Month: January 2023

Charlie Austin’s brace helped 10-man Swindon fight back from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw at home against Gillingham.

Swindon took the lead after 58 seconds when a cross was half cleared by Gillingham straight to Jonny Williams, who volleyed into the corner of the net.

The Gills answered back straight away as Tom Nichols picked out Timothee Dieng with a cross and he diverted it beyond Sol Brynn.

Inside 10 minutes Gillingham had taken the lead as they received a penalty for handball, which Will Wright tucked into the bottom corner.

After 13 minutes the visitors whipped in a free-kick from the left and Nichols helped it on its way into the far corner of the net.

Austin scored a second-half brace as first he powered home a penalty and then got on the end of a Rushian Hepburn-Murphy cross to equalise with 10 minutes remaining.

Saidou Khan got a second yellow shortly after as he prevented a counter attack with a foul on the halfway line.

Ross County recorded their first win in nearly three months to move off the bottom of the cinch Premiership table with a 3-0 victory against Kilmarnock.

An early goal on debut from Eamonn Brophy set the scene, with Jordan White doubling the advantage early in the second half and Yan Dhanda benefitting from a major error from Killie goalkeeper Zach Hemming to make it three.

The result is County’s biggest league win in 15 months – a run going all the way back to last season’s defining 5–0 triumph away at Dundee – and their first victory since early November.

The Staggies have leapfrogged Kilmarnock in the table on goal difference, moving into a pack of four sides sitting on 20 points.

Brophy opened the scoring in the 12th minute as the home side made the most of a quick counter-attack in Dingwall.

Nohan Kenneh did well to win the ball back after a Kilmarnock corner was cleared away, setting off on a run down the right side to receive it back from Dhanda.

The on-loan Hibernian midfielder then managed to pick out Brophy at the back post for a simple finish, giving County the lead.

Kilmarnock came back into it well as the first half ticked down, putting pressure on as they went in search of an equaliser.

Jordan Jones in particular was tricky to handle, while Scott Robinson had a glorious chance to get Killie back into the game only to send the ball over the bar from six yards out.

Half-time came at a good moment for County, who dealt a killer blow to their visitors at the start of the second period.

It was a similar move to their first goal, this time seeing Ross Callachan linking up with Brophy to put the ball on a plate for White to bundle over the line from close range.

County’s third could not have been more different.

Dhanda took aim with a speculative effort from distance, one that looked like being a simple save for Hemming, only for the stopper to let the ball slip out of his hands and over the line.

That put any chance of a comeback beyond doubt, with the home fans celebrating at full-time in the Highlands.

Dunfermline saw their lead at the top of Scottish League One cut to five points by Falkirk after they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at struggling Clyde.

The Pars’ hopes of clinching a fourth straight win were hit in the fourth minute when Erik Sula bundled the ball goalwards and Martin Rennie supplied the finishing touch.

Heading into the game at the foot of the table and on the back of four straight losses, Clyde conceded a 38th-minute equaliser to Josh Edwards but held on for a well-deserved point.

It proved enough to lift them above fellow strugglers Peterhead, who suffered a late lapse as they fell to a 3-1 home defeat against Queen of the South.

The hosts went into the game having claimed their first win in 15 games last week and hopes were high when Kieran Shanks put them in front with a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

But Ruari Paton equalised for the visitors after 55 minutes and late strikes from Jaze Kabia and Connor Murray sealed the points.

Falkirk closed the gap on Dunfermline and took a firm grip on second place after securing a 2-1 win at promotion rivals Edinburgh.

Gary Oliver headed the Bairns into a 52nd-minute lead and Callum Morrison made it two six minutes later.

Looking to avoid a third straight loss, the hosts reduced the deficit through Ouzy See 16 minutes from time.

A brace from Calum Gallagher and further goals from Callum Fordyce and Charlie Telfer gave Airdrie a 4-0 win over Alloa.

Nathan Austin grabbed an added-time equaliser for Kelty Hearts in a 3-3 draw at Montrose, for whom Rory McAllister scored twice and missed a second-half penalty.

Tranmere returned to winning ways with a well-deserved 1-0 victory over League Two leaders Leyton Orient at Prenton Park.

An own goal from Omar Beckles was enough to give Micky Mellon’s side their first win in four games and inflict a third straight away defeat on the O’s.

The home side had much the better of the first half with Kieron Morris, Kane Hemmings and new signing Harvey Saunders all having opportunities to open the scoring while Orient’s best chance fell to Goerge Moncur.

Rovers continued to assert their dominance after the break and looked the more likely to snatch the three points with Josh Dacres-Cogley and Kane Hemmings coming close.

And the breakthrough finally came with eight minutes remaining when the unfortunate Beckles deflected the ball into his own net after some fine work down the right from Dacres-Cogley.

Orient came close to snatching a point in injury time when Harry Smith headed against the bar while at the other end, Hemmings wasted a glorious chance to add a second when he also hit the woodwork from close range.

Duncan Ferguson was denied a winning start to life as Forest Green boss as a dramatic end saw his side slip to a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat at in-form Shrewsbury.

Swansea loanee Jordon Garrick had seemingly started the Everton favourite’s era in Gloucestershire in style with his stunning strike, a second goal in four league appearances for the club.

But the League One basement boys had an elusive win snatched away from them in the most painful of circumstances as two goals in eight minutes of stoppage time stretched their winless run to nine games.

