According to the Daily Mail, Ainsworth was given a formal offer to take over at Sincil Bank but the two parties failed to agree on terms. It is understood City will continue to try and lure him to the club as he is their preferred target.

Lincoln chairman Clive Nates is keen to replace Cowley as quickly as possible and the club have been holding interviews this weekend. On the proposed move, Ainsworth said:

“I’m really happy at Wycombe, they’ve been so good to me. But of course, I’m ambitious. I want a club that has ambitions to play in the Championship, to be as high as they possibly can.

“I know Lincoln City have got that ambition. What the Cowleys have built in their time there – it’s just awesome. I’m open to everything.

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Newport County boss Michael Flynn is also thought to have been interviewed for the position. However, some suggest Ainsworth’s history as a former Lincoln player would make him better suited for the position. Flynn commented:

“It’s always flattering and it does show you are doing things right.

“But I have sat here many a time and have just got on with what I have to do. I have always been professional the way I handled it and it has never affected the players.

“You have to do things right and until I am told anything different I will be doing my best for Newport County.”

Lincoln are next in action on Tuesday night, on a trip to Rochdale in League One.

James & Chris return to trawl through all 67 goals scored in Division 3 & 4 this weekend. There were some classic defensive performances to miss plus a point for Southend at last, Doncaster remain unbeaten, Coventry sit top and Tranmere continue to struggle. In League Two, Oldham throw away two points, Exeter show their metal again, Scunthorpe finally win and Mansfield have some tough questions to answer.

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Hill gave six of his signings their club debuts this afternoon against a Millers team that had conceded in the 88th minute or later in each of their last three games in League & Cup. Injuries to strike duo Chris O’Grady & Darryl Murphy prevented Hill from making it a club record eight debuts.

Rotherham reverted back to 4-3-3 this afternoon as an injury to flying winger Ogbene suffered in their defeat at local rivals Doncaster last weekend prevented Paul Warne going for a 4-4-2 formation. The visitors lined up in a 4-1-4-1 with new skipper Liam Bridcutt as a holding midfielder with ex-Doncaster man Ali Crawford up front.

FIRST HALF

Roared on by their excellent travelling support Wanderers were almost in on goal in the first minute when following hesitancy in possession by Millers keeper Iversen, Crawford was inches away from intercepting his clearance but the Visitors were to take the lead in just the fourth minute.

A clever short corner routine saw a one two between Crawford & fellow debutant Thibaud Verlinden saw the latter find space in the area to crash his shot past Iversen to give Bolton the lead & their first goal of the season. The hosts were shaken by the early setback but started to take the game to their opponents. Their first chance of any note came on 9 minutes when striker Freddie Ladapo could only scuff a shot wide from close range after being set up by midfielder Ben Wiles. The young Millers midfielders luck was about to change on 18 minutes after a great run that saw him clear in the penalty area he placed the ball wide of Remi Matthews in the Trotters goal for the equalising goal. Almost immediately it was almost another goal for the hosts as midfielder Jake Hastie was only just too high with a rising drive after being set up by Matt Crooks. Wanderers were next to go close as Dennis Politic was allowed too much space by the Millers defence but his effort from distance was just over Iversen’s bar.

The Millers were getting on top midway through the half & their efforts were rewarded on 28 minutes. Ladapo had hit the bar when it looked easier to score a couple of minutes earlier but following a superb one two with fellow frontman Carlton Morris the ex-Argyle striker lashed the ball past Matthews to give the hosts the lead for the first time. Not to be deterred back came Bolton & goalscorer Verlinden got the better of Millers defender Ihiekwe & fired in a goalbound shot that produced a great save with his legs by Iversen which should have been at the expense of a corner yet Mr Stockbridge the Ref bizarrely pointed for a goal kick. The Millers were looking the stronger of the two sides & made it 3-1 in the 40th minute when Mattock’s throw into the box was cleverly flicked on by Ihiekwe for Morris to bury the header from ten yards.

HALF TIME

MILLERS 3 TROTTERS 1

The second period started slowly in comparison to the lively tempo to the first period until the host’s effectively sealed the points with a fourth goal on 53 minutes when a superb Jamie Lindsay cross was perfect for Ladapo to head his fourth goal of the season from close range.

The score became 5-1 just two minutes later when Mattock’s ball found Morris & his shot took a wicked deflection to beat Matthews. The hosts were running riot at this stage with Ladapo & Morris going close to their hat-tricks & the excellent Hastie coming close from distance once again but the goal he deserved finally arrived on 65 minutes. A ball into the area by Wiles was meant for Ladapo but the ball got stuck under his feet but Trotters defender Jack Hobbs attempted clearance fell perfectly for Hastie who gleefully sidefooted home for the Millers. The game was effectively over as a contest with Millers boss Warne taking players off with the midweek trip to Sunderland in mind but both Ladapo (twice), Mattock & sub Michael Smith could & probably should have added to the score before the final whistle against a visibly dispirited Bolton side.

FULL TIME

MILLERS 6 TROTTERS 1

The hosts really needed this result & performance to halt a worrying recent record where performances haven’t been good.

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Bolton will need every one of their magnificent supporters in the coming months if the new team in both playing & management are to see the green shoots of recovery for this famous Football Club but the upside is that those same supporters have a club to support, some fans haven’t got that luxury.

words Ian Bradley, D3D4 Rotherham United correspondent

Gary Waddock kick started his reign as caretaker manager with an excellent point for the shrimpers in an eye-catching six goal thriller.

After parting company with Kevin Bond eight days prior, Waddock was given ample time, due to the international break, to stamp his authority on his squad.

As a failing manager usually does, Bond had lost the respect of the dressing room. When this happens to a manager there is no real way back, and it was evident very early on in Southend’s clash with Fleetwood Town that the fired up shrimpers were eager to please the experienced temporary manager.

It becomes tedious to continually bemoan the blues defence, but it is consistently the thorn in their side. Frailties within the back line were once again evident as Fleetwood found themselves hitting the back of the net 3 times at Roots Hall. The defensive woes will not shift with ease, so the important thing is to counteract the amount of goals that are conceded with a healthy amount going in at the other end.

Here, is where Waddock’s side excelled against Joey Barton’s cod army.

Prior to kick off, a Southend player was yet to register on the scoresheet in a league game at Roots Hall this season. But the Seasiders’ fortunes changed just 17 minutes into the game as Stephen Mclaughlin curled a delectable free kick into the far bottom corner from 20 yards out to give the home side the advantage. Elation filled the stands as this was the first time the blues had been leading on home soil all season.

Consequently, a new challenge faced the leading side and the home fans could finally see how their side will approach the remainder of the game in an attempt to hold onto the lead they had earned themselves.

Similarly to Southend, the Cod’s also took just 17 minutes from the following restart to level up the game. The dreaming shrimpers fans were brought crashing back down to earth with the same reoccurring issues of substandard defending.

The game seemed set to go into the interval with a goal apiece which, in truth, would’ve been a fair scoreline in the balance of the half. However, clumsy goalkeeping from Mark Oxley allowed winger Josh Morris to blast home from close range to send the in-form away side into half-time with the lead.

Words were to be had in the home dressing room. Signs were shown that Southend could more than match the high flying Cod’s. Waddock had to drill some hope and belief into the players as, really, it was anyone’s game for the taking.

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This was to be a huge half for the shrimpers. Falling to another defeat would result in Southend United losing their first 7 games of the campaign, a record that hasn’t been achieved by a third tier side in over 20 years.

The blues were quick out of the blocks in the second half and once again earned a free kick in a dangerous area. Stephen Humphrys stepped up this time and dispatched an awkward strike into Matt Gilks’ far corner to once again bring the game to an even scoreline. The keeper will perhaps feel disappointed by his efforts for this goal, but in truth the hefty-sized wall would’ve restricted his vision on the strike.

We know already this season that the struggling Seasiders do not make life easy for themselves, and in their true style they conceded their 20th goal of the season, just 4 minutes after levelling the game back up. In fairness to Fleetwood, a well worked move deserved it’s outcome when Kyle Dempsey, who was heavily praised at the conclusion of the game by boss Joey Barton, got his head on a lovely cross which was sailed into the box by Lewis Coyle.

A familiar glum feeling resounded Roots Hall in the following exchanges. Fleetwood saw their opportunity and exploited the home side’s weaknesses to carve out a number of chances to extend their lead. However, a combination of misfortune and mostly poor finishing meant they could not do so.

The 87th minute holds a lot of fond memories for Southend, their league one status was secured last season through a heroic 87th minute strike by Stephen Humphrys in the final game of the last campaign.

Coincidentally, it was that combination that saved the battling home team once again, this time against Fleetwood.

Humphrys collected the ball from 30 yards out and charged at the tiring defence, forcing home a late equaliser to confirm Southend’s first point of the 19/20 season. Not only that, but to prematurely celebrate his 22nd birthday, falling a day after his impressive brace.

Looking at the game neutrally, the balance of the game was definitely tipped in favour of the away side. But as is often stated, statistics are almost meaningless and the result is the telling tale of the game, and today Southend worked very hard to record their first point.

It is without a doubt that the shrimpers must improve on aspects of their play, in particular, defensively. But the attacking play displayed against this flying Fleetwood side was really encouraging for all involved.

As top scorer in pre season, there was much hope that star man Humphrys would excel in his first full season in a blue shirt, and so far he has given much encouragement to Southend fans that he can do just that. The striker shows multiple desirable qualities in his play, hard work, confidence, pace and physicality just to name a few, and this combination makes him to be an excellent asset to the squad, and a player which many opposing defenders will dread to play against.

Shrimpers fans can have their heads held high this weekend. After the departure of Kevin Bond, it is imperative that there is a positive feel surrounding the club and that the fans are in full support of the players and management team. The performances will not be perfect, and there will be tough and frustrating times to come, but such is the nature of lower league football, the difficult times only make the sweet times feel sweeter, and to take a point against a side as good as Joey Barton’s, the Shrimpers can hold a lot of pride.

words Leon Imber, Southend United fan & writer

Orient came into the game in 17th place after a loss at home to Swindon last week, whereas Exeter sat top of the league after a great 3-1 win away at Carlisle.

It was Exeter who started brighter, Randell Williams looking lively down the right wing as his low shot was saved by Dean Brill in the Orient goal, before Williams’ cross was headed over by Sweeney. Bowman was given a chance similar to his goal against Mansfield last week, but his powerful half-volley was well saved by the keeper.

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Exeter looked to have taken the lead half an hour in, when Nicky Law controlled a cross and calmly placed a shot into the bottom right corner, but the referee claimed that Law controlled with his hand.

