EFL goals and round-up: WBA beat Fulham; Bournemouth held
Championship leaders Fulham beaten 1-0 at West Brom, while second-place Bournemouth held at home by Reading; Blackburn and Middlesbrough win; League One leaders Rotherham win; League Two leaders Forest Green held
Tuesday 15 March 2022 22:39, UK
Sky Bet Championship leaders Fulham missed the chance to move further clear at the top of the table after they were beaten 1-0 at West Brom.
The Baggies went close in the first half when Karlan Grant's effort was pushed onto the post by Marek Rodak before Callum Robinson finally made the breakthrough just after the hour.
Bournemouth failed to make up ground as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by relegation battlers Reading.
Dominic Solanke got the Cherries off to a flying start inside eight minutes when he slotted home his 22nd Championship goal. However, Tom Ince fired an equaliser for the Royals with just seven minutes left.
Blackburn returned to form with a 3-1 home win over Derby.
Ravel Morrison put the relegation-threatened Rams ahead just before the half-hour with his third goal in as many games.
Rovers - who had managed only one goal in the previous nine games - were level through Scott Wharton eight minutes into the second half and turned the game around when Tyrhys Dolan headed in on the hour following a corner.
Substitute Sam Gallagher nodded in a third deep into stoppage time as Rovers cut the gap on Bournemouth to five points.
At the other end of the table, Barnsley kept alive their own survival hopes with a 2-0 home win over Bristol City.
Carlton Morris fired the hosts in front from close range in the ninth minute and Michal Helik's header doubled the lead midway through the first half.
City's night got worse when midfielder Alex Scott went off injured shortly before the break and then his replacement Joe Williams also had to be substituted 10 minutes into the second half.
Middlesbrough moved back into the top six with a 2-0 win at Birmingham, who finished with 10 men.
On-loan Brighton frontman Aaron Connolly gave Boro the lead on 23 minutes, with Folarin Balogun seeing his solo effort just before half-time ruled out by an offside flag.
Middlesbrough saw a penalty from Paddy McNair pushed onto the post by Neil Etheridge early in the second half, before Balogun eventually did get their second goal just after the hour with a 20-yard strike.
Blues midfielder Kristian Pedersen was sent off for a second caution with four minutes left.
Sky Bet League One
Rotherham held their nerve to end a three-game winless streak and retain their four-point lead at the top of Sky Bet League One with a 2-1 win over Lincoln.
Two goals in the first 13 minutes from Ben Wiles and Chiedozie Ogbene were exactly what Millers boss Paul Warne required as his side looked to ease back to winning days.
But they were pegged back in the 81st minute when Tom Hopper reduced the deficit for Lincoln, leading to a few anxious moments before the points were finally secured.
Second-placed Wigan maintained the pressure with a 2-0 win at bottom club Crewe, who have now lost four games in a row.
Josh Magennis headed the Latics' opener from a Max Power free-kick just before half-time, then Will Keane headed home a Joe Bennett cross eight minutes into the second half.
Plymouth sustained their push into the play-off places as Ryan Hardie's 65th minute strike proved enough to sink Portsmouth at Home Park.
Argyle's fourth successive win lifted them to fifth place in the table and ended Pompey's run of eight games without defeat.
Sheffield Wednesday struggled to build on Saturday's thumping 6-0 win over Cambridge as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Accrington at Hillsborough.
Callum Paterson swept home the Owls' opener on 66 minutes but a Marvin Johnson own goal gave Stanley a point seven minutes from time.
Danny Udoh and Luke Leahy each grabbed a brace as Shrewsbury served up a huge boost to their survival hopes with a 5-0 win over free-falling Morecambe.
Ryan Bowman completed the scoring in the 71st minute to get his side back to winning ways and stretch the Shrimpers' winless run to 11 games.
Jason McCarthy struck four minutes into injury time to give Wycombe a 1-0 win over Fleetwood, while Alex Gilbey's 50th minute effort saw Charlton end a run of seven without a win as they beat struggling Gillingham by the same scoreline.
Sky Bet League Two
Sky Bet League Two leaders Forest Green saw their advantage reduced to six points after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by strugglers Leyton Orient.
Rovers, who were beaten by Bradford on Saturday to extend their winless run to six matches, took an early lead through Mathew Stevens after 10 minutes.
Orient, though, were back on level terms through Ruel Sotiriou with 20 minutes left.
Northampton, who have played a match more than Rovers, took full advantage as they won 2-1 at strugglers Stevenage.
Aaron McGowan nodded the Cobblers in front in the 18th minute, and Mitch Pinnock doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half. Chris Lines scored a late consolation for Stevenage.
Newport kept up their own promotion push with a 2-1 win at Carlisle.
Defender Mickey Demetriou headed Newport in front after quarter of an hour, with Finn Azaz adding a second in the 65th minute.
Omari Patrick pulled a goal back with 10 minutes left, but Carlisle, who had won four in a row, could not conjure an equaliser.
Fourth-placed Tranmere beat 10-man Harrogate 2-0 at Prenton Park.
Harrogate forward Luke Armstrong was sent off just before the half-hour mark after collecting two cautions in the space of as many minutes.
Lewis Warrington gave Rovers the lead early in the second half, with Kane Hemmings adding another from the penalty spot on 65 minutes.
Exeter are another side within striking distance of the automatic places after they beat Crawley 2-1.
Timothee Dieng put the hosts ahead on 31 minutes and the midfielder headed in a second just before the break.
Crawley pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time through a header from Kwesi Appiah.
Swindon saw off fellow promotion hopefuls Sutton 2-1 at the County Ground.
Joshua Davison put the Robins in front after 14 minutes, but Joe Kizzi soon headed in an equaliser.
Harry McKirdy's 16th league goal gave Swindon the lead again early in the second half. Midfielder Louis Reed was sent off for a second caution late on.
Bristol Rovers moved above Sutton into the top seven after they beat Colchester 1-0 with an early second-half goal from Elliot Anderson.
Substitute Kian Harratt struck twice in the closing stages as Port Vale came from behind to beat Mansfield 3-1.
Rhys Oates put the Stags ahead midway through the first half, but James Wilson had Vale back on level terms in the 33rd minute.
Harratt had not long been on before he put Vale ahead in the 76th minute and slotted in another late on to seal victory.
Bradford chalked up a second straight victory for new boss Mark Hughes as they won 2-0 at Hartlepool
Matty Foulds broke the deadlock with 20 minutes left and Yann Songo'o swiftly doubled the lead to wrap things up.
Rochdale drew 1-1 with derby rivals Salford.
James Ball gave Dale the lead after 27 minutes, before Matthew Lund headed the Ammies level in the 66th minute.
The plight worsened for bottom club Scunthorpe were beaten 1-0 at home by Barrow.
The Iron were reduced to 10 men after 22 minutes following a straight red card for midfielder Anthony Grant and Barrow took the lead just before half-time through John Rooney. The visitors had Tom Beadling dismissed in the last minute for a second caution.
Walsall came from behind to beat strugglers Oldham 2-1 at the Banks's Stadium.
Will Sutton headed the visitors in from from a corner on 21 minutes, but Emmanuel Osadebe soon had the Saddlers back on level terms and Conor Wilkinson completed the turnaround with 15 minutes left.
