Championship
- It was never supposed to be like this, but Huddersfield Town remain unbeaten and after six games, David Wagner’s men top the Championship. A pre-season devoid of mobile phones and good sleep in the Swedish wilderness clearly has had the desired effect on Wagner’s squad. Huddersfield’s fifth league win of the season came at Elland Road, where Aaron Mooy, the Manchester City loanee, scored the only goal to secure victory in the Yorkshire derby.
- Another team proving to be a surprise package can be found just 18 miles down the road. Barnsley, who won promotion via the League One play-offs last season, picked up a 2-1 victory on the road at Preston’s Deepdale, with on-loan Newcastle striker Adam Armstrong scoring a fine winner on his debut. Speaking of Newcastle, Rafa Benítez’s men are up to second, above the Tykes on goal difference, after Yoan Gouffran and DeAndre Yedlin earned victory at Derby, who have now won just one match in their first six.
- Norwich City returned to winning ways and into the Championship play-off picture with a 3-2 win over Cardiff City at Carrow Road, while Birmingham City leapfrogged Fulham after Clayton Donaldson eventually got the better of David Button from 12 yards. The Fulham goalkeeper saved Donaldson’s first penalty at Craven Cottage, only for the striker to convert his second attempt early on in the second half. And Scott Hogan scored twice as Brentford won 2-0 away at Brighton.
- Two Chelsea loanees were on the scoresheet at the New York Stadium, where Bristol City came from two goals down to draw against Rotherham United. Izzy Brown opened the scoring after a mix-up between City goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell and Aden Flint, before the defender’s own goal doubled Rotherham’s lead. But Tammy Abraham, also on loan from Stamford Bridge, scored his sixth goal in eight appearances to kickstart City’s comeback, with academy graduate Bobby Reid equalising late on.
- At Hillsborough, Fernando Forestieri’s first league goal since the opening day of the season was enough to give Sheffield Wednesday victory over Wigan Athletic, after Steven Fletcher cancelled out Will Grigg’s opener on five minutes. Elsewhere, Sam Gallagher found the net for the second time since joining Blackburn Rovers on loan from Southampton to secure a point at QPR, who led through Tjaronn Chery’s fourth league goal of the season. Another loanee, Tottenham’s Will Miller, once a child actor who starred alongside Tom Hardy in Oliver Twist, grabbed a point for Burton Albion at Wolves, who took the lead through Prince Oniangué at Molineux.
League One
- League leaders Bolton Wanderers were held for the third match in a row, as they drew 1-1 at home with MK Dons, Ryan Colclough cancelling out Mark Beevers’s first-half opener. As Phil Parkinson’s side stutter after a fine start to the season, Scunthorpe United continue to soar. Striker Paddy Madden got the party started at Glanford Park, before Kevin van Veen, Josh Morris and Richie Smallwood completed the 4-0 rout of Southend. There was more good news for Sheffield United too, who claimed a third straight league win with a 3-2 victory at AFC Wimbledon. Also at the top, Fleetwood Town were left frustrated by Lee Novak, who scored three minutes from time to secure a point for Charlton Athletic.
- There were derbies aplenty on Saturday but the A420 derby between Swindon Town and Oxford United might top the lot, depending on who you’re speaking to. The U’s secured their sixth victory in a row over their rivals, thanks to a Chris Maguire double. Swindon’s Lloyd Jones and Lawrence Vigoroux were both sent off as Town succumbed to the red-hot atmosphere at a sellout Kassam Stadium. Elsewhere, the feel-good factor just goes on for Northampton, who extended their unbeaten league run to 31 games with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Walsall, while Bradford City remain undefeated in the league after drawing at 10-man Gillingham.
- At the other end of the table, Coventry City were denied their first win of the season at Millwall, after Aiden O’Brien cancelled out Marvin Sordell’s opener, but Rochdale remain bottom of the pile after failing to beat Bristol Rovers, who twice equalised through striker Matty Taylor. Also in the third tier, Oldham Athletic played out a stalemate with Chesterfield and Bury beat Shrewsbury Town 2-1 at Gigg Lane, courtesy of Danny Mayor’s last-gasp winner.
League Two
- Plymouth Argyle’s fifth win on the bounce saw them go top and Portsmouth came from behind to beat Wycombe Wanderers at Fratton Park and move into second but in truth there really is only one place to start. James Coppinger, the 35-year-old midfielder, capped his 500th appearance in a Doncaster Rovers shirt with a starring role, and goal, as Darren Ferguson’s side put five past Morecambe, who suffered a second successive home defeat. Elsewhere, Blackpool’s Brad Potts panicked Colchester United hearts with a late free-kick, but Chris Porter’s double had already secured victory.
- At 34 and at his fourteenth club, Newport County’s Jon Parkin is your archetypal journeyman striker, but Parkin, nicknamed ‘the Beast’ for obvious reasons, has still got it. Parkin twice equalised at Rodney Parade against Gary Johnson’s Cheltenham Town. Also on the scoresheet again was Omar Bogle, whose sixth and seventh goals for Grimsby Town this term ensured victory over Luton Town and the striker John Akinde, who scored his fourth goal of the season in Barnet’s win at Mansfield. Harry Cornick’s first goal for Leyton Orient since signing on loan from Bournemouth was not enough to give the O’s three points at Carlisle United, who scored an equaliser four minutes from time, with Danny Grainger converting from the penalty spot.
- At the bottom, Cambridge United continue to prop up the Football League after losing to Plymouth while Yeovil Town’s miserable run continues, as Nathan Thomas’s late winner for Hartlepool condemned Darren Way’s men to a fifth straight league defeat. Elsewhere, Stevenage beat Crawley Town 2-1, Crewe overcame Exeter City 2-0 and Accrington beat Notts County by the same scoreline.
