Shrewsbury boss Matthew Taylor welcomed a bit of luck as his side ended a long goal drought to beat Northampton 1-0.

Daniel Udoh struck a late winner to give the Shrews their first goal in over 600 minutes, a run stretching back to August and including seven games in two competitions.

The Shrews survived giving away a late penalty, as Sam Hoskins hit the crossbar with his 73rd-minute spot-kick, before Udoh struck in added time to the relief of the home supporters.

Taylor said: “I’m really pleased, not necessarily for me but really pleased for the staff and players, as I see every day how hard everybody works and working towards getting a result.

“We will play better than today, but we have not had any luck, and what we did today and what we had today is some luck.

“The ball fell to Dan, from our perspective a great finish, from their perspective they will be disappointed.

“But he does what he’s paid to do, and hopefully it gives him and the players a bit more confidence now.

“I still think there is huge growth in the group, but at the moment I have said to the players in there we have suffered a lot as a group in the last four or five weeks.

“There are always a lot of times in football where you go away from a game and you’re disappointed. I think the players now need to enjoy that feeling they have got in there in the dressing room.”

Cobblers boss Jon Brady was frustrated to have nothing to show after feeling his side had dominated the game.

He said: “One thing I would say is I think we were in control the whole match, especially in the first half with Mitch (Pinnock) and a few other chances. We had some really good opportunities.

“Then we had the penalty, and to be honest we were in full control, so minimum, minimum I felt out of that game we should come away with the three points, and we limited them, and (goalkeeper Lee) Burge wasn’t tested.

“Unfortunately, that goal we concede has too many errors in the build-up, and they get a ricochet and then goes wide, and I don’t think he should score from that angle either.

“It is tough with the squad size that we have got that we can’t rotate hugely today, so a few players were out on their fee. They gave everything they’ve got.”

David Martindale heaped praise on Livingston for the ruthless way they put 10-man Motherwell to the sword in a 2-0 victory.

The Lions made light work of cutting open their visitors once Lennon Miller had been red carded in first-half stoppage time for clipping the heels of Dan MacKay.

Bruce Anderson made the breakthrough only seven minutes into the second half and Sean Kelly added a second from the spot nine minutes later.

It was a first home victory for the Almondvale side in the Premiership this season and they remain undefeated against teams outside the Old Firm.

Livi boss Martindale said: “We’re not getting carried away, but it’s three points and a clean sheet.

“I felt we just shaded it 11 v 11. Motherwell have had a fairly good start to the campaign and they’ve got a good shape about them and a good structure. They’re well coached.

“I don’t think they caused us many problems in the first half and we worked on Dan MacKay, in particular, attacking those central zones at pace.

“We got our just rewards from it and Dan got his just rewards from it.

“I thought wee Bruce was brilliant today with his link-up, he was fantastic and brings Dan into play, and they went down to 10 men.

“I’ll be honest, I thought it was going to be a difficult second half, in terms of trying to break Motherwell down.

“But we managed to get in behind them quite early on for the first goal and then James Penrice did magnificently for the second goal.

“That took a wee bit of the sting out of the game, playing against 10 men. The boys have got to take a lot of credit for the clean sheet.”

Martindale reserved special praise for Anderson, who led the line for Livingston impressively and grabbed his sixth goal of the campaign.

He added: “Bruce’s link-up was brilliant. It’s a part of his game he needs to join together and be a bit more consistent with.

“He’s always going to score goals if you get the ball into the box, but outside the box he knows it’s an area of his game he needs to work on.

“But, outside the box, I thought he was tremendous today and that was the most pleasing aspect for me.”

Meanwhile, Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was angered by his side’s second-half capitulation.

The Fir Park side opened the season in fantastic form with 10 points from a possible 12, but have now lost four in a row.

Kettlewell said: “There was nothing in the game before [the red card] and that’s the bit that really frustrates me.

“But it also seemed to be the catalyst for a real degree of naivety from our point of view.

“The decision making wasn’t good enough, we conceded one penalty and could have conceded another.

“It all just spiralled out of control and I have never seen that since being here. It irks me and it begins to anger me, as we have had a lot of plaudits for being a good side.

“We are always well organised but in that second half, it all just spiralled. I take responsibility for that but I have never seen it from the players before.”

