Eight of West Ham United Academy's loanees were involved in a busy weekend of action throughout the English football pyramid and abroad...
After failing to score in their first six home games of 2025, Huddersfield Town hit Crawley Town for five at the John Smith's Stadium in EFL League One.
It was a brilliant striker’s performance from Callum Marshall, who played a role in all of Huddersfield Town’s opening three goals. His close-range effort in the third minute was turned home by strike partner Joe Taylor, before his drilled shot five minutes later hit the post and then deflected in off Crawley defender Charlie Barker.
His persistence paid off on 16 minutes when he fired home from a corner to finally get on the scoresheet, for the tenth time in all competitions this term. The young striker could have added a second in the second half, but he saw his headed effort excellently saved by Crawley goalkeeper Joseph Wollacott. The 5-1 victory sees the Terriers move back into the play-off places.
In the Championship, Freddie Potts made his 30th appearance for Portsmouth in a 2-1 defeat away to Preston North End, who ended a six-game winless run in the division. Potts delivered another composed midfield performance and almost found himself on the scoresheet when his effort from a Josh Murphy cross deflected inches wide of the post.
The game remained goalless until the 75th minute, when Ryan Porteous put Preston ahead, only for Colby Bishop to equalise moments later. However, Paul Heckingbottom’s side restored their lead through Stefán Teitur Þórðarson to take all three points. Despite the loss, Pompey maintain a four-point cushion above the relegation zone with eight games remaining.
After assisting Mark Sykes’ last-minute equaliser in midweek, George Earthy played the final half-an-hour as Bristol City completed a league double over Norwich City with a 2-1 victory at Ashton Gate.
The young midfielder impressed again, showing high energy, technical quality, and composure in possession to help the Robins see out their tenth home win of the season. Now unbeaten in six league matches, Bristol City have drawn level on points with sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion in the play-off race.
Patrick Kelly made his first League Two appearance since serving a suspension for his red card against Accrington Stanley, coming off the bench to replace Richard Wood as Doncaster Rovers came from behind to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw away to Crewe Alexandra. However, the result saw Doncaster slip out of the automatic promotion places on goal difference.
In the Vanarama National League, Regan Clayton made his ninth appearance for Dagenham & Redbridge who suffered another setback in their fight for survival, losing 3-1 to Tamworth despite taking an early lead. The Daggers remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference but will be frustrated after going down to ten men just ten minutes after scoring the opener.
In National League South, Mason Terry’s Hornchurch fell to a 3-2 home defeat against Slough Town. Despite taking the lead twice, two goals in three second-half minutes granted the Rebels side their first away win since November. Hornchurch now turn their attention to the Essex Senior Cup final where they will face Canvey Island at the JobServe Community Stadium in Colchester on Tuesday evening.
Elsewhere, Mohamadou Kanté played the closing minutes of Paris FC’s 3-0 defeat away at Laval, a result that saw them drop out of the automatic promotion places in France's Ligue 2. In Spain, Nayef Aguerd featured on the bench as Real Sociedad played out a 2-2 draw at Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
Meanwhile, in the Hungarian Premiership, Krisztián Hegyi kept a clean sheet as Debreceni VSC earned a 0-0 draw away to Györ. Hegyi’s side still remain in danger of relegation however, sitting four points from safety with nine matches left to play. Luizão was an unused substitute in Poland as Pogoń Szczecin came from two goals down to defeat Cracovia 5-2 and climb above Legia Warsaw into fourth place in the top-flight Ekstraklasa.
