Clarets join the youth title race

Last updated : 03 November 2014 By Tony Scholes
Christian Hill

Burnley are now the league's leading goalscorers with 28 goals and the record of our fast improving defence is now only bettered by five other teams. Saturday's 4-1 win at Wrexham came courtesy of two Josh Dolling goals, his second brace in successive games, Brad Jackson and Christian Hill.

That result allowed us to move up two places, going ahead of Preston, who had no game, and Oldham who were surprisingly beaten for a second successive week. They were beaten by 4-1 by our next opponents Port Vale.

Oldham now trail us by three points but have two games in hand remaining, but we are now only one point behind each of the teams above us with Bury the only winners. They beat morning leaders Walsall whilst Rochdale were held by struggling Carlisle at home.

Rochdale have a game in hand but all three sit on 25 points with Rochdale the new leaders on goal difference. I know every team can say the same but my mind does now go back to the home game against Shrewsbury when they scored a late equaliser. Without that our fast improving team would now be sat on top of the league.

At the other end of the table, Morecambe's climb off the bottom lasted just six days. They won for the first time a week last Saturday to go above Accrington but the two met on Friday afternoon, just hours before their respective teams faced each other in League Two. Accrington were the winners to restore their two point lead over Morecambe.

In the two other games played there were wins for Fleetwood and Wigan against Tranmere and Shrewsbury respectively. Wigan are one point below us with Oldham, Preston and Tranmere a further point behind. Only four points now separate Rochdale from eighth place Tranmere.

All the results from the weekend are below with this week's fixtures, Burnley's goalscorers and the current league table.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Friday 31st October
ACCRINGTON 2 MORECAMBE 0

Saturday 1st November
BURY 3 WALSALL 0
FLEETWOOD 2 TRANMERE 1
PORT VALE 4 OLDHAM 1
ROCHDALE 1 CARLISLE 1
SHREWSBURY 1 WIGAN 3
WREXHAM 1 BURNLEY 4

THIS WEEK'S FIXTURES

Saturday 8th November
BLACKPOOL v ACCRINGTON
BURNLEY v PORT VALE
CARLISLE v BURY
MORECAMBE v ROCHDALE
OLDHAM v WREXHAM
TRANMERE v SHREWSBURY
WALSALL v PRESTON
WIGAN v FLEETWOOD

BURNLEY'S GOALSCORERS

5: NTUMBA MASSANKA, KHIUS METZ
4: JOSH DOLLING, BRAD JACKSON
3: CHRISTIAN HILL
2: BRANDON WILSON
1: JAMAL CRAWFORD, SHAUN HOBSON, ANDY NUGENT, ALEX RICHARDSON, WAQAS AZAM

CURRENT LEAGUE TABLE

Team pld w d l f a pts
 
ROCHDALE 11 8 1 2 26 12 25
WALSALL 12 8 1 3 22 12 25
BURY 12 8 1 3 25 18 25
BURNLEY 12 7 3 2 28 16 24
WIGAN ATHLETIC 12 7 2 3 26 13 23
OLDHAM ATHLETIC 10 7 0 3 27 13 21
PRESTON NORTH END 11 6 3 2 23 12 21
TRANMERE ROVERS 12 6 3 3 22 18 21
BLACKPOOL 11 5 1 5 18 16 16
WREXHAM 12 4 2 6 21 26 14
PORT VALE 11 4 1 6 16 23 13
FLEETWOOD TOWN 11 4 0 7 12 24 12
SHREWSBURY TOWN 11 2 3 6 18 23 9
CARLISLE UNITED 11 1 3 7 13 28 6
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 12 1 2 9 11 27 5
MORECAMBE 13 1 0 12 10 37 3