Gab Sutton's EFL Winners & Losers - September 6 - 7
Gab Sutton 
The international break may have stopped play in the Premier League and the Championship, but there was still plenty of EFL action across League One and League Two.
There were more sports betting site upsets and plenty of drama, so Free Bets EFL pundit Gab Sutton breaks down his winners and losers from the weekend.
Winners
Bolton
Bolton had begun their league campaign with just one win in six, but a lot of draws in which they were clearly the better team and deserved to win, so it was a welcome change for Steven Schumacher’s side to get their break against Wimbledon.
Star performances from left-back Max Conway and winger Amario Cozier-Duberry helped the Wanderers on their way, as they found the clinical edge they needed to affirm their promotion credentials.
The Trotters have a tough pair of fixtures in October, facing Huddersfield and Cardiff in succession, so intervening meetings with Leyton Orient, Wigan, Northampton, Peterborough and Burton offer a clear opportunity to break into the top six ahead of those games.
Plymouth Argyle
After starting with five defeats in six, Plymouth Argyle needed a result against Stockport at the weekend – so their 4-2 victory will have come as a big relief.
Tom Cleverley’s side overwhelmed the Hatters at Home Park, with Bradley Ibrahim impressing in an advanced midfield role and Lorent Tolaj thriving up top, after his £1M move from Port Vale.
If Argyle can back up that performance at Luton next weekend, they could begin to climb the table.
Grimsby
Grimsby raced into a three-goal lead at promotion favourites MK Dons on Saturday, even if some sloppy second-half defending made it a nervier finale against the 10 men than it ought to have been.
Nonetheless, the first half at least represented a statement performance from David Artell’s side, who boast a fluid attacking quartet of Darragh Burns, Jaze Kabia and Charles Vernam, and played some great football at Stadium:MK.
More showings like that and automatic promotion will feel like a real possibility.
Losers
Barnet
Barnet smashed the National League with 102 points last season, but they haven’t found it easy converting that form into League Two.
It’s four defeats in seven for the Bees, who have shown they can create chances but have also been too easy to carve open, as a 3-1 defeat to strugglers Shrewsbury showed.
Some minor tweaks may be required for boss Dean Brennan, as a way of striking that balance between showing enough pragmatism to adjust to the challenges that come with playing at this level, whilst staying true to the identity that’s got his side this far.
Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley went bottom of League Two on Saturday, leapfrogged by Cheltenham in a 2-0 defeat at Whaddon Road.
John Doolan’s side managed just one shot on target in Gloucestershire, despite having trailed from the first minute, knowing all-game that they needed to score and still failing to lay a glove.
The Reds have just three points to their name, six games in, and have a squad that, besides Burnley midfield loanee Joe Bauress, and experienced forward Paddy Madden, is low on quality.
Stanley could be in trouble this season.
Fleetwood
Fleetwood boss Pete Wild is within his rights to claim that his side’s 1-0 loss at Notts County could easily have been a goalless draw on another day, without a solitary lapse in concentration at the start of the second half.
In fact, his side arguably had the better opportunities in the first half, with Ethan Ennis coming close inside the first minute, and Ryan Graydon denied one-on-one by Kelle Roos.
Nonetheless, his side didn’t create a high volume of chances, not helped by the absence of Denver Hume at left wing-back, and a gameplan that relies on the opposition making the first mistake, tends to fall down when it’s themselves.
