Championship
• With Newcastle United losing to Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton not playing until Tuesday night, their three closest pursuers at the top – Reading, Huddersfield Town and Leeds United – all made ground on them with impressive victories. Third-placed Reading moved to within five points of second place with a 3-1 win over Norwich City.
Yann Kermorgant put them ahead in the first half with a near-post header before Nelson Oliveira equalised after the break following a fluent passing move. But the dismissal of Norwich’s Jonny Howson on 67 minutes for a handball on the line helped turn the game back in Reading’s favour. Kermorgant’s subsequent spot-kick was chipped against the bar but Garath McCleary headed in the rebound to make it 2-1, before a firm drive into the roof of the net from Callum Harriott made sure of victory in injury-time. In the evening kick-off Sheffield Wednesday made it a very good day for the chasing pack by shocking Newcastle at St James’ Park, Glenn Loovens scoring the only goal. Brighton host QPR on Tuesday.
• Huddersfield came from behind to beat Nottingham Forest, who were a goal up at the break through Hildeberto Pereira. David Wagner’s team raised their game in the second half and deservedly drew level through Kasey Palmer’s header on 53 minutes and were soon in front when Michael Mancienne sliced an attempted diving clearance into his own net six minutes later. Mancienne’s afternoon got even worse when he was sent off with a minute remaining.
The Leeds revival continued when they overwhelmed Preston North End 4-1 at Deepdale. Goals from Kemar Roofe and Hadi Secko inside the first 25 minutes set the tone, before Marnick Vermijl swiftly pulled a goal back. Souleymane Doukara made it 3-1 after 31 minutes but Preston’s hopes of a second-half recovery were effectively ended with Jermaine Beckford’s 69th-minute dismissal for foul play, his second dismissal in successive appearances, and against his old club too. Pablo Hernández duly wrapped up the win in the 88th minute.
• Ross McCormack prodded in a second-half winner for Aston Villa to see off Burton Albion in a 2-1 success, while Fulham won 2-0 at Ipswich Town to stay in the play-off hunt. Wolverhampton Wanderers overturned a 2-1 half-time deficit to beat Bristol City 3-2. A fine volley from Helder Costa brought Wolves level and Ivan Caveleiro converted the winner from the spot with six minutes remaining. Cardiff City were left cursing the concession of a late goal for the second match in succession after they drew 2-2 amid a flurry of late action at Brentford, having been beaten by an injury-time goal in their 4-3 home defeat by Barnsley nine days earlier. Their match at Brentford came to life in the final seven minutes, in which the on-loan Crystal Palace striker Sullay Kaikai struck twice late on to cancel out Peter Whittingham’s first-half penalty and an 89th-minute Kenneth Zohore goal that looked like being the winner.
• The bottom club Rotherham United face an almighty task to avoid the drop but they managed to close the gap on the side immediately above them, Wigan Athletic, to five points by beating them 3-2 at the New York Stadium. The Millers had to withstand a sustained second-half revival from the visitors, having romped to a 3-0 half-time lead through goals from Aymen Belaid, Danny Ward and Dan Burn’s own-goal. Yanic Wildschut’s smart curling finish began Wigan’s revival and Jordi Gómez added another 11 minutes from time but Rotherham held on. Blackburn Rovers continue to keep them company in the bottom three after they were beaten 2-0 at Barnsley. They also had Darragh Lenihan sent off for serious foul play after 86 minutes shortly before Barnsley sealed it with a Marley Watkins goal on the break in injury time. Sam Winnall had opened the scoring after 14 minutes.
League One
• Oldham Athletic’s Boxing Day misery continued, at Sheffield United, who closed the gap on the leaders, Scunthorpe United, to one point with a 2-0 win. The Latics have lost on 26 December more than any other league club – and they suffered festive defeat No36 in a 2-0 defeat at Bramall Lane. Billy Sharp’s two second-half goals were enough to inflict more Christmas pain on the division’s bottom club. Scunthorpe could only draw 0-0 at Bradford City though, given that their opponents are fifth and are the only team in the division other than the leaders themselves who are unbeaten at home, they will have cause for satisfaction with the draw.
• Bolton Wanderers remain only a point off the top two after their ninth consecutive home win, 2-1 over struggling Shrewsbury Town. David Wheater struck twice inside five minutes in the middle of the first half and, though Junior Brown pulled one back for the visitors with six minutes remaining, Bolton held on to keep Shrewsbury in the bottom four. Also enjoying a ninth home victory on the spin were Rochdale, who moved up to fourth with a 3-0 win over Chesterfield at Spotland. Iain Henderson’s seventh and eighth goals of the season sandwiched one by Calvin Andrew in a comfortable victory.
• Simon Cox scored twice as in-form Southend United moved into the play-off places with a 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon. Phil Brown’s side, unbeaten in the league since early October, were in control against Wimbledon throughout. They took the lead after 10 minutes through Cox and were 2-0 ahead by half-time after Will Atkinson struck. The visitors’ hopes of recovery ended with the sending-off of Lyle Taylor after 71 minutes and Cox’s fine lob sealed the victory with seven minutes remaining.
• Peterborough United were denied a fourth straight win when Gillingham’s Baily Cargill struck in injury time to secure a 1-1 draw for the visitors at London Road. Lee Angol had given Grant McCann’s side the lead 12 minutes from time. Coventry City may have a new manager in Russell Slade but their woes continued with a 4-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers, for whom Billy Bodin scored a hat-trick. Slade’s former team, the similarly troubled Charlton Athletic, won 1-0 at MK Dons, giving the south London side’s new manager, Karl Robinson, victory over his former club.
League Two
• Crowd congestion delayed the start of Plymouth Argyle’s top-of-the-table meeting with Wycombe Wanderers but the 12,210 fans at Home Park were treated to an enthralling match, though most will have left unhappy that the visitors fought back from 1-3 to secure a 3-3 draw in the final minute. Scott Kashket’s 12th goal for Wycombe had put the visitors ahead in the first half, before Plymouth hit back with goals from Jordan Slew and Jake Jervis to lead at the break. Yann Songo’o extended Plymouth’s lead but Adebayo Akinfenwa swiftly pulled one back before Weston claimed a point to keep in-form Wycombe in sixth place. That late drama meant Doncaster Rovers are the new leaders, with Andy Williams’s 60th-minute goal enough to give Darren Ferguson’s side victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane.
• Third-placed Carlisle United could only draw, 1-1 at out-of-form Crewe Alexandra, who have won only once since the end of October. Carlisle’s draw enabled Portsmouth to close the gap on the top three after they came from two goals down to beat the bottom club, Newport County, 3-2 at Rodney Parade. Behind to goals from Josh Sheehan, after 25 minutes, and Rhys Healey, on 51, Portsmouth’s revival began when Danny Rose scored against his former club before Enda Stevens equalised with 10 minutes to go. Kai Naismith then atoned for belting a 61st-minute penalty over the bar with the winner three minutes from time.
• Cambridge United’s fifth consecutive victory, 2-1 at Stevenage, kept them in seventh while things continue to look up for Blackpool, on the pitch at least. Mark Cullen’s second-half goal gave them victory at struggling Hartlepool United. Having suffered eight home defeats in a row during the autumn, Leyton Orient have now won twice at Brisbane Road in succession but they made it hard for themselves against Crawley Town. Having raced into a 3-0 half-time lead with goals from the teenage debutant Sam Dalby and two from Paul McCallum, they wobbled in the second half and let Crawley back in it through a Teddy Mezague own-goal and Enzio Boldewijn’s effort 12 minutes from time. But Andy Edwards’s side held out for a victory that takes them out of the bottom four.
