Striker Dion Charles scored his ninth goal of the season as Bolton Wanderers maintained their push for promotion from League One with a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Northampton Town at the weekend.
The 28-year-old, who won his 20th international cap in the 1-0 home defeat to Slovenia last week, struck in the eighth minute of the contest as the Trotters chalked up their seventh win in 12 league games this term to move into fourth spot in the table.
Elsewhere in League One, winger Jordan Jones found the net for the first time as a Wigan Athletic player after he came off the bench to score in injury time in the Latics' 2-0 success at Exeter City.
Speaking to the club website after the game, Jones said: “It feels absolutely unbelievable - I’ve waited over two years for that moment.
“I’m just proud and very happy. I’ve come through a lot to get there. I’d just like to thank all my teammates and the staff as well.
“To share it with everyone together at the end is probably the most emotional I’ve been on a football pitch to be honest. That isn’t like me, but it meant the world.”
🤩 Sealing the win in front of the away end…
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) October 21, 2023
A special moment for JJ and those travelling Tics 💙#wafc pic.twitter.com/0ecYQKsGEo
Also getting on the scoresheet over the weekend was Kilmarnock striker Kyle Vassell who hit a brace in the 3-1 victory at home to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.
Northern Ireland’s latest international, Brad Lyons, also started for Killie while Matty Kennedy and Liam Donnelly were both used in the closing stages as substitutes.
In the Women’s Super League Rachel Furness opened her goal account for the season with Bristol City who were defeated 2-1 at home to Arsenal.
🤩 Just Furney doing what Furney does 💚 @RachelFurness10 #GAWA #niplayerwatch pic.twitter.com/psxNKMfZIR
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 23, 2023
Furness, who has scored 38 goals in 94 appearances for Northern Ireland, powered home a stunning header in the 16th minute to pull City level after Republic of Ireland international Katie McCabe had given the visitors an early advantage.
McCabe went on to secure all three points for the Gunners in the second half but despite her disappointment at the result Furness was still delighted to have scored her first goal for City since her arrival at the club from Liverpool back in February.
“It was great to score my first league goal for the club,” Rachel told irishfa.com, “We can take a lot of positives from yesterday and there is a lot to build on.
“From last week to this week we showed we can compete with teams in this league. We were hard to beat and very disciplined in our performance.”
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Championship, Ellie Mason was on target for Birmingham City who made it three wins in the last four matches with a resounding 5-2 victory at home to Watford.
In the Premier League Jonny Evans again started for Manchester United as they won 2-1 at Sheffield United on the day that club legend Bobby Charlton sadly passed away at the age of 86.
Paddy McNair (Middlesbrough), Jamal Lewis (Watford), Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard (Sunderland) all started for their respective clubs in the Championship at the weekend, while 17-year-old central defender Tom Atcheson was an unused substitute in Blackburn Rovers' 1-0 victory over Cardiff City.
Finally, there were assists for Colchester United’s Cameron McGeehan and former Linfield winger Liam McStravick now at Scottish Championship outfit Airdrieonians.