenham defence was punished by Freddie Draper, who controlled the ball on his thigh before producing an emphatic finish. His trademark celebration – a nod to Robbie Keane – has also become a familiar sight this season.
The Great Escape faded into nothing more than a murmur. Cheltenham have to win their remaining games against Peterborough and Stevenage to give themselves a chance of salvation; even then, results elsewhere could send them down. As for Michael Skubala’s Imps, they head into the final day in 6th place. A win at home to Pompey will guarantee them a ticket in the post-season lottery.
Leyton Orient 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Simons (90+3)
A late winner in a win that ultimately came too late… Xavier Simons’ first senior goal gave Fleetwood all three points against Leyton Orient, the former Chelsea youngster’s well-placed low shot finding the bottom corner. But despite Fleetwood’s victory away at 10th-placed Orient, Burton’s win at home to Reading meant that the Cod Army’s 10-year stay in the third tier was officially over.
It’s been a turbulent season for the club, on and off the pitch. There have been a few green shoots of recovery under Charlie Adam, but a difficult start to the season under Scott Brown, followed by an equally difficult few months under Lee Johnson, has ultimately led to the club’s first relegation since it changed its name to Fleetwood Town from Fleetwood Wanderers in 2002.
Burton Albion 3-2 Reading
Bennett (5), Carayol (11), Kamwa (42) — Wing (34), Smith (59 pen)
They aren’t there just yet, but a survival party is brewing in Burton. Martin Paterson’s Brewers put five points between themselves and the bottom four as they picked up their first home win since 20th January.
Mason Bennett fired the hosts into an early lead, before Mustapha Carayol curled in his first goal in 18 months to double their advantage. But while Reading may be safe, they weren’t going to go quietly, and a trademark free-kick from Lewis Wing made it 2-1 after 34 minutes. However, Burton restored their two-goal lead before the break thanks to an acrobatic effort from Bobby Kamwa.
A second-half penalty from Sam Smith made for a nervy finish, but Burton held on. They’ll be safe as long as Cheltenham fail to beat Peterborough on Tuesday night; otherwise, it’ll roll over to final day…
Charlton Athletic 1-1 Shrewsbury Town
Dobson (46) — Udoh (23)
Everyone was fairly happy at The Valley as Charlton extended their unbeaten run to 14 games and Shrewsbury secured their survival (OK, so ‘fairly happy’ may be pushing it… sorry, Nathan).
Dan Udoh gave the visitors a first-half lead, but George Dobson levelled things up straight after the break. If this was to be his final game at The Valley, then a rare goal feels like a pretty good way to sign off.
Bristol Rovers 0-2 Peterborough United
Randall (41), Jones (90+5)
Bristol Rovers had recorded back-to-back wins during the previous week, having taken just two points from seven games before that, but this was pretty routine for Peterborough.
Joel Randall’s close-range volley and Ricky-Jade Jones’ even-closer-range tap-in means Posh could still be in the automatics conversation if they obliterate Cheltenham on Tuesday, but more likely they’ll enter the play-offs in form – which is no bad thing. Rovers just want the season to end.
Northampton Town 1-2 Exeter City
Guthrie (73) — Harris (20), Aimson (83)
Both of these sides have enjoyed excellent seasons in League One, but if you thought that this was going to be a nice, beachy, end-of-season game, then think again.
Luke Harris’ low strike gave Exeter the lead after 20 minutes, before Ryan Woods was sent off for sticking his head into John Guthrie just before the break. Guthrie levelled in the second half, but the 10 men went back in front when Will Aimson tapped in at the back post. Gary Caldwell’s Grecians are now nine games unbeaten, winning six of them.
Carlisle United 1-3 Wycombe Wanderers
McCalmont (28) — McCleary x2 (15, 75), Kone (49)
If ever a goal summed up Carlisle’s season, it was Wycombe’s second in their 3-1 win at Brunton Park, as a sequence of incompetent, hesitant and frankly hilarious defending allowed Richard Kone to tap in from close range. Veteran Garath McCleary also helped himself to a brace against Paul Simpson’s side, who racked up their 29th defeat in League One this season.
Alfie McCalmont’s low strike had brought the hosts level just before the half-hour mark but, like almost every Carlisle dawn since promotion last May, it proved to be a false one.
