Northern Ireland keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell kept a fifth successive clean sheet and saved a penalty as Sheffield Wednesday continued their excellent start to the season with a 2-0 victory over Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United in League One at the weekend.
The 24-year-old net-minder made a stunning penalty stop in first-half injury time and admitted after the game he does have a decent record when it comes to spot-kicks.
“I tend to do alright with penalties,” he told the club website. “Looking back at some of the penalties I have saved in shootouts, with Northern Ireland and going back earlier in my career. I enjoy them.”
“It’s up there with my best penalty saves. When you take into account how the game was, I think it’s top three, for sure.”
Looking back at some of the penalties I have saved in shootouts, with Northern Ireland and going back earlier in my career. I enjoy them
Wednesday boss Darren Moore has also been impressed with the former Leeds United keeper since he arrived on a season-long loan from Premier League Burnley.
“This is why I was so keen to bring him to the club, he’s a first-class goalkeeper,” said Moore. “He’s calm, he’s confident and he gives confidence to those around him.
“Make no mistake that was not a miss, it was a save, and a great one too and the turning point of the game.”
In Scotland, another goalkeeper, Trevor Carson, made his debut for Dundee United and also kept a clean sheet as the Tangerines defeated St Johnstone 1-0 at McDiarmid Park.
Elsewhere in the Scottish Premiership, Steven Davis helped Rangers to a 4-2 success at Ross County while Liam Boyce chalked up his sixth goal of the season as Hearts drew 1-1 at home to Aberdeen.
Also on the goalscoring front, former under-21 international striker Ally Roy scored his seventh of the season for Queen of the South when he tapped home the rebound from his missed penalty midway through the first-half of the 3-2 win at Morton.
Meanwhile, in England, the ever-improving Carl Winchester sealed all three points for League One Sunderland as his deflected effort gave the Black Cats a 1-0 home success over AFC Wimbledon.
“I didn’t actually see the goal,” admitted Sunderland boss Lee Johnson said after the game, “but he deserved that bit of luck for his performance
“I think Carl has been excellent this season, the crowd really enjoyed his performance today. From the start he was very calm and composed.
“He has gone from strength to strength and for him to be playing in front of a crowd like this is absolutely massive”
Absent from Sunderland’s success on Saturday was Corry Evans who had failed to recover from a hamstring injury he picked up against MK Dons in only his second competitive game for the club.
In the Premier League, Stuart Dallas and Craig Cathcart continued to get vital minutes under their belts ahead of the upcoming international triple header, though Jamal Lewis was once again an unused sub for Newcastle United.
In the UEFA Women's Champions League there were goals for Northern Ireland senior women's team stars Chloe McCarron and Joely Andrews as Glentoran recorded a 2-0 win over Romanian champions Olimpia Cluj in their Champions League group third and fourth place playoff in Finland on Saturday afternoon.
🚨 Screamer Alert 🚨
— Glentoran FC (@Glentoran) August 21, 2021
Step up @chlomccarron_ 🤩#WeAreGlentoran #COYG 💚🐓 pic.twitter.com/CDXzSlhqmG
In the U18 Premier League, striker Jamie Donley scored a first-half penalty for Spurs but was then red-carded on the hour mark as the North-London outfit lost 7-2 at home to Chelsea.
Eighteen-year-old Lewis MacKinnon scored his first goal of the season as Rangers ‘B’ side enjoyed a 3-0 win over Edinburgh University in the Scottish Lowland League.
Finally, over the weekend there were assists for Ben Reeves (Gillingham), Stephen Dooley (Rochdale) and Ben Hall of Falkirk.
