Barnsley 0-2 Walsall
Walsall returned to winning ways at Oakwell on Tuesday night, Barnsley slumping to their fourth straight defeat. Both sides had chances in the first half, Walsall’s top scorer Tom Bradshaw seeing his shot deflected wide by Lewin Nyatanga. Sam Winall also had a chance for Barnsley before the break. The initiative was seized by the visiting Saddlers when on-loan George Evans hit a curling shot into the bottom corner. Walsall doubled their lead eight minutes later and wrapped up the points when Milan Lalkovic finished an excellent pass from Romaine Sawyers. Walsall remain second as Burton failed to see off Crewe.
Burton 0-0 Crewe
After an impressive start to the season Burton fans will be concerned about their side’s recent ineptitude in front of goal. Burton have only managed one goal and four points in their last five outings. They welcomed strugglers Crewe to the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night and Brewers fans were left frustrated again. Crewe hardly had to park their team bus to earn the point but it was a display of attrition and rear guard action which provided them with a share of the spoils. Burton had numerous chances to open the scoring but they appeared toothless in front of goal, Mark Duffy and Robbie Weir had chances in the first half but couldn’t find the net. Crewe chances were few and far between but James Jones broke in the second half only to have his shot blocked. Burton came closest to stealing the win in the last minute but Mark Duffy’s free-kick hit the underside of the bar and bounced safely on the right side of the line in the opinion of travelling Alex fans.
Peterborough 2-3 Wigan
Wigan have been involved in a fair few thrillers this season, it’s the fourth time they’ve been involved in a game which has finished 3-2. The visiting Latics got off to a great start in the 11th minute when Yanic Wildschut finished a brilliant solo run past Posh ‘keeper Ben Alnwick. He starred again as Wigan doubled their league, his shot was flicked goalwards by Saturday’s hero Will Grigg. Peterborough came back in the second half, firstly through a scrappy goal courtesy of Erhun Oztumer, he finished after Lee Angol and Conor Washington couldn’t find a way through. The man with all the vowels Soulimayne Coulibaly came off the bench to square things. An elaborate shirtless celebration and a booking followed. Coulibaly was still putting his shirt back on when Wigan went down the other end and wrapped up the three points sixteen seconds later. Max Power burst through the defence and finished well past Alnwick to give Wigan their second win in as many games and moves them up to seventh. Posh haven’t recorded a clean sheet since they beat City six games ago.
Gillingham 2-1 Scunthorpe
Scunthorpe had seemed to have found their feet in the games leading up to their visit to Kent, they had won their last three. They made the better start out of the two sides eventually going in front in the 53rd minute through Scott Laird, his second in as many games. A neat volley at the back post had Iron fans thinking they could be looking at their fourth straight victory. It wasn’t to be however, the Gills levelled the scores only six minutes later Brennan Dickinson headed Bradley Dack’s corner past Scunthorpe ‘keeper Luke Daniels. In the 81st minute Gillingham were reduced to ten men when Josh Wright was sent for an early bath for a challenge on Paddy Madden. The ten men rallied and scored the winner from another Dack set piece, Harry Lennon rose highest to finish and keep Justin Edinburgh’s side top of the table.
Chesterfield 3-0 Southend
The Spireites took on Southend on Tuesday seemingly buoyed by their impressive Saturday victory away at Walsall. They took the lead through former Huddersfield man Lee Novak in the eighth minute. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake doubled the lead in the 38th minute after Dan Gardner had a shot blocked. Previously, Ian Evatt hit the post with the header. Southend will have been glad of the half-time whistle. A mainly uneventful second half saw Chesterfield wrap up the points with Ebanks-Blake’s second of the game and his third in two games. He scrambled the ball over the line from a corner, Chesterfield move to ninth.
