Valerien Ismael hailed a “great performance” after his Watford side heaped further misery on struggling Rotherham with a 5-0 thumping at Vicarage Road.

Watford endured a tricky start to the campaign, but are now six games unbeaten and charging up the Sky Bet Championship table after their biggest victory of the season.

Despite just six places separating the two sides heading into the game, the gulf in class was evident throughout, with Mileta Rajovic scoring twice before second-half goals from Edo Kayembe, Tom Ince and Matheus Martins.

“We came out of the challenge of losing three games very well,” said Ismael. “I think now we have built something strong.

“We need to recover because the next massive block will come in the big December games. But now we feel more ready.

“We know the players better and what type of players we need for each game. It was a learning process, but we feel we are moving in the right direction. Now the results show up.

“With the feeling we’ve had from the beginning that we are on the right path and now the results are showing, it will help to build our confidence.”

Watford’s two first-half goals came in near-identical fashion, with Ken Sema providing perfect deliveries from the left flank for Rajovic to finish inside the six-yard box.

Kayembe added the third after 54 minutes, turning his defender after Ryan Porteous had driven at the Rotherham defence.

Substitutes Ince and Martins then completed the rout late on with the visitors paying the price for making all of their changes and playing the final 10 minutes a man down after Cafu added to their long injury list.

“The first two goals were exactly what we wanted, to come around the block of the defender,” said Ismael. “We have to cross more, to shoot more, to force the opponent to defend more, just to keep the pressure on.

“Today was a team performance because the bench, the players who came in, gave us another breath and got their reward. Another clean sheet and five goals, a great performance.”

Defeat leaves Rotherham four points adrift of safety and without a win on the road for more than a year – a run that stretched to 21 league games.

Already battling a lengthy list of absentees, they lost Cafu, Daniel Ayala and Sam Clucas to worrying hamstring injuries.

“It’s a painful result, but the end is even more painful,” said Rotherham manager Matt Taylor. “The result is a big blow, but to lose three players of that calibre, for a team like Rotherham, is massive for us.

“I didn’t think there was much in the first half, but the game was past us before we could do anything about it.

“We’ve not trained since Tuesday so people can’t say we’re working them too hard. This league, to a team like Rotherham with our personnel, really highlights our weaknesses.”

On his side’s dreadful away record, he added: “We’ve not been good enough away from home. Last season we ground out enough points for survival. I didn’t see enough of that grind and stubbornness today.

“It’s tough at the moment. If you get anything away from home for Rotherham United you’ve done really well.

“Our fans can sing and shout whatever they want – I totally understand that because when you’re getting beaten every away trip. Why should you spend your hard-earned money to watch us?”

Mikel Arteta made a point of praising the officials and VAR as 10-man Arsenal beat Burnley to move level with Premier League leaders Manchester City,

Fabio Vieira was sent off late on for a high challenge on Josh Brownhill, who had earlier cancelled out a brave Leandro Trossard opener.

But Arsenal had already secured the points by the time Vieira was dismissed, William Saliba heading them back in front before Oleksandr Zinchenko secured the points with an acrobatic volley.

Arteta could yet face a Football Association charge after he criticised the officials during a 1-0 loss at Newcastle last week, having been asked to provide his observations having called the winning goal “embarrassing” and a “disgrace.

Here, though, he was keen to play to the gallery and made sure he hammered home his praise of the referees.

“With the red card… yes, VAR was right, he said.

“The referee was right. Really good decision, really positive from Mikel to speak about that! Good decision.”

He later added to talkSPORT: “Please ask me about VAR because today it was good.

“I hope that I’m on TV saying the referees are so good and I’m completely with them and being very constructive.”

Trossard was the difference-maker for the Gunners, the Belgium international once again starting as the central striker and breaking the deadlock with a close-range finish that saw him clatter into Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford and the post.

He recovered to lay on the corner from which Saliba scored and it was another Trossard set-piece that led to Zinchenko’s fine scissor-kick.

“I think he connects everybody. He’s so intelligent,” Arteta said of Trossard.

