Page 10 of 14 · League One
The PinkWEDNESDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 2026League One · Page 10

League One

BENCH STRENGTH

SUBS SINK ROYALS AT THE KASSAM

By Our Special Correspondent

Oxford United 2, Reading 0. Oxford Utd: Gatlin O Donkor 71, Mo Missanga 78. O'Donkor and Missanga come off the bench to settle it as Oxford go third

Reading came to the Kassam knowing a win would take them above Oxford United. They left four points behind them, beaten by two players who started on the bench.

It was goalless at half-time and stayed that way until the 71st minute, when Cameron Brannagan set up substitute G. O'Donkor to break the deadlock. Seven minutes later O'Donkor turned provider for fellow substitute M. Missanga, and the game was settled.

The win stretches Oxford's unbeaten run in League One to ten games and lifts them to third, on 26 points.

Where it leaves them: Oxford Utd 4th on 23 points; Reading 6th on 22 points. Oxford move up to third on 26 points; Reading stay sixth on 22.

“We scored in the first half and we felt in the second half we could go and take the game to them. We knew they were going to start fast. The idea was to soak that up,”
TAYLOR CANCELS OUT CLARK AS LEADERS HELD

HONOURS EVEN

TAYLOR CANCELS OUT CLARK AS LEADERS HELD

By Our Special Correspondent

Huddersfield 1, Luton 1. Huddersfield: Joe Taylor 49; Luton: Jordan Clark 40. Luton take a point off the top side in West Yorkshire

Luton Town took a point off the League One leaders, but they were within 45 minutes of all three.

Jordan Clark put the Hatters ahead five minutes before half-time from Kasey Palmer's pass. Huddersfield hit back four minutes after the restart, Joe Taylor converting Sanches Fernandes' delivery.

Luton pushed for a winner late on, with Nahki Wells heading over from close range and Clark lifting another chance too high. A crowd of 15,906 saw Huddersfield's winning run end, though they stay top on 29 points. Luton, unbeaten in five, sit third on 24.

Luton boss Jack Wilshere was satisfied with the way his side handled the leaders. "We scored in the first half and we felt in the second half we could go and take the game to them. We knew they were going to start fast. The idea was to soak that up," he said. "I thought, in general, we did soak that up apart from that moment. It was a really good finish from Taylor." He added: "We try and isolate each game when we prepare for it, but we're also aware of the run we've been on, and we didn't come into the game thinking 'we'll take a point'."

Huddersfield head coach Martin Drury said: "If you take the game and split it into moments in isolation, I'm disappointed with the goal we conceded - really disappointed with it." He added: "I think it probably tells you where we are as a group that everyone's got their head down and the dressing room is flat because we've taken a point and we wanted three, and we wanted to win."

Where it leaves them: Huddersfield 1st on 29 points; Luton 3rd on 24 points. Huddersfield stay top on 29 points; Luton are third on 24.

LEAGUE ONE

STALEMATE AT WIGAN AS NEITHER SIDE BREAKS THROUGH

By Our Special Correspondent

Wigan 0, Mansfield Town 0. A goalless night leaves the Latics in the bottom four and Mansfield in mid-table

No goals at Wigan, and not much to separate the sides either.

Wigan came in off the back of Saturday's 3-2 win over Bromley. Mansfield were looking to bounce back from a 2-0 home defeat by Notts County. Neither found a way through, and it finished goalless.

Mansfield's Frazer Blake-Tracy and Luke Bolton were both booked for bad fouls. Wigan brought on Ryan Trevitt and Akeel Higgins in search of a winner, but it never came.

The point takes Wigan to 11, but they are still 21st and in the relegation places.

"I thought overall we were the better team, and if anyone was going to win the game, it was us," said Wigan boss Gary Caldwell. "So a little bit frustrating in that regard, but plenty of positives...a clean sheet, and the way we controlled the game was good against their biggest, most physical team they could have picked." He added: "We had a lot of shots, but not enough on target, and not with the amount of quality we would like. We take a point and we move on."

Where it leaves them: Wigan 21st on 11 points; Mansfield 11th on 19 points. Wigan move to 11 points but stay 21st, inside the relegation places. Mansfield, beaten at home by Notts County on Saturday, steady themselves in 11th on 19.

A mockup of the printed edition. Every word set here comes from the night's reports, results and tables.