Several Nigerian-born players were on song in the lower rungs of English football on Saturday, as Dominic Solanke, Israel Adebayo, John Akinde, Michael Ihiekwe, Dennis Adeniran, Freddie Ladapo and Kion Etete all hit target in games outside the Premier League.
While Solanke and Adebayo made hay in the lower cadre English Championship, Akinde was on song in the third-tier League One, along with Ihiekwe, Ayo Afolayan and Ladapo, while Etete got his sizzler in League Two.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, leading the way, Solanke helped Bournemouth equal a 60-year club record following a 3-0 rout of Huddersfield Town, thereby taking their unbeaten run to 14 games, their best-ever start to a season.
Solanke grabbed a double as unbeaten Bournemouth cruised to a 3-0 victory over Huddersfield to equal the club’s best start to a league season.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool striker’s first-half goals took his tally to 11 for the season, before Lloyd Kelly added a third in the second half to keep The Cherries in control at the top of the Championship log.
The crowd then erupted in a minute’s chanting for the Wales international which ended seconds before Ollie Turton clumsily tripped Solanke to gift the hosts a penalty.
Solanke picked himself up, and after a slow run-up, sent Lee Nicholls the wrong way in the ninth minute for his ninth strike of the season and ended Nicholls’ three-match clean sheet run.
Former Huddersfield midfielder, Philip Anyanwu Billing was booed by the away fans before lofting a cross into the box for Solanke to skid a header wide.
The pair then combined again in the 21st minute to double Bournemouth’s advantage, as Ryan Christie bent in a delicious cross from the right, which Billing cushioned to Solanke, who chested down before rifling home.
Solanke almost grabbed his treble after a blistering counter-attack between Anthony and Billing saw the slide strike deflect out the ground.
Bournemouth are now unbeaten in their first 14 matches this season, a statistic only matched by the 196162 side in the Old Third Division – with Liverpool the only other side in the top four English tiers yet to lose.
Luton Town’s Adebayo notched his seventh league goal this term in a 1-0 win against Hull City at Kenilworth Road, where the former Fulham ace headed home a delivery from Fred Onyedinma for the game-winning goal in the 17th minute.
In League One, Akinde opened scoring for Gillingham, but The Gills threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Bolton Wanderers at University of Bolton Stadium.
Akinde flicked the ball in at the near post for 1-0 and Ade Afolayan halved the deficit for Bolton with a brilliant strike from 20 yards out.
Elsewhere, Rotherham United won 3-0 away to MK Dons, courtesy of Ihiekwe’s superb header in the first half and Ladapo finished emphatically for 3-0 in the 72nd minute.
Adeniran thought he had netted the winner for Sheffield Wednesday versus Lincoln City, but The Owls capitulated to concede with ten minutes remaining in a 1-1 draw.
Ten minutes into the second half, the midfielder put the rebound home after Nigeria under-20 national team, Flying Eagles former invitee, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru saw his effort saved by the goalkeeper.
In League Two, Etete helped Northampton Town win 2-0 away to Tranmere Rovers, as he opened scoring with a first time finish in the 52nd minute for his second goal in as many games.
Elsewhere, Isaac Olaofe was on target in the 82nd minute as Sutton United were beaten 3-2 by Rochdale at Crown Oil Arena in Greater Manchester.
It is another massive step forward for the Millwall loanee, despite playing as a second half substitute, as he scored his first goal in League Two a week ago.
