Monkey Hangers shock the Farmers and all the other footy news

Last updated : 11 August 2008 By Shrimpers24
The third tier of English football is ''moving time' as seven new clubs replace the old and didn't they struggle. Only relegated Leicester won, and then they beat League Two champions MK Dons 2-0 with a brace from Matty Fryatt.

Here's what else happened in the first week of the 2008/09 season.

I always believe it takes 10 games to get a decent league table but after all those opening home defeats it's nice to take a sneaky look at a one game table when we won, sadly the S letter was always against us, it's 10th folks!

The Farmers found out money isn't everything as they were 4-0 down to 'league leaders' Hartlepool with 14 minutes to go. James Brown obviously lives with two goals for the Monkey Hangers, along with Willie Boland and former Man. U. youth, Richie Jones. However two late goals from 400k man Steve Gillespie will give them hope for the future. Still, gave us all a laugh for now if not Steven Gillespie who told BBC Essex: "We've just not performed, tactically we weren't clever enough. I'm not making excuses, we're all professionals and that was just poor. I haven't played as well as I can, the gaffer will know that, I know that and all the fans will know that as well. There's very little positives to take out of it."

The remaining relegated side Scunthorpe also gave us something to cheer when they took a 1-0 lead, through Hoops no less, 175k, a bargin, in the 51st minute. Leeds though showed how without the 15 point penalty, poor Luton must believe the world is against them when they get 30 deducted, they will be an even stronger force this year by grabbing a 2-1 win. Goals from new boys, Enoch Showunmi, four minutes after Hooper, and Jermaine Beckford, in the 81st, did the damage.

Of the promoted sides only Stockport got something, an impressive point in a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield. Andy Booth, who scored against the Blues last season, got his 143rd senior goal on the half hour but 19 year old boy Tommy Rowe brought things level in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

A Hat-Trick of ex-League Two newbie defeats, along with Posh and the Franchise, were Hereford when they allowed the Borient to get away with a 2-1 result. They took the lead as well, defender Dean Beckwith scoring on his 100th start. It only lasted 9 minutes, the pulled off the transfer list midfielder JJ Melligan rewarding Martin Ling with the equliser. Then the guy who they'll rely on to get the goals, Andy Boyd, popped up with the winner in the 45th minute!

The Cobblers are in an early second place with a come from behind win against Cheltenham. A 35th minute own goal from Gabor Gyepes allowed the Robins to go one up but Chris Doig equalised before half-time. Then the crowd saw three penalty awards in ten minutes, who was the ref?, which were all converted. Adebayo Akinfenwa put away two, 3-1, Michael Townsend for Cheltenham, 3-2! However, it was our old friend Leon Constantine, who played along with Luke Gutteridge, what a reception that duo will get at the Hall, who regained the home sides two goal advantage, 4-2.

A mere taster for Ex-Captain Kev's debut for Oldham, (substituted after an hour with one paper giving him 3 out of 10!), where the Latics trumped Northampton coming back from 1-3 down to win 4-1. Millwall took the lead in the first minute, Andy Lidell equalised in the third. A Reuben Hazell own goal 2-1 Lions after 15! Just before the hour Lewis Grabben gave Millwall a two goal advantage. Then Oldham manager John Sheridan made a triple substitution and the gamble paid off. Andy Liddell made it 2-3 from the spot with 15 minutes to go, Lewis Alessandra 3-3 with 10, and with only 5 left on the clock and with perfect symentry, 21 year old Chris Taylor got the winner.

Another old boy scoring was Swindon's Billy Paytner in the home team's 3-1 win over Tranmere. Simon Cox and John-Paul McGovern followed Billy's early goal before Tranmere grabbed a consolation through new boy Bas Savage.

Brighton and Carlisle made sure all the home sides didn't get their own way. The border side were one down at Bristol Rovers after Ricky Lambert's 15th minute opener but soon turned that round for a 3-1 lead with two goals from Danny Carlton, in only his sixth game, and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson. Sub Andrew Williams pulled one back but it was too late.

Crewe gave further evidence to to those who believe they will struggle losing 2-1 home to the Seagulls. Just rejoined from Glasgow Celtic, the defender Adam Virgo gave Brighton a 36th minute lead but Crewe must have felt confident of a point when Calvin Zola equlised with five minutes to go. However, veteran Nicky Forster got the winner with only a minute left.

In League Two Dagenham and Redbridge got the result of the day with a 6-0 win over Chester but well done Aldershot, back in the league after 16 years, winning 1-0 at Accrington.

Congrats to Doncaster, who kicked off in the Championship with a 1-0 win at Derby, ahh what might have been? Many may remember our 2-1 win at Derby in our first away match back in the second tier of league football.

In non league Barrow shocked Oxford beating them 3-0 in the opening week of the Blue Square Conference Premier.