EFLWEEKEND ROUND-UP
THERE was an unlikely visitor at the Den for MILLWALL’S 3-2 defeat by NORWICH on saturday. Much to the surprise of nearby home fans, FiFA president Gianni infantino was in the stands, having attended a meeting of lawmakers iFAB earlier in the day. The swiss saw an eventful game. Tom Bradshaw opened the scoring for the hosts, but his own goal put Norwich in front after Jacob sorensen’s equaliser. A brilliantly improvised strike by Gabriel sara wrapped things up for the visitors, who moved into the play-off spots, with Zian Flemming’s late goal a mere consolation.
‘it’s a massive win, for sure,’ said Norwich manager David Wagner. ‘The atmosphere was very, very intense and we started not at our best, but how we reacted was great. i’m absolutely delighted.’
STOKE boss Alex Neil enjoyed his first return to the stadium of Light since an acrimonious exit from SUNDERLAND last August. strikers Tyrese Campbell and Dwight Gayle both scored twice as Neil’s side ran out 5-1 winners, silencing a home crowd who had been giving both barrels to the scot.
‘What’s been disappointing for me is that i’ve been painted as a villain, with a lot of untrue things said about me,’ said Neil in response to the fan backlash. ‘But i’m a big boy and i’m not going to cry about it.
‘i enjoyed winning for the people who want to label me the bad guy.’ SHEFFIELD UNITED will be looking nervously over their shoulders after losing 1-0 at promotion rivals
BLACKBURN. Harry Pickering’s winner means the Blades are four points ahead of third-placed MIDDLESBROUGH, who thrashed READING 5-0 at home. ‘We weren’t at our best,’ admitted United
boss Paul Heckingbottom. ‘We didn’t play with pace or energy.’ At the other end of the table, Neil Warnock branded his HUDDERSFIELD side’s defending ‘elementary’ after they were
humbled 4-0 at home by COVENTRY — the in-form Viktor Gyokeres scoring twice.
In League One, Duncan Ferguson is still searching for his first win as FOREST GREEN ROVERS manager, seven games into his tenure. Fellow strugglers ACCRINGTON STANLEY moved out of the bottom three after coming from behind to beat Ferguson’s men 2-1 thanks to goals from Aaron Pressley and Rosaire Longelo. Ferguson was furious with referee Declan Bourne’s decision to send off defender Oliver Casey over a high tackle. ‘We were in control of the match then the referee got involved in a decision he didn’t need to get involved with,’ Ferguson said. ‘He can quite easily give the boy a yellow card and we all move on. But their players surrounded him, like they did all game, and he fell for it. It was a poor decision.’ Table-toppers SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY secured their seventh straight home win in the league, beating PETERBOROUGH 1-0 thanks to a Nathan Thompson own goal. It is their longest winning streak since 1964.
‘We threatened all afternoon,’ said boss Darren Moore. ‘We’re in it together and we got over the line together.’
In League Two, high-flying STEVENAGE’S recent poor form continued with a 2-0 loss at ROCHDALE — Devante Rodney and Danny Lloyd with the goals. ‘We need individuals to bring their performances back up to the level they were at early in the season,’ admitted Boro boss Steve Evans.
NEWPORT manager Graham Coughlan told his players to raise their standards after they blew a lead in losing 3-1 at promotion-chasing SALFORD. ‘The ugly side came out,’ Coughlan fumed. ‘I hope it’s a one-off. I didn’t like some of the things I saw.’