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FL Team of the Week

Image: Wood: Hat-trick hero for Birmingham

Skysports.com selects the best of the bunch from the latest round of Football League fixtures.

Team of the week

David James - Bristol City
The former England international showed that he still had it at the age of 41, despite his team going down to a single goal defeat against the Championship leaders Brighton. Ashley Barnes netted his fifth goal of the campaign with 10 minutes remaining at Ashton Gate for the visitors, but the former Liverpool and Portsmouth shot-stopper won the man-of-the-match award after producing a string of stunning saves, including a superb double stop to deny Craig Noone and Craig Mackail-Smith.
Richard Keogh - Coventry
The swashbuckling young defender was inspirational throughout and he was heavily involved in helping the Sky Blues record their first win of the season as they moved out of the Championship relegation zone with a 2-0 win over midlands neighbours Derby at the Ricoh Arena. The hosts took the lead just before the hour when Jason Shackell brought down Keogh inside the area. Lukas Jutkiewicz scored and Carl Baker added a second with 11 minutes to go.
Martin Taylor - Watford
The experienced defender helped the Hornets climb out of the bottom three as goals from Mark Yeates and John Eustace earned them their first win of the season at fellow strugglers Reading. The former Blackburn and Birmingham man, who finished second in the voting for the club's Player of the Season last term, made sure his side shut out the Royals.
Jamie McCombe - Huddersfield
The centre-back has impressed at the Galpharm since his arrival and he was a rock at the back as usual as he helped Lee Clark's side to a comfortbale 2-0 win against Tranmere and in turn also helped Town stretch their unbeaten run to 32 league games. The Terriers are one of the hot favourites for promotion from League One this season and McCombe is one of the reasons why they're currently in hot pursuit of the leaders.
Joe Bennett - Middlesbrough
The full-back has been given a new lease of life by manager Tony Mowbray and he showed his worth on Saturday following a comfortable victory against Burnley to take them up to third in the Championship. Boro - one of only two unbeaten teams along with Brighton - were already ahead at Turf Moor through Nicky Bailey before Bennett got his name on the scoresheet to seal the points.
Dale Stephens - Charlton
The Addicks beat Exeter 2-0 at The Valley on Saturday and the midfielder was on target for the hosts. Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his sixth goal of the season and the south London club wrapped up the win nine minutes from time when Wright-Phillips' cross was converted by Stephens.
Michael Flynn - Bradford City
Flynn was the Bantams' hero as he helped Phil Parkinson's men pick up their sixth point of the season after salvaging a 2-2 draw at home to Bristol Rovers. The attacking midfielder was spot on as he bagged two penalties - the second coming in stoppage time. Rovers twice led through goals from Matt Harrold and Eliot Richards, but the Welsh ace successfully converted his spot-kicks to earn City a draw.
Henri Lansbury - West Ham
Debutant Henri Lansbury made quite the impression as he helped Sam Allardyce's men to a much needed home win in a seven-goal thriller at Upton Park. Then the midfielder, on-loan from Arsenal for the rest of the season, gave the Hammers a 2-1 lead with a low strike from the edge of the box as the game finished 4-3.
Danny Carlton - Morecambe
Danny Carlton struck a hat-trick as Morecambe inflicted a stunning 6-0 defeat on title favourites Crawley to take over at the top of League Two. Promoted Crawley started the day in first place but they dropped to fourth after being overrun by the hosts, who netted twice in the opening 22 minutes through Carlton. The Shrimps then added four more goals after the break and Carlton completed his treble.
Rickie Lambert - Southampton
Second-placed Southampton stayed within a point of Brighton thanks to their 3-2 win over Steve McClaren's Nottingham Forest at St Mary's - a club record 12th successive home league win for the Saints thanks largely to Lambert's hat-trick. Lambert was the home side's hero, scoring twice in the first half before completing his treble in the 82nd minute with what would prove to be the winner.
Chris Wood - Birmingham
The 19-year-old, who is on-loan from West Brom, struck first after 29 minutes in the Blues' 3-0 win against Millwall on Sunday. He then doubled their advantage 17 minutes into the second half and sealed his hat-trick in the final minute. In the process he became the first Birmingham player since Mikael Forssell, against Tottenham in March 2008, to score a hat-trick. Wood has now been on target in each of the past three games - scoring five goals.

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