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Match Roundups

Round-up: Sky Bet EFL weekend

26 August 2017

One hundred per cent records maintained, first wins notched, and more hat-tricks in an action-packed EFL weekend. Here’s the round-up.

The Championship fixtures began on Friday night with an emphatic 4-0 victory for Hull City at home to Bolton, while Bristol City and Aston Villa shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Cardiff City continue to set the pace at the top of the table after maintaining their perfect record. Neil Warnock’s side went behind to his former club Queens Park Rangers early on, but goals from Junior Hoilett and Sol Bamba before half-time were enough to make it five wins from five.

Their closest chasers are still Ipswich Town, despite the Tractor Boys surrendering their faultless start to the season at home to Fulham. Goals either side of the break handed the Cottagers their first win of the campaign.

Another team to get their first win was Millwall, the Lions welcoming Norwich City to the Den, and producing a mauling. Lee Gregory kicked things off with a goal on his birthday, setting the tone for a 4-0 victory.

Sheffield United maintained their solid start to the season with a 3-1 win over Derby County. Blades skipper Billy Sharp netted a brace in the match, enough to earn him the EFL’s Star of the Day award.

In Saturday’s evening kick off, two of the top six met at the City Ground with Leeds United the visitors to Nottingham Forest. Kemar Roofe and Ezgjan Alioski's goals secured a 2-0 win which keeps the Whites unbeaten, and that shut-out was their fourth successive clean sheet in the league.

Elsewhere, there were goalless draws between Brentford and Wolves, and Middlesbrough and Preston North End, while Burton Albion and Sheffield Wednesday drew 1-1.

Results:

It was a big day for Peterborough United who travelled to Sixfields looking to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season and heap more misery on their rivals, Northampton Town. The Posh were successful in both, defeating the Cobblers 4-1 to keep their spot at the top of the League One table.

Wigan Athletic and Shrewsbury Town are their closest chasers but, after both surrendered their winning streaks, they sit two points off Grant McCann’s side. The Latics drew at home to Portsmouth in a match where both sides were reduced to 10 men, and Paul Hurst’s side came from behind to draw away at Oxford.

Charlton made it successive wins with a 2-0 triumph on their travels at Rotherham United, thanks to goals from Patrick Bauer and Josh Magennis, while Scunthorpe United also won away from home when they hit four past Plymouth Argyle. The three points takes Graham Alexander’s men into sixth.

Bristol Rovers, Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers all registered home wins on Matchday 4. The Gas defeated the previously unbeaten Fleetwood Town 3-1, the Tangerines moved into eighth with a 2-1 win over Oldham Athletic, and Charlie Mulgrew turned in a captain’s performance with two goals in Blackburn’s 4-1 victory over Milton Keynes Dons.

Bradford City thought they had the three points wrapped up when Walsall’s Luke Leahy turned into his own net to put the Bantams 3-0 ahead on 49 minutes, but it was not to be. Leahy was the man to spark a comeback for the Saddlers when he scored at the right end five minutes later. Then, goals from Tyler Roberts and Amadou Bakayoko secured a hard-earned home point.

Six goals were shared between Gillingham and Southend too. Tom Eaves stole the show in the draw as he bagged a treble for the hosts.

Elsewhere, AFC Wimbledon notched a 2-0 home win over Doncaster Rovers, and Rochdale and Bury played out a goalless draw.

Results:

Before Matchday 4 kicked off, Swindon Town and Crawley Town could not be further away in the league table, but that meant nothing to Harry Kewell’s winless side as they travelled to the Robins and won 3-0.

Exeter City went to the top of the pile after they came out on the right side of a seven-goal thriller against Cheltenham Town. Paul Tisdale’s side responded in spectacular fashion to being two down with 12 minutes gone by scoring four goals split down the middle by the half-time break, including a Reuben Reid brace. Dan Holman scored late on for the Robins, but the Grecians held on for all three points.

Newport County enjoyed a spectacular return to home after 112 days without a match in Wales. Chesterfield visited Rodney Parade and went a goal up, but the Exiles responded, and a hat-trick from Frank Nouble was topped off with a Padraig Amond strike to secure a 4-1 win.

There was a derby in Staffordshire with Crewe Alexandra travelling to Port Vale, and it was the Railwaymen who came away with the win. Chris Dagnall scored the game's only goal, before Michael Tonge saw red for the Valiants.

Grimsby Town were another side reduced to 10 men, and they also fell to defeat at home. Wycombe Wanderers took full advantage of their extra man and a double from Adebayo Akinfenwa saw them on their way to a 3-2 triumph, while 10-man Stevenage were victorious away at Barnet thanks to Tom Pett's solitary strike.

Lincoln City got their first win back in the EFL, and did so in spectacular fashion, easing past Carlisle United 4-1, but fellow League Two new boys Forest Green Rovers didn’t enjoy such a good day. Mark Cooper's men fell to a 5-1 defeat on the road at Colchester United, who themselves picked up their first win of the campaign in front of their home crowd.

Elsewhere, Cambridge United and Morecambe shared a goalless draw, Yeovil defeated Coventry City 2-0, and Luton fought back late on to claim a point at Mansfield Town.

Results:


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