Fantasy EFL exploded into action this weekend, with all 72 clubs contributing to a goal-fest of 89 goals across 36 matches. Derby County ignited the fireworks, smashing four past Portsmouth (H).
Below, we’ve outlined the most notable actions and points (and the lack thereof…) served up by the clubs that featured in our Fantasy EFL Gameweek 18 Scout Notes.
Keep an eye on our updated fixture ticker [free Members access] for the latest news so you never miss out.
CHAMPIONSHIP
34 goals were scored in the top division in 12 games – we saw six home wins, three draws and three away victories.
RAMS RUN RAMPANT ON FRIDAY NIGHT [4-0]
Derby County kick started Gameweek 19 in style, defeating relegation-threatened Portsmouth 4-0 at Pride Park Stadium.
Kane Wilson (D) wrote the headlines – he secured 16 points for very few managers. The right-back opened the scoring (+7) for the hosts and made defensive contributions throughout (+2), securing his first haul of the campaign. Craig Forsyth (D) provided an assist (+3) and made five clearances (+1) alongside keeping the clean sheet intact (+5). Defenders Eiran Cashin (D) and Curtis Nelson (D) both returned 10 – Cahsin scored the second goal of the evening (+7), while Nelson made defensive returns throughout.
The Rams travel to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town on Friday night, while last-place Pompey host Coventry City on Saturday.
BLACKBURN REMAIN UNBEATEN [2-0]
John Eustace’s Blackburn Rovers’ made it five games unbeaten, without conceding a goal in that period, when they defeated Luton Town 2-0 at Ewood Park.
Owen Beck (D) nailed 15 points for 0.1% of managers – credit to those that selected him! The Liverpool loanee scored the second goal of the afternoon just before half-time, and made three clearances (+1) to help preserve the clean sheet (+5) in Rovers’ 2-0 win over Luton Town (H). Danny Batth (D) made 13 clearances (+4) and banked 12 points for his efforts, while Dominic Hyam (D) kept up his remarkable form and scored 11 points. Amario Cozier-Duberry (M) made his first start of the season and scored the opener (+6), alongside making one interception (+2).
Rovers have been in incredible form, and see themselves fifth in the table on 37 points with a game in hand, taking on Millwall (A) on Saturday. Whereas, the Hatters face Derby County up next.
BLADES BOSS THE PILGRIMS [2-0]
Sheffield United made it 10 games unbeaten when they defeated Plymouth Argyle 2-0 at Bramall Lane.
Gustavo Hamer (M) looks back to his best, scoring the match opener (+6), making one interception (+2) and five key passes (+2), totalling 12 points. All defensive assets: Michael Cooper (G), Jack Robinson (D) and Harry Souttar (D) banked nine points for their efforts. Souttar leads the Fantasy scoring with 128 points, while Hamer, Cooper and Alfie Gilchrist (D) are on 118, 115 and 113 respectively.
Credit must be given to Adam Randell (M) of Plymouth – the number 20 made three interceptions (+6) and two key passes (+1), taking his season total to 93 points.
Up next, the league leaders take on Cardiff City (A) on Saturday, while the 23rd-placed Pilgrims face Middlesbrough at Home Park.
FIRST HOME WIN FOR FRANK LAMPARD’S SKY BLUES [2-1]
Frank Lampard will have breathed a sigh of relief when his new outfit defeated Hull City 2-1, securing his first home win.
Ephron Mason-Clark (F) was electric on the wing and caused problems all afternoon. He scored the leveller (+5) and made five key passes (+2), alongside the winning assist (+3), but was booked before half-time (-1). Jack Rudoni (M) scored the winner, took two shots on target (+1) and provided four key passes (+2) – both players banked 11 points for their managers. Rudoni now has 123 points on Fantasy, with three goals, six assists and 15 interceptions to his name.
João Pedro (F) of Hull City scored the match opener, bagging for the first time in six matches, to return six points.
Coventry City take on Portsmouth (A) at Saturday lunch-time, while the 24th-placed Tigers need to lick their wounds before hosting Swansea City on Saturday.
ANOTHER GOALFEST AT SWANSEA.COM STADIUM
South Wales has been a hotbed of goalscoring action lately! Sunderland came out 2-3 winners away from home against Swansea City in an absolute thriller of a match.