League Two
Rob Langham & Ryan Deeney
Just the 47 goals in League Two again this week… it never gets old.
Stockport County 4-2 Accrington Stanley
Wootton x2 (9, 62), Lemonheigh-Evans (44), Sarcevic (79) — Whalley (17), Nolan (77)
Stockport County are League Two champions, having clinched the accolade in champagne style with a 5-2 thumping of Notts County in the week. Here, the goals flowed once more. Kyle Wootton scored twice, and although Accrington showed some fight, the result was rarely in question.
However, the way that long-serving County custodian Ben Hinchliffe allowed Jack Nolan to score Accies’ second may ignite a search for a new goalkeeper.
Crewe Alexandra 0-3 Wrexham
Palmer (24), Mullin (45), Cannon (61)
A third consecutive 3-0 home loss leaves Crewe needing a result on final day to secure their play-off spot, as they were undone comfortably by already promoted Wrexham. The result leaves Crewe in fifth, needing a point to stave off interest from Crawley Town, with Barrow and Doncaster Rovers able to ride past the Railwaymen with victories in their final two games each.
Mansfield Town 2-1 Gillingham
Keillor-Dunn (77), McLaughlin (80) — Dieng (19)
Gillingham are out of the play-off race thanks to a 2-1 loss at already-promoted Mansfield. They took the lead in the first half through Timothee Dieng’s close range finish before two excellent second-half goals swung the tide in favour of the hosts: Davis Keillor-Dunn half-volleyed home via Tom Nichols’ flick, then Stephen McLaughlin scored arguably the goal of the weekend with a howitzer from distance.
Gillingham’s away form has been the biggest issue in their push for promotion, as they’ve lost 11 of their away matches against the top 13. They drop to 11th.
Harrogate Town 3-5 MK Dons
Odoh (33), Thomson x2 (45, 50) — Gilbey (40), Dean (43), Wearne (52), Tezgel (80), Harrison (83)
Harrogate Town and MK Dons played out an eight-goal thriller in the kind of game that, at this stage in League Two, was a surprise to nobody. The hosts still had faint hope of a top-seven finish before kick-off and led twice, first through Abraham Odoh and later via a George Thomson double, including a superbly struck free-kick.
However, the visitors wanted to tie up fourth spot as they prepare for the play-offs, and goals from Alex Gilbey, Max Dean, Stephen Wearne, Emre Tezgel and Ellis Harrison were enough to do so. Harrogate now sit in the bottom half, five points adrift of Crawley with one game left following three wins from 15. MK, guaranteed fourth place, can relax on final day and wait to see who their dance partner is in the play-offs.
Doncaster Rovers 4-2 Barrow
Ironside x2 (58 pen, 90+9), Adelakun (84), Biggins (88) — Acquah (35), Feely (45)
NINE STRAIGHT WINS! Doncaster Rovers’ play-off destiny remains in their own hands after a mega turnaround against Barrow. Grant McCann and Pete Wild knew how important this was and the first blows were landed courtesy of the visitors when Emile Acquah and Rory Feely escaped markers to head home.
However, Doncaster are made of stern and bonkers stuff, and they responded when Niall Canavan’s foul on Joe Ironside allowed the striker to convert a penalty. Hakeeb Adelakun then continued his remarkable form, racing in behind Feely to equalise, before goals from Biggins and Ironside, the lesser-known detective duo, secured three massive points.
Both sides have two huge encounters this week. Doncaster travel to the South East to tackle Colchester United and then Gillingham, while Barrow have home clashes against Bradford City and Mansfield Town. Win both and they’re in the play-offs.
Sutton United 2-2 Crawley Town
Lakin (48), Sanderson (79) — Kelly (42, Lolos (90+1)
It’s been a year where traditional stalwart names of the Football League’s first century, such as Stockport, Wrexham and Chesterfield, have reasserted themselves while upstart newcomers including Fleetwood, Salford and Forest Green have stalled or gone backwards.
Sutton United fall into the latter category, and there was a marked anguish with which Greek midfielder Klaidi Lolos’ late equaliser was met in the home end. It left the home side with probably too much to do, in needing to beat MK Dons and hope for a double slip-up from nearest rivals Colchester.
