POSH BASH STANLEY TO HIT SUMMIT
GOAL-HUNGRY Peterborough roared to the top of the table by dishing out a pasting to Accrington Stanley. Stanley were left fuming after an Offrande Zanzala ‘goal’ was controversially ruled out for handball in first half stoppage and they paid the price at Posh stepped up a gear in the second period.
The mercurial Marcus Maddison produced a superb dinked finish to break the deadlock on 56 minutes and further goals followed from Ivan Toney (69 mins), with his 11th league goal of the season, Frankie Kent (85) and Siriki Dembele (90+5).
Peterborough were able to grab top spot because previous leaders Ipswich slipped to their second defeat in four days. After a 2-0 reverse at Accrington last Sunday, the Tractor Boys were toppled by Rotherham by the same score on Wednesday night.
Matt Crooks proved their undoing, scoring in each half, as the Millers climbed to ninth place, just a point off the play-offs. Wycombe dropped a rung to third following their 1-1 draw at Blackpool. Scott Kashket put the Chairboys ahead on eight minutes, but Ben Heneghan headed home a 51st-minute equaliser.
Sol Campbell was shown how big a challenge he has on his hands after watching his new club Southend crash to a 7-1 defeat at home against Doncaster.
The Shrimpers’ cause wasn’t helped by red cards to Ethan Hamilton (six mins) and Stephen McLaughlin (53).
They took the lead through Isaac Hutchinson’s brilliant free-kick on 11 minutes, but Doncaster went on to run riot. Kwame Thomas netted two, while Ben Sheaf, Ben Whiteman, Kieran Sadlier, Alfie May and a Nathan Ralph own goal made up their tally. Phil Parkinson enjoyed a dream home debut as Sunderland manager as the Black Cats hammered Tranmere 5-0. Duncan Watmore, Chris Maguire, Lynden Gooch, Will Grigg and Luke O’Nien all netted. Coventry leapfrogged Fleetwood into fourth place with a 2-1 comefrom-behind victory at St Andrew’s. Paddy Madden (nine mins) tapped in to give the Cod Army the lead, but the Sky Blues turned the game around with goals from Amadou Bakayoko (59) and Zain Westbrooke (68 pen). Bolton bagged their long-awaited first win of the campaign with a fine 2-0 success at Bristol Rovers courtesy of goals from Luke Murphy and Daryl Murphy.