There were plenty of talking points again in Leagues One & Two this weekend as the D3D4 team bring you thier reports as we enter September…

MATCH REPORT: Sunderland 1-1 Oxford United

Oxford travelled north today to take on a Sunderland side that had started the season in impressive fashion. My expectations were pretty low considering the start we’d had but it turned out to be an excellent match and a decent point earned.

The Yellow Army travelled en mass as over 1,200 made the trip to the Stadium of Light for our first meeting with the Black Cats since our infamous 7-0 thumping back in 1999.

Oxford started the brightest with the high press working well, forcing Sunderland into a number of long balls and mistakes. James Henry nearly gave Oxford the lead with an effort from 20 yards that McLaughlin tipped around the post and from the resulting corner Josh Ruffells saw his header well blocked.

Oxford were by far the better side and took the lead when a free-kick in a dangerous position was casually stroked home by Ricky Holmes. The goal was worthy of a certain Chris Maguire’s effort against Middlesbrough in the cup a couple of years ago. Another impressive performance was being dished out by 20-year-old Shandon Baptiste, who scored his first professional goal away at Newport in the Carabao Cup in mid-week. He was reunited with the shirt thanks to an appeal put out on twitter by the club after he threw it into the crowd at the final whistle.

He was full of running against a Sunderland midfield that took a while to get going. Max Power was struggling to get into the game but he would be robbed of the chance by the referee when he was inexplicably sent off in the 19^th minute for bringing down Marcus Browne on the half way line. It was a poor tackle, don’t get me wrong, but nothing more than a yellow. Oxford first team coach Shaun Derry then sparked a brawl on the touchline as he had words with the departing Power with tempers flaring. Not surprised that the Sunderland midfielder was aggrieved with a very poor decision by the referee.

If that was the standard then Cameron Brannagan was lucky not to be sent off for a poor challenge on George Honeyman shortly after. Oxford should have bagged a second before half time as Sunderland failed to cope with Holmes, Henry and Browne. Mackie ran his socks off but I maintain that he has massive limitations as a lone striker, a position that Oxford should have dealt with this summer but didn’t.

That lack of a clinical edge would cost them as the teams went in at half-time with Oxford playing the best football they had managed all season.

HT: Black Cats 0-1 U’s

The second half saw the already booked Maguire removed and replaced by Charlie Wyke whose presence immediately changed the game. His ability to hold the ball up allowed Sunderland to get players forward in support and it made all the difference.

The Black Cats were immediately more effective as Lyden Gooch and Josh Maja caused problems. Oxford sat deeper and Ricky Holmes showed his lack of games as he struggled to keep up the pace he’d shown in the first half.

Sunderland defended well and broke quickly and it was in this fashion that they carved out an equaliser. Lynden Gooch set it up with a driving run down the right hand side and his effort was diverted home by Charlie Wyke for his first in red and white.

Sunderland created another chance as Jack Balwin saw his effort deflect wide before Josh Maja missed a sitter as the home side cranked up the pressure. Oxford still managed a couple of efforts of their own as Browne screwed wide when played in on the left and Mackie had the ball in the back of the net only for it to be adjudged offside.

Cameron Brannagan curled an effort over from distance as the game ended in a draw, which on reflection was the correct result. Karl Robinson will have been delighted with the progress the Yellows have made over the last week as Oxford appear to be getting better with each match with a more settled XI taking shape.

Certainly beats our last appearance at the Stadium of Light that’s for sure.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football

MATCH REPORT: Bury 3-2 Morecambe

Morecambe Bury-ed at Gigg Lane.

Morecambe travelled to Bury today to find themselves facing a team whose Manager was literally nowhere to be seen in the opposition’s stadium. Ryan Lowe has been banned from Gigg Lane for this – and one further – game after being fined and banned for something he upset the FA about some time ago.

His team – relegated from League One last May – started this season’s campaign well enough by beating Yeovil by the only game of the match at home in August. Since then, though, they have only picked-up one more League Two point, having lost all three of their other fixtures in the competition. In this regard, the Shakers’ start had been only slightly better than today’s opponent’s has been.

