 |
Millwall took on Swansea at the Vetch Field on Sunday knowing victory could have sent them six points clear. The Swans were in determined mood however, and deserved their point in a 0-0 draw, though they had to thank veteran keeper Roger Freestone (pictured), playing in his 500th league game for the home side, for two great saves late on.
Rotherham, Stoke and Reading all closed the gap at the top. The Millers coasted to a home victory over Cambridge, with ex-Aston Villa and Burnley striker Alan Lee netting his first senior hat-trick. Stoke returned from struggling Perterborough with an emphatic four-goal victory, while the Royals had to work slightly harder in the London derby at Brentford, where Sammy Igoe’s strike on the hour proved to be the decisive one in a 2-1 victory.
Bristol City lost ground after a Peter Beadle goal on the stroke of half-time could only secure them a point at Swindon. Notts. County and Northampton also stuttered against struggling teams, the former only drawing 0-0 at Bristol Rovers, who incredibly are still to win at home in the middle of February, and the Cobblers suffering a surprise 1-0 reverse at home to second-botton Luton Town.
Oxford look increasingly likely to be spending next season in Division Three after going down to a 2-1 home defeat against Wycombe. They took an early lead through Hackett, only to be pulled level before half-time. A last-minute winner from Keith Ryan consigned the Manor Ground side to their tenth home defeat of the campaign, and 22nd in all.
Port Vale gained a welcome home victory to move out of the relegation places. Veteran Tony Naylor gave Vale a seventh-minute lead, only to see Jason Tindall equalise on 67 minutes. Neil Brisco sent the fans home happy though, as his last-minute 20-yard curler found the back of the net to steal the three points.
Finally, Oldham striker Carlo Corazzin returned to form with a four-goal blast in a 5-1 romp over Wrexham at Boundary Park, a result which sees them climb into the top-half of the table for the first time this season.
