:00:34. > :00:40.Evening. It's been one of those weeks in the Sky Bet Football
:00:41. > :00:43.League. With games fast running out, the mounting pressure has put paid
:00:44. > :00:45.to two managers, with Billy Davies and Richie Barker leaving Nottingham
:00:46. > :00:49.Forest and Portsmouth respectively. But, amidst all that, there was some
:00:50. > :00:51.welcome news to report on the managerial front, as Scunthorpe's
:00:52. > :00:54.Russ Wilcox became the first Football League manager since 1889
:00:55. > :01:00.to begin his reign with a 23-game unbeaten run. Not a bad way to
:01:01. > :01:03.celebrate his 50th birthday. Well, Steve's here to see who else made
:01:04. > :01:08.the headlines, after the latest round of games.
:01:09. > :01:11.Burnley and Leicester went head-to-head in today's early
:01:12. > :01:18.kick-off. We've the best of the action from a thriller at Turf Moor.
:01:19. > :01:23.Despite losing at QPR on Tuesday, Wigan are in the thick of the race
:01:24. > :01:25.for a play-off place. We'll find out how Uwe Rosler's side got on today,
:01:26. > :01:33.in a local derby at Bolton. Brighton suffered a second
:01:34. > :01:37.successive setback to their play-off ambitions midweek, beaten by 1-0 at
:01:38. > :01:47.Sheffield Wednesday. We've the best of the action from a crucial match
:01:48. > :01:54.against Middlesbrough. And a year after rescuing York City
:01:55. > :02:03.from return to the Conference Nigel Worthington has guided them into
:02:04. > :02:07.play-off contention. Right, to the big game in the
:02:08. > :02:11.Championship, as the top two met at Turf Moor, in a contest which could
:02:12. > :02:13.decide on who takes the title come May. Championship leaders Leicester
:02:14. > :02:16.needed a stoppage-time equaliser, to deny struggling Yeovil a win on
:02:17. > :02:19.Tuesday. With goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel striking the crossbar,
:02:20. > :02:22.before Chris Wood headed in the rebound, to extend their unbeaten
:02:23. > :02:26.run to 18. Well, today, the Foxes were at Burnley, who closed the gap
:02:27. > :02:29.to just three points, with a midweek win against Doncaster. Sean Dyche
:02:30. > :02:32.was missing a number of his key performers, including Danny Ings and
:02:33. > :02:35.Kieran Trippier. However, today he made one enforced change. Michael
:02:36. > :02:37.Kightly replacing the suspended Dean Marney. Nigel Pearson's Leicester
:02:38. > :02:41.team were unchanged from their midweek draw, as they looked to end
:02:42. > :02:42.the only unbeaten home record in the Football League. Commentary from
:02:43. > :03:11.Kevin Keatings. There is a problem here for boats. A
:03:12. > :03:23.real worry with Danny Ings also out. He looks in some distress. Injuries
:03:24. > :03:29.are not going to mar their season? He jarred knee. His face tells it
:03:30. > :03:42.all. A very good challenge. An equally
:03:43. > :03:54.good one from Jones. Barnes. David Jones. For a split second, it looks
:03:55. > :04:00.like he might have won the race. Jones won the initial tackle. And
:04:01. > :04:10.not too far away. Shackled losing out. A run on for
:04:11. > :04:18.Vardy. They are claiming a penalty. A little tug on the number nine, the
:04:19. > :04:21.Burnley captain lost possession. They converged around Vardy, he
:04:22. > :04:25.nearly got into a shooting position. It looked like a little
:04:26. > :04:32.tug from shackled but Burnley get away with it.
:04:33. > :04:44.Nobody was stationed at the far post for Leicester. Let us look from a
:04:45. > :04:45.different angle. Had Vardy gone down he might have given Chris Foy more
:04:46. > :05:05.of a decision to make. A good run from Wood. Nugent. A
:05:06. > :05:17.chance. Goal, brilliantly taken by David Nugent. The former Burnley
:05:18. > :05:28.loanee. Daydream of the Premier League now. A giant leap towards the
:05:29. > :05:38.top flight, from the right foot of David Nugent. Wood with the initial
:05:39. > :05:47.assist. A lovely place, beyond the despairing clutches of Heaton. 20th
:05:48. > :06:03.goal of the season. Right now, it feels the most important.
:06:04. > :06:18.A good cross. Stanislas was showing plenty of interest. Excellent
:06:19. > :06:25.defending from the late. -- De Laet. Chris Foy, making sure the ball is
:06:26. > :06:32.somewhere on the line of the quadrant.
