League One Review: 10 September

Over a month into the new League One season, and we’re beginning to see the early pacesetters and early back runners. Either way, it’s been an entertaining start to the campaign, and this weekend was no different. Here is your League One Review:

 

Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons

Bolton remain top of League One after they kept their unbeaten start to the season in tact with a draw with MK Dons.

Phil Parkinson’s side took the lead inside ten minutes when Jay Spearing’s corner was swept home by Mark Beevers.

The Trotters, who dominated the first half, should have doubled their advantage but David Wheater headed over from close range.

Kieran Agard missed a chance to score his first Dons goal after he failed to connect to a Dean Bowditch cross, but Karl Robinson’s side were level after the break through Ryan Colclough.

Agard then won a penalty for the visitors, but the striker was denied from the spot by Bolton keeper Mark Howard.

The miss could have proved costly, with the hosts being denied a penalty themselves, before Newcastle loanee Sammy Ameobi had two late efforts saved by David Martin.

 

Scunthorpe United 4-0 Southend United

Scunthorpe moved up to second in League One with a comfortable home victory over Southend.

Paddy Madden gave the Iron the lead ten minutes before the break, before Kevin van Veen doubled the hosts advantage four minutes before the break with his sixth goal of the season.

After the break, Scunthorpe continued where they ended the first half and added a third when Josh Morris fired in from twenty yards.

Madden then thought he added his second, only for the goal to he ruled out for offside, before substitute Richie Smallwood saw a terrific volley seal a comfortable win.

 

Gillingham 1-1 Bradford City

Bradford remain unbeaten in League One after they left Gillingham with a point.

Mark Marshall was off target for the visitors after ten minutes, before Cody McDonald powered the Gills into a twelfth minute lead.

Bradford, who had a series of shots on goal blocked, found an equaliser after half an hour as Jordy Hiwula flicked in a header from the corner.

Neither side could find a winning goal; Josh Cullen’s fierce drive for the visitors was the opportunity, before Max Ehmer saw his effort for the Gills blocked.

A second yellow card for Gills defender Ryan Jackson came too late to affect what was, on balance, a fair result.

 

Fleetwood Town 2-2 Charlton Athletic

Charlton rescued a point at in form Fleetwood as the two shared the spoils at the Highbury stadium.

Fleetwood began the strongest, and took the lead inside five minutes after Chris Long rocketed the ball past Declan Rudd for his third goal in as many games, but the Addicks were level after half an hour when Josh Magennis nodded in Ricky Holmes’ cross.

David Ball restored Uwe Rosler’s sides advantage before the break, curling into the top corner.

With Charlton pressing for an equaliser in the second half, Chris Neal was on hand to deny Holmes and Lee Novak.

But Novak found the net with three minutes remaining, turning in Kevin Foley’s pass to earn Russell Slade’s side a point.

 

Millwall 1-1 Coventry City

Coventry are still in search of their first league win of the season, but they earned a decent point at Millwall.

The hosts began stronger and created a few early opportunities. David Worrall headed over from a cross, before Byron Webster wasted an opportunity from a corner.

But the visitors took the lead against the run of play midway through the first half; Marvin Sordell, scoring his first Sky Blues goal, turned and shot from 25 yards to give Tony Mowbray’s side the lead.

Aiden O’Brien could have levelled before the break, but his effort was off target.

Coventry pushed for a second in the second half, but Sordell shot wide before he was denied by Tony Craig shortly after.

And the misses proved costly as O’Brien tapped home the equaliser following good play from Steve Morison.

 

Peterborough United 2-2 Port Vale

Port Vale rescued a late point as they drew at Peterborough.

Alex Jones gave the Valiants a sixth minute lead, firing home from a Remie Streete knockdown, but the Posh were level two minutes later when Marcus Maddison picked out George Moncur to score his first goal since arriving from Barnsley.

The hosts wasted a handful of chances after the break, but Moncur added his second six minutes before full time which looked like the winner.

But four minutes into stoppage time, Andrew Hughes was dismissed for a deliberate handball in the box, and Jones converted the penalty to level the tie again.

