:00:35. > :00:39.Evening, good to have you with us as we reflect on a another dramatic
:00:40. > :00:43.afternoon in the Skybet Football League. For some clubs, issues off
:00:44. > :00:47.the pitch threaten to overshadow the good work being done on it, as we
:00:48. > :00:51.saw at Birmingham this week, with owner Carson Yeung jailed for six
:00:52. > :00:56.years. Steve's here to reflect on the day's other big headlines, and
:00:57. > :00:59.here's what's coming up tonight. With just one win in five,
:01:00. > :01:03.promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest are losing ground at just the wrong
:01:04. > :01:07.time. Today, Billy Davies' side went in search of a change in fortune at
:01:08. > :01:11.bottom club Barnsley, we've the best of the action from a crucial match
:01:12. > :01:14.at Oakwell. We've extended highlights from another critical
:01:15. > :01:24.game at the AMEX as two of the other play-off candidates, Brighton and
:01:25. > :01:31.Reading, went head to head. A year on from the departure of Paolo di
:01:32. > :01:41.Canio, Swindon Town have regrouped and are within sniffing distance of
:01:42. > :01:53.play-offs. I'm at the County Ground for the visit of promotion rivals,
:01:54. > :01:56.MK Dons. And, as ever, we've plenty of goals and talking points,
:01:57. > :01:59.including six goals at a soggy Elland Road. First to Oakwell then,
:02:00. > :02:02.for a game involving two sides desperate for a win for very
:02:03. > :02:06.different reasons. Bottom club Barnsley, who were thumped 5-0 last
:02:07. > :02:08.week, began the day just two points from safety, while Nottingham
:02:09. > :02:11.Forest's automatic promotion hopes had hit the buffers with key
:02:12. > :02:14.injuries. Their problems compounded with manager Billy Davies starting a
:02:15. > :02:14.five-game touchline ban for abusing a match official. Commentary from
:02:15. > :02:16.John Roder. five-game touchline ban for abusing
:02:17. > :02:19.a match Heavy defeats for both of these sides last weekend haven't
:02:20. > :02:23.helped either move closer to their objective. Barnsley slipped to
:02:24. > :02:29.bottom place in the Championship. Forest remain in the play-off
:02:30. > :02:33.places. Jim O'Brien recovered from illness and starts for Barnsley.
:02:34. > :02:40.Danny Wilson makes three changes to the side that started last weekend's
:02:41. > :02:45.5-0 defeat to Huddersfield. O'Grady and Mellis were both in Nottingham.
:02:46. > :02:54.Two changes for Forest, who have only once been able to name an
:02:55. > :03:03.unchanged team this season. Greening drops to the bench. In comes Gomis
:03:04. > :03:08.for his Forest debut. Abdounn comes into filled field. -- Abdoun comes
:03:09. > :03:24.into midfield. Play continues. Majewski thought he
:03:25. > :03:34.might have been fouled there, not so. Jennings. Room possibly for a
:03:35. > :03:42.shot here. Pushed over by Darlow. That ball really did move through
:03:43. > :03:49.the air here. Darlow able to get a solid fist to it. Excellent chance
:03:50. > :03:59.for Danny Wilson's side. Chase on here for Cox. On awkward bounce for
:04:00. > :04:02.Cranie. He dealt with it well. Oh, a mistake there.
:04:03. > :04:20.Ramage, unable to control the throwout from Luke Steele.
:04:21. > :04:31.Touch back from Mackie. A shot against the post! What an effort
:04:32. > :04:38.that was from Abdoun. That flu as straight as you like from Abdoun. It
:04:39. > :04:55.steams back to this mistake here. Ramage unable to gather.
:04:56. > :05:07.Mackie! Terrific chance for Nottingham Forest. Abdoun, who
:05:08. > :05:12.struck the post a couple of minutes earlier, went for the cross. Jamie
:05:13. > :05:14.Mackie meets it with a firm header, but puts the ball the wrong side of
:05:15. > :05:27.the post. Barnsley will feel they could get
:05:28. > :05:31.all three points from Nottingham Forest this afternoon. Mellis.
:05:32. > :05:42.O'Brien. Taken by Darlow. See there the run on the overlap
:05:43. > :05:57.from the number seven, Jim O'Brien, far too close though to Karl Darlow.
:05:58. > :06:04.Jennings, who has had a good game so far on the left hand side for the
:06:05. > :06:11.Tiebgs. He hits it. Oh, what a hit! That's absolutely brilliant! Dale
:06:12. > :06:16.Jennings with the opening goal. That brings a smile to everyone connected
:06:17. > :06:19.to Barnsley football club. They may be bottom-of-the-table, but that was
:06:20. > :06:28.a goal that was straight out of the top-class. Look at where he picks it
:06:29. > :06:32.up. Dale Jennings, cuts inside. Creates a little bit of space for
:06:33. > :06:49.himself and fires it past Karl Darlow. It's a brilliant goal.
:06:50. > :07:00.Jennings, the goalscorer. Mellis. In towards O'Grady. Hes's able to --
:07:01. > :07:21.he's able to get the shot away. Deep towards Ramage. Pushed away by
:07:22. > :07:23.Darlow. Barnsley will build again. Jennings. That looks too long, and
:07:24. > :07:33.was. Discussions going on between the
:07:34. > :07:39.manager and his assist down in the dug-out. You just wonder whether
:07:40. > :07:51.there might be a change or two forthcoming for Nottingham Forest.
:07:52. > :08:01.Comes in from a long way out. It wasn't a bad effort either from
:08:02. > :08:07.Paterson. You can see what he's trying to do. It's on target, at
:08:08. > :08:12.first, it veers away from goal. They know how big a victory this could
:08:13. > :08:18.be. There will be a minimum of five minutes additional time. Can
:08:19. > :08:23.Nottingham Forest, the away team here, find a way back?
:08:24. > :08:42.Barnsley, with everybody back. Forest, with virtually everybody
:08:43. > :08:46.forward. Mitt Abdoun, pushed away to safety by Steele. The perhaps that
:08:47. > :08:55.was the reason there was a big gap in the wall there. Steele able to
:08:56. > :08:56.see that free-kick all the way. They need one good delivery. One good
:08:57. > :09:10.touch in the penalty area. Abdoun with the corner. Steele
:09:11. > :09:13.should get there. Darlow now stays forward. Abdoun, with the ball into
:09:14. > :09:23.the area. Barnsley able to half clear. Paterson can't get his shot
:09:24. > :09:26.away. Derbyshire! Steele, with the save. That might just about be that,
:09:27. > :09:38.as far as Barnsley are concerned. How much is there a sense of
:09:39. > :09:43.frustration in the Forest dressing room that you haven't come away with
:09:44. > :09:49.a point today? Yes, there's a huge frustration. Just after the
:09:50. > :09:53.half-time break, where they got on top a little bit and scored the
:09:54. > :09:58.goal. I thought we were terrific everywhere else. I can't ask
:09:59. > :10:01.anything more of the players. As a collective group they gave us
:10:02. > :10:04.everything they could. We couldn't break them down. When you play in
:10:05. > :10:08.front of your home crowd they expect. No matter who you are
:10:09. > :10:14.playing they expect you to win. The least we could do is put a good
:10:15. > :10:18.shift in. I think we did that. We we stuck to our guns and defended
:10:19. > :10:22.stoutly at the end. Thankfully, it's three very well and very hard-earned
:10:23. > :10:26.points, from our point of view, we needed them badly because of the
:10:27. > :10:30.position we are in. Towards the end it was constant Forest pressure?
:10:31. > :10:35.Yeah. That's just how it is at the moment. Things are going just a
:10:36. > :10:42.little bit against us, run of the ball, and hit the post. Fantastic
:10:43. > :10:47.save from the keeper, from the free-kick late on, scrambles not
:10:48. > :10:51.falling for us. We will dust ourselves down and get on with it
:10:52. > :10:55.again on Monday. Wasn't a great deal between the two sides at the game.
:10:56. > :11:00.It was a resolute one, as far as Barnsley were concerned. The ideal
:11:01. > :11:04.response from last week for Danny Wilson? Last week they didn't start
:11:05. > :11:08.too bad they fell apart somewhat. Today they started OK and held it
:11:09. > :11:12.together. Apart from maybe the last 10 minutes when they were stretched
:11:13. > :11:17.at times defensively, I thought they were reasonably comfortable today. I
:11:18. > :11:20.thought they hangle everything that Forest could throw at them.
:11:21. > :11:25.Particularly in the last 10 minutes. One or two hairy moments during the
:11:26. > :11:31.game. But ultimately stood their ground through all of it. The
:11:32. > :11:35.important goal, early on, but with Dale Jennings you don't show him on
:11:36. > :11:41.the inside? No, of course you don't. Three Forest players. They get
:11:42. > :11:45.caught up, should I go are fo the ball or the runner. Jennings looks
:11:46. > :11:49.up and can't believe the space he has got. Sits up nicely for him.
