Category: Sheffield United

Championship roundup: Zian Flemming fires Millwall into playoff places | Championship


Record signing Zian Flemming struck a superb hat-trick as Millwall returned to the playoff places with a 4-2 victory at Preston. The Dutch midfielder was in predatory mood as he inspired the Lions to a deserved first victory in four games, while Preston’s three-match winning streak was abruptly halted.

Flemming put Millwall 2-0 up before Preston hit back to level the score on 28 minutes. However, he completed his hat-trick in the second half and Charlie Cresswell hit a fourth to cement a fine away win.

Sheffield United moved back to the top of the table with a 1-0 win at Cardiff. A 64th-minute goal from George Baldock was enough to secure all three points for the visitors.

Cardiff dominated much of the first half after a ponderous first 20 minutes, with the Bluebirds’ front three causing plenty of issues on the counterattack. The home side had plenty of chances, but failed to capitalise as the half wore on. The introduction of James McAtee at half-time helped the Blades take control, although the visitors spurned several golden opportunities to take the lead before Baldock shot powerfully past the helpless Ryan Allsop.

Substitute Matt Crooks struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Middlesbrough came from behind to claim an impressive 2-1 victory against Norwich at Carrow Road. Crooks provided an emphatic finish to a swift counterattack to give the visitors a third successive win under recently appointed manager Michael Carrick.

Boro were trailing to Josh Sargent’s well-taken seventh-minute opener until past the hour mark before the game was transformed by a spectacular volley from Riley McGree. Both sides then went all out for the three points, with Boro having the final say as Norwich lost ground in their promotion challenge, with loud boos from home fans greeting the final whistle.

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League One roundup: Ipswich fail to close gap at top

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Leaders Plymouth had to settle for a point after drawing 1-1 with Lincoln.

Adam Randell scored his third goal in five appearances for Argyle to open the scoring. Niall Ennis’ attempt was blocked but Randell was there to pounce on the rebound and fire home from 25 yards.

But the sides were all square when Max Sanders took advantage of Argyle’s failure to clear a corner and blasted the ball into the roof of the net to equalise one minute into stoppage time and lift the Imps to 13th in the table.

Second-placed Ipswich could not narrow the gap after their home clash with Cheltenham also ended 1-1. The Tractor Boys took an early lead from a Leif Davis corner, which Wes Burns dutifully flicked on to Luke Woolfenden to poke past Luke Southwood at the back post on eight minutes. But it was all tied up at the break after Ryan Broom found the back of the net.

Sheffield Wednesday moved within one point of Ipswich with a 1-0 win at Accrington. Burton climbed one place off the bottom following a 3-3 thriller with Charlton, who dropped two places to 11th place as a result. 

Jevani Brown smashed in a last-gasp, second-half stoppage-time winner as Exeter beat fourth-placed Peterborough 3-2. Timothee Dieng’s 27th-minute opener for Exeter was cancelled out 13 minutes later when Jonson Clarke-Harris sent a half-volley into the bottom-right corner. Ephron Mason-Clark gave Posh the lead but the hosts responded through Sam Nombe to set up the late drama.

Adam Mayor set up Liam Shaw’s opener for hosts Morecambe, who were held 1-1 by Portsmouth thanks to Colby Bishop’s equaliser midway through the second half.

Bolton held Cambridge to a goalless draw despite going down to 10 men after midfielder Kyle Dempsey was shown his second yellow card on 75 minutes.

That result opened the door for Derby, who moved into sixth with a 3-1 win away at MK Dons.

Adam Phillips struck a 10th-minute winner as Barnsley prevailed 1-0 at Shrewsbury, who dropped four places to 14th, while Oxford gained four spots with a 4-0 win over Port Vale thanks to braces from Billy Bodin and Matt Taylor.

David Wheeler and Garath McCleary netted in Wycombe’s 2-0 victory over struggling Forest Green, who slumped to the bottom of the table as their opponents climbed three places to 10th.

Fleetwood’s Shaun Rooney shocked Bristol Rovers with an equaliser nine minutes into second-half stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw.

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The interim Luton manager, Mick Harford, saw his side snatch a late point at home to Rotherham as they drew 1-1. Former manager Nathan Jones left for Southampton on Thursday, and the Hatters went a goal down in the first minute when Jamie Lindsay put the Millers in front, but Luke Berry scored in the 90th minute.

Harford praised his players after what he called a “whirlwind” week at the club. “They give me everything they have, they give the staff everything, they give the club everything. I’ve really enjoyed the last three or four days: this is a magnificent set of players, a brilliant squad, who work tirelessly.”

Liam Rosenior’s first home game in charge of Hull ended in defeat as the Tigers fell to a 2-1 defeat to Reading thanks to a late own goal. Jacob Greaves put Hull in front before Yakou Méïté equalised, but a rebound off Ryan Longman saw Hull concede right at the death.

Rosenior had made a bright start in his new role as Hull head coach, but his side have now lost their last four home games and are a point above the relegation zone. He said: “It’s a tough one to take considering our control and domination in the second half.

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League Two roundup: Leyton Orient back to winning ways

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Leyton Orient maintained their three-point lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two after a 2-0 win at Harrogate.

Paul Smyth’s early header and George Moncur’s penalty put Orient in control at half-time and that was enough for the Londoners as they bounced back from their midweek defeat at AFC Wimbledon.

The top three all recorded victories, with Stevenage needing a late goal from Danny Rose to see off second-bottom Hartlepool 1-0 and Northampton winning 2-0 at Gillingham. Sam Hoskins’ 13th league goal of the season gave the Cobblers a half-time lead and Kieron Bowie added a second after the break.

Bradford climbed above Barrow into fourth place after winning 2-0 at Sutton thanks to Andy Cook’s 12th league goal of the season and Scott Banks’ second-half effort.

Crawley’s Ashley Nadesan scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win against Barrow, who slipped to their first league defeat since mid-October.

