Division One Round-Up: Week 3, Part 2

The Results

Barnsley 1-1 Rotherham
Birmingham 2-1 Stockport
Burnley 2-4 Manchester City
Coventry 0-0 Notts Forest
Norwich 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Portsmouth 4-2 Grimsby
Sheffield United 2-2 Wolves
Watford 2-1 Walsall
West Brom 1-0 Gillingham
Wimbledon 1-1 Preston

Stockport have now got an unwanted 100% start to the season after losing their first four matches. Grimsby lost their unbeaten start to the campaign, as did Burnley and Gillingham.

West Brom collected their first win thanks to another Dichio goal, and Rotherham came close to three points but were denied by a late Bruce Dyer goal at Oakwell.

Norwich have forgotten all about their opening day 4-0 defeat at Millwall, and have since won their next three games without conceding a goal. They are very much the form team of the division.

The Table

Simply the teams who lost their unbeaten starts slip down a few places, whereas teams such as Portsmouth and Norwich continue climbing the league ladder. Birmingham are slowly creeping up towards the top, and Watford have now entered the top half after a sluggish start to the new season.

Stockport and Crewe remain rooted at the foot of the table, although the Railwaymen have a game in hand over the Hatters and the above teams, they face Millwall at Gresty Road.

Latest League Table

Next Weekend

Grimsby have a mouth-watering home clash against Barnsley, with the Yorkshire side desperate to find some sort of away form after two heavy defeats. Birmingham travel to Nottm Forest, Burnley entertain Bradford and Manchester City will test Sheffield United's defence. United have amazingly drawn their first four games of the season, and they travel to Maine Road with an unbeaten record but are also looking for their first win of the season.

Millwall are at home to Watford, Gillingham look to bounce back from defeat with a win over Palace, and Rotherham host Coventry in what will be the Sky Blues' acid test. Sheffield Wednesday play Preston, Stockport entertain West Brom, and Norwich aim to continue their winning run at home to Walsall. Portsmouth travel to Wimbledon and Crewe go searching for points at Wolves.

Goalscorers

After yesterday's demolition of the Grimsby defence, Peter Crouch and Marc Burchill will be looking for a repeat performance next Saturday. Shaun Goater hit a hat-trick at Turf Moor in Manchester City's 4-2 victory, and he'll be looking to add to his goal tally in front of his home crowd against Sheff Utd.

Division's Talent

They may be pointless and propping up the rest of the division, but Stockport's Steffi Kuqi is without doubt one of the division's hottest talents. He scored a penalty at Birmingham yesterday, and certainly knows where the goal is as last season's record will testify.

Preston youngster Keane who at just 18-years old was given his league debut by David Moyes at Grimsby, was on the mark for the Lillywhites at home to Wimbledon. The midfielder, who is said to be in a similar mould to his namesake at Man Utd, is surely destined for a bright future. Finally, Croatian maestro Robert Prosinecki looks to have settled into the English game and was the orchestrater of many Pompey goals yesterday afternoon.

Path For Grimsby

Certainly it is felt that three points at home to Barnsley are very possible, but it will be the trip to Coventry that will test the full Mariners squad. Forest at home, and then two away games at Palace and Stockport, it looks as though Grimsby will be looking to take at least 6 or more points from those next five games.