But Exeter has the lead not long after. Lee Martin’s lifted cross was headed backwards by Randell Williams, and Pierce Sweeney scruffy volley bounced past Brill into the side netting to give City a deserved lead.

The lead didn’t last long however, as Orient instantly replied. Dale Gorman hit what seemed to be a speculative effort towards goal (though he may claim it was a well-timed pass) which fell into the path of Lee Angol, who calmly slotted past Lewis Ward to level the tie for the O’s with what was their first shot on target. The goal took the two teams into half time level, though the Grecians may have felt hard done by not to be in front.

Orient were restricted to mainly long shots throughout the game, and it was through a long shot that they took the lead. Louis Dennis was given far too much space cutting in from the left hand side, and his tame shot deflected off the inside of Aaron Martin’s leg to take it past Lewis Ward and put the visitors ahead. For the first time this season, Exeter found themselves a goal down.

Cue Orient’s time-wasting tactics, as they spent the rest of the game running down the clock and taking every opportunity to wind up the hosts. How they ended up with eleven players still on the pitch is a wonder to me, as they committed foul after foul after foul.

In an attempt to find an equaliser, Exeter manager Matt Taylor subbed on target man Alex Fisher, who provided an added threat to the Exeter front line. The Grecians began peppering the Orient goal, and had a big spree of various chances but couldn’t quite find the back of the net.

The visitors were somewhat punished for their time-wasting, as the referee gave seven minutes of added time for Exeter to push for an equaliser. In a final push for a goal, defensive midfielder Archie Collins was replaced by academy product Ben Seymour, making his league debut. City had various penalty appeals turned down throughout the game, but when Seymour was brought down by Josh Coulson the referee didn’t hesitate to point to the spot.

Nicky Law calmly dispatched of the penalty, his 4th goal (all in the last five minutes or later) of the season to draw City level. And they could’ve had another late on, but Ben Seymour hit the side netting.

Overall, Exeter will be disappointed to come away with only a point, but couldn’t put away the chances they created. Alex Fisher and Ben Seymour both played well and played a part coming off the bench, proving that City have the strength in depth needed to succeed in League Two. The standout player for me was Jack Sparkes, the young Exeter left wing back. He dealt with everything that came at him down the Orient right hand side, and was a useful asset going forward. He put in many good crosses, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him rack up a few assists in the coming games. Exeter face Port Vale at home in the midweek fixtures, before travelling to Newport next week in what will be a tough test.

Meanwhile, Leyton Orient can be proud of a resolute defensive display. However, some dirty tactics were employed, and Orient could’ve had multiple players sent off on another day. Lee Angol was particularly impressive for the visitors, and took his goal well. Orient host Crewe in another tough test in midweek, as they look to further climb the table.

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 4933 (438)

Goals: Sweeney 41’ Law 90+2’ / Angol 44’ Dennis 51’

words Corey Baker, Exeter City fan & writer

Gillingham got their second win of the League One season on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 victory against table topping Wycombe.

The Medway afternoon sun bought a slow game of few chances but, when they came, Mikael Ndjoli took them for Gillingham, netting a brace to inflict Wycombe’s first defeat of the campaign.

The game was dead and yielded few chances until the introduction of Brandon Hanlan just before the hour mark. He produced great pace to turn Anthony Stewart inside out before squaring to his strike partner Ndjoli for Gills’ first, before Oliver Lee was fouled by Giles Phillips in the area to set up the chance for Ndjoli to double his and his side’s tally from the spot – it was a chance he took.

Wycombe tried to get back into the game, but didn’t really trouble birthday boy Jack Bonham in the Gillingham goal, and Steve Evans’ men ran out the victors.

The game seemed a simple one on paper – both teams set up with a 442 diamond formation and looked to play through the centre of the park whilst also utilising their target men: Mikael Mandron for Gillingham and Adebayo Akinfenwa for Wycombe.

The Gills lineup surprised a few in the home end – Mikael Ndjoli and Mark Marshall were handed starts to the surprise of the home faithful with Ben Pringle and Alex Jakubiak dropping to the bench. Steve Evans, though, explained it was due to a virus in the camp.

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Marshall impressed in a more central role and perhaps put in his best Gills performance to date, frequently attacking Joe Jacobson down Wycombe’s left hand side with pace and direct running.

Ndjoli was quiet early on for Gillingham, and it’s fair to assume many would have rather seen him replaced when Hanlan came on instead of Mandron, but the Bournemouth loanee turned his game around to win his side the match.

Wycombe held their own for most of the game, but Gareth Ainsworth will be disappointed to leave Priestfield empty handed. Perhaps the rumours linking Ainsworth with the vacant Lincoln job distracted the side, but they’ll want to bounce back as soon as possible. They have the chance to do just that on Tuesday when they host Accrington, whilst Gillingham travel to Bristol Rovers.

words Lewis Browning, Gillingham fan & writer

It was two points dropped for Oldham as two goals in the last 10 minutes saw the Mariners secure an away point.

Grimsby started the game strongest, as the home side struggled to settle into the match in the opening few minutes. Some loose passing from the Latics gave the Mariners a couple of early chances, but Hanson and Whitehouse’s shots went over the bar.

An acrobatic attempt from Missilou in the ninth minute brought the home side into the game and brought about a sustained period of dominance from the home team. 10 minutes later Missilou once again used his acrobatic nature to turn home what was a rather week Maouche corner. The set-piece went in low and the ball was flicked on by Hamer to find Maouche who hit the ball on the turn into the bottom left-hand corner.

Latics were dominant in terms of possession, though still lacked in quality at times. Grimsby rarely looked a threat and James Hanson was kept quiet by David Wheater. Chances fell to Fage, Maouche and Azankpo, but no more goals came in the first half and Oldham walked off deserved leaders.

The teams came back out after the break and the home side looked incredibly energised. Hessenthaler had a shot for the visitors. Following this, though, Grimsby were pegged back. The best chance came for David Wheater, who headed over from a Tom Hamer cross.

Morais was really pulling the strings in the attacking phases of the game. He created several good chances but Azankpo looked limited at times and another striker would have been effective.

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Morais got his reward for a good performance in the 66th minute. Segbe whipped a sublime cross to the far post which met an onrushing Morais who powerfully headed passed McKeown. The Portugese winger passionately celebrated a well deserved goal on his second home debut for the club.

Five minutes later Morais almost got a second when he cut in from the right and smashed the ball. His attempt was too close to the keeper, though.

In the 81st minute, Grimsby secured a lifeline. The ball was played in from the right and the usually prolific Hanson mishit the ball. Cook, though, was Johnny-on-the-spot and smashed into the bottom corner.

This goal was facilitated through the home side’s decision to sit back. This poor game management invited pressure and it didn’t stop after this goal. The Latics did almost seal the win in the 83rd minute when Smith hit the Mariners on the counterattack. His pass to Azankpo found the Beninese international in an offside position.

Grimsby continued to exploit the Latics’ deep-set defence and eventually got their reward in the 90th minute. A cross came in from the left and found Ludvig Ohman onrushing who headed past Gary Woods, who should have done better.

The result was harsh on Oldham, but they were ultimately punished for their poor game management.

FULL TIME – Oldham Athletic 2-2 Grimsby Town

Attendance –  3789 (Away 783)

Oldham Athletic XI – Woods, Hamer, Wheater, Iacovitti, Fage, Missilou, Sylla, Maouche, Branger-Engone (Smith 73’), Morias (Mills 90’), Azankpo.

Subs – Zabret, Mills, Stott, Eagles, Smith, Vera, Wilson.

Grimsby Town XI – McKeown, Hendrie, Gibson (Cook 64’), Ohman, Watefall, Hessenthaler, Hanson, Whitehouse, Wright (Vernam 70’), Ogbu, Hewitt (Robson 73’).

Subs – Russell, Cook, Robson, Clifton, Cardewll, Vernam, Pollock.

words Chris Stringer, D3D4 Oldham Athletic correspondent

Morecambe made the long trip eastwards today to Lincolnshire to face struggling Scunthorpe United in a game which could have a real bearing on the bottom of the League Two table. The Iron have had a chequered history in recent years. Since moving to new ground Glanford Park in 1988, Brian Laws, ably assisted by our own Mark Lillis (Sammy McIlroy’s assistant at Morecambe) guided United into the old Division Two in their second season in charge during 1999. They were immediately relegated back again and by 2004, they were involved in the same sort of fight to retain their Football League status as they seem to be in currently – they survived the drop to the Football Conference by just four points. The very next season, though, they were promoted. With former Physio Nigel Adkins taking the reins and leading scorer Billy Sharp setting the world alight, the Iron went up once more into the Championship only to be immediately relegated and then winning promotion straight back again on the rebound. So, just ten short years ago, Scunthorpe United were a Championship team with realistic hopes of at least consolidating their position on the fringes of the footballing Valhalla of the Premiership. It wasn’t to be. Adkins moved on to pastures new and United started the long slide back to where they had been fifteen years previously: right at the bottom of the EFL.

Here’s a thought: does this decline echo the fortunes of the town itself? The industry from which the club gets its nickname – Iron – has endured continuing uncertainty during the last few years.  With the loss of the steelworks, Scunthorpe could become yet another ghost-town to add to the dozens in the North and Midlands of England (Bury; Bolton; Darlington and Hartlepool immediately spring to mind); the casualty of cheap imports from overseas. What will happen to Scunny, its workforce and thus the club then? (Answers on a postcard please to Mr B Johnson, 10 Drowning Street, London – and no, `Drowning’ isn’t a typo…)

As far as I can discover, the two clubs have only played each other twice before, five years ago. Then, United won their home tie and drew away in League Two. The most curious parallel between the two clubs is probably the fact that their former grounds – The Old Showground and Christie Park respectively – are now Sainsbury stores. There is still a plaque marking approximately where the centre circle once was in the car park at Morecambe; the one which marked the same place in Scunthorpe could be found `just in front of the delicatessen counter’: it has subsequently been removed altogether.

What other parallels are there between Scunthorpe and Morecambe? The Shrimps start every season as the bookies’ favourites to be relegated. Conversely, the Iron started this season as many pundits’ favourites to go straight back to where they had been last season: League One. However, confounding most pre-season predictions, the hosts started today’s game rock-bottom of the EFL with only one point to show for the seven league games they have played so far. They are already five points adrift of today’s visitors, who arrived in twentieth position. To make things even worse, the Iron have failed to score in four of these seven games; netted only five times in total and shipped fifteen goals themselves. Their current form is four straight league defeats in a row.  Ex-Grimsby and Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst must have no fingernails left: this sort of run is unsustainable for any football manager at any level.  Today, with Andy Butler out with an ankle injury picked-up against Mansfield, first-team regulars Levi Sutton and Andy Dales still not back to full match fitness and Ryan Coldclough unavailable because of a groin strain, Manager Hurst was forced to shuffle his pack. He dropped four of the team who featured against the Stags, putting only two of them – Regan Slater and George Miller – on the bench.