:06:33. > :06:39.Jones, appealing for handball. Another strong appeal from Burnley
:06:40. > :06:50.for a penalty. But, only a free kick for Leicester. It is not going to
:06:51. > :06:57.increase Chris Foy's fun club -- fan club at Turf Moor.
:06:58. > :07:17.The woodwork saved Burnley. Knockaert really caught hold of
:07:18. > :07:41.that. They stood off at their peril here,
:07:42. > :07:57.Burnley. Knockaert was so unlucky. A slip. Arfield. Away by Schmeichel.
:07:58. > :08:06.Morgan, the captain, offering a great opportunity. One on one, but
:08:07. > :08:12.the Dane was equal to it. Danny Ings would love to be out here today. He
:08:13. > :08:19.has enjoyed a wonderful season. Premier League interest.
:08:20. > :08:35.Baird, dispossessed. An excellent run. Now, for blue shirts but he
:08:36. > :08:44.couldn't find any of them. Back with shall up -- Schlupp. Looking for a
:08:45. > :08:47.second Leicester goal here. It was a poor cross efficiently. --
:08:48. > :09:04.initially. Much better from Burnley. A block by
:09:05. > :09:13.Vasilevskiy. There is a purpose about Burnley, suddenly.
:09:14. > :09:29.He has done well. Wood, magnificent. Lester's inexorable march towards
:09:30. > :09:36.the Premier League continues -- Leicester's. A wonderful strike from
:09:37. > :09:42.Wood. They cannot see the finishing line but, boy, can they taste it. A
:09:43. > :09:46.hopeful ball forward, Wood getting the better of Duff, on the volley.
:09:47. > :10:04.He comfortably beat Heaton. Joyous scenes among the fans. Surely
:10:05. > :10:10.they are going up. And most probably as champions.
:10:11. > :10:17.You take three or four players out of the site, it does affect a game.
:10:18. > :10:23.But they are a very good side. They got the rub of the green with the
:10:24. > :10:29.big decisions. That did affect the game and the second goal. Credit to
:10:30. > :10:34.them, they are up there for -- reason, because they are a very good
:10:35. > :10:37.side. We still have a lot of work to be done.
:10:38. > :10:43.We have put ourselves in a good position, clearly. With the number
:10:44. > :10:48.of points to play for, it is still for us to get ourselves over the
:10:49. > :10:54.line. We have to get back to business again on Tuesday. I saw the
:10:55. > :11:00.second goal. A nudge in the back is sometimes
:11:01. > :11:07.enough. He had to make a decision, it was outside the box why is it a
:11:08. > :11:11.foul. A great record that Burnley put
:11:12. > :11:14.together, unbeaten in 13 months. How impressed were you with a wake
:11:15. > :11:19.Leicester City went about their business?
:11:20. > :11:26.They are totally professional. No doubt about that. It was more a
:11:27. > :11:32.victory for the squad as a whole. It emphasised the point, when Sam Vokes
:11:33. > :11:43.went up, Burnley had to put one up front. I am not sure how it suited
:11:44. > :11:49.them. It doesn't go over, he doesn't twist it. That will be worrying.
:11:50. > :11:56.Vardy went off. They swapped like-for-like and carried on. They
:11:57. > :12:00.were unhurried. They seemed to be very cool and calm in these
:12:01. > :12:08.situations, even in big games like this. They deserved to win. But you
:12:09. > :12:13.take those big players out of the side, it makes a difference. What
:12:14. > :12:18.about the way Leicester City changed, they brought on Wood for
:12:19. > :12:24.Vardy. That combination worked almost
:12:25. > :12:28.immediately. Looking at that, I think he might
:12:29. > :12:35.have defended differently. Nugent was involved in the build-up. One
:12:36. > :12:42.thing on his mind as he comes inside. He gets a break. It opens up
:12:43. > :12:49.a bit too easily. A wonderful finish. The substitute Wood, a
:12:50. > :12:55.special strike at the end. You will equate this challenge with
:12:56. > :12:59.the one we saw in the penalty box when we saw handball for Leicester
:13:00. > :13:04.City. How much is their contact? I do not know. He still has an awful
:13:05. > :13:14.lot to do after that. He has played a big part. He gets an equaliser the
:13:15. > :13:16.other night. And the goal here. What they have is players who can come in
:13:17. > :13:28.and it is seamless. Elsewhere in The Championship there
:13:29. > :13:31.was another big match in prospect at the Reebok Stadium, as promotion
:13:32. > :13:36.chasing Wigan Athletic arrived at Bolton Wanderers for a crucial
:13:37. > :13:39.Manchester derby. Louis Rosler made no fewer than seven changes
:13:40. > :13:45.following their midweek defeat at QPR. The likes of boys, bonnet, and
:13:46. > :13:47.Marc Antoine Fortune coming in. Martin Fischer watch this one. --
:13:48. > :14:13.the likes of Boyce and Barnett. An early shot coming in, and Ali
:14:14. > :14:18.Al-Habsi needs to attempt to keep that one out, it was well struck by
:14:19. > :14:19.Robert Hall, and Ali Al-Habsi almost caught out within the opening 40
:14:20. > :14:35.seconds. Trotter, brought it down well, and
:14:36. > :14:41.that is another fine stop by Ali Al-Habsi. Alton wander starting
:14:42. > :15:00.encouragingly, first he gets out Trotter, and then Kevin just give
:15:01. > :15:10.its. -- Jutkiewicz. The free kick against Barnett as he climbed all
:15:11. > :15:21.over Jutkiewicz. The decision was given by the assistant on the near
:15:22. > :15:25.side. Looks like it will be Robert Hall to swing it in with the left.