Swindon moved level on points with Barrow despite being held 1-1 at home by Tranmere, with Jacob Wakeling cancelling out Josh Hawkes’ opener for the visitors. Tranmere’s Jordan Turnbull was sent off for his challenge on Frazer Blake-Tracy in stoppage time.

Carlisle dropped out of the top seven after being held 0-0 at home by Walsall, while Salford also drew 0-0 at home against AFC Wimbledon.

Mansfield climbed back into the play-off places as George Maris scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Rochdale.

Dan Agyei’s late header gave Crewe a 1-0 home win against bottom club Colchester and Doncaster were 3-1 winners at Grimsby, where George Miller’s brace sandwiched Harrison Biggins’ effort before John McAtee’s late consolation for the Mariners.

Paddy Madden’s seventh league goal of the season secured Stockport a 2-1 win at Newport. Chris Hussey’s second-half free-kick hauled Stockport level after Aaron Lewis had given Newport an interval lead and Madden fired a second-half winner.

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“I’m not going to have a go at players – they’ve given me absolutely everything this last week – but what we need to do is work on the small details.”

Viktor Gyokeres’ double earned Coventry their fourth league win on the bounce with a 2-0 victory against QPR at the CBS Arena. The Swede pounced on Jamie Allen’s miskick to fire past Seny Dieng and then slotted home Callum O’Hare’s pass to lift Coventry just two points off the playoffs, despite sitting 22nd in the table before their winning run. It was also a ninth clean sheet in 12 outings.

Struggling Wigan left it late as Curtis Tilt’s header saw them beat 10-man Blackpool 2-1. Marvin Ekpiteta was sent off for Blackpool in the 17th minute, but they took the lead through Gary Madine. James McClean levelled for the Latics nine minutes into the second half and Tilt found the winner with two minutes left on the clock.

The Tangerines drop into the relegation zone, while West Brom climb out of the bottom three into 21st after a 2-0 win against Stoke. Kyle Bartley put the Baggies in front six minutes before the break and Brandon Thomas-Asante doubled their lead early in the second half with an overhead kick.

Elsewhere, bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield held Swansea to a 0-0 draw while Bristol City and Watford also finished goalless.

Championship: Rotherham stun Sheffield United as Watford reach top six | Championship


Sheffield United were denied the chance to go top of the Championship after South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham triumphed at Bramall Lane for the first time in 42 years.

Ben Wiles scored the decisive first-half goal after Chiedozie Ogbene drifted into the box and found the Millers captain unmarked to coolly turn the ball home.

Enda Stevens had the ball in the back of the net before the break as the Blades searched for a leveller, but the scrambled effort was ruled out for offside.

Viktor Johansson kept a fierce John Egan shot out early in the second half and dealt with a late Oli McBurnie effort, while substitute Billy Sharp also headed wide for a Blades side that failed to take anything from a game they dominated.

Josh Ruffels scored his first two goals for Huddersfield – including an audacious winner – as the Championship’s bottom side overcame high-flying QPR 2-1 at Loftus Road.

Lyndon Dykes had taken just 81 seconds to put the hosts ahead in his 100th appearance for the club, with the opener coming just moments after Seny Dieng kept Danny Ward out in a one-on-one at the other end.

The Terriers were quick to respond as the frenzied early pace of the game continued, with Ruffels levelling with a powerful finish into the top corner. The defender decisively beat Dieng again with a hooked overhead finish from the top of the box before the break.

Huddersfield’s Josh Ruffels celebrates after beating QPR
Huddersfield’s Josh Ruffels celebrates after his two goals helped beat QPR Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA

Luton manager Nathan Jones says he will speak to Southampton about their managerial vacancy on Wednesday, but has insisted that a move to the Premier League club is “not a done deal”.

Speaking after Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at Stoke City, the Welshman said it was a “wonderful honour” to be approached and added: “I hope the fans understand why I’m going for the chat because it’s a different world in the Premier League. I want to be there one day, whether that’s with Luton or with someone else. It’s just an opportunity to go and chat and to find out if it is right for me.”

Jones’ side conceded twice inside the first 13 minutes, both goals coming from left-wing crosses by Morgan Fox. Nick Powell arrived late in the box to head in the opener before Tom Lockyer, under pressure from Liam Delap, diverted into his own net.

Joao Pedro’s double was enough for a victory over Reading that sent Watford into the Championship playoff places. The Brazilian forward scored a goal in each half to give the Hornets a sixth win in 10 games since Slaven Bilic took charge.

Pedro calmly converted from the spot after he had been fouled by Ovie Ejaria as Reading failed to clear a Watford corner. And he wrapped up a deserved victory with a controlled half-volley past substitute goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis late on.

Michael Carrick’s outstanding Middlesbrough dominated Blackpool to claim a 3-0 victory at Bloomfield Road and leap four places to 16th.

Rejuvenated Boro went ahead following Isaiah Jones’ 15th-minute strike and never relinquished control. Carrick’s team scored the second goal their superiority merited when Marcus Forss crashed in a penalty three minutes after half-time.

The excellent Chuba Akpom converted Ryan Giles’ low 65th-minute cross for his fourth goal in four games to end any lingering doubts over the outcome.

Boro, who were winless in their opening six away games this season, have now won three out of four on the road following this emphatic success. Carrick has taken seven points from four games since his appointment last month.

Liam Rosenior was impressed with what he saw from Hull in the 3-2 win at Cardiff despite only having three training sessions with his new team. The former defender took over the Tigers last week and has picked up four points from his first two games.

Having dominated the first half in the Welsh capital, Hull only had a fourth-minute goal from Dimitrios Pelkas to show for their efforts. The boos from the Cardiff fans as the team left the field for half-time showed what they thought of the performance.

Callum Robinson then scored 90 seconds into the second half before crossing for Gavin Whyte to head the home side ahead. But Regan Slater fired in two goals in as many minutes to steal the show to give Rosenior his first win at Hull.

Troy Deeney’s late goal saw Birmingham City claim a point from an entertaining 2-2 draw with Swansea City. Swansea had looked set for a comeback victory having fallen behind to Scott Hogan’s early header.