:11:50. > :11:55.Wonderful strike. I'm not sure the keeper might have been slightly on
:11:56. > :12:03.side. It sits up nicely for him as he takes the strike. You don't want
:12:04. > :12:08.to see him. A huge boost for their survival hopes? Massive. Up until
:12:09. > :12:11.last week I have been impressed with what Danny Wilson has been trying to
:12:12. > :12:16.do. A little bit more resolution about them. That was evident today.
:12:17. > :12:21.Maybe last week was a blip. Forest, it stretches their winless run to
:12:22. > :12:27.five games. It's gone wrong at both ends of the pitch. They scored two
:12:28. > :12:32.in three. Yep. Conceded 10 in the last four games. Yeah. With Billy
:12:33. > :12:37.Davies in the stands, how much of an effect does that have? I don't think
:12:38. > :12:43.it's a massive effect. For me, most times when you have done your
:12:44. > :12:48.pre-match work through the week. I would think a lot of the managers
:12:49. > :12:52.would sit-in the stand and get an overview of the ground as it
:12:53. > :12:55.proceedings. You need to be on the touchline if you set up a system and
:12:56. > :12:59.they have set up something completely different. You needed to
:13:00. > :13:03.reorganise. Your team doesn't understand how to play against that
:13:04. > :13:06.system. Under jeopardy is their play-off position? Currently, it has
:13:07. > :13:09.to be in jeopardy because of the form they have shown. They are
:13:10. > :13:13.still, even throughout that, they still maintained the play-off
:13:14. > :13:15.position. You get the feeling, in the coming weeks they will get
:13:16. > :13:23.stronger again. They should be OK. Today's game at the AMEX featured
:13:24. > :13:26.two clubs with the play-offs in their sights, Brighton and Reading.
:13:27. > :13:29.Brighton make two changes with Rohan Ince and Jake Forster-Caskey coming
:13:30. > :13:32.into midfield. After struggling to a draw with eight-man Yeovil, Nigel
:13:33. > :13:34.Adkins makes four changes which includes Royston Drenthe's first
:13:35. > :13:38.start since Boxing Day and defender Michael Hector's first league start
:13:39. > :13:48.for the club. Paul Walker describes this one.
:13:49. > :14:04.Bruno with the throw. Lopez. Neatly done by Andrews. Away by Gunter.
:14:05. > :14:10.Lingard continued the run. This could be an own goal, and it will
:14:11. > :14:16.be. Chris Gunter. Alex McCarthy was committed, and Brighton the lead.
:14:17. > :14:26.And it is in bizarre circumstances -- Brighton take the lead. Chris
:14:27. > :14:34.Guenther -- Gunter. The ball bounces into the net. Not the start that
:14:35. > :14:40.treading wanted. The target was Lingard, and Gunter plants it beyond
:14:41. > :15:00.his own goalkeeper. Obita. Obita once more. A bit more tempo to
:15:01. > :15:08.this Reading play. Obita has done well. Akpan. Not a bad try.
:15:09. > :15:18.Somebody needed to have a go. Obita skips beyond Lopez, and Akpan's shot
:15:19. > :15:29.dips too late. Away to Drenthe. Le Fondre. He was
:15:30. > :15:35.threatening to break free of the Brighton defence, Adam Le Fondre.
:15:36. > :15:47.The referee, Fred Graham, is going to show a yellow to Gordon Greer. He
:15:48. > :15:56.has had a solid game so far. There was a tug on Adam Le Fondre.
:15:57. > :16:07.Just freeze over the free kick. -- Guthrie is over the free kick. Akpan
:16:08. > :16:15.will attempt to keep the pressure on. Drenthe. He thought about
:16:16. > :16:20.shooting. But he thought too long. Now Brighton can break. Lingard, and
:16:21. > :16:29.this is one-on-one. Lingard against Gunter. He has helped coming back
:16:30. > :16:38.now. Ulloa. Lifted in. Flicked away by Hector. High hand over the top
:16:39. > :16:43.from Forster-Caskey. -- high and over the top.
:16:44. > :17:00.Lingard was involved, so was Ulloa. Forster-Caskey was wayward with the
:17:01. > :17:07.shop. -- shot. Intercepted by Guthrie. If only he could have
:17:08. > :17:11.pushed it on for Robson-Kanu. Still Reading can build through Le
:17:12. > :17:17.Fondre. He runs into Gordon Greer. He is on a yellow card, remember.
:17:18. > :17:23.Greer got his body in the way and Le Fondre has felt the full force. He
:17:24. > :17:28.has already been shown the yellow ones, the captain, and another
:17:29. > :17:35.yellow means read. He is off. Gordon Greer, sent off for Brighton --
:17:36. > :17:42.means red. Was that a yellow card offence? I do think anybody saw a
:17:43. > :17:47.red card coming. Greer step six cross -- steps across Adam Le
:17:48. > :17:52.Fondre. There were two men sent off in this fixture earlier in the
:17:53. > :18:04.season and one has gone today. Guthrie has Obita to his left. Still
:18:05. > :18:12.Obita. Gunter. Drenthe. Look how many Brighton have back. Drenthe. He
:18:13. > :18:18.equalises! His first goal for Reading, drawing them level. It
:18:19. > :18:23.appeared just a matter of time following the dismissal of Gordon
:18:24. > :18:31.Greer, and Royston Drenthe puts the Royals all square at the Amex.
:18:32. > :18:33.Wicked strike, thundering past the Brighton keeper and we are all
:18:34. > :18:49.square. One for him to savour. Robson-Kanu is ahead of him, so is
:18:50. > :18:57.Blackman. Straight at the goalkeeper. That was a really good
:18:58. > :19:02.chance. Either side, that was 2-1. The way it opened up for Nick
:19:03. > :19:05.Blackman, you should have done better. Brighton will be relieved to
:19:06. > :19:13.hear the full-time whistle in a difficult half. This is Ulloa. He
:19:14. > :19:19.has done well to pick out Buckley. Will Buckley!
:19:20. > :19:28.He did ever so well to create the chance. It is the header that buys
:19:29. > :19:37.him the space, but he could not hit the target. Given away to Guthrie
:19:38. > :19:42.who can bring Reading forward. Mac enough -- Jobi McAnuff. What a
:19:43. > :19:47.stop. That is a big, big save from the Brighton goalkeeper. A huge save
:19:48. > :20:01.and it stays at 1-1. This is Buckley. A chance to win it.
:20:02. > :20:06.Good save by McCarthy. March will pick it up. Guthrie with the block.
:20:07. > :20:13.McCarthy has been a spectator for the entire second half, but
:20:14. > :20:20.Reading's comes up with a big save as Will Buckley looked to win it for
:20:21. > :20:24.Brighton. Solly March When a corner. Almost caught Alex McCarthy
:20:25. > :20:32.off-guard. And the referee will stop play because March has touched the
:20:33. > :20:37.ball twice. That is why the free kick has gone against him. The
:20:38. > :20:43.corner almost catching Alex McCarthy out.
:20:44. > :20:52.We showed great character and I am very proud of all of my players and
:20:53. > :21:00.their performance. Even though we had ten men, we created some good
:21:01. > :21:03.chances, and we could have won. I thought we were good in our play and
:21:04. > :21:06.had opportunities to win it but we come away with a point. It is a
:21:07. > :21:12.positive but we would have liked all three. Nigel Adkins a little
:21:13. > :21:15.frustrated perhaps compounded by the fact that they had numerical
:21:16. > :21:22.advantage in the last two games and failed to make it count on the last
:21:23. > :21:25.two occasions. I think this week it worked in their favour. It opened up
:21:26. > :21:30.a little bit and we know that when Brighton get their nose in front
:21:31. > :21:33.they are hard to break down. Probably they needed something like
:21:34. > :21:36.that to happen in this game. And when it did, it changed the
:21:37. > :21:42.complexion. It was almost like a free for all the both sides. Plenty
:21:43. > :21:44.of chances after that. Brighton took the lead through a simple
:21:45. > :21:50.miscommunication between defender and goalkeeper. You could not put it
:21:51. > :21:58.in simpler terms. McCarthy does not give him a shout. It was a good move
:21:59. > :22:02.before that. It was, but when you pass the ball back to the keeper and
:22:03. > :22:06.you're not sure of the position and you don't get the communication, you
:22:07. > :22:13.head it back, but not towards goal. If anything it does not result in a
:22:14. > :22:19.goal. There was the second yellow card to Gordon Greer which was
:22:20. > :22:21.contentious. I thought he was unlucky. The obstruction comes about
:22:22. > :22:25.because he tries to make a challenge.
:22:26. > :22:32.He doesn't step across because he's going for the ball as such, he's
:22:33. > :22:39.probably leading with his wrong foot. But I think he's unlucky.
