Former Peterborough United and Hull City striker and Final Score pundit Aaron McLean gives his five takeaways from across the Championship, League One and League Two this weekend.
Championship leaders Coventry came back from behind to end their three-game winless run by coming back to beat Leicester, while fourth-placed Millwall beat in-form Watford to stay in contention at the top.
McLean: “The beginning of the season was incredible for Coventry but they have, by their own admission, hit a bit of a tough patch so to get their first win in four league games will have done them the world of good.
“Frank Lampard will be feeling a lot brighter this evening. To come from behind and show the character they showed and for Ellis Simms and Haji Wright to get back in the goals I think everything is pointing back in the right direction.
“The most important thing after Middlesbrough won last night was to make sure they did their job and they did.
“Tuesday’s game with in-form Millwall looks like it could be a great one for the neutral.
“I think what they have done so far has been absolutely incredible. I hope they can maintain it. They’re not a team who will blow teams away but what they will do is grind points out.
“To go away to Watford, who on their day can beat anyone in this division and had been in fabulous form, and come away with the points and a clean sheet will show what they are about.
“They will be thinking this could be their season.”
Southampton’s poor form continued as they fell to a 2-1 home defeat by Hull City to stretch their run without a victory to seven matches.
McLean: “The momentum for Southampton has dwindled away.
“They had that new manager bounce but over the past few weeks they have almost reverted to type and when they concede a goal it’s that ‘here we go again’ syndrome and they can’t seem to shake it..
“They desperately need a good win to get the feeling back.
“It feels like they will struggle to get anywhere near the play-offs.
“First of all they need to get some clean sheets. They’re not keeping clean sheets and that is not giving them an opportunity to go and take something.
“If they can just go and grind out a couple of 1-0 wins then that will give them the confidence that they can go and be a bit more expansive.
“That is what the squad has been built in that mould but now they need to tighten up.
“At the moment it isn’t working and they’re getting punished.”
New West Brom boss Eric Ramsay saw his side battle back from two goals down only to lose 3-2 at home to second-placed Middlesbrough on Friday. Norwich’s 2-1 win at Wrexham today leaves them four points behind the Baggies before Tuesday’s game between the two sides.
McLean: “Going back to Friday night’s game between West Brom and Middlesbrough, I feel like new boss Eric Ramsay has a huge job on his hands.
“They lost to an unbelievable strike in their last league game at Leicester and then they did so well to come back to 2-2 to Middlesbrough and then to lose so late on, I feel sorry for them.
“That has been their Achilles’ heel though, they have conceded late goals time and time again.
“At this stage of the year you find yourselves in that position because your performances aren’t good enough. Away from home their results have been abysmal and they find themselves in a lot of trouble.
“I look at Norwich, who they play on Tuesday in what looks like another great match, they have got that new manager bounce under Philippe Clement, and the Baggies need that now.
“It looks bleak but there is time to turn it around.”
League One leaders Cardiff City won 2-1 at third-placed Bradford City to strengthen their position at the top, while at the bottom, Doncaster claimed just a second league win since September with a 1-0 success at fellow strugglers AFC Wimbledon.
McLean: “I look at Cardiff as the strongest team in that league and they will just be looking to keep Lincoln at arm’s length.
“The Imps are the most in-form team in the division but let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 at Luton today.
“I think if Cardiff finish above Lincoln then they will have won the league.
“I also like what Mansfield, who beat bottom side Port Vale 3-0 today, are doing. They’ve got momentum, they’ve got confidence and in Nigel Clough they’ve got a brilliant manager.
“They’re winning games and getting a good level of consistency, if they can keep doing that then will put themselves in the play-off race.
“Down at the bottom of the league, it was a huge win for Doncaster against another team who have dropped off in AFC Wimbledon.
“The Dons shot themselves in the foot with a late red card and then conceding in the ninth minute of time added on. That is a hammer blow for Johnnie Jackson.
“For Doncaster it was a desperately needed win. When you go into a new year you are looking for that spark and that result today could give them that.
“It is the best way to win. There is no better feeling than a late win away from home. They need to bottle that and take it into the remaining games.”
In League Two, Shrewsbury claimed a vital win against 10-man Harrogate to move four points clear of the bottom two.
McLean: “Down at the bottom of League Two it was massive result for Shrewsbury.
“When you are down the wrong end of a division you have got to beat the teams around you.
“For Harrogate it’s now 16 games without a win. Simon Weaver will be feeling the pressure and this will have been a game they’d have been looking at and thinking a result there today could have given them a major boost.
“The only team below them in the league Newport also took a really tough loss that I think just sums up their season.
“To concede in the 91st minute and the 99th minute, having taken the lead at Gillingham in the 84th minute… That shows boss Christian Fuchs the size of the job he has got.
“I think they’re going to struggle to stay up but they’re still within a shout because the teams above them aren’t winning games either.”
Aaron McLean was talking to BBC Sport England’s Ian Woodcock.