Jobe Bellingham (M) stole the show in the 75th minute, scoring the winner (+6) to put the Black Cats ahead for the first time in the match. The number seven provided an assist (+3) to the second goal and made three key passes, but got booked (-1) in the first-half. He returned 11 points for 12.4% of managers and continued his impressve form. Dan Ballard (D) was the only other double-digit scorer for Regis Le Bris’ side. The centre-back scored to level the score 1-1, and made six clearances, but had a point chalked off due to 2 goals conceded, ending with 10.
As for the hosts, Gonçalo Franco (M) continued to impress, assisting the Swans second goal and making two interceptions and two key passes, banking 10 points for 0.1%! Liam Cullen (F) scored to make it 2-0 and continued his sensational form, making it six goals and two assists in 18. The striker hasn’t blanked in six games, scoring four and assisting two in that period.
Up next, fourth-placed Sunderland take on Norwich City (H) on Saturday, while the Swans face out-of-sorts Hull City (A).
CARROW ROAD CRACKER
Finally, Burnley maintained their unbeaten run to eight games, defeating Norwich City 1-2 away from home. Fantasy hero Josh Brownhill (M) scored the winner for the Clarets, returning 11 points for 16% of managers. The captain now has seven goals and four assists in 20, alongside 20 interceptions, returning 131 points. As for the hosts, José Córdoba (M) scored the opener and made one interception to return 10 for very few managers.
Burnley remain firmly in the running for automatic promotion, and take on Watford (H) Saturday, while the Canaries travel to Sunderland as their poor run continues.
LEAGUE ONE
36 goals were scored in League One, seeing four home victories, four draws, and four teams win on the road – the perfect balance.
POSH THRILLER WITH THE RED DEVILS [4-3]
The word ‘goalfest’ seems to be synonomous with Peterborough United! They defeated Crawley Town 4-3 in an absolute thriller.
Peterborough United’s Cian Hayes (M) scored a brace (+12), took three shots on target (+1) and provided one interception (+2) in a 17-point haul. The goals were Hayes’s first attacking returns of the season as he looks to nail a spot on the wing following Kwame Poku’s (M) injury. Fellow attacker Ricky Jade-Jones (F) scored (+5) and provided an assist (+3), alongside further attacking returns, to nail 12.
Hector Kyprianou (M) of Posh and Tola Showunmi (F) of Crawley both banked 11 points. Kyprianou scored the third of the afternoon, took two shots, and made one interception, while Showunmi provided an assist and scored to make it 3-3, alongside providing key passes. Moreover, Crawley’s Will Swan (M) provided an assist and goal in just 65 minutes, returning 10 points for very few managers.
WYCOMBE WON’T BE STOPPED [1-4]
We’ve said before we’re running out of superlatives for Wycombe. Now we truly are! Matt Bloomfield’s side defeated Shrewsbury Town 1-4 away from home, making it 17 games unbeaten in League One. They remain top of the table on 43 points in 19 games, and have the best goal difference in the division [21].
Caleb Taylor (D) wrote the headlines on Fantasy, netting 11 points. He scored the second of the afternoon for the visitors, and made six clearances. Luke Leahy (D) also impressed, playing as a number 10, providing two assists (+6) and making four clearances to bag nine points. Fred Onyedinma (M) scored his sixth goal of the season, returning 72 total points in 13 matches. For the Shrews, former Liverpool youngster Jordan Rossiter (M) secured 10 for an assist and three interceptions, taking his season total to 14 interceptions.
The Chairboys face Bolton Wanderers (H) on Friday night, while 24th-placed Shrewsbury travel to Wigan Athletic.
MILLERS CRUSH THE COBBLERS [3-0]
Steve Evans’ side made it back-to-back home wins with a 3-0 victory over Northampton Town.
Jonson Clark-Harris (F) scored a first-half brace (+10), made three key passes (+1) and four shots on target in a 15-point haul for 3.5% of managers. The 30-year-old now has six goals and one assist in 14, totalling 64 points. Andre Green (M) scored the third, and also provided an assist and two key passes to bag 12 points. Whereas, strike partner Sam Nombe (F) provided the other two assists to secure 10.
ROUTINE BIRMINGHAM WIN [2-0]
The Blues made it four unbeaten with a 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers, taking 26 total shots and dominating possession.
Jay Stansfield (F) scored his 10th of the season from the penalty spot to return eight points for 4.2% of managers. However, Lee Buchanan (D) scored the opener and contributed defensively to return 14. Meanwhile, Christoph Klarer (D) provided 10 for 0.4% for his efforts.
Blues travel to Crawley Town on Friday, while the Pirates host Wrexham on Saturday.