As for Morecambe, Jim Bentley was unable to name a substitute goalkeeper:  Mark Halstead picked-up an injury during the week and was not fit enough to be selected today. There was just one change from the starting line-up against Salford last Saturday: Jordan Cranston replaced injured Ulsterman Luke Conlan.

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It was Sunny at Scunny; dry but a bit cloudy at times with a slight breeze at Glanford Park before and during the game.  Once Morecambe kicked-off, the first five minutes or longer were scrappy and any hopes that the visitors might test the fragile confidence of a team at the bottom of the division by attacking them were to be disappointed. In fact, Scunthorpe had the first half-chance of the match, Junior Brown sending a low cross from the United left to Kevin vanVeen, whose shot went harmlessly over the bar. As both sides seemed to be happy to play the long-ball game, you could hear disgruntled fans encouraging both teams to `get on with it!’ Aaron Wildig duly obliged after ten minutes, forcing a fairly routine save from Rory Watson after good work by John O’Sullivan. Abo Eisa – booked for diving last time out against Mansfield – caught the eye for the Iron as the half wore on but the home team wasted the opportunities they had from set-pieces with poor technique, constantly either over or under-hitting the ball.  They had a couple of other attempts which missed the target before the Shrimps had the clearest chance of the game so far after eighteen minutes. Sean Miller spun away from his marker and hit a shot from a George Tanner pass which was blocked. Watson did well to save a fierce shot from Andrew Tutte a couple of minutes later after he had been set-up by Jordan Cranston from a free-kick. But it all went wrong for the visitors after 24 minutes. Referee Nick Kinseley adjudged vanVeen to have been pushed in the penalty area and Jamie Proctor stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick. This was brilliantly saved by Barry Roche but – as his defenders stood by and watched – Proctor was first to react and he buried the rebound. As Morecambe failed to keep the ball on the deck and Scunny’s huge centre-halves dealt all too easily with everything in the air, it soon got even worse for Jim Bentley’s men. Proctor fed winger Alex Gilliead whose fierce shot from 25 yards was brilliantly turned by Big Baz against his left post with another superb reaction save. Once again, though, his defence were too slow to react and vanVeen was able to double the Iron’s lead as he got to the loose ball first. There was only one team in it at this point and Roche was basically playing United all on his own. He did well again to keep out a side-footed volley from that man vanVeen after 38 minutes. But he was beaten yet again after making another fine save from Gilliead only to see Matty Lund sweep the rebound past him with forty-one minutes on the clock. Could it get any worse? No, not really.

This was a literally pathetic display against yet another team the Shrimps should beat easily. We saw it last season away at Halifax where they were humiliated by a poor non-league team which they should have already demolished at home in the FA cup. We saw it again against doomed Notts County later in the campaign at Meadow Lane: their inability, reluctance or simple fear to attack a team clearly there for the taking ended in a bore-draw in another spineless performance. The display the defence put in here during the first half today was even worse: Scunthorpe must have thought all their Christmases had arrived early.

Jim Bentley changed the line-up which had performed so poorly for the second half: the ineffectual Cranston and defender Ritchie Sutton were replaced by centre-forward Cole Stockton and right-back Adam Buxton. The combination of Miller, Stockton and Lewis Allesandra has been tried by the Morecambe Manager before to no effect. Would it work this afternoon in extremis, though?

O’Sullivan had the first decent effort for either team with just four minutes of the second period played but his shot was straight at Watson, who saved it easily. The home custodian made another routine save a minute later before the ball went down the other end. Baz reached a long-ball just before vanVeen was able to after 50 minutes and then saw another effort deflected wide after 53 minutes. Substitute Buxton should have done better to put in some sort of challenge as the corner came over but Proctor’s volley narrowly missed the target. The visitors had the next chance after 56 minutes when decent play down the right saw O’Sullivan cross for Stockton to force an excellent save from the Iron’s young goalkeeper with a diving header at the expense of a corner. From this, Allesandra forced an even better save from Watson again at the cost of another corner kick with a powerful right-footed shot which the keeper pushed over the bar. There were half-chances for both teams following this but it looked as if Rory McArdle had put the home team even further ahead after 65 minutes.  When the ball ended up in the back of the visitors’ net from the central defender’s head (or was it his shoulder?), though,  it was disallowed. There was a suspicion of handball by a Scunny defender in his own penalty area a few minutes later and Cole Stockton seemed to be impeded shortly afterwards even more obviously than vanVeen had been in a similar position during the first half. But Referee Kinseley gave nothing on either occasion. In injury time, though, the man in the middle finally did award a penalty to the Shrimps when Stockton was fouled by McArdle. Buxton stepped up and hit the ball low and powerfully into the bottom corner. But Rory Watson ensured that the Shrimps would leave with nothing at all today by diving to his right and stopping both this shot and the follow-up as well. In a way, this incident on its own summed-up the difference between the two sides today: United were up for it and – very regrettably – Morecambe weren’t.

So this was a thoroughly miserable experience for the loyal fans who travelled all the way to the east of the country to watch this rubbish. Morecambe were not good enough at any time, end of story. The defence was hopeless bar the goalkeeper; the midfield ineffectual and the forward line disjointed. Against a poor team clearly low on confidence this was a potentially disastrous result. Scunthorpe have closed the gap between themselves and the visitors to just one position and two points. What can we say? We can say thank god for Carlisle – words I never thought I would ever see in any of my football reports. The Cumbrians won at Stevenage this afternoon and only the hope we have currently is that the team from Hertfordshire are even more hopeless than our own could keep us in the EFL this season. On today’s performance, we would struggle even in the National League and the Manager – with his usual commendable honesty – summed it up as `a sackable performance’ straight after the match. It’s true that he picks the team and the tactics – three at the back and then four in the second half when that clearly didn’t work – and we all know that ultimately, the Manager carries the can. Today though, his own players – with a couple of honourable exceptions – let him down. They need to improve dramatically and do so immediately: next Tuesday’s home League Two game against Walsall suddenly takes on a wholly new significance…

Scunthorpe United: 1 Rory Watson; 4 Matty Lund; 5 Yann Songo’o; 10 Kevin vanVeen (27 Regan Slater 82 mins); 14 James Perch; 20 Alex Gilliead; 23 Rory McArdle (C); 26 Harrison McGahey; 28 Junior Brown (Y); 30 Abo Eisa; 33 Jamie Proctor. 25 John McAtee

Subs not used: 25 Jake Eastwood; 2 Jordan Clarke; 3 Kgosi Ntlhe; 29 George Miller.

 Morecambe:  1 Barry Roche (C); 5 Steven Old; 16 Sam Lavelle; 12 Ritchie Sutton (2 Adam Buxton 45 mins); 27 George Tanner; 6 Andrew Tutte; 15 Aaron Wildig; 33 Jordan Cranston (9 Cole Stockton 45 mins); 7 John O’Sullivan; 24 Shaun Miller (11 Kevin Ellison 82 mins); 8 Lewis Alessandra.

Subs not used: 10 A-Jay Leitch-Smith; 20 Lamine Jagne; 18 Rhys Oates.

Ref: Nick Kinseley.

3017

words Roger Fitton, D3D4 Morecambe correspondent

Seven games in and Northampton Town sit in 18th place. With an immense level of player turnover during the summer transfer window, the side has yet to fully settle and this has shown in their perfoirmances thus far.

That being said, there are some glimmers of promise within the squad. Keith Curle is confident these glimmers will grow across the squad:

“We want to build on clean sheets, and we want to get a number of clean sheets,” said the Cobblers boss”, he told the Northampton Chronicle.

“If you look at the personnel we have had, there have been changes within the back four or back five.

“There have been a number of players being bedded in, and on Saturday another new player came in in Michael Harriman (who played at right-back).

“Joe Martin also returned to first-team action, and they are all players that have joined the football club and are getting used to each other and getting that understanding.

“I think it will come, because for a large periods of the game against Plymouth I think we looked solid, and for large periods of the game at Bradford I thought we looked solid.”

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Results have been mixed for Town, with two wins and four defeats. One of those wins were against one of the league’s heavyweights – Plymouth Argyle – before falling to defeat against bradford:

“If you have a look at the Plymouth and Bradford games, and if you had got a creditable point at Bradford, and it’s not disgraceful getting a point at home against Plymouth,” said the Cobblers boss.

“If we had done that we would have had two points from two difficult games and be pretty happy with that, well we have got three points from those games.

“The performance levels against Plymouth were very good, as they were for 55 minutes to an hour in the game at Bradford.

“So we just need to make sure we get that level of consistency, and that level of performance.

“We know that if we do that then results will go our way.”

Northampton are next in action against Newport County on 14 Saturday.

Coventry City’s never-ending battle with the seemingly malevolent City Council, Wasps RFC, SISU and the exile which their collective inability to compromise has caused, has been well-documented for years now.

Fans are all-too aware of the danger that this great club is in, especially in an off-season which has seen absolute mismanagement result in the death and near-death of Bury and Bolton, respectively. However, following the Sky Blues’ best start to a season in 25 years, the attention has – rightly – returned to the ever-impressive team on the pitch.

There needs to be balance, though. Quite simply, at the end of this season, Coventry City will be homeless for the third time since 2013 – a situation completely unprecedented in the EFL. Obviously, this is completely unacceptable and a situation which should never have arose in the first place, let alone have been allowed to fester and grow into the mess that it is today. That doesn’t mean that shouting, protesting and being angry is the way to solve this impasse.

Local fans need to liaise with the club and the EFL alike, in a bid to get every interested party – local people, both clubs’ representatives, the EFL and the City Council – around the table and talk about reaching an agreement and a compromise to ensure the long-term future of this club is securely in Coventry. Whether that be a rental agreement at the Ricoh Arena which works for both Wasps and Coventry, or a joint-ownership deal for the ground. It could be a temporary, 2 or 3-year deal at the Ricoh to give the club time to build its own ground, or – although this would be the worst outcome – the club doesn’t return to Coventry, and extends its stay at St. Andrew’s whilst the club, find land for, finance and build a new stadium, to give it the best chance of becoming sustainable in the long-term.

