League One round up: Leeds falter again

Bristol Rovers 3 Port Vale 2

Attendance 6,927

Paul Trollope, the Bristol Rovers manager, was booed by some of the home team’s fans when he replaced David Pipe and Craig Disley with Lewis Haldane and Sammy Igoe with his team 2-1 down. But goals from Chris Lines and Rickie Lambert won the game and Trollope said: “All my substitutions this season are bad according to a section of our crowd, which disappoints me. We won the game, so I need say no more.”

Lee Sinnott, the Port Vale manager, said: “We were ahead undeservedly and couldn’t get across the finish line.”

Carlisle United 2 Walsall 1

Attendance 6,220

Carlisle registered a record-equalling ninth successive home win as a second-half header by Danny Graham sealed victory. Graham ended a 20-game spell without a goal and put paid to Walsall’s 17-match unbeaten run. The visiting team took the lead as Tommy Mooney flicked on Kevin Betsy’s cross to Lee Holmes, who scored. But Carlisle equalised through Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s penalty after Paul Boertien had handled in the area. Carlisle wrapped up the win when Graham headed Bridge-Wilkinson’s deep cross under Clayton Ince.

Gillingham 0 Cheltenham Town 0

Attendance 4,993

Mark Stimson, the Gillingham manager, took pluses from a clean sheet and a point, before launching a scathing attack on Craig Armstrong, the club’s former defender. Armstrong, a former Cheltenham player, had his contract cancelled last week before telling a local paper he hoped Cheltenham would win and questioned Stimson’s management skills. “If he’s got something to say then talk to me, not the press,” Stimson said. Keith Downing, the Cheltenham manager, urged his team to motivate each other more.

Hartlepool United 4 Luton Town 0

Attendance 3,913

Hartlepool eased the pressure on Danny Wilson, their manager. The home team were rampant throughout and only fine saves by Dean Brill kept the score down. Hartlepool took the lead through Richard Barker’s penalty after Joel Porter had been tripped. Two goals in three second-half minutes converted Hartlepool’s superiority into a comfortable lead as Alan Thompson curled in a 30-yard free kick before David Foley pulled the ball back for Porter to score from close range. Barker put the icing on the cake.

Leeds United 0 Tranmere Rovers 2

Attendance 24,907

Gary McAllister conceded that he does not have long to get Leeds back on track after his first game in charge ended in defeat. “There is work to be done on the training ground,” McAllister said. “We are in a bit of a rut, but we have 16 games left to get out of this division and I know how many wins we need. We have to be better than that.” Ronnie Moore, the Tranmere manager, was delighted with his team’s fourth consecutive win but warned against complacency and said: “We are in the top six, but we are not getting carried away.”

Leyton Orient 2 Southend United 2

Attendance 6,886

Jabo Ibehre’s late equaliser earned Leyton Orient a draw in a closely contested derby. Southend opened the scoring when Lee Barnard scrambled home after Simon Francis had had his effort blocked, but the home team equalised from the penalty spot courtesy of Adam Boyd, who scored his tenth goal of the season. Southend regained the lead when Peter Clarke unleashed a 30-yard strike, but Orient responded when Ibehre headed home a cross by Charlie Daniels in the final moments of the match.

Millwall 0 Doncaster Rovers 3

Attendance 8,230

Jason Price scored his sixth goal of the season as Doncaster heaped more misery on Millwall. Price opened the scoringbefore James Coppinger and Paul Green sealed the game late on to leave Kenny Jackett’s side hovering just above the drop zone. Price rammed home the first-half opener from close range after Stephen Roberts had his effort superbly saved. Coppinger settled matters when he fired a speculative effort from the edge of the area before Green drilled home a stunning volley in injury time.

Swansea City 2 Oldham Athletic 1

Attendance 12,458

Roberto MartÍnez, the Swansea manager, was happy after a late strike by Febian Brandy won the game. “My players showed determination and attitude. Credit to all of them,” MartÍnez said. “Oldham have been on a good run and they stopped us playing. They were lucky to draw level as I think our player took the ball, but we bounced back.” John Sheridan, the Oldham manager, was unhappy at missing out. “It was a hard game, but overall we did well as we stopped them playing,” he said. “I would have been delighted with a point.”

Swindon Town 1 Northampton Town 1

Attendance 7,375

Maurice Malpas, the Swindon manager, questioned his team’s belief. Adebayo Akinfenwa grabbed a late equaliser to cancel out Blair Sturrock’s goal and earn Northampton a point. “We got ourselves in front, but I don’t know if it was a lack of belief,” Malpas said. “It was disappointing.” Stuart Gray, the Northampton manager, felt his team deserved at least a point but was relieved to see them extend their unbeaten run to five matches. “It would have been disappointing if we had got nothing, but at least it keeps our run going,” he said.

Yeovil Town 0 Huddersfield Town 2

Attendance 4,823

Andy Ritchie, the Huddersfield manager, praised his side’s defence after their win. “We got another clean sheet and that was down to putting bodies on the line,” he said. Huddersfield claimed victory courtesy of Luke Beckett’s penalty, after a handball by Terry Skiverton, and a close-range effort by Michael Collins. Russell Slade, the Yeovil manager, bemoaned missed chances. “We should have scored early on,” he said. “We had good chances but then conceded a penalty, which my lads are unhappy about. That hit us hard.”