“I think he moves in ways that attracts people that generates spaces and options for people.

“Today he did that really good because it was so difficult and the spaces were so small to attack. He gave us a lot of threat and possibilities to connect and find spaces for us.

“He put your body on the line if it’s necessary, and that was it. It’s the 1,000th goal at the Emirates – a beautiful number.

“I’m very happy with him. I think every time you ask him to play whether it’s wide or as a nine, it flows and he has a real threat. So I’m really happy with him.”

Burnley could end the weekend bottom of the table after a 10th defeat in 12 league games since their return to the top flight.

But manager Vincent Kompany believes the Clarets continue to show resilience in their battle against the drop.

“We were solid first half. To concede the way we conceded is avoidable. It’s football. Good teams are there for a reason,” he said.

“Our team is as hard working as you like and resilient as you like. The club is filled with good, hard-working people. In the games we’re not expecting to have their level but we want to give ourselves a chance. This team wants to embrace this challenge.”

Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Paris St Germain won 3-0 at Reims for a fifth straight Ligue 1 victory to move top of the table.

Luis Enrique’s side produced the required response from the midweek Champions League defeat by AC Milan to keep the pressure on Nice, who were held to a goalless draw at Montpellier on Friday night.

However, despite taking an early lead, PSG had to overcome some testing spells at Stade Auguste-Delaune before Mbappe settled matters late on.

Mbappe had given the visitors a perfect start by opening the scoring after just three minutes with a superb finish.

Ousmane Dembele swung the ball in from the right and Mbappe dispatched a fine volley back into the bottom corner from the left side of the penalty area.

Reims, though, were soon on the offensive themselves and had an equaliser ruled out.

Mohamed Daramy sent Junya Ito away down the left channel and the Japan international slotted a composed finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The home side’s celebrations, though, were shortlived as the goal was swiftly ruled out for offside.

Ito was soon involved again as he put Marshall Munetsi in down the right side of the PSG penalty area but he slashed his shot wide.

A low free-kick from the Japan forward looked to be creeping in at the near post but Donnarumma got down to make a smart reaction save.

Azor Matusiwa then fired wide after latching on to a stray pass out from Donnarumma before Emmanuel Agbadou’s effort sailed just over.

Amir Richardson was denied by another fine stop from the PSG keeper at point-blank range just before the break.

Cheered on by a vocal home support, Reims threatened again early in the second half when Agbadou’s header from a corner was pushed away by Donnarumma.

PSG, though, made their hosts pay for spurning numerous chances to get themselves level when Mbappe doubled the lead just before the hour.

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Carlos Soler got away down the right and cut the ball back for the Frenchman to slot in his second.

With 10 minutes left, Mbappe completed his hat-trick, sweeping home a cut-back from substitute Bradley Barcola.

It was almost four for the French World Cup winner, who continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid, when he rattled the crossbar from close range late on.

Bristol Rovers caretaker manager Andy Mangan was full of praise for his 10-man side’s desire after earning a hard-fought 1-0 win at Carlisle.

Sam Lavelle’s own goal before half-time proved to be the difference as Rovers, who extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches, rose to 10th place in the League One table and United dropped to 22nd.

The Pirates went a man down in the 73rd minute as Tristan Crama pulled back Terry Ablade to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity, but they held on for victory.

“I’m delighted for them to be honest,” said Mangan, who has overseen three wins and a draw since taking interim charge following the sacking of Joey Barton.

“Their endeavour, their hard work, their desire to see that through after the sending-off is amazing. The lads deserve all the credit that they can get.”

The winning goal came in the 38th minute, when the returning Jack Hunt’s cross took a wicked deflection off opposition defender Lavelle and looped into the net.

Mangan said a change of shape played a key part in securing all three points.

“I just felt we could hurt them in wide areas,” he added.

“I think in the first 20 minutes you saw some really decent chances for us on the counter, when we hit them on the break.

“Jack Hunt was getting crosses in wide. Harvey Vale was then landing on them because they play a four. So the change of shape actually helped us.

