It has been another exhilarating weekend in the Npower League Two; a drubbing in the top of the table clash, an entertaining derby game and yet more agony for the league’s crisis club. All the action is dissected here in the latest instalment of Andrew Steele-Davis’ ‘League Two Review’.

In the most eagerly anticipated game of the day, Morecambe took on title favourites Crawley
Town in a mouth watering top of the table showdown at the Globe Arena.

Morecambe, who had finished in 20^th place in the league last season, have confounded everybody with their blistering start to the season, topping the table with sixteen points after this weekend’s action. Crawley, who were made early season favourites for the League 2 title, have also made a stunning start to the season, a notable highlight of their campaign so far being a 4-1 thrashing of Bristol Rovers.

But back to this game where Jim Bentley’s ‘Shrimpers’ completely demolished Steve Evan’s big spending side. Danny Carlton notched a hat-trick with Nick Fenton, Kevin Ellison and Laurence Wilson grabbing the other goals. A truly breathtaking performance by Morecambe which duly wins them the Team Of The Weekend award.

On to Home Park where the doom clouds continue to gather for troubled Plymouth Argyle who slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Port Vale.  A fine drive from 20 yards by Gary Roberts gave Vale the lead before Roberts added his second of the game from the penalty spot.

The mood has very much changed for the better at the County Ground where Swindon Town recorded back to back victories for the first time this season with a solid 2-0 win over Southend. A fine save by Town keeper Mattia Lanzano kept the scores at 0-0 before midfielder Jonathan Smith scored Swindon’s first of the afternoon and the league’s best Goal of the Weekend, a right foot piledriver which flew into the bottom corner. Mehdi Kerrouche got Town’s second and his first goal in English football to round off the victory.

The Best Home Performance of the weekend has to go to Shrewsbury Town who crushed neighbours Hereford United 3-1 to climb to third in the table. The game was always going to be an interesting one with Graham Turner, a former Hereford manager and chairman, now of course manager of the Shrews. Former Town target Marvin Morgan grabbed two goals to continue his fine start to the season with Mark Wright grabbing the third. Tom Barkhuizen scored Hereford’s only goal of the game.

In the other results from the weekend’s programme, Aldershot and AFC Wimbledon shared a 1-1 draw; Bradford continued to improve under new boss Phil Parkinson with a 2-2 draw at Valley Parade against a stuttering Bristol Rovers side which now makes it no wins from four for Paul Buckle’s team. Cheltenham continue to impress, climbing into fifth place with a solid 2-0 win over Macclesfield, the ever improving Crewe beat the ever struggling Barnet 3-1, Gillingham, Northampton and Oxford all had to settle for draws against Accrington, Torquay and Barnet respectively. And in the final game of the weekend Andy Scott’s Rotherham side got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Dagenham and Redbridge.

Before we finish for the week however, there is one more award to hand out. Again, like last week there were many fine individual performances, but the Player Of The Week award duly goes to Morecambe’s Danny Carlton. Danny smashed in a hat-trick against the then league leaders Crawley to not only take Morecambe to the top of the table, but take his goal tally to five for the season in all
competitions.

The latest round of games from League Two just goes to prove that anyone can beat anyone in this league with a number of movers and shakers in the league table. Look out for a bumper review next week where Tuesday’s games and Saturday’s games will both be analysed as the season prepares to pass the ten game mark.

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