A busy Easter weekend saw plenty of West Ham United loanees in action for their respective clubs.
Conor Coventry helped Rotherham United to four crucial points from two matches over the bank holiday weekend as the Millers bolstered their bid for EFL Championship survival.
On Friday, Coventry and company came from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion 3-1 in South Yorkshire, with Coventry recording his second assist of the season when the 23-year-old teed up former Hammer Jordan Hugill three minutes before the break from a corner.
Hugill, who had earlier conceded the penalty through which the Baggies went in front, added his and Rotherham’s second of the afternoon with 50 minutes played, before Tarique Fosu-Henry clinched the three points 14 minutes from time with a fierce finish into the roof of the net.
Monday saw Rotherham continue to dent the hopes of another Play-Off challenger, with a valiant point taken from a 0-0 draw with Norwich City at Carrow Road.
Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Rotherham head coach Matt Taylor praised his side: “When you looked at the two fixtures going into the Easter weekend, West Brom at home and Norwich away, I'd have snapped your hand off for four points.”
With six games to play in 2022/23, Coventry and company sit 18th in the Championship table, four points clear – and with a game in hand – over Reading, who occupy the final place in the bottom three.
It was also a positive weekend for Arthur Masuaku, who was part of a Beşiktaş side who also came from behind to win 3-1.
On Sunday, Beşiktaş saw Giresunspor take the lead on 21 minutes through Riad Bajlić, before a double from Vincent Aboubakar at the end of the first half swung the momentum of the match in Beşiktaş’ favour.
After the break, Masuaku set up former Southampton winger Nathan Redmond, who added a third with 54 minutes played. The creative full-back was booked three minutes later and replaced by Jackson Muleka four minutes from time.
As a result of a win, Beşiktaş, who are third in the Süper Lig, moved to within two points of the top-two.
Across the weekend, valiant showings saw also brought positive results for three goalkeepers.
Nathan Trott started for Vejle BK in a goalless Danish 1st Division draw at Vendsyssel FF on Monday. The result left Vejle four points clear at the top of the Promotion Group ahead of Hvidovre IF in second place. The six teams in the Promotion Group each have eight matches left to play, with the top two finishers being promoted to the Superliga.
Trott has now kept seven clean sheets and conceded just six goals in eleven 1st Division appearances, and conceded ten goals and kept eleven clean sheets in 17 games in all competitions.
Brian Kinnear featured in Falkirk’s 2-2 draw with Scottish League One leaders Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday. With all four goals coming in a manic first half, the top-two ultimately had to share the spoils.
Falkirk remain eleven points behind Dunfermline with fives matches left to play, and look likely to go into the four-team Championship play-offs.
Kinnear and his teammates also have a Scottish Cup semi-final with Inverness Caledonian Thistle to look forward to on 29 April. The 22-year-old started the Bairns' fifth-round win over Ayr United.
Jacob Knightbridge, meanwhile, helped Harrow Borough to their first away win since October with a 3-1 win over Met Police on Monday in Southern League Premier Division South. The young goalkeeper impressed with a string of saves.
Elsewhere, Nikola Vlašić was a second-half substitute as Torino fell to a 1-0 defeat by Roma in Serie A.
A Paulo Dybala penalty on eight minutes ultimately decided the fixture, with Vlašić, who has six goal contributions this season, introduced into the action just past the hour in Turin.
As it stands, Torino sit eleventh in the table, with 38 points from 29 games. They have lost three of their last four meetings with Roma.
