SEVEN-UP! IT’S JOY FOR EXILES
THE group stages of the Leasing.com Trophy came to a con- clusion in midweek – with an avalanche of goals.
A whopping 72 goals were scored in 19 ties across Tuesday and Wednesday, making an average of almost four per game.
Cheltenham’s Jonny-Rocks Stadium witnessed 11 of them, with visitors Newport County weighing in with seven. In an incredible match, the Exiles led 5-3 at the interval before going on to triumph 7-4.
Taylor Maloney and Tristan Abrahams both weighed in with hat-tricks for Newport, while Matty Dolan also chipped in from the penalty spot. Max Sheaf, Alex Addai, Sean Long and Ben Tozer were on the mark for the shell-shocked Robins in the Southern Group E clash.
The following night already-qualified Exeter did Newport a favour by beating West
Ham U21s 3-1 in the final Group E match. Joel Randall bagged a brace and Jordan Tillson also
netted for the Grecians, who won all their three group matches to top the pile.
Newport, West Ham U21s and Cheltenham all finished on three points, but the Exiles moved through to the knockout stages by virtue of a better goal difference.
Walsall have had their difficulties of late, but they enjoyed a morale-boosting 6-0 victory against Forest Green in Southern Group D. Josh Gordon notched a hat-trick, one from the spot, while Wes McDonald, Liam Kinsella and Cameron Norman joined him on the scoresheet. Forest Green also had Aaron Collins sent off on 51 minutes for two bookable offences.
The thumping victory enabled Walsall to top the group, while Rovers, in third, bowed out. Runners-up Coventry join the Saddlers in the last 32.
Fleetwood ensured their qualification with a 5-2 demolition of Oldham, dumping the Latics out of the competition in the process. Peter Clarke, Josh Morris, Jack Sowerby, Wes Burns and Paddy Madden all struck within the opening 51 minutes for the Cod Army, Jonny Smith and Desire Segbe Azankpo replying for Oldham.
Accrington had already won Northern Group B with a maximum nine points, while Liverpool U21s waved farewell with just a single point to their name.
On-song Oxford just keep piling up the victories. The U’s romped to a 4-1 win at Crawley, with Rob Hall leading the way with a hat-trick, including two penalties. Anthony Forde also scored from the spot for Oxford. Mason Bloomfield netted for Crawley, who had George Francomb sent off in the second half.
De-throned
Holders Portsmouth and Oxford had already qualified from Southern Group B. Norwich
U21s and pointless Crawley bow out.
Last season’s beaten finalists
Sunderland won’t be making an immediate Wembley return.
They crashed out, going down 3-0 at Scunthorpe, who secured the runners-up spot in Northern Group A behind Leicester U21s.
After Luke O’Nien was dismissed on 65 minutes for bringing down Abo Eisa, Lee Novak scored from the resulting penalty. The Iron wrapped things up late on with further goals from Eisa and Novak.
Derek Adams got off to a winning start as Morecambe manager as the Shrimps came from behind to beat Carlisle
3-1 at the Globe Arena. Jarrad Branthwaite gave the visitors a first-half lead, but the Shrimps stormed back with goals from Andrew Tutte (pen), Aaron Wildig and Luke Conlan.
Both teams bowed out of the competition, with Blackpool and Wolves U21s securing the top two places in Northern Group G. It also proved to be the last match in charge for Cumbrians boss Steven Pressley, who was sacked as manager the following day.
Sol Campbell earned his first victory as Southend manager as his side beat AFC Wimbledon
3-1 at home. Nathan Ralph, Ethan Hamilton and Tom Hopper netted for the Shrimpers, Tommy Wood replying for the Dons.
Both sides exit the Trophy, with Brighton U21s and Leyton
Orient marching on from Southern Group C. Mark Cullen netted twice, including an 85th-minute winner, as Port Vale made it three wins from three by beating pointless Newcastle U21s 2-1 in Northern Group D.
Advancing
Shrewsbury join them in the last 32 after beating Macclesfield 3-1. Louis Thompson, Dave Edwards and Brad Walker netted for the Shrews, who also had Donald Love sent off. Theo Archibald scored for crisis-hit Macc. Bristol Rovers topped the pile in Southern Group F thanks to a 1-0 victory against Swindon. Mark Little netted the decisive goal on 73 minutes. Chelsea
U21s also qualified, but Plymouth and Swindon, the latter without a point, missed out. Goals were fairly thin on the ground in Southern Group A. A Ryan Clampin goal in the 80th minute gave Colchester a 1-0 derby win against Ipswich and ensured they leapfrogged the Tractor Boys to top spot.
Gillingham beat Tottenham
U21s 2-0 with goals from Alex Jakubiak and Jack Tucker in the other game in the group, though neither side progressed.
Lincoln needed a four-goal victory against Rotherham to snatch runners-up spot in Northern Group H, but were left frustrated after a 3-0 win. John Akinde netted twice in the opening 14 minutes and sub Tyler Walker struck on 87 minutes.
Manchester United U21s topped the group with a maximum haul of nine points and they’re joined by Doncaster in the second round. MK
Dons won Southern Group G despite going down to a 2-1 defeat at home against
Wycombe, who finished bottom. After goals from Dons’ Brennan Dickenson and Wycombe’s Nnamdi Ofoborh, both teams were reduced to ten men following red cards for Kieran Agard (MK) and Giles Phillips (Wycombe) in the 88th minute after an off-the-ball clash. There was still time for the Chairboys’ Josh Parker to net an injury time winner in the dead rubber. Stevenage go through alongside the Dons. In another dead rubber, Peterborough, who had already won Southern Group H, beat
Cambridge 2-1. Joe Ward and Ricky Jade-Jones netted for Posh, Harvey Knibbs netted a consolation for the U’s.
Northampton had already clinched second place.
In a match to decide top spot in Northern Group C, Salford won 2-0 at Tranmere thanks to goals from Oscar Threlkeld and Liam Hogan. Both teams advanced, while Aston Villa U21s finished bottom of the threeteam group. Mansfield grabbed runners-up spot in Northern Group E with a fine 2-1 win at Burton. Danny Rose and Ryan Sweeney struck for the Stags before David Templeton pulled one back, all the goals coming in the first half.
Everton U21s won the group, while it proved the end of the road for Crewe and Burton. Rochdale notched a 2-1 success at Bradford courtesy of goals from Rekeil Pyke and Fabio Tavares after Tyler French had given the Bantams the lead. However, Manchester City U21s and Bolton moved through from Northern Group F.