Substitutes Rekeil Pyke and Ryan Bowman struck to make it four wins on the spin for Steve Cotterill’s charges as they grasped victory from the jaws of defeat in front of their loyal home fans.

Garrick started the Ferguson era with a thunderous strike as he found the top corner after cutting inside in the 18th minute.

Marko Marosi did well to deny Ollie Casey before Amadou Bakayoko hit the side-netting as the visitors created chances before the break.

Pyke got the hosts level as his strike through a sea of bodies found the back of the net in the fourth minute of time added on.

But not happy with a point, Killian Phillips slipped in Bowman who held his nerve to win it with virtually the last kick of the game.

Crawley gave new boss Scott Lindsey a fine start with a 3-2 home victory over play-off chasing Salford in his first game in charge.

The Reds had been out of action for 26 days following a string of postponements but withstood a late Salford fightback to clinch only their third win in 13 league games.

Crawley went into the clash following a torrid last few weeks on and off the pitch and new boss Lindsey insisted he was the right man to lead them away from the drop zone.

He made five changes and gave a first start to midfielder Rafiq Khaleel, who fired wide from the edge of the area after Jack Powell had forced a first save from Alex Cairns.

Captain Dom Telford gave the Reds a deserved lead after 25 minutes by heading in a corner from Powell at the far post.

It got better for Lindsey’s men nine minutes later when defender Dion Conroy, making his first appearance for three months, glanced in Powell’s corner at the near post for his first goal of the season.

The best Salford could muster in a poor first half was when forward Callum Morton was denied by the legs of goalkeeper Corey Addai.

Addai saved superbly from Callum Hendry before midfielder Teddy Jenks made it 3-0 on the hour mark with a brilliantly taken individual goal from the edge of the area after being set up by Aramide Oteh.

Ryan Watson reduced the deficit after 78 minutes with a tap-in from close range after Addai could not hold on to a shot from substitute Luke Bolton.

More good work from Bolton allowed fellow substitute Matthew Lund to score from close range in the second minute of stoppage time, but Crawley held out for a vital win.

Ben Fox and substitute Shaun McWilliams scored second-half goals as Northampton shrugged off back-to-back League Two defeats to beat Barrow 2-0 at Holker Street.

Fox set Jon Brady’s high fliers on the way to a deserved win, tapping in from close range in the 54th minute after Louis Appere flicked on Sam Hoskins’ free-kick for his third goal of the campaign.

With five minutes remaining, Hoskins, who scored twice in last season’s corresponding fixture, had a low shot saved by Paul Farman. McWilliams was quickest to react to the loose ball and he too scored his third of the season.

Barrow, who began the afternoon in eighth place, failed to build on encouraging unbeaten away displays at Mansfield and Leyton Orient.

And Pete Wild’s side have now lost four successive home matches at Holker Street since a November 19 triumph over Hartlepool.

In contrast, Northampton, beaten at Salford and Stockport in their two previous away trips, remain third after completing a league double over the Cumbrians.

Leaders Dumbarton returned to winning ways in cinch Scottish League Two as Gregg Wylde’s first-half strike gave them a 1-0 win over bottom club Bonnyrigg Rose.

The Sons went into the weekend with a four-point lead but looking to return to form after a surprise defeat to Forfar last time out.

Wylde latched onto to a cross from Kalvin Orsi to drill the ball home in the 15th minute and it proved enough to sink their valiant opponents.

Second-placed Stirling Albion were also made to battle for a 1-0 win over Stranraer that keeps them within touching distance of the pacesetters.

Ross Davidson scored the only goal of the game in the 48th minute to seal a third straight win for the hosts.

Improving Annan moved up to third after an impressive 3-0 win over East Fife, who finished the game with 10 men after Kieran Millar’s 47th-minute red card.

Chris Johnston put the hosts in front after 35th minute and doubled his tally 10 minutes after the break before Max Kilsby put the seal on a fine home performance in the 85th minute.

Elgin continued to slip down the table as Stenhousemuir claimed a 2-0 triumph at Ochilview.

Adam Brown lashed the home side in front with a long-range strike after 44 minutes and Michael Anderson completed victory deep into injury time.

Finn Robson’s 62nd-minute goal was enough to earn Forfar their third straight win away to struggling Albion Rovers.

Southend were caught cold on their return to action after a spell of freezing weather as Eastleigh claimed a 3-1 Vanarama National League win at Roots Hall.

Charlie Carter forced Shrimpers goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu to make one of two critical errors in the 32nd minute, with Alfie Lloyd following up after the ball was spilled back into the danger zone.

Carter doubled the lead after play-off chasing Southend struggled to clear a long throw into the box in the 72nd minute, but the hosts soon rallied and halved the deficit when Harry Cardwell found the back of the net following good work from Rhys Murphy.

But it was not to be as Nna Noukeu somehow failed to deal with a sighter from substitute JJ McKiernan that squirmed past him with four minutes remaining.

Aaron Jarvis struck the winner as Torquay beat fellow National League relegation battlers Maidstone 1-0 at Plainmoor.

The Gulls went close to opening the scoring just after the interval when Shaun Donnellan’s header was pushed over by Dan Barden.

Jarvis then made the breakthrough in the 79th minute, hitting a shot past Barden having been set up by Tope Fadahunsi.

It sees the gap between third-bottom Torquay and safety reduce to three points, while basement boys Maidstone are seven points adrift after what was their ninth straight league defeat.