None of our six loanees tasted victory in the latest round of league fixtures in Sky Bet Leagues One and Two plus the Vanarama National League.
In League One, a late thunderbolt from Joe Ward denied Jack Bonham’s Bristol Rovers a crucial three points at home to Peterborough United last night. Tom Nichols and Ollie Clarke netted either side of a controversial Ivan Toney strike as The Gas went in 2-1 ahead at the interval. It looked like Graham Coughlan’s side would hold on to the points to lift them out of the bottom four until Ward found the top corner from all of 30 yards in injury-time. Rovers remain two points from safety with a trip to Play-Off chasing Southend United coming up on Saturday.
Also in the third tier, Josh Clarke played 81 minutes as Burton Albion were held at home by Bradford City on Saturday. Lucas Akins gave The Brewers the lead in first-half injury-time but that advantage was cancelled out midway through the second-half as Hope Akpan netted for Bradford. The point leaves Burton nine points off the Play-Offs ahead of Saturday’s visit from Oxford United.
Saturday also saw Canice Carroll suffer his first defeat for Swindon Town as The Robins went down 1-0 at home to Crawley Town. The only goal of the game came in first-half injury time; Felipe Morais’ deflected shot just about having the legs to creep over the line. Canice played the full 90 minutes for the Wiltshire side who will look to get back to winning ways when they host fourth-placed Forest Green at The County Ground this weekend.
Reece Cole also tasted defeat with his new club for the first time on Saturday after ten-man Macclesfield Town surrendered a two-goal lead away at relegation rivals Cheltenham Town. It was an action-packed opening as Sol Campbell’s side found themselves two up, but a man light, after just 23 minutes. Reece was introduced at the interval as The Silkmen sought to hang on to a crucial three points. However, three goals after the break meant it was the home side who eased their relegation worries. Reece and his teammates face a stiff test this weekend heading to second-placed Mansfield Town.
In the National League, Jarvis Edobor was an unused substitute as Maidstone United were brushed aside by top-of-the-table Leyton Orient. Macauley Bonne scored twice in a 3-0 win which only served to deepen The Stones’ relegation worries ahead of the weekend’s FA Trophy trip to Salford City.
Finally, Justin Shaibu played the final 25 minutes for Boreham Wood as they took a point from their mammoth journey to Gateshead. The on-loan Bees striker replaced goalscorer Sean Shields shortly before Scott Boden’s leveller for the home side. 14th-placed Wood welcome Play-Off contenders Wrexham to Hertfordshire this weekend in the fifth tier.