Morecambe have just three points to show for their five league games so far and started today’s match in twenty-second position in the table, three places lower than today’s host’s. Their poor start to the season is largely down to defensive lapses at key times in games but, most of all, the inability of the team to put the ball in the back of the net. Jim Bentley thus signed 20 year-old Wigan Athletic striker Joe Piggot on-loan this week in another bid to break the log-jam up front, which so far has produced just one goal in the League. He must have been encouraged by recent performances, though. At times, his team has played some penetrative, intelligent football – all it seems to need is someone confident and skilful enough to finish some good approach work off. Famous Last Words indeed – it’s not rocket science: the reason most football teams struggle at any level is if they can’t score enough goals…

History sees the Shrimps just shading the results in previous fixtures. In sixteen previous contests, they have won seven and lost six.

The Shakers also started with a new striker in their ranks: Caolan Lavery has been signed on-loan this week from Sheffield United and  – just like Piggott did for the visitors -came off the bench during the second half to make his debut for them today.

Bury had the best of the first half and asked all the questions in the opening period with Danny Mayor looking constantly dangerous down the host’s left flank and drawing the first save of the game from returnee Barry Roche in the Shrimps’ net after just three minutes. Nicky Adams then attacked down the Bury right and slung over a cross which Morecambe’s big goalkeeper had to palm away for a corner after six minutes. From the set-piece, the ball was cleared to Carlos Mendes-Gomes. The youngster – making his first start from the off in League Two today – streaked down the pitch but finally over-hit the ball, allowing Joe Murphy in the home goal  to leave his line and smother it. With the home team continuing to shade the play, Roche had to save from Neil Danns with a quarter of an hour or so played. He was then was forced to get down sharply to his right to parry a smart shot from Dominic Telford shortly afaterwards. A goal had been coming with Morecambe continually on the back foot and it duly arrived after 29 minutes. From a corner, Roche again did well to push a shot from Chris Stokes onto the bar but the rebound fell kindly for Adam Thompson to sweep home to put the home team into a deserved lead. The Shrimps’ keeper did well to deflect a header from one of his own defenders away to safety with 34 minutes played.  Four minutes later though, Bury were caught sleeping after a free-kick. They failed to clear the ball; Andy Fleming forced a save from Murphy and Rhys Oates managed to score an unlikely equaliser when he bundled the ball over the line at the far post. The visitors might have actually taken the lead three minutes later when the visiting supporters loudly shouted for a penalty when Jason Oswell appeared to have been impeded by the joint efforts of Thompson and Will Aimson but Referee Ben Toner gave nothing. Telford was in the right place at the right time after 44 minutes, however, and swept a low cross into the Morecambe box low past a despairing Big Baz to his left hand side. So Bury went in with a lead at half time even though they may have been pegged-back again during injury time when Murphy did well to keep out Oates again with a fine save.

Oates was the first player to try his luck after three minutes of the restart – his shot went harmlessly wide on this occasion though. Two minutes later, Fleming fed the same player again and Murphy was forced to make a save with his feet. With Bury proving wasteful with a succession of half-chances, Morecambe were limited to the occasional efforts from set-pieces. With three minutes scheduled to play, Telford made the game safe for the Shakers when he finished a fine move involving Miller and Danns via the crossbar. But Morecambe weren’t finished yet. They gave themselves at least a sniff of an unlikely draw when Liam Mandeville scored in injury time with a sumptuous shot past Murphy and into the top corner of the net. But it was too little, too late for the visitors and Bury held out to win 3-2.

Morecambe’s fifth defeat in six league games saw them stay where they were at the beginning of the match: in 22^nd place in League Two. Already, Shrimps’ fans must be hoping that there are at least two worse teams in the division than themselves. With Macclesfield and Notts County also losing today, this may not be a totally forlorn hope. Having said that, although Jim Bentley’s team managed to score twice today, they still look both fragile up front and shaky at the back. Appropriately, I suppose, give the nickname of today’s opponents, who ended-up in fifteenth place in the table …

Bury: 1 Joe Murphy; 5 Adam Thompson; 4 Will Aimson; 3 Chris Stokes; 7 Nicky Adams; 8 Stephen Dawson (12 Callum Styles 44 mins); 31 Neil Danns (C); 21 Callum McFadzean; 11 Chris Dagnall (32 Caolan Lavery 62 mins); 10 Danny Mayor (2 Tom Miller 72 mins); 18 Dominic Telford.

Subs not used: 13 Mathew Hudson; 9 Jermaine Beckford; 26 Jay O’Shea; 15 Byron Moore;.

