Eight of West Ham United’s loanees were involved in a busy weekend of action throughout the English football pyramid and abroad...
Among a feast of football action across the weekend, West Ham United Academy’s Krisztián Hegyi made his first competitive start for Debreceni VSC, who returned from their mid-season break with a 3-1 OTP Bank Liga win at home to Nyíregyháza.
Hegyi played 90 minutes between the sticks in a tightly contested match that saw Nestor El Maestro’s Debreceni side take the lead in the eighth minute through Donát Bárány. Maurides’ own-goal restored parity midway through the first half but made amends when he put his team back in front with a superb shot, and then netted the clinching third goal in stoppage time.
Victory lifted Debreceni off the bottom above Kecskeméti TE and within two points of their opponents.
In the EFL Championship, George Earthy made his start since December as nine-man Bristol City earned a hard-fought point at Oxford United.
The U's edged in front when the ball broke to Greg Leigh on the edge of the box, and the left-back arrowed his cross-shot beyond Max O'Leary. However, that lead was quickly wiped out after Max Bird rolled the ball square for Mark Sykes to fire home from the edge of the box to keep his side in contention for a play-off place.
Staying in the Championship, Freddie Potts' Portsmouth maintained their strong home form to secure a spirited goalless draw against Burnley.
Pompey, who have now picked all but seven of their 30 league points this season at Fratton Park, are two points clear of the bottom three. Potts came off just after the hour mark, with Newcastle United loanee Issac Hayden coming on in his place.
In EFL League One, Callum Marshall recorded his third assist of the season for Huddersfield Town, who lost 3-2 at home to Northampton Town.
The 20-year-old Marshall came off the bench at half-time, and the Northern Ireland international’s run and pass created a goal for Herbie Kane, but could not help the Terriers mount a heroic comeback as former West Ham first-team coach Kevin Nolan earned his first home win as Northampton boss and gave their survival chances a significant boost.
It was a good weekend for Patrick Kelly in EFL League Two, where he helped Doncaster Rovers score a 2-1 win at home against MK Dons to cut the gap on leaders Walsall to seven points.
In what was Rovers’ fourth consecutive league victory, Kelly started in attack, as Joe Ironside powered the hosts ahead in the first half, only for Scott Hogan to level for MK Dons after the break.
However, substitute Rob Street was the Doncaster hero as his fine finish saw Grant McCann’s charges claim all three points at the Eco-Power Stadium.
In the National League South, Mason Terry's AFC Hornchurch, who had to play over an hour with ten men after Ryan Scott’s dismissal, drew 1-1 at home to Salisbury FC. Callum Watts’ 43rd-minute strike fired the Whites in front, but Darren McQueen scrambled the ball home from a few yards out eleven minutes from time to earn the hosts a hard-fought point.
Elsewhere, Nayef Aguerd played the full match for Real Sociedad in their narrow 2-1 defeat at CA Osasuna. Ante Budimir’s brace put the hosts in command before Orri Óskarsson scored a late consolation for the visitors.
Finally, Maxwel Cornet started and played the opening 45 minutes for Genoa CFC in their 2-1 defeat at ACF Fiorentina before being replaced at half-time by Vitinha. Moise Kean’s acrobatic volley and Albert Guðmundsson gave Raffaele Palladino’s side a healthy two-goal lead at the interval. Genoa reduced the deficit through Koni De Winter, but Fiorentina held on for a vital three points.