Colchester 2-1 Port Vale
Colchester were made to work hard to break out of their recent slump of form. Port Vale had numerous chances before the home side went in front through George Elokobi. He finished with aplomb after Darren Ambrose’s corner wasn’t cleared by Vale’s defence. Colchester ‘keeper Jamie Jones produced a couple of impressive saves to deny Vale but he was powerless to stop Colin Daniel’s header just before the break. Colchester were by far the better team in the second half, Marvin Sordell, Callum Harriet, and George Moncur all had chances. Marvin Sordell scored the winner 17 minutes before time with a neat finish. Colchester will be glad to have returned to winning ways.
Sheffield United 3-0 Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood’s victory on Saturday may have been a flash in the pan going on their performance away at Sheffield on Tuesday night. They got off to the worst possible start when in-form Che Evans gave the home side the lead with barely a minute on the clock. He netted from close range when Fleetwood ‘keeper Chris Maxwell spilled Chris Basham’s cross straight into Evans’ path. The game meandered along until just before the break when the Blades had a chance to double their lead through Jamal Campbell-Ryce, his effort was blocked. After the break United went about killing the game off, Evans had his second goal twenty minutes after the restart when he finished after good work from Kieran Wallace. Wallace assisted again, this time Billy Sharpe was on the end of a good cross by Wallace, Sharpe netting his seventh goal of the season but his first in six league games, his last goal coming in the win against former club Doncaster. The Blades have won their last four games at home and hold on to their place in the playoffs.
Blackpool 1-1 Millwall
Blackpool left it late to make it five games unbeaten in all competitions as they host Millwall on Tuesday night. Millwall took the lead in the first half through Mark Beevers, he fired home after Steve Morison’s header hit the crossbar. Chances were few and far between for the rest of the match and Millwall looked like they were cruising to back to back wins until the 81st minute. Bright Osayi-Samuel burst into the box for Blackpool onto to be hauled down by Carlos Edwards, the referee pointed to the spot and showed the Lion’s defender the red card. Jack Redshaw converted the resulting penalty to give Blackpool the share of the points.
Shrewsbury 1-2 Doncaster
Darren Ferguson had his first win as Doncaster manager with a 1-2 away win at Shrewsbury on Tuesday night. The visiting side took the lead in the 14th minute through Donny veteran James Coppinger, he drilled a shot past Shrews ‘keeper Jayson Leutwiler after a Richie Wellens shot fell into his path. The Shrews responded well and nearly squared the scores through Sullay Kaikai but his 20-yard effort was saved by Thorsten Stuckmann in the Donny goal. They did manage to level things in the 27th minute when Nat Knight-Percival hit a powerful header at the near post from a Liam Lawrence corner. Shrewsbury will be disappointed not to have taken anything from the game as they had the best of the second half. Another chance for both Kaikai and Larnell Cole, the visitors, however took the lead three minutes from time. In classic Fergie style that goal was enough to steal the win away from the Shropshire side.
Swindon 1-2 Oldham
Robins’ chairman Lee Power took temporary charge of Swindon on Tuesday as David Dunn sought out his first victory as Oldham manager. It seemed as business as usual for the desperately out of form Robins as Oldham took the lead on 34 minutes through Mike Jones, his beautiful curling finish piled on the misery on a glum night for Swindon fans. It seemed that Power’s side had rescued a point through Nicky Asoje, he lifted a delicate finish over Oldham ‘keeper David Cornell. It was to be a seventh defeat in eight games for Swindon as Danny Philliskirk finished proceedings with a finish from a Kyle Lafferty cross.
Rochdale 0-0 Coventry
Coventry started their latest, somewhat surprise signing on Tuesday night. Joe Cole played 58 minutes in the Sky Blue’s draw away at Rochdale, but and had the best chance of the first half. He went on a run reminiscent of his Chelsea days and fired just wide. Coventry ‘keeper Reice Charles-Cook pulled off a couple of inspired saves in the second half to earn his side a share of the points at Spotland. The draw moves Coventry to fourth after the Bantam’s glorious win over Bury.
