League One
Luton Town continued their fine recent form with the most emphatic result of the day in League One, a James Collins hat-trick helping them to a 5-1 thrashing of Plymouth Argyle. The Hatters were 4-0 up at half-time, the other goals coming from Elliot Lee and James Justin, before a Collins penalty capped things off after the break. Joel Grant grabbed an 89th minute consolation for the Pilgrims.
The next-most impressive result of the day came from Barnsley, who held on to a 2-0 win away at Accrington Stanley despite having Zeki Fryers sent off for two bookable offences just after the hour mark. Cauley Woodrow had given them the lead in the first-half, and the win was sealed in the closing seconds by Kieffer Moore.
Sunderland missed the chance to jump above leaders Portsmouth, who were out of action because their game against Charlton was postponed because of international call-ups. A late equaliser from substitute Josh Maja earned Jack Ross’s side a 1-1 against Wycombe Wanderers.
The day’s best contestin the third tier came at Shrewsbury, where the hosts and Rochdale scored five goals in 40 minutes. The Shrews, who sacked manager John Askey this week, came out with a 3-2 win thanks to a brace from Oliver Norburn and one by Fejiri Okenabirhie.
At the bottom of the table, Bradford halted their six-game losing streak by claiming a 1-1 draw at Peterborough, although it might have celebrated an better result had they held on to Anthony O’Connor’s early strike. No such luck for managerless Wimbledon after Neal Ardley’s departure this week: they lost their eighth league game in a row despite taking the lead against Doncaster, a late Tommy Rowe goal leaving them level on points with Bradford at the foot of the table.
That win for Doncaster put them on the fringes of the playoff places, as both they and Blackpool took advantage of Coventry’s 1-0 defeat a Burton Albion. Blackpool’s 2-1 victory at ten-man Southend means there are now five teams on 28 points, only goal difference separating Charlton in sixth and tenth-place Accrington.
Elsewhere, Oxford clambered out of the relegation zone, thanks to a combination of their 1-0 victory over Gillingham, won by a James Henry penalty, and Bristol Rovers losing 2-1 at home to Scunthorpe.
Fleetwood 0-0 Walsall, Accrington 0-2 Barnsley, Bristol Rovers 1-2 Scunthorpe, Burton 1-0 Coventry, Doncaster 2-1 Wimbledon, Luton 5-1 Plymouth, Oxford Utd 1-0 Gillingham, Peterborough 1-1 Bradford, Shrewsbury 3-2 Rochdale, Southend 1-2 Blackpool, Sunderland 1-1 Wycombe
League Two
International call-ups meant League Two leaders Lincoln City were out of action, and MK Dons took advantage by leapfrogging them at the top of the table. Paul Tisdale’s side are now ten games unbeaten after Kieran Agard and Chuks Aneke gave them a 2-0 home victory over Macclesfield, whose sole victory of the season against Carlisle last month now seems a long time ago.
Newport County – whose manager Mike Flynn is among the favourites for the Shrewsbury job – hopped up into the third automatic promotion spot, overhauling opponents Colchester after a 2-0 win at Rodney Parade. Hot on their heels are Mansfield Town, who are now 11 games unbeaten after their 1-0 win over Port Vale, CJ Hamilton’s goal just before the break enough for the three points.
Bury scored all of their goals in a 4-0 thumping of Stevenage after the break, a Jay O’Shea brace helping go within a point of Tranmere in the final playoff place. Micky Mellon’s men were edged out by Crewe Alexandra, 3-2 the final score at Gresty Road.
Carlisle inflicted another defeat on Swindon, under the new management of Richie Wellens, appointed this week. Swindon have enjoyed only one win in their last nine league games, and this defeat was emphatic, 4-0 the final score, all goals coming in 25 minutes either side of half-time. Meanwhile, Oldham beat Cambridge 3-1, Northampton grabbed a 90th minute equaliser to claim a 2-2 draw against Exeter, Morecambe won 1-0 at Forest Green Rovers while Grimsby beat Crawley 1-0.
Notts County were top of League Two and heading for promotion a year ago, but their 3-0 home defeat to Cheltenham under caretaker manager Steve Chettle (in charge after Harry Kewell’s dismissal this week) saw the two sides switch places and sent the Magpies into the relegation zone.
Bury 4-0 Stevenage, Crewe 3-2 Tranmere, Exeter 2-2 Northampton, Forest Green 0-1 Morecambe, Grimsby 1-0 Crawley, MK Dons 2-0 Macclesfield, Mansfield 1-0 Port Vale, Newport 2-0 Colchester, Notts County 0-3 Cheltenham, Oldham 3-1 Cambridge, Swindon 0-4 Carlisle