“I thought we were a little bit more dangerous on the counter-attack and also, because they’re a little bit direct, what we could do was catch their long balls and then pick up a few more balls in the middle of the park with the three in the middle. It went to plan, thankfully, in the end.”

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson described the decisive goal as a “horrible” one to give away, but was keen to avoid blaming the result entirely on bad luck.

“It’s those fine margins that we keep falling on the wrong side of,” he said.

“There’s other things that we need to concern ourselves with, rather than just that.

“It’d be wrong to just look at that and say we were unlucky because you have to make your own luck.

“We’ve had 23 crosses into the box, we’ve had 10 corners, we’ve had six free-kicks, we’ve had five long throw-ins. We haven’t got on the end of enough of them. We haven’t troubled their goalkeeper.

“And, the big thing for me, we have to get to a mental state where we’ve got a desire to go and score goals and to get on the end of things.

“They’ve had some decent bits of football – I’ll give them that – and they’ve got some good footballers in there, but they haven’t troubled us a hell of a lot in terms of our goal.”

Ian Evatt called George Thomason’s stunning match winner “very special” as Bolton’s fifth straight Skybet League One victory was made in Blackpool.

Midfielder Thomason, let go by the Seasiders at 16, netted a superb 74th-minute strike to the delight of ex-Bloomfield Road favourite, Evatt, with the Tangerines beaten 1-0.

“Football throws up these stories sometimes,” said the Bolton boss who earned promotion to the Premier League during his seven-year career on the Fylde Coast.

“For a young boy to be released by Blackpool and score the winner for Bolton is something very special.

“I am very proud of him. But I am proud of them all because that was a very tough game.

“That club (Blackpool) is dear to my heart but so is this one. There is nobody happier than me that we won that game “

Bolton did not have things all their own way with Karamoko Dembele hitting a post, Matt Pennington heading wide and CJ Hamilton failing to convert James Husband’s second-half cross.

“What an advert for League One football,” enthused Evatt after a derby watched by 24,238 fans.

“I thought it was such a high-quality game, two teams that are good with and without the ball.

“I thought we shaded it, to be honest, had the better chances, and we raised the tempo second half.

“The togetherness in the group, the people they are, they are amazing. I can’t wait to get back out on the grass with them again on Monday. It excites me working with this group of players.”

Pool chief manager Neil Critchley reckoned he had been more annoyed after seeing his team win this season.

But he remained upset a potential handball by Thomason was not punished with a penalty by referee Ben Toner.

“It was a good game played between two good teams in the right spirit,” he said echoing Evatt’s words. “It took a fantastic strike from outside the box to decide it.

“I can’t fault the way we played or the effort. I have been angrier after some of the games we have won this season.

“I am disappointed to lose any game. It is a horrible feeling and with the following we had who got right behind the team you want to send them home happy.

“Performance wise though, we contributed to a good game. We knew they were in form but I thought we more than matched them.

“There wasn’t anything in it really. We just didn’t work their keeper when we created our chances.

“But For me there was a clear handball and penalty. The referee can see it, he should give it but he didn’t.

“One big decision he had to make he got it strong. You need those things to go for you in game of fine margins.”

Craig Levein feels his St Johnstone side have overcome their fears after battling to a vital 1-0 victory over Ross County in the cinch Premiership.

Graham Carey’s wonderful curling effort 19 minutes from time clinched the win for Saints and lifted them off the foot of the table and up to 10th.

Levein saw his team squander a 2-0 advantage in his first match in charge against Motherwell but there was no repeat as they held firm in the latter stages against the Staggies.

“I talked to them after the Motherwell game about us getting spooked, well I think we’ve dealt with the ghosts now and that is evidence enough that we can cope with pressure in a situation where we are in front,” said Levein.

“I can’t off the top of my head remember a clear-cut opportunity for Ross County so that pleases me enormously.

“The second half, I think we had more control of the game and what a goal to win any game – that’s the quality Graham has got.

