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Weekend review: five things you may have missed

17 January 2021

During a weekend that featured endless drama in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two, there were plenty of talking points in the EFL once again.

The entertainers entertain again!
 
When sides go on a winless run, you expect goals to be a rarity. But incredibly, Rochdale have found the net 11 times in their past four outings, despite not taking three points in any of those games. They’re the real EFL entertainers!

After a 4-1 loss to Gillingham before Christmas, Brian Barry-Murphy's side had drawn 3-3 with Crewe and 4-4 at Charlton since new year.

And Dale raced into the lead at home to Wigan on Saturday through striker Stephen Humphrys before the Latics responded with two quickfire goals from Kyle Joseph and Callum Lang. 

Jimmy McNulty was then sent off for Rochdale but Jake Beesley soon made it 2-2. Will Keane then thought he'd netted the winner for Wigan late on with an incredible goal.

However Humphrys once again came to the fore, snatching a point in the 95th minute.

 
Rooney’s reign begins
 
 
Wayne Rooney began his permanent tenure as Derby County manager with Rotherham United.
 

But it would turn into an afternoon to forget for England's record goalscorer as he began to realise exactly what the chance to "roll his sleeves up" in management will look like in the months ahead.

Rotherham should have gone ahead in the first half, but a seemingly routine finish from Millers captain Richard Wood was adjudged offside.

Derby responded and had their chances either side of half-time, but Jamal Blackman stood in their way before Jamie Lindsay netted the only goal of the game with four minutes to play.

 
Seven heaven for Swans frontman
 
 
They have the meanest defence in the entire EFL. 
 
And defender Ben Cabango helped Swansea City helped himself to a goal just before half-time as well. 
 
But a now trademark goal came from Jamal Lowe after the break. The striker, who signed from Wigan Athletic this summer, has now scored seven in his last seven matches for the Swans and was recently a special guest on the Official EFL Podcast. 
 

 
Draw fest!
 
 
They say the EFL as a whole has the most competitive leagues in the word. And in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday, there was no exception.
 
Seven out of nine games in the division ended in a stalemate. 
 

Wins for Barrow, 1-0 against Scunthorpe, and Leyton Orient, who scored two late goals to beat Morecambe 2-0, were the anomalies.

And despite their game with Mansfield being postponed following positive Covid-19 results, Carlisle remained top as the three teams that could've gone ahead of them all dropped points.

Newport were held 0-0 by Salford City - the first time they've failed to score this season - while Cambridge United and Forest Green Rovers were briefly heading to the summit before being pegged back by Colchester and Port Vale respectively.

 

Forest coming good under Hughton

 

Nottingham Forest fans have had to be patient for Chris Hughton to make an impact since taking charge in October, but now the Reds are reaping the rewards of their autumn appointment.

Saturday's 3-1 win over Millwall was a seventh game unbeaten in a row, and the first time they have scored three goals since June's win over Huddersfield.

The former Newcastle and Brighton boss has worked hard on giving the East Midlanders some defensive mettle, with just four goals conceded across the seven-match streak.

Saturday's win, and the scoreline in particular, suggest progress is being made at the other end of the field - with Sammy Ameobi's two impressive strikes trebling his season tally.

 


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