Exeter City FC

Paul Tisdale’s side had been in the lead through Tom Nichols shortly after the half-hour mark, but Wayne Burnett’s side swung things in their favour, Luke Norris equalising against the run of play and Medy Elito scored a penalty conceded when Brian Saah was fouled.  Richards saved it at the death, but he couldn’t prevent City dropping to 21st in the Sky Bet League 2 table.

The Grecians were the only one of Devon’s League 2 sides to pick up any points on Saturday.  Basement club Torquay United tasted defeat for the fifth time in six games when Jamille Matt scored FleetwoodTown’s winner at Plainmoor with just over 15 minutes to play, as the game ended just 1-0.  

Meanwhile, Plymouth Argyle’s march towards the play-off places was obstructed by a defeat at Bristol Rovers.  Chris Beardsley headed the opener for Rovers after seven minutes, though Neal Trotman also scored with his head to draw the Pilgrims level just before half-time.  The second half was one-way traffic, and the pressure paid off as Kaid Mohamed got the winner for John Ward’s side, who are now six without defeat with the 2-1 win.  “We tried extremely hard to win the game,” Ward told BBC Radio Bristol.  “We went on the front foot as often as we could.  We were up against the best team in the league and they were in excellent form so we had to be in good form ourselves.  We played some good football. You can see why they’re a good team because they threatened our goal on occasion to, so I have to be really pleased with that.”

A 0-0 draw between Bury and Rochdale on Friday night denied Dale the chance to go top at least momentarily, but that missed opportunity looks even more frustrating for Keith Hill’s side as league-leaders Chesterfield slipped up with a shock 3-1 defeat at the Crown Ground to Accrington Stanley.  Lee Molyneux grabbed a first-half hat-trick, with the man on loan from Crewe’s last goal coming after Stanley had lost Peter Murphy to a red card.  Ian Evatt got a Spireites consolation, but their lead at the top is now down to just the one point. 

Other than Rochdale, Scunthorpe United are also a point behind, and the Iron were pegged back for a draw at Glanford Park by Northampton Town.  Defender Niall Canavan headed Russ Wilcox’s side in front seven minutes into the second half, before Zander Diamond produced a rough copy, heading his first goal for the Cobblers, who by that time had lost Ricky Ravenhill to a second yellow card – 1-1 the final score.  Wilcox wasn’t impressed, as he said to BBC Radio Humberside following the game: “It’s a game we should have won, it’s a game we should have managed better.  They were down to ten men.  All we had to do was to stop giving silly free-kicks away and look after the ball better.  I’ve got a great group of players that are working so hard.  Today we were just a little bit naive on managing the game.”  Chris Wilder will bring the Cobblers to St James Park on Tuesday evening.

There was a big win for Burton Albion as they were successful at fellow play-off hopefuls Oxford United.  Dominic Knowles and Zeli Ismail got the Brewers underway in the first half, although Ryan Williams pulled one back after the break and James Constable hit the post, but the Kassam Stadium faithful went home disappointed as the Brewers kept up their chase for the automatic promotion spots with a  2-1 win.  Albion boss Gary Rowett spoke glowingly to his club’s website with regards to his side’s start: “I’d say it was our best start this season,” he said.  “The first 15 to 20 minutes at home to Accrington were excellent, but as an away team we’ve come to Oxford and dominated early on.  The front four were a real handful and that showed when we got the first and second goals and a penalty after 30 minutes.  It wasn’t quite the defining moment in the game but still a huge one.”


Morecambe's Jack Redshaw completed the turnaround against Southend

Southend United, the final side in the top seven, were beaten at the Globe Arena by Morecambe in a disappointing result for Phil Brown’s side.  Ryan Leonard headed the Shrimpers in front after nine minutes before Kevin Ellison’s eighth goal of the season sent the Shrimps on their way to a fine comeback, with sub Jack Redshaw scoring the winner with his first touch to secure a 2-1 comeback win.  

York City followed up their win over Exeter last week with another at AFC Wimbledon.  It ended 1-0, and Michael Coulson was the difference with his 41st-minute strike.  Minstermen boss Nigel Worthington told BBC Radio York that, “There were certainly two very clear-cut chances that we didn’t take on the day, but hopefully we’re keeping them for another day.  [It was] a real fantastic, solid, professional performance from everyone.  Everyone put a shift in to get us through that second half.”

In an encounter between the two sides promoted from the Conference last season, Mansfield Town needed a last-gasp winner to see off Newport County AFC.  Ryan Tafazoli’s header opened the scoring, Rene Howe got the equaliser before Anthony Howell made it 2-1 in stoppage time. 

There was a 0-0 draw between Portsmouth and Cheltenham Town at Fratton Park, and finally Wycombe Wanderers came from behind to beat Hartlepool United, Dean Morgan and Matt McClure scoring to reverse Jack Barmby’s second goal in as many games as it ended 2-1 at Adams Park.