Oli McBurnie’s fourth goal in five league games helped Sheffield United extend their lead to three points at the top of the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win at Preston.
The Scotland international fired home from close range with 15 minutes remaining after Iliman Ndiaye had rifled the visitors ahead just before half-time. The victory for Paul Heckingbottom’s side was their fourth league win in a row and extended their impressive unbeaten run to eight games.
Steve Bruce remains under pressure after a contentious Norwich equaliser cost his West Brom side just a second league win of the season. Bruce had to endure jeers from his own supporters following the defeat to Birmingham in midweek and was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road despite the visitors being the better side.
Dara O’Shea’s header had set the Baggies on course for victory but a first Norwich goal for Sam Byram rescued a point for the below-par hosts, with West Brom furious the goal stood as they appealed in vain for handball against the full-back.
Sunderland substitute Jewison Bennette earned his side a 2-2 draw at Watford with a 87th-minute equaliser at Vicarage Road.
Shota Arveladze is feeling the pressure after Hull fell to a fourth consecutive defeat with a 3-0 loss at Swansea. Second-half goals from Ryan Manning, Luke Cundle and Joel Piroe left Hull languishing just above the relegation zone.
Arveladze, who took over as head coach shortly after Turkish owner Acun Ilicali bought the club in January, said: “I haven’t spoken to the owner. The boys are very, very down. We are on a bad run and we aren’t in form. We need a good day to come back. Yes, I feel under pressure. I will talk to myself about the situation, but on this form it is no surprise at all.”
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League One roundup: Owls deny Ipswich
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Sheffield Wednesday fought back with two late goals to draw 2-2 with leaders Ipswich at Hillsborough.
Kayden Jackson had put the Tractor Boys ahead after just four minutes and when Owls defender Dominic Iorfa put through his own net with 20 minutes left, there looked to be no way back. However, George Byers reduced the deficit before Michael Smith headed in an 89th-minute equaliser.
Portsmouth remain level on points with Ipswich after also scoring a late goal to draw 2-2 against Plymouth, who finished with 10 men at Fratton Park.
Pompey midfielder Josh Koroma broke the deadlock five minutes before the break, but the Pilgrims had turned things around after an own goal from Sean Raggett and substitute Niall Ennis’ strike with 11 minutes left. Argyle substitute Brendan Galloway was then sent off after collecting two late cautions, and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, who had not long come on, headed in an equaliser during the third minute of stoppage time.
Bolton are fifth after a late goal from Dapo Afolayan saw them beat Peterborough 1-0.
Barnsley sit sixth after a 3-0 win at Cambridge, despite having midfielder Liam Kitching sent off during the second half. Devante Cole put the Tykes ahead in the 24th minute. Kitching was shown a second yellow card in the 68th minute, but Barnsley got a second through Robbie Cundy’s header. James Norwood added a third in stoppage time
Jack Diamond scored a hat-trick as Lincoln won 6-3 at Bristol Rovers. Ben House had give Lincoln an early lead, with Diamond adding a second from the penalty spot. Aaron Collins reduced the deficit in the 18th minute, but Diamond struck again just before the break. Matthew Virtue made it 4-1 soon after the restart, with Diamond completing his hat-trick in the 56th minute. Ryan Loft pulled another goal back for Rovers, but Ben House added a sixth for the Imps on the hour.
Bottom club Burton finally registered a victory as they won 2-0 at Exeter. Deji Oshilaja and Davis Kellior-Dunn struck for the Brewers, who recently parted company with manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, during the second half.
Forest Green‘s struggles continued as they were beaten 2-1 at home by fellow strugglers Morecambe, who struck a stoppage-time winner from Farrend Rawson.
MK Dons won 2-1 at Oxford. Matthew Smith gave the Dons the lead just before half-time, with Will Grigg adding a late second from the penalty spot before John Mousinho nodded in a consolation.
Sean McConville’s goal after just 32 seconds proved enough to give Accrington a 1-0 home win over Cheltenham.
Conor Hourihane struck twice during the closing stages as Derby came from behind to beat Wycombe 2-1.
Fleetwood and Charlton drew 1-1. Callum Morton broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark, before Miles Leaburn equalised with 13 minutes left. Ellis Harrison headed in a stoppage-time winner, his second goal of the game, as Port Vale beat Shrewsbury 2-1.
