- Gab Sutton is a football expert who specialises in the Sky Bet EFL.
GK: Luke Southwood, Cheltenham
Cheltenham did incredibly well to beat high-flyers Oxford 2-0, defending their lead with 10-men throughout the second half against League One’s promotion contenders.
Luke Southwood’s selection in the team of the week might suggest a goal under siege which wasn’t quite true, thanks to the heroics of Will Goodwin up top, Liam Sercombe in midfield, and Curtis Davies at the back, any of whom could’ve made our cut in different circumstances.
Nonetheless, even having battled brilliantly under Darrell Clarke, the Robins were always likely to need a couple of big moments from their number one, and that’s exactly what they got, as Southwood beat Brannagan’s effort away early in the second half, and made a superb diving stop from Ciaron Brown’s header.
RCB: Bobby Thomas, Coventry
Coventry have looked more secure defensively since boss Mark Robins switched to 4-2-3-1, culminating in Saturday's 3-0 victory at Millwall.
Nonetheless, Bobby Thomas and centre-back partner Liam Kitching, plus goalkeeper Brad Collins, deserve credit for rekindling the understanding they displayed in League One last season with Barnsley – albeit with the former two as part of a back-four, rather than either side of Mads Andersen.
The trio are enhancing the Sky Blues’ build-up play, and although Thomas’ passing range is not as extensive as that of Kitching, his crisp, short passes have helped draw opponents in to create space ahead of them for midfielders to thrive in, as well as being a key part of their game management.
Thomas does the basics superbly, too: he wins his physical duels, judges his interventions superbly and will be brave when he needs to.
CB: George Ray, Barrow
On current form, George Ray has to be considered up there with Mickey Demetriou and Aden Flint as one of the top defenders in League Two.
The 30-year-old is playing the best football of his career under Pete Wild, and as well as winning three aerial duels and interceptions apiece in Saturday's 4-1 victory at Colchester, he very nearly scored three goals to match.
Technically, the first came off opposing defender Will Greenidge, but in the following 41 minutes, Ray scored 18% of his entire career league tally.
After one goal in the previous away game at Bradford, and two at Colchester, perhaps he’s on for a hat-trick in the next away game?
LCB: Lewis Gibson, Plymouth Argyle 🌟
Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sunderland was a strong team performance from Plymouth Argyle, yet Lewis Gibson was very much the majority choice for man-of-the-match.
The 23-year-old was dominant in the air, especially defending corners, steady on the ball, quick enough in defensive transitions, and made four crucial blocks to cap it all off, showing why Everton offered him a contract before he instead penned one at Home Park.
Gibson and Julio Pleguezuelo is a new centre-back pairing for the Pilgrims, after both signed in the summer, and performances like the ones from them on Saturday speak to outstanding recruitment.
RWB: CJ Hamilton, Blackpool
Blackpool have boosted their top-six ambitions by securing back-to-back 4-0 wins, but while the one over Shrewsbury was half-expected, the one at pre-match leaders Portsmouth came as quite the shock, after just one win in eight away games previously.
CJ Hamilton was key to the surprise rout, producing an electric showing: he scored once, and set up a further three – ok, technically two, but for the second, Karamoko Dembélé became assister rather than goalscorer because Jake Beesley deflected the ball in somewhat unwittingly.
Boss Neil Critchley initially faced criticism for playing Hamilton at right wing-back, when he’s heavily reliant on his left-foot, but performances like that and natives will trust his judgment more readily.
RCM: Michael Craig, Reading
Extremely tenacious, Michael Craig won two tackles and four interceptions in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Wycombe, covering vast defensive ground with a speedy work ethic earning him comparisons with Royals legend Jay Tabb.
Other than one turn into traffic, Craig looked fully in control with the way he shielded the ball, laid it off, and sometimes even had the confidence to carry it forward, or on occasion play a long range diagonal to a wide forward.
Once the Scotland Under-21s international adds some upper body strength, armies of both Tartan and Blue & White could have a serious player.
LCM: Paris Maghoma, Bolton
Criticism might be levelled at Exeter for their defending in Saturday’s 7-0 loss at Bolton, yet there’s also a good chance the hosts could have done similar on the day to half the teams in League One, with such quick, slick, incisive, one-touch football.
After keeping his starting berth even after the return of key man Kyle Dempsey from injury, Paris Maghoma was a crucial part of that delightful play with his balletic ball-carrying brilliance, which had the fans cheering his name.
Maghoma has some of the physical attributes required to carry the ball in a way Josh Sheehan and George Thomason don’t, but he also has a touch of grace, class and swagger that makes him a delight to watch.
LWB: Shane McLoughlin, Newport
Shane McLoughlin hasn’t yet been able to grace a level higher than League One in his career, other than one appearance in the Championship for Ipswich in 2017-18, but the 26-year-old has often been well-liked at the clubs he’s played at.
Wimbledon, Morecambe and now Newport are all clubs with fanbases who value battling qualities, and they see them in McLoughlin, who’s relentlessly energetic, infectiously committed, and admirably versatile, having played in six different positions for the Exiles this season.
The Irishman was integral to Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Stockport, as County twisted the form book, stopping the visiting leaders from breaking a 21-year record for winning streaks at this level, and were good value for it too.
AM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Leicester
It was a frustrating first half from Leicester, as they looked to respond to the back-to-back 1-0 defeats just before the international break, before a second half Jamie Vardy brace saw the leaders back on track in a 2-0 victory.
Nonetheless, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was the likeliest player to make something happen throughout, producing with great runs down the left, showing class, poise and neat close control, as well as strength when he needed to, with quality set piece deliveries, and a willingness to bust a gut to finish even the moves he started.
KDH tries as hard as anyone for the Foxes, sometimes to a fault, taking on a level of responsibility that can sometimes be unhealthy for the dynamic of the team, but on Saturday they needed him to drive the team forward.
RF: Jed Wallace, West Brom
In recent weeks, Wallace appears to have rekindled the confidence that made him one of the Championship’s top performers 12 months ago, as well as over the previous four years with Millwall.
The 29-year-old was bright and inventive in Saturday teatime’s 2-0 win over promotion contenders Ipswich, and could have had two assists with the chances he fashioned for Brandon Thomas-Asante and Matt Phillips.
Wallace completed three dribbles and key passes apiece, was electric going forward, and carried out a key tactical role to help Darnell Furlong nullify Ipswich’s dangerous left-sided pairing of Leif Davis and Nathan Broadhead.
LF: Paul Mullin, Wrexham
Paul Mullin’s razor-sharp finishing sunk former club Morecambe, in Wrexham’s 6-0 rout on Saturday, the perfect way to bounce back from last week’s 2-0 loss at Accrington Stanley and secure a fifth win in six.
Mullin’s first was a fine first-time shot from Andy Cannon’s fizzed delivery, and while the second involved charitable goalkeeping, it still required strong technique as the half-volley sat kindly, while the third needed an excellent first touch before the finish.
Mullin is a real handful, and he’s not afraid to hit shots early, which can make him hard to defend against.
The 29-year-old is already on seven goals for the season, after missing the start of it through injury, and on course to hit 25 if he plays every minute of the remainder.
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