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Match Roundups

Sky Bet Football League Team of the Week

14 March 2016

A wild weekend of Football League action produced great goals, fantastic fightbacks and dazzling displays across the three divisions.

With assistance from fans on social media, we've selected 11 players and a manager to make up our Team of the Week. And here it is...

Goalkeeper: Scott Loach (Notts County)

Despite being on the losing side, Loach produced a fantastic display in Notts County's 1-0 defeat to in-form Yeovil Town.

The 27-year-old's highlight of the afternoon was a superb save to keep out Leroy Lita's penalty, and he made a string of other stops to keep the Glovers down to one.



Defender: Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers)

Lockyer produced a Man of the Match display as Bristol Rovers closed the gap on the automatic promotion places.

@football_league Tom lockyer man mountain at the back today for the gas.

— Quinton Roberts (@AbrecaN1) March 12, 2016
December's Football League Young Player of the Month dominated defensively for the Pirates in their 1-0 win over Mansfield Town, a victory which moved them within three points of Sky Bet League 2's top three.



Defender: Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City)

A clean sheet and a goal marked the perfect afternoon for the Cardiff defender, as the Bluebirds continued their Sky Bet Championship Play-Off push.

The Gabonese international headed home the only goal in the 1-0 success over Ipswich Town, earning a victory that kept them within one point of the top six.



Defender: Sonny Bradley (Crawley Town)

Crawley ended Luton Town's four-game winning run with a stubborn defensive display at Kenilworth Road.

Proper shift put in today.. That's what it's about! Hats off to our travelling mob 👍🏻 @crawleytown#COYR

— Sonny Bradley (@SonnyBradley91) March 12, 2016
The Hatters dominated possession, but failed to break down a defence superbly marshalled by skipper Bradley, with Matt Harrold's goal at the other end proving decisive.



Defender: John Brayford (Sheffield United)

Brayford scored one, made one, and contributed to a clean sheet in Sheffield United's 3-0 win over Oldham Athletic.

@football_league@SkyBetLeague1@brayfordjohn (right wing back)Excellent goal & a superb assist for Sharp's goal. Constant bombing up n down

— Burts (@Burts_11) March 12, 2016
The right-back opened the scoring with a fine volley, and also played in Billy Sharp, who put the gloss on the scoreline in the second half.



Midfielder: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Rochdale)

Mendez-Laing and his Rochdale team-mates came racing out the blocks in the M66 derby, securing an emphatic 3-0 triumph over rivals Bury.

The winger scored two goals in the first 17 minutes to put the game to bed, before Ashley Eastham rounded off the win in the second half.



Midfielder: Jake Gray (Hartlepool United)

Gray was inspirational for Pools to help them secure a vital three points in their Sky Bet League 2 relegation battle with Dagenham & Redbridge.

@football_league@SkyBetLeague2 Brilliant all round performance from Jake Gray for Hartlepool United and got the 3rd goal as well.

— Paul Alderson (@PaulAlderson180) March 12, 2016
The on-loan midfielder was a driving force, emphasised by his second-half goal that sealed a 3-1 triumph over the struggling Daggers.



Midfielder: Tjaronn Chery (Queens Park Rangers)

Chery's goalscoring form continued with a goal in the West London derby against Brentford, making it four in six for the Dutchman.

The 27-year-old struck the third and final goal in the win, after creating the second for Sebastian Polter just five minutes earlier.



Midfielder: Sam Mantom (Walsall)

Walsall's new caretaker boss Jon Whitney got off to the perfect start after watching Walsall return to winning ways at Chesterfield.

Mantom was the key man in the 4-1 victory, netting twice as the Saddlers reignited their Sky Bet League 1 promotion charge.



Midfielder: Mark Duffy (Burton Albion)

Two goals for Duffy helped Burton to a hard-earned win over Fleetwood Town, which stretched the Brewers' lead at the top of Sky Bet League 1 to six points.

The on-loan Birmingham City winger struck once in each half, the second of which was a quite stunning effort cutting in from the left-hand side.



Forward: Jamie Proctor (Bradford City)

Another man at the double was Proctor, whose brace earned Bradford a derby day victory over Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers.

Perhaps even more significant was that the 2-1 win elevated the Bantams into sixth – the fourth and final Sky Bet League 1 Play-Off place.



Manager: Robert Page (Port Vale)

Dramatic comebacks were very much a theme of the weekend, but Robert Page takes the honours for turning a two-goal half-time deficit into three points away at Peterborough United.

@football_league Rob Page for Port Vale as Manager. What did he put in the half time cup of tea???

— Stephen Walters (@rathgorn) March 12, 2016
The Welshman's substitutions were inspired. JJ Hooper came off the bench to equalise following fellow sub Ryan McGivern's delivery, and then the third and final introduction, Sam Kelly, teed up Louis Dodds for a last-gasp winner.



A special mention to Neil Warnock, who masterminded a fantastic fightback from Rotherham United – the Millers came from 3-0 down with eight minutes remaining to grab a point against Derby County, with super sub Leon Best scoring twice.

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