HE’S SO KEANE
Lewis-Potter strikes twice to keep Tigers roaring at the top
GRANT McCANN hailed the match-winning contribution from Keane LewisPotter.
Lewis-Potter was a threat from kick-off and scored twice for his hometown club, who are now six points clear at the top of the table.
McCann said: “I thought he was excellent. He started really brightly and played really well. When Keano’s playing with that confidence it’s great to see.
“When I left him out against Bristol Rovers I always had in the back of my mind that this game would be good for him – to freshen him up and bring him back in. He’s gone up a notch. He caused (Anthony) Forde lots of problems all game and I’m really, really pleased with Keane’s performance.
“He’s done really well and has run himself into the ground. It was another good performance and another win. I couldn’t be more pleased since we lost at Ipswich.
“We know this has been the season of all seasons, and I don’t think people understand how relentless it’s been for the players.”
Karl Robinson accepted that scoring goals is becoming a difficulty in Oxford’s quest for the play-offs. He said: “I’m really proud of the players.
“For 60 minutes. we were the better ream, but we have to take our chances.
“I felt that in that first 30 minutes we missed a number of chances.
“For large parts, we dominated the game and hurt them, But for the last 35 minutes we were dominated.
“I think it’s not a lack of confidence (scoring goals) because they care so much.”
Crewe 0 Burton 3
MANAGER Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink insists Burton are not safe yet.
Kane Hemmings struck a hat-trick to secure Albion’s sixth consecutive win.
Hasselbaink said: “We are not there yet. While we are going in the right direction, we have done nothing yet.
“Today was a brilliant execution and a brilliant game, but we need to just keep on going.”
Crewe boss Dave Artell said: “Some of them (players) are really too comfortable. I can’t accept that (performance) from one of my teams.”
WE’VE WON IT Salford’s players celebrate after their shoot-out win
PORTSMOUTH were outclassed in front of the Class of ’92 as Salford celebrated their first trophy in the big time.
Co-owners Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville were at Wembley to watch the Ammies deservedly pip Pompey via a penalty shoot-out.
This was last year’s Papa John’s Trophy of course – Covid-19 caused a delay of almost a year – and Salford will have to hand it over to Sunderland or Tranmere later today.
Ammies boss Richie Wellens described it beforehand as a hindrance to his side’s League Two promotion hopes. But as hindrances go it was one of the best, with Jason
Lowe slamming home the deciding spot-kick.
Wellens wasn’t even boss when Salford booked their place in the final all those months ago.
And he made sure
Graham Alexander, who he replaced in November, and the players who moved on, got some credit.
He said: “Without them we wouldn’t be here. I spoke about it being a hindrance but it was more the timing of the game – I’m hoping to use it as a springboard now. We deserved to win.”
Defeat was a huge setback for Pompey boss Kenny Jackett, who has lost the faith of many fans.
Pompey were the holders having won in 2019 but now face promotion rivals Peterborough and Ipswich in dismal form.
Jackett said: “We have an opportunity now in some very big games and we have to take it.
“Nobody wants to come to Wembley and lose. By half-time the only good thing we could say is that the game was 0-0. We fought back but you have to put the ball in the net.”
Pompey had keeper Craig MacGillivray to thank for avoiding a thrashing. James Wilson twice forced him into early saves,
Brandon Thomas-Asante was then denied twice, and Jordan Turnbull also foiled.
Jackett made a triple change at the break – and newcomer Ronan Curtis soon forced Vaclav Hladky (below) into his first stop.
MacGillivray pulled off his best save in the 66th minute. Skipper Ash Eastham met a free-kick from point-blank range but somehow he stuck out an arm to block.
Curtis missed another decent Pompey chance, as did substitute Lee Brown, but MacGillivray had to get the better of sub Bruno Andrade to keep the tie alive.
In extra time Hladky made a great save from Ryan Williams before sub Mani Dieseruvwe smacked a post for Salford.
Williams and Curtis fluffed Pompey’s first two spot-kicks to set the stage for Lowe to clinch it. PORTSMOUTH: MacGillivray 9; Bolton 6, Whatmough 6, Raggett 5, Daniels 5 (Brown 46, 6); Williams 6, Naylor 6, Byers 5 (Close 73, 5), White 4 (Curtis 46, 6); Hiwula 6 (Harness 46, 5), Marquis 4 (Jacobs 106, 5).
SALFORD CITY: Hladky 8; Clarke 7 (Loughlan 115, 5), Eastham 7, Turnbull 7, Touray 7; Lowe 7, Threlkeld 7; Towell 7 (Dieseruvwe 99, 6), Thomas-Asante 7; Hunter 6 (Andrede 74, 6); Wilson 7 (Burgess 86, 6).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Craig MacGillivray. Pompey keeper deserves a statue not a loser’s medal. REFEREE: Carl Boyeson 6.
CONOR HOURIHANE struck early as lady luck continues to shine on Swansea.
The men from South Wales have earned a reputation as the streakiest side in the Championship of late.
And if they can carry on winning games like this, promotion will be in the bag.
Swansea were outplayed for much of the match after attacking midfielder Hourihane’s effort.
The only surprise was their run of scoring penalties came to an end after netting from one for four games running.
Swans boss Steve Cooper (celebrating the win with Korey Smith, right) said: “You have to make your own luck. We took our chance.
“I think that was our 18th clean sheet of the season and don’t think that’s down to luck.
“It was a very tough game and not pretty. We need to say ‘well done to the lads’.
“We had one good moment and Conor took it.”
Hourihane has played a crucial role since arriving on loan from Aston Villa and now has five goals in just 11 league appearances.
He fired home with two minutes and 44 seconds on the clock after a super run from Yan Dhanda.
After that it was all Luton.
Dan Potts had a header disallowed for offside and Elijah Adebayo was denied by Freddie Woodman’s legs before the Luton youngster went close from 35 yards.
The Hatters had claims for a penalty waved away against a Ryan Manning handball and Adebayo also appeared to be fouled by Joel Latibeaudiere in the second half.
And it was Jordan Clark who missed a sitter with his head from Harry Cornick’s cross. Luton lost
Potts to a sickening head injury with the defender down for six minutes, but boss Nathan Jones insisted he was fine and did not suffer concussion.
Jones was furious with the outcome, though, and said: “Decision making by our players and officials cost us. We were the better side for the majority of the game.
“We were dominant and need to be more clinical. “Swansea did not defend well, we created enough to win a Championship game comfortably.
“It was a clear penalty for handball and Elijah’s was a stonewall.”
Sluga 6; Pearson 7 (LuaLua 83), Naismith 7, Potts 7 (Cranie 45, 6); Bree 6, Tunnicliffe 7, Dewsbury-Hall 5, Mpanzu 7, Clark 6; Cornick 6 (Collins 70, 5), Adebayo 7. SWANSEA: Woodman 6; Naughton 6, Bennett 6, Latibeaudiere 6; Roberts 6, Grimes 7, Smith 6, Manning 7; Dhanda 7 (Lowe 65, 6), Hourihane 7 (Fulton 65, 6), Ayew 6.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Yan Dhanda. superb run set up Hourihane’s early goal, very lively first half.
REFEREE: Darren Bond 6.
LUTON: