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In the other league game Rotherham scored five times for the second week in a row. In a South Yorkshire special they beat Barnsley 5-1 in Sheffield, with a hat trick from youth team striker Will Hoskins. A victory would have taken the Reds to the top of the league, but the Millers’ fine recent form soon put paid to such thoughts, although Barnsley did take an early lead through a deflected Steve Hayward shot. After that it was all Rotherham, and further goals from Danny Hudson and Liam Kay were added to Hoskins’ heroics.
So tight is the table, that this win puts Rotherham in the championship frame. Their run of six games unbeaten has taken them from relegation candidates to within sight of the top.
Although these were the only league games, some of our other Avon Insurance rivals were in action. In the fourth round of the Birmingham Senior Cup Walsall travelled to Nuneaton Borough and won comfortably 5-0. Australian duo David Zdrilic and Steve Corica both scored twice, with Matty Fryatt getting the other.
In another Senior Cup, this time the Manchester variety (by the way, what ever happened to the Lancashire Senior Cup?), Oldham took on Man Yoo at Boundary Park. Having already beaten KKMC earlier in the season, the Latics were full of confidence, and indeed came out 2-1 winners with Danny Bopshell and Wayne Gill on target. Darren Fletcher got Yoo’s reply who, although they didn’t fill their side with "stars", still had three players with Champions (sic) League experience in Danny Pugh, David Nardiello and Kieran Richardson on show. So, well done t’Latics!
Finally, Preston took on Carlisle in a "behind closed doors" friendly at Deepdale, and beat the Cumbrians 3-1 with Eric Skora and Richard Cresswell (2) getting the goals.
Forthcoming fixtures:
Wednesday, February 19th:
Bury v Walsall
Huddersfield v Tranmere
Rotherham v Preston
Sheffield Utd v Oldham
Leading league scorers:
7 Brother Joe O’Neill (Preston)
6 Gareth Seddon (Bury)
6 Griff Jones (Barnsley)
6 Paul Macari (Huddersfield)
6 Scott Vernon (Oldham)
6 Mark Robins (Rotherham)
6 Paul Warne (Rotherham)
5 Jimmi Lee Jones (Wolves)
Avon Insurance League Premier Division