2020/21 Sky Bet English League One - Second Half Results
The second half of the season started ominously, with bore 1-1 draws against both Rotherham and Sheffield United, followed by yet another loss to Luton, this time 4-3, over the Christmas week.
The season would turn around considerably after a heavy loss in FA Cup play on January 2nd. We'd start making some moves in the transfer market (indicated above) and we'd start to go on a scintillating run of form, starting with a 3-2 win at home against Exeter. That started a 7 game winning streak and a ten game unbeaten run that wouldn't end until March 9th with a loss to Bradford City. After a three game stretch where we'd secure only one of nine points, we once again ran riot, winning six games on the bounce before losing a meaningless final league game to MK Dons, finishing the season with a record of 23 wins, 9 ties and 14 losses, good for 78 points and incredibly, locking up the last League One playoff berth.
We were the best team in the entire league in the second half of the season, going 15-4-4 for 49 points!
Overall, we finished in 6th place on the table, led the league in goal scoring with 105 while finishing second in goal differential with +37, behind only QPR's +39.
Peterborough took the League One title with 95 points and securing the second automatic promotion was QPR on goal differential. MK Dons finished tied with QPR with 90 points but they would face us in the League One semi-finals, while Barnsley and Mansfield did battle in the other semi.
Adding to the drama was the fact that our season-ending League game was also against MK Dons, a match we'd lose by a heavy 3-0 margin. Game one of the semi-finals was also home at Globe Arena and despite a 20-9 (8-5 on target) shot advantage, we could only come away with a 1-1 draw, as we headed to Stadium MK for the second leg.
And what a nail-biter that contest was! We'd fall behind in the 10th minute on agoal from striker Brandon Thomas-Asante but we'd pull level early in the second half, with young winger
Harvey Neville putting one home. The game would go into extra time and those 30 minutes would solve nothing, forcing a penalty shootout.
Unfortunately, goals from captain
Alex Kenyon and star winger
Carlos Mendes Gomes weren't enough to offset shocking misses from
Andrew Tutte and
Matt Dolan, as we'd eventually lose 4-2 on penalties, allowing the Dons to move on.
They would edge past Barnsley on penalties in the finals as well to lock up promotion to the Championship.
Morecambe would be back in League One in 2021/22, with hopes of continuing the great momentum built up after a wonderful second half of the season.
Sky Bet English League One 2020-21 League Awards
- Golden Boot (Top Goalscorer): Josh Maja, MK Dons - 20
- Most Assists: Henri Lansbury, QPR - 16
- Highest Average Rating: Leandro Bacuna, QPR - 7.32 (38 apps)
- Most Player of Match Awards: Alex Mowatt, Barnsley - 8
- PFA League One Player of the Year: Leandro Bacuna, QPR - 38 apps 14 gls 3 asts 7.32 avg
- League One Manager of the Year: Mark Robins, Peterborough
Maja. Lansbury and Bacuna dominated for QPR this year, with Bacuna getting named as player of the year. He scored an incredible 14 goals playing primarily at right fullback.
Robins deservedly earns manager of the year for winning the league with Peterborough. I'd be honoured to win the Manager of the Month award on three different occasions this season, taking the trophy in November, January and April.
PFF League One Team of the Year
GK - Arijanet Muric, Peterborough
DL - Colin Daniel, Peterborough
DC - Ben Wilmot, QPR
DC - Sean Raggett, Peterborough
DR - Leandro Bacuna, QPR
ML - Barrie McKay, QPR
MC - Josh Scowen, QPR
MC - Henri Lansbury, QPR
MR - Siriki Dembele, Peterborough
ST - Kazaiah Sterling, QPR
ST - Josh Maja, MK Dons
QPR and Peterborough dominate proceedings here on the Team of the Year. None of our players earn a spot.