The League 1 season continued with the latest round of games played over the festive period to end 2016.
Not only did Scunthorpe lose top spot they dropped to 3rd behind Sheffield United and Bolton. Shrewsbury, Chesterfield, Coventry and Oldham complete the bottom four going into 2017.
Here’s a round up of the League 1 action from the other games played.
Results
Friday 30th December 2016 – Sky Bet League One
Millwall 2-1 Gillingham 19:45
Milton Keynes Dons 3-2 Swindon Town 19:45
Port Vale 1-0 Chesterfield 19:45
Rochdale 2-1 Shrewsbury Town 19:45
Saturday 31st December 2016 – Sky Bet League One
Sheffield United 1-0 Northampton Town 13:00
Southend United 1-1 Charlton Athletic 13:00
Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Scunthorpe United 15:00
Bradford City 1-1 Bury 15:00
Bristol Rovers 2-0 AFC Wimbledon 15:00
Fleetwood Town 1-0 Oldham Athletic 15:00
Oxford United 0-0 Walsall 15:00
Peterborough United 1-1 Coventry City 15:00
A 2-1 win for Millwall on Friday – a third in a row – meant only goal difference prevented them from moving into a play-off place. This victory against Gillingham at the Den also meant the year most definitely ended on a high for the Lions, not so for the visiting Gills!
MK Dons ended a two game losing run when they shaded a five goal thriller at the stadium:mk against fellow strugglers Swindon. This 3-2 win opened up a six points gap from the relegation places whereas the Robins third defeat in four left them just three points – at the time – off the bottom four.
A six game winless run came to an end when Port Vale recorded a 1-0 win at Vale Park against relegation threatened Chesterfield. The Spireites’ second defeat over the festive period meant they ended the year in the bottom four.
Rochdale are very much at the other end of the scale though as a 2-1 win – a fourth in a row – at Spotland meant Dale would be 4th come the turn of the year. Shrewsbury on the other hand suffered a second successive defeat to remain – at the time – in the bottom four on goal difference.
A last minute winner secured Sheffield United a year ending three points in an early New Years Eve kick off. The 1-0 win at Bramall Lane against Chris Wilder’s former club Northampton – who he guided to the League 2 title last season – also took United to the summit. However, they knew a Scunthorpe win later in the day would change that…
Karl Robinson couldn’t follow up his first win as Charlton boss with another but a last minute equaliser at Southend would have made the game at Roots Hall feel like a win for the Addicks! The promotion chasing Shrimpers were on for another three point return until an 89th minute goal saw the short journey back to SE7 made with a 1-1 draw.
Having spent the vast majority of the season to date in the top two – mainly at the summit – Scunthorpe actually ended 2016 outside of the automatic promotion places. An added time winner saw Bolton claim a 2-1 win against the Iron at the Macron Stadium to leapfrog them into 2nd behind leaders Sheffield United.
Bury made it back-to-back draws over the festive period when the Shakers went away from Bradford with a 1-1 draw – this point for the promotion chasing Bantams extended a winless run to five though with the last four drawn.
Another three points – two wins from two to end the year – from Bristol Rovers meant they’ve kick started their play-off bid. The Pirates exited the year just a couple of points off the top six after this 2-0 victory. Wimbledon’s defeat at the Memorial Stadium was a third in the last four – the Dons have won only once in the last six to see their own promotion bid damaged.
Extending an unbeaten run to seven – when Fleetwood won 1-0 at Oldham – meant the Cod Army are now just a point off the play-offs. The Latics though suffered a sixth defeat in the last nine – after this injury time defeat – to end the year bottom of the league.
It was goalless at the Kassam Stadium. Oxford’s 0-0 draw with Walsall meant the sides remained in 13th and 14th respectively.
Coventry’s seven game losing run came to an end with a draw at Peterborough. However, had it not been for the Posh equaliser in added time the Sky Blues would have won – as it was the relegation threatened side had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
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