Leeds swept aside Swansea 4-0 to claim a seventh-consecutive Championship victory, moving above Southampton and into second spot while equalling their biggest win of the season.
The hosts were left facing an uphill battle that proved well beyond them after Crysencio Summerville and the former Swansea striker Joël Piroe struck inside the opening 10 minutes.
Wilfried Gnonto added a brace to make it four goals in as many games, with Daniel Farke’s side maintaining their push for an automatic promotion spot in style.
Southampton had not lost in the league since 23 September but their 22-match unbeaten streak came to an end against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Second-half goals from Sam Bell, Rob Dickie and Harry Cornick put a dent in Saints’ bid for automatic promotion as City won an entertaining game 3-1.
The home side grabbed a 52nd-minute lead when Anis Mehmeti and Jason Knight exchanged passes on the right of the box and Mehmeti crossed low for Bell to net from six yards.
Centre-back Dickie rose above the Saints defence to head home a Joe Williams corner from the left after 72 minutes and Cornick set the seal on an impressive City display by lashing home an 82nd-minute cross from fellow substitute Ross McCrorie.
Southampton had to wait until stoppage time to reply when Adam Armstrong netted from the spot following a foul on Kyle Walker-Peters.
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League One: Comeback keeps Pompey clear at the top
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Portsmouth came from behind against Cambridge to maintain their six-point cushion at the summit with a 3-1 victory at Fratton Park.
Danny Andrew headed home Sullay Kaikai’s corner to give the visitors the lead but when Kusini Yengi was fouled just before half-time the Australia striker rifled home the ensuing penalty.
Fifteen minutes into the second-half and Portsmouth moved ahead for the first time when Yengi and Paddy Lane combined to set up Myles Peart-Harris before Abu Kamara fired a superb third.
Looking to capitalise on any potential slip-up by the leaders, Derby and Bolton did their bit by recording wins that keep them in touch. Derby‘s success on the road continued with a 3-0 win at Exeter that began when Max Bird fired the opener before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing added a classy second after the interval. Striker Tom Barkhuizen then completed a comfortable win after being played in by Mendez-Laing
Gethin Jones nodded Bolton ahead against Wycombe and there were no further goals until stoppage-time when Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Luke Leahy each scored in a 2-1 victory for the hosts at Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Bottom-placed Carlisle saw the chance to improve their relegation prospects denied by a waterlogged pitch at Burton, while the rain also resulted in Peterborough‘s fixture against Port Vale being called off.
Reading were denied a third successive victory when Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu pounced deep into stoppage-time to secure a 1-1 draw for Fleetwood, who grabbed a precious point in their own battle against relegation.
A brace by Elliot Bonds boosted Cheltenham‘s survival hopes in a 2-0 victory over Blackpool. Charlton and Lincoln drew 1-1, Leyton Orient beat Northampton 4-3, Oxford also scored four as they defeated Wigan 4-2, Bristol Rovers were 3-2 winners at Stevenage and Shrewsbury and Barnsley drew 1-1.
Leaders Leicester strengthened their position at the top as their captain Jamie Vardy scored against his boyhood club in a 2-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at King Power Stadium.
Enzo Maresca’s side had the game won by half-time and are now 14 points clear of third-placed Saints as they close in on promotion back to the Premier League. Vardy, who was released by the Owls for being too small as a teenager, also played a part in the opening goal for Abdul Fatawu after four minutes.
January signings Mikey Johnston and Andreas Weimann scored in either half as West Brom beat Cardiff 2-0 for a fifth straight Championship home win, keeping Albion in the playoff pack.
Johnston struck inside the first minute when he turned home Tom Fellows’ delivery from the right. In the 80th minute, Weimann scored his second goal in Albion colours when he rounded off a smart move involving his captain Jed Wallace.
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League Two: Mansfield hit nine as Stockport succumb to Crewe
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Stockport‘s lead at the top of was cut to a single point after they lost 3-1 at home to Crewe. Mickey Demetriou, Ed Turns and Josh Austerfield fired the goals for Crewe, who are closing in on the leaders in third place.
The most dramatic result of the evening was at Field Mill where Mansfield thrashed Harrogate 9-2 to register their third win in a row.
The Stags, who are in second place, took full advantage of Stockport dropping points to run amok with Hiram Boateng firing a hat-trick and Lucas Akins pouncing twice.
Barrow and MK Dons lost ground in the play-off race with defeats by Forest Green and Bradford respectively, but Wrexham and Notts County both won.
Bottom-placed Sutton thought they had secured a point against Wrexham when Charlie Lakin cancelled out Will Boyle’s opener, but Elliot Lee struck an 85th-minute winner for the visitors.
There were wins for Accrington and Morecambe, while Crawley and Walsall drew 1-1, Salford and Doncaster drew 2-2, Gillingham and Swindon shared the same score and the match between Colchester and Grimsby fell to the weather.
Norwich are sixth after recovering from losing a two-goal lead to beat Watford 4-2 at Carrow Road. The Canaries appeared to be in command after scoring twice in eight first-half minutes through Ashley Barnes and Josh Sargent, only for the Hornets to hit back as Mileta Rajovic netted just before the break and Yáser Asprilla scored a long-range stunner to equalise midway through the second period.
But the home side kept their nerve and two quick goals from Gabriel Sara and Christian Fassnacht sealed a hard fought win that made it nine home games without defeat, while dealing another blow to Watford’s rapidly receding hopes of finishing in the top six.
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New Blackburn manager John Eustace’s return to former club Birmingham ended in disappointment as Rovers slipped to a 1-0 defeat. Andre Dozzell scored the only goal in the 77th minute to end his side’s 388-minute drought and reward their dominance.
Bottom-of-the-table Rotherham’s woes continued as they went down 2-1 at home to Hull. Christ Tiéhi had fired the Millers into a fourth-minute lead, but Cameron Humphreys’ own goal – a deflection from Jaden Philogene’s audacious rabona cross – dragged the Tigers back into it and the substitute Noah Ohio ensured their playoff push remains on track with a 75th-minute winner.
