A glance around the division and all the goals
Exeter City halted their five-game run of defeats in all competitions thanks to Alan Gow’s goal with ten minutes to go at Adams Park against Wycombe Wanderers. Steven Craig had put the Chairboys in front ten minutes into the first half, but Gow’s strike proved crucial in ensuring a 1-1 draw to get the ticking over the points again.
It was a night of very few goals elsewhere in the division. Portsmouth got off to the best possible start in their first game since manager Guy Whittingham was sacked, as Andy Barcham struck after just two minutes to put them in front at Fratton Park against Southend United. But the Shrimpers managed to come back even having lost Cauley Woodrow to a red card – two goals in the space of five minutes from Will Atkinson and Barry Corr swung things in the favour of Phil Brown’s side. Southend’s 2-1 victory means they have won all of their three away games in November.
Reuben Reid scored from the spot for Plymouth
Reuben Reid scored from the spot for Plymouth
Both goals came early on in the Devon Derby as Torquay United drew 1-1 with Plymouth Argyle at Plainmoor. After Elliot Benyon gave the Gulls a sixth-minute lead, Reuben Reid scored a penalty conceded by Jordan Chappell just three minutes later, and that was that. Torquay remain in the drop-zone, with one point the gap between them and Bristol Rovers. Argyle, meanwhile, are now two places and two points below the Grecians.
Niall Canavan got the ball rolling for Scunthorpe
Niall Canavan got the ball rolling for Scunthorpe
There was a thumping 4-0 victory for Scunthorpe United at nine-man Rochdale. Niall Canavan found the top corner in the first half, then Oliver Lancashire and Jack O’Connell were given their marching orders within five minutes of each other. O’Connell was dismissed after conceding a penalty from which Sam Winnall doubled the Iron’s advantage, before James Spencer and David Syers both added goals late on to move United up to sixth, two places and two points behind their hosts.
Kayode Odejayi rounded off the scoring for Accrington
Kayode Odejayi rounded off the scoring for Accrington
Accrington Stanley’s good run continues – they reached 20 points thanks to a 2-0 home win over high-flying Fleetwood Town. A Danny Webber penalty and a second from Kayode Odejayi ensured an eighth successive match without defeat for James Beattie’s side. League 2 top-scorer Rhys Murphy was on target for the ninth time this season as he equalised for Dagenham & Redbridge at AFC Wimbledon. Michael Smith had scored earlier on for the Dons to move himself up to eight goals in the scoring charts, as it ended 1-1.
Billy Kee scored with just over ten minutes remaining as Burton Albion moved into the play-off places with a 1-0 home win over Mansfield Town. Former Exeter City striker Daniel Nardiello also scored in a single-goal victory, netting just after half-time to secure Bury a win against Hartlepool United as Bury went some way to relieving the pressure on their shoulders at the foot of the table. There were no goals in any of the other four League 2 fixtures, as Cheltenham Town, Chesterfield, Morecambe and Oxford United were all held at home by Bristol Rovers, Northampton Town, York City and Newport County AFC respectively.
Round-up by Oliver Roderick – @olrodlegacy