Either way, Coventry City cannot expect to go back to the Ricoh under the same terms and expect to be prosperous. Whilst the gap between League One, the Championship and the Premier League grows, the club needs every source of income possible to ensure that it can remain competitive. If it doesn’t, then it may well be consigned to this level of football for decades to come – something nigh-on criminal for a football club and an area of this size.

However, whilst the EU Commission continue to deliberate over whether or not the 2014 sale of the Ricoh from the City Council to Wasps was lawful or not, any deal – even a return under the previous conditions – seems fairly unlikely. There have been whispers and rumours swirling around the forums and on the timelines of Cov’ fans, but this remains hearsay for the time being. It’s a sorry state of affairs, no matter how you look at it. For the EFL, it’s an embarrassment that one of their clubs could suffer so badly under their watch; for neutrals, it’s a loss for football because a big club has been, is being and will continue to be dragged through the ringer because of petty, corporate squabbles; for fans, like me, we have to travel to Birmingham to watch our team play ‘home’ games, we have to put up with being forced out of our city by a rugby club with its roots based firmly in the South-East; for the people of Coventry, they miss out on potential job availabilities opened up by the club being in its city and local businesses around either the Ricoh or any new stadium miss out on vital revenue that they could do with.

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Whilst these losses are currently being papered over by the current good form and fortune of Mark Robins’ team on-pitch, imagine if that team wins promotion to the Championship this season. There is a real possibility that a second-tier side could well be homeless and in exile, with no real view to a move back to Coventry – something which would bring the integrity of the league into true disrepute.

words Liam Murphy, Coventry City fan

The exciting winger, who is currently on international duty with Curacao, has been a key player at the Latics during his two-year stint with the club. However, Nepomucneo has not featured much this season, despite only signing a new deal with the Lancashire side in the summer.

Nepomuceno is said to be unsettled at Boundary Park and was expected to leave the club during the transfer window. It is thought a deadline day deal for him to move to a club in the EFL fell through, meaning he can only move to non-league teams whilst contracted to Oldham.

Despite claims that the winger will sign tomorrow, it is unlikely that any move will be confirmed until next week. He is currently with his national team where they are grieving the loss of goalkeeper Jarzinho Pieter, who died the night before a match from suspected heart attack at the age of 31.

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Nepomuceno signed for Oldham on a free transfer from Portuguese outfit Martimo. He has made 60 league appearances for the Latics, scoring seven times. His exciting and attacking style of play has made him a popular figure at Boundary Park.

The former-defender was impressed with the way his Railwaymen stood up to a barrage from the Mariners and ended the game with a clean-sheet and another three points.

Crewe have made an impressive start to the new season following an opening day defeat to Plymouth. Last season’s away strugglers have shown no such signs in the early running this campaign following victories over Oldham, Crawley and Grimsby on the road.

The Crewe manager was extremely pleased to see his side defend ‘properly’ in order to take the points back to Cheshire.

“It was a terrific away performance both in defence & attack,” said the Manager of the Month nominee.

“To a man they were terrific. We defended set pieces well, the long throws & the bombardment into the box.

“You can see why they’ve (Grimsby) scored plenty of goals because they don’t mess around getting it forward & getting it in the box. But we defended properly & in the second half attacked with more purpose & got the goals our play deserved.

“It’s just a win, just another three points, but it’s important that we perform like that.”

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Crewe have already amassed some impressive stats this season and currently sit top of the chances created table (38), are fourth in xG and also lead in key passes completed (43).

They face Cambridge at Gresty road on Saturday and currently sit third in League Two, two points behind leaders Exeter.

After many years – since the phrase was coined – wondering why the ‘golden generation’ failed to maximise their potential, we 53-years-of-hurt England fans are pretty blessed right now.

When, as at one stage, the nation’s football team is outscoring the nation’s cricket team on a Saturday afternoon, you know something is going right. We have a centre-forward that (nearly) always delivers, Raheem Sterling in the form of his life (and getting better) as well as Sancho and Rashford scrapping for the third attacking role, we are definitely blessed at the goal-scoring end of the pitch. Nineteen goals in four Euro 2020 qualifiers so far have put us in a commanding position to reach and maybe even go all the way in the finals that are as close to a home tournament as it gets.

This week’s match against Kosovo (misleadingly ranked 120^th in the world but only accepted into FIFA in 2016) proved that – as an attacking threat – England have rarely been better, scoring five before half-time. At the other end, a concession after just 35 seconds and two second half goals for Kosovo, both following more defensive mistakes, made for a highly entertaining match but asked lots of questions about the defenders at Gareth Southgate’s disposal.

John Stones was a notable absentee this week, but it was his two errors in the Nations League semi-final defeat to The Netherlands that reopened the debate about whether England – despite having such a goal threat – were tight enough to shut out the better teams and thus, get past the likes of France, Germany, Spain and the Dutch when it comes to the crunch next summer.

One area where Southgate is not short of personnel is in the full back positions. For the recent international break he selected the best right back at the 2018 World Cup, Kieron Trippier, and Champions League winner, Trent Alexander-Arnold as his right backs, with arguably the best of the lot, Kyle Walker, left out altogether and £50m Manchester United recruit, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, in the squad until he dropped out injured.

On the left, Danny Rose and Ben Chilwell got a game each while Luke Shaw, once regarded as an England left back for years to come, didn’t get a look in. An embarrassment of riches? On the surface, yes, but we need to be careful it doesn’t lead to just embarrassment.

Full back has long been a feast or famine position for England. In the days when defenders simply defended, we had dependable stalwarts that rarely let the team down. But as the game has evolved and the position has increasingly become key to a team’s game plan, at right back at least, then there have been more ups and downs than Dani Alves on any given match day.

On the left it’s been a relatively secure area as over the last four decades, Kenny Sansom, Stuart Pearce and Ashley Cole amassed 271 caps in total, with able deputies Graham Le Saux and Wayne Bridge also getting more than 70 games between them, although it’s also worth remembering that in-between, we had a right-footed Phil Neville playing there and making a wrong-sided tackle that saw us exit the Euros of 2000.

On the right, if you take out Phil’s brother, Gary, who made eighty-five appearances, then it’s harder to find an accomplished right-sided defender who established himself and made the position their own with distinction (Glenn Johnson, Mick Mills, Phil Neal and Gary Stevens all got around 50 caps) and in major tournaments we have even seen midfielders David Batty, Andy Sinton and Owen Hargreaves play there.

It’s hard to imagine that happening again any time soon. The strength of depth on both sides is astonishing. But if a defence thrives on continuity so that all its components are used to each other, then could it be as much a curse as a blessing?

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In the team as much for their attacking ability as defensive attributes, the right and left backs are crucial to modern football success. For an England team that is sweeping through qualification so easily, and with the majority of opponents content to defend deeply, most of the play is in the opposition half where accurate crossing is more valuable than marking and tackling; so is it any wonder that these are the areas where the current full backs (whoever they are on the day) are being found wanting, or leaving gaps that the rest of the team struggle to fill?

Keeping clean sheets has been something of a problem for Southgate of late. Early on in the role, they weren’t, as successive clean sheets against Germany, Brazil and The Netherlands suggested. If anything, the bigger worry then was scoring goals but the emergence of Sterling as a goal machine in addition to the reliability of Kane has taken that problem away.

But comeback goals by Italy and Nigeria in 2018 World Cup warm up games, then conceding to Tunisia and Panama in the finals, despite qualifying from the group comfortably, were a warning sign. In fact, in six games in Russia, only one (v Sweden) saw England’s defence unscathed and the cynic would point to three world-class saves in that game from Jordan Pickford as the reason for that.

Since then, Spain scored four past them in 180 minutes in the Nations League, while Croatia’s sloppy goal at Wembley almost saw England relegated until Kane’s late winner got them to the finals instead, where their playing out from the back ethos was horribly exposed in a semi-final defeat – although that starting XI was shorn of players from the all-English Champions League Final.

In that sense, the depth we have seems ideal. Trippier and TAA out? No big deal, we still have Walker and the rising star of Wan-Bassaka from the under-21s. But there is also a danger that we could easily see a situation where the right-back position changes hands four times in four matches. And that possibly makes us weaker not stronger. So, as difficult as it will be, does Southgate have to make some tough choices now and plump for his #1 Number 2? And then choose an able deputy from the others, leaving the other two to await their turn and simply be victims of playing in an over-subscribed position.

Alexander-Arnold has been a revelation, with speed – of thought and legs – defying his young years and making him seem almost unleaveoutable. But I thought that about Walker too, whose rapid counter attacks and ability to recover problems at the other end, made him an absolute shoo-in at one stage.

And although Trippier endured a tough post-World Cup season after his fantastic performances (and semi-final goal) in Russia, it was hardly a disaster as he played in the biggest game in Europe and then moved to Atletico Madrid to begin a new life under the guidance of defensive-supremo Diego Simone. Quite where this leaves Wan-Bassaka, valued at £50m and like Shaw, playing for the biggest club in the country, but relying on a major injury crisis to get any national team game time, I’m not sure.

I feel ever-so-slightly-qualified to talk about this here, having played at right back myself many years ago. My local and – at the time – best non-league club in the area when I was a teenager had decided to field a youth team in the Midland Floodlit Youth League (that contained the likes of Wolves and Birmingham City) and held open training sessions three days per week so they could select a squad.

Captain and central midfield for my team at the time, I went along and got selected, then played in my usual position during pre-season friendlies. Then when we sat in the changing room for the opening game of the season, I was given the number two shirt. It was a shock and I’d always considered it only one small step up from number 3 “left back – in the changing rooms”. I had no explanation from the manager and I’d not played one moment in that role in my life, but I ended up staying there for a few seasons, some as captain, and made quite a few appearances for the first team too. I actually found it a lot easier than midfield or up front ever was. I had a really clear view of the game, had a bit more time and space than I was used to and could still get forward on occasions; what wasn’t to like? The defending bit was easier too, in those days, as teams played 4-4-2 with an orthodox left winger, so there was never a question of who I was picking up and as long as they weren’t lightning quick (some were; Adrian Littlejohn, I painfully recall, once gave me a twenty-metre head start and still got to the ball first) then I’d be okay. And I had a not-so-secret weapon. If all else failed, I just passed it back to the goalkeeper, who was still allowed to pick it up, and relieved any pressure.

Since Euro 92, that option has no longer been available, and it’s definitely improved and sped up the game after the goal-drought of Italia 90 (although still by favourite World Cup). As a contrast, in 1992, England could barely find a decent, fit right back as they crashed out in the group stage.