Olivier Ntcham’s fine 20-yard drive brought the visitors level at St Andrew’s before a rare goal from Swansea captain Matt Grimes. But veteran Blues skipper Deeney struck from point-blank range to salvage a point for John Eustace’s side.

Coventry continued their recent revival as they registered a third consecutive Championship win by beating out-of-form Wigan. The Sky Blues pressed for the opener and were rewarded as the game wore on as Gustavo Hamer fired home a deflected shot. Thelo Aasgaard headed Max Power’s delivery straight at Coventry keeper Ben Wilson as Wigan pushed for a leveller but Viktor Gyökeres pounced on Josh Eccles’ ball to wrap up the win late on.

McBurnie double earns Sheffield United second-half comeback win over Burnley | Championship


Oli McBurnie scored twice as Sheffield United produced a superb second-half display to beat leaders Burnley 5-2 in a pulsating contest at Bramall Lane. The Blades twice trailed but scored four goals after the break to blow away the Clarets, who struggled to cope with the home side’s attack.

Burnley took the lead after 17 minutes in an action-packed first half when Manuel Benson looked to curl in an effort from the right. The forward’s shot took a big deflection off the head of Jack Robinson and past a helpless Wes Foderingham.The away side should have made it two just moments later but an unmarked Taylor Harwood-Bellis failed to direct his header on target.

United levelled in controversial circumstances on the half hour mark. A corner was awarded when it ought to have been a goal-kick and the Blades took full advantage when Iliman Ndiaye bundled in from close range.

There was almost an immediate response from Vincent Kompany’s men but Ian Maatsen’s fierce drive kissed the crossbar as it flew just over Foderingham’s goal.

The home side could have gone in front themselves when McBurnie stabbed towards goal but it was cleared off the line by Harwood-Bellis.

Burnley regained the lead on the stroke of half time, capitalising on a mistake from the Robinson as Benson picked his pocket and curled confidently into the bottom corner.

The Blades made a dream start to the second half with a equaliser on 48 minutes. Anel Ahmedhodzic nodded a ball into the box back across goal and McBurnie’s diving header levelled things up again at 2-2.

The home side thought they had a third when Ndiaye poked in after Arijanet Muric’s save from another McBurnie header but the flag was rightly raised for offside.

Robinson made up for his first-half struggles when he put United in front in the 64th minute, using his knee to loop the ball into the net. Fellow defender Ahmedhodzic got in on the act on 69 minutes, finishing emphatically into the top corner and once again highlighting Burnley’s difficulty dealing with the Blades’ set pieces. McBurnie put some real daylight between the sides on 74 minutes, following in after Muric’s low save.

United could have added even more glamour to the scoreline but it remained at 5-2, a well-deserved victory for the high-flying Blades.

Championship roundup: Coventry stun Blackburn and West Brom edge to win | Championship


Jamie Allen dragged Coventry out of the Championship relegation zone as he denied Blackburn the chance to go top. Allen fired City in front four minutes before the break and Rovers’ hopes of a fightback were effectively dashed five minutes from time when the substitute Jake Garrett was dismissed for a foul on Callum Doyle.

Coventry climbed a point clear of the relegation zone as a result of their 1-0 win, while Blackburn could find themselves five points adrift of the leaders Burnley if they beat Rotherham on Wednesday evening.

Iliman Ndiaye’s header dragged Sheffield United to within a point of Rovers after a 1-0 victory at Bristol City. Ndiaye struck four minutes after the restart to hand the visitors the advantage, although the goalkeeper Wes Foderingham needed the help of an upright to preserve his clean sheet after George Tanner took aim from distance.

Tanner’s evening took a further turn for the worse deep into stoppage time when he was sent off for an ugly challenge on James McAtee which sparked something of a melee.

It proved a better night for the new managers Michael Carrick and Carlos Corberán as both tasted victory for the first time in their posts.

Carrick’s Middlesbrough won 3-1 at Hull, with a significant helping hand from their hosts. Chuba Akpom headed Boro into a 30th-minute lead from Tommy Smith’s cross, but Hull responded and, after Jean Michaël Seri had rattled a post, the Boro old boy Cyrus Christie levelled on the hour in front of the watching Liam Rosenior, who is expected to be named as Shota Arveladze’s replacement on Wednesday.

However, the visitors were back in front within three minutes when Tobias Figueiredo bundled into his own net under pressure from Dael Fry, and Christie was similarly unfortunate when he defected Ryan Giles’ cross past his own keeper with 10 minutes remaining.

West Brom’s need was even greater as Corberán guided them to a 1-0 victory against Blackpool in his second game at the helm even after furious fans turned on the owner Guochuan Lai. They left it late, however, with Okay Yokuslu making the decisive intervention with just five minutes remaining to end West Brom’s three-match losing streak and clinch a first home win since 20 August.

Albion fans mobilised against Lai in the 12th minute with the chairman, in charge since 2016, the target of their anger having borrowed £5m from the club during the Covid pandemic. The home supporters turned on their torches to ‘shine a light’ on the club’s problems, a move planned by group Action for Albion, and chanted for Lai to go.

A Brad Potts goal was enough to hand Preston victory against high-flying Swansea. Potts put the home side ahead on the half-hour mark when he followed up after Ched Evans’ attempt had been saved, in the process sending Preston level on points with sixth-placed Swansea.

Luton and Reading had to make do with a point apiece after a 0-0 draw at Kenilworth Road on a night when Jeff Hendrick and Andy Carroll both went close for the visitors after the break.

Championship roundup: Anass Zaroury strikes late to keep Burnley on top | Championship


Anass Zaroury headed a dramatic Burnley winner deep into added time as they came from behind to beat Reading 2-1 at Turf Moor.

The goal came after Manuel Benson’s equaliser had levelled Tom Ince’s opener, as the Clarets extended their unbeaten record to 15 in the league and stayed above neighbours Blackburn.

