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Playmaker's regular write-up of '72' action

EFL round-up: Fleetwood and Port Vale drop to L2

2024/04/20 18:05
E3

We are the sharp end of the season across the EFL with plenty left to be decided across 'The 72'. 

Here's our regular whirlwind summary of a packed afternoon of football. 


Championship

There were key results at the top and the bottom of the Championship this Saturday, as the battles for promotion and against relegation rage. 

At the summit, Leicester moved top of the pile with a 2-1 victory over West Brom, goals from Wilfried Ndidi and Jamie Vardy enough to help the Foxes back to winning ways after a couple of defeats. 

Fourth-placed Southampton, however, saw their hopes of automatic promotion dwindle after a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff. A Joel Aribo strike seemingly put the Saints in control, but their Welsh hosts levelled through Famara Diedhiou on 68 minutes before teenager Cian Ashford snatched a late winner for the Bluebirds with a deflected effort. 

At the bottom of the table, Huddersfield endured a harrowing afternoon at home to Swansea. Desperately in need of a victory to boost their chances of survival, the Terriers were deadlocked at 0-0 with their Welsh visitors until 73 minutes - when the away side kicked into gear: goals from Jamal Lowe, Ronald, Jerry Yates and Liam Walsh condemning their Yorkshire hosts to a damaging defeat. 

Stoke beat Plymouth in a relegation six-pointer that leaves the Pilgrims still looking over their shoulder, while Millwall recorded a narrow 1-0 win at Sunderland to guarantee their place in the division next season. 

Rotherham took on Birmingham in the late kick-off, the Blues needing a result to strengthen their chances of avoiding the drop. 

Championship final scores

Leicester City 2-1 West Bromwich Albion
Cardiff City 2-1 Southampton
Huddersfield Town 0-4 Swansea City
Norwich City 1-1 Bristol City
Rotherham United 0-0 Birmingham City
Stoke City 3-0 Plymouth Argyle
Sunderland 0-1  Millwall
Watford 0-0 Hull City


League One

With Portsmouth already crowned League One champions, the battle for the second automatic promotion spot will go to the final day, as Derby, Bolton and Peterborough all remain in with a shot of grabbing the coveted runners-up spot. 

The Rams remain favourites to follow Portsmouth up automatically after a cagey 1-0 win over Cambridge United that came courtesy of a matchwinner from their talisman Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. 

Champions Pompey celebrated their title success at home to Wigan, but were unable to mark the occasion with a win - the Latics running out 2-1 victors at Fratton Park. 

Elsewhere, Bolton kept the pressure up on Derby with a 2-0 win over Port Vale, which condemned Vale to relegation to League Two. Goals from the in-form Aaron Collins and Cameron Jerome did the damage for the Trotters, who sit three points behind the Rams in the table with an inferior goal difference (-4). 

Darren Ferguson's Peterborough sit three points further back from Bolton after their 2-0 win at Bristol Rovers. Goals from Joel Randall and Rick-Jade Jones earned Posh victory, but they need to win their remaining two games of the season to stand any chance of pipping Derby at the post. 

At the other end of the table, Burton recorded a vital 3-2 win over Reading to all but safeguard their survival. The Brewers are five points clear of 21st-placed Cheltenham and are now odds-on to be playing League One football next term. 

League One final scores

Northampton Town 1-2 Exeter City
Blackpool 3-2  Barnsley
Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Port Vale
Bristol Rovers 0-2 Peterborough United
Burton Albion 3-2  Reading
Cambridge United 0-1 Derby County
Carlisle United 1-3 Wycombe Wanderers
Charlton Athletic 1-1 Shrewsbury Town
Cheltenham Town 1-2 Lincoln City
Leyton Orient 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Portsmouth 1-2 Wigan Athletic


League Two 

The automatic promotion race has been run in League Two, but that didn't stop the three best teams in the division chalking up wins this weekend. 

Champions Stockport racked up a 4-2 win at home to Accrington, while Mansfield Town and Wrexham will battle it out for the runners-up spot after the Stags beat Gillingham 2-1 and the Red Dragons scored three without reply at Crewe. 

With fourth-place safely in the bag, MK Dons won a 5-3 thriller at Harrogate and Doncaster's hopes of joining the Buckinghamshire side in the play-offs were given a huge boost, as Rovers beat Barrow to draw level on points with seventh-placed Crawley - who could only draw 2-2 at Sutton United. 

Sutton's point looks unlikely to save them from relegation to the National League, however, as the London club remain three points behind Colchester - even after The U's 1-0 loss at Notts County. 

League Two final scores

Crewe Alexandra 0-3 Wrexham
Doncaster Rovers 4-2 Barrow
Grimsby Town 2-0 Swindon Town
Harrogate Town 3-5 Milton Keynes Dons
Mansfield Town 2-1 Gillingham
Morecambe 1-2 Forest Green Rovers
Newport County 0-1 Salford City
Notts County 1-0 Colchester United
Stockport County 4-2 Accrington Stanley
Sutton United 2-2 Crawley Town
Tranmere Rovers 3-2 AFC Wimbledon
Walsall 2-3 Bradford City


 

Comments

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2024-04-20 19h07m by nlawson12
Football fans in en-GB, this is a great rundown of the latest Championship action. It's so exciting to see the battles for promotion and relegation heating up! Leicester's win over West Brom was a crucial one, and who can forget Southampton's disappointing defeat to Cardiff Keep the updates coming!
JW
2024-04-20 18h53m by jwhiteheadbarnes
Wow, the Championship never fails to disappoint! So much at stake for both the top and bottom teams. Leicester looking strong as they move to the top, while Southampton's automatic promotion hopes take a hit. Tough loss for them against Cardiff.
DN
2024-04-20 18h39m by dnelsons
Wow, what a packed afternoon of football! The Championship was full of excitement with key results at the top and bottom of the table. Leicester are back on top after a 2-1 victory over West Brom, while Southampton's hopes of automatic promotion took a hit with a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff. What a rollercoaster of a season!

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