It was goals galore in the Npower League Two this weekend as Crawley, Aldershot, Morecambe and Southend United all recorded big victories, whilst strugglers Bradford and Hereford both grabbed much needed wins in their respective matches. All of the action is assessed here by Andrew Steele-Davis.

Let’s start off with the ‘Team Performance of the Weekend’, Crawley’s thumping win over AFC Wimbledon. Both teams entered the game in good shape, Crawley sitting top of the league and Wimbledon surprising many by being right in the promotion mix, albeit still early in the season.

Both teams have aimed to entertain this season with free-flowing, attacking football which has seen goals fly in at both the Broadwood Stadium and the Kingsmeadow ground. This match promised plenty of goalmouth action and it didn’t disappoint.

The first ever league meeting between the two sides was given an explosive opening, Crawley going two-nil up within the opening ten minutes. Chris Bush put through his own net before Claude Davis’ thumping header made it two.
Davis scored again, but this time through his own net, making it three goals in the first fifteen minutes. The Don’s pushed on and Jack Midson levelled just before the break with a powerful finish.

However, the visitors took control of the game after the break, Matt Tubbs scoring from the penalty spot after Callum McNaughton’s handball before Dannie Bulman notched two headers, the first ever time he had scored a brace in his career.

Crawley’s win was their sixth successive victory and they are two points clear of Southend United at the top of the table. AFC Wimbledon meanwhile, have now lost two games on the bounce and they drop out of the play-offs to ninth.

Crawley’s main challengers, Southend United, made sure they kept the heat up on the Red Devils with a resounding 4-1 win over strugglers Torquay United. Michael Timlin, who is impressing again in his second loan spell at Roots Hall, picked out Kane Ferdinand to slot in the host’s first.

And the young striker was at it again soon after, volleying home from Neil Harris’ cross from the right. Liam Dickinson made it three-nil with a 20-yard strike, before Mark Phillips nodded in Southend’s fourth of the afternoon. The scoring wasn’t done there however, Lee Mansell grabbing a late goal after Southend failed to clear from a corner but this proved to be scant consolation for Martin Ling’s faltering side.

This victory for Paul Sturrock’s charges gives them the ‘Home Performance of the Weekend’ award, much deserved after what many people predicted would be a much closer game.

Morecambe extended their unbeaten away record to an impressive eight league games by hammering an underwhelming Port Vale side. However, at one point the game looked liked it could have ended 0-0, with both sides proving strong defensively. But, just before the half hour mark, Jason Price showed his predator instincts by pouncing on a spilt ball from Vale keeper Stuart Tomlinson to open the scoring for the visitors.

Lewis Alessandra then made it two after smartly chipping Tomlinson before late goals from Gary McDonald and Laurence Wilson sealed the victory for Jim Bentley’s team.

In the other big scoring game this weekend, Aldershot warmed up for their big cup game in the coming week with a resounding 5-2 victory over struggling Dagenham and Redbridge.

Jermaine McGlashan put the Shots in front before Peter Vincenti tapped in from a rebound to put the visitors 2-0 up after only six minutes. Michael Rankine increased the lead from the penalty spot after a foul from Mark Arber but Jon Nurse’s volley pulled one back for the hosts.

Luke Guttridge headed in to make it 4-1 but Damian McCrory’s fine free-kick gave Dagenham a glimmer of hope. However, this hope was shattered when McGlashan notched his second of the afternoon to seal the win.

Bradford secured only their third league victory of the season with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Northampton at Valley Parade. Michael Jacob’s lightened up a dull afternoon with an absolutely stunning strike from 35 yards, which without a doubt wins this week’s ‘Goal of the Weekend’ award. However, that was to prove to be the only bright point of the afternoon for the visitors as goals from Craig Fagan and James Hanson gave Bradford a much needed victory in the league.

Swindon left it late to record their second successive away victory, and third of the campaign, over a Plymouth side who arguably gave their best performance of the season. Raffaele De Vita’s neat finish eight minutes from the end secured the points for Town and left Plymouth four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

In the other results from the weekend, Burton Albion beat Bristol Rovers 2-1, Crewe slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Macclesfield, Gillingham beat Oxford United 1-0, Hereford earnt the crucial three points against fellow strugglers Barnet and Rotherham and Shrewsbury shared the points.

This week’s ‘Player of the Weekend’ goes to Dannie Bulman, who’s first ever career brace helped Crawley on their way to a massive three points against AFC Wimbledon. Can anyone stop the Red Devils of League Two?

Come back next week where once again we will be assessing all the action from the Npower League Two.