Ince’s goal had given Reading a second-half lead in a tight encounter, raising hopes that his father Paul’s team could build on last week’s victory over Bristol City that ended a run of three defeats. But the Clarets had the final word thanks to the Belgium U21 international Zaroury, who gave Reading problems throughout.

Blackburn sealed a hard-earned 1-0 victory at managerless Hull. Rovers have now won four games in a row and left East Yorkshire with three more deserved points thanks to a cool 15th-minute effort from Sammie Szmodics.

The hosts, who look set to announce Liam Rosenior as their new manager, had enjoyed a mini resurgence under interim head coach Andy Dawson, but lacked the imagination to land a blow on their well-organised opponents.

Carlos Corberan is convinced he can solve West Brom’s problems after starting his reign with a bruising 2-0 home defeat against Sheffield United. First-half goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie gave Albion a mountain to climb, and they were booed off at full-time. They languish in the relegation zone after just one win in 12 games.

“I believe in the players we have and in the work we need to do to change this situation and this momentum,” said Corberan. “I will decide one way to work and we will go that way in any circumstance. We need to start with a high level of a strong mentality.”

Sheffield United players celebrate after their win at West Brom.
Sheffield United players celebrate after their win at West Brom. Photograph: Morgan Harlow/Getty Images

Norwich turned in an improved second-half performance to beat Stoke 3-1 and record their first win in seven league games. The Canaries were below par for long periods but stuck to their task and followed up a goal late in the first half with two in the second to get their promotion campaign back on track.

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League One roundup: Charlton and Ipswich share eight goals

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Ipswich missed out on the chance to move to the top after Charlton hit a last-gasp leveller in an eight-goal thriller at the Valley.

With league leaders Plymouth not in action until Monday, the Tractor Boys looked like taking full advantage having let a two-goal lead slip before four stoppage-time goals saw the sides draw 4-4.

It took until first-half injury time for the deadlock to be broken as George Edmundson’s header put Ipswich in front before Tyreece John-Jules nodded in to double the advantage.

Charlton hit back through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Albie Morgan but when both Freddie Ladapo and Sam Morsy hit fine injury-time goals, the points looked to be heading back to Suffolk.

Instead there was still time for the hosts to wrestle back a share of the spoils as Terell Thomas pulled a goal back and George Dobson headed home in the ninth minute of added time.

Sheffield Wednesday moved to within three points of the top two as they put pay to a Burton comeback to beat the division’s new bottom side 4-2.

The Owls were four goals to the good after a decent Barry Bannan finish, a Michael Smith penalty, Mallik Wilks’ strike and a Fisayo Dele-Bashiru effort.

Sam Winnall and Tom Hamer halved the arrears but Wednesday could afford for Lee Gregory to miss from the spot in between the visitors’ goals and still take the points.

Things were much more straightforward for fourth-placed Peterborough, who beat Cambridge 1-0 courtesy of an early Lloyd Jones own goal.

Morecambe moved off the foot of the table as they earned a 1-1 draw at Wycombe, Adam Mayor’s effort direct from a corner cancelling out Chris Forino’s header for the hosts.

Forest Green are just a point off the bottom having lost 2-0 at Barnsley, Devante Cole and Josh Martin on target, while MK Dons complete the relegation zone after a 0-0 draw at Cheltenham.

David McGoldrick hit a hat-trick as Derby beat Bristol Rovers 4-2 with all six goals coming in a frenetic first half. James Collins scored County’s second with Bobby Thomas and Anthony Evans scoring for Rovers.

Djavan Anderson, Ciaron Brown and Steve Seddon scored as Oxford pulled themselves away from the drop zone with a fine 3-1 win at Bolton, whose reply came from Dion Charles.

Fleetwood eased to a 3-0 home win over Accrington with three goals in 10 minutes.

Daniel Butterworth’s goal saw Port Vale beat Lincoln 1-0 as Portsmouth and Shrewsbury drew 1-1.

Photograph: James Manning/PA

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Teenage midfielder Aaron Ramsey was the star, scoring twice to put Norwich 2-0 up in a match which could have gone either way, while substitute Gabriel Sara added a third before Nick Powell fired a late consolation for the visitors.

Nigel Pearson was proud of his illness-hit Bristol City side after they had the better of a 1-1 draw with high-flying Swansea. Tommy Conway fired the hosts in front in the midday kick-off with his eighth goal of the season on 24 minutes, a low drive from Nahki Wells’ perfectly-paced pass. But other chances went begging and the Swans levelled on 76 minutes, substitute Olivier Ntcham firing home with a deflected volley from 20 yards when a corner was cleared into his path.

Pearson was without four centre-backs, including Rob Atkinson, who pulled out shortly before the game with the bug that had affected several other players during the week. “We have had numerous players under medication,” Pearson said, “but we restricted a very good Swansea side to few chances. We’ll take a head count of fit players tomorrow. At the moment, I have no idea who will be available for Tuesday.”

João Pedro headed home the only goal with three minutes left at the DW Stadium to give improving Watford a 1-0 victory at strugglers Wigan. Pedro’s effort earned Slaven Bilic’s side a third win in four games, leaving them two points off the play-off places. Wigan, though, have lost six of their last seven and sit two points above the relegation zone.

Elliot Embleton came off the bench to score a second-half equaliser as Sunderland earned a 1-1 draw at Luton. Both sides were denied by the woodwork before Carlton Morris put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time, but the impressive Jack Clarke set up Embleton for the leveller.

Huddersfield moved off the foot of the table with a dominant display in a 1-0 home win over Millwall. The visitors, who had won four on the trot heading into the fixture, could not recover from an early setback when Yuta Nakayama opened the scoring in freakish fashion with a miscued cross.

Michael Carrick had an immediate insight into the cold realities of full-time football management when Jordan Storey’s stoppage-time goal earned Preston a 2-1 comeback victory over Middlesbrough.