:22:40. > :22:45.Wedding had their chances at the end of the game but they got themselves
:22:46. > :22:51.level with Royston Drenthe's first call to the club -- Reading had
:22:52. > :22:54.their chances. He was able to cutting, and this time he goes
:22:55. > :22:59.across Forster-Caskey's legs and nothing the keeper can do. Have
:23:00. > :23:04.either of them convinced to for the play-offs? They look a bit
:23:05. > :23:07.inconsistent at this stage but it would surprise me -- not surprise me
:23:08. > :23:12.if they got in there. Elsewhere in the Championship,
:23:13. > :23:16.Derby's seven match unbeaten run came to a somewhat controversial end
:23:17. > :23:18.last week at Burnley. Today the Rams, who were lying five points
:23:19. > :23:22.outside the automatic promotion places, were looking to get back on
:23:23. > :23:29.track at home to relegation threatened Millwall.
:23:30. > :23:38.Paulao Wanchope was the guest of honour today, 17 years after that
:23:39. > :23:44.amazing goal against Manchester United. Patrick Bamford headed wide
:23:45. > :23:47.early on. He and Connor Sammon shared a frame with a guess but
:23:48. > :23:53.neither had the assurance ahead of goal.
:23:54. > :24:00.The Rams won 5-1 in November but could not find a way through here.
:24:01. > :24:05.Simon Dawkins twice forced saves out of David Forde in the second half.
:24:06. > :24:09.Steve McClaren's men were expected to breeze past a site that had not
:24:10. > :24:14.run away since September, but David Forde in particular had other
:24:15. > :24:21.ideas. Millwall soaked up all of the Derby County pressure before edging
:24:22. > :24:24.ahead just after the hour. Steve Morrison pinched all three points
:24:25. > :24:31.after Graham left the back door open. But this was no smash and grab
:24:32. > :24:35.job, Millwall might have had more goals. Jake Buxton gave Morrison the
:24:36. > :24:46.chance for a second. Lee Grant kept Derby in it. With Wanchope having
:24:47. > :24:50.left his boots in Costa Rica, Richard Keogh was forced to be a
:24:51. > :24:58.centre forward. It was one of those days. We have
:24:59. > :25:02.thrown the kitchen sink at Millwall, and we have taken the risk
:25:03. > :25:06.often to win a game, and we have won many games where we have done it,
:25:07. > :25:12.and one day we are going to get stuck and lose a game doing it. And
:25:13. > :25:16.today was the day. I we came to a very tough place, a good club and a
:25:17. > :25:18.good team and we come away with all three points and I think we deserved
:25:19. > :25:27.it. One owner is in jail and the other
:25:28. > :25:30.received -- revealed losses of more than ?65 million but the respective
:25:31. > :25:35.managers still had something to smile about. Even more so for the
:25:36. > :25:40.QPR boss after 14 minutes when loan signing ravel Morrison offered are
:25:41. > :25:43.reminding of a sublime talent flickering to fruition with his
:25:44. > :25:49.first goal for his latest club -- Ravel. Joey Barton sadly felt his
:25:50. > :25:59.spirits lifted. Birmingham responded almost majorly Rangers recent form
:26:00. > :26:05.is not reflected in the chances count. Kevin Doyle's cross not on a
:26:06. > :26:09.plate for Jermaine Jenas. Barton ripped -- floated a free kick in,
:26:10. > :26:15.and Clint Hill's header came off the bar but the ball did not fall kindly
:26:16. > :26:24.for Traore their Morrison to capitalise. The goalkeeper reacted
:26:25. > :26:29.smartly to another effort by Huws, on loan from Man City and fresh from
:26:30. > :26:32.his international debut for Wales. Kevin Doyle hinted at what might
:26:33. > :26:39.have incoming Darren Randolph's away only QPR could nip together a move
:26:40. > :26:44.to create a further lead. Jermaine Jenas did the hard yards while
:26:45. > :26:47.Morrison watched, waited and then timed his arrival expertly to claim
:26:48. > :26:53.his second of the game to wrap up the points and hold Rangers's
:26:54. > :26:58.worrying slide out of the promotion frame. -- halt Rangers.
:26:59. > :27:05.We needed that today. We've had a blip in the last few weeks. We
:27:06. > :27:11.started to make things difficult for ourselves but today, it was good to
:27:12. > :27:14.get the three points. We are disappointed but we have to go again
:27:15. > :27:19.and dust ourselves down. The lads know we have a huge game next, and
:27:20. > :27:23.that's all that matters, the next one.
:27:24. > :27:31.A new arrival at the River says -- Riverside Stadium as Craig Hignett
:27:32. > :27:34.has joined the coaching staff. Their opponents are in the play-off hunt
:27:35. > :27:40.but created little of note. Paul Taylor was not far away with one of
:27:41. > :27:42.their better opportunities. Middlesbrough had not scored since
:27:43. > :27:50.mid-January. Danny Graham put an end to the drought with Dean -- the
:27:51. > :27:54.goalkeeper unable to hold onto the effort. The long wait was over, and
:27:55. > :27:58.for the Teessiders, the first time they had found the net in over 12
:27:59. > :28:00.hours. A second followed, and again it was Graham, this time on the end
:28:01. > :28:14.of a grand Ledbitter -- Grant. He was afforded too much space and
:28:15. > :28:21.could only find the side netting. Christophe Berra saw his header
:28:22. > :28:25.deflected over as Ipswich try to find a way back without success. For
:28:26. > :28:31.Middlesbrough, Craig Hignett's presents have the right effect.
:28:32. > :28:38.He is just working with me this week, but you can feel that he knows
:28:39. > :28:45.football and he knows this league and the atmosphere. He was a very
:28:46. > :28:52.important player here. We started OK and I thought we gave them a go. We
:28:53. > :28:58.were second best. Got nothing, deserve nothing. I can't add to it.
:28:59. > :29:01.They can make calling it like it is. Middlesbrough ending the 12 hour
:29:02. > :29:05.goal drought and relief for Danny Graham, but you get the feeling that
:29:06. > :29:09.the seven game goal drought has put an end to their play-off chances.
:29:10. > :29:14.When they started on that, they were on a good run. All of a sudden you
:29:15. > :29:19.go through that sort of run and it's going to be very difficult to keep
:29:20. > :29:26.the pace. As it is, they are nine points off, but if you take their
:29:27. > :29:28.two games in hand that you have the Wigan, and 11 points is too much to
:29:29. > :29:38.make up. Millwall, their second away win of
:29:39. > :29:42.the season. How big is this result? A massive result, no doubt about
:29:43. > :29:47.that. Not just in the sense of it being a tough run for them. But to
:29:48. > :29:50.get that win away from home as well, which has been an awful long time
:29:51. > :29:55.coming against a side that have played very well in recent weeks. I
:29:56. > :30:00.think that's just more, not just the aspect of the points, but actually
:30:01. > :30:10.to back up the reasoning that they can stay in this division. It may
:30:11. > :30:15.have come at some cost. David Forde, DY Campbell have suffered injuries.
:30:16. > :30:22.For QPR their first win in six. Back to inwithing ways for Harry's Hoops.
:30:23. > :30:26.They are raving about Morrison after his first brace at club football
:30:27. > :30:29.level. He needs to do it more regularly really? Yeah. You think
:30:30. > :30:33.about the goal he scored for West Ham at Spurs. We thought he would go
:30:34. > :30:41.on from that, he didn't. Yeah. Same season he is loaned out and farmed
:30:42. > :30:47.out. Look, we... As you say, how you define a great player is, a, they do
:30:48. > :30:54.it week in and week out and, b, year in and year out. I like to judge
:30:55. > :30:59.them on longevity. People come and people go. We see a stronger
:31:00. > :31:08.character that shows we have a good player on our hands. Our final look
:31:09. > :31:12.at the Championship starts at Elland Road where Bolton went in search of
:31:13. > :31:15.a third consecutive victory, this time against Leeds. Coming up to a
:31:16. > :31:18.year in the Leeds Jock, Brian McDermott admits progress hasn't
:31:19. > :31:24.been as rapid as he liked. It was another bad day for the Whites, who
:31:25. > :31:29.are enjoying a turbulent time on and off the pitch. This effort raised
:31:30. > :31:34.hopes of a better showing. Leeds fell behind. The back four going
:31:35. > :31:42.AWOL as Mason got his third Bolton goal in as many games. Another minor
:31:43. > :31:47.disaster in the interval. A faulty sprinkler greated this localised
:31:48. > :31:54.flooding and had officials fearing an abandonment. They should be so
:31:55. > :31:58.lucky. The floodgates opened as Bolton hit three in a 12-minute
:31:59. > :32:02.spell. Lukas Jutkiewicz and Knight striking in quick succession as
:32:03. > :32:10.Bolton made sure of a third consecutive win. Previously the
:32:11. > :32:18.Trotters hadn't won in eight games. They seem to have developed a hot
:32:19. > :32:28.streak over night. Austin and Smith were denied. At the other end,
:32:29. > :32:32.Bolton are flying. Davies extended their lead with 20 minutes
:32:33. > :32:42.remaining. His first goal of the season, Bolton's 10th in their last
:32:43. > :32:47.three matches. A remarkable reversal of fortune. Moritz was on target as
:32:48. > :32:56.the the Trotters ran up their biggest win at Elland Road since
:32:57. > :33:00.1926. Smith pulled one back in injury-time. It was no consolation
:33:01. > :33:03.for the home side, with their takeover stalled and the play-offs
:33:04. > :33:11.unlikely. Leeds are still waiting for their luck to change.