“There’s some glimpses of good stuff, some really good things today but hopefully we can get more of them.“

St Johnstone have picked up seven points from their last three league fixtures, and Levein has his sights set on climbing the table.

Following the international break, the former Hearts boss will take his team to Tynecastle hoping to extend their undefeated run to four matches.

“It helps in the short term but we need to use it to put together a run where we can actually not just get off the bottom of the table,” he added.

“The ambition has got to be to try climb the table and that’s what we’ll try and do.”

Malky Mackay was disappointed as his side dropped into the relegation play-off position following a poor showing in Perth.

St Johnstone goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was rarely troubled over the course of the 90 minutes, and the Staggies boss felt his side lacked the qualities that had seen them pick up a point from each of their previous three away league fixtures.

“When I look at it in the end, we didn’t have enough that were showing that extra little bit of responsibility today and that’s not like them – if nothing else we are a brave team,” he said.

“Over the last couple of weeks – the three away games at Dundee, Motherwell and Hibs – we’ve shown up really well.

“It was a scrappy game today, I said at half-time that one moment of quality was going to change this game between both teams and Graham Carey scores a very good goal.

“We just didn’t have that extra little bit of cutting edge and quality all over the park actually that we’ve shown in the last couple of weeks – especially away from home.”

Derby head coach Paul Warne described the 3-0 home win over Barnsley as “a boost for the dressing room.”

Barnsley came into the game unbeaten on the road this season but that run was ended by a James Collins brace and a Craig Forsyth goal.

The game was reasonably even up to the 35th minute when Jordan Williams pushed over Collins in the box and the striker got up to tuck away the penalty.

Derby rammed home that advantage in the second half when they twice caught Barnsley out with long free-kicks from goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

On both occasions, Forsyth got in behind Barnsley on the left when the ball was flicked on, firing low past Ben Killip in the 48th minute and then forcing the goalkeeper into an acrobatic save in the 63rd before Collins chested in the rebound.

Barnsley had a chance to get back in it but John McAtee fired wide after Devante Cole’s pass set him up in the 52nd minute.

Warne said: “I thought the first half was really tight, I didn’t think either team was really in the ascendancy and it felt like one of those games that was going to come down to small margins.

“Massive credit to the players, they were excellent today. It’s about the dressing room, the lads feel good about it.

“I’ve been saying all week I thought they were going to win, not from an arrogant point of view but I just felt it, I could see the lads in training taking the information on.

“It’s a boost for the dressing room obviously and the lads back themselves when they are at their best and today they were and we could have competed against anyone.”

Barnsley slipped to sixth in League One, now level on points with Derby.

Head coach Neill Collins said: “Up until the third goal, I didn’t think there was anything in the game.

“We were behind to the penalty at half-time which I thought was more than recoverable but the second and third goals, to lose goals to direct play and you’re 3-0 down.

“I thought there was nothing between the teams, there wasn’t really clear-cut chances for either team, it was a good tight game but then it quickly unfolded because we didn’t deal with direct play.

“We have dealt with that type of play and we’ve kept a lot of clean sheets but you’re coming up against a better calibre of opposition today and we just didn’t deal with it and that was the one aspect which was really frustrating.

“At times, had we shown a little more devilment and intensity it could have been there for us in the first 60 minutes but we didn’t.”

Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery described Martin Boyle as a “special player” after the forward provided a superb assist for Josh Campbell to score the only goal of the game against Kilmarnock.

The Australia international, who also had an earlier effort ruled out for offside, sped forward with a forceful run from the centre-circle before teeing up his team-mate from close range.

Campbell’s effort after 36 minutes proved to be decisive as Hibs collected their first cinch Premiership victory in seven outings to move within a point of sixth-placed Killie.

Montgomery said: “Martin is a special player and we have to protect him. Coming off in the semi-final (against Aberdeen) he took a little knock.

“We can’t take risks on a player of Martin’s stature at the club and it was the right decision to leave him on the bench at St Mirren.

“It freshened him up and he has had a disallowed goal, possible penalty call and a couple at the end where he just lost his footing.

