Shaun Maloney still believes in Wigan’s escape bid
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Shaun Maloney insists Wigan Athletic’s latest ‘Great Escape’ is on after seeing his side edge past fellow Sky Bet Championship strugglers QPR by the only goal at the DW.Max Power’s sixth-minute penalty after former Wigan defender Leon Balogun felled Callum Lang proved to be the difference and lifted the Latics to within five points of safety with seven games to go.Wigan&r...Full Story »
Matt Gray feels Sutton in play-off mix despite dropped points at Walsall
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Sutton boss Matt Gray insisted his side still have a great chance of making the League Two play-offs despite goalkeeper Jack Rose’s late howler costing them victory in a 1-1 draw at Walsall.Rose fumbled Tom Knowles’ straightforward free-kick in the fifth minute of time added on and Isaac Hutchinson swept home to cancel out Alistair Smith’s first-half opener.The keeper spent thr...Full Story »
John Eustace hails matchwinner Reda Khadra as Birmingham beat Blackburn
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Birmingham head coach John Eustace hailed “outstanding matchwinner” Reda Khadra after his spectacular goal silenced the boo boys from his old loan club Blackburn in a 1-0 Championship victory at St Andrew’s.The on-loan Brighton winger scored with a 25-yard drive to settle the game in the 61st minute and dent Rovers’ play-off hopes.“Reda is a matchwinner and he&rsquo...Full Story »
Roy Hodgson hails ‘quality’ Crystal Palace show in dramatic win over Leicester
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Roy Hodgson singled out Crystal Palace’s first-half performance against Leicester as the best he had witnessed in his career in charge of the club.The 2-1 victory, the Eagles’ first in 2023, also marked Hodgson’s first game back in the Palace dugout since he stepped down following a four-year spell at Selhurst Park from 2017-2021.Palace, who have struggled to score this season,...Full Story »
Nigel Clough wants more from Mansfield despite thumping win over Crawley
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Mansfield boss Nigel Clough was pleased to see his play-off-chasing side back among the goals but felt they could have scored even more than the four that swept aside Crawley.The Stags ended a four-match winless run, including two successive home goalless draws, by halting struggling Crawley’s recent revival with a 4-1 victory.Clough said: “We just need a good last eight games now.&l...Full Story »
It can’t be offside – Carlos Corberan bemoans penalty call as West Brom held
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Carlos Corberan bemoaned the officiating decision which denied West Brom a penalty in their 0-0 home draw with play-off rivals Millwall.Substitute Daryl Dike was upended in the area by Lions goalkeeper George Long in the second half of what proved to be a tightly contested encounter at The Hawthorns, but the offside flag had been raised and the penalty appeals were waved away.However, replays sh...Full Story »
Scott Brown urges Fleetwood to find ugly side after Exeter clinch late draw
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Boss Scott Brown urged Fleetwood to find their ugly side after conceding a late goal in their 2-2 League One draw with Exeter.Jack Marriott put the hosts 2-1 in front with a brilliant brace, his first for the club, with goals either side of Kevin McDonald’s leveller.But Pierce Sweeney popped up with a last-gasp equaliser to ensure Exeter’s drive back to Devon was not in vain.Cod Army...Full Story »
Jim McNulty reacts after starting interim Rochdale reign with vital victory
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Rochdale interim manager Jim McNulty was pleased with a vital victory after his side fought their way to a 1-0 win over AFC Wimbledon in his first game in charge.McNulty’s side struggled to create opportunities but converted their best opening as Danny Lloyd’s strike from the edge of the box earned them three points.Victory sees rock-bottom Rochdale claw up some ground in the relegat...Full Story »
Darren Ferguson disappointed with Peterborough draw despite play-off position
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Darren Ferguson admitted he was left disappointed with his Peterborough players on the day they climbed into the League One play-off places.Posh rose into the top six by virtue of having scored more goals than fellow promotion-hopefuls Derby – but they rarely looked like finding the net in a goalless stalemate against a struggling Oxford side without a win in a dozen games.In fact it was t...Full Story »
Barry Robson hails Aberdeen after they dig in for victory at St Johnstone
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Barry Robson praised the “resilience” of his Aberdeen side after they held on to defeat 10-man St Johnstone 1-0 at McDiarmid Park and move within a point of third-placed Hearts in the cinch Premiership.The Dons made it four victories on the spin when they capitalised on the early dismissal of their former player Andy Considine to score the only goal of the game after half an hour whe...Full Story »
John Askey not getting carried away by Hartlepool’s dramatic win over Swindon
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
John Askey refused to get carried away with Hartlepool’s last-gasp heroics but admitted their dramatic 2-1 win over Swindon was a big statement of intent.Struggling Pools trailed to Swindon at the Suit Direct Stadium before two late goals completed an unlikely comeback to offer a League Two lifeline.Connor Jennings’ 88th-minute equaliser and Oliver Finney’s 94th-minute winner l...Full Story »
