EFL’s Best Matches: Saturday’s Top Contests in Review

EFL’s Best Matches: Saturday’s Top Contests in Review

Saturday afternoon brought in some thrilling action, as late drama flourished as usual and league standings in the Championship, League One, and League Two all changing each minute.

There were an incredible X goals scored across the 30 drama-filled encounters, and Football Park is here to give you a breakdown of the best action from these games.

Championship

Late Drama at Deepdale Denies Norwich Moment of Reprieve in Tense Relegation Battle

Preston North End 1-1 Norwich City

Preston North End's stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out what Norwich City may have thought would have given them a brief three-hour period where they were out of the relegation zone.

At this lunchtime kick-off in the second tier at Deepdale, the Canaries went to Lancashire hoping they could keep the game tight for as long as possible and create some late pressure in order to take something from the game - and they came ever so close to taking all three points.

Coming into the match in 23rd place, it was always going to be difficult for them, as they produced just 0.4 xG to the hosts' 1.05 xG. Norwich's one shot on target, however, couldn't have come at a more perfect time, as Jovon Makama took advantage of their only proper chance.

With talisman Josh Sargent out with injury, they would have been in dreamland, but with just 15 seconds left of injury time, Will Keane stepped up for the hosts to extend their unbeaten run to six games, and keep them well and truly in the promotion hunt as we near the new year.

Action-Packed First Period Sees Rangers Thump Foxes Where it Hurts

Queen's Park Rangers 4-1 Leicester City

Moving down to the capital now, as Queen's Park Rangers hosted Leicester City with both sides looking to close to within a point to the playoff places. It was a difficult visit for the Midlands outfit, who found simply no luck beside a consolation goal in what was a demolition job put on display for the Rangers faithful.

The thrilling first half begun almost immediately, with Koki Saito starting the party within just two minutes of the opening whistle. Leicester, who created just 1.11 xG all afternoon compared to the hosts' 2.05 xG, just couldn't get settled. The clinical barrage continued either side of the half-hour mark, with both Richard Kone then Karamoko Dembele finding the net within four minutes of each other.

The Loftus Road occupants only found 10 shots throughout the game, but managed to grab a fourth goal before the break, with Amadou Mbengue recording his first goal of the season as the hosts were able to tie a ribbon on those three points before 4pm.

The Foxes did eventually find a goal of their own, albeit coming from the rebound of Jordan Ayew's missed penalty, well taken by Silko Thomas in the final 10 minutes of the game, but Leicester remain in midtable, while QPR jump up to seventh.

Chris Wilder > Tom Brady: Blades Stroll Past Brum to Continue Impressive Run

Sheffield United 3-0 Birmingham City

A superb and professional display by Sheffield United saw them earn a valauble three points against 10-man Birmingham City as they have continued an impressive run of losing just once in the last eight games despite their torrid start to the campaign.

Just like in London, it was another quick start in Sheffield, as Tyler Bindon nodded home in the opening five minutes to set the tone for this brilliant display. Just 13 minutes later and the hill back became that much steeper as Tommy Doyle was sent for an early bath, before the Blades then doubled their lead before the half-hour mark as Gustavo Hamer turned from provider to scorer.

Patrick Bamford added to Brum's despair as Birmingham have now lost eight of their 12 games on the road this season. The Blades, however, are now nine points off the playoffs and will certainly not be looking over their shoulders for the foreseeable future.

League One

5-Star Argyle Sink Doncaster into Deep Relegation Troubles

Doncaster Rovers 1-5 Plymouth Argyle

The first five minutes were as good as it got for a Doncaster side who are now in relegation trouble, while a Plymouth win makes it three on the bounce as Tom Cleverley looks to have finally found some good fortune at Home Park.

Brandon Hanlan got the hosts off to a flier after finding a goal inside just four minutes, but six minutes later and the south-west coast side would soon have the game turn their way. Lorent Tolaj was without a doubt the best player on the pitch, scoring an incredible hat-trick as well as assisting one too.

Argyle would then find goals two and three within around 60 seconds of each other as Donny would see the game quickly slip out of their grasp. It took a while for another goal to be found in the second period, but Tolaj found his third in the 73rd minute from the spot, before Xavier Amaechi would put the cherry on top of that 5-star performance.

Imps Earn Crucial Win in Top of the Table Clash

Lincoln City 2-1 Cardiff City

After valiantly exiting the EFL Cup to Chelsea on Tuesday night, Cardiff City had four days to prepare for Lincoln City in a tie which could have extended the Bluebirds lead to seven or seen it cut to three with a Lincoln win.

The visitors did, expectedly so, dominate the ball throughout, but struggled to really create any quality chances to disturb a fully-concentrated Imps backline. It was the hosts who took the lead too, shortly before the break albeit to some fortune, with Cardiff's Alex Robinson converting a threatening ball into his own net.

Parity was shortly restored in the second period, however, with Perry Ng providing a very classy finish as he chipped Imps 'keeper George Wickens to level the tie. The game looked as though it could have been heading for a draw, which Cardiff would have taken, consdering the pressure they were having to deal with from quick attacks from the hosts.

Justice would eventually be served though, as Sonny Bradley was given a harder shot to miss as he headed home with 20 minutes to play to send Lincoln into second, courtesy of Bradford City's defeat to Leyton Orient. The Bluebirds were given their fifth defeat of the season, but with some slightly easier fixtures on paper coming up, they will feel safe for now in their current position.

League Two

Second Season Syndrome? Not For Bromley

Bromley 2-0 Grimsby Town

It was a stylish performance provided by Bromley to smartly dispatch Manchester United's bogey team, Grimsby Town to remain unbeaten at home for the first half of the season.

After a successful first season in League Two last campaign, Bromley will be over the moon to have only gone up so far at the start of this one, as Saturday's win made it five wins in six games for the London based outfit.

Republic of the Congo international, William Hondermarck was on hand to provide an excellent player of the match display, as he registered both his second and third goals of the campaign, proving his clinicality on route, having taken just four shots at goal.

Grimsby have now slumped to their fourth defeat in seven games in all competitions, with their only win in this period having come against Wealdstone in the FA Cup as their wait for a league win now extends to eight games, with their last win coming in mid-October.

Swindon Edge Past Crawley in Struggling Display

Swindon Town 1-0 Crawley Town

Going off the contrasting form of these sides today, you would not have been able to tell them the right way around. Swindon struggled to create and produce throughout the game, with an Ollie Palmer second half penalty proving to be the difference between the sides on Saturday afternoon.

Despite having won five of their last six, scoring at a comfortable rate as the league's third-highest scorers, Swindon mustered up just six shots to 21st-placed Crawley's 17.

Despite the quantity of chances the visitors managed, they were only able to find four attempts on target, and create an xG of 1.91, which they really should have taken advantage of. They had many strong passages of play where they looked sure to equalise, but it did sum up their miserable campaign so far, as they remain on just one win on the road so far, having lost eight.