Relegation-threatened Rochdale ended a run of five Sky Bet League Two defeats by earning a point from a drab 0-0 draw at Barrow.Pete Wild’s Cumbrians looked most likely to end their own poor form despite starting with leading marksman Josh Gordon on the bench.But the surprise early-season play-off contenders laboured to turn possession into notable scoring opportunities.Barrow, giving a Fo...Full Story »

Two screamers from Dutchman Ian Maatsen enabled Championship table-toppers Burnley to kick-off their New Year with a sixth win in a row as they completed the double over Swansea in a 2-1 win at the Swansea.com Stadium.Burnley’s energetic high press forced Swansea into some errors, and it was Vincent Kompany’s side who bossed the early exchanges. Not many teams get better possession s...Full Story »

Leaders Leyton Orient were beaten for just the third time this season when going down 1-0 to promotion chasing Northampton at Sixfields.Ben Fox scored the game’s only goal early in the second half as the Cobblers bounced back to winning ways, opening up a seven-point cushion over fourth in the process.Orient edged a cagey first half and they had the better moments in front of goal as Idris...Full Story »

Defender Carl Piergianni’s third goal in two games earned promotion-chasing Stevenage a scrappy 1-0 victory over League Two’s bottom side, Gillingham.Second-placed ‘Boro, who have the best home record in the fourth tier, extended the gap between them and the play-off places behind them to 12 points, while ensuring the Gills remained five points adrift of safety.Gillingham had a...Full Story »

Matt Bloomfield was proud of his Colchester players after they beat promotion-chasing Swindon 1-0 to boost their Sky Bet League Two survival hopes.Luke Hannant grabbed the only goal after 30 minutes, rising to head home Al-Amin Kazeem’s corner at the near post to leave Bloomfield’s side five points above the relegation zone.Boss Bloomfield said: “I’m really proud of the b...Full Story »

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell admitted that what pleased him most about his team’s 1-0 victory at Oxford was the resolute defending.Sam Nombe’s 79th-minute winner on the break gave the Grecians successive away wins and a great start to 2023.“A clean sheet was the best thing for me today,” Caldwell said, recalling both the number of goals his team have conceded this season, an...Full Story »

Morecambe manager Derek Adams felt his side’s 5-0 victory over Burton was a result that had been coming for some time.Two goals apiece from loanees Kieran Phillips and Caleb Watts and an eighth of the season from Jensen Weir saw the Shrimps pick up a second successive win to help their push for safety.Adams said: “It was a fantastic performance and a fully deserved scoreline.“T...Full Story »

Manager Paul Hurst credited the work-rate and application of his Grimsby players following their morale-boosting 1-0 victory over in-form Stockport.After only picking up four points from their last eight games, Grimsby got back to winning ways at Blundell Park when Otis Khan settled the scores with a neat finish upon the restart.It also saw Stockport beaten for the first time in four league outi...Full Story »

Plymouth moved seven points clear at the top of League One with a hard-fought 3-1 win over resilient MK Dons.Argyle opened the scoring when central defender James Wilson volleyed home Morgan Whittaker’s free-kick after just four minutes.The home side missed three opportunities to increase their lead before the visitors deservedly levelled through Nathan Holland’s shot, the ball havin...Full Story »

Grimsby won for only the second time in 10 League Two matches as they earned a 1-0 victory over Stockport.Otis Khan netted the winner shortly after half-time at Blundell Park as Stockport saw their three-game winning league run brought to an end.Grimsby had muted appeals for a penalty turned down after 15 minutes when Kieran Green took a tumble under pressure from his marker.Chances were few and...Full Story »

Doncaster denied Carlisle a perfect festive run as they ran out 2-1 winners to move a point off Sky Bet League Two’s top seven.Carlisle had collected two wins over the previous week but were decidedly second best as Rovers claimed a second home victory in three days.Doncaster got off to a superb start as James Maxwell pounced on a poor touch from Joel Senior and smashed in a low strike fro...Full Story »

Colchester boosted their survival hopes with an impressive 1-0 win over promotion-chasing Swindon.Luke Hannant scored the only goal of the game after 30 minutes when he rose brilliantly to flick a fine header past goalkeeper Sol Brynn from Al-Amin Kazeem’s corner.Swindon went close early on when Fraser Blake-Tracy’s header was tipped over by Colchester keeper Kieran O’Hara.But ...Full Story »

Admiral Muskwe scored a pivotal first-half penalty to put Fleetwood on course for an easy 3-0 League One win at 10-man Shrewsbury.Muskwe converted the controversial 25th-minute spot-kick, awarded for Matthew Pennington handling a Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu shot.Referee Ross Joyce also dismissed defender Pennington in the same incident for Town’s third red card in as many games.The 10 men fell ...Full Story »

Premier League leaders Arsenal moved seven points clear at the top going into the new year after a glorious Gabriel Martinelli goal capped a thrilling 4-2 victory at Brighton.Goals from Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Eddie Nketiah set the Gunners on course for a fifth consecutive top-flight success to cement their status as serious title contenders.Kaoru Mitoma reduced Albion’s deficit 2...Full Story »

Dumbarton maintained pole position in cinch League Two after edging a 1-0 win at Albion Rovers thanks to Ally Love’s second-half strike.The Sons bounced back from drawing their last two league matches when Love scored the only goal of the game, drilling home a low cross from David Wilson with 20 minutes left on the clock to seal three points.Defeat sees Albion handed their third successive...Full Story »

Crystal Palace picked up three crucial points in their final game of 2022 with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth.Both goals for Palace, who had failed to register any shots on target in their Boxing Day loss to Fulham, came from first-half set pieces.Jordan Ayew opened the scoring when he nodded in a corner from Michael Olise, who also set up Eberechi Eze for the Eagles’ second.New Bournemouth owne...Full Story »

A late Lewis Gibson goal saw Queen of the South snatch three points to stay seventh in cinch League One after beating Clyde 1-0.Gibson struck in the 86th minute, firing the ball into the bottom-left corner to earn Queens their first win in four league games.The result means Clyde are without a league victory since August and stay ninth in the table.Alloa Athletic and Kelty Hearts shared the spoi...Full Story »

Burnley moved three points clear at the summit of the Sky Bet Championship table after they beat Stoke 1-0.A second-half strike from Josh Cullen was all the travelling Clarets needed, who re-established their three-point lead over second-placed Sheffield United.Stoke had their fair share of chances in an evenly fought contest, but Cullen benefitted from a comedy of errors to notch the winner.Bur...Full Story »

Joel Piroe recorded a brace as Swansea opened the scoring in a game for the first time since October 23 with a 4-0 Championship victory over fifth-placed Watford to complete the double over the Hornets.Manager Russell Martin had asked his players to fight harder to defend their box after conceding a 10th goal of the season to a set-play in a 2-1 defeat at Reading earlier in the week and they res...Full Story »

Mark Hughes applauded Bradford’s return to form as they bounced back to winning ways against Harrogate at Valley Parade.Their first home win since September ended a run of three consecutive defeats to lift the Bantams back into a play-off place.Tyreik Wright scored the only goal after just 52 seconds, racing on to Brad Halliday’s pass to beat Harrogate goalkeeper Pete Jameson with th...Full Story »