Lee Bell happy with game plan as Crewe claim victory at Doncaster
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Crewe boss Lee Bell was delighted an aggressive approach from his side paid off as they ended a run of three straight defeats with a 2-0 victory at Doncaster.Goals from Courtney Baker-Richardson and Connor O’Riordan secured a first away win since November for Alex.Bell said: “I told the players I expected them to win this game and the first half was as good as we have been this seaso...Full Story »
Miles Leaburn at the double as Charlton hit Shrewsbury for six
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Miles Leaburn scored twice as Charlton hammered Shrewsbury 6-0.Scott Fraser, Albie Morgan, Jes Rak-Sakyi and Macauley Bonne were also on target while a red card for Tom Flanagan put the seal on a miserable day for the visitors.It took 26 minutes for the home side to break the deadlock. Fraser curled home a free-kick from the edge of the area past the outstretched Marko Marosi.The Shrewsbury stop...Full Story »
Mark Bonner hopes win at Port Vale gives Cambridge momentum in survival fight
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Cambridge manager Mark Bonner hopes his side can pick up some much-needed momentum after earning three valuable points in their battle against relegation from Sky Bet League One with a 2-0 victory at Port Vale.Sam Smith and Lloyd Jones scored twice in four minutes early in the second half to end United’s six-match winless run and move them to within five points of safety with eight matches...Full Story »
Pete Wild lauds Robbie Gotts’ reaction after stunning winner for Barrow
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Boss Pete Wild praised Robbie Gotts’ character after his dramatic strike earned Barrow a 2-1 win over Gillingham.Wild had left the playmaker out of the side and it looked to have paid off with Glenn Morris’ unfortunate early own goal at Holker Street.But the Gills goalkeeper made amends with a catalogue of brilliant saves to keep the visitors in the game.QPR loanee Conor Masterson le...Full Story »
Dean Holden praises two-goal Miles Leaburn after Charlton hammer Shrewsbury
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Dean Holden praised Miles Leaburn after Charlton demolished Shrewsbury 6-0 at The Valley.The thumping – the first six-goal haul for them at home in 47 years – saw the striker net twice.While Holden believed his side put in the complete performance, he was especially pleased at Leaburn raising his season’s league tally to 11.He said: “I am delighted for Miles getting his f...Full Story »
Mikel Arteta hails Gabriel Jesus after he ends goal drought with Arsenal brace
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Gabriel Jesus after the forward ended his goal drought with a brace in a comfortable victory over Leeds that keeps Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.Having required surgery on a knee injury suffered at the World Cup, Jesus’ comeback has been a gradual one but it was completed just at the right time as he shone in a 4-1 win.The Brazil ...Full Story »
Matt Taylor felt Rotherham were good value for draw at Hull
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Manager Matt Taylor felt Rotherham were good value for what could prove an important point following their goalless draw at Hull.The Millers are just above the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone but they deserved to leave East Yorkshire with a share of the spoils.They also had to work especially hard once substitute Domingos Quina was sent off for a professional foul after 79 minutes.Taylor sa...Full Story »
Ben Garner knows wins are needed for relegation-threatened Colchester
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Boss Ben Garner wants Colchester to turn draws into wins after they were held to a 0-0 stalemate at home to Newport.The U’s are now only three points above the League Two relegation zone after a third successive draw.Colchester had their chances to grab a second-half winner, with Samson Tovide firing into the side-netting after going past Newport goalkeeper Joe Day, who also denied substit...Full Story »
Hartlepool stun Swindon at the death to boost survival hopes
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Hartlepool snatched a dramatic League Two lifeline with an injury-time victory over Swindon.Substitute Oliver Finney cracked home from 25 yards to lift Pools to within two points of third-bottom Crawley.Connor Jennings brought the hosts level in the 88th minute, cancelling out Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s early opener, before Finney’s wonderful strike sealed a first win under new boss Jo...Full Story »
Lyall Cameron hits treble as Dundee hammer Hamilton
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
A Lyall Cameron hat-trick helped Dundee cut Queen’s Park lead at the top of the Scottish Championship to one point following a ruthless 7-0 home win over bottom-of-the-table Hamilton.Dundee took the lead after seven minutes when Alex Jakubiak stabbed home at the back post and they added another in the 16th minute as Ryan Sweeney headed in from a Luke Hannant corner.The Dee then notched two...Full Story »
Rock-bottom Rochdale stun AFC Wimbledon
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Danny Lloyd struck as bottom-of-the-table Rochdale picked up an invaluable three points with a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane.Lloyd’s strike moved Rochdale within eight points of third-bottom Crawley with seven games left to play in League Two.After a quiet opening 15 minutes it was Dons’ Armani Little who had the first real attempt on goal, capitalising on a defensive...Full Story »