“Martin is a big player for us and it’s important that we don’t take risks when it’s not necessary.”

Montgomery admitted he was still reluctant to allow Boyle to join up with Australia after picking up a knee issue in last weekend’s Viaplay Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen.

He added: “I’m not the doctor but I will go down and have that conversation. If he’s fit, no problem, he’ll be raring to go with the Socceroos.

“If not, he’ll probably stay. Getting through 90 minutes probably tells you he’ll be desperate to go, and he’s a big player for them as well.

“If it was up to me, he’d stay and we’d rest him! But they’ve got good medical staff there and hopefully it’s two weeks of him recovering for a few days, and getting some minutes.”

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes admits Boyle’s moment of brilliance was the difference between the teams.

He said: “We should have done better in dealing with the initial move when Boyle got on the half turn.

“I saw when he was rested against St Mirren, I thought they should have let him run riot against Stevie’s (Robinson) team and left him on the bench against us.

“He’s the one that makes the difference and his part in the goal was decisive for them.

“The game was decided by a big moment with Boyle at the heart of it.

“But we are disappointed we didn’t manage to take anything from a game I felt we could have.

“We were just looking for those moments of quality.”

Joe Edwards insists he will not get carried away despite seeing his Millwall side beat Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 at Hillsborough in his first game in charge of the club.

Goals from Murray Wallace and George Saville in the first half paired with a couple more from Wes Harding and Brooke Norton-Cuffy in the second gave the Lions a brilliant victory away from home.

Edwards said: “The scoreline is really impressive but the performance is the best thing.

“Coming to a place like Hillsborough, the atmosphere wasn’t surprising. In the first 15 minutes they were on top but we did everything we needed to do to ride it out and fight. We began to grow in the game and we know the first goal can be decisive.

“In terms of philosophy, there’s only so much we can do in three training sessions but we can continue to build on our existing strengths.

“”It’s fantastic to get off the mark with a 4-0 win and a comfortable performance. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first week at the club.

“The club has gone a few games without a win so it was important for me to start well. We were well-organised defensively and, with the ball, we posed a real threat. We played some good football.

“Today I didn’t learn much I didn’t already know. The leadership and organisation didn’t surprise me, I know they’ve got that.

“I have a lot of belief in the players and I have no doubt they’re capable. I’m really pleased for them and the staff.

“It took a bit of everything in the performance to achieve the win. We showed grit and quality with clinical execution around the goal. We’ve come here today and done well in the key moments at the right time.

“I can put the work in but, at the end of the day, it’s down to the quality of the players. I won’t get carried away because I know how cruel the game can be.”

Danny Rohl, meanwhile, remains convinced his Sheffield Wednesday side can avoid relegation despite sitting four points adrift at the foot of the Championship table.

He said: “I’m disappointed about the game, it was not our best performance. The first minutes were good. We had a big chance to score and we didn’t, and in the next action we conceded. That’s football.

“We have been unlucky but today we weren’t unlucky, it just wasn’t good enough. We deserved the defeat.

“We tried to come back in the game by changing the shape and players at half-time but we weren’t able to show the intensity we need for 90 minutes.

“It is my job to find solutions so we can score the goals. It’s not easy to create confidence when we’re not scoring.

“We win together and we lose together. We have to train hard like the last few weeks and show a reaction.

“I understand the fans’ frustrations, they come here and expect to win. We will work over the international break.

“If we’re at 100 per cent, I am convinced we can stay in this league. If we’re any less then we’ll have some problems.”

Under-pressure manager David Wagner felt Norwich’s 3-2 comeback win at Cardiff proved he has the full support of his dressing room.

The Canaries went into the contest in the Welsh capital having collected just one point from their previous six Championship outings.

But Ryan Wintle’s own goal and Adam Idah’s strike, Christian Fassnacht having netted in the first half, earned Norwich a dramatic victory after Josh Bowler and Callum Robinson had put the hosts in front.

“I think it’s a deserved win,” said Wagner. “We have some problems but how the players took it on board and reacted was just great to see.