:33:12. > :33:15.Second-half, I certainly didn't see that coming. I thought we would
:33:16. > :33:19.chase the game down. We got done. We were 3-0 down before you know it.
:33:20. > :33:27.Then the shape of the team went. We got beat. We got well beat. I was
:33:28. > :33:34.very happy, we passed the ball well. Created numerous opportunities. I
:33:35. > :33:39.felt in both boxes we were far better team and the result was fully
:33:40. > :33:47.merited. Huddersfield's Mackie wells has been due a goal for weeks. Billy
:33:48. > :33:53.Sharp said he owed Doncaster plenty after his three-match ban last
:33:54. > :33:57.month. He finished off this corner for his first goal of the Keepmoat
:33:58. > :34:03.since rejoining on-loan. Huddersfield scored five without
:34:04. > :34:08.reply. They had their chances here. Wells dispossessed before Hammill's
:34:09. > :34:14.shot was saved by Johnstone. The Terriers lived up to their name.
:34:15. > :34:23.Gerrard thought he had scored, only for Keegan's timely clearance off
:34:24. > :34:29.the line before half-time. Wells went down, Paul Dickson tested
:34:30. > :34:41.Johnstone. Wells tried again, the equaliser wouldn't come. Instead,
:34:42. > :34:45.Rovers applied the sucker-punch. 2-0 to Rovers, whose first win in five
:34:46. > :34:52.was vital as all their relegation rivals won as well. He's instinctive
:34:53. > :34:58.striker. Always in the right place at the right time. Not just his
:34:59. > :35:02.goals, overall performance today was fantastic. Bullied us. They forced
:35:03. > :35:06.us into errors we don't normally make. We can talk about all sorts of
:35:07. > :35:13.things that weren't right, but we just weren't right. We weren't at it
:35:14. > :35:38.today. That is a disappointment. Yeovil had three men sent off at
:35:39. > :35:49.Reading. . A smart save kept out Wednesday's Maghoma.
:35:50. > :35:56.An explosive finish from the man on-loan from Forest. Yeovil ahead
:35:57. > :36:02.four minutes before half-time. The same player made sure this game was
:36:03. > :36:07.a Millers tale. Another goal of exceptional quality. He is now on
:36:08. > :36:15.seven, they are on a season's best, five unbeaten. Noroville game with a
:36:16. > :36:20.red card. Hutchinson's second yellow card for this collision with Adam
:36:21. > :36:31.Morgan. He was off. The Great Escape remains. Two fantastic goals. Power
:36:32. > :36:35.driver with his right foot. A little bender into the top corner on his
:36:36. > :36:40.left foot. You know, two goals worthy of him getting man of the
:36:41. > :36:45.match. They out thought us, out run us, we have not won enough one v one
:36:46. > :36:51.battles. Disappointed with the result and the performance as well.
:36:52. > :37:04.No end in sight to Blackpool's winless run. Dobbie did his best to
:37:05. > :37:15.change their fortune. Their last win victory was on November 30th. Gilks
:37:16. > :37:19.was forced into this save. Gilks it was who gave away the penalty with a
:37:20. > :37:26.rash challenge on Grabban to concede the spot-kick. The Cherries striker
:37:27. > :37:30.took his goals tally to 14 to the season. The Seasiders are hurtling
:37:31. > :37:36.down the Championship table at an alarming rate. Bournemouth survive
:37:37. > :37:41.Blackpool's best attempts to salvage something from this match. It's no
:37:42. > :37:48.win in 17 league games now for Barry Ferguson's side. Any complaints
:37:49. > :37:53.about the penalty? No. I don't know if it was in the box or just
:37:54. > :38:00.outside. No. I've not watched it again. I need to look at it again on
:38:01. > :38:03.video. So I can't comment. Defended very well first and foremost. It
:38:04. > :38:08.gave us a platform to build and get into the game. A game of few chances
:38:09. > :38:20.for both teams. We took ours when it came. Bournemouth's first away win
:38:21. > :38:25.for 2 1 4. Bolton were in danger not that long ago, they have pulled away
:38:26. > :38:33.from danger in some style. They have shown why he this were pre-season
:38:34. > :38:37.favourites. They have good players. Pedigree to their squad. The scores
:38:38. > :38:42.say it all. Absolutely. We are wondering how they got themselves in
:38:43. > :38:49.such a pickle. We are seeing the real Bolton now step forward. It's a
:38:50. > :38:55.wondererful finish. All of them are more than capable of that level.
:38:56. > :38:58.More Brian McDermott question marks over his future after that
:38:59. > :39:04.performance. Are you surprised. After all that happened a few weeks
:39:05. > :39:08.ago it has come back again? Not really. There is no hunger to go
:39:09. > :39:12.through what they went before. It will be left until the end of the
:39:13. > :39:16.season if a decision has been made. It has been a pretty disappointing
:39:17. > :39:20.season for them. They have had lows along the way, this is one of them.
:39:21. > :39:25.Sharp end. Big wins on Saturday for four of the bottom five, Yeovil,
:39:26. > :39:28.Doncaster, Barnsley, Millwall, Blackpool lost. Talk about a season
:39:29. > :39:33.of two halves. Lost two of the first 17. Their last 17 they have lost 13
:39:34. > :39:37.of them. At what point, if you are the Chairman, will you decide to
:39:38. > :39:40.make a change? Barry Ferguson put his heart and soul into the job,
:39:41. > :39:48.it's clearly not happening? They could also probably do with him on
:39:49. > :39:51.the pitch as well. They are six points off. Will is a gamble about
:39:52. > :39:56.making a change at this point of the season? There is. There has to be
:39:57. > :40:00.some sort of change in position and change in-form. That slide down the
:40:01. > :40:04.table can't keep going. If the teams who have games in hand play their
:40:05. > :40:09.games in hand, there might be three points between them and the bottom
:40:10. > :40:18.three. When you get into that close, they have to give it serious
:40:19. > :40:22.consideration I would imagine. Now to League One. This time last year
:40:23. > :40:25.Swindon Town were a club in crisis. Managerless after the departure of
:40:26. > :40:28.Paolo di Canio, and under new ownership, the outlook was far from
:40:29. > :40:31.certain. But 12 months on, Mark Cooper has galvanised the club who
:40:32. > :40:35.lie just outside the play-off places. Clem takes up the story as
:40:36. > :40:45.promotion rivals MK Dons came to town. The calm after the storm. When
:40:46. > :40:50.we were here, just over two years ago, Paolo di Canio's team recorded
:40:51. > :40:59.a ninth consecutive win and the man himself was in his element. When we
:41:00. > :41:06.returned 12 months later the club's management was over, brought to a
:41:07. > :41:12.head by the sale of Matt Ritchie to rivals Bournemouth to stave off
:41:13. > :41:15.relegation. Paolo di Canio went on to roughle more feathers in the
:41:16. > :41:18.Premier League since his departure here at the County Ground things
:41:19. > :41:22.have only just started to settle down. Twice the club has changed
:41:23. > :41:28.hands in the past year. It's now controlled by former Norwich City
:41:29. > :41:32.striker, turned Geneva-based football agent, Lee Bowyer, two men
:41:33. > :41:38.have occupied this dug-out, despite leaving the club to the play-offs
:41:39. > :41:48.last season, McDonald departed last summer, leaving in charge the man
:41:49. > :41:52.wondering if they had a future in the game. You want to get stuck in.
:41:53. > :41:55.I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a fantastic club. Good supporters.
:41:56. > :42:01.Like you say, brilliant opportunity for myself. How do you manage the
:42:02. > :42:06.Paolo di Canio legacy? By that, I mean everything that happened at the
:42:07. > :42:10.club, raised expectations? Paolo di Canio did fantastically well with
:42:11. > :42:14.the club, got promotion. Up near the top of the League. Had Cup runs.
