Cambridge Stays in the Top 3 While the Race for 7th Heats Up - EFL League Two Round 36 Review: Saturday's Matches As They Happen

Cambridge Stays in the Top 3 While the Race for 7th Heats Up - EFL League Two Round 36 Review: Saturday's Matches As They Happen

While there is action in the FA Cup this week, we still have plenty of EFL League Two matches to cover, and today at Football Park, we will be going through all of the games that happened today.

There were 11 games today and, in those games, we saw 35 goals scored with only a single clean sheet being held.

Salford City 2-0 Barnet

We start today off with one of the early kick-offs and the only clean sheet that was kept. It was a game that was important for both teams to win, as they both could’ve seen themselves enter the top 7 with the 3 points. It ended up being Salford’s day.

The action all happened in the first half of this match. The scoring started with Rosaire Longelo in the 39th minute. It was a goal that came at point-blank range and the left back managed to put it away. Salford would then double the lead in the 45th minute thanks to Matt Butcher after a fast break from Salford. This would be the end of the goals. It was a result that Salford deserved, having had more chances and created more.

Salford now find themselves in 6th place and will be hoping they can keep the results coming to have a chance at promotion. For Barnet, they will be hoping for another shot at getting into the top 7 next week when they face Newport.

Grimsby Town 1-1 Bromley

We now see the team that sits in 7th against the team leading the league and it was a close game. Grimsby really needed the points so that they could have a chance of promotion; however, facing the team at the top of the league is never easy.

The match didn’t start well for Grimsby after going 1-0 behind in the 28th minute, with Nicke Kabamba putting the league leaders ahead. However, after a handball by Jude Arthurs, Grimsby would find themselves on level terms just 3 minutes later with Charles Vernam slotting the spot kick away. The second half didn’t have any goals; however, Grimsby will feel like this half was their chance to get more from this game generating 1.06 xG.

Even picking up a draw will feel like a disappointment for Grimsby after their performance and chances made. For Bromley, they’ll feel like it was a bullet dodged as they look to increase the gap between them and MK Dons.

Accrington Stanley 1-1 Cambridge United

In a match that Cambridge needed at least a point in to stay in the automatic places, it could’ve gone very wrong for them. Facing 15th-place Accrington, they would’ve hoped to take all 3 points. It wasn’t that easy, however.

The match started badly for Cambridge, going behind after just 25 minutes with Farrend Rawson scoring after a throw-in. The first half would end this way and even with Cambridge having more of the ball and more chances, they couldn’t find an opening. The second half could see the plan from Accrington just hold onto this lead. They had only 18% of possession in the next 45 minutes and managed just 1 shot. It looked like Cambridge didn’t have an answer until defender Louis Appere finally set the game level. In the 81st minute a big header would stop them from dropping into the playoffs and they now sit 3rd.

It was a scare for Cambridge. In a match that they should’ve won, they struggled, and Accrington did very well to limit any clear chances. It should be a warning sign for Cambridge that they need to take their chances when they come.

We take a point back home.#CamUTD | https://t.co/rfv2SfReIE pic.twitter.com/R2E2H5BEPt

— Cambridge United FC (@CambridgeUtdFC) March 7, 2026

Bristol Rovers 2-1 Crewe Alexandra

This game was vital for Crewe to win, as they would’ve been able to take themselves into the top 7 and facing a team that sits towards the relegation zone, they thought it would be 3 points heading back with them. However, it didn’t end that well.

It started perfectly for Crewe with them taking the lead in the 17th minute with Alfie Pond scoring. They would keep it this way for the rest of the first half. However, in the break Bristol made a substitution, bringing on Tommy Leigh. At first it didn’t look like an all that important sub; however, in the 87th minute he scored his first goal, levelling the game. Then only 5 minutes later he would break Crewe fans' hearts with a dagger, winning Bristol the game.

It will be massively disappointing for Crewe to not take all 3 points. They had a golden chance to push into that top 7 and put their name down for the promotion playoffs. However, they just didn’t have enough in the locker to get it over the line and gave away too many chances.

Chesterfield 2-3 Shrewsbury Town

In yet another game where one of the teams could’ve entered the top 7 of the league, we see them fail and drop vital points. It was another very good chance for Chesterfield to put themselves in the conversation; however, they didn’t have enough today.

Once again it started well for them, with Tom Naylor managing to put them in front in the 31st minute. However, they couldn’t end the half in the lead, as Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi would level the game in the second minute of added time. The second half would get worse for them as they would drop behind in the 70th minute, with Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi scoring his second of the day. It looked like they had rescued a point in the 85th minute as Tom Pearce levelled the game. However, yet another goal in injury time would see Shrewsbury take all 3 points as Sam Stubbs slots a header home.

It is yet another disappointing result and once again a chance for the promotion places is lost. Chesterfield would’ve hoped for much more from this game; however, Shrewsbury just took their chances more.

Crawley Town 2-2 Swindon Town

It was a game where both teams ideally wanted all 3 points. For Crawley it would’ve meant that they were 3 points clear of the relegation zone. As for the visitors, it could’ve put them on the tail of Cambridge in the chase for automatic promotion.