Liam Rosenior lamented two dropped points after Hull were pegged back in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Millwall.

Joe Bryan’s first Lions goal secured a point for the hosts but Hull were excellent in the first half, and led 2-1 at the break thanks to goals from Jaden Philogene and Adama Traore.

Duncan Watmore had put Millwall ahead in the eighth minute and the hosts had chances to win it late on, leaving Hull manager Rosenior relieved to hear the full-time whistle – despite bossing much of the match and failing to convert several chances.

“It feels like two points dropped, absolutely,” he said.

“So many aspects of our play are so good. What we need to improve on is killing games whilst we’re on top. We haven’t done that this season and we should have more points as a result.

“The one benefit is I’ve got a great young group here and they’re learning. We made young mistakes in and out of possession. That’s the risk you have when you’ve got young players.

“They need to learn quickly and I need to learn and analyse quickly in terms of how to help them.

“I think everybody in the stadium can see the potential in this team today. The frustrating thing for me is we’ve come such a long way and we should have won this game.

“My first game was here and we had to dog it out with 10 men. The team’s evolving, we’re getting better.

“The next part of that evolution is killing that game off. I promise you we will win a lot of games playing this way this season. They threw the kitchen sink at us, but we need to be braver to play.”

Hull have lost just one of their last 10 matches, and that came at high-flying Ipswich in midweek, while Millwall sit just two points behind them in a congested table.

The Lions’ home form has been uncharacteristically patchy, winning just two of their last seven, and manager Gary Rowett admits it was a game of two halves but praised Millwall’s spirit for bouncing back.

“We responded really well to going behind. We have to make the changes tactically, formation-wise and personnel-wise and that did the trick second half,” he said.

“We needed a bit more composure and maybe we could have got the third. I didn’t think we had amazing chances, but we had one or two where maybe we could have won the game.

“I’m really pleased with the response. We didn’t cope with the two goals very well again and I spoke to the players about that at half-time.

“Hull are a really good side, Liam’s done a great job. They’re really hard to play against. When you press then they just bounce it round you.

“We were too passive. We went a goal up and their two goals were two very poor moments from us. The first one we let a runner go between two players unopposed and the second one was a mix up.

“All you can do then is respond. We didn’t want another home defeat because I think that would have been really damaging.”

Jordan Gibson scored a first career hat-trick but manager Paul Simpson says Carlisle’s match-winner should have finished with four goals against Bolton.

Gibson, who had never previously netted even a senior double, fired a 44th-minute equalising penalty after Jon Mellish’s own goal put the Trotters in front.

He added further goals in the 70th and 95th minutes as the Cumbrians secured a 3-1 Sky Bet League One victory.

The visitors also missed a first-half penalty through Joe Garner after Kyle Dempsey’s foul on Sean Maguire, and Simpson revealed: “We had talked for weeks that Jordan Gibson is on penalties.

“But we didn’t talk before the game because I automatically thought Gibbo was on them.

“He got the ball but the next time I looked Joe was on it. I will never criticise players for missing pens but stick with what the plan is. Fortunately, we got away with it.

“We have spoken for weeks about penalties we have not been getting but we got two today.

“We have said Jordan should be getting more goals. So, what an achievement to come to a place like Bolton and score a hat-trick.

“It was an outstanding performance. I am delighted we scored three goals, I am delighted with the football we played but that was built on a solid, team performance.

“It showed discipline to go and do the horrible side of the game, to chase and to tackle. We have had games with bits of that performance but that result we have been waiting for, especially with so many fans backing us.”

Bolton, chasing a third successive league win, faded badly after the boost of Mellish’s own goal.

“We looked devoid of energy, devoid of ideas second half, we looked flat and we looked leggy,” admitted Wanderers boss Ian Evatt.

“We lacked zest and energy and those are the foundations everything else is built from.

“This was probably one game too far with the lack of options to rotate and freshen up.

“There were too many players under par. We get ahead but the two penalties were an absolute joke.

“I am sure neither were penalties but we had chances which we didn’t take.

“We huffed and we puffed but their second goal goes in via a deflection and then we make a crazy decision at the end with Nathan (Baxter) going up with still four minutes left.

“That said, Nathan was outstanding in the game. This international break has come at the right time.”

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United’s stunning stoppage-time turnaround against Brentford has to be the “turning point” in their season.

