posted on Jan, 1 2005 @ 04:41 PM
Luton and Hull are locked level on 53 points at the top of Coca-Cola League One after the first round of fixtures in 2005.
The Hatters remain top on goal difference but could only draw 1-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday. The pacesetters fell behind on the stroke of
half-time to a Kenwyne Jones goal but the lead was short-lived as Steven Howard equalised two minutes after the restart, heading in from Ahmet
Brkovic's cross.
Former Stockport forward Aaron Wilbraham was Hull's hero as they recovered from a goal down to beat Huddersfield 2-1 at the KC Stadium. Chris Brandon
put the visitors ahead (40) but the Tigers clawed level within two minutes thanks to Stuart Elliott's 24th goal of the campaign and they led when
Wilbraham headed home four minutes into the second period.
Tranmere are third, seven points behind the top two, and will be unhappy to have led twice at Oldham only to emerge with a 2-2 draw. Ryan Taylor's
37th-minute penalty put Rovers ahead but the lead was quickly cancelled out by Adam Griffin (39). Iain Hume put the men from the Wirral back in front
in the 52nd minute but Scott Vernon drew the Latics level again.
Steve Fletcher's hat-trick helped Bournemouth move from sixth to fourth as the Cherries beat Brentford 3-2 at Dean Court, with Isaiah Rankin scoring
twice for the visitors.
Bradford are up to fifth after Danny Forrest's goal proved the winner at Port Vale, while Hartlepool slipped to seventh from fifth after a goalless
draw at Barnsley.
Bottom club Stockport reduced the gap to their fellow strugglers to five points by winning 2-1 at Torquay - only their second success on the road this
season. Kevin Hill's goal close to the break put the Devon side ahead but Richard Lambert's close-range header drew County level and the same player
scored a penalty with a minute to go after a handball by Paul Robinson.
MK Dons' 1-1 draw at home to Chesterfield actually lifted them out of the bottom three as Peterborough and Wrexham lost, 2-0 at Bristol City and 2-1
at home to Blackpool respectively.
Walsall and Doncaster drew 1-1 in a mid-table clash at the Bescot Stadium while Colchester thumped Swindon 3-0 at the County Ground to climb one place
to 17th.
Sportinglife
[Edited on 1/1/05 by TRD]