Leeds moved one step closer to promotion as Manor Solomon’s goal earned them a 1-0 win at Oxford, keeping them five points clear at the top of the Championship. With just three games remaining, Daniel Farke’s side remain in pole position, with the decisive goal coming in the first half. Jayden Bogle delivered a cross that was expertly finished at the far post by Solomon, the Tottenham loanee.
Bristol City kept their playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Sunderland at Ashton Gate. The visitors were reduced to 10 players early in the match when defender Trai Hume received a straight red card for fouling Nahki Wells, but they still took the lead in the 31st minute. Eliezer Mayenda produced a stunning solo effort, running from deep in his own half before cutting inside Zak Vyner and finishing with a left-footed strike. Bristol City responded on 55 minutes with a brilliant goal from centre-back Rob Dickie, who fired a shot from 30 yards into the top corner. Wing-back Ross McCrorie then sealed the win in the 76th minute with a precise left-footed drive from a narrow angle. The result moved City to fifth in the table, boosting their playoff aspirations.
Coventry made a crucial step towards securing a playoff spot with a 2-0 victory over 10-man West Brom at the CBS Arena. Jack Rudoni opened the scoring before the break, and Matt Grimes added a second goal in the 69th minute, shortly before Callum Styles was sent off for West Brom. The win saw Coventry extend their lead over seventh-placed Middlesbrough to three points, with the Sky Blues now in sixth place, while West Brom dropped to eighth and are now six points off the playoff spots.
Middlesbrough kept their playoff hopes alive with a dramatic 2-1 win over Plymouth. The match appeared to be heading for a draw, but a stoppage-time penalty from Tommy Conway, after being fouled by Joe Edwards, secured the three points for Boro. Plymouth had earlier taken the lead through Finn Azaz, only for Mustapha Bundu to equalise. Conway’s penalty came after Edwards was sent off for the foul, and the win kept Middlesbrough just three points behind the top six. Plymouth remain at the bottom of the table, still three points adrift of safety.
Portsmouth boosted their survival chances with a thrilling 5-3 win at Norwich. Colby Bishop was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick as Portsmouth moved six points clear of the relegation zone. Norwich quickly responded to Bishop’s opener through Josh Sargent, but Pompey regained control by scoring three times either side of halftime. Jack Stacey pulled one back for Norwich, but Regan Poole made it 5-3 to secure a vital victory for Portsmouth.
Blackburn kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a dominant 4-1 win over Millwall. Dom Hyam’s header and a sensational strike from Sondre Tronstad helped Blackburn establish a commanding 3-1 lead, despite Mihailo Ivanovic’s quick equaliser for Millwall. A late second goal from Tronstad sealed the win, and Blackburn now need to win their final three games to have a shot at the playoffs.
In other matches, Luton kept their survival hopes alive with a crucial 1-0 win at Derby, while Swansea continued their impressive run with a 1-0 win over Hull. Swansea’s fourth consecutive victory came courtesy of a controversial second-half penalty from Zan Vipotnik. Stoke also took a significant step towards survival with a 2-0 home win over Sheffield Wednesday, while QPR secured a last-gasp 2-1 win at Preston thanks to a stunning strike from Lucas Andersen.
At the bottom of the table, Shrewsbury’s relegation from League One was confirmed with a 1-0 defeat to Wigan.