The afterglow from a promising first season under the Dutchman has long since dimmed, with the mood threatening to darken further before the international break.

Mathias Jensen put Brentford on course for a famous Old Trafford win as United entered second-half stoppage time staring down the barrel of a fifth defeat in their opening eight league matches.

But super sub Scott McTominay had other ideas. Introduced in the 87th minute, he fired United level in the 93rd minute and four minutes later headed home to seal a scarcely believable 2-1 comeback win.

“This has to be a turning point but also it has to be a restart because we have to get into higher levels,” United boss Ten Hag said.

“But the spirit is good, the belief is good, the team is together.

“We have shown that, we have shown strong character and it can be the turning point in the season but it’s up to us.

“Those games give fuel to a dressing room. They know how far they have to go to get results.

“It can’t be easy going and in football, it’s eat or you get eaten.

“Too many times in the first half of the season we have got eaten by opponents who are more hungry, and this can’t be. It has to go away.

“Every player, every second he is on the pitch, he has to deliver that. That is the demand and the standard.

“When you do that, we have seen last season that you get a determined team.

“We were not always determined on every occasion in games and you get hammered for it and this has to change.”

McTominay was the fifth and final substitution made by Ten Hag as United desperately looked to avoid a third straight Old Trafford defeat in all competitions.

The homegrown midfielder was linked with a summer move but stayed and came up trumps on Saturday, when he admitted he could not quite hear Ten Hag’s instructions when bringing him on.

McTominay reckoned his manager “probably said something like ‘go on and score’,” but the grinning Dutchman said: “I said score two goals!

“It says a lot (about his mentality). He’s Man United in everything, in his heart. He’s playing for the badge, he gives his life.

“When you’re coming on and you give this to the team, that tells a lot. That also tells a lot about this dressing room, they are together.

“And also I felt the whole afternoon a strong togetherness with the fans because even when we are losing they kept standing behind us.

“They kept us going, the team kept going and finally we get rewarded.”

Brentford were just moments away from a famous first Old Trafford win since 1937, only to be denied their second victory of the season at the death.

Bees head coach Thomas Frank said: “When you’re leading 1-0 into three minutes injury time and then lose, I think that’s unfair.

“I think if you were winning there you would all say ‘well done, tough game for Brentford, deserved win’.

“When they equalised, probably you could say ‘OK, 1-1 is probably fair’.

“I think that we played close to a perfect first half, very aggressive in the high pressure, very brave on the ball, good on the counters, defended well.

“I think it was a well-deserved 1-0 lead that first half.

“Second half we get more under pressure. Of course, we’re playing against Man United at Old Trafford. They have to win.

“I know when it’s good for other managers. I’m happy for Erik but of course not happy for myself that we didn’t win, because I think he would probably have faced a pretty brutal room if he’d lost.”

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola admits it is worrying already being in the bottom three and accepts a winless start to the season means he has “not done his homework”.

The 3-0 defeat at Everton leaves the Cherries without a victory in eight matches, their worst start to a league season since the 1994-95 campaign in the third tier when they picked up just a point from the same number of games.

Blame cannot all be placed at Iraola’s door, with the club’s record run without a win now stretching to 12 matches, but having been brought in this summer to replace Gary O’Neil – the man who kept them up against the odds – the responsibility is with the man from the Basque country.

“When you are in the relegation spots like we are now we have to be worried,” he said.

“You talk about the good reputation (he has) but I have to show it. The only thing you can do is start with yourself.

“We haven’t won games so I’m not doing my homework but I feel like players are pushing and are really disappointed and I am more than happy to coach the players I have here.

“We are conceding too easy goals and they are taking us from the games. We have to keep the concentration for 100 minutes otherwise it is very difficult.

“I think the first goal took a little bit of confidence, especially in the build-up.

“It is too easy a goal to concede and it was key today because it gives them confidence and momentum.

“When you are facing this type of game it is very important you start well. The way we conceded, especially the first goal, it turned things around.”

The first goal was unusual, coming as early as it did in just the eighth minute from James Garner, but what was really rare was that it was added to by Jack Harrison on his full home debut and Abdoulaye Doucoure – who scored the goal against Bournemouth back in May which kept Everton in the Premier League.

It was the first time since October 22 last year that the Toffees had scored more than once at home and brought a first Goodison win of the season.