Crawley are one of the exceptions to the aforementioned narrative, because they’re still in the play-off hunt. In a dramatic match, punctuated by a curler from Liam Kelly, Danilo Orsi thought he’d won it at the death – buZ his wild celebrations were cut short due to an offside decision. Turns out it can happen even without VAR…
Walsall 2-3 Bradford City
Stirk (7), Faal (16) — Cook (19), Walker x2 (40, 53)
Walsall hadn’t lost a game after scoring first this season. This was not the time to break the duck.
Bradford City continued their belated ascent up the table with a win from two goals down, despite brace-bagging Jamie Walker being sent off for two very silly bookings. The Bantams will need to win a critical game in hand against Barrow on Tuesday to give themselves a chance, but they look well capable of that on current form. They will still require other results to go their way, however – and that’s even more the case for Walsall. The Saddlers remain two points ahead of Bradford but have only one fixture left against Wimbledon.
Notts County 1-0 Colchester United
Langstaff (54)
The abacuses and slide rules are out in Essex, as Colchester ended the afternoon still not safe in mathematical terms – although a late goal for Crawley at Sutton will have set transistor radios buzzing in the away end at Meadow Lane. With home games against Doncaster and Crewe to come this week and a superior goal difference (seven goals better than Sutton), the U’s should preserve their League status, although both upcoming opponents have shown themselves capable of hammering teams this season.
Macaulay Langstaff’s 28th of the campaign sealed the win as the East Midlands club peppered the goal, auguring well for a renewed promotion push in 2024/5.
Tranmere Rovers 3-2 Wimbledon
Saunders (35), Apter (45), Jennings (71) — Kelly (56, 90+5)
Wimbledon are consigning themselves to another year of League Two football after this deeply disappointing reverse on Merseyside. Having gone two goals down – the second, the kind of effort we have come to expect from Rob Apter – they had done well to battle back into the match at 2-1, but were undone by an unwise challenge from John-Joe O'Toole, with the veteran midfielder deservedly seeing red.
It will be interesting to see how and where Apter’s parent club, Blackpool, choose to deploy him next season, having recently committed him to a deal that extends his stay until 2027. Should the Tangerines be promoted, even becoming a regular at Championship level seems possible.
Grimsby Town 2-0 Swindon Town
Smith (75), Wilson (85)
Grimsby mathematically secured their safety with a 2-0 win against Swindon. It would have taken a dramatic sequence of events for the Mariners to go down anyway, but Liam Smith and Donovan Wilson made sure that the improbable became impossible.
The Robins who gave a first professional start to youngster Harley Hunt following a midweek debut, will finish in their lowest-ever league position, either matching or dropping below their 17th-place finish in 1983/84. They were playing Premier League football a decade later – that feels a lot less likely this time around.
Newport County 0-1 Salford City
Smith (90+2)
Both teams entered into this match on the back of horror runs of bad form, Newport having lost six on the bounce and Salford four. The Welsh club’s richly entertaining FA Cup encounter with Manchester United is now a fading memory, while Salford are used to being more upwardly mobile since making their EFL bow, and despite this win, ending the day only three places above the relegation zone is not what their ownership would have had in mind back in August.
Matt Smith netted the clincher in stoppage time. A return of 25 goals represents the 34-year-old’s best ever season for marksmanship – he’s ageing like the full-bodied red that he is.
Morecambe 1-2 Forest Green Rovers
Brown (30) — McCann (38), McAllister (44)
Forest Green responded to relegation positively with victory at Morecambe. An error from Vicente Reyes allowed Charlie Brown to open the scoring, but Kyle McAllister spared his keeper’s blushes, assisting Charlie McCann before netting what proved to be the winner. Reyes produced a fine low stop in the second half to keep his side’s lead. Morecambe, meanwhile, have now lost eight of their last ten.
I’m a Stockport fan. Generally love everything about NTT20 and can’t complain about the overall coverage of SCFC and I’m glad we backed up Ali and George’s L2 winner prediction in the start of season 1-24s.
That said, I found the comment about Ben Hinchliffe in this weekend’s notes a tad disrespectful. Ben is a triple champion (NLN, NL and now L2) and I think I’m right in saying this season’s L2 Golden Glove winner as things stand.
Maybe it’s the rose-tinted glasses but the Edgeley faithful are calling for another year in the middle of our goal, not a new custodian.