“It was anything but a surprise for me. I love these players. I know we don’t have a problem in the dressing room, there’s a good togetherness.

“It shows how tight the dressing room is. They were desperate to turn it around and have this winning feeling back.

“We were on a negative run for quite a while, this is never enjoyable.

“But if you still feel the dressing room and everyone else at the club is behind you, you can stand in front of everyone and show the confidence everyone needs from a leader.

“Now hopefully with some players back after the international break, hopefully this is our turning point to continue to at least perform like we did today.”

Following what had been a fairly tame start to proceedings, Norwich stunned the home crowd as Fassnacht tapped home from Kenny McLean’s flick-on to put his side in front with his third goal of the campaign.

But Bowler and Robinson netted before half-time to ensure the Bluebirds led at the break.

Wintle deflected in Fassnacht’s cross eight minutes from time and substitute Idah coolly slotted home from close range just two minutes later as the Canaries won for only the second time in 11 matches in all competitions while bringing an end to Cardiff’s three-game unbeaten run in the process.

Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut was left furious with his side’s set-piece defending.

“You can lose the game but not how we lost it in the last 25 minutes. This makes me angry,” he said.

“We didn’t fight, we didn’t concentrate, we lost balls too quickly and we knew exactly what they would do. Some players were not concentrating enough.

“We trained for it (set-pieces). We showed the team how Norwich are doing their corner kicks, at the front post, and they scored the first goal from the front post.

“And at the far post we conceded. The second goal was the same. Two easy goals.”

He added: “Also, our substitution players didn’t really help us. In previous weeks that was different, they brought us points.

“That was also the key to how we lost the game 3-2.”

Darrell Clarke says his Cheltenham team must maintain the standards shown in their 1-1 draw with Wigan if they are to give themselves a fighting chance of survival in League One.

The Robins recovered from falling behind to an early own goal to level through Liam Sercombe’s penalty and then push for a winner.

Wigan missed a second-half penalty, but Clarke felt it would have been a travesty if his team had not picked up at least a point.

“We started quite slowly for 15 minutes, but after that we were very good and that looked more like a Darrell Clarke team today,” said Clarke, whose side are eight points from safety.

“The fans appreciated it and we appreciated the support they gave us. They were outstanding in getting behind the team.

“They’ve seen a team there that wanted to give everything for the shirt. We got the press right at times and we made a very good technical team go long at times.

“We have done a lot of work to try and do that, get in their faces and we caused many problems. We’ve set a standard today and we don’t want to dip below that now.”

Wigan started well, with Lewis Freestone turning Jordan Jones’ low cross into his own net in the sixth minute after good work from Stephen Humphrys.

It was nearly 2-0 when Martial Godo hit the post in the 12th minute, but Cheltenham then rallied.

Curtis Davies shot just wide and Curtis Thompson lifted an effort over the bar.

Will Goodwin was tripped in the box by Baba Adeeko and Sercombe converted from the penalty spot for his second of the campaign in the 32nd minute.

Cheltenham made the stronger start to the second half, with Goodwin hitting the post after Davies’ flick-on from Luke Southwood’s free-kick.

Humphrys had the chance to win it for Wigan in the 64th minute, but his weak spot-kick was comfortably gathered by Southwood.

Cheltenham held on for a fully deserved share of the spoils, with Davies forcing a diving save from Sam Tickle in the 71st minute.

Wigan boss Shaun Maloney said he could not fault his players’ efforts.

“For the first 20 minutes I was really pleased,” he said.

“We created enough chances to be further ahead. It didn’t feel like a tactical game, it felt more of a battle. We came up with defensive solutions and it’s a point gained.

“In terms of missing the penalty, Stephen’s been so good for us this year. It’s one of those things. He’s been brilliant for us.

“We maybe have to find ways of controlling the game a little more, but I can’t say a negative thing about the players. They battled until the very last minute.

“The players have been very, very good, but I need more. Our mentality has to be the same as today after the international break.”

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna had mixed reactions to his team’s 3-2 victory over Swansea which took them level on points with Championship leaders Leicester.