After a number of encouraging but fruitless performances at home, manager Sean Dyche was pleased to at last get one over the line and comfortably so.

“I’m not saying it is a complete performance but it is a very good one and certainly a winning performance,” he said after a third win in four matches in all competitions.

“The signs have been there all season. The first game of the season we dominated proceedings, dominated chances and we just didn’t win.

“It’s about winning; the more you win the more people smile. The difference is when we win the noise changes.

“They were very good against Luton (despite losing 2-1 last weekend) and I have to see through the noise and remind the players of good performances.

“But also remind them good performances mean nothing unless you win.

“You can carry on with good performances all season but if you don’t win people lose faith in good performances.

“That just rubber-stamps another good performance by getting the win with another dominant performance.

“The xG (at three-plus) is as high as it’s been in the last eight years but you have to capitalise on it.

“Today we didn’t wait for it to happen, we stepped up and made it happen and that has to be a mindset that continues.

“It is not easy but that us is one we want to keep growing.”

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor admitted Jordan Hugill’s smash-and-grab to draw 1-1 with Southampton may have saved his job.

Taylor was under pressure following Wednesday night’s 90th-minute defeat to Bristol City, having won only once and failed to pick up a point on the road.

But Hugill came off the bench to produce a stunning equaliser to cancel out Stuart Armstrong’s opener.

“It was much needed (the point),” Taylor said. “It didn’t look achievable at the start of the first half.

“We somehow managed to stay in the game in that first half, it was difficult and we rode our luck at times, and had to give ourselves a chance in the second half – and we did that.

“It still needs a moment of quality from the players or a moment of skill, whether that be our goalkeeper, last-ditch defending or the goal.

“I hope (it can change our season). When you come to Southampton, you have to sacrifice not having the ball for a little bit.

“We were so low after Wednesday night so full credit to the team for getting through today – and I include myself in that.

“There was a point in the first half where you could hear the end wavering.

“Not just in terms of my position, but in the belief of what we are trying to do.

“Players believe in success and we had a bit more success in the second half.”

Armstrong had put Saints ahead in the second minute after pouncing after Che Adams’ header had come back off a post.

Saints dominated with Adam Armstrong, Will Smallbone and Adams all blitzing the Rotherham goal in search of a second goal.

They were punished for their wastefulness when Hugill caught Bazunu off-guard to lift over him.

It meant Saints were booed off after two straight victories.

Boss Russell Martin said: “It was a really good performance. Anyone who came today would say we deserved to win. We should have been out of sight before Rotherham scored.

“It’s just really frustrating. We were so good in the first half, we should have been 3-0 up and just paid for a lack of ruthlessness really.

“A guy at the end was booing and going absolutely crazy, I understand his frustration, but you’ve just watched such a dominant performance.

“I’m as frustrated as you are that we haven’t won, but I’m not sure the players deserved the vitriol. So I had a word with him.

“Hopefully most people go away knowing they’ve watched a performance where we have been completely dominant.

“I know this game is very outcome-focused, if you’re a supporter that’s the one thing that matters. But if we play like that and are that dominant, the difference is a fine line.

“It’s not a big deal, everyone is angry, but I didn’t think the players deserved that at that moment. And I’m feeling the same way as he is because I can’t believe we haven’t won the game.

“I understand the frustration and anger, but we have come through a tough period and had a good week and we have a chance when we come back to really progress.

“This result and performance will be a big learning for us. You play this game 100 times and you win 98 and 99 times. So we have to use this as fuel.”

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho admitted the 2-0 win at home to Port Vale was ‘a game of two halves’.

After a lacklustre opening 45 minutes, top-scorer Colby Bishop scored twice early in the second half to extend the Sky Bet League One leaders’ unbeaten run to 23 games.

Mousinho said: “Over the 90 minutes you could say ‘job done’ but it was a game of two halves.

“I thought we were excellent in the second half. I said to the lads that maybe it’s a sign of a good team that you can not quite be on it, like we were in the first half, and not concede goals.

“We moved the ball far too slowly in the first half, and we didn’t go forward with enough urgency.”

Pompey’s first half performance did not reflect their lofty league position as Vale had by far the better of the play.

The visitors could have taken the lead in the fifth minute but Funso Ojo could only hit the post from 18 yards.

