As League One and League Two took centre stage this weekend, Saturday’s action certainly didn’t disappoint as late comebacks, last minute winners and first wins of the season stole the headlines.
Here are just five things you may have missed from the weekend action!
1. Crewe upset League One leaders
Harry Pickering and Charlie Kirk shone for Crewe Alexandra as they shocked league-leaders Peterborough United, who saw their lead at the top of the table cut following the defeat. Pickering and Kirk were both on the scoresheet as Crewe who, despite having lost four of their last five league games, picked up their third win of the season and moved up to 13th place in the table. It wass a disappointing day for Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough side, but the Scot won’t be too disheartened as Posh still sit top of the table with 12 games played.
2. MK Dons shock Sunderland
With only seven goals conceded and one loss recorded so far this season, Sunderland boasted the best defensive record in the division going into the weekend, and with MK Dons' last away win coming in 2019, Phil Parkinson’s side were certainly considered favourites for this one. After Max Power gave the hosts the lead on six minutes, things weren’t looking too good for Russell Martin’s side, but a Cameron Jerome equaliser followed by a Scott Fraser penalty in the second half turned the game around as MK Dons recorded an important victory at the Stadium of Light.
3. Winning start for Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough’s reign as manager of Mansfield Town is off to a perfect start as his Mansfield side shocked promotion hopefuls Forest Green Rovers at the New Lawn Stadium to claim their first league win of the season. On-loan George Lapslie put Mansfield ahead in the sixth minute, before Harry Charsley added a second before half-time. The home side did pull one back, but it wasn’t enough as the Stags left with all three points to record their first win of the season. Having won in the FA Cup and the Papa John’s Trophy last week, Clough made it three from three in his first week in the job.
4. Seven-goal thriller at Vale Park
Port Vale were looking for a fourth consecutive league win for the first time in five years heading into the weekend’s fixtures and they looked good for three points after being 2-0 for large parts of the game. However, manageress Tranmere Rovers scored twice in stoppage time to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory over 10-man Vale. Tranmere looked to have secured a draw - which would have ben a good result - as Kaiyne Woolery made it 3-3 in the 93rd minute, but with 96 minutes on the clock, Kieron Morris fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner from range to win it right at the death.
5. Carlisle United’s 100% home record comes to an end
Both Carlisle and Cheltenham were looking to make a statement of intent this weekend, with just a point separating the two sides ahead of Saturday’s fixture. Carlisle had the chance to move into the automatic promotion places with victory over in-form Cheltenham and, before Saturday, had a 100% record on home soil so far this season. Cheltenham however, have enjoyed an equally impressive start to the 2020/21 campaign and boast one of the best defensive records in the division. A 2-1 victory at Brunton Park saw them climb into third place though, now just three points behind leaders Newport County.
Elsewhere, there was late drama at the Banks’s Stadium as Southend United recorded their first win of the season with a 90th minute winner. Fleetwood Town put four past Bristol Rovers to put Joey Barton’s side within two points fo the Play-Offs, Hull City closed the gap on Peterborough United to just a point after beating 10-man Burton Albion and Cambridge United missed the chance to go top of League Two as Matt Platt struck six minutes into stoppage time to earn Barrow a 1-1 draw at the Abbey Stadium.