EFL League One and League Two Round 23 In Review: The 10 Best Matches From Across The Leagues

EFL League One and League Two Round 23 In Review: The 10 Best Matches From Across The Leagues

It was Boxing Day aka the greatest day of English football during the season. Despite the lack of Premier League fixtures there was plenty of action across League One and League Two, from five goal thrillers to a red cards we’re covering the 10 best matches across League One and League Two, five from each.

Barnsley 2-3 Mansfield (League One)

Starting things off at Oakwell where all was going well for The Tykes as they saw themselves 2-0 up in just 13 minutes thanks to goals from Reyes Cleary and Davis Keillor-Dunn, however the deficit would half as Louis Reed would make it 2-1 thanks to a 25th minute penalty.

As the second half rolled around Barnsley would start the stronger but Mansfield would score against the run of play, Barnsley would keep knocking at the door but once again Mansfield would score against the run of play and snatch all three points.

Bolton 2-1 Rotherham (League One)

Bolton continue their unbeaten home run as they make it 11 games played, eight wins and three draws. Josh Sheehan would put the hosts 1-0 up on the brink of half time and looked set to take all three points in a comfortable win but Rotherham would receive a penalty in the 90th minute and Sam Nombe would convert it into the bottom right corner.

And that would be that right?

Wrong.

It was the Sheehan show as in the 93rd minute that man again would produce the winning goal as his shot finds the back of the net, Bolton now are four points off of the automatic places whereas Rotherham find themselves still in the bottom four

Huddersfield 5-0 Port Vale (League One)

It was five star (unique, I know) Huddersfield on show today at the Accu Stadium. From minute one is was complete domination as Leo Castledine would put The Terriers 1-0 up in five minutes, they would add to the lead throughout the half as they went into the break 3-0 up and cruising.

Business would resume as Alfie May would make it 4-0 five minutes after the restart, Castledine would get his brace on the 58th minute which would conclude the scoring and boost Huddersfield up to seventh in the table and just a point off the Play Offs while Port Vale remain rooted to the foot of the table and look destined to go down.

Plymouth 1-4 Reading (League One)

It was disaster again for Tom Cleverley’s men once again as they would suffer a thumping to Reading. Just 12 minutes in Joe Ralls would see himself get sent off and concede a penalty all at the same time which realistically killed any chance of Plymouth getting something from the game, Lewis Wing would convert said penalty and he would double the away sides lead just four minutes later.

Brighton loanee Kamari Doyle would seal any chance of a Plymouth comeback as he made it 3-0 inside 20 minutes.

In the Second half Plymouth would score a consolation goal through Xavier Amaechi, however Plymouth then got a penalty alas Lorent Tolaj failed to convert the spot kick and Jack Marriot would make it 4-1 13 minutes later to give Reading all three points.

**Luton 4-0 Wycombe (League One)

Jack Wilshire would get his biggest league win under his belt as Luton put belt to **** against Wycombe.

The scoring would get underway just seven minutes in as Gideon Kodua scored his second goal in four games, it would get better for Kodua and Luton as he would secure his first half brace on the 44th minute, making it three in his last four.

Jordan Clark and Shayden Morris would complete an all-round performance from The Hatters. They are now just three points off the play offs.

Bristol Rovers 2-3 Bromley (League Two)

Bristol Rovers wait for a league win continues as they have failed to do so since beating Salford all the way back on the 27th of September. All looked up at half time as they were 2-0 up thanks to goals from Jack Sparkes and Fabrizio Cavegn, surely nothing could go wrong…

Just eight minutes after the restart Shaqai Forde would receive a second yellow and see himself get sent off.

Goals from Nicke Kabamba and Ben Thompson saw the game go into injury time at two a piece, up stepped the hero, Ben Thompson, as the sub would complete his brace and complete the comeback for Bromley as they remain in the automatic promotion places whereas Bristol sit just one point above relegation and potentially face back to back relegations.

**MK Dons 1-0 Swindon (League Two)

The league favourites continue their great run of form as they have lost once in their last eight leave games.

Despite the scoreline being fairly boring it was a crucial game in the fight for automatic promotion, going into the game the two were separated by just four points with Swindon being the four points above them.

MK Dons have managed to close that gap on them to just one point following their win this Boxing Day.

Newport 0-0 Barnet (League Two)

Despite this game finishing 0-0 it could perhaps be a foundation for Newport as new manager, Christian Fuchs has failed to win any of his games in charge. He picked up just his second point as gaffer and will be looking at Crewe to build on a solid team performance. Newport remain bottom but are just four points away from safety.

Barnet will be kicking themselves and will see this as two points dropped, they dominated in the second half, restricting Newport to just four shots to their 14. They remain midtable and look destined to stay their come the end of the season.

Cheltenham 3-1 Shrewsbury (League Two)

A four goal thriller took place at the EV Charger Points Stadium. Cheltenham who are now unbeaten in their last four league games have created a healthy gap between them and the rest of the teams below them fighting relegation. Goals from Hakeeb Adelakun, Jake Bickerstaff and Isaac Hutchinson saw them go 3-0 up in 54 minutes.

John Marquis would get a consolation gaol for Shrewsbury who themselves are struggling big time. They sit just two points above safety and would have been looking at this game as one to take at least a point from.

Salford 1-0 Harrogate (League Two)

Two ends of the table met and the expected result was the outcome, all though not convincing, Salford in the end took all three points thanks to a Daniel Udoh penalty in the 76th minute.

Harrogate would lack any sort of threat as they could only come up with nine shots all game. Just four in the second half with a pity 0.16 xG created.

They remain in trouble as they occupy the final relegation place as they have just 17 points from 22 games. Salford on the other hand are sitting pretty up in fifth, a win today saw the gap close on the automatic places to just one point as them and MK Dons share 39 points