Northern Ireland striker Dion Charles bagged a first-half hat-trick as Bolton Wanderers ended a run of three straight league defeats with a thumping 5-2 win at home to troubled Reading in League One at the weekend.
The 28-year-old, who has scored 20-plus goals in each of the last two campaigns for the Lancashire outfit, is now hoping Saturday’s victory proves to be a turning point in the club’s season.
Speaking to the Bolton website after the game Charles said: That's a performance we've been looking for all season. We know ourselves we've been under par but hopefully that kick-starts our season now.
“We had a good sit down at the start of the week and said a few home truths and we went out there and played with a lot more freedom and it was a brilliant result for us.”
Also getting his name on the scoresheet at the weekend was former Manchester United midfielder Ethan Galbraith who hit a brace in Leyton Orient’s emphatic 4-1 victory at Stockport County.
Following their second league victory of the campaign, O’s boss Richie Wellens insisted that the 23-year-old has what it takes to play at a higher level.
“We know how good Ethan is,” said Wellens. “He can play wherever he wants, he’s got the ability.
“When you watch him, you think ‘he’s a player’, but when you start getting numbers too, people get onto that and then someone will come in for him.
“I’m not trying to sell him here but he’s unbelievable. He is an unbelievable talent – energy, sharpness, touch, control, skill.”
Shattering the deadlock at Stockport 🔓
— Leyton Orient FC (@leytonorientfc) September 22, 2024
Our @NorthernIreland midfielder coming up with the goods 👌#LOFC #OneOrient pic.twitter.com/sW5xcvqvBr
Elsewhere in League One, midfielder Cameron McGeehan scored in Northampton Town’s surprise 3-1 win at Huddersfield Town and Bailey Peacock-Farrell kept his first clean sheet of the new term as Birmingham City remain unbeaten after a 2-0 success at Rotherham United.
Former Burnley trainee Chris Conn-Clarke’s first league start for Peterborough United was unfortunately cut short when just twenty minutes into the game with Bristol Rovers he sustained a collarbone injury which required immediate surgery at the local hospital.
In the Championship, George Saville made his 200th appearance for Millwall as they drew 1-1 at Loftus Road with QPR for whom Paul Smyth came on as a second-half substitute.
Midfielder Ali McCann played his first full ninety minutes of the season for Preston North End while winger Paddy Lane provided an assist for Portsmouth’s goal in the 2-1 defeat at Burnley.
Northern Ireland under-21 international Ciaran McGuckin made his debut for National League side Yeovil Town whom he joined from Rotherham United on loan until January.
In the Women’s National League, 22-year-old Casey Howe made her first start for Nottingham Forest who stay top of the division after a 4-0 win at Hull City while there was a debut for former youth international Ella Haughey who came on as a substitute for West Brom in their 1-0 loss at Burnley.
Finally, 16-year-old Braiden Graham made it four goals in his first four games for Everton’s U18 side when he scored twice in their 3-2 home defeat to Nottingham Forest.
