Courtney Baker-Richardson scored for Crewe and provided an assist in their 2-0 win at Doncaster yesterday. Apparently he has the best goals to games ratio in League Two apart from two players.
Colby Bishop is also piling on the goals for Portsmouth, although he didn't score yesterday.
Accrington manager John Coleman praises Colby Bishop in today's Football League Paper. 'Losing powerful striker Colby Bishop, 26 - snapped up from non-league Leamington in 2019 - to divisional rivals Portsmouth for a fee of around £500,000 this summer was a major blow.'
Coleman said: 'You can see how well he's doing at Portsmouth and you can understand why Danny Cowley was so desperate to get him. Colby was always going to be difficult to replace - there aren't many players like him around.'
'He can lead the line, hold the ball up and chip in with his fair share of goals. Trying to replace someone of his ilk is a forlorn hope - you have to reshape the team.'
Elsehere, Josh March scored for Forest Green Rovers yesterday, his third goal in three games.
Sam Osborne has joined ambitious AFC Fylde for an undisclosed fee. He has been a great player for us and I wish him well for the future. Holleran knows how to spot talent that has been neglected and can be developed.
Some fans have expressed disappointment. They knew he was going, but hoped it wouldn't be to another club in our own division. AFC Fylde, of course, think they are entitled to play in the EFL.
I would describe their ambition as 'vaulting ambition over reaching itself' to misquote Shakespeare, but then I am not one of their supporters. They did get relegated from the National League.
Another great product was Colby Bishop who scored two goals against my league club Charlton to win the game for Accrington Stanley last night. The defence handed him the opportunities on a plate, but he took them with great composure and was a threat throughout the game.
My match preview pointed out that he would be a threat: https://addicksdiary3.blogspot.com/2021/01/bishops-move-for-accrington.html
They were full of praise for Colby on The Football League Show on Sunday, not just for his goals on Friday.
Today's Football League Paper includes a feature on Colby Bishop on the second page. It says that 'Bishop has been a shining light in a mixed season for Stanley so far' [it's wonder they didn't mention Bishops Rock lighthouse].
The article goes on to talk about the 29 goals he scored for the Brakes. Working as a PE teacher, 'Days at the school were followed by time in the gym as he aimed to regain full fitness.' Bishop said, 'I always worked hard behind the scenes.'
Bishop said that he still speaks to a couple of teachers from the school and the head messages him from time to time. He hopes to be able to go back to see all the kids there.
Leamington is getting a reputation as a club that selects promising players and develops them.'
It's not often you hear the Brakes mentioned on the Football League Show but that's what happened this evening when it was pointed out that Colby Bishop had played for 'sixth tier' Leamington on the Accrington commentary. His non-league pedigree was mentioned again in the round up by the presenters when reference was made to the fact that he had worked in a primary school.
Bishop has scored a brace in three of his last four matches for Accrington.
It's ours again
It was the icing on the cake of a successful season when Leamington beat Nuneaton Borough 4-1 at St.Andrews tonight to win the historic Birmingham Senior Cup for the seventh time. Several hundred Brakes fans turned up, substantially outnumbering the Nuneaton massive.
It was very much a game of two halves with the score 0-0 at half time. In the first half Leamington had most of the possession but had difficulty in penetrating the two back lines of four. Nuneaton players fell over at every opportunity to disrupt the rhythm of the game and they succeeded. The game plan was evidently to take it to penalties. There were a couple of moments when Nuneaton looked as if they could score, but they failed to take their opportunities
Brakes upped their tempo in the second half and Colby Bishop, who won the man of the match award, opened the scoring on 51 minutes with a well taken goal. Nuneaton equalised, but Brakes were back on top after a couple of minutes through an own goal created by Obeng. Bishop scored the third. Ahmed Obeng had been playing well all game and when he scored the fourth goal, he leapt into the crowd to embrace relatives, receiving the obligatory yellow card.
Brakes were a bit careless in the closing minutes and the old five was not achieved, but soon the game was over to chants of 'Tony Breeden, on the wing, on the wing'. Breeden nearly knocked himself out with the lid of the trophy.
Congratulations to Sally Ellis, our programme editor, on her well-deserved volunteer's award.
A Colby Bishop hat trick saw Leamington beat Nuneaton Borough 3-0 at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium in the final home game of the season watched by 623 and two dogs. Leamington remain 14th on the same number of points as Southport (53).
Brakes showed early intent when a free kick was headed off the post. An excellent cross from Connor Taylor enabled Bishop to make it 1-0. Almost immediately after the resumption, Bishop forged through to make it 2-0. Some entertainment was provided by Nuneaton's No.9, Luke Barlone, aka the incredible hulk, constantly falling over.
After the break, Leamington rained in shots on the Nuneaton goal but Cameron Belford made two excellent saves. Twenty minutes in Bishop made it 3-0. There were calls for the 'old five', but it was not to be.
Bishop and Jack Edwards were substituted and Nuneaton used their two substitutes. Tony Breeden had to make a good save to prevent a consolation. In time added on Brakes hit the underside of the bar.
The referee kept his cards in his pocket.
Leamington went through to the final of the Birmingham Senior with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa under 23s at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium tonight.
