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Match Roundups

Sky Bet Football League Team of the Week

20 April 2015

We pick out 11 top performers and a manager from the week's Sky Bet Football League matches.

Goalkeeper: Daniel Bentley (Southend United)

The past week featured two more games and two more clean sheets for the Southend goalkeeper. The midweek win over Newport County saw Bentley claim a new club record for 11 successive home clean sheets, and he followed that up by keeping Exeter City out at St James' Park on Saturday.





Defender: James Tavernier (Bristol City)

Any Bristol City player could argue their case this week after sealing the Sky Bet League 1 title. The Robins' clinched promotion in style on Tuesday with a 6-0 thrashing of Bradford City, and we've opted for Tavernier who scored twice in the rout. Fellow defenders Joe Bryan, Luke Ayling and Aden Flint also netted - along with striker Aaron Wilbraham - in a dazzling display from Steve Cotterill's side.



Defender: Craig Cathcart (Watford)

Watford moved into pole position in the Sky Bet Championship with six points out of six the past week. Cathcart grabbed an assist to put the Hornets on their way to victory at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday evening, before netting the crucial winner against Birmingham City on Saturday with an acrobatic volley.



Defender: Joe Riley (Bury)

Bury's push for Sky Bet League 2 automatic promotion continued with successive 1-0 victories, over Shrewsbury Town and Portsmouth. A bullet from Riley earned all three points against the Shrews, and his cross found Ryan Lowe as the Shakers won at Fratton Park to close the gap on third-placed Wycombe Wanderers.



Midfielder: Gary Roberts (Chesterfield)

Chesterfield moved closer to securing a Sky Bet League 1 Play-Off place with four points from six, and their midweek rout of Colchester United proved their credentials. Gary Roberts was on fire for the Spireites, scoring two and setting up two in the emphatic 6-0 success.



Midfielder: Thomas Ince (Derby County)

Derby edged towards securing a Sky Bet Championship Play-Off place with a win and a draw from their two recent outings. Ince grabbed a goal in the 4-0 win over Blackpool, and added two more as the Rams scored four again, this time sharing the spoils in an eight-goal thriller at Huddersfield Town.





Midfielder: Sullay Kaikai (Cambridge United)

Cambridge ended a three-month wait for a home win courtesy of a 3-1 triumph over Mansfield Town, and Kaikai was the man who did the damage with a brace. His first goal was a free-kick from long distance, before he cut inside and fired a left-footed effort beyond the Stags' goalkeeper to double the lead.



Midfielder: Ben Gladwin (Swindon Town)

Gladwin was the star of the show as Swindon produced a phenomenal first-half display at Rochdale in midweek. The midfielder had raced through to score twice already, before winning a penalty for the Robins. Gladwin took it, scored it, and earned himself the matchball in the 4-2 victory.



Striker: Lucas Akins (Burton Albion)

After years of going close, Burton Albion finally sealed a first-ever Football League promotion with three points at Morecambe on Saturday. The hero was their attacking winger Lucas Akins, who scored both goals in the 2-1 win.



Striker: Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers)

Gestede was the stand-out player as Blackburn and Nottingham Forest shared six goals at Ewood Park. The striker scored a hat-trick of headers, although his Rovers side let their lead slip on three occasions to only pick up a point.



Striker: Rob Hall (Milton Keynes Dons)

Hall was the form man for Milton Keynes Dons when they hit Leyton Orient for six on Saturday, to surpass their record goal tally for a campaign. The pick of the on-loan Bolton Wanderers attacker's goals was a thunderous left-footed volley, helping his side on their way to a 6-1 win.



Manager: Aitor Karanka (Middlesbrough)

Karanka guided his side to victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Norwich City this past week – two significant fixtures in the Sky Bet Championship promotion race. Boro defeated Wolves 2-1 at the Riverside on Tuesday, before winning at Norwich on Friday night to boost their chances of top-flight football.




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