Ojo had another chance which went straight to Will Norris, James Plant put the ball wide when clear and Ben Garrity headed over from close range for the visitors.

Portsmouth’s only effort before the break was a header from an unmarked Paddy Lane, which went wide.

However, Pompey came out fighting in the second half and they took the lead in the 53rd minute when Bishop tapped in Joe Rafferty fierce cross-shot from close range.

The hosts doubled their advantage five minutes later when a penalty, given for handball by Kofi Balmer, was converted by Bishop.

Mousinho added: “Colby’s all-round play is excellent, and he can sniff out opportunities, which is exactly what he did for the first goal. He works hard and deserves it.”

Disappointed Vale boss Andy Crosby admitted his team’s lack of ruthlessness in the first half cost them.

Crosby said: “We did well to create a number of chances against the league leaders but didn’t work their keeper enough.

“We were the better side in the first 45 minutes but couldn’t put anything away. Funso hit the post, but that was the closest we got.”

“The referee gives a penalty, which my players say wasn’t. They’re adamant it didn’t hit Kofi’s hand, and if anything, we should have had a free-kick.

“We’ve come here with a game plan, to utilise the strength of our players. We were OK up to the point of getting the ball in the box, but we have to be more clinical, more ruthless.

“I didn’t play with a recognised striker because we looked at their back four and felt that we had enough strengths in other areas to play without one.”

Mauricio Pochettino believes Raheem Sterling can prove Gareth Southgate was wrong to leave him out of another England squad after the Chelsea forward inspired his side to a 4-1 come-from-behind win at Burnley.

Days after Southgate left him out of the squad for next week’s internationals, Sterling took his frustrations out on his old Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany and Burnley, having a hand in all four Chelsea goals, scoring one.

Sterling has not played for England since last year’s World Cup, and although fitness accounted for his absence in March and he asked not to play in June while he focused on getting fully back up to speed, Southgate has now chosen to leave him out of the last two squads.

But at Turf Moor he showed what England are missing as he was the man to open up Burnley after the Clarets had taken a surprise early lead through teenager Wilson Odobert.

Sterling’s cross deflected off Ameen Al Dakhil for the equaliser and he then won the penalty which Cole Palmer scored for his first Chelsea goal at the start of the second half. Sterling got his own goal in the 65th minute before having a hand in the fourth, finished by Nicolas Jackson.

“I think a player with his experience knows he needs to perform and to show the manager of the national team he was wrong in the decision,” Pochettino said. “Only with performances and scoring goals is he going to show he deserved to go.”

Although Sterling stole the headlines, Pochettino was keen to talk up the overall team performance as Chelsea made it back-to-back league wins for the first time since March, scoring four or more goals for the first time since thrashing Southampton 6-0 in April 2022.

“It was a fantastic performance, they deserve it and I’m happy for them to go into the national break with a different feeling,” Pochettino said.

“We need to be consistent. We have good competition, a very talented squad but at the moment for different reasons we cannot use all of the potential from the squad. But I think with time we are going to be in the position we want to be.

“With all the players fit there will be massive competition and that’s going to be good for the team to keep the level we need to fight for big things.”

Burnley’s worries are different. They have now equalled the record of five straight home defeats to start a top-flight campaign, joining Manchester United (1930-31), Portsmouth (2009-10), Bolton Wanderers (2011-12) and Newcastle United (2018-19) on the unwanted number.

Of the other four, only Newcastle avoided relegation in the same season.

“We had a very solid foundation defensively (last season), the best defence in the league but it’s a different level now and everybody has got to level up,” Kompany said.

“I wish there was a magic wand to solve everything but it’s a lot of work on the training ground to get the basics right. We’ve done it in games and done it well but it’s been spells and that’s our own mistake and we have to work on it.

“It’s extremely difficult against teams like this. We need a little bit of luck and we need to take chances…Performances have not been the issue, just the different calibre of players. A couple of them I’ve played with myself and I know what they can do to teams.”

Kompany, who was part of two title-winning City sides with Sterling, could only puff out his cheeks when asked about his old team-mate.

“He’s a top player,” he said.

Gareth Ainsworth insisted he can turn things around at QPR after a 4-0 defeat at home to Blackburn increased the pressure on him.

Ainsworth is determined to stay on as boss but his future looks uncertain after another dire performance.

