Exeter City FC

Speaking to southendunited.co.uk, Shrimpers boss Phil Brown said of his side’s victory: “Nothing is won in November but it’s fantastic that we’re finding some form as we come into a busy period. What is important is that we’re keeping clean sheets and we’re scoring goals at the other end, that’s eight without reply now. 

“Three seems to be the lucky number for us at the moment.  It’s three wins in a row and three clean sheets in a row for the third time this season.  We’ve got a very tough week coming up but that’s three wins in a row now so we’ll head into the York game in good form.”

Up next for City, it’s a trip to high-flying Rochdale, who scored twice in three minutes to beat Morecambe at the Globe Arena.  Shrimps defender Mark Hughes deflected a cross into his own net to give the Dale the lead, before Keith Hill’s side quickly scored again, as Scott Hogan chipped in with his sixth League 2 goal so far this season.  Padraig Amond’s fifth this term provided the consolation as Rochdale won this one 2-1. 

The standout result of the day came at Kingsmeadow, as AFC Wimbledon hammered Portsmouth 4-0 to go ninth.  Portsmouth might have taken the lead were it not for Dons goalkeeper Trevor Carson saving Harry Pell’s first-half penalty – Andy Frampton made Pompey pay for their penalty miss, and made things twice as bad when he got his second with 15 minutes left.  Sammy Moore and Michael Smith added two more late-on to complete the rout.

Oxford United went top of the division again in impressive style with their 3-1 win at Mansfield Town.  United were already one-up through Sean Rigg when the Stags lost Jamie McGuire to a straight red card.  Playing with ten men, Lee Stevenson still levelled for Town in first half injury time, but substitute James Constable put United back in front before the end of nine minutes of stoppages, his 100th goal for the club; Ryan Williams got Oxford’s third. 

Completing the top three is Chesterfield, who won on Saturday at Plainmoor against Torquay United, sending the Gulls into the relegation zone in the process.  Oliver Banks and Jay O’Shea scored within five minutes of each other early on in the first half to win 2-0, as the Spireites are now on a three-game winning streak in all competitions, having won just one of their previous eight.  

The only Devon side to take any points from the 16th round of League 2 fixtures was Plymouth Argyle, who had Tope Obadeyi to thank as they came back from a goal down to rescue a 1-1 draw at York City.  Ryan Bowman had put the Minstermen in front before Obadeyi salvaged a valuable point for the Pilgrims, who now stand five points off the bottom three in 18th.

The reason Torquay find themselves in the bottom two is the recent resurgence of Accrington Stanley.  James Beattie’s side are now out of the relegation zone for the first time this season due to a 2-0 win at Scunthorpe United, the goals coming from George Bowerman and Kayode Odejayi.  They are now six without defeat, having just a month ago looked sure-fire candidates for the drop. Newport County AFC moved into the top seven on Friday thanks to a 2-0 home win over Hartlepool United.  Harry Worley’s header was followed in the second half by Conor Washington’s seventh goal of the season.  And in the Midlands, a late Luke Norris goal saw Northampton Town edge a 1-0 past Fleetwood Town at Sixfields.

A Zavon Hines penalty and a Luke Howell strike were the difference between Dagenham & Redbridge and Burton Albion as it ended 2-0.  In the meeting between Wycombe Wanderers and Cheltenham Town at Adams Park, former Grecian Jamie Cureton was on target, seeing his opener cancelled out by Matt McClure.  But less than a minute after the equaliser, Billy Knott scored an own goal, sending the Robins on their way to 2-1 and three points in the process.  Finally, a fourth-minute John-Joe O’Toole penalty was levelled by Danny Hylton as Bristol Rovers and Bury drew 1-1 at the Memorial Stadium.