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Five things you may have missed from the weekend's action

First match ball for Matt, Fortress Gresty Road and Ayling's unlikely goalscoring run

8 March 2020

There were thrills and spills across the EFL's three divisions at the weekend! Here are just a few of the big results and stories you may have missed...

1. First match ball for Matt

Strikers certainly love taking home a match ball. 

And on Friday night, at the age 30, Matt Smith scored the first hat-trick of his career inside 33 minutes

It lead Millwall to a very convincing 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 

After Preston lost out to QPR, it means the Lions are now just two points off a Play-Off place, a feat which was unimaginable before Gary Rowett took over at the Den.

2. So far, so good for Scott

Few could have envisaged how well Scott Hogan's loan from Aston Villa to arch-rivals Birmingham City could have gone. 

So far, Hogan has scored seven goals in his eight league games for Blues. 

In fact - since his debut on February 1st, no player has scored more in the top four tiers of English Football. 

3. Toney run continues

He is one of the stars of the EFL this season. 

Ivan Toney has lit up Sky Bet League One, scoring his 24th goal of the season in a win against promotion rivals Portsmouth.

It was also the first time he has scored in four consecutive league matches in his career. 

4. Fortress Gresty Road

It's been a super season so far for David Artell's Crewe Alexandra.

The Railwaymen are top of Sky Bet League Two, overtaking Swindon Town after their defeat to the hands of Forest Green Rovers. 

They sit at the summit largely thanks to an outstanding home run. Saturday's 3-1 victory over bottom of the table Stevenage was Crewe's eighth win on the bounce at Gresty Road, their best run they've recorded at home since 1938. 

5. Leeds go top after unlikely goalscoring run from defender

The whites have won five consecutive league games without conceding for the first time since December 2009 under Simon Grayson.

They were set on their way to victory by right back Luke Ayling, who scored his third goal in five games, which is the same amount he scored in his previous 130 matches.

It was also one of the goals of the weekend, but Ayling scored a similar goal in training on Friday. Watch below and you decide which is the better finish.

 


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