EFL goals and round-up: Middlesbrough close gap on Sheffield United; Stoke thump Sunderland
Middlesbrough thumped Reading 5-0 to close the gap back to four points on second-placed Sheffield United. Burnley were held to a goalless draw at Blackpool. League One leaders Sheffield Wednesday win.
Saturday 4 March 2023 18:24, UK
Middlesbrough thrashed Reading 5-0 to close up on the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places after leaders Burnley drew and Sheffield United were beaten.
Chuba Akpom put Boro ahead from a 24th-minute penalty to take his Championship tally to 20 goals. On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Ramsey doubled the lead before the break with a fine solo effort.
Akpom added another from close range soon after the restart before Ramsey also got his second goal in the 51st minute with Marcus Forss scoring a fifth from the penalty spot.
Boro moved to within four points of second-placed Sheffield United, who were earlier beaten 1-0 at Blackburn where an early goal from Harry Pickering proved enough for victory.
Burnley edged 13 points clear of the Blades after they had to settle for a goalless draw at relegation-battlers Blackpool.
Stoke boss Alex Neil enjoyed a return to former club Sunderland as his side ran out 5-1 winners at the Stadium of Light.
Josh Laurent gave Stoke the lead at the end of the first half, with Tyrese Campbell scoring twice in the space of five minutes in the second to put the Potters in control.
Alex Pritchard reduced the deficit just after the hour, but Dwight Gayle added Stoke's fourth with 20 minutes left and then nodded in a fifth.
Norwich moved up into the top six after coming from behind to win 3-2 at play-off rivals Millwall.
Tom Bradshaw put the Lions in front in the 20th minute, but Jacob Sorensen had Norwich level before the break following a well-worked corner.
The Canaries turned things around in the 55th minute when Bradshaw diverted Onel Hernandez's cross into the net for an own goal, with Brazilian Gabriel Sara soon sweeping in a third.
Zian Flemming headed in a corner with seven minutes left to set up a tense finale, but David Wagner's men held out.
Luton sit fifth after a first-half goal from Carlton Morris secured a 1-0 win over Swansea at Kenilworth Road.
Watford, though, lost ground on the play-off chase after they were held to a goalless draw at home by Preston.
At the other end of the table, Wigan came from behind to draw 1-1 against Birmingham and haul themselves off the bottom.
Juninho Bacuna scored an early free-kick for the Blues, whose preparation was disrupted by a fire at their training ground on Friday.
Ashley Fletcher hauled the Latics level on the hour, before Birmingham striker Scott Hogan saw his penalty hit the frame of the goal.
Huddersfield slumped to the bottom of the table after a 4-0 home defeat by Coventry.
Viktor Gyokeres capitalised on some poor defending to put the Sky Blues ahead in the 31st minute, with Gustavo Hamer also on target early in the second half.
Gyokeres got a second on the hour with substitute Tyler Walker wrapping things up in stoppage time.
Cardiff ended Bristol City's nine-match undefeated league run with a 2-0 win which boosted their survival hopes.
Sory Kaba headed the home side in front early in the second half, with Jaden Philogene doubling the lead before goalkeeper Ryan Allsop was shown a late red card for for handball outside the area.
Jordan Hugill scored his first goals for Rotherham in a 3-1 home win over QPR, who suffered a fifth straight league defeat.
Hugill, who has joined from Norwich, put the Millers in front in the 15th minute and added another in the second half from the penalty spot.
Jamal Lowe pulled a late goal back for the the visitors, but Hakeen Odoffin sealed victory with Rotherham's third in the last minute.
Sky Bet League One
A second-half own goal was enough for Sheffield Wednesday to maintain their three-point lead at the top of Sky Bet League One after victory over Peterborough.
The only goal of the game came on the hour when Barry Bannan's defence-splitting pass picked out Jaden Brown and his shot deflected in off Nathan Thompson.
Plymouth stay second after they claimed a 2-0 win against Charlton. Argyle took the lead just nine seconds into the second half when Ryan Hardie charged down a clearance from Lucas Ness and clipped the ball over the goalkeeper. Niall Ennis wrapped up the victory three minutes from time.