In Euro 96’ Terry Venables had Gary Neville as his first – and possibly only choice – right-back; so when he was suspended for the semi-final, England switched from a back-four to a three with Darren Anderton playing a more wing-back role. Similarly, in 1990, central defender Paul Parker had come in for Gary Stevens when the change to three at the back had been made much earlier in the competition.

With the current England team now struck on a back four, where holding midfielders provide cover for the full backs who spend most of their time attacking, not much will change until the next two qualifying rounds (a place in the finals is almost a formality) and the phoney wars that are warm up games are over. The next big and proper test of this England team comes in the summer, when the defence will be exposed to top strikers in competitive games. That’s only gives Southgate eight or nine games before the opening Group D clashes on 14 June (at Wembley, or 15 June at Hampden if we’re really unlucky) to get it right.

With Pickford (despite Kosovo scoring three) looking to have locked down his spot, and Maguire, Henderson, Rice seemingly assured of their places, the rest of the defensive half of the team is up for grabs. At the other end, Kane and Sterling pick themselves and form, injuries and Southgate’s preference on the day, depending on the opponents, will dictate who joins them.

But while it seems like a straight-forward fight between Rose and Chilwell on the left side of defence, the other side feels a little over-crowded right now with the tournament so close. This might leave the players constantly looking over their shoulders and worrying about their place in the squad, rather than working within a back-four on a regular basis to hone their cohesion and understanding before they have to contend with the best Europe has to offer.

So, I urge the boss to act early. He’s worked wonders already, turning a squad that the English fans and press had fallen out with into an extremely likeable and efficient team that has every right to consider themselves amongst the favourites, only four years out of the rubble of that defeat to Iceland.

But if we don’t have a settled defence very soon, my fear is that as soon as we come up against a really strong team – probably in the last 16 or quarter-final when we’re not at Wembley – we might end up right back where we started.

Sorry, that was lame, but it just seemed so obvious.

words Darren Young, D3D4 columnist

The former-England women’s manager has been given ‘no time window’ to his caretaker spell in charge and if he can do well at the Hertfordshire club then it is highly likely Stevenage chairman, Phil Wallace, will make his appointment permanent.

Upon his temporary appointment, Wallace said:

“There are no guarantees when you change management, but we believe the strategic approach of Mark Sampson coupled with the presence and energy that Alex Revell brings in his first taste of football management is worth having a good look at. We have told Mark and Alex that there is no time window to this temporary appointment, but rather we will be looking at their overall progress day to day and week to week until we have a clear picture of what they can bring to the Football Club.”

Dino Maamria was relieved of his duties on Monday following a disappointing start to the new season. Boro have not won any of their seven League Two games thus far but looking at the InStat Football data, there are positives to take.

This season Stevenage have only scored four goals which clearly highlights the problem, however, the numbers suggest something different.

They have registered an xG of 8.2 which sits them at 16th in the division and if Ben Kennedy can keep himself fit then Stevenage could see this number rise. The Irishman is joint top in terms of chances created despite only playing 283 league minutes.

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Overall, though, the team need to create more chances with Stevenage currently the third-worst in the division in this metric with 20. To add context, you could also argue they just need to be more clinical as the two teams below them in the chances created table are Forest Green and Exeter who currently sit fifth and top respectively.

Injuries have been a problem especially at the back where all three first-team centre-backs have had spells on the treatment table. This has led to an xGA (expected goals against) of 11.92 which is sixth-worst in League Two but by no means the poorest record.

Plenty to build on then and with players coming back to fitness, Mark Sampson should be able to get Boro moving forward with some positive results over the coming weeks.

Stevenage host struggling Carlisle this weekend with the Cumbrians sitting four points ahead of Boro in the table.

Cowley departed Lincoln following three years at Sincil Bank, where he won two promotions, an EFL Trophy and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. It is understood that Michael Flynn is the Imp’s first choice.

Also amongst the other names in the running are Exeter City boss Matt Taylor and former Colchester United assistant Ian Culverhouse. Taylor is in his second season in charge of The Grecians and has been noticed for his impressive record in Devon, having just missed out on the playoffs last season and has been nominated for the League Two August manager of the month award.

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Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth is another manager thought to be under consideration by the Lincoln hierarchy. The Chairboys recorded an impressive win over the Imps at the weekend. Ainsworth also has ties with Lincoln City, where he made almost 100 appearances between 1995 and 1997.

He is the second longest-serving manager in the EFL and Premier League, which could fit Lincoln’s desire for stability following over three years with the Cowley brothers in charge.

Lincoln are next in action against Bristol Rovers on Saturday 14 September. The Imps will be keen to install a manager soon to ensure their strong start to the season is maintained.

The popular player failed to return to the club for the start of pre-season which was reported at the time as being for personal reasons. However, with fans wanting to know more details on their promotion winning hero the club released a statement to clarify, in more detail, his current status.

“Billy Kee would like to thank everyone for their ongoing messages of support as he battles depression, anxiety and bulimia.

“The striker has spoken out over the years about his ongoing issues but over the summer he has deteriorated and has been unable to return to play football for the Reds this season.

“He is currently under specialist treatment and the club is doing what it can to support Billy, who has been an integral part of the side both on and off the pitch for a number of years.”

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Kee will always be a legend at Stanley after helping them to promotion and the League Two title in 2018. He has been open and honest about his battle with mental illness and everyone at D3D4 Football wishes him a speedy recovery and a rapid return to playing the game he loves.

The man between the sticks insists his confidence remains strong, despite a 2-1 defeat to Fleetwood at the weekend and United recording the third worst defensive record in the EFL.

Eastwood told Oxford Mail:

“It just seems that quite a lot of shots are almost un-saveable or a little bit unlucky. The lad hit the post for the first goal and I’ve dived for that, then the striker’s tapped the rebound in.

“To be fair on the second goal the lad had headed it right in the corner. There’s not many who would save the shots that are going in at the moment.”

“It’s not like I’m looking round and thinking I’m dipping in form. It’s nothing like that”, he added.

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Eastwood went up for a corner in the dying moments of the game and ended up colliding with Fleetwood goalkeeper Matt Gilks:

The hugely popular Imps boss appeared as though he’d rejected the Terriers initial approach but D3D4 understands that they have come back in and have now agreed personal terms.

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According to journalist Tom Farmery, the Cowley brothers have agreed a three-year deal and have been given assurances that they will be managers rather than head coaches.  The Championship club met Lincoln’s compensation release clause, thought to be in the region of £1m.

The Terriers are looking for a new boss after parting company with Jan Siewert earlier this season and the club have clearly set their sights on the Cowley brothers, who rejected an offer from Sheffield Wednesday.

Since joining the Imps just over three years ago, Danny and Nicky Cowley have taken the club on a journey from the National League to League One. In that time Lincoln have won two division titles, reached an FA Cup Quarter-final and won the EFL Trophy.

This success has transformed the club and helped fans become re-engaged right across the city.

Although Imps fans will be devastated by the news that the Cowley brothers are leaving, they will look back on their time at the club with huge love and admiration.

Lincoln currently sit 5th in League One while Huddersfield are stuck just one place off the foot of the Championship.

This week James, Chris and Luke smash through the goal ladden matches in League One & Two where there was more action than a Rambo movie. Wycombe go top while Coventry win again. Gills continue to struggle as Rotherham concede late once more. In League Two, Exeter bag another 3 points, Newport’s superb defence and Crewe are the fourth tier Brazil.

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Following Tuesday’s veritable non-event versus Walsall in the newly-named Leasing.com Trophy, City faced Blackpool at St. Andrew’s in a welcome return to league football. The last league outing brought a disappointing, but probably fair, 3-3 draw away at Oxford United; so, Mark Robins’ boys were looking for a return to winning ways and maintain their unbeaten start and the club’s best start to a league campaign in 25 years.

Cov’ lined up in the 4-3-3 which has suited them ever-so well thus far. There were two changes; deadline day loan signing Liam Walsh filled in for Liam Kelly, who picked up an injury at Oxford, and Kyle McFadzean came back into the team, in place of Dom Hyam. The other deadline day arrival, Tennai Watson, dropped back onto the bench, after making his debut in mid-week and summer signing Jamie Allen made his first appearance in a matchday squad for the Sky Blues. The full team was: Marko Marosi (GK); Fankaty Dabo, Michael Rose, Kyle McFadzean (C), Sam McCallum; Liam Walsh, Jordan Shipley, Zain Westbrooke; Jordy Hiwula, Matty Godden, Wesley Jobello.

Spirits were high going into the game, but they were soon dampened. No more than a minute into the game, Blackpool took the lead. Former Crystal Palace winger Sulley Kaikai coolly dinked over Marosi from a tight angle in a moment of sheer quality and madness (in equal measure). Yet, the Sky Blues rallied themselves and took the game to Blackpool in a manner typical of this team. Some intricate passing and clever movement cut a usually-solid Tangerine backline open and Hiwula smashed Alnwick, only to see the linesman put his flag up. It was a sign of things to come, however.

Before the home side managed to get themselves back into the game, though, Blackpool doubled their lead. Armand Gnanduillet pounced on a defensive lapse in concentration and kept the ball in play for James Husband to tee up Kaikai, who scored his second of the game. As much as it was against the run of play, it was a goal befitting of the quality, pace and power of a team which should be at the higher end of League One this season.

The Sky Blue comeback was soon underway, though. A diagonal ball into the area from McFadzean forced a mix-up in the away side’s box and Godden continued his impressive start to life for the club by poking home to reduce the deficit. At half-time, 2-1 wouldn’t have been all-that bad.

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That said, things soon got even better. Sam McCallum’s cross landed at the feet of Wesley Jobello via Hiwula and he thrashed the ball into the roof of the net to restore parity in Birmingham. The hard work and quality chance creation (finally)  paying dividends for a Coventry team which makes a habit of falling short on xG.

The second-half was a much more cagey affair, with tension filling the little atmosphere you can expect at a Coventry ‘home’ game. The first real chance of the half came on 70 minutes, when a corner was whipped straight onto the head of Michael Rose but the Scotsman headed over.

Blackpool were then down to 10 men, not through a red card but through injury. Simon Grayson’s second substitute Nathan Delfouneso, an ex-City loanee, was unable to continue not long after coming on. With Ryan Hardie coming on as the third substitute, the ‘Pool were down to 10.

And their misery was compiled in the dying moments of the game, City substitute Callum O’Hare scored his second goal since arriving on loan from Aston Villa. Hiwula slipped the ball into his path and his quick feet allowed him to work the space for a curling shot into the top left corner and win the game for the Sky Blues.

