Two West Ham United loanees found the back of the net for their respective clubs this weekend.
In the Championship, Jordan Hugill and Queen’s Park Rangers made a flying start to their trip to promotion-chasing Fulham on Saturday afternoon.
The striker was reintroduced to manager Mark Warburton’s starting line-up and was quick off the mark to net his eighth league goal for the R’s.
When an early corner was only half-cleared by the home side after three minutes, right-back Todd Kane was able to pick Hugill out inside the area, and the striker fashioned an instinctive finish from six yards.
Hugill came close to doubling his and QPR’s tally with a stinging volley moments later, while also going close in the first-half with a deflected effort and a close-range shot kept out by Fulham’s Marek Rodak.
The home team battled back, however, and a brace from Aboubakar Kamara – the first a guided header after 27 minutes, the second a guided finish after 64 – meant Fulham emerged victorious in the London derby, QPR remaining in mid-table.
In Sweden’s Eliteserien, Martin Samuelsen rescued a late point for FK Haugesund with a predatory finish away at Sarpsborg – the 22-year-old’s 13th goal of the season for his side.
After relegation-threatened Sarpsborg had taken an early lead, Kristoffer Zachariassen climbing highest in a packed penalty area to head home after 17 minutes, Haugesund went on to dominate possession.
The visitors, however, struggled to break down their hosts’ stubborn resistance until 15 minutes from time, when Samuelsen skilfully flicked a loose ball inside the box up and fired low into the bottom-left hand corner.
While neither side could find a winner in the closing stages, the result keeps Samuelsen and Haugesund in the hunt for a top-half finish, ahead of their final-day match at home to Odd next weekend.
At the top of the Championship pile remain West Bromwich Albion and Grady Diangana, a late penalty from Charlie Austin seeing off the fierce resistance of Sheffield Wednesday at the Hawthorns.
The England U21 international had a relatively quiet afternoon by his own high standards in recent weeks, but still helped the Baggies best the Owls 2-1.
Hal Robson-Kanu had given the home team an early lead after ten minutes, but Steven Fletcher’s second-half penalty looked to have secured Wednesday a share of the spoils.
The game turned with two minutes remaining however when Matheus Pereira was blocked off by Keiren Westwood inside the area, Austin stepping up to fire his side to three points moments before Liam Palmer was dismissed for a late challenge on Diangana.
West Brom remain two points clear of Leeds United at the top of the Championship.
Josh Cullen was stretchered off for Charlton as they drew 2-2 at home to Cardiff.
Despite making a promising start and taking a 2-0 lead through Conor Gallagher and Jonathan Leko’s first-half goals, the Addicks’ afternoon took a turn for the worse when Cullen went down in the 55th minute and was forced to leave the field with injury.
Cardiff went on to secure a draw in their first game under new manager Neil Harris, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Lee Tomlin getting the goals to deny Lee Bowyer’s Charlton their first win in five games.
Finally, Nathan Trott kept his fourth clean sheet of the season for AFC Wimbledon as they defeated League One opponents Gillingham by a single goal to nil.
The England U21 goalkeeper marshalled his defence well, crucially stopping from Brandon Hanlon early on, as Scott Wagstaff’s first-half finish gave the Dons three points largely against the run of play.
AFC Wimbledon now sit in 19th place, three points clear of the relegation zone as it stands.