Carrick, who was appointed head coach on Teesside on Monday, enjoyed a promising start to his tenure when Chuba Akpom nodded Boro in front after eight minutes. But Emil Riis thrashed home his fifth goal of the campaign to equalise 10 minutes before the break, and Storey stole in to head home in the first of three added minutes.

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League Two roundup: Leyton Orient move three points clear

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Leyton Orient extended their lead at the top to three points after Paul Smyth scored the only goal against Salford.

Stevenage lost ground, but stay second, after they were held 1-1 at Colchester, who dropped to the foot of the table despite a second successive draw.

Sam Hoskins’ stoppage-time equaliser rescued Northampton a point in a 1-1 home draw against Newport and kept his side in the automatic promotion places. Newport appeared set for victory after Omar Bogle had given them an early lead, but Hoskins levelled in the third minute of added time.

Swindon climbed up to fourth after twice coming from behind to win 5-2 at 10-man promotion rivals Mansfield. Kellan Gordon gave Mansfield the lead inside the opening minute and Will Swan was also on target for the home side. Jonny Williams’ double cancelled out both goals before Luke Jephcott put the Robins in front for the first time early in the second half.

Mansfield’s Hiram Boateng was dismissed for two yellow cards with 31 minutes remaining, and after Ronan Darcy made it 4-2, Ben Gladwin’s late penalty completed the scoring.

Barrow striker Josh Gordon’s double helped lift his side up to fifth after a 3-0 home win against Crewe.

Bradford moved up one place to sixth despite being held 1-1 at home by Crawley, who equalised through James Tilley’s free-kick after Dion Pereira had given the hosts a second-half lead.

Carlisle jumped back into the top seven as Kristian Dennis scored twice, his second from the penalty spot, in a 2-0 win at Tranmere.

Walsall secured back-to-back wins thanks to Hayden White’s solitary goal at home against Rochdale and Harrison Biggins’ second-half header earned Doncaster a 1-0 home win against Gillingham.

Stockport registered their fourth straight win in all competitions by beating 10-man Sutton 3-0. Kyle Wootton headed Stockport into a half-time lead after Omar Bugiel’s straight red card for his challenge on Will Collar, before goals in the second period from Paddy Madden and Collar eased them to victory.

Harrogate slipped to back-to-back defeats, losing 3-2 at AFC Wimbledon.

Hartlepool clinched their second league win of the season, 2-1 at home against Grimsby, to climb off the bottom. Alex Lacey and Niall Maher’s own goal snapped Pools’ four-game losing run after their former midfielder Gavan Holohan had given Grimsby an early lead.

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Jerry Yates scored his seventh goal in five games as Blackpool came from behind to beat Coventry 2-1. Kasey Palmer’s first Coventry goal had put the hosts ahead before half-time but Gary Madine equalised after missing three fantastic first-half opportunities. Yates then headed Blackpool in front with 10 minutes to go to secure the Tangerines’ first away win in five.

Substitute Jaden Philogene’s second-half strike was enough to earn Cardiff a 1-0 home win over Rotherham. Philogene’s 65th-minute winner halted a run of three successive losses for Bluebirds’ interim manager Mark Hudson as they bounced back from last week’s derby defeat to Swansea.

World Cup blow for Wales with injury poised to keep out Norrington-Davies | Wales


Rhys Norrington-Davies is set to miss the World Cup owing to a hamstring injury sustained playing for Sheffield United but Wales are hopeful Joe Allen will be fit for the tournament in Qatar.

Norrington-Davies has been one of the most consistent performers for Paul Heckingbottom’s high-flying Blades side and was in line to be in Wales’s 26-man squad for their first World Cup in 64 years. The 23-year-old has 13 caps but the versatile wing-back, who has also played at centre-back, sustained the injury at Coventry last Wednesday.

Allen is regarded as touch and go because of a hamstring complaint, with the Swansea head coach, Russell Martin, admitting the midfielder was angry and upset after being forced off against Hull City last month.

Gareth Bale is in line to captain Wales at the World Cup as Los Angeles FC continue to carefully manage his workload. The 33-year-old missed LAFC’s recent Western Conference playoff victory against LA Galaxy after being omitted from the squad as a precaution because of a leg injury.

Championship roundup: QPR stay top while Burnley roar back at Sunderland | Championship


QPR remain top of the Championship after a 2-1 win over Wigan at Loftus Road capped a perfect week for the west London club.

Sam Field put Rangers ahead on 12 minutes, and Leon Balogun quickly restored their lead after Nathan Broadhead’s equaliser. Rangers’ victory was their fifth in six matches and came 48 hours after manager Mick Beale delighted fans by turning down the chance to manage Wolves.

Burnley staged an incredible second-half comeback with three goals inside 19 minutes to beat Sunderland 4-2 at the Stadium of Light.

The hosts made an impressive start, securing a 2-0 lead through quickfire goals from Amad Diallo and Dan Neil inside the opening 20 minutes. But with Sunderland hoping for only their second win in seven games, Burnley showed their promotion credentials by turning things around after the break.

Nathan Tella pulled one back in the 50th minute before Vincent Kompany’s Belgian compatriots Manuel Benson and Anass Zaroury put the visitors on course for maximum points with goals in the 61st and 69th minutes. There was still time with three minutes left for captain Josh Brownhill to put the seal on another win for Burnley, who remain third, while Sunderland sit 13th.

Burnley celebrate Manuel Benson’s equaliser at the Stadium of Light.
Burnley celebrate Manuel Benson’s equaliser at the Stadium of Light. Photograph: Alex Dodd/CameraSport/Getty Images

Teenager Adam Wharton’s first senior goal helped high-flying Blackburn to a battling 2-1 win over Birmingham. The Rovers academy graduate fired in a fine low strike just before the break, adding to the hosts’ 17th-minute opener from former Birmingham loanee Sam Gallagher. Scott Hogan pulled one back with ten minutes to go.

Teemu Pukki spurned the chance to earn Norwich victory and complete his hat-trick as a poor penalty ensured Sheffield United took a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane. Goalkeeper Adam Davies made a comfortable save as goals from Ben Osborn and Ollie McBurnie earned the Blades a point following Pukki’s first-half double.

