Frank Lampard called his Coventry side’s 0-0 draw with 10-man Oxford “one of those days” as the Championship leaders failed to beat the relegation-threatened U’s.
Lampard’s side were up against 10 men for the final 13 minutes plus stoppage time after Will Lankshear saw red for Oxford 20 minutes after coming off the bench. Romain Esse saw an effort cleared off the line while Haji Wright lashed an effort into the side netting late on, but City’s winless run reached three games and leaves them vulnerable to being knocked off the top by Middlesbrough on Monday.
“Absolutely one of those days,” said Lampard, whose side were 10 points clear in December. “I thought the players’ application was great, the performance was good. Not easy against a low block and organising our distances to play between, but we created enough to win the game and we gave nothing away, maybe one little counterattack first half. But yeah, it doesn’t go in the net sometimes.”
Leif Davis’s superb late header gave Ipswich a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Derby to strengthen their promotion challenge. The visitors took the lead in the eighth minute when the Derby captain, Lewis Travis, headed a corner into his own net but Derby hit back in the second half and drew level through Rhian Brewster’s penalty. But Davis had the final word and the home side ended the match with 10 men after Travis’s miserable afternoon ended with him sent off in added time for a second yellow card.
Hull’s hot streak fizzled out with a 3-2 defeat at home to Bristol City in a game delayed by a pitch-invading squirrel. Sergey Jakirovic’s men had won four of their last five games to cement a position in the playoff places, and looked set to maintain that run of form when Oli McBurnie scored after 24 minutes.
But Bristol City responded with purpose and were 2-1 up at the interval after Rob Atkinson headed home a 33rd-minute corner and Ross McCrorie scored shortly afterwards. Gerhard Struber’s side then put clear water between themselves and Hull when Emil Riis converted Scott Twine’s fine assist after 50 minutes.
Not even the presence of the rogue squirrel on the pitch – the game had to be delayed twice – and a second Hull goal from Kieran Dowell in the 78th minute could prevent Bristol City from claiming three deserved points.
Millwall consolidated their place in the top five with a 2-0 win at play-off rivals Wrexham. Max Cleworth’s own goal from a Femi Azeez cross after 59 minutes gifted the Lions a fortunate lead, and they did not manage an attempt on goal until five minutes from time when substitute Josh Coburn smashed home the second. Millwall stay fifth but are now within a point of third, while Wrexham remain sixth and in the playoff spots on goal difference – six points adrift of the Lions.
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League One: Cardiff score three with 10 men
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Cardiff overcame the first-half dismissal of Ryan Wintle to win 2-0 at Rotherham and maintain their two-point lead at the top of League One. Defender Wintle was shown a straight red card following his 21st-minute challenge on Rotherham’s on-loan Leeds striker Harry Gray. But Omari Kellyman fired Cardiff into a half-time lead and further efforts from Chris Willock and Isaak Davies saw the Bluebirds extend their unbeaten league run to 10 matches.
Reeco Hackett struck a second-half double as Lincoln extended their unbeaten league run to 12 games with a convincing 4-1 win at Plymouthwith Freddie Draper and Ryan One also on target. Sam Dalby struck two first-half goals as Bolton survived a late fightback in a 3-2 win against Barnsley to stay six points behind the second-placed Imps and climb above Stockportfor whom Josh Dacres-Cogley was sent off as they were held 0-0 at home by Leyton Orient.
Marcus Harness and Cameron Ashia struck late goals as Huddersfield fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home against Blackpool. Luton maintained their play-off push with a 2-1 home win against fellow promotion hopefuls Bradford thanks to goals from Jake Richards and Shayden Morris, while Wycombe thrashed Doncaster 4-0 at Adams Park.
Kyrell Lisbie fired a hat-trick as Peterborough thumped Wigan 6-1 at home and Northampton halted a nine-game winless run by beating Stevenage 3-1. Marcus Browne also celebrated a hat-trick, which helped AFC Wimbledon to a 3-2 home win against Reading and Jake Beesley fired a double as Burton twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at relegation rivals Port Valewhile Mansfield were held 0-0 at home by Exeter. PA Media
Alfie Devine secured Preston’s first win in five league matches as they edged past struggling Portsmouth 1-0 at Deepdale. The 21-year-old struck a 40th-minute winner – his sixth goal of the season – with a well-directed header from Andrija Vukcevic’s cross. It was a big win for Paul Heckingbottom that puts his team back on track for a playoff push, but they had to dig deep against John Mousinho’s visitors, who were unfortunate not to take something from the game.
