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The football league weekend that was (episode 2)

Roar Guru
31st August, 2015
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Another full round of games, and the Championship and League Two are starting to fill their top six or seven with the teams that were more or less expected to feature at the sharp end of the table.

The exception is League One, which features only one of the pre-season favourites in the top six, surrounded by some surprises.

League One and Two get their moment in the sun next weekend as the Championship takes a break for international week.

Amazingly after five rounds, there have been no managerial changes.

Here’s the quick rundown of all the leagues and some of the highlights.

Championship
Brighton took the Championship lead and head the Football League as they beat Ipswich Town in the top of the table clash at Portman Road on Saturday.

Still around the top of the table, some of the big guns showed their hand and the top six now features recent EPL sides Hull, QPR and Cardiff, and one of the regular championship sides favoured for promotion in Middlesbrough.

For a division that had close to 50 per cent draw record before this weekend, only one game ended in stalemate, the 0-0 derby between Bolton and Blackburn, which has left both sides winless and in the bottom four.

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They are two of five teams without a win, and Rotherham have the worst record of these teams with just a draw from their first five games.

Highlights

Ipswich 2-3 Brighton
The top of the table clash didn’t disappoint, except maybe for Ipswich fans, as the Seagulls kept their unbeaten record, and recorded their fourth win to sit at the top of the Championship.

Brighton were the better team throughout and led 2-0 at halftime, but two quick goals from Ipswich levelled before Brighton replied for the final blow.

A contentious non-red card for Brighton may have changed the outcome, but Brighton deserve their number one status and a win for the good guys for Chris Hughton.

Derby 1-2 Leeds United
Both teams went into the weekend on four draws from four games, so draw was the obvious result, and up to the 88th minutes it looked like five a piece for both clubs. Unfortunately for Rams fans a Leeds goal gave them the win.

The loss leaves the pre-season favourites in the bottom six. Leeds are 10th and one of just three undefeated teams along with Brighton and Cardiff.

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Sheffield Wednesday 1-3 Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough put their shock home loss to Bristol City last weekend behind them with a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls drew level in the 64th minute as they cancelled out the first half ‘Boro goal. But just three minutes later the away side took the lead back and added another to jump back into the top six.

Hull 2-0 Preston
Preston sat in the top half before meeting Ipswich and Hull in consecutive weeks, and have dropped to 17th. Meanwhile, Hull jump to second and look good for a return to the EPL.

League One
Walsall have the top of League One to themselves as they thrashed bottom-placed Blackpool 4-0 in Blackpool to remain unbeaten with four wins and a draw.

Previous joint leaders Gillingham (fourth, three wins, two draws) and draw specialists Oldham (10th one win, four draws) are the only other two teams yet to be beaten.

The big name in League One – Sheffield United – have moved into second with four straight wins, equal on points with promoted Burton Albion, who appear to have no trouble adjusted to the step up with four wins from five also. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank might be some kind of boss, which for Burton may not be a good thing when the managerial merry-go-round starts.

Six teams are still yet to win, Blackpool being the worst placed with just a draw to their name. Fellow relegated Championship side Millwall aren’t faring much better, placed 19th with a win and a draw.

Highlights

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Blackpool 0-4 Walsall
A top versus bottom clash ended in a third straight home defeat for Blackpool and 12 home games without a win going back to last season, to pile on more misery for a club that appear destined for a second straight relegation.

Walsall on the other hand have improved mightily on last year’s 14th and a possible return to the Championship is on the cards.

Swindon Town 0-2 Sheffield United
Two of the really fancied teams met on Saturday, and the Blades showed their title potential with two second-half goals – one from new old boy Billy Sharp. Four straight wins now for Sheffield United see them sitting second. For Swindon it was their first loss of the league season, but eighth is still handy at this stage.

Rochdale 3-0 Barnsley
Rochdale keep their place in the top six with a convincing 3-0 home defeat of Barnsley, who could have replaced them in the top six with victory.

League Two
Leyton Orient continues to fly the flag for the Football League as the only 100 per cent team in the three lower divisions. Only the EPL’s Manchester City with four from four and Forest Green Rovers with six from six in the National League can match the O’s for a start to the season in the top five divisions. Bath City in the sixth tier National League South are also six from six.

Plymouth, Wycombe, Portsmouth, who have tasted football above League Two in the recent past, have now stationed themselves in second to fourth. Only Plymouth have lost a game in the top five, including fifth placed Oxford. Hartlepool and Bristol round out the top seven with three wins and two losses.

Only three teams remain winless this season, and not surprisingly they are the bottom three sides. Dagenham and Redbridge passed the last place onto Newport County with their second draw of the season on the weekend. Luton Town are the other teams without a win.

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Highlights

Hartlepool 2-3 Carlisle
The Football League’s most northern teams fought out a high-scoring contest at the Victoria Ground, and for Carlisle it was a continuation of good results after knocking out QPR in the League Cup during the week. They’ll be hoping that form continues all the way to Anfield for the League Cup third round.

After last year’s flirt with relegation, Hartlepool will probably be content with sixth at this stage of the season, but not at losing the game from 1-0 and 2-1 up.

Morecambe 4-1 Notts County
Morecambe tend to be a little obscure and forgotten in the Football League, and usually among the favourites for relegation from League Two each year. Saturday’s result will be a real boost as they were able to beat a team from League One last year, and now sit in 10th. Three second-half goals handed Morecambe the win and gave Notts County a further trip down the ladder to 19th.

Leyton Orient 2-0 Bristol Rovers
The weekend’s top of the table clash (well, first vs third anyway) ended in another win for Leyton Orient as their 100 per cent start to the year continues. Two first-half goals were enough for the O’s to continue their march back to League One.

Full results

Championship
Blackburn 0-0 Bolton
Derby 1-2 Leeds
Brentford 1-3 Reading
Bristol City 1-2 Burnley
Huddersfld 0-1 QPR
Hull 2-0 Preston
Ipswich 2-3 Brighton
Milton K 0-2 Birmingham
NotForest 1-2 Cardiff
Rotherhm 1-3 Fulham
Sheff Wed 1-3 Middlesbrough
Wolves 2-1 Charlton

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League One
Blackpool 0-4 Walsall
Bradford 1-0 Port Vale
Bury 1-1 Oldham
Colchester 2-2 Scunthorpe
Doncaster 2-0 Fleetwood
Millwall 0-2 Chesterfield
Peterboro 1-1 Gillingham
Rochdale 3-0 Barnsley
Shrewsbry 0-1 Burton
Swindon 0-2 Sheffield United
Wigan 1-0 Crewe

League Two
Accrington 1-1 Northampton
Wimbledn 2-1 Exeter
Barnet 0-0 Cambridge U
Crawley 0-0 Wycombe
Dag andamp; Red 1-1 Stevenage
Hartlepool 2-3 Carlisle
Ley Orient 2-0 Bristol Rovers
Luton 1-2 Portsmouth
Morecamb 4-1 Notts Co.
Oxford 2-0 Yeovil
Plymouth 1-0 Newport
York 1-2 Mansfield

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