13 Norwich City loanees represented their clubs over the weekend, with five of them tasting victory.
The highest performer in England’s tiers was Sean Raggett, who helped lift Portsmouth into the League One playoffs with a clean sheet and win against Sunderland.
Pompey made it eight wins on the bounce and back to back shut outs with a 2-0 win at Fratton Park on Saturday, as they leapt Sunderland to sixth. Kenny Jackett’s side now find themselves just three points behind league leaders Rotherham United.
At the opposite end of the table, another City loanee was involved in an important victory as Carlton Morris notched an assist in Milton Keynes Dons shock 2-0 win at home to second-placed Wycombe Wanderers.
Having scored a header from a Jordan Houghton cross in midweek, Morris attempted the same again, but this time his flick went to the far post where Rhys Healey was on hand to score the game’s opener.
Russell Martin’s Dons are now 19th and nine points clear of the relegation zone. Louis Thompson also played the first 80 minutes of the game, before Martin was crowned EFL Manager of the Week!
Morris wasn’t the only City loanee to nab an assist on the weekend though, with Diallang Jaiyesimi doing the same during Swindon Town’s 2-1 win at home to promotion hopefuls Exeter City.
DJ cut back inside from the right wing and lifted a cross to Hallam Hope to nod home, keeping the Robins at the top of League Two and four points clear of the chasing Crewe Alexandra.
Put 🔛 a 🍽️@DJaiyesimi_ 🅰️@HallamHope ⚽️➡️🥅#STFC 🔴 pic.twitter.com/7fDFnWNZDN
— Swindon Town FC (@Official_STFC) February 2, 2020
Back in the exciting battle for League One playoffs, new Norwich City recruit Sam McCallum was involved in Coventry City’s 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Coventry are now one point above Pompey and five shy of the top spot.
In Germany’s second tier, Philip Heise kept a clean sheet as he made his competitive debut for 1. FC Nürnberg in their 2-0 home win against SV Sandhausen. That moves them up to 13th in the 2. Bundesliga, five points off the bottom.
As for the City loanees who didn’t win on the weekend, Billy Johnson was the most successful, preventing Braintree Town from losing with a penalty save in their 1-1 National League South draw with championship challengers Weymouth. Braintree are 18th, ten points above the bottom of the table.
Akin Famewo also took part in a draw, albeit a frustrating one as St. Mirren gave away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Hibernian. The former are tenth in the Scottish Premiership, just above Heart of Midlothian and Hamilton Academical.
In Europe, Charlie Gilmour was part of the SC Telstar side to lose 4-2 at Almere in Eerste Divisie, while Rocky Bushiri saw red in St. Truidense VV’s 1-0 defeat to Oostende in the Belgian First Division A.
Back on home soil, King’s Lynn Town suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at home to Kidderminster, with Simon Power playing the full 90. The Linnets are still top of the National League North by one point and have two games in hand on runners-up York City.
Elsewhere in non-league, Timi Odusina was involved in Hartlepool’s 2-1 loss at Barnet, one which saw them fall to 13th in the National League and stay six points adrift of the playoffs.
Nick Hayes was in goal for Hertford Town’s 2-0 home defeat to Harlow Town. Hertford are now 16th in the Isthmian League South and four points above the relegation zone.
As for the Isthmian League North, Daniel Barden was the sole Norwich City representative for 37 minutes, before he was forced off with injury from Bury Town’s 2-1 win at home to Dereham Town.
Players who were unused substitutes: Mason Bloomfield (Crawley Town), Alfie Payne (King’s Lynn Town)
Players who weren’t involved in matchday squads: Melvin Sitti (FC Sochaux)
Players whose teams didn’t have matches: Savvas Mourgos (FC Dordrecht), Louis Lomas (Tampa Bay Rowdies), Aston Oxborough (Wealdstone FC)
Image credit: Jane Russell (Milton Keynes Dons FC), Joe Pepler/PinPep (Portsmouth FC), Coventry City FC, Swindon Town FC, St. Truidense VV FC