Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Forster 75 Wycombe Wanderers 0
Attendance 5,895
Adam El-Abd hopes that he has done enough to secure his future with Brighton after helping his team to secure their first win of the season through Nicky Forster’s goal. The versatile defender has been pressed into action at full back and appears to have rescued not only his present campaign but also, possibly, his future with the club. “When you are not playing and you see the gaffer [Russell Slade] bringing in a lot of players, thoughts go through your mind,” El-Abd, 25 this week, said. “I don’t want to leave Brighton. It is the last year of my contract so I am playing for my future.”
Bristol Rovers 2 Hughes 26 (pen), Lines 63 Millwall 0
Attendance 6,038
Advertisement
Chris Lines, the Rovers midfield player, says that his team’s impressive start to the season has surpassed their expectations. A 25-yard volley from Lines guaranteed the club their fourth win in six games and he said: “We talked about how important it was to get off to a good start this season and this is probably more than we expected. Now we have done that, we have to keep it going. The manager has said that if we’re still where we are now after ten games, then the table doesn’t lie.” Jeff Hughes set Rovers on their way with a first-half penalty after he was brought down by Andy Frampton.
Carlisle United 3 Anyinsah 59, Livesey 67, Harte 77 Tranmere Rovers 0
Attendance 5,269
John Barnes, the Tranmere manager, is under growing pressure after his ten men surrendered tamely against Carlisle. The former England winger was not helped by the first-half dismissal of Shaleum Logan for a second yellow card and the situation worsened when Joe Anyinsah tapped in Matty Robson’s cross to give the home side the lead before Danny Livesey and Ian Harte also scored. Barnes has lost five of six league games. “What can we change?” he said. “We can’t bring people in and maybe the players know that. I’m no different to anyone else — you get bad results, you’re under pressure.”
Gillingham 3 Jackson 5 (pen), 46, Rooney 78 Exeter City 0
Advertisement
Attendance 5,107
Like his namesake, Wayne, at Manchester United, Luke Rooney is giving his manager, Mark Stimson, a tough decision as to his best position. The 18-year-old marked his League One debut with a superbly taken goal as he continued the impressive form he has been showing since pre-season. “When I was at Charlton as a youngster I was always a centre forward,” Rooney said. “The manager seems to like me on the right and he thinks it is a better route for me into the team until I get a bit stronger.” Simeon Jackson scored twice before Rooney put the outcome beyond doubt.
Leeds United 2 Grella 9, Michalik 37 Stockport County 0
Attendance 22,870
Mike Grella has gone from all-American college star to history-maker at Leeds and has his sights set on helping the club to win promotion at the third time of asking. The New York-born Grella, who signed a new contract with Leeds at the start of the season, celebrated his full debut with a goal that helped his side to record their eighth straight victory of the campaign and fourteenth in succession on home soil. In the process, Leeds have broken records set in 1969 and 1973. Lubomir Michalik made it 2-0 and Grella said: “I just hope this is the start of more success.”
Advertisement
Milton Keynes Dons 2 Johnson 47, Easter 58 Huddersfield Town 3 Rhodes 55, Robinson 60, A Kay 78
Attendance 9,772
The influence of Andrew Cole, the former England forward, was again felt as Huddersfield continued their fine start. Jordan Rhodes and Theo Robinson, the young forwards, each claimed their seventh goal of the season and are benefiting from working with Cole, the club’s forwards coach. “It’s got to make an impression if you have someone like Andy coaching you,” Lee Clark, the Huddersfield manager, said. “He keeps saying we should go and have a look at his trophy cabinet.” Jemal Johnson and Jermaine Easter twice put the home side ahead but Antony Kay secured the points.
Norwich City 0 Walsall 0
Attendance 23,041 Grant Holt, League Two’s leading scorer with Shrewsbury Town last season, is finding his job more taxing at the higher level with Norwich. Holt has five goals in eight games this season but all came in two of those matches and Walsall made it three games without a goal for the forward. “You’ve got to earn the right to get these chances,” Holt said. “Walsall aren’t going to go, ‘Right, we’re going to let Norwich do what they want.’ They are a tough team.” Darren Byfield, the Walsall forward, missed the game’s best opening on 35 minutes when he headed wide from eight yards when unmarked.