League Two Round-Up

By: Jake Olley
Date: 26/02/2006

JAKE Olley launches a new series looking at the bigger picture in League Two. With the final few weeks of the season coming up, it promises to be an exciting finish at both the top and bottom of our division.

It was a busy action packed last Saturday of February full of goals, drama and despair. Despite Grimsby collecting a vital 1-0 victory at home to Chester the Mariners still failed to advance on their fourth spot as all of the top five gained solid victories to maintain their respective positions. We start our round-up at leaders Carlisle.

Carlisle were not phased by a long trip down south to Barnet, picking up a vital three points to maintain their top spot, but it could have been so different after Carlisle's Holmes bundled the ball in his own net after 53 minutes. The Londoners' lead only lasted 1 minute after ex-Sunderland striker Michael Bridges finished neatly to bring the Cumbrians level. It wasn't until 15 minutes from time when winger Simon Hackney fired home to send the points north to Cumbria.

The game of the day was arguably Wycombe's local derby against Oxford where Wycombe picked up the points with a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from firstly Kevin Betsy and then veteran Tommy Mooney, against his former club, sealing the points for the Chairboys. Yemi Odubade pulled a consolation goal back for Oxford.

Town's other automatic promotion rivals, Leyton Orient and Northampton both picked up 1-0 victories against Darlington and Wrexham respectably.

The Mariners local rivals Lincoln and Boston both picked up very impressive wins: 2-1 at home to Notts County and 1-0 away to Stockport respectably. Lincoln striker and ex-Mariner Martin Gritton was a surprise inclusion on the Imps' bench after failing to impress the Lincoln faithful after his January transfer window move.

Another mid-table clash included Bury's 1-0 away win at Shrewsbury thanks to a Richard Hope's own goal at Gay Meadow.

The bottom two Rushden and Torquay both had six pointers at home to fellow strugglers, Macclesfield and Mansfield. Barry Hunter was the happier of the two sides as his team (who Town play next weekend) picked up a fantastic 1-0 victory and John Cornforth was cursing his side's home form as they were beaten 2-0 thanks to finishes from Danny Reet and Simon Brown.

The major shock of the day was at London Road as Bristol Rovers defeated play-off hopefuls Peterborough 2-1 with goals from highly rated strike force Junior Agogo - who was later sent off - and Richard Walker. 'Boro's neighbours, Cheltenham faired slightly better as they picked up a point at home to mid table side Rochdale.

This concludes my weekly edition of 'The Sunday League Two Roundup'. I hope you enjoyed this week's edition and will join me again next week.

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