:15:26. > :15:39.Good delivery, and where is the goal, Jutkiewicz stabs at home. His
:15:40. > :15:42.sixth goal of the season, it was all about whether Jutkiewicz could get
:15:43. > :15:54.there, and it was the slightest of touches.
:15:55. > :16:11.Jay Spearing. Lee. Trotter. That is a lovely ball from Jay Spearing.
:16:12. > :16:16.Lee, He has a sight of goal, instead he has gone and played it to
:16:17. > :16:22.Jutkiewicz. Hall, Going for the placement, ringing the save out of
:16:23. > :16:26.Ali Al-Habsi. It was the save that you would expect him to make, 95
:16:27. > :16:35.times out of 100. It was pretty straightforward.
:16:36. > :16:47.He has gone down a blind alley. But the challenge from MacArthur wins a
:16:48. > :17:01.free kick. That is going to be sworn in by
:17:02. > :17:07.Ream. Only as far as Jay Spearing, good shot! It was pretty straight,
:17:08. > :17:16.it was powerful, and Ali Al-Habsi helps it over the crossbar.
:17:17. > :17:25.The corner kick taken short, back in for Jay Spearing to swing it across,
:17:26. > :17:34.and Ali Al-Habsi got a fingertip to that, too. David Wheater scored the
:17:35. > :17:42.winner against Blackpool on Tuesday. Hall, swings it in, good delivery to
:17:43. > :17:49.the near post. It comes out as far as Ream and Jutkiewicz has kept that
:17:50. > :17:55.in, it is away from Barnett, and headed away by James Perch. And on
:17:56. > :18:01.that occasion, nowhere near as good as the earlier attempt. Three good
:18:02. > :18:09.saves by Ali Al-Habsi, that, probably the pick of the bunch.
:18:10. > :18:30.Waghorn. Taking on Ream. Towards the back post. Can MacArthur make
:18:31. > :18:33.anything of it? Adam Bogdan gets there just ahead of Callum
:18:34. > :18:42.McManaman. That is the busiest he has been all afternoon, Adam Bogdan.
:18:43. > :18:50.Jutkiewicz and Trotter, through the centre. He is away from James Perch,
:18:51. > :18:55.and he has got the shot away, and Ali Al-Habsi saw that very late.
:18:56. > :19:09.Again, he produces a very good stop to deny the American is first goal
:19:10. > :19:19.for Bolton. -- his first. It can go either left again to Waghorn or
:19:20. > :19:29.Beausejour. Nick Powell! What a lovely finish. Thumped in. Two
:19:30. > :19:33.minutes from time, the cross from Waghorn found the feet of Nick
:19:34. > :19:42.Powell, and a 20-year-old, on loan from Manchester United, thumps home
:19:43. > :19:47.his 12th goal of the season. Baptiste, losing his footing, Powell
:19:48. > :19:52.has robbed him, looking for Marc Antoine Fortune. He is away from
:19:53. > :19:58.David Wheater, is he? Great save by Adam Bogdan, very brave goalkeeping,
:19:59. > :20:08.it is a poor clearance, only as far as Callum McManaman. He goes down.
:20:09. > :20:12.Baptiste brings him down, penalty. And the referee, Darrin Drysdale,
:20:13. > :20:19.after consulting his assistant, Jason Whiteley, points to the spot.
