Photograph: Georgie Kerr/News Images/REX/Shutterstock
Championship
The leaders Norwich City twice came from behind to beat in-form Bristol City 3-2. Two high-class goals from Kenny McLean gave Norwich victory in an excellent game at Carrow Road that also included a glorious, elegant solo goal from City’s Callum O’Dowda.
Leeds kept up their promotion push with a tense 2-1 win over Bolton at Elland Road. The winner came after a desperate error from the Bolton keeper Remi Matthews, who was somehow beaten by Ezgjan Alioski’s deflected cross.
Middlesbrough consolidated their position in the play-off places with a comfortable 2-0 win over QPR, who have now lost seven league games in a row.
The star of the day was Brentford’s Said Benrahma, who scored a majestic hat-trick as Brentford thumped Hull 5-1. The prolific Che Adams scored twice, including a late equaliser, for Birmingham in their 2-2 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers. Adams became the first Birmingham player since Steve Claridge in 1994-95 to score 20 goals in a season, while Blackburn’s Charlie Mulgrew scored direct from a corner for the third time this season.
Preston continued their excellent recent form, scoring three times in the first half hour at Millwall before eventually winning 3-1. Millwall are now four points off the relegation places after Rotherham and Reading, the teams directly below them, drew 1-1.
The bottom club Ipswich were denied a rare win when Wigan’s Joe Garner scored an injury-time equaliser at the DW Stadium. Ipswich, despite playing most of the game with 10 men after Jonas Knudsen’s red card, led through Will Keane’s penalty.
Albert Adomah equalised for Aston Villa in their 1-1 draw at Stoke City, while Sheffield Wednesday beat Swansea 3-1 in their mid-table clash.
Birmingham 2-2 Blackburn, Brentford 5-1 Hull, Leeds 2-1 Bolton, Middlesbrough 2-0 QPR, Millwall 1-3 Preston, Norwich 3-2 Bristol City, Reading 1-1 Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 Swansea, Stoke 1-1 Aston Villa, Wigan 1-1 Ipswich, West Brom E-E Sheffield Utd
League One
Sunderland moved to within two points of the automatic promotion places after winning 2-0 at Bristol Rovers through goals from Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady. The team in their sights are Barnsley, who drew 0-0 at fourth-placed Portsmouth. Pompey’s Omar Bogle had a second-half penalty saved. The leaders Luton Town play Coventry on Sunday.
Oxford United moved out of the relegation places with an excellent win at Blackpool. Jordan Graham, on loan from Wolves, scored the only goal with a classy free-kick. Fellow strugglers Walsall had Andy Cook sent off in the sixth minute at home to Bradford, but their 10 men came from behind to win 3-2 in a topsy-turvy game.
Accrington 1-1 Southend, Blackpool 0-1 Oxford Utd, Bristol Rovers 0-2 Sunderland, Burton 0-1 Fleetwood, Peterborough 1-2 Shrewsbury, Plymouth 5-1 Rochdale, Portsmouth 0-0 Barnsley, Walsall 3-2 Bradford, Wimbledon 1-2 Charlton, Wycombe 0-1 Gillingham, Scunthorpe 1-1 Doncaster (early kick-off)
League Two
Paul Scholes’ Oldham Athletic were beaten for the second time this week. They led for most of the game at second-placed Bury, who scored three times in the last 18 minutes to take the points. Scholes may not be entirely enamoured with the abysmal defending that allowed Nicky Maynard to score Bury’s third goal.
The leaders Lincoln ended a frustrating run of four consecutive draws with a 2-0 win over Morecambe. Mansfield stay in third after winning 1-0 at home to fellow promotion contenders Forest Green, with Tyler Walker scoring the winning goal before being sent off, while MK Dons were 2-0 winners over Newport.
At the bottom, Notts County were beaten 1-0 at Tranmere, while Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield Town conceded a late equaliser at Crawley.
Bury 3-1 Oldham, Cheltenham 1-0 Port Vale, Colchester 1-1 Carlisle, Crawley 1-1 Macclesfield, Crewe 1-2 Exeter, MK Dons 2-0 Newport, Mansfield 1-0 Forest Green, Morecambe 0-2 Lincoln, Stevenage 1-2 Northampton, Swindon 1-1 Grimsby, Tranmere 1-0 Notts County,
Yeovil 1-0 Cambridge
