Skysports.com selects the best of the bunch from the latest round of Football League fixtures.
Team of the week
Kasper Schmeichel - Leeds United
Schmeichel has become a Team of the Week regular of late and he shows no signs of allowing his impeccably high standards to slip. The Danish shot-stopper was in inspiring form once again over the weekend, providing a reliable last line of defence as Leeds saw off Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers to climb into the automatic promotion places.
Scott Golbourne - Exeter City
With the cold snap having wreaked havoc over the weekend, there were just nine fixtures contested in the Football League. Of those, only one took place outside of the Championship. It seems only fair that we pay homage to those plucky souls, especially as League One Exeter sprang a surprise as they hammered high-flying Sheffield Wednesday 5-1. Among the goals for the Grecians was the unlikely source of Golbourne, who also helped to keep things tight at the back.
Luke Chambers - Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest prolonged their impressive unbeaten record at the City Ground on Saturday as they saw off Crystal Palace. The Reds have now gone 29 games in the league without coming unstuck on home soil. One man who helped preserve that fine run is versatile defender Chambers, as he broke the deadlock against Palace and put Billy Davies' men on course for a comfortable 3-0 win.
Kyle Bartley - Sheffield United
The first game after the departure of a manager is never easy, with it difficult to tell how the players left behind will react. Sheffield United's response to seeing Gary Speed take the Wales reins has been positive, though, with a 1-0 victory secured over Swansea in John Carver's first game as caretaker coach. Key to that success was a resolute back line which included loan star Bartley, who is another of those to have dropped off the Arsenal production line of talent.
Andy Taylor - Sheffield United
Alongside Bartley at Bramall Lane on Saturday was Taylor, who also excelled when presented with the challenge of keeping Swansea quiet. The Swans have enjoyed a productive Championship campaign so far and sit among the frontrunners. Shutting them out is no mean feat and the Blades deserve plenty of credit for the manner in which they went about their business.
Brian Stock - Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster's preparations for their meeting with Middlesbrough on Friday were hindered by reports suggesting Sheffield United are keen on luring Sean O'Driscoll away from their South Yorkshire rivals. Rovers refused to let that uncertainty distract them, though, and recovered well from falling a goal behind early on to pile more misery on hapless Boro. Stock proved to be the hero of the hour for Doncaster, with his dramatic stoppage-time strike sealing a 2-1 win.
David Norris - Ipswich Town
Freak weather conditions were enough to put paid to a number of fixtures up and down the country, but not Ipswich's home date with Leicester. The Portman Road pitch was barely visible for much of the contest, but that did not stop the Tractor Boys ploughing their way through the snow. Roy Keane's men bagged three goals without reply against the frozen Foxes, with Norris putting them on their way after just six minutes.
Max Gradel - Leeds United
Leeds' impressive clamber into the Championship's top two has already been discussed, with a third consecutive victory seeing Simon Grayson's side scale the heights. The win that took them there was largely down to one man, with Gradel stealing the headlines against Queens Park Rangers. The tricky winger was at his mesmerising best against Neil Warnock's men, notching either side of the interval to wrap up the points.
Jay Simpson - Hull City
Goals have been like London buses for Hull striker Simpson this season - you wait ages for one to turn up and then two come along at once. The former Arsenal man must have wondered if he would ever break his duck for the Tigers after going the best part of half a season without finding the target. He was able to finally open his account over the weekend, though, with a deadly double against Bristol City handing Hull a welcome win over one of the sides currently sitting alongside them in the table.
Grant Holt - Norwich City
Every side needs a talismanic striker, a man you can turn to in your hour of need. In Norwich's case, that man is Holt. The experienced frontman continues to lead by example this term, with the majority of his goals coming in big games or at crucial times. He was in the right place at the right time again on Saturday, with a well-taken brace, including a late winner, helping the Canaries see off 10-man Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.
Jason Scotland - Ipswich Town
Scotland may have finished Ipswich's meeting with Leicester looking more like a snowman than a professional footballer, but he enjoyed a memorable evening on Saturday. The Trinidad & Tobago striker made light of the horrendous conditions in Suffolk to guide the Tractor Boys home. His first-half double ended the game as a contest before the interval and his only frustration will be that he did not go on to complete his hat-trick during a disrupted second 45.