:20:20. > :20:26.Can Adam Bogdan be the hero for Bolton? Jordi Gomez, the wind three
:20:27. > :20:34.precious points, for Wigan. An essay by Adam Bogdan. And on the balance
:20:35. > :20:41.of play, you cannot deny -- the save by Adam Bogdan. You cannot did I --
:20:42. > :20:47.deny that Bolton deserved to take something from this contest. Jordi
:20:48. > :20:53.Gomez, usually so accurate from the penalty spot, failed. We showed
:20:54. > :21:02.great energy and desire to get in and around Wigan. We were by far the
:21:03. > :21:08.better side, but we dug in, and it was a wonderful save by Adam Bogdan
:21:09. > :21:23.to secure the point. Did you try and cite him out by bouncing down on the
:21:24. > :21:30.goal line? -- psyche him out. I have seen taking penalties but I would
:21:31. > :21:40.not rather reveal my secret. We have got fantastic spirit. And in the
:21:41. > :21:46.end, I felt, we lost two points, 34 minutes before the end, we probably
:21:47. > :21:51.would have taken the draw. What's going on after the end of that game,
:21:52. > :22:01.considering Bolton didn't have much to play for, they were very
:22:02. > :22:03.impressive for 80 minutes. It is unusual that they have got
:22:04. > :22:15.themselves into the situation that they have. I thought he played well
:22:16. > :22:23.today. He was a constant threat all afternoon. Great quality, lots of
:22:24. > :22:26.them in between the goalkeeper and the defenders, into no man's land,
:22:27. > :22:33.the goalkeeper does not know whether to take the original cross, or
:22:34. > :22:37.somebody gets a touch. Only in the last ten minutes, as we have already
:22:38. > :22:42.mentioned. You like this then is from the towel. Yes, it is one of
:22:43. > :22:48.the toughest techniques in the business, hitting a ball that is
:22:49. > :22:52.coming across you, at pace. And having the technique to hit that,
:22:53. > :22:57.across the ball like that, that is fantastic. They look a little bit
:22:58. > :23:03.tired at times. The substitutions did not quite work for them. Having
:23:04. > :23:07.said that, it is a sign of a side that has got the bit about them to
:23:08. > :23:11.stay in the game like that, and drank some reserves of energy out of
:23:12. > :23:21.it to get something out of the game. And they could have snapped the win
:23:22. > :23:25.at the end. Yes, it was a penalty, he goes down, under that challenged
:23:26. > :23:31.by Baptiste. And you see what he does on the line. This used to drive
:23:32. > :23:38.me mad. He stands where you're going to put it, and that is a fantastic
:23:39. > :23:41.save. He's not going to say that if you're not allowed to move along the
:23:42. > :23:50.line, but it is a marvellous save. It was no more than Bolton deserved.
:23:51. > :23:57.Wigan have now gained 19 points from losing positions, which is an
:23:58. > :24:00.excellent record. To the battle for the play-offs now and we start at
:24:01. > :24:04.Loftus Road as QPR looked to build on a massive win in midweek, with
:24:05. > :24:07.Yossi Benayoun scoring the winner against Wigan before being sent-off
:24:08. > :24:12.as Rangers went third. Next up for them - Blackpool. On paper at least,
:24:13. > :24:17.Blackpool seemed like the ideal opponents as QPR look to close the
:24:18. > :24:22.gap on second spot. The visitors lost 11 of their previous 12 away
:24:23. > :24:27.games. They have had a surprise in score, with the header from David
:24:28. > :24:32.Goodwillie giving them a dream lead after 11 minutes. QPR look for an
:24:33. > :24:35.immediate response. Ravel Morrison had scored five in his last six, but
:24:36. > :24:40.could not stretch that one this time. Overall, they have not scored
:24:41. > :24:44.enough goals this season. That could cost them in the final reckoning.
:24:45. > :24:52.Matt Gilks denied Danny Simpson just after the break. Barry Ferguson's
:24:53. > :24:57.team held firm, as Harry Redknapp through on Junior Hoilett and Modibo
:24:58. > :25:03.Maiga, the latter of whom thundered a shot just off the bar. 12 minutes
:25:04. > :25:08.from the end, Blackpool caved in. Morrison finding Junior Hoilett, who
:25:09. > :25:17.worked enough room to phase in the equaliser. -- fizz in. They needed
:25:18. > :25:21.one more to remain serious contenders for automatic promotion.