Villa started brightly and went ahead on 10 minutes through a header from Aaron Pressley. The visitors had tremendous pace, getting quickly from one end of the pitch to the other, but their finishing left something to be desired.
Leamington were stronger in the second half while Villa faded. Ahmed Obeng was tormenting the Villa defence and a free kick was awarded after he was brought down by Villa charm merchant Mungo Bridge who received a yellow card for his trouble. The free kick led to a goalmouth scramble with Junior English scoring.
The winner came from Colby Bishop converting a corner with a header.
We played the ball along the ground more than we normally do and there was less hoofing than usual.
The referee had a good game, particularly to be commended for insisting that throw ins were taken in the right spot.
Leamington secured three crucial points at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon with a 1-0 victory over Southport. With most other games postponed, Brakes moved up to 16th, ten points above FC United in the leading relegation place.
The goal came after seven minutes when a mix up between the Southport keeper and his defender allowed Colby Bishop to score.
The strong wind did not make for accurate football, but Brakes were able to hold Southport at bay.
Doltish Southport defender Matthew Platt eventually picked up the yellow card he had been looking for all afternoon, but then Junior English was booked. A second harsh booking saw him sent off.
It wasn't a quality game, but the win was vital. Attendance was a disappointing 450.
A segregated crowd of 1,150 saw Leamington draw 2-2 with Hereford United at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon.
The early phase of the match was relatively uneventful with no real chances for either side. Then Obeng was one on one with the keeper, but his effort was deflected for a corner. Tony Breeden made a great one handed save, but before long the visitors stabbed in an opener from close range. An idiot flat capped Hereford supporter ran on to the pitch and had to be shepherded off by one of their players, no sign of the stewards.
Jack Edwards then equalised, but a couple of minutes later Hereford scored from a penalty sending them in 2-1 ahead at half time.
Brakes tried to press in the second half, but to no great effect. Bulls charm merchant James, Waite was then sent off for a blatant elbow. Hereford subsequently brought on their secret weapon in the form of big fat lump Mike Symons.
Holleran brought on Mikey Taylor who did not make much of a difference and then Reece Flanagan who did with some precise passes. Leamington were then awarded a penalty and Colby Bishop stepped up to equalise.
Leamington remain 14th.
After recent defeats and draws, Leamington bounced back in style with a convincing 3-0 win over promotion hopefuls Altrincham at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon. They have now edged up to 13th in the table.
Altrincham looked really dangerous in the first ten minutes. But then a scramble in front of goal followed a corner and Junior English was able to get the ball home on 12 minutes. A great run at the defence by Jordan Murphy saw him brought down and Colby Bishop scored from the resultant penalty. Then just before half time a long pass from Murphy enabled Colby Bishop to head home the third.
Hopes of the old five were dashed in the second half, but Tony Breeden did not have that much to do, although the Robins won a number of corners. They had a tendency to send the ball way over the goal into the trees and the field and also liked to faff around in defence. But Brakes defended well and Jordan Murphy broke up attacks in midfield.
The linesman spotted something by Jordan Hulme, I think it was having a go off the ball at Junior English and northern charm merchant Jordan Hulme was shown the red card. The linos and the referee actually worked as a team for once.
New signing Mikey Taylor had a cameo in what by then were difficult conditions, not enough to take a view about his potential contribution.
A last minute equaliser by high flying Chorley held Leamington to a 1-1 draw at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon. Four minutes were added on, but the referee decided to go for more and the visitors seized their chance.
This was very much a game dominated by a strong wind. Leamington had the benefit in the first half and Chorley in the second.
The first half was relatively uneventful and quite scrappy, although two Chorley charm merchants were booked for obstructing Breeden. Then a good move started by Gudger (who had an excellent game throughout) enabled Colby Bishop to score on the half hour mark.
Chorley stepped up a gear in the last five minutes of the half and Breeden had to make a one handed save after he saw the ball late.
The visitors came out of the traps in determined mood after the break. Leamington held firm, although the wind meant there were few effective attacking moves. Breeden made a great save, tipping the ball over the bar. Leamington used all three substitutes, but I thought Dwyer was flimsy when he came. The Brakes withstood a series of corners, but were not able to hold on to the ball and eventually conceded.
Disappointing to lose in that way, but it was probably a fair result and one we would have taken before the game.
Paul Edwards has tweeted that it was the most undeserved point ever, but Leamington secured a 2-2 draw against Brackley at the Phillips 66 Community Stadium this afternoon with an injury time equaliser. They are now 13th in the table. Seeing Colby Bishop stretchered off in the second half was a real concern.
The first half was a rather dull affair with no real chances for either side, but Brakes went ahead just before the break through a header from Colby Bishop.
They then conceded a free kick in a dangerous position and Brackley equalised on 48 minutes.
Gittings then gave the ball away in midfield and Brackley were able to make it 2-1 to them from a header. Hood then had to clear off the line. It looked as if the visitors might score a third. They certainly ruled the roost in midfield.
In injury time Brakes got a corner and Breeden came up. The keeper tipped it over but from the second corner it went in the net from a Brackley player.
Attendance was 645, two dogs.
