By Charlie Elliott
How can anyone not love the EFL? A weekend filled with pure chaos, goals galore and so many storylines is the norm for the 72 clubs involved, and this past gameweek proved no different.
Leeds United could be falling apart again (cue Joy Division) as they fell to a 2-2 draw away against Queens Park Rangers, which finds them only two points ahead of third-placed Burnley.
Wrexham‘s fairytale continued with a 1-0 win at home to Wycombe Wanderers, they joined Birmingham City in the automatic places of League One.
No one seems to want to win League Two, as the top two sides Walsall and Bradford City both dropped points to lower opposition.
That’s not to mention the four games that saw five or more goals scored in them, with only one 0-0 draw from the 36 games.
Charlie Elliott selects his best XI from the EFL this weekend for his Team of the Week.
Nick Townsend (Newport County)
Newport County goalkeeper Nick Townsend has surely reached legend status at Rodney Parade by now.
Time after time he saves his team and in their 3-0 win at home to Harrogate Town, he played a huge part in keeping a clean sheet for the Exiles.
As the visitors peppered the County goal with plenty of shots on target, the Antiguan stopper produced seven saves across the 90 minutes.
An unreal save at the end from a Josh March header confirmed the clean sheet and summed up a good day’s work for the team.
Mandela Egbo (Colchester United)
League Two’s perennial mid-table club, Colchester United, are finally giving promotion a real go.
Right-back Mandela Egbo had another solid performance in their 3-0 win against Fleetwood Town.
Attacking wise, he was heavily involved with two chances created and an assist for Owura Edwards, while also being very good defensively.
It ended as a very comfortable game thanks to a strong team performance from the U’s, but the right-back stood out amongst his squad.
Terence Vancooten (Burton Albion)
Burton Albion beat Shrewsbury Town 2-0 in a proper relegation six pointer, with Albion now only six points from safety and Salop all but down.
Guyanese centre back Terence Vancooten was the best man on the day for the visiting Brewers in a game where he needed to play well.
His late goal from very close range may have been hard to miss, but it sealed the points for the visitors and took them closer to League One safety.
Paudie O’Connor (Lincoln City)
It seems that Paudie O’Connor makes it into this team most weeks, as he keeps putting in standout performance after standout performance for the Imps.
While not MOTM (more on that later), two assists and a clean sheet in a 5-0 win is not to be scoffed at.
Bristol Rovers were well beaten by Michael Skubala’s side, who ran riot at the LNER Stadium.
In truth, both assists were long balls which were dealt with incredibly by the respective attackers to score, but it still goes down on the stats sheet.
Joe Bryan (Millwall)
Millwall won 1-0 at home to Stoke City thanks to a late penalty which took them to within six points of the Championship playoffs.
Joe Bryan rolled back the years with a trademark attacking fullback performance akin to what we saw in his promotion season with Fulham in the 2019/20 season.
Plenty of attacking endeavour led to three chances being created and some dangerous crosses being put in all afternoon.
What a left foot he has.
Jovan Makama (Lincoln City)
As promised, Lincoln‘s MOTM is a deserved inclusion into this team.
Three goals and an assist from Jovan Makama in City’s 5-0 win tells you everything you need to know.
It wasn’t a case of three tap-ins either, as he worked extremely hard to battle through and get a bit of space to finish his chances with aplomb.
Lincoln has seen a lot of quality young talent pass through their doors over recent years, and Makama looks set to be the next one up.
At only 21-years-old, there is a huge talent in League One and it might not be long until he moves up the leagues.
Alistair Smith (AFC Wimbledon)
Midfielder Alistair Smith had a game to remember at Brunton Park as he notched a goal and an assist to give AFC Wimbledon a huge 2-1 win away against Carlisle United.
A tidy volley from the penalty spot turned out to be the winner, as his side moved into the automatic promotion places in League Two.
Overall, he looked the business with plenty to do on both sides of the ball.
Victor Torp (Coventry City)
Another who seems to be a bit of a regular here, Victor Torp loves a goal involvement from midfield.
It was no different in Coventry City’s 3-0 home win against Sunderland, in which the Dane got a brace of assists for hat-trick hero Haji Wright.
The first goal was mostly from Wright’s brilliance, but Torp’s assist for the third goal was an inch-perfect through ball that left his striker with a relatively straightforward chip over Anthony Patterson.
Not his first time and probably not his last in this TOTW.
Ruben Roosken (Huddersfield Town)
Dutch winger Ruben Roosken opened his account for Huddersfield Town after joining in January, as the Terriers secured an easy 5-1 win at home to Crawley Town.
The result takes them into the playoff places, not long after sacking manager Michael Duff.
Roosken’s composed left-footed finish across goal was the fifth and final goal for his team and came after he assisted Matthew Pearson’s strike.
A great way to endear yourself to your new fans, he will be hoping to kick on and get Town out of League One at the first time of asking.
Jayden Stockley (Port Vale)
A lot of strikers got a brace of goals this week, which is impressive.
But for a striker to get a goal and an assist somehow seems better, as they have not only shown an instinct to score, but also to provide.
Port Vale striker Jayden Stockley did just that in their 3-0 home win against MK Dons.
A flick on for Lorent Tolaj to finish (after a defensive error) opened the scoring before he doubled the lead with a tidy flick from a deep cross.
Summing up what a target man should do, Srockley was a nuisance all game and bullied the MK defenders.
Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Wright’s teammate Torp has already had a mention, but Coventry’s striker was ‘Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot’ (to the same tune as ‘Haji Wright, Wright, Wright’) against Sunderland.
Three goals that showcased three different skills that a striker should have, showed a good day’s work for him.
His first was a banger from outside the box, which arrowed into the bottom corner.
Then, it was a penalty which showed coolness under pressure.
Finally, a neatly chipped effort that represented a finisher’s instinct.
Wright was just unplayable, and the win takes the Sky Blues up to fifth in the Championship.
READ MORE: Coventry City 3-0 Sunderland: Hat-trick Haji Wright is Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues hero
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