Jon Mellish own goal earns Leyton Orient victory over Carlisle
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Leyton Orient continued their relentless march towards the League Two title as they saw off fellow promotion hopefuls Carlisle 1-0 at Brisbane Road.However, Orient, who finished the game with 10 men, were indebted to a 73rd-minute own goal by Jon Mellish for their win.Substitute Ruel Sotiriou had been on the pitch four just four minutes when he saw his shot from 15 yards hit Mellish, sending goa...Full Story »
Torquay boost survival hopes with win at relegation rivals Scunthorpe
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Torquay made it back-to-back wins in their bid to escape the drop after edging out relegation rivals Scunthorpe 1-0 at Glanford Park.Lewis Collins struck the decisive goal just after the hour as Gary Johnson’s side, who beat play-off hopefuls Boreham Wood on Tuesday, moved five points above the Iron, and to within three points of Gateshead and safety.Torquay were quickly out of the blocks ...Full Story »
Ipswich close in on League One top two after taking points from Derby
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Ipswich closed in on the League One top two with a seventh-straight victory as they beat Derby 2-0 at Pride Park.They caught Derby on the break in the 17th minute with Nathan Broadhead crossing to Wes Burns, who headed the ball down for Conor Chaplin to score from 12 yards.Derby fought their way into the game and went close in the 33rd minute when a James Collins cross ricocheted off Cameron Bur...Full Story »
Leaders Queen’s Park slip up again after going down to defeat at Raith
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Cinch Championship leaders Queen’s Park suffered a second successive defeat as Owen Coyle’s men were beaten 2-0 by Raith at Stark’s Park.After falling behind via Tom Lang’s header on the half-hour mark, the visitors failed to take the chance to draw level from the spot, with Dominic Thomas seeing his 38th-minute penalty saved by Jamie MacDonald.Lewis Vaughan then added Ra...Full Story »
Dramatic Robbie Gotts winner earns Barrow big win over Gillingham
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Robbie Gotts scored a dramatic stoppage-time screamer to secure Barrow a welcome 2-1 victory over Gillingham.Glenn Morris’ early own goal handed the hosts the lead but the game looked set for a draw after Conor Masterson’s 82nd-minute leveller.But Gotts’ first goal of the season came just at the right time to keep Barrow within touching distance of the top seven.Top scorer Josh...Full Story »
Chesterfield drop points in top-three chase
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Chesterfield’s bid for a top-three finish in the Vanarama National League suffered a blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw by mid-table Maidenhead.The Spireites remain in fourth, a place and point below Woking as they saw their three-game winning run come to an end and failed to take advantage of their game in hand over the Cards.Chesterfield almost took a 10th-minute lead when Andrew Dalla...Full Story »
Mansfield hit four to halt Crawley revival
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Mansfield were back to their best as they halted relegation-threatened Crawley’s five-game unbeaten run in style with a convincing 4-1 home win.Without a win in four games going into the match, Ollie Clarke put the play-off-chasing Stags ahead after only four minutes with a low finish from 12 yard following Stephen Quinn’s pass from the left.Mansfield had plenty of chances to double ...Full Story »
Crewe climb further away from trouble with win at Doncaster
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Crewe put further daylight between themselves and the League Two relegation zone with a 2-0 victory at Doncaster.Goals from Courtney Baker-Richardson and Connor O’Riordan secured the win for Alex and left Rovers with a sixth defeat from their last nine outings.The visitors offered much the greater threat in the first half and took the lead after 31 minutes when Baker-Richardson latched ont...Full Story »
Maidstone’s relegation confirmed after thrashing by Boreham Wood
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Maidstone’s relegation back to the National League South was confirmed as Boreham Wood got their play-off bid back on track with a 4-0 mauling at Gallagher Stadium.The Stones won promotion to the National League last summer but, with the team winless since November, their stay always looked in danger of being a brief one.And the division’s bottom side were consigned to the drop after...Full Story »
Peterborough climb into League One play-off places after Oxford stalemate
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Peterborough climbed into the League One play-off places despite being held to a goalless stalemate by struggling Oxford.Darren Ferguson’s men rose into the top six – by virtue of having scored more goals than promotion rivals Derby – on a day when they rarely actually looked like scoring.They could not force Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood into a save of note as midfielder Ol...Full Story »
Paul Mullin nets fourth hat-trick of season as five-star Wrexham reclaim top spot
Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA
Paul Mullin scored his fourth hat-trick of the season as Wrexham returned to the Vanarama National League summit on 100 points with a 5-1 win over Oldham.Eoghan O’Connell headed Wrexham in front midway through the first half from close range before another header from Mullin doubled their lead.Liam Hogan pulled one back in stoppage time from John Rooney’s free-kick but just five minu...Full Story »