:42:15. > :42:19.With that came a big spend in terms of finance and salaries. That had to
:42:20. > :42:23.change because the club couldn't sustain it. There is a bit of
:42:24. > :42:26.poacher turned gamekeeper, whatever the phrase is here. Football agent,
:42:27. > :42:30.you have been squeezing clubs for years to get their wages up, now you
:42:31. > :42:35.are trying to drive them down? I know. I worry for Mark. He comes in
:42:36. > :42:39.sometimes, I go, all right Mark. He will say something something to me
:42:40. > :42:44.and he goes, "the answer is no, isn't it" I say no. He knows what I
:42:45. > :42:49.will say to him. Fair play. It works well with us. He can talk to me
:42:50. > :42:58.about football. He understands the finances. I haven't made a fortune,
:42:59. > :43:06.like you do with these business people, if I have ?1 I will spend
:43:07. > :43:11.?1. How difficult has it been to asimulate Ranger and manage that
:43:12. > :43:22.situation? I'm not going to lie, it's not been easy. Nile will be the
:43:23. > :43:26.first to admit that. -- Niall. A chance of going to prison for a long
:43:27. > :43:29.time. Who knows how you would behave when that is over your head. That is
:43:30. > :43:32.finished now. He will be out for the rest of the seasonment we have to
:43:33. > :43:37.think of next year. If all is right, there is not many better number
:43:38. > :43:40.nines in the league. You are not a one-player team. Quite clearly you
:43:41. > :43:45.are within a sniff of the play-offs again. You are one of the best teams
:43:46. > :43:48.hovering outside? We haven't to worry about anybody else much we
:43:49. > :43:52.have to make sure we do our bit, which is winning as many games as we
:43:53. > :44:00.can. We are optimistic we can get there.
:44:01. > :44:09.True to form, the Robins scored first here. Pritchard's shot to hot
:44:10. > :44:15.to handle, Martin Smith scored his first in over a month. For the third
:44:16. > :44:23.game in a row the lead was loss. How is this for an emphatic header. Kay
:44:24. > :44:28.keen to put the Dons back in the frame. The winning goal came late,
:44:29. > :44:35.the 93rd minute, was it worth the lay. George Baldock, it proved
:44:36. > :44:44.decisive. They did their own hopes a world of good.
:44:45. > :44:53.Was that result in any way reflect where you are as a team and a club?
:44:54. > :44:57.I think so. We are where we deserve to be at the moment, just not got
:44:58. > :45:03.enough to get into that top six at the minute, but the boys that are
:45:04. > :45:06.the nucleus that are going to be here next year will learn an awful
:45:07. > :45:11.lot from this season and if we add properly to it in the summer we will
:45:12. > :45:15.go close next year. It was a stunning goal from Baldock, which
:45:16. > :45:19.meant MK Dons won. His brother, Sam, would have been proud at Bristol
:45:20. > :45:23.City. For Swindon Town, what about the job Mark Cooper has done? They
:45:24. > :45:27.have been top ten ever since the beginning of September. Yes, he
:45:28. > :45:32.summed it up perfectly. He said, we are where we are and it is where we
:45:33. > :45:34.deserve to be. They haven't got the quality and strength and depth that
:45:35. > :45:41.some of the sides above them have. They are a little way off. They are
:45:42. > :45:46.eight points off six, but 15 away from fifth, so that is quite a gap.
:45:47. > :45:52.What he will use this season is to say we know what is good enough, we
:45:53. > :45:56.know where we need to go and we need -- and now we know where we need to
:45:57. > :46:01.improve to take us where we want to be. More from League One. There was
:46:02. > :46:05.no stopping Wolves, with Kenny Jackett's side beginning the day
:46:06. > :46:09.back on top of the registering their seventh win on the Baus last
:46:10. > :46:20.Saturday. The league leaders were at Walsall for a Black Country derby.
:46:21. > :46:26.Walsall's play-off challenge has been fading quickly so perhaps they
:46:27. > :46:30.needed a kick up the backside but Wolves were feeling ruthless.
:46:31. > :46:33.Michael Jacobs but Richard O'Donnell at full stretch. The Saddlers held
:46:34. > :46:38.the lead for half an hour but when James Henry was sent scampering down
:46:39. > :46:42.the wing, Dicko set off for the near post. His sixth goal in seven games
:46:43. > :46:46.put his side on course for a half-time lead. Scoring goals hasn't
:46:47. > :46:51.been so easy for Walsall. Putting five past Notts County at the end of
:46:52. > :46:57.January, they have managed four in six. This was inches away. But three
:46:58. > :47:01.minutes into the second, Dean Smith's men were staring at a fourth
:47:02. > :47:06.straight defeat. Henry's looping cross coming back off the woodwork
:47:07. > :47:10.leaving Dicko with a chance he could not miss. His second double in a
:47:11. > :47:20.week but Wolves on foreign straight win, a club record. Sako's free kick
:47:21. > :47:23.secured them a third consecutive 3-0 success. A difficult place for us to
:47:24. > :47:28.come with the feeling between Walsall and Wolves. You could see it
:47:29. > :47:32.in the players. They had a high motivation level today, as did their
:47:33. > :47:38.crowd, so we did well to overcome that. 3-0 was a harsh scoreline. The
:47:39. > :47:41.lads did not deserve it. They put great effort into the game and
:47:42. > :47:45.played well and we wanted to give our supporters something to shout
:47:46. > :47:52.about but unfortunately we could not do the double.
:47:53. > :47:57.Notts County have conceded six goals in their last outing. The manager
:47:58. > :48:02.demanded a reaction and got it. Gary Liddle threatened the goal but the
:48:03. > :48:06.division's bottom club responded. Leyton Orient have scored more goals
:48:07. > :48:10.than their League One rivals but they could not find a breakthrough.
:48:11. > :48:15.Odubajo struck the crossbar, the closest they came, but the whistle
:48:16. > :48:20.had gone. First goalless draw of the season for the O's but county could
:48:21. > :48:25.won it. Jim and Campbell Rice did his best to cause an upset. A much
:48:26. > :48:32.improved display and for their manager, something to build on.
:48:33. > :48:39.After being rolled over 3-0 by promotion rivals Wolves in their
:48:40. > :48:43.last home match, Brentford needed to bounce back, especially as they lost
:48:44. > :48:48.their place in the top two into the bargain and top scorer Donaldson
:48:49. > :48:53.make the breakthrough, just past the hour against Bradford, his 50th goal
:48:54. > :48:56.for the club. Shortly after he nearly provided some breathing space
:48:57. > :49:03.for the Griffin Park faithful, following excellent work out wide
:49:04. > :49:06.from Trotta. This time, not quite so deadly from Donaldson. Brentford had
:49:07. > :49:11.not scored in their two previous matches but after Jonathan Douglas
:49:12. > :49:18.looped a header onto the Bantams' bar, they sealed the match 14
:49:19. > :49:21.minutes from time. On loan Chelsea youngster George Saville, with his
:49:22. > :49:29.fourth goal for the Bees, as they move back within a point of the
:49:30. > :49:32.automatic promotion places. A really good second half. I thought the
:49:33. > :49:37.first half we played some night stuff but too deep, 15 or 20 yards
:49:38. > :49:45.too deep and the second half we played with energy, and a very
:49:46. > :49:49.positive performance. Inform Preston were looking to stretch their
:49:50. > :49:53.unbeaten run into double figures as their promotion push rumbles on.
:49:54. > :49:56.Humphrey making room for a shock to get on the scoresheet for the first
:49:57. > :50:00.time since the opening month of the campaign. With one win in five prior
:50:01. > :50:06.to this, Oldham are looking nervously over their shoulder. Smith
:50:07. > :50:13.took aim but Declan Rudd responded with a save from the top drawer.
:50:14. > :50:18.Preston were nicely on track for a fifth game on the road without
:50:19. > :50:23.defeat. This time Humphrey showing at David Meyler a clean pair of
:50:24. > :50:28.heels and setting up Garner. The striker's fifth goal in seven games
:50:29. > :50:33.made it 2-0 with 19 minutes left. It was not all plain sailing. Soon
:50:34. > :50:37.after, Lee Johnson's men were in contention with a the goal of the
:50:38. > :50:46.game. Harkins coming up with the Pirlo. -- coming up with a good one.