A deserved win for Coventry, against a side which had their share of moments in the game, lifts them up to join-top of the league with Wycombe; although, it must be caveated with the fact that Ipswich have a game in-hand. As for Blackpool, there were certainly positives to take – it’s just about putting this behind them and focussing on what has been an impressive start to the club’s first full season post-Oyston.

words Liam Murphy, Coventry City fan & writer

The Silkmen lined up in a 3-4-1-2 (ish) formation as follows;

1 Evans

6 Vassell 5 Kelleher 12 Welsh-Hayes

11 Archibald 8 Harris 14 Kirby 16 OKeefe

10 Stephens

20 Osadebe  9 Ironside

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The visitors from Sussex lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation as follows

1 Morris

3 Doherty 19 Tunnicliffe 6 Dallison 18 Sessay

28 Camara 21 Bulman

30 Lubala 12 Ferguson 7 Grego-Cox

9 Palmer

First Half

The hosts were the first to show when Silkmen wide man Theo Archibald curled a speculative effort over the bar after just a minute. In truth both sides were finding it difficult to keep hold of the ball in the early stages with meaty challenges & misplaced passes a plenty but in form Crawley man Bez Lubala attempted to change that on 11 minutes when he worked himself space in the area but his low effort was saved comfortably by Evans in the Macc goal.

The hosts were trying to find their widemen Archibald & O’keefe whenever possible & when O’Keefe won a corner on 21 minutes it led to the game’s opening goal. A short corner routine was played in by Osadebe, Crawley’s Ferguson made a hash of his attempted clearance & the ball landed at the feet of Macc defender Vassell who lashed the ball home from close range to give his side the lead. After this Crawley tried to respond & had much the better of possession but were finding Macc’s defence in a uncompromising mood, the best they could come up with was a 41st minute shot by danger man Lubala again but his shot took a deflection & Evans saved easily.

HALF TIME: MACC 1 CRAWLEY 0

Crawley head coach Cioffi must have said some harsh words at half time & after replacing the disappointing Ferguson with Mason Bloomfield at the break they started the second half with much more vigour & had the hosts camped in & around their own penalty area for the first ten minutes or so but the Macc defence was coping admirably. Then out of nothing on 57 minutes the hosts broke quickly & almost doubled their lead when a goal bound curler by Stephens was expertly turned round the post by keeper Morris.

The visitors kept up the pressure in their pursuit of an equaliser & it duly arrived in the 73rd minute with Lubala’s 6th goal of an increasingly productive season. Macc CB Kelleher handled around 30 yards from goal & Crawley’s number 30 Lubala curled a delicious free kick over the wall & into the corner to give his side a deserved equaliser. Crawley could smell a winner after this & went all out for the three points & after a goal saving tackle by MOM Vassell thwarted Olly Palmer when the striker was about to pounce & the Sussex side came even closer on 81 minutes after Lubala’s shot was parried by Evans into Palmer’s path but the big front man stumbled as he was about to shoot & a golden chance to take the points was missed. The hosts had taken a second half battering but to their credit took the game back to the visitors in the game’s final throws with first Archibald having an effort well saved by Morris & striker Ironside only just failing to reach a low cross with the keeper beaten.

FULL TIME: MACC 1 CRAWLEY 1

A very good entertaining game which was a good advertisement for League Two football, it’s just a shame there wasn’t more in the stadium to see it. Despite Crawley having a whopping 63% possession in my opinion a draw was a fair result. Both teams showed why they have had positive starts to the season, Lubala was a constant danger for the visitors but the home side’s defence, especially the excellent Vassell worked tremendously hard to keep the fluent Crawley attacks at bay, a thoroughly enjoyable game.

words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter

Goals from Lee & Aaron Martin, and a late Nicky Law strike rendered Olufela Olomola’s equaliser meaningless, in a result that not many could argue with.

Ryan Bowman returned to Brunton Park for the Grecians, while fellow former Blue teammate Tom Parkes only made the bench supplementing Matt Taylor’s starting XI. Nicky Law was the sole change as Matt Joy dropped out.

Cumbrians boss Steven Pressley opted to drop Harry McKirdy for midfielder Mo Sagaf in the front three, where Olomola replaced Elias Sørensen at striker.

Exeter were quickest out of the blocks and Lee Martin forced Adam Collin into two smart saves inside the opening seven minutes, before solid skipper Jake Taylor hit the post midway through the half.

Although Carlisle threatened via Olomola and Nathan Thomas, the hosts were breached in the 36th minute.

Once again being cut open too easily, Law beat Mike Jones to the ball and laid-on right wing-back Randell Williams, who slid it into Lee Martin; making it third time lucky to score.

There was no debate inside Brunton Park as to whether it was a fair scoreline at the break.

Half-time: 0-1

McKirdy replaced Canice Carroll at the interval – who Pressley claimed post-match did not work hard enough – and the replacing forward changed the game.

Sagaf dropped into midfield and the Cumbrians became more fluid, equalising just past the hour mark through Olomola’s bullet header after Thomas’ effort was initially blocked – another player who Pressley was critical of.

However, it took six minutes for the Grecians to regain the lead through another Martin – this time Aaron – heading in from a Law corner.

Parkes entered the fray soon after, solidifying the visiting defence as striker Bowman and Lee Martin  somehow failed to make it three due to some Collin heroics.

Exeter seemed comfortable and dealt with anything that Carlisle threw at them, before Law wrapped things up in added-time, prompting a mass exodus inside Brunton Park.

Jeered off with boos, Pressley said that he was ‘let down by the group’ – a contrast to Exeter, who greeted their 198 supporters in wild celebrations.

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Carlisle travel to winless Stevenage next Saturday, while the league leaders welcome Leyton Orient to St. James’ Park on the weekend.

Attendance: 4,167 (198)

Home star man: Adam Collin

Away star man: Nicky Law

Referee: Jeremy Simpson

words Nathan Ridley, D3D4 Carlisle United correspondent

Salford City visited the Globe Arena today to play the Shrimps for the first time ever. They were also seeking their first ever win away from home in the EFL. City’s rise from obscurity to the football league has been well documented. The fact that the so-called Class of 92 have adopted this club – in the spotlight of huge TV coverage including a documentary on terrestrial  channels at prime time and all sort of other media hyperbole – leaves most of us who have absolutely no interest in Manchester United or its Old Boys completely cold. The Ammies (pardon?) have had a silver-spooned entry into the EFL which other teams which have had to get there under their own steam and with limited resources such as Cheltenham, Newport County, Accrington and ourselves at Morecambe can only stand back and envy. Surely it must be easier to succeed when you have the backing of multi-millionaire celebrity footballers than it is to fail. Looking a little further afield, you wonder how the supporters of Bury FC must feel given the familial and other ties between the Neville brothers and their home town club – where was any tangible support from the famous duo in the Shakers’ hour of need?

Anyway, Salford arrived at the Globe Arena in sixteenth position in League Two; four places and two points better-off than today’s opponents. City have only lost one of the six League matches they have played this season; the Shrimps have lost three. The stark difference in resources between the two clubs can be simply shown by the fact that whereas ex- Fleetwood Manager Graham Alexander was able to sign Sunderland defender Jack Baldwin; Leicester City’s defender Sam Hughes and Luton striker Jake Jervis on-loan last week on deadline day until the end of the season; opposite number Jim Bentley has signed precisely nobody.

It was bright but breezy as the match kicked-off by the North Lancashire seaside. It was an open game to start off with but Barry Roche was forced into the first save of the game after nine minutes from a shot by Danny Lloyd. John O’Sullivan had an effort blocked for Morecambe shortly afterwards and Kyle Letheren was forced into a save from George Tanner after eleven minutes at the expense of a corner. But play quickly switched to the other end as Richard Towell took a shot which Lloyd managed to get a touch to and divert past a stranded Shrimps’ goalkeeper with just a quarter of an hour played. Two minutes later, Jake Jervis could have made the lead even more emphatic for the visitors but was unable to get a shot to dip enough as it crossed Big Baz’s bar. Twenty-three minutes were on the clock when Aaron Wildig fed Lewis Allesandra but Morecambe’s leading scorer missed the target on this occasion. The visitors continued to look livelier and should have gone even further ahead after half an hour when referee Josh Smith adjudged Ritchie Sutton to have handled in the Shrimps’ penalty area. But Lloyd fluffed his lines with a shot which came back off Roche’s bar and was cleared. With 38 minutes on the clock, Shaun Miller got in behind the City defence but a player who has looked short of confidence in recent times shot over when well placed. In keeping with the flow of the game so far, though, Salford Captain Adam Rooney had the last chance of the first half but his shot right at the death was fielded well by Roche in the home goal.

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Jimbo must have come out with some choice words during the break because the hosts went straight onto the front foot at the beginning of the second half. Aaron Wildig played in Miller who this time made no mistake as he belted the ball past Letheren to make it all-square after just three minutes. Miller turned provider twice in quick succession after this, playing-in Allesandra in the forty-ninth and fiftieth minutes – the Salford goalkeeper denied him both times. But there was not to be a third time lucky for Letheren and he was beaten again as Allesandra made it third time lucky for himself to turn the game on its head within five minutes of the restart. The visitors rallied a bit after that and started to create a few half-chances of their own. Baz was the busiest of the two goalkeepers, saving from Jervis and Rooney by the time just over an hour had been played.  With the wind back in their sails, the visitors made it all-level after 66 minutes. Lloyd scored directly from a free-kick which Morecambe’s veteran goalkeeper spilled into his own net: it should have been a routine save. He redeemed himself with only a couple of minutes scheduled to play, however when he saved a second penalty, this time getting down low to spoon-away Towell’s effort. It had been awarded when the lumbering substitute Adam Buxton brought-down Lloyd – the City Manager responded to the miss by immediately taking the player who had been thwarted off.

So the match ended all-square with City becoming the draw specialists in League Two: this was their fifth draw in a row in this competition. They have only themselves to blame. To miss one penalty is unfortunate; to miss two in the same game is unforgivable.  Morecambe must be given some credit for getting their noses in front at a point when they looked well beaten. But their all-round performance still gives reasons for concern about Curate’s Egg nature of the current team: good in parts; bad in others. The point means that they stay in twentieth position; Salford, meanwhile, go up one place to fifteenth.

Oh – and by the way, City are called `the Ammies’ because they were once known as Salford Amateurs. Make a note of that – you never know when it might come in useful…

Morecambe:  1 Barry Roche (C); 5 Steven Old; 3 Luke Conlan (Y) (2 Adam Buxton 72 mins); 16 Sam Lavelle; 12 Ritchie Sutton; 27 George Tanner; 15 Aaron Wildig (33 Jordan Cranston 81 mins); 6 Andrew Tutte; 7 John O’Sullivan; 8 Lewis Alessandra (11 Kevin Ellison 84 mins); 24 Shaun Miller.