Substitute Tyler Burey struck a 90th-minute winner as Millwall made it four league wins in a row by coming from behind to defeat West Brom 2-1 at The Den. The hosts are now up to fifth in the table after making their pressure count against the Baggies, who had Kyle Bartley sent off with five minutes left, after Callum Styles had cancelled out John Swift’s opener.

Hull made it back-to-back wins under interim head coach Andy Dawson after a resounding 4-2 win at Rotherham. The Millers headed into the game full of confidence after recording two wins on the bounce under their new manager Matt Taylor, but they were swept aside by their neighbours from East Yorkshire, with goals from Jacob Greaves, Cyrus Christie, Ryan Longman and Ozan Tufan.

Reading ended a run of three successive league defeats with a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Bristol City at the SCL Stadium. Neither side offered much going forward in a drab first half, but Reading made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute, when loanee Mamadou Loum headed in from a Tom Ince corner. And, deep in stoppage time, Andy Carroll made the points safe for the hosts by clinically finishing a quick counter-attack.

Andy Carroll makes the three points safe for Reading.
Andy Carroll makes the three points safe for Reading. Photograph: Jasonpix/Shutterstock

Blackpool upset the division’s tightest defence with a four-goal display to beat Preston 4-2 in a pulsating Lancashire derby. CJ Hamilton sealed the win at Bloomfield Road with the last kick of the game, placing the ball into an open goal from 45 yards.

Jerry Yates had opened the scoring on 30 minutes but Preston hit back quickly when Ben Whiteman scored from the spot. Teenager Charlie Patino then fired the hosts back in front on 68 minutes, before teeing up Yates for his second. A Callum Connolly own goal on 89 minutes gave Preston hope, but Hamilton made it safe in added time, finding the empty net with Freddie Woodman out of his goal having gone forward for a corner.

Coventry’s revival continued as they secured a third successive victory with a 2-0 win at Stoke. The Potters, who slumped to a second home defeat in the space of five days, dominated but to no avail. Gustavo Hamer created the opener for Jamie Allen in the second half and added a second as the visitors closed the gap to safety to just one point.

Leo Percovich’s reign as Middlesbrough’s temporary manager continued with a goalless draw at home to Huddersfield. While Michael Carrick has been widely touted as Boro’s likely new manager, the former Manchester United midfielder was nowhere to be seen at the Riverside as the Teessiders were frustrated by a dogged Huddersfield side, who nevertheless remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Championship roundup: Dykes sends QPR top, Middlesbrough thump Wigan | Championship


Lyndon Dykes scored twice as Queens Park Rangers moved to the top of the Championship with an easy 3-0 victory against 10-man Cardiff at Loftus Road. Dykes struck a 19th-minute penalty after Jack Simpson was shown a straight red card for bringing down Sinclair Armstrong, then doubled his side’s lead before the break.

Kenneth Paal added a third to make it four wins from five for QPR, whose manager Michael Beale is set to hold talks with Wolves over their vacancy this week.

The impending arrival of Michael Carrick as new manager inspired Middlesbrough to a thumping 4-1 win at Wigan, despite the hosts grabbing a 34th-minute lead through Will Keane. Isaiah Jones equalised just before the break and second-half strikes from Duncan Watmore, Hayden Hackney and a Chuba Akpom penalty left Middlesbrough in full control.

Burnley missed the chance to leapfrog local rivals Blackburn into top spot as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham. Johann Berg Gudmundsson belted the visitors in front in the 74th minute but they were denied a third straight win when Scott Hogan equalised six minutes later for the hosts.

Sheffield United also missed the chance to go back to the summit as they saw their winless streak extend to five games after a 1-0 defeat at Coventry. The home side pushed throughout and got their reward three minutes from time when Martyn Waghorn converted a penalty to lift Coventry off the bottom of the table.

Goals from Ryan Longman, Greg Docherty and Regan Slater saw Hull end a run of two straight losses with a 3-1 win at Blackpool, who had equalised through Kenny Dougall. Tom Bradshaw scored a first-half hat-trick as Millwall cruised to a 3-0 victory over Watford at the Den.

Championship roundup: six goals and four red cards in Bramall Lane chaos | Championship


Oliver Norwood’s goal at the death rescued a point for Sheffield United in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Blackpool, which ended with four red cards and a mass brawl.

The hosts had looked comfortable following goals from James McAtee and Iliman Ndiaye, but Jerry Yates struck twice to make it all-square at the break and Kenny Dougall made it 3-2 to Blackpool early in the second half.

Blackpool were reduced to nine men in the closing stages with Marvin Ekpiteta and Dominic Thompson both sent off and, soon after Rhian Brewster missed an 88th-minute penalty, Norwood equalised deep into time added on. A brawl after the final whistle ended with red cards for Wes Foderingham and Shayne Lavery.

Jay Rodriguez struck twice as Burnley despatched 10-man Swansea 4-0 to replace Sheffield United at the top. The Swans’ run of four-straight wins was brought to an end by goals from Vitinho, Rodriguez and Anass Zaroury, and their misery was completed by a straight red card for top scorer Joel Piroe for violent conduct with 15 minutes left.

Managerless West Brom defeated Reading 2-0 to end their eight-match run without a league victory. Under the guidance of interim manager Richard Beale after Steve Bruce was sacked on Monday, Albion went in front in the 25th minute through a close-range effort from Matt Phillips. Although Reading had much of the play in the second period, the visitors secured the three points in the 72nd minute through a fine goal from defender Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

Middlesbrough dropped into the relegation zone as their problems continued to mount with a 2-1 home defeat to Blackburn. Rovers returned to winning ways at the Riverside thanks to an early own goal from Darragh Lenihan and a superb long-range finish from Sam Gallagher. Duncan Watmore gave Middlesbrough hope when he pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time, but, with interim manager Leo Percovich watching on from the technical area, the hosts were unable to avoid a second successive defeat.