:25:22. > :25:26.Morrison tried his luck, but Matt Gilks was equal to it. With nine
:25:27. > :25:31.points to make up, it is looking like the play-offs now, but
:25:32. > :25:38.encouraging signs for Blackpool, who almost took Maxima points, but they
:25:39. > :25:43.missed a chance right at the death. I thought that the boys were ever so
:25:44. > :25:49.hard. I thought we could have nicked it at the end. All in all, I am
:25:50. > :25:54.delighted for the boys. It is very difficult, if you win today, it is
:25:55. > :26:05.still difficult. We have just got to keep going and see what happens.
:26:06. > :26:11.Charlton picked an attacking line-up at Derby County, including three
:26:12. > :26:14.strikers in the starting 11. Marvin Sole Bell combined to give Johnnie
:26:15. > :26:19.Jackson and early sight of goal. Lee Grant was equal to it, but the Derby
:26:20. > :26:24.County forwards were firing, all three of them on target, as Derby
:26:25. > :26:36.put on another show strength. The second goal in three games for
:26:37. > :26:41.Patrick Bamford. Wave after wave of attacks eventually paid off. Derby
:26:42. > :26:45.taking a 2-0 lead into the interval, with Patrick Bamford
:26:46. > :26:49.scoring his 24th goal of the season, Charlton have only got 26 between
:26:50. > :26:54.them. Only the impressively bearded Ben Hamer kept the scoreline
:26:55. > :26:58.respectable, sporting Andre Wisdom as half-time approached. Charlton
:26:59. > :27:04.enjoyed a good spell after the break. Callum Harriet was one of
:27:05. > :27:09.several to force says out of grant, ultimately, Charlton came up short.
:27:10. > :27:15.Joe Piggott also went close for Charlton, but they lack the
:27:16. > :27:21.firepower of their hosts. The Rams made it nine goals in a week thanks
:27:22. > :27:25.to Chris Martin, his famous namesake became consciously uncoupled from
:27:26. > :27:34.Gwyneth Paltrow in the week, but Derby and him remain very happy
:27:35. > :27:37.together. They reacted well after Tuesday and the disappointment of
:27:38. > :27:52.losing that last-minute goal, so six points out of nine in a tough week.
:27:53. > :27:59.That is very good. Ridding have not won in five games. And more pain was
:28:00. > :28:09.in store for the Royals. Wells scored his first away from home goal
:28:10. > :28:20.in over two months. Jobi McAnuff did his best to inspire Reading, but
:28:21. > :28:26.Pavel Pogrebnyak scored his third successful spot kick of the season,
:28:27. > :28:30.1-1. It has been a rough run for the Terriers. Five with a win before
:28:31. > :28:41.this, Adam Clayton get out by Alex McCarthy.
:28:42. > :28:49.McCarthy was beaten this time, but the ball came back off the post.
:28:50. > :28:54.Perhaps the move of the game belonged to Redding, with this neat
:28:55. > :29:00.passing down the right-hand side. And a razor sharp safe. The
:29:01. > :29:10.Huddersfield goalkeeper was certainly kept busy. He got enough
:29:11. > :29:16.behind this shot. In the second half, the away team made the
:29:17. > :29:24.potential winning chances. This one from distance. Before this header
:29:25. > :29:30.required a goal line clearance as Redding hung on to the point. It has
:29:31. > :29:34.been a challenging couple of days. It is easy for people to be negative
:29:35. > :29:41.but we have picked up another point and we are in the play-off
:29:42. > :29:45.positions. Gary Brazil was still in temporary
:29:46. > :29:52.charge of Nottingham Forest as they look for a replacement for Billy
:29:53. > :30:00.Davies. Just outside the play-off places. Forest are badly out of
:30:01. > :30:05.form. Danny Collins returned to familiar territory to give them an
:30:06. > :30:11.early advantage. They went in search of a second, this attempt by
:30:12. > :30:15.Paterson deflecting wide. Visiting keeper Darlow made some important
:30:16. > :30:22.contributions. Ebanks-Blake making the necessary connection. Another
:30:23. > :30:26.scare from Nottingham Forest. Collins under pressure from Smith,
:30:27. > :30:37.nearly putting it through his own net. Darlow made his best save of
:30:38. > :30:42.the match here. The keeper was in irresistible form. Murphy made it 11
:30:43. > :30:47.for the campaign to level it up and give them a share of the points, a
:30:48. > :30:55.reward for his effort and endeavour. At the other end, substitute
:30:56. > :30:59.Derbyshire could not convert the corner. Their performances have left
:31:00. > :31:07.a lot to be desired but this was much improved. One late chance, but
:31:08. > :31:08.Darlow rounded off a fine individual display with another significant
:31:09. > :31:20.display. After defeats, Brighton could not
:31:21. > :31:35.afford any more slip-ups to break into the top six. This time round,
:31:36. > :31:39.Williams was the first to test the ability of Kuszczak. Brighton were
:31:40. > :31:41.soon stretched again, this time by Tom Lane as the home side struggled
:31:42. > :31:55.to find any rhythm. Not good enough for one section of
:31:56. > :32:09.the home support. Mood was not improved when Greer had his pocket
:32:10. > :32:14.picked. Brighton were now heading for a third straight loss without
:32:15. > :32:29.scoring. 12 minutes left, and March found himself felled to the deck.