Rangers have won just once at Loftus Road since last October and an 11th home game without a win set a new club record.

They almost went down under Ainsworth last season and are currently third from bottom in the Championship, having so far justified being one of the favourites for relegation this term.

But Ainsworth declared: “I’m a fighter and a scrapper. I’ll get this team out of this, no problem – I’ll get this team higher in the league. I’m going to work really hard to get out of this.

“For some reason it’s not clicking at the moment. I’ve got to work really hard on the training ground and I will do that.

“I believe we’ve got a better squad than when I first came. It didn’t show today, but I’m super-confident we’ll get points.

“I can stand in the mirror and know I give my best. If that’s not good enough then I’ll be told. But at the moment I intend to keep going and make myself and these players better.”

Ainsworth was a popular figure among R’s fans during a seven-year spell as a player at the club, but he has faced criticism for his direct style of play and the home crowd made their discontent clear during the game and after the final whistle.

Ainsworth said: “I understand the criticism totally. And if that criticism stays with me and away from the players, then give it to me. I can take it.

“I’ll give my all. I’ll give absolutely everything until somebody tells me not to.

“I’m really pleased with the application of some of the young players here. I think we’ve got a good future.

“But in the present, we’ve got to get points on the board, otherwise we’ll be in a relegation battle.

“That wasn’t good enough and I know it. I apologise to the fans. I’m not saying that was an acceptable performance.”

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson said he never doubted his side despite them losing four matches in a row prior to their emphatic victory.

The Dane said: “Sometimes players can lose confidence, but they stuck to the plan.

“We’ve been playing good stuff, there have been a lot of positive things, and it’s great to have a win before the international break.

“I’m just sticking to the plan and the progress with this young team. We’ve played some great football and normally if you do the right things you will get wins.

“There’s maybe been a bit of noise, but if you keep playing you will get results.”

Arnor Sigurdsson scored twice and there were also goals for Tyrhys Dolan and Sammie Szmodics in a thumping win for Rovers, who were the better team throughout.

Tomasson said: “I’m thrilled with the result and the performance. Going away in the Championship and winning is not easy. It’s a brilliant result.

“We probably didn’t play our best game today but the connection was better and we scored goals.

“We also kept QPR from getting big chances. We were solid, which was important, and the goals were great.

“Scoring the goals was important and credit to the lads – this was a deserved victory.”

Fulham manager Marco Silva described Willian as “class” after the Brazilian’s stunning display in the 3-1 victory over Sheffield United at Craven Cottage.

The 35-year-old added Fulham’s third in stoppage time and was largely unplayable during a dominant performance.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s strike and an unfortunate Wes Foderingham own goal had twice put the Cottagers ahead with the Blades equalising after Antonee Robinson put into his own net.

After Willian opened his account for the season, Silva said: “He was class. He’s a class player and he has incredible quality.

“He played with a very good intensity and it was probably one of his best games this season so far and I’m really pleased for him because of the quality he has.

“He did so many things. The way he created on the left was very good.

“The players with the top quality can decide any moment of the game and they make the difference in football. The decisions Willian made came in the right moments and he’s a top-class player.

“He scored the goal because he believed he had other chances to score and I’m really pleased for him.”

Fulham have struggled for goals since the August departure of star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, scoring five times in the Premier League prior to the victory over the Blades.

Silva believes his players need to be more clinical in front of goal after missed chances in the first half gave Sheffield United a way back into the game through Robinson’s own goal.

“The first half we were at a very good level,” Silva added.

“From the right and the left we were creating from the first moments and when you create so many chances, the normal thing is to put the ball in the net because some of the chances were so clear.

“We are creating more and the goals have to come if you are creating the number of chances we are.

“It was a game where we could have scored more goals. But we got three and we have to be happy with three.”

Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom was left frustrated.

He said: “In the second half when you’re in control of the ball, losing it at the top-end of the pitch and for us to concede is poor and it’s a naivety.

“I can’t fault the effort, the organisation and the intent of the players but it’s a naivety when you’re playing against these.”

Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Neil Thompson admitted the quality might not have been there but could not fault his struggling side for their commitment in the goalless draw at home to Huddersfield.

It was a Yorkshire derby of few chances at Hillsborough where the two men on the respective benches provided an interesting subplot to on-field events.