Morecambe: Barry Roche (C); 2 Zak Mills; 3 Luke Conlan; 5 Steven Old; 14 Josef Yarney; 8 Andy Fleming; 19 Carlos Mendes-Gomes (11 Kevin Ellison 63 mins); 12 Jason Oswell (24 Joe Piggott 69); 15 Aaron Wildig; 17 Liam Mandeville; 18 Rhys Oates (9 Vadaine Oliver 69 mins).

Subs not used: 21 Mark Halstead; 25 Ben Hedley; 27 Jordan Cranston; 16 Sam Lavelle.

Ref: Ben Toner.

3242 (298 from Morecambe)

words Roger Fitton, D3D4 Morecambe correspondent

MATCH REPORT: Crewe Alexandra 3-0 Macclesfield Town

The first Cheshire derby since 2012 saw Macclesfield and there 672 supporters travel to Gresty Road in search of their first win back in the EFL as Crewe looked to bounce back after 2 away defeats at Colchester and Carlisle. New loanee Kevin O’Connor started at left back for Crewe in place of the injured Harry Pickering who faces up to 3 months out with a hamstring injury with James Jones returning in place of Paul Green who is out until the new year.

It was a slow start to the game with little in the way of chances until the dangled leg of Kieran O’Hara denied Jordan Bowery from close range. The deadlock was broken soon after though as Charlie Kirk drifted inside from the left flank to glide a curling shot over O’Hara and into the far corner with 20 minutes played. An injury for either side halted the game as Eddie Nolan hobbled off for Crewe before Macc’s new signing Jordan Ponticelli also limped off before walking round half the pitch only to call for a stretcher to take him the rest of the way. Soon after though, Crewe doubled their lead as Jordan Bowery bravely leapt with O’Hara, beating the keeper to the ball and heading into an empty net, although Jones got a touch on the line and a definite scorer is TBD but Bowery was awarded the goal at the time so we’ll go with that.

The 2^nd half was nothing to write home about as only slight chances were created by both sides as Nathan Blissett should have done better with a 1-on-1 for Macc and O’Hara was forced into the most routine of double saves shortly after. O’Connor had a chance to mark his debut with a goal but his header was comfortably over from Jones’ cross. A rare moment of quality then came in the shape of a textbook counter-attack from Crewe as Ainley turned the ball round the corner for Jones as he was taken out from behind. Jones then surged the length of the pitch before standing up a cross for Bowery to head back across goal for his 2^nd (at the moment) of the day.

No real chances surfaced after this and Crewe were fully deserving of the 3 points. Crewe have a week off from league action due to Mansfield’s internationals and so next play away at Cheltenham on the 15^th September.

CREWE: Garratt; Ng, Ray, Nolan (Hunt), O’Connor (Nicholls); Ainley (Raynes), Jones, Wintle, Kirk; Miller, Bowery

MACCLESFIELD: O’Hara; Pearson, Kelleher (Vincenti), Grimes, Fitzpatrick; Napa, Maycock (Welch-Hayes), Evans, Whitaker; Smith, Ponticelli (Blissett).

Att: 3,915 (672)

words Joe Ellis, D3D4 Crewe Alexandra correspondent

MATCH REPORT: Oldham Athletic 2-1 Crawley Town

It was a scrappy game at Boundary Park today, but the home side got a just result thanks to an own goal from Mark Connolly.

Oldham got off to a flying start when Gevaro Nepomuceno scored a tap-in in the 8^th minute. The Curaçao international played the ball out wide to Hunt who hit a low cross before the winger knocked the ball passed the keeper – a well worked move and Nepomuceno’s 2^nd goal in as many games.

Nepomuceno nearly doubled Latic’s lead 10 minutes later when Baxter put him through on goal, but he couldn’t keep his shot down. 4 minutes later, the visitors punished this missed chance. Palmer did well to beat the defence and hit a strong shot towards the left-hand corner. Iversen stretched to get down to the shot but couldn’t hold onto the ball and parried it to the foot of Bulman who had the easiest of finishes.

10 minutes later Crawley had the best chance to take the game. Missilou brought down Nathaniel -George right on the edge of the area; the referee deemed the foul to have been in the penalty area and awarded Crawley a spot kick. Palmer lined up to take the penalty but hit a rather weak shot to the goalkeeper’s left which the Great Dane Daniel Iversen saved.