 

Bury 2-1 Shrewsbury Town

Ten men Bury needed a last minute winner as they earned the win over ten men Shrewsbury.

The hosts had the better of the earlier chances, with Zeli Ismail cutting back for Danny Mayor who’s shot was wide, before James Vaughan saw his goal bound effort blocked.

Vaughan and Shrews skipper Adam El-Abd then clashed five minutes before the break, with the both players being booked, before the Shakers forward caught the defender late two minutes later, resulting in his dismissal.

After the restart, El-Abd was then dismissed for the visitors for a late foul on Mayor, leaving both sides a man down.

Shortly after the Shrews dismissal, Mayor gave the Shakers the lead, but Micky Mellon’s side levelled shortly after through Ivan Toney.

And with time running out and a draw looking likely, Mayor popped up to score his and Bury’s second to earn all three

 

Northampton Town 2-0 Walsall

Northampton made it back to back wins in League One with victory over Walsall.

Both sides created early chances, with Kenji Gorre slicing over for the hosts, before Amadou Bakayoko forced Cobblers keeper Adam Smith into a save.

But the hosts found the breakthrough when Matt Taylor expertly finished from a Harry Beautyman cross, before Beautyman came close himself on two occasions.

Saddlers goalkeeper Neil Etheridge denied Alex Revell, but was unable to stop him from the spot after Jason McCarthy had handled in the box.

 

Oxford United 2-0 Swindon Town

A Chris Maguire brace saw Oxford extend their winning run over rivals Swindon to six in a feisty affair at the Kassam Stadium.

Maguire came closest to opening the scoring in the first half, firing over, before seeing a 20 yard free kick saved by Lawrence Vigouroux.

But after a clever run from Liam Sercombe ended in the Oxford man tumbling in the box, Maguire gave the U’s the lead from the spot on the stroke of half time.

In the second half, Michael Appleton’s side continued to dominate, and netted a second when Maguire closed down a backpass, which resulting in a vital block from Vigouroux’s clearance.

Swindon, who failed to get into the game, were then reduced to ten men when Lloyd Jones was dismissed for a second yellow, before Vigouroux denied Alex MacDonald.

Vigouroux was then dismissed late on for retaliating following a tackle from MacDonald, but it was Oxford’s day as they celebrated “six in a row.”

 

AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Sheffield United

Sheffield United made it three successive victories as they edged past AFC Wimbledon in a five goal thriller at Kingsmeadow.

Mark Duffy have the Blades a 20th minute lead after he beat a defender and the goalkeeper before finding the net, before skipper Billy Sharpe doubled the lead with a header.

Dom Poleon pulled one back before the break for the Dons, heading in Andy Barcham’s cross, before Duffy and Matt Done squandered chances to add a third.

But fifteen minutes into the second half, Done restored Chris Wilder’s two goal advantage, before Tom Elliott reduces the deficit again.

But the Blades held on to claim the win and move up the table, just a few weeks after they were winless.

 

Oldham Athletic 0-0 Chesterfield 

Chesterfield ended their run of three straight defeats as they earned a point at Oldham.

Oldham came close after ten minutes, but Billy McKay saw his powerful effort saved by Ryan Fulton.

Fulton also denied Lee Erwin, before Ched Evans was denied for the visitors by Connor Ripley.

Oldham, who have recorded three goalless draws in four home games this season, came close after the break but McKay’s shot struck the post.

Lee Croft forced Fulton into the save, before Ripley denied Gboly Ariyibi at the other end as both goalkeepers deserved their clean sheets.

 

Bristol Rovers 2-2 Rochdale

Bottom side Rochdale managed a point at Bristol Rovers despite ending the game with ten men.

The visitors, who are yet to win this season, took the lead on 17 minutes when Callum Camps rounded goalkeeper Kelle Roos before opening the scoring, but Matt Taylor scrambled home the equaliser four minutes later.

But the Dale regained their lead less than a minute later when Joe Bunney crossed for Ian Henderson who tapped home.

Dale could have made it three before the break, but Peter Vincenti headed wide before Henderson saw an effort saved.

Taylor levelled again after the restart with a terrific volley, before Neil Canavan was dismissed for a second yellow with fifteen minutes remaining.