New boss Steven Schumacher expressed his satisfaction despite his Stoke career beginning with a goalless draw at home to Millwall.Following his move in midweek, the former Plymouth boss failed to secure a dream start to life in the Potteries.Although they dominated throughout, the home side struggled to capitalise as they slipped to a ninth game without victory.Ryan Mmaee was thwarted by former ...Full Story »

Nuno Espirito Santo has called for a rule change after his first match in charge of Nottingham Forest was ruined by a controversial red card for Willy Boly in a last-gasp 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth.Boly was sent off in the 23rd minute for two yellow cards, with referee Rob Jones brandishing the second despite the defender clearly winning the ball in a tackle with Adam Smith.Dominic Solanke went o...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers paid the price for their naivety according to manager Matt Taylor after they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Sky Bet League One play-off contenders Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.John Marquis had equalised for Rovers after Ollie Norburn’s stunning opener. But second-half goals from Jake Beesley and Jordan Rhodes were enough to see Blackpool to three comfortable points.Taylor felt...Full Story »

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield admits he is starting to sound like a broken record after his side once again failed to hold on for victory.The Chairboys have now gone 10 games without a win in Sky Bet League One, but this was two points they allowed to slip through their fingers after failing to kill off a match they had dominated.Vale had offered precious little before Ben Garitty’s 90th...Full Story »

Northampton boss Jon Brady hailed an “absolutely fabulous” win for his side after they climbed into the top 10 with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Oxford.Kieron Bowie nodded the Cobblers ahead early in the second half before Cameron Brannagan hit back from the penalty spot, but substitute Tyreece Simpson’s header deep into stoppage time snatched a fifth win in s...Full Story »

Everton boss Sean Dyche fumed at the decision to rule out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 51st-minute goal in their 2-1 Premier League loss at Tottenham.Spurs were two up inside 18 minutes after close-range finishes by Richarlison and Son Heung-min but were not at their best and could have conceded at the start of the second half.Calvert-Lewin rifled home after Andre Gomes had won back possession ...Full Story »

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut said his side showed fighting spirit after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough.The home side had taken the lead through Anthony Musaba and had the lion’s share of chances but two own goals from Akin Famewo ensured the Bluebirds claimed victory.Bulut said: “Today we showed so much spirit. We showed we are a team and we are fighting for each oth...Full Story »

Cove Rangers ran rampant in Scottish League One as they recorded a 7-2 victory over 10-man Edinburgh City, who remain bottom of the table as a result.Rumarn Burrell, Blair Yule and Kyle Connell all bagged braces and Connor Scully netted at the death after snowy conditions led to a delayed kick-off.The wild afternoon began with Burrell’s sixth-minute opener, cancelled out in the seventh min...Full Story »

Steven Naismith admitted interest in talismanic captain Lawrence Shankland is inevitable after he continued his red-hot scoring form with a double in Hearts’ 2-0 cinch Premiership win over St Mirren.The Scotland forward notched a poacher’s header in the first half and then a stunning strike early in the second that opposing manager Stephen Robinson described as “an incredible f...Full Story »

Darrell Clarke believes Cheltenham’s 1-0 win at Carlisle has now put them in the race to survive in League One this season.Many had written off the rock-bottom Robins by the time Clarke was appointed at the end of September and they endured a run of 11 games without even scoring at the start of the season.But Liam Sercombe’s first-half winner at Brunton Park means they have now score...Full Story »

Dundee expressed their frustration at referee David Munro’s late decision to call off their game against Aberdeen.Munro deemed one of the Dens Park goalmouths waterlogged and the match was postponed about an hour before kick-off. But the rain soon stopped as forecast and Dundee went on to train on the pitch.It was the second cinch Premiership match to be postponed because of the wet weathe...Full Story »

David Artell admits Grimsby got exactly what they deserved as Harrogate came away from Blundell Park with a 2-1 win.Goals from Liam Gibson – against his former club – and Matty Daly earned Town three points to move them up to 14th in the table.Grimsby were unbeaten in six Sky Bet League Two matches after sacking Paul Hurst and former Crewe manager Artell tasted defeat for the first t...Full Story »

Leeds boss Daniel Farke warned his players they won only three points after their resounding 4-0 victory against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich.Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal against his former club and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty put Leeds 3-0 up at half-time.Farke’s side kept the hammer down after the break to the delight of a rauco...Full Story »

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised Kyogo Furuhashi for his persistence as the Japan striker ended a seven-game goal drought to send the champions on their way to a 2-0 win over Livingston.Furuhashi got on the end of Luis Palma’s curling effort to net the opener from close range 25 seconds into the second half, before defender Liam Scales headed home the Honduran winger’s corner f...Full Story »

Phil Parkinson praised Wrexham for doing all the basics well in a scrappy game to set the foundation for their 2-0 League Two Welsh derby victory over Newport.In a first meeting for five years, second-half goals from James Jones and Elliot Lee – both from long Ben Tozer throw-ins – secured victory as the Dragons maintained their automatic promotion chase.The clash was played in windy...Full Story »

Valerien Ismael saluted Watford’s mentality after they came from behind to claim a dramatic late 2-1 win at Blackburn.The Hornets trailed for much of the game after Adam Wharton’s first goal this season – struck from a tight angle – put Blackburn ahead in the third minute.In an increasingly open game, both sides had chances but both goalkeepers excelled, making important ...Full Story »

Leeds boss Daniel Farke warned his players they won only three points after their resounding 4-0 victory against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich.Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal against his former club and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty put Leeds 3-0 up at half-time.Farke’s side kept the hammer down after the break to the delight of a rauco...Full Story »