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League One roundup: Plymouth extend lead at top

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Plymouth remained top of the table after a thoroughly professional display saw them brush aside a struggling MK Dons side 4-1.

The visitors scored the opener less than 10 minutes into the game, Morgan Whittaker latching onto Matt Butcher’s through ball and, though his tame shot was straight at Jamie Cumming, the MK Dons goalkeeper could not hold onto it as it spilled over the line.

The lead was doubled on 25 minutes, Niall Ennis finishing off a neat move that involved some slick, quick passing from Finn Azaz and Whittaker.

Argyle increased their advantage further eight minutes before half-time, Azaz picking up a loose ball from the home defenders before lashing home from 12 yards out. Will Grigg got the home side back into the game four minutes after the restart, firing home past Michael Cooper after picking the ball up on the edge of the visitors’ area.

A three-goal lead was restored 10 minutes later, Azaz again latching onto a loose ball before curling past Cumming in the MK Dons goal.

Lowly Lincoln stunned Ipswich with a 1-0 victory and inflicted the first home league defeat of the season on the Tractor Boys.

The only goal of the game came in the 24th minute from Ben House following a corner. The ball initially hit the head of Regan Poole and went up in the air only to drop down for the City man to score.

Oxford turned in a superb display as they ran out emphatic 4-2 winners at Exeter.

Cameron Brannagan, Sam Long and a double from Kyle Joseph put the visitors in complete control inside an hour at St James Park and Exeter could only respond though consolation goals from Jevani Brown and Sonny Cox.

A second-half comeback from Port Vale saw them snatch a point in a 2-2 draw with Forest Green.

Two first-half headed goals from Myles Peart-Harris and Baily Cargill, both via free-kicks, left Vale dumbfounded after they had controlled possession. Mipo Odubeko pulled one back after the break before Ellis Harrison’s late penalty secured a point.

Lee Gregory scored twice in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Cambridge. Derby defeated Accrington 3-0 with Stanley missing two penalties, Shrewsbury edged past Fleetwood 1-0 and Wycombe saw off Peterborough 3-1. Bristol Rovers scored four in the first half but none in the second as they down Cheltenham 4-1.

There was a 1-1 draw between Burton and Morecambe, while Bolton and Barnsley ended goalless. 

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Elliot Embleton and Dennis Cirkin led a second-half Sunderland comeback to secure a first win in five games for Tony Mowbray’s side with a 2-1 victory over Wigan. Charlie Wyke had continued his fine return to football with a second goal in as many weeks at his former ground, but a formation change from Mowbray at the interval turned the tide of the contest definitively.

Two expertly taken goals from Will Smallbone and Tyrese Campbell inside eight second-half minutes propelled Stoke to a wholly deserved 2-0 win at Preston. Stoke’s win meant a successful first return to Deepdale for former Preston manager Alex Neil, who has revived hopes of a promotion challenge after taking charge of the Potters in August.

Midfielder Smallbone, on loan from Southampton, sparked joyous scenes among more than 3,000 travelling fans behind Freddie Woodman’s goal when he stroked Stoke in front after 58 minutes and Campbell was equally clinical in the 66th.

Lewis Baker of Stoke City celebrates their side's first goal scored by teammate Will Smallbone.
Lewis Baker of Stoke City celebrates their side’s first goal scored by teammate Will Smallbone. Photograph: Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Luton ended their long wait for a victory over QPR as they halted the visitors’ five-game unbeaten run with a 3-1 win at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters had not won any of their six meetings since returning to the Championship, with their last league success coming in January 2006.

Luton took the lead on 19 minutes through Elijah Adebayo, then, with 13 minutes to play, made it two via a Jimmy Dunne own goal. In added time another own goal, this one from Ethan Horvath, made it 2-1, but there was still time for Luton to find a third through Luke Freeman.

Matt Taylor earned his first win as Rotherham manager as they edged out Huddersfield 2-1. The result ensured Rotherham’s strong home form continued and put a seven-point buffer between the two sides as Taylor looks to put his stamp on the squad built over six years under predecessor Paul Warne.

The hosts took a 25th-minute lead via a clinical curler from Conor Washington. Huddersfield levelled four minutes later as Danny Ward struck through a host of bodies at the near post. The winner came on the hour from substitute Georgie Kelly.

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League Two roundup: Stevenage stay top despite Gills draw

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Stevenage maintained their two-point lead at the top despite being held 1-1 at Gillingham. Steve Evans’ side were denied a fifth straight league win as Elkan Baggott’s first-half header for Gillingham cancelled out Danny Rose’s opener.

The point was enough to keep Stevenage clear of Leyton Orient and Northampton, who drew 0-0 at the Breyer Group Stadium.
Orient defender Daniel Happe’s first-half header hit the crossbar, while Northampton played most of the second half with 10 men after midfielder Ben Fox was shown a straight red card.

Mansfield extended their unbeaten home league run this season to six matches as substitute Will Swan’s late header sealed a 2-1 win against Walsall. The promotion-chasing Stags had been pegged back by Liam Bennett before the interval after George Lapslie had given them the lead. 

Andy Cook’s 13th goal of the season in all competitions sealed Bradford a 1-0 win at fellow promotion hopefuls Salford, who struck the crossbar through Callum Hendry’s first-half effort. Jack Stretton fired a second-half double as Carlisle extended their unbeaten league run to nine matches with a 3-0 home win against Doncaster. Callum Guy gave Carlisle a first-half lead and Derby loanee Stretton fired his first goals for the Cumbrians.

Grimsby climbed up to 10th after their 3-1 win at 10-man Stockport.
Harry Clifton and Gavan Holohan struck in the space of six first-half minutes for the Mariners and although Paddy Madden reduced the deficit, Alex Hunt’s stoppage-time effort sealed all three points. Stockport midfielder Callum Camps received a straight red card for a reckless high tackle.