:32:30. > :32:34.The responsibility fell to Ulloa who blew his moment. Boro went on to
:32:35. > :32:38.inflict further damage, Leadbetter setting up Graham who put the seal
:32:39. > :32:51.on the visitors's first win in five League games.
:32:52. > :33:02.We won today against a very good team. They went in front. To miss
:33:03. > :33:13.the penalty was a big blow for us. The second one was a killer.
:33:14. > :33:19.A good away win for the side. We saw quite a few draws, not least the one
:33:20. > :33:23.with Nottingham Forest. Considering what is at stake at the City Ground
:33:24. > :33:29.this season, are you surprised a manager has not been lined up even
:33:30. > :33:33.before Billy Davies had left? It says a little bit more about the
:33:34. > :33:37.relationship the chairman had with Billy. Because of the haste with
:33:38. > :33:43.which he got rid of him there is something slightly amiss. We know
:33:44. > :33:51.they have already interviewed three or four from what we have heard. It
:33:52. > :33:58.is a fantastic football club. A club that is setup to get into the
:33:59. > :34:04.play-offs. He has a good budget, a good chairman, a good squad. What
:34:05. > :34:09.more do you want? If you names have been lent heavily with the
:34:10. > :34:12.position, Stuart Pearce, Malky Mackay.
:34:13. > :34:18.It appears those are not in the running. It is a great job. Whether
:34:19. > :34:24.promotion is sealed this season or not. They will always have a chance
:34:25. > :34:31.in that division with the squad and are backing. I am surprised that if
:34:32. > :34:37.one or two have been interviewed, they haven't taken it. Stuart Pearce
:34:38. > :34:43.with job as a job like that. Malky Mackay. There is still unfinished
:34:44. > :34:49.business and naturally at other clubs which need sorting out before
:34:50. > :34:55.they are released. There are extenuating circumstances. Maybe a
:34:56. > :34:59.few surprises. To the struggle for survival at the
:35:00. > :35:02.other end of the table now. And, what a result at the Den on Tuesday
:35:03. > :35:05.night for Birmingham City. Lee Clarke's side, now with an eight
:35:06. > :35:08.point cushion on the relegation zone, after their 3-2 win against
:35:09. > :35:11.Millwall. So, could they replicate that form by registering a first
:35:12. > :35:20.home win in 15, with Bournemouth the visitors to St Andrews?
:35:21. > :35:24.Bournemouth don't want March to end. They are five points away from the
:35:25. > :35:32.play-offs. Ritchie put them ahead here. And the side were full of the
:35:33. > :35:36.joys of spring. The same cannot be said of Birmingham whose inability
:35:37. > :35:42.to win at home is reaching epic proportions. The second goal was
:35:43. > :35:47.soft. Worse was to come. For the second time in a week, Bournemouth
:35:48. > :35:53.needed less than half an hour to run up a 3-goal lead, Randolph brought
:35:54. > :36:01.down gratin -- Grabben for the penalty. That ensured another home
:36:02. > :36:09.game without victory for Birmingham. Their only win at Saint Andrews came
:36:10. > :36:16.in October against Bristol Rovers. The second half didn't start any
:36:17. > :36:21.better. A stunning strike from the reliable left foot of Harte.
:36:22. > :36:27.Strangely, that moment seemed to inspire a Birmingham comeback. Five
:36:28. > :36:35.minutes later, they pulled one back with Macheda on target. His goals
:36:36. > :36:40.often come in pairs. He was to complete his fourth race of the
:36:41. > :36:47.season here. Adding a touch more respectability to the scoreline. The
:36:48. > :36:54.question is, how far will it take them?