Subs not used: 21 Mark Halstead; 9 Cole Stockton; 18 Rhys Oates; 23 Tyler Brownsword.

Salford City: 12 Kyle Letheren; 2 Scott Wiseman; 6 Carl Piergianni; 10 Danny Lloyd; 8 Lois Maynard; 16 Jack Baldwin; 17 Richie Towell (13 Sam Hughes 88 mins); 20 Emmanuel Dieseruvwe (25 Joey Jones 76 mins); 9 Adam Rooney (C) (21 Devante Rodney 76 mins); 22 Dan Jones; 32 Jake Jervis.

Subs not used: 31 McFarlane;29 Jake Beesley; 15 Cameron Burgess.

Ref: Josh Smith

2778

words Roger Fitton, D3D4 Morecambe correspondent

Kevin Bond has resigned as Southend United boss.

Bond, who joined the Blues at the beginning of April this year, has today parted company with the club. In his time at the helm, he managed to maintain the Shrimper’s third tier status when they looked doomed for the drop. For that, he deserves some plaudits.

The appointment of Bond was very surprising for many. He has a lack of experience as a manager and had been out of work for some time. As a right hand man to Harry Redknapp, he had plenty of time as a number two, but now he was being relied upon to make the boldest decisions. However, he was very warmly welcomed by Southend fans after a run of 14 games without a win under the previous management of club legend Chris Powell. First up was a long trip to Highbury for the galvanised Shrimpers, who dug deep and put in a massively encouraging performance against an impressive as ever Fleetwood Town, playing out a 2-2 draw. Unfortunately the single point wasn’t hugely helpful for their bid for survival, but the signs were there that they could challenge some of the better sides in the division.

Fast forward a week to the next match day as Southend faced Wycombe Wanderers in a crunch clash at roots hall. A relegation 6 pointer and a healthy crowd to supplement that. To Shrimpers’ fans disappointment, the performance left much to be desired and showed no real change from those performances under Powell. Much confusion and apprehension was now among the fans. The two performances were totally contrasting, retaining their league one status would still be a great challenge.

Very differing performances followed, until the final game of the season, at home to Sunderland who themselves were guaranteed a top 6 finish. The relegation dogfight continued until this day, a fight including AFC Wimbledon, Plymouth Argyle, Scunthorpe United, Walsall and of course Southend United.

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87th minute heroics from January signing Stephen Humphrys confirmed a 2-1 win and the blues’ survival. Bond had achieved what was expected of him and thus earning himself an extra 2 year stay at the Essex club.

Eight signings were made in the summer which, on paper, seem brilliant additions. The defence has been bolstered with the appointments of Liam Ridgewell, Joe Shaughnessy, Nathan Ralph And Andre Blackman. Mark Milligan adds experience in the midfield along with highly rated creative midfielder Ethan Hamilton, on loan from Manchester United. Layton Ndukwu and Brandon Goodship were also added to the squad and it looked as if Bond had assembled a great side.

However, the start of the 2019/20 campaign has been anything but spectacular for the Seasiders.

Under his management, the sinking shrimpers have managed just 1 win in the 9 competitive games played out so far. This was a 2-1 carabao cup win against Stevenage, at the time, pointless at the bottom of league two. On top of this, blues have conceded 24 goals in those 9 games, averaging at nearly 3 goals shipped per game. At the other end, they have scored just 7 goals.

The stats make for horrific reading and it is clear that the defence in particular is not at all performing to the level that is required. This isn’t helped by the fact that Bond changes his system very frequently, playing key players out of position and ultimately complicating the game. Substitutions are often questionable and the mentality of the team is nothing short of a disgrace.

The now ex-shrimpers boss doesn’t have a very warm personality or any particularly likeable energy. Therefore, it is not a suprise that the suffering Southend fans fell out of love with him.

The situation isn’t ideal for anyone related to the club, especially as Bond had just built a team that, in his mind was the strongest he could assemble with his given assets. But performances have been horrendously sub-standard, and having conceded 17 goals in the last 5 games, it is clear there is no real sign of change.

So, although from an outsiders point of view the sacking may seem a little harsh and unjust, it has been clear to see from all shrimpers that Bond, unfortunately seems massively out of his depth as manager and can no longer take the club forward.

But now is a time for a real think and a real consideration. The next managerial appointment has to be the correct one as a constant change of managerial staff will never allow a club to progress. But there is certainly plenty of choice. It is now a waiting game for Southend fans to see just who will next take charge.

words Leon Imber, Southend United fan & writer

Thousands of people rallying together as the actions of one man threaten to send them into the abyss. Will they save the day, or will the antagonist find a way to thwart them in their reckless self—interest-led charge? While telling the people that he is doing it for their benefit and because it’s what they want.

Bolton, Bury or Boris. Either way, the narrative sounds all too familiar?

Of the three, one was able to unshackle itself at the eleventh hour and find a new way forward. One faces a long battle – potentially in the courts – to re-establish its place in the football pyramid while the other doesn’t know their fate yet; although they are 4-0 down and they should probably tell their chief advisor to lay off the red wine a little.

There are so many people who understand the deeper workings of the above far more than I would pretend to. But there is an overarching feeling that the people who are at the top – or were at the top in one case – are showing an incredible lack of responsibility for the people ‘below’ them; in a hierarchical sense.

Much has been made of the Owners and Directors Test (known more so as the ‘fit and proper persons test’) and its feasibility to ensure that the custodians of our beloved football clubs won’t sell the stadium for development land, take money from already ailing coffers or do things that basically fly in the face of what is best for the club. If only politicians had to undergo such a test.

In that sense, the test is there to protect communities, fans and staff at the clubs. Contrary to popular belief, most of our beautiful game isn’t awash with the money that watching an episode of Match of the Day can have you believe. A lot of clubs below the top division have to watch the pennies and make frugal decisions that try – as if it were possible – to balance the administrative running of the club with the ambitions of the fans, players and coaches. As a result, some seek investment and new owners that will allow them to aim higher and, as in any walk of life, some of the people bearing gifts won’t be wise men, or women.

It’s not really anyone’s fault. Since 1993 – or 1 AS (after Sky) – in football history) the game has got richer, at the top anyway, and although the wealth filters down, it is a drop in the ocean. The half-a-million per week wages, or $91m kit deals, are few and far between, reserved for the cream of the cream and a million miles from the reality of the vast majority.

Even Premier League clubs are not completely safe. Some have sensibly – and necessarily – negotiated the line between investing in the squad and safeguarding against relegation while others have speculated to a greater or lesser extent. All who are not in Premier League 1 (Liverpool and Manchester City), Premier League 2 (Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United), Premier League 3 (Leicester and Everton) or a league of their own for a year (Chelsea), know that one bad season could leave them in Championship creek without a paddle – although admittedly with a parachute – but also with an acute need to get themselves promoted back to the promised land pretty damn quickly.

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It’s the lure of those possible riches down the line that will mean there is never a shortage of potential new owners for football clubs – even struggling ones; Bury had four bids in the week of their expulsion – who have the back-yourself confidence of a successful businessperson allied with the belief that the right set of circumstances (the right manger, luck and a following wind) they could find themselves a division higher.

Arguably, although football is increasingly referred to as a business at the top level more than anywhere else, it is those business skills that are really needed when running a club lower down the pyramid. You don’t need to be a shrewd operator when Nike are waving a near $100m cheque your way – although obviously it helps – but you do when the club is surviving on sub-four-thousand gates and occupying seventeenth place in the division.

Market forces yeah, yeah, yeah – Nike don’t pay League One clubs millions of dollars to wear their kit, that’s obvious – but that only means that owners of smaller clubs need to find ways to make their clubs live within their needs and, if they can, grow sustainably.

But it’s also tempting to also think ‘or we could just sign some better players and hope for the best.’ That’s not a criticism; most of us would be drawn that way. Think about it; you have a football club in your hands and the higher that club can get, the wealthier it will become. Isn’t the more obvious path to the streets of gold on the pitch?

Of course, it isn’t really. It just seems that way. That path is fraught with uncontrollable variables, like performance and fitness and that other teams might just be that bit better. Something completely unplanned – like a refereeing decision or a freak equaliser – can throw a season off kilter very easily. As an example, just reflect on how a Derby County goal against Aston Villa, in the last few minutes at Wembley in May, followed by a penalty shoot-out win, would have impacted on the futures of the two clubs in that promotion play-off very differently.

And even when promotion is achieved, it does not always mean that the future is necessarily bright. If the spending to get there breaks the bank, even bigger crowds, higher solidarity payments and bigger won’t always be able to put Humpty back together again -not outside the PL anyway. Sustainable growth is called that precisely because it’s not unsustainable.

But try telling that to someone who sees the possibility unfolding before them. The usual rules of business can often go out of the executive box window where football is concerned; people can act very differently under those unique circumstances. Generally, other types of business don’t find themselves in fifth place with the January transfer window about to close, so they don’t get the chance to make reckless choices that they’ll regret later. Football clubs do, and they find themselves telling fans what they want to hear, which is not always an honest and realistic appraisal of the actual situation.

It’s easier said than done, and incredibly unsexy, but maybe football ownership needs a Michael Owen style ‘Reboot’ – only with fewer Twitter spats – where owners are judged on their business acumen far more than the depth of their pockets. Again, has been made very evident this week, one’s wealth has little to do with their ability to lead, and if even the richest can resort to calling someone a ‘big girl’s blouse’ or a ‘letterbox’, then imagine the damage a multi-millionaire dictator with bigger bank accounts than brains might inflict on a football club.

Lots of fans want owners to be like them, only with more money, but – and the way money dominates the game now, unfortunately – owners ideally need to be less like fans if clubs are going to prosper rather than flirt with extinction?

Fans want to dream and have unrealistic – or even some realistic – expectations. They want their club’s owner to dig deep in order to fulfil those dreams. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if they do – I heard a Manchester United fan on the radio saying that he didn’t care if the club spent £100m on James Maddison because it wasn’t his money and the club should spend it if they have it – and in those circumstances, the point has validity BUT it also has inadvertent consequences. The rate of inflation in football is off-the-scale-rapid (it’s taken less than forty years for transfers to go from £1m to £222m) and as the amounts grow and the gap ever widens, the risks taken to try to keep up – or even just try to cling to the coattails – will also continue to grow. And whereas Manchester United might be able to afford to get it wrong, a lot more won’t.