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins praised his side’s attitude as they came from behind to defeat Stevenage 2-1 at Oakwell.Luther James-Wildin gave Stevenage an early lead before goals from John McAtee and Herbie Kane completed Barnsley’s comeback.Collins said: “Overall, really pleased with the players in terms of their never-say-die attitude, defending the box and putting their...Full Story »

Eastleigh gave their National League play-off hopes a boost with a 2-1 win over Dorking.Ludwig Francillette opened the scoring for the Spitfires on the stroke of half-time when he headed home from Chris Maguire’s free-kick.Paul McCallum doubled the home side’s lead after 58 minutes when he converted from Aidan Barlow’s cross.Sebastian Bowerman pulled one back for Dorking with s...Full Story »

Derek McInnes hailed two “brilliant” goals which saw Kilmarnock move into fourth place in the cinch Premiership with a 2-1 win over St Johnstone at Rugby Park.Killie sprang out of the traps despite swirling wind and rain and 18-year-old midfielder David Watson hammered in a long-distance drive in the sixth minute before veteran striker Marley Watkins added a second in the 17th minute...Full Story »

Michael Carrick praised his players for not getting distracted by their Carabao Cup exploits as Middlesbrough rounded off an impressive week with a deserved 1-0 win over West Brom.Boro beat Port Vale in midweek to reach the last four of the League Cup for the first time since winning the competition 20 seasons ago and have a two-legged tie with Chelsea to look forward to in the new year.But Carr...Full Story »

Michael Beale said his first match in charge of Sunderland “couldn’t have gone any worse” after seeing his new side humbled 3-0 at home by Coventry.The former Rangers and QPR boss was appointed as Tony Mowbray’s permanent successor at the start of the week but saw his team finish well beaten on home soil following goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Callum O’Hare and Kas...Full Story »

Darren Ferguson was thrilled with his Peterborough side’s character after they won 2-1 at Shrewsbury to remain in touching distance of Sky Bet League One leaders Portsmouth.Shrewsbury went ahead just before the hour mark after Jordan Shipley’s cross-cum-shot found the back of the net.But after dominating for large parts, Peterborough found their cutting edge after going behind and we...Full Story »

Vincent Kompany believes Rebecca Welch’s performance during Burnley’s 2-0 win over Fulham was a “milestone moment” after she became the first woman to take charge of a Premier League match on Saturday.Wilson Odobert’s curled strike and Sander Berge’s magnificent solo effort confirmed Burnley’s first win since their 5-0 victory over Sheffield United on De...Full Story »

Rob Edwards said Luton’s 1-0 victory against Newcastle was the “embodiment” of their captain Tom Lockyer as his side moved to within two points of Premier League safety.It was Luton’s first game since Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during last Saturday’s abandoned game away to Bournemouth.The 29-year-old’s name was sung around Kenilworth Road throughout the...Full Story »

Reading manager Ruben Selles praised the “power” of winger Femi Azeez after he opened the scoring in an impressive 2-0 Sky Bet League One home victory over Wigan.Azeez, 22, gave Reading an interval lead with an unstoppable 20-yard drive and Sam Smith doubled the advantage five minutes after the break.Wigan offered little going forward in either half, with Reading comfortably seeing t...Full Story »

Kidderminster enter Christmas at the foot of the National League following a 2-1 defeat by Southend.Oli Coker netted from an early cross but the home side responded with a powerful finish by Ashley Hemmings.Southend regained the lead in first-half stoppage time when defender Nathan Ralph leapt high to nod home a corner.Kidderminster piled on the pressure in the closing moments and had the ball c...Full Story »

Plymouth top scorer Morgan Whittaker hit a brilliant 86th-minute equaliser as managerless Argyle recovered from going 3-1 down to claim a 3-3 Championship draw with Wayne Rooney’s 10-man Birmingham at Home Park.Playmaker Whittaker took his season’s tally to 10 with another long-range strike from outside the box, out of the reach of diving goalkeeper John Ruddy’s fingertips and ...Full Story »

Ryan Sweeney’s stoppage-time goal earned managerless Burton a 1-1 draw at Charlton as Albion ended a run of five successive League One defeats.The Addicks dominated possession in the first 45 minutes without totally clicking in the final third, although they did have a goal from Lloyd Jones to show for their efforts.Jones emphatically headed home a cross from centre-back partner Michael He...Full Story »

Mitch Hancox netted an added-time equaliser as Hartlepool claimed a dramatic 4-4 comeback draw at Wealdstone in the National League.Max Kretzschmar opened the scoring for Wealdstone after just four minutes before Sean Adarkwa doubled the advantage nine minutes later.Adarkwa added his second of the afternoon after 28 minutes only for Callum Cooke and Joe Grey to provide the visitors hope with two...Full Story »

Solihull Moors ended their four-match losing run in the Vanarama National League by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Oxford City.The match appeared to be heading for a draw with neither side able to seize control, only for City’s Zac McEachran to strike in the 59th minute.The goal came after slick build-up play with McEachran and Josh Parker combining in a one-two that carved the visiting ...Full Story »

Tranmere made it four League Two home wins on the bounce with a 2-1 comeback victory over Swindon at Prenton Park to move further away from the relegation zone.Rovers dominated the early stages and looked more likely to break the deadlock with Connor Jennings and Rob Apter both coming close.But it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Daniel Kemp fired the ball home fro...Full Story »

Nigel Clough hailed Mansfield’s attitude after a dominant 2-0 victory at managerless Sutton.The Stags maintained the pace at the top of League Two with a first ever win at Gander Green Lane after goals from veteran duo Stephen Quinn and Lucas Akins.It compounded a terrible week for the Football League’s bottom club Sutton, who sacked manager Matt Gray after last weekend’s 8-0 m...Full Story »