:36:55. > :36:58.Full credit to Birmingham for how they battled. They got two late
:36:59. > :37:02.goals. I was delighted with our performance and to win so
:37:03. > :37:09.convincingly. We are moving up nicely.
:37:10. > :37:16.We capitulated in the first half. We were still making chances. Scoring
:37:17. > :37:23.two goals in the second. In all honesty, they played well. It could
:37:24. > :37:26.have been anything up to six, seven or eight. We did lots of good things
:37:27. > :37:35.with the ball but we were really poor without it.
:37:36. > :37:43.Games are running out fast for Millwall. There wasn't much in the
:37:44. > :37:47.way of good fortune for the Lions. This terrific free kick deserved a
:37:48. > :37:58.goal. After half-time, it appeared luck might be on the turn. A
:37:59. > :38:07.penalty, and the Rovers captain was sent off by referee James Linington.
:38:08. > :38:11.Williams 's has scored seven spot kicks for MK Dons. His Millwall
:38:12. > :38:22.account was opened emphatically. Back came the ten men. Keane bagged
:38:23. > :38:27.his first Blackburn goal. Two minutes from time, Kean found
:38:28. > :38:39.Jackson, for a second Millwall penalty. -- fouled.
:38:40. > :38:52.And a vital win. But who says lightning doesn't strike twice? King
:38:53. > :38:55.ripped the wind out of Millwall. Even then, they could have won it,
:38:56. > :39:09.this diving header just wide. We dropped two points, it would have
:39:10. > :39:15.been great to get that victory. We worked hard for it, we got ourselves
:39:16. > :39:20.in front. Two decisions there we haven't been getting recently. The
:39:21. > :39:25.referee sent someone of which was unbelievably harsh. It may or may
:39:26. > :39:29.not have been a penalty. We got ourselves in front. They went down
:39:30. > :39:35.to ten men yet they scored. We have to be tougher.
:39:36. > :39:39.We have got done by penalty decisions which have gone against us
:39:40. > :39:49.all week. That was disappointing. Down to ten men. With the spirit and
:39:50. > :39:56.character they showed, we have to be happy with the one point in the end.
:39:57. > :40:03.Overall, we played well. It has been a long time coming but
:40:04. > :40:08.Watford finally won away. Behind early on, Angella with the opener, a
:40:09. > :40:14.sign of things to come. They haven't recorded a victory in 12 League
:40:15. > :40:18.games on the road. But after this cross, they were in sight of a rare
:40:19. > :40:26.success on their travels. Two goals in quick succession. Deeney was
:40:27. > :40:31.confronted by Kirkland with a delightful finish to make it five
:40:32. > :40:37.goals in six matches. Within minutes, he had scored his second.
:40:38. > :40:43.Following up with maximum effect to take his tally to 24 the season. The
:40:44. > :40:50.top scorer making his present out. Game over for Wednesday. It was all
:40:51. > :40:57.about restoring some pride for them. Afobe scored their consolation. By
:40:58. > :41:04.then, they were well beaten. This was Watford's first away triumph
:41:05. > :41:07.since October. Everybody has been talking about it
:41:08. > :41:16.since October when we managed to win away. It has probably been too long.
:41:17. > :41:21.Today, we finally put it to bed. Another farcical week at Leeds,
:41:22. > :41:26.starting with a failed takeover, now the players aren't getting paid
:41:27. > :41:30.properly. Doncaster twisted the knife a bit more, a goal from
:41:31. > :41:38.cultural adding to the misery. That gave Rovers the platform they needed
:41:39. > :41:42.to achieve safety. Sharp shaking off these attentions to cap off an
:41:43. > :41:47.excellent first half for the away side. Leeds rallied after the break
:41:48. > :41:53.and got one back after the Cormack headed in his 28th of the season in
:41:54. > :41:59.all competitions. But the football seems secondary with their future
:42:00. > :42:04.still very much in the balance. The first half, we were outstanding.
:42:05. > :42:11.Chances were created. The second goal typified that. The second half,
:42:12. > :42:15.we got back right into the game and we played on the front foot. I think
:42:16. > :42:22.we could have got something, so it is bitterly disappointing.
:42:23. > :42:28.A Lawrence shot from this cunning free kick was as good as it got for
:42:29. > :42:34.Yeovil. It was tame in the first half. The Glovers went to pieces in
:42:35. > :42:43.the second. The catalyst was this Webster howler, a gift for O Grady.
:42:44. > :42:48.Nine minutes later, veteran midfielder Lawrence seized on a
:42:49. > :42:52.loose ball. The former Sunderland man notched his first football
:42:53. > :42:59.League goal since April 2012. That came against Barnsley, for Cardiff.
