Countyman

When you see owners wipe off over ten million pounds of debt, it’s clear they’re committed. It doesn’t mean the club has suddenly made money, and I like that they’ve been upfront about that, but it does mean the balance sheet is far stronger. That could make a big difference if we want to borrow responsibly in the future or even just to give the club some breathing space. I also think it’s a good sign that they’re willing to invest further if needed. They’ve been measured since day one, and this move shows they are thinking about the long-term picture rather than short-term gains.

Ipswich Town 1-0 Portsmouth Watford 0-0 Hull City Burton Albion 2-2 Plymouth Argyle Mansfield Town 0-0 Rotherham United Bristol Rovers 0-0 Salford City Crawley Town 1-2 Barrow Halifax Town 1-2 Aldershot Truro City 2-1 Morecambe Joker

Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Ipswich Town Sheffield United 1-1 Charlton Athletic Cardiff City 1-1 Bradford City Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Northampton Town Joker Bromley 1-2 Chesterfield Salford City 2-1 Swindon Town Altrincham 1-2 Carlisle United Tamworth 1-2 Yeovil Town

Martin Paterson has the right approach with Matthew Dennis. Strikers get the headlines, but the whole team creates the platform. The way he linked Dennis’ success to the squad shows he sees football as a collective game. You can also sense that Paterson is pushing Dennis to keep improving, rather than letting him settle. That’s the right way to handle a player in form. His mention of filming training and encouraging players to work individually stood out. Twelve staying behind after the session suggests there’s a strong mentality building. This kind of detail makes me believe Paterson is laying proper foundations. Gillingham away will be a huge test, but the preparation feels like it’s in the right place.

Stoke City 0-1 Birmingham City Joker Wrexham 1-0 QPR AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Rotherham United Leyton Orient 2-1 Bolton Wanderers Bristol Rovers 1-1 Barrow Fleetwood Town 1-1 Walsall Hartlepool United 1-1 Brackley Town Wealdstone 0-1 Gateshead

Rod McDonald fully deserves the Man of the Match award against Fleetwood Town. Since joining the squad in Matty Platt's absence, he’s brought a strong and steady presence at the back. He’s no longer just a back-up or fringe player, he’s playing like someone who belongs in the starting eleven. He gets my vote without question. His performances have been consistently good, and right now I think his role is the most important in the team. That might surprise a few people, but his leadership and the way he organises the defence stands out more to me than Jacob Bedeau’s work. That said, he fits in well alongside Bedeau and young Sonny Aljofree. The three of them seem to complement each other, and McDonald’s experience helps bring balance to the back line.

Matt Dennis is beginning to show real signs of being a natural finisher. His goal was taken with calmness and confidence, and while it wasn’t the easiest of chances, he made it look simple. Alassana Jatta deserves credit too, his physical presence and quick bursts of pace caused all sorts of problems for Fleetwood’s defence. For a first start, he didn’t look out of place at all. It was unfortunate that Jatta had to come off, as he’d made a strong impact. You get the feeling we might have found another goal if he’d stayed on. At the back, the team looked steady. Kelle Roos made a couple of key saves in the first half, and the defence held firm after the break. It wasn’t the most polished performance, but it was effective, and the result was well earned. There’s a brighter feel about the squad now. Players seem more settled, and the new signings are starting to gel. You can see the work being done on the training ground is paying off, there’s more shape, more understanding, and a growing sense of belief. It’s encouraging to see things coming together.

Matt Dennis is starting to look like a proper poacher. The way he took his chance showed a lot of confidence and composure. That was not an easy finish, but he made it look straightforward. Alassana Jatta played a big part too, and for his first start he showed strength and pace that gave Fleetwood defenders real problems. It is a shame he went off, but he left a positive impression. We might have scored a second if he had stayed on. Defensively, we were solid overall. Roos kept us in it during the first half, and the back three stuck to their task well in the second. It was not pretty at times, but a good win.

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 AFC Wimbledon Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Bradford City Cambridge United 1-0 Oldham Athletic Salford City 2-0 Tranmere Rovers Walsall 1-1 Chesterfield Forest Green Rovers 2-0 Hartlepool United Tamworth 1-1 Eastleigh Yeovil Town 1-0 York City Joker

Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Norwich City Watford 2-1 Southampton Barnsley 1-1 Huddersfield Town Wigan Athletic 1-0 Stockport County Barnet 0-2 Colchester United Joker Bromley 1-1 Harrogate Town Hartlepool United 0-1 Boreham Wood Morecambe 1-0 Woking

Norwich City 1-1 Middlesbrough Sheffield United 2-1 Millwall Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Lincoln City Mansfield Town 1-0 Leyton Orient Fleetwood Town 1-2 Oldham Athletic Gillingham 1-1 Crewe Alexandra Halifax Town 2-1 Forest Green Rovers Sutton United 1-0 Scunthorpe United Joker

The back line really stood up to the task and deserves recognition. Rod McDonald was dependable throughout, Jacob Bedeau stuck to the basics and kept things tidy, while Sonny Aljofree not only found the net but put in a strong shift defensively. Kelle Roos pulled off a crucial save at 2–1 that arguably kept the momentum from swinging, moments like that are just as vital as goals. The overall shape worked well, especially with Matt Palmer shielding the defence, which helped us disrupt Shrewsbury’s rhythm. It was also encouraging to see Kellan Gordon and Tyrese Hall come on and make a difference late in the game. Their energy and involvement showed we’ve got depth and flexibility when matches start to stretch. Having players who can influence things from the bench is a real asset, and it bodes well for the tougher fixtures ahead.

Thought the defence deserves a lot of credit. McDonald was solid, Bedeau kept things simple and Aljofree not only scored but defended well too. Roos made one excellent save that stopped the game turning at 2–1 and that’s just as important as scoring at the other end. The shape looked right with Palmer in front of the back three and it helped us break Shrewsbury’s play up. Nice to see Gordon and Hall making an impact off the bench as well, as it shows we’ve got options when games open up late on.

Huddersfield Town 2-0 Doncaster Rovers Luton Town 1-1 Wigan Athletic Stockport County 1-0 Bradford City Colchester United 1-0 Cambridge United Joker Gillingham 2-0 Chesterfield Harrogate Town 1-1 Barrow Altrincham 0-0 Hartlepool United Woking 1-0 Wealdstone

I don’t think he pushes himself enough because of his mental health, but the main thing is his happiness and the joy he gets from playing football. Carlisle should have allowed him to go with a free mind, as that would have been in keeping with what we did. Good luck to him, he’s far better than that level.