With the Championship making its return after the international break, it was back to a full programme in the Football League this week.
Despite being well into October, some teams’ campaigns were only just starting to click by gaining their first wins, while others miraculously remained unbeaten.
Football League Roundup: Week Eleven
Bolton Finally Record First Victory
Bolton recorded their first win of the season by beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the Macron Stadium.
Sammy Ameobi’s strike and an own goal from Sam Hutchinson put the Trotters into a 2-0 lead before Kieran Lee halved the deficit to set up a nervy finish.
Ameobi scored the home side’s first goal in nine matches just ten minutes into the game, cutting inside from the right and curling home a stunning effort far beyond the reach of Joe Wildsmith.
It took until the 61st minute for the next goal, but it was worth the wait for the home fans as it ultimately sealed the game for them. Hutchinson got his clearance all wrong from a corner and volleyed into his own net.
Wednesday were given hope seven minutes later when Kieran Lee scrambled home but Bolton held on to claim the three points.
Phil Parkinson’s side remain rooted to the foot of the Championship, however they are now just three points behind struggling Sunderland.
Oldham’s Winning run Continues
Oldham won for the fourth game in a row under caretaker boss Richie Wellens thanks to a 90th minute winner over Blackburn.
Substitute Queensy Menig struck the vital goal in injury time, staking a claim for Wellens to take the job on a full-time basis.
Despite Oldham having more chances in the first half, the best opportunity fell to Rovers’ Elliott Bennett, who rounded the goalkeeper but somehow put his shot wide of the target, albeit from a difficult angle.
The pivotal moment came at the beginning of stoppage time however, as substitute Menig raced through and poked a shot beyond David Raya in the Blackburn goal to lift the Latics out of the relegation zone.
Free-Scoring Luton at it Again
Luton became the highest-scoring team in the top four divisions as they hammered local rivals Stevenage 7-1 at Kenilworth Road.
A hat-trick from Luke Berry, a brace from Danny Hylton and single goals by James Justin and Luke Gambin took Luton’s total for the season to 30, one more than Premier League side Manchester City.
It was Berry who opened the scoring after just three minutes, heading home Jack Stacey’s cross to register his first goal for the club.
Hylton doubled the advantage just four minutes later, evading the offside trap after some abysmal defending from the visitors and firing beyond Joe Fryer at the near post.
Berry added his second on the counter after 21 minutes but Stevenage were given hope on the brink of half-time when Ben Kennedy wriggled through the defence and slotted underneath Marek Stech.
Hylton restored the three-goal advantage after the break, placing in a penalty after James Collins was pushed over by Luke Wilkinson.
Berry then sealed his hat-trick to make it five, picking up the ball on the edge of the area and curling in a beautiful strike.
Justin and Gambin then both scored in injury time to cap off a remarkable day for the Hatters, who are now just two points off top spot in League Two.
Elsewhere…
Championship
In the Championship, both Fulham and Middlesbrough rescued points in 2-2 draws against Barnsley and Preston respectively.
There were also draws for Norwich against Hull and for Sunderland at home against QPR; 1-1 was the scoreline in each of these games.
Wolves moved to the top of the league by beating Aston Villa 2-0 in the late game at Molineux, while Brentford and Sheffield United were also winners as they each recorded 1-0 wins against Millwall and Ipswich.
Lastly, Vito Mannone was the hero for Reading as his stoppage time penalty save earned Reading a narrow 1-0 win away at Leeds. Mo Barrow scored the only goal there.
League One
In League One, Wigan were the highest-scoring team as they comfortably beat Southend 3-0 at the DW Stadium. Bury, Rotherham and Portsmouth also recorded home wins; the Shakers were 3-1 victors over Bradford, while Paul Warne’s team and Pompey won 2-0 against Scunthorpe and MK Dons respectively.
Charlton narrowly beat Doncaster at the Valley where just a single goal was needed and it was the same at London Road as Gillingham stunned Peterborough by taking all three points back to Kent with them.
AFC Wimbledon remain in the relegation zone despite winning at fellow strugglers Northampton, and there was more good news for the lowly sides as rock-bottom Plymouth held unbeaten Shrewsbury to a 1-1 draw.
Fleetwood and Rochdale played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Highbury and, lastly, nothing could separate Walsall and Blackpool as they drew 1-1.
League Two
In League Two, Forest Green continued to struggle as they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Newport County. Rovers’ neighbours Swindon, however, were victorious as they won 3-1 away at Mansfield.
Port Vale ended a run of 11 games without a win as they climbed out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Cheltenham.
Notts County moved to the top of the league with a 2-1 win over Barnet, while other high-flyers Exeter were held to a 0-0 draw away at Wycombe.
Yeovil were comfortable 2-0 winners over Crewe, as were Morecambe in their win over bottom side Chesterfield.
Accrington were 1-0 home winners over Coventry, and Carlisle’s long trip to Colchester was rewarded with a 1-0 success for them.
Finally, there were two more goalless draws as Crawley held Grimsby and Lincoln could not find a way past Cambridge.
The Football League is back on Tuesday with a full programme in both League One and Two.
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