Rochdale made it three wins from four as goals in either half from Liam Kelly and Scott Quigley secured them a 2-1 home victory against Barrow. Niall Canavan headed a late consolation for the visitors.
Harrogate ended their eight-game winless league run by beating Hartlepool 2-1 at the EnviroVent Stadium. Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon gave Harrogate a 2-0 half-time lead before Josh Umerah’s late reply.

Tyrese Shade’s solitary second-half goal clinched Swindon a 1-0 home win against Colchester and Sutton won by the same score at AFC Wimbledon thanks to Craig Eastmond’s close-range finish.

Managerless Newport slipped to a sixth defeat in eight league games, losing 2-1 at Crawley, who climbed off the foot of the table. James Tilley and Ashley Nadesan’s header gave Crawley a two-goal lead and despite Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s reply for Newport, the home side held on.

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Zian Flemming hit a 76th-minute winner to give Millwall a 2-1 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The visitors took a 44th-minute lead when Tom Bradshaw’s diving header was well saved by Max O’Leary, only for the striker to get up and shoot home from the rebound.

City responded on 71 minutes when substitute Cameron Pring’s low cross from the left was turned into his own net by Millwall skipper Shaun Hutchinson as he stretched to intercept. But an error from O’Leary, failing to collect the ball when advancing towards the edge on to claim a high ball, allowed Flemming to slot into an unguarded net from 15 yards. The City keeper saved an injury-time penalty from substitute Benek Afobe after a foul by Alex Scott on George Saville, but it counted for nothing.

Coventry ended a run of nine successive away defeats as they recorded only their second win of the season thanks to a first-half goal from Viktor Gyokeres at Cardiff. The 1-0 victory by Mark Robins’ side moved them closer to their relegation rivals with games in hand due to the problems they had at the start of the season in using the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Watford hosted Norwich in the day’s late kick-off.

Championship roundup: Sheffield United beaten while Bruce draws blank | Championship


Sheffield United were undone by a familiar face as Phil Jagielka proved instrumental in Stoke’s 3-1 home win over the Championship leaders. The 40-year-old, who made 309 appearances for the Blades across two spells, scored one and set up another, recording a goal and an assist in the same game for the first time in his career.

Jagielka first assumed the role of creator, teeing up centre-back partner Ben Wilmot to fire the hosts into an early lead. And, after the Blades levelled through Rhian Brewster’s first goal since January, it was the veteran defender who restored Stoke’s lead, scoring for the first time since April 2019. Substitute Liam Delap then opened his account for the club in added time as new manager Alex Neil earned his first home win.

Second-placed Norwich failed to take advantage, being beaten for the first time in 10 games as Preston came away from Carrow Road with a hard-fought 3-2 win. The visitors, who had only scored four goals all season before this fixture, almost doubled their tally in the space of 90 minutes after going behind to a well-taken early goal from Josh Sargent.

Emil Riis equalised midway through the first half with a powerful header and then put his side ahead early in the second period after a swift break. Substitute Gabriel Sara equalised for Norwich on 76 minutes with another neat finish but the Lilywhites had the final say soon afterwards as substitute Troy Parrott’s cross took a big deflection off Liam Gibbs to deceive Tim Krul.

Kenny McLean thought he had levelled in added time when he found the bottom corner with a low shot from distance but referee Dean Whitestone spotted an offence in the area and ruled it out.

Steve Bruce’s future as West Brom manager is hanging by a thread as their dreadful start to the season continued with 0-0 draw against Luton on a toxic afternoon at The Hawthorns. Tensions were high heading into a game where Albion created enough to have won, but were again left ruing those missed opportunities.

The crowd remained behind the Baggies for the majority of the match, until late substitutions from Bruce prompted repeated strong calls for the manager to go, with chants also aimed at the club’s owner Guochuan Lai.

Jerry Yates’ late double sealed a welcome 3-1 victory for Blackpool against stuttering Watford. Gary Madine put the home side in front before Imran Louza restored parity before the break. A draw then looked to be on the cards before two superbly-taken Yates goals in the final 10 minutes secured Blackpool’s first home win since the opening day.

The Hornets were booed off by the travelling fans as new manager Slaven Bilic presided over a second straight defeat, leaving them 12th on 17 points while Blackpool climbed to 19th with 15.

Nathan Tella’s fifth goal of the season moved Burnley within two points of the promotion places after a 1-0 win against Coventry. The Southampton loanee struck in the first half to give the Clarets just their second win in six games, while Coventry remain bottom.

Swansea made it four league wins on the bounce as they held on for a nervy 2-1 win against Sunderland. First-half goals from Ollie Cooper and Harry Darling were enough for Russell Martin’s men who cemented their sixth place in the table, despite a 51st-minute strike by Black Cats winger Jack Clarke.

Ben Brereton Díaz’s double helped Blackburn to an emphatic 3-0 victory over Rotherham at Ewood Park as they continued their win or lose sequence of results under Jon Dahl Tomasson. The Chile striker took his tally for the season to seven with a first-half penalty and a close-range finish after the break before Sammie Szmodics added the third. The victory put Rovers just outside the play-off places on goal difference, leaving new Millers manager Matt Taylor still looking for his first win.

Cardiff continued their recent resurgence by recording a 3-1 victory over Wigan at the DW Stadium. Callum Robinson, Sheyi Ojo and Ryan Wintle all scored for the Bluebirds, with Charlie Wyke responding, meaning Mark Hudson’s impressive run as City caretaker continues.

On-loan Arsenal defender Auston Trusty scored his first goals in English football as dominant Birmingham brushed aside Bristol City 3-0 at St Andrew’s. The 24-year-old American scored at the start and end of the first half before the on-loan Wolves defender Dion Sanderson added a late third, ending Birmingham’s three-match wait for a victory. The result extended Bristol City’s winless run to five games.

Zian Flemming scored twice as Millwall continued their fine home form with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. The summer signing from Dutch side Fortuna Sittard benefitted from a lucky deflection early in the first half before hitting the target again just after the break for his third goal this week. Middlesbrough, still without a permanent manager, are still looking for a first away win since early April.