While members of the top two tiers of English football set sail to foreign lands for the first international break of the season, the action continued in the lower echelons of the English Football League.

Morecambe fought to their fourth victory of the season with a 3-2 victory over Harry Kewell’s Oldham Athletic. It was Oldham’s fourth defeat from the opening five matches, sentencing them to the foot of the Football League. The only solace for the Latics was a pair of strikes from Conor McAleny, which pushed the 28-year-old to the summit of both the goal-scoring and combined-contribution tables with five goals and one assist already this term.

The Shrimps leapfrogged Newport County to top the division, as the Exiles were narrowly beaten, 2-1, by Cambridge United.

Grimsby Town chalked up their first point of the season after struggling to a goalless draw with goliath club Bolton Wanderers. Despite neither side registering a single shot on goal, Grimsby were lifted off the bottom of the table into 23rd.

Barrow failed to win against the ten men of Leyton Orient at their Holker Street home. The Bluebirds played with an advantage in personnel for 81 minutes, notched up 22 shots, but were left frustrated by a second-half equaliser from Danny Johnson.

It was a tough week for Port Vale, who plummeted five positions to 10th following a 1-0 loss to Carlisle United. 23-year-old Jon Mellish’s second goal of the season pushed United into the playoff spots in what was a straight swap for position with Crawley Town.

The Reds slumped to a 2-0 loss on the road at Cheltenham Town, marking their first defeat since the opening day.

Salford City leaked two late goals at home to Tranmere Rovers, quashing their long-standing lead to finish 2-2. Despite staying put in the playoff places, Graham Alexander was relieved of his duties as Salford manager two days after the match. It had been 233 days since he was last beaten in the league.

Alexander, who earned the Ammies their inaugural promotion to the EFL in his first season and reached the final of the Leasing.com Trophy in his second, was replaced by part-owner and Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes, on an interim basis.

Scholes’ only previous experience of management lasted just 31 days at Oldham, and he won just one of his seven matches in charge.