Town, who came into the game on a three-match winless run in all competitions, fell behind to Jay Fulton’s seventh-minute header.

Jack Taylor, Conor Chaplin and George Hirst all scored to put Ipswich in command, but Swansea pulled one back through Jamal Lowe despite having Liam Cullen sent off.

And McKenna was annoyed by how his side ended the game.

“It shouldn’t have been 3-2,” the Ipswich boss said.

“There’s bits of frustration in there but there’s lots of good things about the game and the way that we played, the way that we overcame adversity and played some really good football and could have had any number of goals really.

“We should have been out of sight and I didn’t really like how we played the last 15 minutes against the 10 men.

“I didn’t like our concentration level. I didn’t like our humility.

“We dropped our concentration levels. It’s not just the frustration in the staff room it’s frustration in the dressing room that we didn’t maintain our standards for the last 15 minutes of that game.

“Sometimes something goes against you. There’s a lesson in there, but on the other hand massive credit to the group, massive credit to the response, massive credit to how we played throughout the first half, the way we came out in the second half, the way we chased down and built pressure for the third goal. There was some outstanding things in there.”

Swansea boss Michael Duff was frustrated his side travelled home with nothing to show for their efforts.

Duffy said: “We’ve been beaten by a 35-yard screamer, conceded from a throw in, conceded a penalty from a corner and a man sent off from a throw in. Three set plays ultimately.

“We kept the ball really well, started the game on the front foot, shot ourselves in the foot in a mad 15 minutes, got back in it and then we went down to 10 men.

“I thought we were excellent. I think that there’s 30,000 people biting their nails when nine minutes goes up (for added time). We’ve got 10 men and they’re time wasting tells you everything.

“I’m really pleased with the character and some of the quality but ultimately frustrated that we have come away with nothing.”

Ruben Selles wants his Reading team to be more ruthless after their woeful away form continued with a 3-2 defeat at Shrewsbury.

Sam Smith and Dom Ballard put the Royals 2-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes and they looked on course to put a winless run on the road to bed.

But Shrewsbury pulled one back through Tom Bayliss before half-time, and then two Shrews defenders spoilt the party in additional time.

Chey Dunkley bundled home in the second minute of stoppage time, and then Jason Sraha, with virtually the last kick of the game, smashed home the winner.

Selles, whose side have now failed to win away from home in the league for over a year, said: “It is painful; it has been like that for some games. I think we did a lot of good things during the game.

“We were leading 2-0 and we should have been leading more than two, but we didn’t finish the job.

“Second half, we had situations in which we were not ruthless enough, and at the end we were not ruthless enough to keep the result or to get something positive.

“My team would defend the corners better (if he had his time again).

“We will analyse, but we need to be more ruthless in the manner and the one-on-ones.

“We know how much it means to us to get points away and how much it means to us to get the three points.

“We cannot concede a goal in the centre of our goal with the ball just below our hips.

“We need to be more ruthless in the marking, in the clearance and attacking the space, we need to do it better.

“We need to demand more from each other.”

Shrews boss Matt Taylor said: “What I can do is talk about the first 15 minutes, which is unacceptable.

“Great, the emotion, great, we won the game, but people have got jobs to do, and they do not do them.

“That first 15 minutes really disappoints me. As a group, that is not what we are about.

“We scored a really good goal to get back in the game, you are given roles and responsibilities and what I cannot do is come out here and brush it under the carpet.

“I cannot come out here and not own it, from my perspective, that first 15 minutes is unacceptable.

“We got the second goal and there seemed to be an uprising in belief in the players.

“I must make a special mention for Jason because he gets that moment tonight.

“Having seen how hard he has worked and understanding his injury history and coming into the team at a difficult time, he has really taken his opportunity.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell admits he is looking forward to an international break after witnessing his side’s 3-0 defeat at Fleetwood.

The visitors shipped three goals in a disastrous first half, never really looked like salvaging anything from their long trip north and left the field to a chorus of boos from their travelling fans.