:50:47. > :50:49.Once again, Humphrey in the thick of the action. This time sending over a
:50:50. > :50:55.looping cross which Garner headed goalwards. The hand of Johnson
:50:56. > :51:02.Clarke-Harris got in the way and referee Steve Martin went for the
:51:03. > :51:09.red card. That gave Garner the chance to bag his 20th of the
:51:10. > :51:14.campaign. But a fine stop from the keeper kept him waiting for all of
:51:15. > :51:17.ten minutes, after being played in four Scott Wiseman, Garner put the
:51:18. > :51:19.seal on a well earned victory which gives them within touching distance
:51:20. > :51:33.of the top two. After successive defeats,
:51:34. > :51:38.Peterborough needed a lift. Crewe are battling to stay in this
:51:39. > :51:44.division but with Aneke there is also hope, as he edged them in front
:51:45. > :51:49.in spectacular style. No team in League One has conceded more goals
:51:50. > :51:54.than Crewe and when Davis fouled Conor Washington, Assombalonga was
:51:55. > :52:00.presented with a chance to add to his tally and he did just that, from
:52:01. > :52:04.12 yards. He is the League One's joint top scorer. Darren Ferguson's
:52:05. > :52:08.side occupied the final play-off place but they have been far too
:52:09. > :52:13.inconsistent of late. This performance was more like it as they
:52:14. > :52:18.stepped up the pressure search of a second. Assombalonga unfortunate not
:52:19. > :52:22.to claim it. Peterborough's second came from Ajose, and the counter
:52:23. > :52:27.attack and the Posh were back in front, just minutes before the
:52:28. > :52:31.interval. In a high-scoring affair, Assombalonga thought he had done
:52:32. > :52:36.enough to add to their scoreline. It wasn't to be. Only a goal line
:52:37. > :52:42.clearance kept him out and both follow-up efforts were dealt with in
:52:43. > :52:46.the visitor's goal. Aneke hauled Crewe level for the second time in
:52:47. > :52:52.the match. Another impressive finish and he continues to lead the line in
:52:53. > :53:00.a struggling side. Swanson helped the Posh calls on the hour mark, set
:53:01. > :53:04.up by Washington and dispatched with confidence. Peterborough has much to
:53:05. > :53:09.look forward to and for Ferguson the season could yet end on a positive
:53:10. > :53:14.note. They confirmed the victory when Washington got in on the act to
:53:15. > :53:18.complete the scoring and leave Crewe in deep trouble. His first goal for
:53:19. > :53:24.the club and the result helps strengthen their hold on six spot.
:53:25. > :53:27.We have had a bit of a blip and it has been the final ball, the final
:53:28. > :53:32.shot. Today, we were more clinical but we could have got more goals.
:53:33. > :53:37.The front two did well. The front four scored and you have to be
:53:38. > :53:41.pleased. Darren Ferguson praising his friend four, a good day for
:53:42. > :53:45.Peterborough against Crewe and there is nothing wrong with the Wolves
:53:46. > :53:49.front line, three consecutive 3-0 defeats, the latest against Walsall.
:53:50. > :53:54.You were just as impressed with their defence? I think what are we
:53:55. > :54:02.looking at? The team that have conceded one, in eight. 20 all
:54:03. > :54:07.season. The best in the top four. A fantastic record. We know that they
:54:08. > :54:11.have got goals in them but when you have that sort of record defensively
:54:12. > :54:15.you can go anywhere and feel confident that you will be in the
:54:16. > :54:19.game and stay in the game for long periods, so everything looks really
:54:20. > :54:24.good at this stage. That was the biggest crowd they have seen for ten
:54:25. > :54:28.years. A perfect game really for Wolves in the room they are in and a
:54:29. > :54:33.nice local derby, plenty of fans there. It keeps things the way they
:54:34. > :54:37.are going, they have the manager who has been in this situation before so
:54:38. > :54:42.he knows what it takes to get this going and seeing it through. They
:54:43. > :54:46.have timed their rise to perfection but it's any of those teams in the
:54:47. > :54:50.automatic promotion play off places slip-up, Preston are there to
:54:51. > :54:55.capitalise. A good win for them. We like Humphrey here, don't we? How
:54:56. > :55:00.many times have we seen a player get behind the opposition defence and
:55:01. > :55:06.not pick anyone out? He does that. This one, I mean, the first touch, a
:55:07. > :55:11.bit of a bubble, he has very little to aim for and he gets that bit of
:55:12. > :55:17.luck, inside the post, which we all need. In the end that was a good win
:55:18. > :55:21.because although it has been a tough scene for -- season for Oldham, it
:55:22. > :55:26.is a good result for Preston because local derbies can throw up funny. We
:55:27. > :55:29.have seen that celebration a few times this season. March is the time
:55:30. > :55:37.to start winning, three wins in a row. They have been a good run of
:55:38. > :55:40.form for a while now so for them there is still an awful lot to do
:55:41. > :55:44.because the three teams ahead of them have been there for a while and
:55:45. > :55:48.are setting the pace. As for the rest of League One now, another side
:55:49. > :55:52.with an outside chance of a play-off place, Port Vale. Were at home to
:55:53. > :55:58.Carlisle - with the Cumbrians just two points clear of the drop zone.
:55:59. > :56:04.Carlisle produced an excellent performance in the last match and
:56:05. > :56:10.Martin Walters' senior goal put them in front at Vale Park. 11 minutes
:56:11. > :56:14.into the second-half Port Vale levelled up, with a really composed
:56:15. > :56:17.finish from Ben Williamson, cutting inside on his right before tucking
:56:18. > :56:24.away his first league goal since October. Now you sense Carlisle were
:56:25. > :56:31.in real trouble and after a far post header hit the upright, Port Vale's
:56:32. > :56:35.top scorer Tom Pope buried the winner, a 10th league goal and 14th
:56:36. > :56:38.in all competitions for the man who had notched the stoppage time
:56:39. > :56:44.decider at Carlisle back in September. And he nearly doubled the
:56:45. > :56:49.margin of victory late on. Bickford in fine form in the Carlisle goal,
:56:50. > :56:56.but Port Vale's three match losing streak was over -- Pickford.
:56:57. > :57:02.Nervy times of late for Gillingham. Three straight defeats have left
:57:03. > :57:06.them dangerously close to the drop zone. McDonald would have calmed
:57:07. > :57:11.those nerves in the second half had it not been for Paul Jones' agility.
:57:12. > :57:15.In truth, Gillingham were second-best against Crawley side
:57:16. > :57:18.unbeaten in seven. They were riding their luck. Walsh thumped the
:57:19. > :57:22.woodwork before the home side scrambled the ball to safety. The
:57:23. > :57:25.last time these two met Charlie Lee was sent off. This time he climbed
:57:26. > :57:30.off the bench to hit crawling with a sucker punch. His second goal in a
:57:31. > :57:35.week sees these clubs swap places with Gillingham now six points clear
:57:36. > :57:39.of danger. Absolutely delighted with three points. Very important three
:57:40. > :57:44.points for us. The performance, nowhere near what we want. A nervous
:57:45. > :57:48.performers. But for effort and everything else the way the players
:57:49. > :57:54.kept going, I could not ask for any more.
:57:55. > :57:56.Colchester's recent form has been less than convincing but having
:57:57. > :58:03.taken a point against Rotherham in the weeks to stop the rot, they went
:58:04. > :58:06.one better. Freddie Sears exploited Coventry City's defensive weaknesses
:58:07. > :58:12.and a goal against the club he once played for on loan. They added a
:58:13. > :58:19.second, Massey withered perfectly timed run and finished the match.
:58:20. > :58:22.Wilson provided a late first-half contribution to bring Coventry back
:58:23. > :58:25.into this contest but they couldn't add to it and the Colchester this
:58:26. > :58:37.was a first win in seven. Stevenage were nine points from
:58:38. > :58:40.safety when they lost at home to Peterborough a fortnight ago but
:58:41. > :58:44.just past the 20 minute marker, Jimmy Smith set them up for a third
:58:45. > :58:50.win in four games when he finished neatly across Tranmere keeper
:58:51. > :58:54.Williams. Boro bossed the game from the word go and they went close to
:58:55. > :59:01.doubling the lead. Bailey with a terrifically but his header struck
:59:02. > :59:05.the top of the bar. Steele Stevenage goals in just over two minutes put a
:59:06. > :59:12.fairer reflection on the scoreline. Charles tapped in after the ball was
:59:13. > :59:16.cut square and it was Mousinho who pretty well wrapped up the points
:59:17. > :59:20.with the finish of the match, for a central defender it was absolute
:59:21. > :59:25.class. Rovers did get on the scoresheet but that was a careless
:59:26. > :59:29.own goal from Obeng and on current form they look more likely to go
:59:30. > :59:38.down and Stevenage, who are now only one point inside the relegation
:59:39. > :59:42.zone. Today was a job well done. The players were strong and took the
:59:43. > :59:43.game forward. They played the rightful ball, intelligent football,
:59:44. > :59:54.and I thought it was a deserved win. Shrewsbury must have forgotten what
:59:55. > :59:58.it was like to win at home. Jay Emmanuel Thomas refused to take pity
:59:59. > :00:03.by rifling Bristol City into the lead. His 19th of the campaign
:00:04. > :00:06.seemed to inspire the centre back who unleashed a fabulous strike to
:00:07. > :00:09.bring up his first for the club. No doubt he was beaming at the break,
:00:10. > :00:16.but early in the second half he was left hanging his head. Joe Jacobson
:00:17. > :00:21.letting Sam Baldock only for the cross to go past his own keeper.
