League One Team of Mid-week

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Goalkeeper: Jamie Ashdown – Crawley Town 

The 33-year-old shot stopper was a vital component as Crawley Town held onto a well deserved point away to Doncaster Rovers.

Ashdown secured his place in this weeks team with a handful of top saves in the dying embers of the game as Rovers threw everything at them, in an attempt to steal all three points.

The former Reading and Portsmouth man faced 18 shots during in the game, but his solidity held firm and Crawley picked up there second clean sheet on the bounce.

Defence: Aden Flint – Bristol City

Flint played a pivotal role in Bristol City’s 3-0 win over Port Vale on Tuesday night.

First, the defender clattered a header against the Vale woodwork. In the scramble that followed, striker Aaron Wilbraham was on hand to poke home. Flint did eventually get his name on the score sheet, nodding home a Kieran Agard ball to make the score 2-0.

A solid defensive display ensured a clean-sheet, against Vale’s archaic attacking play. The long balls forward to Pope were dealt with effortlessly all night by Flint and his fellow defenders. He later described it as “my bread and butter”.

Defence: Ashley Eastham – Rochdale 

In such a one sided match, it is perhaps surprising that a defender managed to stand-out from the crowd.

But Eastham managed that, as much through his attacking play as his defensive, as Rochdale cruised to a 4-0 home thrashing of Walsall. The domineering centre-back glanced home a Scott Tanser free-kick on the half-hour mark.

The 23-year-old then returned to his position and dealt with anything Walsall could muster, and managed to keep the visitors to only 11 shots.

Defence: Haydn Hollis – Notts County

Resolute defending ensured that County sent Leyton Orient back to London frustrated that they could only muster a point.

And Hollis was right at the heart of the defence that fended away a tumult of late Orient pressure as they piled forward. But within all this pressure, Hollis rarely lost a header, nor did he mistime a tackle. Hollis was also felled by the Orient defence to win County a penalty in the first half, which Zeli Ismail dispatched.

Alongside on loan defender Louis Laing, County stayed compact and immovable. In the 90 minutes, Orient managed 16 shots, but the tight defending ensured that a mere two of those tested Roy Carroll.

Midfield: Billy Knott – Bradford City

Conclusions that can be drawn from Bradford’s visit to Stadium: MK: Bradford won 2-1, and The MK defence will be delighted they do not have to face Billy Knott for a few months.

The winger terrorised  Lewington and co. all evening, and set-up City’s opener. His pin-point cross was greatfully met by the head of Aaron McLean, who nodded past Martin to give City the lead. Knott also played his part in The Bantam’s second which culminated in a well struck Billy Clarke effort, into the bottom corner.

Unfortunately, Knott ran himself into the ground, and was substituted on the 74th minute mark, but he will be back to terrorise more defenders.

Midfield: Liam Noble – Notts County

In a lively encounter at Meadow Lane, the game, and more specifically the home side, needed a calming influence on proceedings. Noble was the man to supply this.

Throughout the game, Noble was County’s focal point, as he sprayed pinpoint passes out all over the pitch. But the midfielder really proved his worth when Orient piled on the pressure in the dying stages, where his level headedness and composure on the ball ensured County finished with a point.

Midfield: Ben Davies – Sheffield United

Davies scored twice in five minutes as United completed a stunning late comeback away to Colchester United.

Colchester would have been forgiven for believing the game was won as the game entered the 83rd minute with them 2-0 up. Step forward Ben Davies. The 33-year-old proved he still has what it takes as he drove home a low finish in the 83rd minute to make the score 2-1, and to send the nails of the home faithful in their mouths.

On the 88th minute, after Ryan Flynn had leveled the scores, Stefan Scougal was fouled in the Colchester area, and Davies kept a cool head to complete a staggering comeback.

Midfield: Mathew Done – Rochdale

A similar performance to Billy Knott’s has earned the Dale midfielder a spot.

The 26-year-old’s limitless energy and pace caused Walsall’s defender’s all sorts of problems as the Spotland side romped to a 4-0 home victory. Done opened the scoring and created many other chances throughout the game before he was substituted on the 74th minute, perhaps out of sympathy for The Saddlers.

Forward: Eoin Doyle – Chesterfield

It would have been impossible for me not to include Chesterfield’s Irish goal machine.

After netting a hat-trick on Saturday, Doyle clearly thought, why break the trend? As the 26-year-old netted a consecutive hat-trick as he inspired the Spireites to come back from 3-0 down at Deepdale. With Chesterfield trailing 3-0, Doyle netted his first just after the half hour, a tidy finish from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Doyle then decided to take a 40 minute break from putting the ball in the net.

On the 75th minute, however, Doyle was the name on the stadium announcer’s lips again as he finished coolly after Daniel Johnson’s pass. On the 90th minute, after Lillywhite nails had been chewed to nubs, Doyle finished the job from the penalty spot.

Forward: Aaron Wilbraham – Bristol City

Sam who? The form Robins forward is fast becoming a distant memory thanks to the goals of Aaron Wilbraham.

The forward took his tally to seven for the season on Tuesday evening as he netted twice in City’s 3-0 win at Port Vale. The two goals really summed up what any manager wants from a striker. The first was a poached after Aden Flint’s header crashed against the post, and the second came when the 34-year-old, danced round the Vale keeper like a 20-year-old and slotted the ball home to kill the game.

With the big money signing of Kieran Agard, competition to be City’s main goal scorer is sure to be of great interest, and benefit to the Ashton Gate faithful.

Forward: Ian Henderson – Rochdale

A cool finish and a sublime assist earn Dale’s main man a place in our midweek team.

It only took five minutes for Henderson to put his stamp on the game as he set-up Matt Done to open the scoring, and the flood gates. Before half-time it was 3-0, and Henderson had got his name on the scoreboard with an inch perfect finish from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner of the goal.

Henderson took his tally for the season to four with that goal, but if he keeps helping others, as well as helping himself, he will continue to find himself in our team of the week.

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