The ability to run a football club in spite of huge debts and loans is another mixed message. If BBC reports are correct, Barcelona had to take out a sizable loan to buy Antione Griezmann and have debts of €600m, but still tried – in theory at least – to take Neymar from PSG for somewhere in the region of €200m. But there will always be someone prepared to underwrite debt for the top-top (© Michael Owen) clubs. Smaller ones don’t have that luxury and even though liquidation is rare, it does happen and only this summer, the world’s oldest league club – Notts County – came perilously close before a buyer emerged. But even if clubs aren’t in for Neymar, their owners can still be drawn into thinking that success and prosperity are just one good player from their grasp.

‘If we can just get a twenty-goal striker, we can get into the play-offs’ or ‘if we can hold onto our best player, well go up’ are all perfectly reasonable wants for football fans and club owners but the reality is that very few strikers score twenty goals, only four teams per division can be in the play-offs (and then with only a 25% chance of success) and lower league clubs have always sold their best players to achieve financial stability.

Accept that and cut your cloth accordingly is a pretty dull way to run a club but it’s not and never should be – despite the way some owners act – a toy to play a game of Russian Roulette with until they find something more interesting, run out of cash or when their Visa is withdrawn. Clubs, especially in smaller towns and cities, are a key part of local communities up and down the country. They will have anything from two to two-hundred employees whose livelihoods are in the club’s hands. More than anything, they are integral to the wellbeing, hopes and dreams of all those people whose lives they connect with. None of that should really be trifled with for a bit of short term gratification.

But when opportunity seemingly knocks? That’s where any kind of test falls down. Even the most stringent examinations can only size up what is in front of them at the time.

What if the person decides to become unfit and improper later on? Not many people begin life that way, but all kinds of things can derail rational thinking and common sense and bring out another side of us – one our own brother might want to disown. We don’t need to look too far to see how power and ambition in the wrong hands, especially when listening to the wrong people too, can have potentially dire consequences.

It’s just in footballing terms, owners do it in the quest to try to get into Europe at all costs rather than out of it.

Will this realignment of thinking – at owner and fan level – change? I suspect not; while the potential rewards on offer feel like they are worth that kind of gamble, anyway.

But as desperate as we all are for it to go our way, where football clubs are concerned at least, it should never be a case of ‘do or die’.

words Darren Young, D3D4 columnist

The Dutchman joins on a two-year deal after playing for Jupiler League outfit Roda JC Kerkrade. As a 16-year-old he played in the Manchester United academy after the Premier League giants brought him over to England from the Ajax youth set-up.

While at United, he played with the likes of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard. The 25-year-old’s desire to play in England and the fact that he knows former-Crawley winger Enzio Boldewijn gave the West Sussex outfit an advantage over his other suitors.

“Gyliano has got a very good pedigree and is someone we have been looking at for several months.” said Crawley Director of Football Selim Gaygusuz.

“In the summer we made contact and although he had other options in Europe, he is very keen to play in England. Fortunately for us, he knows our former player Enzio Boldewijn well and Enzio could not have been more helpful with regards to his positive comments about the club.”

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The Reds have made an excellent start to the League Two season and manager Gabriele Cioffi believes the addition of Van Velzen will offer the club a lot in attack.

“Welcome Gyliano to the club. He has a lot to offer us we believe,” said the Italian boss.

“He is strong and quick and can bring assists and goals. The football in Holland is more technical but he has the attributes to make a positive contribution to us.”

Crawley face another League Two surprise package in Macclesfield at the weekend as they look to continue their positive start.

Looking back on our predictions podcast, conducted well before the transfer window closed I might add, there have been a number of teams and players that have started the campaign in a way I just did not expect.

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Some have been a lot better than predicted, much like the first time you try olives, and below are the six most suprising outcomes in League Two so far this season, good or bad:

Scunthorpe United: The Iron rusting away

It is true I wasn’t that hot on Scunthorpe going into this season with concerns mainly focussed around their lack of pace in defence and lack of a player to score the goals they’d need to make an immediate challenge, however I never assumed they would be this bad.

Paul Hurst has faced a torrid time, partly due to injuries, suspensions (is it me or has James Perch been sent off more times than he’s played) and a rather public spat with Adam Hammill.

The fact that he put out a strong side in the EFL Trophy to face rivals Grimsby say a fair bit about the pressure he is already under but with the squad available to him, including Jamie Proctor  George Miller, you’d expect them to improve over the coming weeks.

Key stat: Only four teams have created more chances than Scunthorpe in League Two this season

Crewe: Railwaymen enjoying life on the road

Last season Crewe travelled about as well as six toddlers suffering from car sickness yet that, early as it is, appears to be a thing of the past. Alex have won the same number of games away from Gresty Road as they have at their home fortress this season and are looking as though this is no fluke.

The defeat they did suffer on their travel was at Rodney Parade, a place where even Premier League clubs fear to tread, and that loss was harsh given the performance. If they can continue the improvement throughout the season the Crewe will be worth keeping an eye on in 2019-20.

Key stat: Crewe have created 38 chances in League Two this season, no team has created more.

Crawley: The Italian job

There were more than a few detractors of the Reds going into this season and not without good reason. The team had really struggled at the end of the last campaign winning just four games from February onwards but the board kept faith with Gabriele Cioffi and a summer of smart recruitment has yeilded a positive start.

Bez Lubala has been a revelation while Tom Dallison and Jordan Tunnicliffe have formed a solid partnership in the centre of defence. They are yet to see the best of Ashley Nadesan although he has shown glimpses of class as he tries to get his sharpness back. Early days but a very good start for the West Sussex outfit.

Key stat: Only Leyton Orient have a better xG than Crawle (11.12) in the fourth tier this season

Mansfield: Stuttering stags

There is no reason why Mansfield shouldn’t be challenging at the top end of the League Two table and yet they have really struggled so far this season. Injuries have played a huge part but poor discipline, individual errors and a lack of oomph, for want of a better word, have also been a prevelent factor in the side’s struggles.

Danny Rose has been a shining light in the August gloom but more is needed from CJ Hamilton and the likes of Jacob Mellis if Dempster is going turn this poor start into anything looking like a promotion challenge come May.

Key stat: Only Scunthorpe (0.16) have a worst xG per shot against than Mansfield (0.15) this season in League Two

Grimsby: Flying fish

The Mariners have suffered in recent campaigns with lack of creativity and weak forward play yet this season has been a pleasant surprise so far. The attacking trident of Matt Green, James Hanson and Moses Ogbu have made them the most potent side in the division with 13 goals scored in just six games.

James Hanson has been the real game changer. He has won more aerial duels than any player in the EFL by some way while also netting five goals. The Mariners are benefitting from having a fit again Elliott Whitehouse playing in midfield with strong tackling dynamo Jake Hessenthaler. Again the Mariners board deserve credit for backing their manager with both players and, more importantly, time. Michael Jolley will not be getting carried away but long-suffering Grimsby fans can at least enjoy the moment.

Key stat: Grimsby have scored at least two more goals than any other side in League Two this season.

Macclesfield: Silky Silkmen

Sol Campbell leaving is not even the biggest story to emerge from the club this season. High Court appearances and financial mismanagement have also made headline news but, in fact, their form in the league has been a remarkable tale in itself. Daryl McMahon has continued the good work Campbell started and has done so on one of the smallest budgets in the EFL.

Theo Archibald looks a steal and Emmanuel Osadebehas been impressive. Jay Harris was an excellent signing after he played a part in getting Tranmere promoted while Eddie Clarke has been a shrewd loan addition from Fleetwood.

Whether they can keep up the form that sees them sitting in the play-off places at the time of writing is unlikely but it does suggest that the Silkmen will be a long way from the relegation place come the end of the season.

Key stat: Macclesfield have made more interceptions (344) than any other side in League Two this season

words James Richards

Whitfield joined the National League side on Tuesday and his agent, Dan Fletcher, said he was delighted to have negotiated the deal. He said:

“Delighted to have negotiated the transfer of Ben Whitfield from Port Vale to Torquay United.

“Sometimes you have to do everything to get a player away from a manager, even if it means taking a step back to go several steps forward. Our clients will always come first.”

Askey was very statesmanlike in his response to Stoke on Trent Live:

“I don’t look at social media so it doesn’t bother me one bit. If people want to criticise me then so be it.

“I think it (the transfer) is good for all parties. Hopefully, he can get playing and we move on. As we have seen tonight, I think we are stronger as a squad then we were last year and that is the most important thing. The only thing that matters is Port Vale.”

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Whitfield’s move away from Vale Park made room for Jordan Archer to sign, who scored on his debut last night (03 September). Vale’s next game is on a trip to Newport County on Saturday 07 September.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury in Northampton’s defeat in the EFL Trophy defeat to Peterborough United last night. The Cobblers were also dealt a further blow as Matty Warburton was also injured in the game.

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The former-Carlisle boss was disappointed for his midfielder who, he believed, was starting to enjoy his football.

“Ryan has broken his collarbone and Matt Warburton has a nasty gash on his ankle,” he said.

“Ryan is going to need surgery and we will find out more on Matty on Wednesday. Charlie Goode and Jordan Turnbull also both missed the game tonight through injury and they will be assessed as the week goes on.

“It’s a real shame for Ryan because I felt he was just starting to find his feet and he was really enjoying his football. He’s going to be out for a period of time now and it’s going to be a lot of hard work for him to get back fit but he needs to treat it as a challenge.”

Northampton will be hoping to secure back-to-back league victories for the first time this season when they face Bradford at Valley Parade following last weekend’s 3-1 win at home to Plymouth.

Huddersfield Town had agreed a £1 million compensation fee for the Cowley brothers but they decided it was the wrong time to move on from Sincil Bank, according to The Daily Mail.

The Terriers parted ways with Jan Siewart last month and are believed to have offered the pair up to £1.5 million per year in wages; a tenfold increase on their current earnings at Lincoln. In regards to this matter, Danny Cowley said:

 “It would have to be the perfect opportunity for us to leave Lincoln.

“We have built something special here and the timing isn’t right for us to walk away from this brilliant football club where we have had so much success.”

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Cowley guided the Imps to promotion from League Two and they have started their League One campaign strongly, with 12 points secured from a possible 18.

As a result, Lincoln sit in second place. Since the Cowley brothers joined the club in 2016, the Imps they have won two promotions, the EFL Trophy and reached an FA Cup quarter-final.

This isn’t the first time the Cowley brothers have been linked to a move away, with West Brom rumoured to have been interested in the summer as well as at least two other Championship sides.

Sheffield Wednesday are also thought to be considering the Cowley brothers for their vacant managerial position and dicussions are believed to be ongoing.