Thompson was taking charge of his first game as temporary Owls boss following the sacking of Xisco Munoz, while Huddersfield counterpart Darren Moore was making his first return to Wednesday since leaving in the summer.

With rock-bottom Wednesday having not won in the Championship this season and 19th-placed Huddersfield coming into the match on the back of 4-1 mauling at Birmingham, Thompson admitted the clash was always likely to be “a bit cagey”.

Summing up the game, Thompson said: “Scrappy, a bit frantic. We are on the back of a bad run and they’ve come off the back of a bad result in midweek. It was always going to be tight, a bit cagey. Not a lot of quality possession but a lot of endeavour.

“I thought we had a little spell just before half-time where we got a bit of controlled possession in their half. Maybe we could have done a little bit more with it.

“In the second 45, I thought that we were the team probably that was going to score. It was a game of few chances, but if you’re not going to win it, you’re not going to lose it and we didn’t lose it.

“It’s a pre-requisite that you compete and we did that. That’s what I got from the boys today. They put a lot into the game.

“I think the players have had a right go today. Quality? Yes, that can be better, of course it can, but in terms of them committing themselves to the task in hand, I think they did it.

“You just step into the breach and do the best you can. I’ve been asked to do this game and I’ve done it.”

Huddersfield manager Darren Moore, who guided Wednesday to promotion via the play-offs last season before leaving the club, also admitted the game lacked any real quality.

He said: “I would imagine from a neutral watching the game, it wasn’t a great game to watch. I thought the game would settle down after about 20/25 minutes but it kind of kept up all the way through the game.

“What you got from the game was two teams committed to not giving anyone any space on the pitch to manoeuvre.

“I just thought on the balance of it we shaded it. A couple of chances better than they had. I thought the ‘goal’ in the 90th minute came and then I looked to see the referee signal and he said it was a foul on the keeper. It looked soft at the time.

“I thought we shaded the chances better and certainly off the back of the performance in the week, a clean sheet was really important for us.”

Looking ahead, Moore, who was named Terriers boss last month, said: “I’m looking at the next two weeks as an opportunity to work with the team. The players have been absolutely diamonds – every single one of them – because everything we’ve asked them to do in small pockets, they’ve been doing.

“We have a chance to get some work done on the training ground. When we do get into these threatening areas, where we can be more of a threat and more punishing to the opposition.”

Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens was delighted to secure a 2-1 win against Reading after a difficult week for the club.

The O’s match with Lincoln on Tuesday was abandoned when lifelong supporter Derek Reynolds was taken ill and died later that evening.

Wellens had seen his team dominate the early exchanges against Reading to deservedly take a first-half lead through a Jordan Brown piledriver before Tyler Bindon equalised ahead of the interval.

But the points were secured in the 90th minute by George Moncur, who stepped off the bench to apply the final touch after a goalmouth scramble following a corner.

“It was a really emotional afternoon and I thought the club as a whole today made it a brilliant day to remember a lifelong supporter and someone who worked for the football club,” Wellens said.

“It’s been a very tough 72 hours. Finding that motivation to get going has been difficult

“We had to work hard in the end. We were totally dominant in the opening 20 minutes. We created loads of chances, we hit the crossbar and we found it easy to play round them but then they changed it when we scored and they blocked us up a bit.

“We’re still an emerging side, naive at times and tactically we have to get better while the game is happening but I can’t be prouder of the players as our points return has been really good.

“Jordan Brown epitomised what we’re all about. He was excellent today; picked pockets, kept possession and technically he’s a very good footballer which was demonstrated from the goal he scored.”

Reading remain in the relegation zone and manager Ruben Selles acknowledged that his side need to address their shortcomings.

“We competed well but it’s another moment late like the Exeter game where we lose the game in a situation we could have easily solved,” he said.

“We came here to compete and we were in the game. We came back after the first goal but we need to improve.

“Our pressure was not quick enough at the start of the game so I made a couple of modifications and we started to defend better. We went back to our system we know to get more pressure on the ball and it stopped the crosses coming in from the opposition.

“We lost Sam Hutchinson before the match as he was feeling his hip. He could run but not kick the ball so we had to made a change and brought in Charlie Savage.

“There is always pressure in football but there has been a lot of things out of our modifications of building the team but I will not make excuses. We came here to compete.”