League round-up: Eastwood rediscovers gift as Sky Blues spot a silver lining
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Your support makes all the difference.Two goals in three minutes just before the half-hour at the Ricoh Arena saw Coventry City set up a 3-1 win over Barnsley in the Championship to move above the Tykes. One of only seven matches in England to defy the snow, ice and health and safety inspectors, 15,031 hardy souls watched as Freddy Eastwood stole in at the far post after 24 minutes to head the Sky Blues into the lead, his fifth goal in six matches. Soon after, Sammy Clingan volleyed in from 12 yards.
The Tykes came back into the contest in the second half, Jon Macken's headed goal their reward. But substitute Clinton Morrison wrapped up the points with an injury time header from Leon Best's cross.
"The worst we have played for six weeks," Coventry's unimpressed manager Chris Coleman said. "For the first 15 minutes we were nowhere near the pace. We went down the other end and scored two so at half-time we told them we had to improve even though we were two up."
The top two in League One staged the only matches below Championship level. Last weekend they were beating Manchester United at Old Trafford so leaders Leeds United ought to have made short work of Wycombe Wanderers, 23rd in the division, after Jonathan Howson gave them a fourth-minute lead at Elland Road. Wycombe had grumbled about playing the match, but the Chairboys responded, hit the woodwork twice and got their just reward, and point, with Jon-Paul Pittman's equaliser. It ended 1-1.
Grant Holt scored twice at Carrow Road, taking his season's tally to 22, as second-placed Norwich City beat Exeter City 3-1 to open up a three-point lead on the play-off places, and move to within six points of Leeds. Holt's goals were set up in the eighth and 82nd minutes by Wes Hoolahan. Chris Martin had scored for the Canaries between those strikes, while Marcus Stewart's goal gave the Grecians brief hope at 2-1.
In the surviving Scottish Cup Fourth Round ties, Aberdeen beat Hearts 2-0, Darren Mackie and Lee Miller scoring at Pittodrie. Andy Kirk scored twice as Dunfermline of the First Division thrashed Second Division Stenhousemuir 7-1, and Billy Mehmet scored twice as St Mirren overcame Alloa of the Second Division, 3-1. A familiar ring to managerless Dundee United's first goal in their 2-0 defeat of Partick Thistle, palmed in by Argentinian Damian Casalinuovo.
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