Tonda Eckert hailed the impact of Southampton new boy Cyle Larin after the Canada international, who arrived on loan from Mallorca on deadline day, scored the winner in their 1-0 victory over Watford. The 30-year-old headed home a James Bree corner less than three minutes after coming off the bench.
Eckert said: “We knew with Cyle we would have the physical presence we need. He scored the goal but it was also the way he defended at the other end. I think it couldn’t go any better than it did for him. He has a proper presence. It has been very easy for him to find his spot in the changing room.”
Watford have not won since New Year’s Day and haven’t scored in their last three matches, but their interim manager, Charlie Daniels, called it “another good performance, especially in the first half … We created a load of chances but we didn’t work the goalkeeper enough.”
Eric Ramsay is still awaiting his first win as West Brom head coach after his side were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Stokebut Albion did at least climb out of the bottom three after a more positive performance in the Welshman’s fifth game in charge. Stoke, who have now failed to win in the league since 4 January, could have claimed all three points late on as Million Manhoef’s powerful effort was stopped by Max O’Leary.
Ramsey called the display “hugely improved, and important we improved in the way we did … We had all the ingredients we wanted apart from the cutting edge.”
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League Two: Bromley go five points clear
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Jude Arthurs scored in stoppage time to seal Bromley a 2-1 win at Fleetwood and lift his side five points clear at the top. Mark Helm had headed Fleetwood into a second-half lead and Nicke Kabamba equalised soon after before Arthurs struck in the first minute of added time.
Matthew Dennis’ second-half header clinched Notts County a 2-1 home win against Barrowwhich lifted them into second place, and Manchester United loanee James Scanlon scored on his home debut for Swindon as they beat Oldham 3-0 to climb third. MK Dons made it six games unbeaten with a 3-2 win at Cheltenhamwhile Cambridge lost ground at the top, losing 2-1 at Harrogatewho registered their first league victory since September thanks to goals from Bryn Morris and Emmerson Sutton.
Walsall’s play-off hopes were hit by a 3-1 home defeat to Barnet and Tommi O’Reilly’s stunning late volley sealed Crewe a 1-0 win at Crawley to boost his side’s play-off hopes. Colchester won 2-0 at home against ShrewsburyJames Berry’s late effort sealed Chesterfield a 3-2 win at Bristol Rovers, Gillingham beat Tranmere 2-1 at Priestfield Stadium and second-bottom Newport drew 0-0 at home against Grimsby. PA Media
Leicester’s week hit a new low as they lost 2-1 at improving Birmingham. The Foxes, who had six points docked after breaching the EFL’s Profit and Sustainability rules, fell to a third straight defeat and had Bobby De Cordova-Reid sent off before half-time. They could have few complaints as Ibrahim Osman punished Ricardo Pereira’s awful mistake to give Blues a third-minute lead then Jay Stansfield netted the second, two of many chances the hosts created.
Abdul Fatawu’s memorable equaliser was a lone highlight for Andy King’s much-changed side, who have now taken just one point out of the last 15 and are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
King said: “We have 15 games to make sure we are not below the line at the end of the season. I think if the lads give what they have given in the last couple of games then we will be all right. But we can’t be arrogant or naive about it.”
Philippe Clement felt his Norwich side got what they deserved after they scored two second-half goals to see off relegation-rivals Blackburn 2-0 at Carrow Road to make it four wins in five league games. In-form Anis Ben Slimane broke the deadlock by scoring his fourth goal in five and Mohamed Toure marked his debut with the simplest of tap-ins.
“It’s never easy when you have to break down a team who adapts to the way you play,” said Clement. “But in the end we showed the fight to get the three points. We scored two good goals, created other chances, and kept a clean sheet with no saves that I can remember.”
