L1 | S4 | W4: Norwich end Rangers’ perfect run as Rillo fires Walsall’s hat-trick

📰 Week 4 in Review – Season 4

Lee Berry’s Rangers came into Week 4 looking invincible – nine points, no losses, two points clear. They left it on the wrong end of a 1-0 defeat at Norwich City. That result reshuffled the top of Division 1 and gave the chasing pack something to talk about. Elsewhere, Wigan Athletic and Peterborough United both picked up their first wins of the season after sitting on one point each, Rillo scored all three for Walsall, and down in Division 3, Millwall handed Manchester City their first defeat. Division 4’s five-way tie at the top finally began to separate, with Chelsea and Sheffield United pulling clear.

Nine managers also correctly called this week’s score draws and shared the pool. A good week for the sharp-eyed ones.

🏆 Division 1 – Rangers feel the loss

It had to happen sometime. Rangers’ perfect start ended at Norwich City, van Persie’s 35th-minute goal enough for Darren Green’s side to end the nine-point run. Rangers still lead Division 1, but the gap that was two points is now one – Lincoln City, after Bailey’s goal at Newport County, are breathing down their necks on eight. The dynamic at the top shifted considerably in a single afternoon.

💡 Rillo scored all three for Walsall in their 3-1 win over Shrewsbury – at 19′, 32′ and 56′. Andy Sillars’ side jump to third on seven points. Wigan Athletic, written off after three winless games, put three past Harrogate Town. Peterborough United, also on one point coming in, beat Portsmouth 2-1 through a Balotelli brace. The bottom of the table suddenly looks a little less bleak.

West Ham’s season wobbled further – they fell to Nottingham Forest, Costa scoring in the 62nd minute, and drop to eighth. Port Vale won their first game of the season, Ronaldo’s 21st-minute goal enough to beat Liverpool. Del Sharratt’s side had drawn their first three. They’re now in the top half. Plymouth Argyle made it back-to-back wins with a 1-0 over Sutton United, Salah netting on 44 minutes – reigning Supremos Cup holders Daffy Duck’s side lose their first league game.

⚠️ Harrogate Town sit 16th with just two points. Jeff Galdas’s side have conceded six goals in their last two games alone. League Cup Round 2 comes next week – there’s no respite.

💙 Division 2 – Stockport and Barrow pull clear

Stockport County are beginning to look like the real deal. Matt Rose’s side beat Brighton 3-1 away from home – Vargas, Ramsey and Frimpong all scoring – to move onto ten points and open a one-point gap over Barrow, who themselves put in the performance of the division this week. Klopps Ghost’s Barrow came from a goal down at half-time to win 4-1 against Hearts, Calvert-Lewin scoring three times in the space of 29 second-half minutes.

🔍 Huddersfield Town are a name to watch. Tim W’s side won 2-0 against Brentford – Cavani scoring twice – and leap nine places to sixth on six points. They’ve conceded nothing in their last two home games. Cambridge United also bounced back with a 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Silva after three minutes.

Newcastle United’s miserable start continued – a 1-1 draw at Cheltenham leaves them on a single point after four games. Mark Jeffs’s side are already seven points off Stockport. Brighton remain second-bottom after four straight defeats, their goal difference creeping into negative territory.

❤️ Division 3 – Manchester City’s perfect record ends

Manchester City had nine points from nine and were the only side in any division yet to drop a point. Millwall, sitting tenth coming into the week, changed that – two goals from Moreira and Díaz either side of a Sargent equaliser, and Eusebio 21’s side lose their first game of the season. It was the result of the week in Division 3, and it’s opened up the table considerably.

💡 Forest Green Rovers had a difficult run through Weeks 2 and 3 – back-to-back defeats after being pre-season favourites. Phil McCracken’s side responded with a 1-1 against Tranmere Rovers this week. They’re still fifth on seven points. The highest squad rating and experience in Division 3 hasn’t translated into a runaway start, but they’re not far off. Week 5 brings Aberdeen away – that’ll tell us something.

Aberdeen slipped from second to third despite winning – Leeds United’s 2-0 over Aberdeen in a real fixture (Moore on 2′, McBurnie on 67′) handed the Dons their first Division 3 defeat. Dynamo Drongo’s Stevenage drew at Leicester to sit second. Fulham drew at Ipswich. Below mid-table, Tranmere Rovers remain last on just one point from four games. Crystal Palace, who won three straight, are now in 15th.

⚠️ Tranmere Rovers have just one point from four games. Luke Finnegan’s side have conceded eleven goals and managed to score five. The gap to safety is already significant this early in the season.

💛 Division 4 – Chelsea and Sheffield United break clear

After three weeks of a five-way tie at the top, Division 4 finally has some separation. Chelsea won 3-0 at Leyton Orient – Kanu scoring all three (37′, 51′, 77′) – to reach ten points. Sheffield United beat Celtic 1-0 at home, Kamara on nine minutes, to match them. Loz Newbold’s Chelsea and Steve Ray’s Sheffield United sit joint-top, two points clear of Hull City in third.

💡 Kanu’s hat-trick at Leyton Orient – all scored in the second half across 40 minutes – was the sharpest individual performance in Division 4 this week. Blackpool’s Kakuta also scored twice in the first half against Bournemouth (14′, 31′) to win 2-0. Tottenham Hotspur recovered from going a goal behind to beat Manchester United 3-1, Rhodes scoring twice late on.

At the foot of the table, Colchester United’s Mike Bassett finally got a result – a 1-0 win over Oxford United. They were bottom coming in with a -7 goal difference. Exeter City remain rooted to the floor on zero points after four games, making them the only entirely pointless side in any division heading into Week 5.

🏆 League Cup – Round 2 next week

Round 2 of the League Cup is due on Week 5, with clubs knocked out at this stage receiving £60,000 in prize money. The fixtures are set across all four division groups. Notable ties include Stoke City hosting Stockport County – D2’s top two going head-to-head in a cup match already – and Sutton United taking on Port Vale. Bournemouth face Chelsea, and Aberdeen host Watford in what should be a decent D3 group tie.

🗞️ Around the league

Nine managers correctly called this week’s score draws and each take home £88,888: Marc Murphy (Everton), Ian Dance (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ben Cole (Derby County), Darren Green (Norwich City), Matt Rose (Stockport County), Luke Finnegan (Tranmere Rovers), Bob Hope (Cheltenham Town), Del Sharratt (Port Vale) and Daffy Duck (Sutton United). Well spotted, all of you.

The four televised games this week were West Ham vs Nottingham Forest (Division 1), Brighton & Hove Albion vs Stockport County (Division 2), Leeds United vs Aberdeen (Division 3), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United (Division 4).

The Police Report flagged crowd trouble at two fixtures. Birmingham City vs York City saw 45 arrests, 3 officers injured and £61,829 in stadium damage. Barrow vs Heart of Midlothian had 55 arrests, 4 officers injured and £64,298 in damage. Clubs and supporters should take note.

On the financial front, Huddersfield Town lead the cash-rich clubs list, with Stockport County second and Brighton third. Norwich City top the team spirit table, with Chelsea and Lincoln City close behind. On the transfer front, there were 23 deals completed this week – a busy week in the market across all divisions. Stoke City remain unmanaged in Division 2, with Hibernian similarly without a manager in Division 4.