Another week of EFL action saw the promotion battle heat up across all three tiers, with top sides dropping points and the chasing packs applying pressure.
Here are the standout players from this week’s football league, as chosen by the official EFL.
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GK- Liam Kelly (Queens Park Rangers)
Queens Park Rangers delivered another blow to Leeds United’s promotion credentials at the weekend, as Nahki Wells scored the only goal in dubious 1-0 victory at Loftus Road.
Goalkeeper Liam Kelly kept a clean sheet despite a Leeds offensive onslaught, making four saves throughout the ninety minutes. Kelly gathered the plaudits for his penalty save in the 61st minute, diving low to his left to keep out a tame effort from out of form Patrick Bamford.
QPR are now 14th in the table, just seven points outside the top six.
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CB- Perry Ng (Crewe Alexandra)
Crewe Alexandra made strides towards League Two promotion at the weekend, edging out a 1-0 victory over promotion rivals Cheltenham Town.
Defender Perry Ng scored the only goal of the game in the 69th minute, as Crewe leapfrogged the Robins in the table.
Ng’s goal was his first of the season, yet the defender is continuing to impress down in the fourth tier; last season the, now 23-year-old, won the clubs player of the year award and Ng looks keen to replicate his assured performances this campaign.
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CB- Darragh Lenihan (Blackburn Rovers)
Blackburn Rovers blew opponents Sheffield Wednesday away at the weekend, storming to a 5-0 win away at Hillsborough.
Defender Darragh Lenihan added a rare goal to his collection, scoring Rovers’ fourth in the 48th minute. Lenihan’s offensive presence was matched in his performance in his own third. The centre back won six aerial duels and maintained a pass success rate of 86%, as Blackburn remained comfortable throughout the match.
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CB- Ibou Touray (Salford City)
Nine-man Salford City managed to hang on away at Forest Green Rovers at the weekend, as goals from Ibou Touray and Michael O’Connor gave City a 2-1 win.
Touray opened the scoring in the third minute, and despite the home side recording thirty shots, Touray played his part in a defence which conceded just five shots on target and as a team blocked thirteen shots.
Salford move up to 13th in the table, with Graham Alexander’s side setting their sights on a play-off spot come May.
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RM- Chiedozie Ogbene (Rotherham United)
Rotherham United made it five straight wins in the league at the weekend as they thumped Bristol Rovers 3-0 at the New York Stadium.
Winger Chiedozie Ogbene provided two second half assists before finishing off the game himself in the 88th minute.
The Millers now sit comfortably at the top of League One as they look for an immediate return to Championship football.
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CM- Josh Harrop (Preston North End)
Preston North End moved one step closer to the Championship play-off picture, as they defeated relegation threatened Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Deepdale.
North End went 1-0 down early on at the hands of former loanee Andre Green before Josh Harrop stepped up to deliver a midfield masterclass.
Harrop, scored a beautiful curling effort from the edge of the box before delivering a corner which was finished off by towering defender Patrick Bauer.
The win was Preston’s first of 2020, as Alex Neil’s men look to rediscover their early season form.
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CM- Lewis Holtby (Blackburn Rovers)
Blackburn's total dominance away at Sheffield Wednesday had much to do about the performance of Rover’s midfield. Not only did veteran winger Stewart Downing offer a reimagined role in the centre of the pitch, he was alongside former German international Lewis Holtby.
Holtby netted his second and third goals of the campaign whilst also recording an 81% pass success rate in the middle of the park.
The result sees Blackburn and Wednesday side by side in the table, yet neither play-offs or relegation is out the question for either club.
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CM- Joe Lolley (Nottingham Forest)
Nottingham Forest piled the misery on the Championship’s bottom club Luton Town at the weekend as they ran out 3-1 victors at the City Ground.
The home side fell behind in the first half before a brace either side of the interval from star man Joe Lolley turned the game on its head for an impressive Forest side.
Lolley twice cut in from the right hand side to find the back of the net, moving Forest to five points off the automatic places with a game in hand.
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LM- Joe Leesley (Stevenage)
Stevenage climbed off the foot of the League Two table at the weekend, putting four past Cambridge United away from home.
Winger Joe Leesley deserevedly earnt the plaudits, assisting two goals on just his third start of the campaign.
Leesley was brought in on loan from National League side Harrogate Town as Stevanage attempt to distance themselves from League Two’s singular relegation place and remain in the football league.
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ST- Charlie Kelman (Southend United)
Sol Campbell’s Southend United found a rare win at the weekend, defeating fellow relegation candidates Accrington Stanley 2-1 away from home.
The win was Southend’s second of the campaign, and it was youngster Charlie Kelman who turned hero for the Shrimpers, netting his third goal of the campaign in the eleventh minute.
The victory does very little for Southend, with the side remaining twelve points away from safety.
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ST- Jamille Matt (Newport County)
Newport County offered the surprise result of the weekend, as the play-off chasers came out on top against table toppers Swindon Town.
Striker Jamille Matt scored his fifth goal of the season and registered his first assist of the campaign as County move to within eight points of the top seven.
