EFL ROUND UP: Swansea boss Michael Duff still waiting for lift-off with Swans, Preston go top of Championship, while Exeter knock Stevenage off top spot in League One
- Swansea boss Michael Duff has failed to secure a championship win
- Cardiff won the South Wales Derby thanks to a late penalty from Aaron Ramsey
- Exeter City are currently first in League One, with Gillingham in League Two
Swansea manager Michael Duff is still searching for his first Championship victory after Cardiff ended a run of four derby reverses in South Wales 2-0.
βIt never really looked like scoring in the second half,β said Duff, who took charge in the summer.
βIt’s a concern, we haven’t won a game, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist.
‘The players who are here are good footballers. The surprising thing is that the lack of quality on the ball has let us down.’
After a first half that saw just one shot on target at the Cardiff City Stadium, the Bluebirds took the lead in the 71st minute when substitute Ollie Tanner fired past Carl Rushworth.
Cardiff City substitute Ollie Tanner made an immediate impression when he came off the bench
Ramsey was frustrated by his side’s lack of goals until Ollie Tanner secured a 1-0 lead at home
Cardiff captain Aaron Ramsey put the result beyond doubt after converting a penalty four minutes from time to lift his side into 16th place.
Cardiff boss Erol Bulut praised the home support, saying: ‘The fans were great. From the first minute to the end they supported the team perfectly.’
Stevenage were knocked out of top spot in League One after Corey Blackett-Taylor’s injury-time penalty saved Charlton a point in Michael Appleton’s first game in charge.
The home side had taken the lead through Jamie Reid but were replaced at the top by Exeter, who beat Cheltenham 1-0.
Joel Piroe celebrates the second of his two goals as Leeds eased to a 3-0 away win against Millwall
It sealed a great victory that took Leeds into the top half of the Championship
There was at least some joy for Reading fans at the end of another difficult week, which saw them gain three points after the club failed to comply with an order to ensure staff were paid on time.
The home fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch against Bolton midway through the first half in protest against owner Dai Yongge, and Ruben Selles’ young Royals side trailed a Ron Charles goal after 20 minutes. But goals from Charlie Savage (below) and Caylon Vickers resulted in three points.
βI’m very proud of the players,β Selles said. ‘They have shown character all week. Our fans have been with us all season. They can see the effort we put in and the dedication we have.β
The big winners of the weekend in League Two were Accrington, who defeated Sutton 4-1 at the Wham Stadium. At the bottom of the Football League, Grant McCann’s Doncaster took their first win of the season at Forest Green.