The first half, unlike many today, was a bit dull, having seen zero goals scored. However, the second half changed that in just 3 minutes, with Klaidi Lolos scoring in the 48th minute. This lead wouldn’t last long, as in the 68th minute Aaron Drinan would score to level up the game. It stayed level for a while until the 91st minute, where Billy Bodin would put Swindon 2-1 up. It looked like this would be the goal that would break the hearts of Crawley fans. However, in the 98th minute, Kellan Gordon would level the game up once again, stealing a point from the jaws of defeat.

While both sides would’ve preferred all 3 points, they will both take 1 point, as it makes them that little extra step closer to their goals.

Gillingham 1-1 Fleetwood Town

This was a match between 2 sides that are looking to get their best possible finish now. They are both safe from the relegation zone and also too far away from the promotion places. Either team would have wanted all 3 points.

Once again, we see a quiet first half. There were 2 yellows given; however, not a goal was scored, and this was shown in the stats, only seeing 8 shots in the first 45 minutes. We finally saw a goal in the 61st minute when Seb Palmer-Houlden put Gillingham into the lead. It looked like they would be the team to win this match up until the 91st minute. In the first minute of added time, we saw Shaun Rooney level up the score.

It was a game that either side didn’t get impacted if they dropped points; however, for Gillingham it will be disappointing that they couldn’t hold out to take all 3 points.

MK Dons 4-1 Harrogate Town

In a match that sees a team at the top of the table take on a side fighting relegation, it was expected to be one result. MK Dons showed their levels in this game and with Cambridge dropping points, they have been able to make a bit of a gap between them. For Harrogate the wait to try and get out of relegation will carry on.

The match started perfectly for Harrogate with them scoring in the 25th minute, taking the lead thanks to Tobias Brenan. However, this would be the last goal that they saw, as the next 4 would all be from the home side. It took just 5 minutes before Rushian Hepburn-Murphy levelled up the game. In the 5th minute of injury time Luke Offord would allow MK Dons to take the lead. In the second half it would take just 6 minutes before MK Dons had their third with Aaron Collins scoring to make it 3-1. The game was then killed off in the 63rd minute with Ben Wiles scoring the 4th, ending the game 4-1.

MK Dons truly showed their levels in this game and showed how clinical they could be. Having only generated 1.4 xG, they massively overperformed this and showed just how good they can be.

Newport County 1-2 Colchester United

This was a game that Newport would’ve wanted to win. Currently sitting in 23rd place, they needed to take the points from this match. However, Colchester just showed the levels between them and managed to make a good amount while limiting them to just a few good chances.

Once again, we saw a quiet first half, with Colchester, as expected, being on top with possession and chances made. However, in the second half, they would change gear. In the 58th minute we would see Harry Anderson put Colchester ahead and score the first goal of the game. Only 6 minutes later they would have a second, this time thanks to Jack Payne scoring. It looked like this would be how the game would end; however, in the 97th minute, Lee Jenkins would score. It was too late for anything to come from that goal, unfortunately.

In the end the game ended how people would’ve expected, as Newport still look for the points to claw themselves out of the drop zone.

The moment Harry puts the U’s in front, notching his ninth of the season. 🔥#ColU | #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/uyG2cFFien

— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) March 7, 2026

Tranmere Rovers 1-3 Oldham Athletic

After several games where Tranmere has not gotten a win, they would’ve hoped that they might have been able to end that drought with that match. However, Oldham just had too much in their locker. While out of the conversation for promotion as it stands, they will still be looking for as many points as they can.

This game started with the first goal in the 20th minute, seeing Oldham take the lead. Mike Fondop-Talum managed to put Oldham in the lead. This would then be followed up by Calum Kavanagh in the 3rd minute of added time, taking it to 2-0 before half-time. The second half would start, and it would take another 20 minutes before Oldham scored again. This time Jack Stevens would look to have killed the game off in the 74th minute. Tranmere did get their goal from Zech Obiero in the 97th minute. However, it was too little, too late.

In the end Tranmere has lost yet another match and will continue looking for their first win in 5 matches.

Walsall 1-2 Notts County

The final game from this weekend saw 11th welcome 4th. Notts County is another side looking to put the pressure on Cambridge in 3rd. However, they managed to do this, now sitting only a point behind. For Walsall this match was a must-win as it would’ve pushed them equal on points with 7th place.

There was only 1 goal scored in the first half of this game and that was a Walsall goal. It came in the 1st minute of injury time, with Aaron Pressley scoring to take them ahead. This lead would stand until the 79th minute, as Oliver Norwood would level up the game. This would then change when, like in many of these games, a goal was scored in the second half injury time. This time Notts County would take the lead as Jodi Jones would make it 2-1 in the 94th minute.

Overall, for Walsall it will be very disappointing that they won’t walk away with 1 point, especially after leading for 79 minutes. However, Notts County showed the difference between a side who would get into the promotion places and a side looking to make them.