SEASIDERS SOAR ON THE ROAD [0-3]
Blackpool made it three consecutive victories away from home, securing a 0-3 win at Reading.
Kyle Joseph (F) wrote the headlines on Fantasy, providing a hat-trick of assists (+9) and making four key passes to bank 13 points. Oliver Casey (D) helped keep the clean sheet intact and made multiple defensive returns, while Albie Morgan (M) opened the scoring and made an interception. Both Casey and Morgan nailed 12 for their efforts. Meanwhile, full-back James Husband (D) banked defensive returns for 0.1% of managers!
The Royals travel to Lincoln City on Saturday, while Steve Bruce’s side host Stevenage.
WREXHAM SLIP AT HOME [2-2]
As we’ve always said – expect the unexpected in Fantasy EFL! 22nd-placed Cambridge United secured a 2-2 away draw at Wrexham, who remain unbeaten at SToK Cae Ras.
James Brophy (M) of Cambridge was sensational, banking four interceptions and nailing four key passes to return 12 points. Additionally, Daniel Nlundulu (F) scored and assisted to continue his good form for the U’s. Whereas, James McClean (M) of Wrexham scored to level the score at 1-1 and made two key passes, but was booked (-1). Additionally, Steven Fletcher (F) scored as a substitute for his second time in 14 matches.
Even though the hosts conceded two, Max Cleworth (D) returned five for 6.8% to continue his impressive form, while Eoghan O’Connell (D) returned four for 6.3%.
Wrexham travel to Bristol Rovers next, while the U’s host Huddersfield Town.
LEAGUE TWO
18 goals were scored in League Two, with six home wins, three draws and three away victories.
CRACKING CHELTENHAM TOWN [2-0]
The Robins made it four unbeaten with a 2-0 victory over Morecambe.
For the first time this season, Cheltenham Town’s Arkell Jude-Boyd (D) banked 19 points and leads the charts for defenders. The 21-year-old opened the scoring (+7) for the Robins, and made multiple defensive contributions (+5). The wing-back has now banked 50 points in 10 matches, despite only starting seven of those games. Equally, Ibrahim Bakare (D) provided an assist and multiple defensive returns despite getting booked (-1). Additionally, Sam Stubbs (D) returned defensively for 12 points, as did Tom Bradbury (D) for 11.
Cheltenham face Gillingham (A), while the 23rd-placed Shrimps host Bromley.
CREWE UNBEATEN IN 11 [0-2]
The Railwaymen made it 11 games unbeaten as they defeated Grimsby Town 0-2.
Crewe’s Jack Lankester (M) continued his magnificent form in their 0-2 away win at Grimsby Town. The number 14 scored the opener and provided the assist (+3) to the second, taking three shots on target (+1) and making one interception, totalling 14 points. Jamie Knight-Lebel (D) returned 12 for defensive returns, while Mickey Demetriou (D) looks back to his best on Fantasy, returning 11 points also.
Crewe take on Colchester United (H) up next, while the Mariners take on Swindon Town (A).
GILLS DEFEAT THE DONS [0-1]
Gillingham nailed their ninth clean sheet (+45) in 19, defeating MK Dons 0-1 away from home. Robbie McKenzie (D) scored the only goal of the match and helped preserve the clean sheet, while Conor Masterson (D) maintained his impressive form.
The Gills are looking to make it three unbeaten when they host Cheltenham, while the Dons travel to Newport County.
U’S DRAW AGAINST EXILES [0-0]
Newport County held Colchester United to a 0-0 draw away from home. Ciaran Brennan (D) banked 13 for his efforts, while teammate Matthew Baker returned 11. Jamie McDonnell (M) provided four interceptions to return 10 points.
The Exiles host MK Dons, while the U’s, unbeaten in six, take on Crewe (A).
RAVENS HOST THE VALIANTS [0-0]
A weekend lacking goals, Bromley drew 0-0 with promotion hopefuls Port Vale.
Callum Reynolds (D) made 18 clearances and further defensive returns to bank 14 points for very few managers. Equally, Kamarl Grant (D) returned 11. For Vale, Jesse Debrah banked 11, while Connor Ripley (G) banked 11 points for less than 1% of owners. He made six vital saves (+4) to keep their clean sheet intact (+5). It’s Ripley’s first double-digit haul of the season, securing his eighth clean sheet in 20, totalling 92 points. Vale host 24th-placed Carlisle United on Saturday in Gameweek 20.
