Norwich City may not have been in action this weekend but two Canaries loan players were on target in games that did survive the Covid-19 surge.

Danel Sinani had scored two goals in four Championship games but missed Huddersfield Town's last two matches due to a positive Covid-19 test, then returned in style on Saturday.

The Luxembourg forward's pass had allowed former City left-back Harry Toffolo to cross for a Duane Holmes equaliser in the 41st minute at Bristol City and the 24-year-old claimed the lead swiftly after the restart.

Playing as an attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Sinani was teed up in the box by striker Danny Ward, staying onside and chopping onto his left foot before firing low across the keeper into the bottom-right corner.

It was a third Championship goal of the season as the Terriers won 3-2 at Ashton Gate to stay 10th but just two points adrift of the play-offs, with Sinani having joined with a view to a permanent deal, with his Norwich deal to expire in 2023 having only made senior appearances during pre-season games.

There was also an important goal for young midfielder Matthew Dennis to get his loan at Southend United back on track, scoring an FA Trophy winner.

It's been a strange time for the former Arsenal trainee in Essex, amid fan protests against the Shrimpers' owner and manager Phil Brown being sacked in October with the team just above the National League relegation zone.

He featured in six of the first eight league games but only started once, generally being used as a winger, and was publicly criticised by Brown for a disagreement about the extent of a hamstring injury issue on the day of a game.

Club legend Kevin Maher has taken over but Dennis only featured as a late substitute in his first nine games in charge but brought home on in the 66th minute, with Southend being held 1-1 at home by National League South side Dorking Wanderers.

The third round tie was United's first appearance in the FA Trophy and Dennis avoided embarrassment in style, cutting in from the left wing and curling a 25-yard effort over the Dorking keeper for the winner in the 77th minute.

“It was brilliant,” Shrimpers boss Maher told the Southend Echo. “Murph (Rhys Murphy) was disappointed to come off but we needed some fresh legs and pace up there.

“Matty hasn’t always been given a chance, to be fair, so I’m delighted for him to get the winner.”

Elsewhere on Saturday, City winger Onel Hernandez came on in the 74th minute as Middlesbrough earned an impressive 1-0 home win over title challengers Bournemouth, to move to within two points of the Championship play-off places.

The Cuban winger thought he'd made the day even better as he celebrated beating the keeper, only for an offside flag to cut short his excitement, denying his second goal for Boro - getting a booking for taking off his shirt.

It was another frustrating game for striker Jordan Hugill on Friday night though, as West Brem slumped to a 0-0 draw away to lowly Barnsley on Friday night, playing 89 minutes but still being stuck on one goal in 19 Baggies appearances.

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