It was plain sailing for third-placed Ipswich as they cruised to a 4-0 win at home to Burton. Conor Chaplin's 18th goal of the campaign put them in front and Nathan Broadhead slotted in a second from 10 yards.
Freddie Ladapo made the points safe with a third before the break and Chaplin's first-time finish made it 4-0 after the break.
Bolton had to settle for a point as they were held to a goalless draw by struggling Morecambe, while Derby threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Shrewsbury.
A stunning strike from distance from Hayden Roberts gave the Rams the lead and in-form striker David McGoldrick's eighth goal in as many matches extended their lead before the break.
Shrewsbury pulled a goal back shortly after the restart when Tom Bayliss scored with a superb free-kick and equalised from the penalty spot when Luke Leahy calmly slotted home.
At the bottom, Oliver Casey's first-half dismissal proved costly for rock-bottom Forest Green as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Accrington.
Myles Peart-Harris had put Rovers in front, but their chances were dealt a blow just before half-time when Casey was sent off for a high challenge.
Accrington were level moments later when Aaron Pressley headed home and won it in the 64th minute when Rosaire Longelo fired in.
Colby Bishop's header was enough for Portsmouth to sink second-bottom Cambridge, while MK Dons were beaten 1-0 at Port Vale.
Bristol Rovers and Barnsley played out a goalless draw, Alfie May earned Cheltenham a 1-0 win against Fleetwood and a Daniel Mandroiu penalty was enough for Lincoln to see off Oxford.
Kevin McDonald made it two goals in two matches for Exeter to earn his side a point in a 1-1 draw at Wycombe.
Sky Bet League Two
Carlisle moved up to second in Sky Bet League Two as they brought FA Cup giantkillers Grimsby back down to earth with a bump with a 2-0 win.
The Cumbrians took a 36th-minute lead through Alfie McCalmont's composed 20-yard finish and added a second in the closing stages of the first half through Jordan Gibson's low strike.
Paul Simpson's side are 11 points behind leaders Leyton Orient, who took a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Swindon.
A thumping header from Omar Beckles put the O's in front, but Swindon levelled after 64 minutes through Jacob mWakeling.
Two stoppage-time goals from Andy Cook and Scott Banks snatched Bradford a 2-0 win against Colchester and moved them within three points of third-placed Stevenage, who suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at bottom-club Rochdale.
Devante Rodney finished off a superb team move involving Ethan Brierley and Abraham Odoh to give Dale a seventh-minute lead and Danny Lloyd added a second after 28 minutes, tapping in Brierley's pass.
Salford came from a goal down to claim a deserved 3-1 win at home to Newport.
Harry Charsley slammed in the opening goal for the visitors with their first shot of the game after 29 minutes, but dominant Salford equalised through Callum Hendry's smart finish in first-half stoppage time.
The Ammies went in front early in the second half as Conor McAleny's superb solo run ended with a fine finish - his ninth goal of the season - and Matt Smith sealed victory at the death.
Northampton did not let Aaron McGowan's red card affect them as Jack Sowerby lashed home from distance with 10 minutes remaining to grab them a 1-0 win against struggling Crawley, who stay in the bottom two.
Stockport and Doncaster played out a goalless stalemate, while at the bottom, struggling pair Harrogate and Gillingham also drew a blank.
Hartlepool held on for a point in a 1-1 draw at Tranmere. Callum Cooke, returning to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, broke the deadlock for Pools shortly before half time, collecting Dan Kemp's clever pass over the top and firing home.
But former Hartlepool midfielder Josh Hawkes earned Rovers a point with a penalty which went in off the crossbar after the break.
Danny Johnson scored his 16th goal of the season - but first for Mansfield - to earn the Stags a 3-1 win at AFC Wimbledon, Coby Rowe snatched a last-gasp equaliser as Sutton drew 1-1 at home to 10-man Crewe, and Billy Waters scored the only goal as Barrow beat Walsall 1-0.