:00:22. > :00:24.Thankfully Michael Jackson's team showed enough character not a go
:00:25. > :00:28.under and within five minutes they were level for a second time. Phil
:00:29. > :00:34.Parry meeting the cross from McAllister to tie the game at 2-2.
:00:35. > :00:37.But not since November have they managed to win in front of their own
:00:38. > :00:41.fans and another kick in the teeth arrived in the shape of Joe O'Brien
:00:42. > :00:46.whose header did cross the line and it moves Bristol City three points
:00:47. > :00:51.clear of safety, but Shrewsbury drop to second from bottom.
:00:52. > :00:57.It was fantastic to get the three goals. We always might concede
:00:58. > :01:05.because we look to score. I'm sure it was entertaining to the neutral.
:01:06. > :01:11.A huge win at Bristol City. It has not been plain sailing for him
:01:12. > :01:15.there. No, but you can say they've got a good squad. Some excellent
:01:16. > :01:20.players. It's difficult to understand and believe they are
:01:21. > :01:24.where they are, but you can see things gradually starting to turn,
:01:25. > :01:29.and with the quality they have got, you would expect better things to
:01:30. > :01:33.come. For Shrewsbury, the home form has been the undoing. No victory in
:01:34. > :01:39.nine and they have only scored four goals. They've gone from an
:01:40. > :01:46.experienced manager to a relatively inexperienced one. A strange time
:01:47. > :01:49.for him to go. It is difficult to take over a club when it is like
:01:50. > :01:53.that and then try and arrest the slide if you haven't got major
:01:54. > :01:59.finances or you cannot bring players in immediately. It is a big ask. At
:02:00. > :02:04.this stage they will need something to change dramatically to get out of
:02:05. > :02:09.the run. This time last week we were talking about Stevenage and how
:02:10. > :02:12.Graham Westley's teams come good. They are doing just that. A good win
:02:13. > :02:18.against Tranmere. Tranmere continue their slide and with the uncertainty
:02:19. > :02:23.regarding Ronnie Moore, John McMahon is at the helm, but a decision has
:02:24. > :02:33.to be made sooner rather than later. Move on without Ronnie, that is the
:02:34. > :02:36.thing. That does not help the players and it does not help the
:02:37. > :02:41.direction of the football club and it does not help the understanding
:02:42. > :02:44.of what is the way to proceed in the situation we are in. That was quite
:02:45. > :02:49.a damaging defeat. They are close to the bottom for clubs now. Let's see
:02:50. > :02:52.how League Two panned out earlier, starting with Friday night's game at
:02:53. > :02:56.Gigg Lane. A chance for David Flitcroft to catch up with former
:02:57. > :03:05.boss Keith Hill as Bury met promotion chasing Rochdale.
:03:06. > :03:12.David Flitcroft and Keith Hill spent most of their careers working
:03:13. > :03:16.together that faced each other than the first time as managers. Just
:03:17. > :03:19.before the break, bloke from Rochdale as the referee took a
:03:20. > :03:24.dislike to the challenge from Iain Henderson. Already booked, Henderson
:03:25. > :03:30.was on his way. Michael Rose was a whisker away from giving the ten men
:03:31. > :03:34.the all-important breakthrough. Keith Hill's I knew a win would put
:03:35. > :03:41.them on top, and the next time they kept knocking, Brian Jensen rolled
:03:42. > :03:46.back the years. They went close to winning themselves but not the first
:03:47. > :03:53.time Josh Lewis up big, as the game came up goalless. Third part against
:03:54. > :04:01.the leaders, surely no contest. Correct. Molyneux's opener set the
:04:02. > :04:07.tone for the match. Chesterfield's sense of disbelief and unease grew
:04:08. > :04:13.moments later as the striker somehow Scottish art when it looked easier
:04:14. > :04:17.to school. Molyneux increased the discomfort with the next chance.
:04:18. > :04:23.Ritchie Humphreys conceded a penalty despite protests to the referee.
:04:24. > :04:29.Danny Webber did not score, but Molyneux did not miss. 2-0 after
:04:30. > :04:32.nine minutes. The performance from the home side became more heroic
:04:33. > :04:39.when they were reduced to ten men after half an hour. Peter Murphy's
:04:40. > :04:44.rash challenge early -- earning him a second yellow card. Far from
:04:45. > :04:49.falling, the home side scored again. Guess who was in the right place to
:04:50. > :04:53.complete his hat-trick for a three - 0/2-time lead. Try as they might,
:04:54. > :05:00.Chesterfield could not score until Ian Evatt did so five minutes from
:05:01. > :05:02.time. To late to spoil the Accrington power play as they move
:05:03. > :05:11.six points clear of the bottom two. Teams have a habit of disrespecting
:05:12. > :05:14.Accrington. Whether we disrespected them, I don't know, but we have made
:05:15. > :05:20.poor decisions that have cost us goals early in the game.
:05:21. > :05:31.A run of 18 unbeaten league games, and can then made the most of the
:05:32. > :05:33.Northampton marking. -- can a van. Ricky Ravenhill then picked up a
:05:34. > :05:46.second yellow card for a trip on Paddy Madden. But the Cobblers have
:05:47. > :05:48.found resolve, and Zander Diamond flicked in an 18 carat equaliser,
:05:49. > :05:58.his first for the club. With the top three are dropping
:05:59. > :06:03.points, Oxford against Burton became a bigger game. The Brewers were up
:06:04. > :06:08.for it. Dominick Mills gave them the lead with only ten played. Burton
:06:09. > :06:21.chose the ideal time to call what Gary Rambert called their best start
:06:22. > :06:28.this season. -- Gary Rowett. Zeli Ismail made the most of this
:06:29. > :06:31.rebound. David Hunt brought the man down in the box as Burton looked as
:06:32. > :06:37.though they would wrap it up in half an hour. But the save from Billy Kee
:06:38. > :06:42.provided perhaps the inspiration for the Oxford second-half revival. They
:06:43. > :06:44.were soon back in it thanks to a composed piece affiliate --
:06:45. > :06:51.finishing from Brian Williams the deficit was halved with 48 minutes
:06:52. > :06:56.to play -- Ryan Williams. James Constable came closest to preventing
:06:57. > :07:00.Oxford's fourth game without a win but the luck held for Burton. They
:07:01. > :07:05.now sit only three points behind Chesterfield.
:07:06. > :07:11.To come to Oxford and be dominant in the first 30 minutes and win the
:07:12. > :07:15.game in that period was fantastic. We need to stand up and be counted.
:07:16. > :07:21.We are going into a run of form with 11 games to go, and no one is
:07:22. > :07:22.picking up a load of results, so we need to go on a run and we will be
:07:23. > :07:30.back in it. Seven points from safety ahead of
:07:31. > :07:36.the game, Torquay need all the breaks they can get if they want to
:07:37. > :07:40.avoid returning to the Conference. A spirited performance, but ultimately
:07:41. > :07:50.it turned out to be three points for promotion chasing Fleetwood. Matt's
:07:51. > :07:53.first person is coming back from injury -- first goal since coming
:07:54. > :08:00.back from injury and it looks grim for Torquay. I am with them and I
:08:01. > :08:03.will be with them until the death. We have had to work hard on the
:08:04. > :08:10.pitch to turn it around. We are slowly doing that, but if we, the
:08:11. > :08:17.pitch without one effort, we will have to make sure we improve from
:08:18. > :08:22.today. Morecambe must have feared the worst when they came behind Matt
:08:23. > :08:27.-- went behind after nine minutes as Kevan Hurst swung over the cross
:08:28. > :08:30.ball Ryan Leonard to mark his new contract with his seventh of the
:08:31. > :08:35.season. But the home side, without a win since Boxing Day, found a way
:08:36. > :08:38.back after half an hour when Ellison's quick thinking was matched
:08:39. > :08:44.by his fast feet in snatching an equaliser. Southend's promotion
:08:45. > :08:48.chances have taken a battering recently. No victories in nine
:08:49. > :08:54.games, and Ellison was in the mood to keep it that way this
:08:55. > :09:01.intervention. But Bentley had no chance after. Jack Redshaw up with
:09:02. > :09:07.his first touch since coming on as a substitute clinched the points.
:09:08. > :09:14.We were beaten by a little bit of nails and a bit of experience. They
:09:15. > :09:19.have come out in the second half and they have turned us on a regular
:09:20. > :09:22.basis. -- nous. We were facing our own goal for the majority of the
:09:23. > :09:23.second half. If that's what it takes to win a game of football at this
:09:24. > :09:33.level, we have to learn that. Bristol Rovers have found scoring
:09:34. > :09:38.goals a problem. They were the division's joint second lowest
:09:39. > :09:43.scorers. Beardsley scored his first for them after just seven minutes.