The teams went in level at half time, but it was Oldham that had looked the better side. It was however, a rather drab match.

The second half proved to be much uglier, punctuated with small fouls and Crawley injuries. Both sides were finding chances on the edge of the area but neither side could hit a clean shot. George Edmundson also put in a tremendous performance and did well to keep the brutish Palmer at bay.

Callum Lang was introduced in the 66^th minute and proved a nuisance to the Crawley defence. In the 74^th minute Hunt hit a teasing cross into the penalty area and Lang attacked the ball, the young striker couldn’t angle it into the goal, though. 8 minutes later, Lang had the ball in the net following a goal mouth scramble – the linesman adjudged him to be offside, though.

In the 88^th minute, Latics won a corner that just missed an attacker. George Edmundson, though, chased to keep the ball alive and hit a low hard ball into the penalty area. Sam Surridge attacked the ball, but it was Mark Connolly who got there first and put the ball into his own net.

Despite 7 minutes of added time, Crawley couldn’t find an equaliser and Oldham walked away deserved winners securing back-to-back victories for the Latics.

FULL TIME: Oldham Athletic (Nepomuceno 8’, Conns OG 89’) 2 – 1 Crawley Town (Bulman 22’)

Attendance: 4160 (62 Away)

Oldham Athletic Team:

Iversen, Graham (Hamer 79′), Clarke ©, Edmundson, Hunt, Branger-Engone, Missilou (Surridge 58’), Gardner, Nepomuceno, Baxter, O’Grady (Lang 66’)

Crawley Town Team:

Morris, Doherty, Connolly, Smith ©, Palmer, Poleon (Camara 66’), Francomb, Nathaniel-George, Vincelot (N’Gala 21’), Bulman, Morais

words Chris Stringer, D3D4 Oldham Athletic correspondent

MATCH REPORT: Peterborough United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers

Saturday 1st September 2018, English Football League 1.

PETERBOROUGH UNITED 1-1 DONCASTER ROVERS   Att- 7,060

Tafazolli 58                                  Marquis 40

Line-up- Chapman, Naismith, Tafazolli, Bennett, Daniel, Ward, O’Hara (Maddison 65), Woodyard, Dembele (Reed 72), Godden (Toney 52), Cummings.

Coming off their last victory, which was their fifth out of five, Posh had broken the record for their best ever start to a football league campaign.

Former Posh on-field legend and previous manager Grant McCann brought his well set up Doncaster outfit to try and ruin the feel-good factor, aswell as adding points to his sides already decent start.

I can’t comment on the first ten-plus minutes of action, as I arrived ten minutes before kick-off, which should be ample for a League One fixture and instead was back-logged within a queue that lasted in excess of twenty minutes, all in order to obtain match-day tickets.

Once I did get to my seat, Posh just didn’t seem their previous fluent best. Doncaster showed the better attacking desire, while having the talent in other regions of the pitch to stop Boro getting on a role.

Just before the interval the deadlock was broken, as Calum Wilks released John Marquis to leave Daniel on his back-side before rifling past Chapman in the Posh goal. Peterborough have had a reputation this season and some parts of last, for playing parts of games instead of remaining consistent throughout. Even though Posh got their equaliser in the second-half, Rovers were still the better side overall.

The said equaliser came from a Sirike Dembele free-kick, which centre-half Ryan Tafazolli rose highest to head home. In an action-packed game, former Posh-boy Tommy Rowe had two efforts superbly denied by the awareness and athleticism of keeper Chapman.

The very lively Calum Wilks was a nuisance to Boro’s back-line most of the afternoon, hitting the post and firing an effort over the bar to go alongside his assist for the goal. A draw, in the context of how the game played out, could definitely be construed as a good result. However, this didn’t stop Posh boss Steve Evans and his assistant Raynor being sent to the stands after failing to adhere to previous cautions from the officials.

words Ian McFarlane, D3D4 Peterborough United correspondent

2 responses to “D3D4 Match Reports September 1st 2018”

1. Tim Whitwell says:

   September 2, 2018 at 7:35 pm

   An excellent report, well done Chris.

   Reply
2. Rob says:

   September 6, 2018 at 11:51 am

   Hmmm, Calum Wilks? You mean Mallik Wilks, surely.

   A career in sports journalism beckons …

   Reply