Championship
With the top two drawing 1-1 in the late game, Fulham squandered the chance to make up ground on their promotion-chasing rivals with a 2-1 defeat at home to Reading. John Swift turned home in the first half and Charlie Adam tapped in after some tremendous wing play from Ovie Ejaria to make it an uphill battle for the hosts, who pulled one back when substitute Ivan Cavaleiro curled home on the hour.
Fulham were leapfrogged by Nottingham Forest, who beat Blackburn 3-2. Joe Lolley’s cross-cum-shot snuck in at the back post to break the deadlock and Lewis Grabban converted an emphatic penalty before Stewart Downing’s superb finish made it 2-1 at half-time. Grabban’s delightful cushioned header made the points safe despite Joe Worrall’s late own-goal.
Promotion hopefuls faced off at Aston Gate – where 10-man Bristol City were demolished 4-0 by Brentford with goals from Bryan Mbuemo, Saïd Benrahma and two from Ollie Watkins taking the Bees up to third in the table. At Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday came unstuck against Hull City thanks to Jarred Bowen’s 17th goal of the season.
Rampant QPR ended their four-game winless streak in emphatic fashion, demolishing Cardiff 6-1. Nahki Wells scored a hat-trick, Eberechi Eze scored one and laid on another two, and Bright Osayi-Samuel got a double as Neil Harris’s side were thrashed.
Birmingham’s dismal recent form continued with a 3-2 home loss to against Wigan, Josh Windass tapping home and forcing a Gary Gardner own-goal to twice put the visitors ahead. Cédric Kipré bundled in a late third to ensure a first away win of the season for Wigan.
Fellow strugglers Stoke ran riot at Huddersfield, coming away with a 5-2 win. Sam Vokes netted an early poacher’s effort that drew a quickfire second-half response as the hosts went ahead. Nick Powell tucked home an equaliser before Tyrese Campbell stuck twice and Lee Gregory curled in a late fifth as the Potters boosted their survival hopes.
A message to spectators was played over the PA system at the John Smith’s Stadium after abusive chants were apparently aimed at Stoke’s James McClean. “People have to be held accountable for their behaviour when they come to a stadium,” Stoke manager Michael O’Neill said afterwards. “It’s not something we want to be consistently talking about. We want to be talking about the game.”
Preston are a point outside the play-off spots after losing 2-0 to Middlesbrough, while surprise package Millwall moved into sixth place thanks to their 3-1 win over bottom club Luton.
League One
Table-toppers Wycombe saw their lead cut to three points after being held to a draw by Ipswich at Adams Park. David Wheeler punished a goalkeeping lapse to rescue a point for the hosts after James Norwood had put the Tractor Boys ahead.
Oxford United dropped to fourth after Reece James’s left-footed drive gave Doncaster a 1-0 win. The U’s have been overtaken by Rotherham – who beat Blackpool 2-1 – and Coventry, who strolled to a 4-1 win at Tranmere thanks to Matt Godden’s second hat-trick in two games. Tranmere now occupy the final relegation place, three points behind MK Dons, who beat Bristol Rovers 3-0.
Burton Albion are three points off the play-off places after a rollercoaster 4-3 win at Bolton. Joe Dodoo hit an early thunderbolt for the hosts and laid on a second for Daryl Murphy, before a goal from David Templeton and two from Lucas Akins put the visitors 3-2 up at half time. Luke Murphy’s red card at the start of the second half left the hosts unable to mount a fightback, Liam Boyce adding a fourth before Dennis Politic’s 84th-minute consolation.
Sixth-placed Peterborough lost to Michael Appleton’s Lincoln despite going ahead through a classy curler from Ivan Toney. Tyler Walker levelled midway through the second half before Siriki Dembélé was sent off and Jorge Grant stole the win with a wonderful stoppage-time free-kick.
The defeat keeps Bolton rock bottom, just below Southend who salvaged a point at AFC Wimbledon, Charlie Kelman winning and converting a stoppage-time penalty to ensure a 1-1 draw. Chris Maguire also scored a late penalty to rescue a point for Sunderland at Fleetwood.
Accrington Stanley 1-2 Rochdale, Bolton 3-4 Burton A, Doncaster 1-0 Oxford Utd, Fleetwood 1-1 Sunderland, Gillingham 1-1 Portsmouth, Lincoln 2-1 Peterborough, MK Dons 3-0 Bristol Rovers, Rotherham 2-1 Blackpool, Tranmere 1-4 Coventry, Wimbledon 1-1 Southend, Wycombe 1-1 Ipswich
League Two
Swindon kept their placed at the summit by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Plymouth, Diallang Jaiyesimi cancelling out Dominic Telford’s opener with a rattling long-ranger before Eoin Doyle stole the points with his 16th goal in 13 games.
Nigel Atangana scored the only goal of the game and then saw red for Exeter in a narrow victory at Forest Green that keeps them in second, while Crewe are third after four goals in the first 34 minutes against imperilled Carlisle set them towards a 4-1 victory.
Macclesfield’s former manager, John Askey, earned Port Vale a 2-2 draw against his beleaguered old club. The bottom two sides, Morecambe and Stevenage, endured 1-0 defeats to Bradford and Northampton respectively. Mansfield moved further from danger despite twice going behind at 10-man Cambridge, Nicky Maynard levelling each time before sealing the win with his hat-trick.