:09:44. > :09:46.It was not until the dying embers of the first half that the contender
:09:47. > :09:57.for the most scrambled goal of the day. Trotman cheering up nearly 1500
:09:58. > :10:01.green army soldiers. They header teeing up a ninth home league
:10:02. > :10:10.victory of the season for the guests. The win was sealed by
:10:11. > :10:19.Mildenhall's superb reflex save from Marvin Morgan, and Plymouth's first
:10:20. > :10:23.dropped points in four games. Wycombe Wandererd have found form at
:10:24. > :10:30.the right time. McClure's shots serve notice it would be no easy
:10:31. > :10:39.ride for Hartlepool. The promotion chasers did edge ahead as the son of
:10:40. > :10:43.Nick Barmby grabbed an equal -- a goal before half-time. Sam Collins
:10:44. > :10:46.was caught off-guard by this long throw, only half clearing the
:10:47. > :10:53.initial delivery before being beaten to the cross by Dean Morgan. Indeed,
:10:54. > :10:58.defending the dead balls proved the undoing with 20 minutes to go as an
:10:59. > :11:03.unchallenged McClure headed home Prichard's corner. That means a
:11:04. > :11:08.third win out four Wycombe despite the near miss from Arnold, and they
:11:09. > :11:16.now sit seven points clear of the relegation zone.
:11:17. > :11:23.Mansfield had won back-to-back home games before losing to bury in their
:11:24. > :11:31.last match at home, but just before the half-hour they opened the
:11:32. > :11:35.scoring. Ryan Tabb is only -- Tafazolli celebrating after Howlett
:11:36. > :11:40.in the goal for Newport County. And Alan Mariette did not cover himself
:11:41. > :11:47.in glory when County equalised in the second half. He spilt the free
:11:48. > :11:54.kick from Naylor before Howell mopped it up. After Adam Chapman's
:11:55. > :12:01.shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box, it was the Stags who came
:12:02. > :12:04.up with a last-minute winner. The build-up was not overly
:12:05. > :12:08.sophisticated, but when it was nodded across the face of the six
:12:09. > :12:14.yard box, Anthony Howell swooped to put away his first home goal in
:12:15. > :12:15.almost a year. And Mansfield Town had claimed just a third home
:12:16. > :12:26.victory in their last 15 games. You walk on a roll, unbeaten in five
:12:27. > :12:34.and homing in on the play-offs and relieved to see Fletcher drag this
:12:35. > :12:43.chance wide -- you walk on a roll. -- York. Michael Coulson headed in
:12:44. > :12:46.his second goal in two games. The visitors continued to make the
:12:47. > :12:50.running in the second half. Josh Carson finished the move, but not
:12:51. > :12:56.accurately enough, but nothing compared to the next chance. I
:12:57. > :13:02.missed kick, Andy Coulson crossed, but what was Ryan Bowman doing?
:13:03. > :13:09.Never mind, York up to ninth place and just four points the play-offs.
:13:10. > :13:13.The first ever league visit to Fratton Park for Chobham taka, and
:13:14. > :13:20.nearly -- for Chobham, and nearly taking a shock lead. Ricky Holmes
:13:21. > :13:27.carried a threat for Pompey who had won their previous two home matches
:13:28. > :13:30.by a single goal. No joy this time. Again where the Robins dug in, and
:13:31. > :13:37.they were under siege in this melee when the ball broke, sheer weight of
:13:38. > :13:46.numbers made sure that this would finish without any goals. Only four
:13:47. > :13:50.wins in 21 games for Portsmouth. It has been over five months since
:13:51. > :13:55.Exeter one at home. Victory over Plymouth in early October was the
:13:56. > :14:01.last time the faithful went home happy. Against Dagenham, the
:14:02. > :14:08.Grecians's mood was lifted by this opener from Tom Nichols. But
:14:09. > :14:15.Dagenham hit back after the break. Luke Norris curling them level just
:14:16. > :14:21.after the hour mark. The game was turned on its head soon afterwards.
:14:22. > :14:28.The Daggers were rewarded with a penalty. Elito's fourth goal of the
:14:29. > :14:34.season gave Exeter familiar sinking feeling. But there was to be a minor
:14:35. > :14:41.reward for the home side deep into injury time. Lewington fumbled
:14:42. > :14:44.Richards' shot into the net, a valuable point for the Grecians but
:14:45. > :14:49.their long wait for a home win goes on.
:14:50. > :14:58.The long when -- the long wait for the Exeter fans continues. The axes,
:14:59. > :15:02.down to ten men, against Chesterfield, 3-1 winners is
:15:03. > :15:06.exceptional considering the predicament they found themselves
:15:07. > :15:10.in. They have given themselves some breathing space, certainly. There is
:15:11. > :15:18.no fluke about this. They were worthy winners, on top from the
:15:19. > :15:22.outset. Molyneux on the spot, the right place and the right time.
:15:23. > :15:28.Three good finishes. The second invitation here. I mean, I watched
:15:29. > :15:31.them play a couple of weeks ago at Portsmouth and they looked as if
:15:32. > :15:34.they lacked a cutting edge. There wasn't a great deal between the
:15:35. > :15:38.sides but they wouldn't have scored if they had still been there now.
:15:39. > :15:42.But on that evidence all of a sudden, a few goals, they did not
:15:43. > :15:46.believe the worst but they like to -- they lacked the cutting edge and
:15:47. > :15:50.that was not the case today. Goals have not been aplenty for Burton and
:15:51. > :15:54.they have given themselves a great chance of automatic promotion,
:15:55. > :16:00.beating one of their rivals, Oxford, in the process. This could be a
:16:01. > :16:07.seminal result. A massive result. We know that Oxford have not been on a
:16:08. > :16:10.bad run. Just look at that. It is not enough just to make the save,
:16:11. > :16:14.you have got to make sure that the ball doesn't go back into danger
:16:15. > :16:17.area and he does that there is punished. If you are going to beat
:16:18. > :16:21.people at this stage of the season there is nothing better than beating
:16:22. > :16:26.the people around you. We're talking ten points adrift at the bottom,
:16:27. > :16:29.looking for Chris Hargreaves' side let's look at the tables. With the
:16:30. > :16:33.top two in the Sky Bet Championship not playing, Derby missed the chance
:16:34. > :16:35.to close the gap. Their loss to Millwall means they're five points
:16:36. > :16:39.behind second placed Burnley. However, QPR ended a five-match
:16:40. > :16:43.winless run to move within a point of the Rams, as the only winners in
:16:44. > :16:46.the top half today. It was a different story at the bottom with
:16:47. > :16:49.four of the bottom five winning as well as keeping clean sheets.
:16:50. > :16:52.Barnsley move off the bottom while Yeovil extended their five-match
:16:53. > :16:53.unbeaten run. Charlton go bottom, four points from safety but with
:16:54. > :16:56.four games in hand on Millwall. Yeovil extended their five-match
:16:57. > :17:00.unbeaten run. Wolves stretch their lead at the top of League One to two
:17:01. > :17:03.points after equaling a club record eight consecutive league wins. There
:17:04. > :17:07.was no change in the top six positions but a draw for Orient and
:17:08. > :17:10.wins for Brentford and Preston means there are just six points separating
:17:11. > :17:14.the top four teams. Bristol City were the big movers in the bottom
:17:15. > :17:16.half jumping up three places to 17th after another good win. Stevenage's
:17:17. > :17:20.recent revival continued with a third win in their last four to move
:17:21. > :17:23.within a point of safety. Notts County stay bottom despite drawing
:17:24. > :17:26.with Leyton Orient, the Magpies remain five points adrift. There was
:17:27. > :17:30.no change in the top three positions despite none of those sides managing
:17:31. > :17:33.to win. Chesterfield's lead at the top has closed to a point while
:17:34. > :17:37.fourth placed Burton are now just two points off an automatic
:17:38. > :17:40.promotion spot. The only side in the bottom half going into the weekend
:17:41. > :17:44.to lose was bottom club Torquay, who are now cut ten points adrift of
:17:45. > :17:46.safety. Despite a draw at second placed Scunthorpe, Northampton are
:17:47. > :17:48.now six points from safety themselves as the likes of
:17:49. > :17:54.Accrington, Wycombe and Mansfield all won.
:17:55. > :17:59.That's it from us but a reminder that you can catch up with the
:18:00. > :18:01.weekend's action in the Premier League on Match Of The Day 2 on
:18:02. > :18:13.Sunday at 10.25 on BBC One. And don't forget if you want to have
:18:14. > :18:17.your say on tonight's action via Twitter, then use the hashtag #FLS,
:18:18. > :18:19.and the best of them will be used in Sunday's live text football
:18:20. > :18:23.commentary on the BBC Sport website. Steve, thanks as always for your
:18:24. > :18:27.company tonight. I'll see you next week. Goodnight.