Caldwell held his hands up and is prepared to carry the can for his team, who have not tasted victory in Sky Bet League One since mid-September.

“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and although we improved in the second half we were 3-0 down so that was the least you’d expect,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to do and we need to stand up and be counted, but at this moment in time we’re not doing that.

“Ultimately I pick the team and I have to take responsibility for that. We have a bit of respite now with the international break and we can do a lot of work on the training ground because so many things need to be better.

“I understand that the fans are frustrated, we’re all frustrated. They come a long way to watch us and in the first half that wasn’t good enough. They are well within their rights to boo and criticise and we all have to work hard on the training pitch to change that momentum at the moment.

“The window doesn’t open until January and then we will look at it so we have to work with the players we’ve got, and they were fantastic early season.

“We have a few injuries that we have to get back but as individuals we have to look at ourselves and be better.”

Fleetwood boss Lee Johnson admitted things could hardly have gone better for his team in that first period, when Ryan Broom, Brendan Wiredu and Phoenix Patterson all found the net.

Patterson’s strike came after he had been sent tumbling in the box by Pierce Sweeney, referee Thomas Kirk awarding a free-kick just outside.

Patterson sent it perfectly into the near corner, leaving Johnson delighted with his young winger.

“Phoenix has been on it for the last two or three weeks,” he said. “He’s had to ‘unlearn’ some things, I wasn’t fully happy with his application, not in terms of his effort, work rate and professionalism, but his attitude to turn and drive at people, and I say that lovingly because I know how good he is.

“He’s got a great centre of gravity, a great end product and a little shift of pace and dynamism in the final third and he’s got real quality. If he was timid like I’d seen earlier in my tenure it wasn’t enough, but he’s deserved his chance and he’s taken it, he’s been excellent.

“It was a very satisfying win, I thought the first half in particular was excellent, we had a 15-minute spell where we stopped working hard early enough but we could have been 5-0 up at half-time, I think that would have probably been a fair assessment of the first half.

“Key for us is that we know what good looks like now and we know when we’re not playing well what that looks like as well and that allows the players to self-coach and manage each other, so I was really pleased to see that. It’s a really positive sign for us.

“As a general rule we feel like we’re going in the right direction.”

Dundee boss Tony Docherty is refusing to get carried away despite the thumping 4-0 cinch Premiership win over St Mirren at Dens Park.

The Dark Blues beat the Buddies thanks to an Amadou Bakayoko double, with Zak Rudden and Zach Robinson also on the scoresheet.

The emphatic win moved Dundee up to fifth in the table, just two points behind third-top St Mirren.

However, Docherty insists everyone at Dens will be keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground.

The 52-year-old said: “I thought it was an overall fantastic team performance. It doesn’t surprise me, we’ve been showing levels of real quality.

“We picked them off and the real pleasing aspect for me is that teams are always going on about us scoring from set plays. But we scored two goals from open play.

“To get all your strikers on the scoresheet and to get a clean sheet is particularly pleasing.

“As a squad and as a staff we will never get carried away. It’s always about your next game and it’s always about improvement.

“We’ll dust ourselves down, it’s just one game and we’ll take the three points and look forward to another game here at home to Hibs.”

St Mirren had been affected by a sickness bug with skipper Mark O’Hara missing the game but boss Stephen Robinson insisted it was just a very bad day at the office.

He said: “I think I would be making excuses. As a collective and myself included, it wasn’t good enough.

“We started really poorly and we got a wake-up call when Rudden hit the post – we were sleeping.

“But we didn’t respond to it. Probably the biggest disappointment is we made it very clear as a group that set plays were their biggest threat.

“Every single player had an off day outwith Scott Tanser who got pass marks just.

“We haven’t become a bad team overnight. We will get criticised for the performance and rightly so.

“I maintain we need to stay in the division. That hasn’t changed.

“We are a good side with good players and good characters who will respond.

“We have had a very good start to the season, the league table doesn’t lie overall and we deserve to be where we are.

“But certainly on the performance today it is a reset – it needs to be reset and we need to get back to doing what we were doing before.”