Swansea lost Joe Allen to a new hamstring injury, but manager Russell Martin was hopeful it would not stop the midfielder taking part in the World Cup for Wales. “It’s his hamstring, but it’s not the one he has done before,” he said. “That’s why there’s not a huge amount of concern at the minute.”
Huddersfield claimed only their second league win of the season as veteran striker Jordan Rhodes fired them to a 1-0 home victory over Cardiff in their first game since the sacking of head coach Danny Schofield. Coaches Narcis Pelach and Paul Harsley were in temporary charge, Schofield having left the club with the Terriers in the bottom two.
Tom Ince’s brilliant free-kick just after the hour mark gave Reading a 1-0 victory at Wigan. The home side battled back in a tense eight minutes of added time, but Reading held on, with Ince’s strike earning the Royals a fifth win in seven matches.
Jay Rodriguez’s fifth goal of the season moved Burnley up to fourth as they extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bristol City. Until Rodiguez’s winner it had been a familiar story for Vincent Kompany’s team as they dominated possession but found it hard to build on Manuel Benson’s early goal at Turf Moor.
That was cancelled out by Nakhi Well’s close-range equaliser midway through the first half and it looked for a while as if Clarets would be held to their sixth draw of the season by a City team who defended resolutely. But Rodriguez made sure of the three points, sealing Burnley’s fourth league win of the season.
Second-half goals from Carlton Morris and Reece Burke saw Luton finally register a first home win of the season at the seventh attempt, 2-0 over Blackburn at Kenilworth Road. Morris volleyed home Jordan Clark’s cross before centre-back Burke produced a moment of magic to make the game safe.
Benik Afobe’s second-half strike earned Millwall a 2-1 victory over Blackpool at The Den. The hosts took the lead early in the first half when Dutchman Zian Flemming’s header squirmed agonisingly past Blackpool goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw and in for an own goal. The visitors pulled level before half-time when Dom Thompson teed up Arsenal loanee Charlie Patino, but Millwall dominated after the break as Afobe’s effort proved enough to secure a much-needed triumph for Gary Rowett’s men.
Gustavo Hamer saw red for Coventry as an entertaining derby with Birmingham at St Andrew’s ended goalless. The Brazilian-born Dutch midfielder was sent off for violent conduct in the 89th minute after earlier having had several chances for the bottom club, who have not won in 11 games since their 4-2 victory at Birmingham on 15 April, 155 days ago.
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League Two: Beckles extends Orient lead
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Omar Beckles fired leaders Leyton Orient to a 1-0 win over Walsall to maintain their 100% home record. League Two’s only unbeaten side secured the points after Beckles struck from a corner just before the hour mark.
Andy Cook scored twice and Tyreik Wright added a third as Bradford inflicted a 3-0 defeat on high-flying Stevenage, although the Bantams had Brad Halliday sent off with a minute left.
Barrow climbed above Stevenage into second as two goals from Josh Gordon, the second a penalty, fired them to a 2-0 win at Newport.
Northampton are up to third after Sam Hoskins took his tally for the season to 10 with two goals in a 3-0 victory over rock-bottom Rochdale. Jon Guthrie grabbed the opener three minutes before half-time before Hoskins headed in the rebound after his 73rd-minute penalty was saved and wrapped up the scoring with 10 minutes remaining.
A third goal of the season from Josh Hawkes gave Tranmere a surprise 1-0 win at Salford, who were previously unbeaten at home.
Second-half strikes from Will Randall and Harry Beautyman for Sutton condemned Hartlepool to a 2-0 defeat and stretched their winless run to 18 matches.
Kristian Dennis headed the winner for Carlisle as they beat AFC Wimbledon 2-1. Mansfield secured a 2-0 win at Gillingham through goals from Lukas Akins – who also had a penalty saved by Glenn Morris – and George Lapslie.
Harry Clifton fired Grimsby to a 1-0 win at Colchester and Courtney Baker-Richardson’s sixth goal of the season saw Crewe beat Crawley by the same score.
Swindon were 1-0 winners at Doncaster thanks to Jacob Wakeling’s goal and Stockport versus Harrogate ended 0-0.
QPR and Stoke also played out a 0-0 draw in a match of few clear-cut chances at Loftus Road. Stoke had the better of the first half, with Dwight Gayle having an early effort disallowed for offside, and shaving the top of the bar with a free-kick. But he was taken off in the second half, meaning he has now failed to score in 38 appearances – a run stretching back to December 2020.
Middlesbrough remain in the bottom three after a 0-0 stalemate with Rotherham in the day’s late kick-off.