Goalkeeper: Sam Johnstone – Doncaster Rovers
The Rovers shot-stopper proved a pivotal component as Doncaster took all three points from a Yorkshire derby at Bradford City.
Despite conceding, Johnstone recovered and made a string of five or six outstanding saves as Doncaster clinged to the three points in the latter staged of the game.
Rovers can therefore go away from this game happy, after a good team performance, and an outstanding solo performance from the man between the sticks.
Defence: Aden Flint – Bristol City
The Bristol train keeps on chugging at the top of League One, and that is largely down to an impressive defence, which was on show again on Saturday including a dominant performance from Aden Flint.
Flint commanded in the air and on the ground in a defence that only allowed a confident Oldham Athletic side one shot on target.
This was The Robins’ fifth clean sheet of the season, and you can bet your mortgage, that if Flint and co. keep producing performances such as this, that number will increase quickly.
Defence: Peter Ramage – Barnsley
A dominant aerial display has earn Peter Ramage a place in our team of the week.
As an all round defensive display, you will not see many better than the one produced by the Tykes at Brammal Lane. Sheffield United were frustrated and limited as they shot from range and crossed hopeful balls into the Barnsley area.
Ramage was at the heart of everything, commanding his back line and heading every gal that came near him.
Defence: Jack O’Connell – Rochdale
On a day where the defence will avoid the headlines, Jack O’connell made his mark on the game, as the youngster marshalled the defence and knicked a goal for himself as well.
Dale managed to limit the Preston attack to a meagre two shots on target, despite North End attempting 13. This points to a defence who do not let anything past, and limit their opposition to long shots.
Keith Hill was quick to praise his defenders afterwards, and if O’Conell and co continue to impress, he’ll be praising them a lot more in the future.
Defence: Lewin Nyatanga – Barnsley
Peter Ramage was not the only Barnsley defender to grab the attention against Sheffield United.
Centre Back partner Lewin Nyatanga put in an equally domineering display.
Not a header was lost, nor a tackle mistimed, as Nyatanga battled till the end to keep the Blades at bay, and the Tykes’ clean sheet in tact.
Midfield: Matty Done – Rochdale Done’s work-rate and goals have made him a firm fans favourite at Spotland, and Saturday was more of the same.
He did not stop running all day, and claimed a goal just past the hour mark after an assist from goalkeeper Conrad Logan. Done went on to win multiple free-kicks for his side, and was a constant annoyance to the North End defence.
Midfield: Isaiah Osbourne – Scunthorpe United
An integral part of United’s impressive away win against a faltering Peterborough United.
The recent acquisition was involved in everything good produced by The Iron. He assisted both of Scunthorpe’s goals, first feeding Luke Williams who finished calmly past Ben Alnwick.
His shot then lead to the winner after it was deflected cruelly of Peterborough defender Ricardo Santos and into the net.
Midfield: Jimmy O’Brien – Coventry City
Two goals from the midfielder helped The Sky Blues maintain what appears to be a return to form as they drew 2-2 at Leyton Orient.
The first was tapped in from a cross from recent signing Gary Madine. The Second was a moment of brilliance as O’Brien volleyed past the O’s keeper from 20 yards to rescue a point in the 90th minute.
Aside from the goals, Obrien put in an extremely hardworking shift, winning free-kicks and being a constant threat to the Orient back line.
Midfield: Mark Marshall – Port Vale
Another hard-working and persistent performance from Port Vale’s Mark Marshall earns him a place in this week’s best XI.
A goal and an assist made the performance all the more impressive, first knocking in an Adam Yates’ cross before he turned provider for substitute Colin Daniel, who scored within a minute of being introduced.
Forward: Sam Winnall – Barnsley
A winning goal, and a hideously hard-working display helped Barnsley to vital win in their Yorkshire derby against Sheffield United.
Winnall, somehow, towered above all of United’s back line to power a header past the despairing Mark Howard.
This was the second match running that the striker had been named Barnsley’s Man of the Match, and it appears that Winnall is finally starting to add constancy to the obvious talent he possesses.
Forward: Tom Hitchcock – Fleetwood Town
The 22-year-old striker netted just three minutes into his Cod Army debut against Gillingham, and helped Fleetwood to their first win since mid-October.
The on-loan MK Dons man pounced on a sloppy punch from the Gills goalkeeper Steven Bywater.
Hitchcock continued to pose a constant threat for the entire 90-minutes, and never gave the MK back line a moments rest.