:43:00. > :43:07.Yeovil rarely resembles the side from midweek. Although they did come
:43:08. > :43:13.in with a shout with 20 minutes to go. Barnsley soon be established
:43:14. > :43:18.their cushion. O Grady avoiding the offside trap before recording his
:43:19. > :43:24.13th of the season. They really have reversed their goal-scoring
:43:25. > :43:30.problems, having only achieved two goals in seven, they have now scored
:43:31. > :43:35.seven in two games. Barnsley avoided relegation on the final day of last
:43:36. > :43:37.season. Having recorded back-to-back wins the first time in this
:43:38. > :43:48.campaign, it could be great escape. They took their chances in the
:43:49. > :43:53.second, but that is the hard work that we have put in on the training
:43:54. > :44:00.ground. It has all come to information. -- to fruition. You
:44:01. > :44:11.cannot make those mistakes in important games. We did not create
:44:12. > :44:16.too many opportunities. That was a huge win for Barnsley. On an
:44:17. > :44:19.afternoon when most of the play-off contenders dropped points,
:44:20. > :44:25.Bournemouth picked up a fabulous result to conclude a map your -- a
:44:26. > :44:33.marvellous March. And yet more misery for the locals in Birmingham.
:44:34. > :44:42.They Ahram marvellous run. In the last six or seven weeks. -- they are
:44:43. > :44:47.on a marvellous run. Yann Kermogant and Lewis Grabban have got a good
:44:48. > :44:53.partnership. What a difference Yann Kermogant has made. They have done
:44:54. > :44:57.very well. If you put them in the equation, you have got to put
:44:58. > :45:00.Blackburn and Watford in the occasion -- in the equation, because
:45:01. > :45:07.they have both moved up to 55 points. But the people in those
:45:08. > :45:10.play-off positions are not giving -- not winning as often as they would
:45:11. > :45:16.like and that is giving the Cherries a real opportunity. Leeds United
:45:17. > :45:23.losing five of the last six games, and it has been a miserable week for
:45:24. > :45:26.them and their fans. There is uncertainty throughout the club, as
:45:27. > :45:32.the Administration, wages, players getting paid, the fit and proper
:45:33. > :45:40.person test. So many things that are happening. It is no wonder that it
:45:41. > :45:45.has affected them. And there was a big game between two of the bottom
:45:46. > :45:50.three, at Huish Park. Barnsley at their clinical best when they
:45:51. > :45:56.needed. They have lost to fellow strugglers. They lost earlier this
:45:57. > :46:02.season and he remained quite upbeat, Gary Johnson. Aside where they have
:46:03. > :46:05.gone through points ahead. The problem for them now is that it has
:46:06. > :46:10.gone the other way round. Those three points put pressure on
:46:11. > :46:18.Charlton, but it is not them that have put Charlton under pressure, it
:46:19. > :46:24.is Barnsley. Leaders, Wolves scored a 4-2 win at Molineux. On Saturday,
:46:25. > :46:36.they were facing MK Dons cheered on by almost 9000 away fans.
:46:37. > :46:45.9002 MK Dons, Wolves taking 9000 fans, ensuring the first ever 20,000
:46:46. > :46:52.plus crowd for a home game for MK Dons. MK Dons found breaking down
:46:53. > :46:58.the best defence in League One I call order. It became harder still
:46:59. > :47:05.when that challenge from Sanmi Odelusi earned him a second booking
:47:06. > :47:10.and a first career sending-off. From that free kick, Wolves make sure
:47:11. > :47:19.that MK Dons were punished. Shots were blocked in a melee but Liam
:47:20. > :47:22.McAlinden scored, his first league goal for the club, and what a time
:47:23. > :47:33.to get it in front of those travelling thousands in old gold.
:47:34. > :47:39.Promotion insight for Wolves. I am delighted for the Clinton, his first
:47:40. > :47:44.role for Wolves in front of almost 10,000 people, so a great start for
:47:45. > :47:48.him. If it is wrong and he has got it wrong, he will be getting told
:47:49. > :47:55.shortly. If he has got that wrong, it is a big decision. Keeping pace
:47:56. > :48:01.with Wolves is proving a tough assignment for Brentford. Keeper
:48:02. > :48:05.David Barton deny James Wilson in the second half. Oldham athletic a
:48:06. > :48:08.different point of this, quite right points above the drop zone before
:48:09. > :48:12.kick-off, and James Dayton should have done better with this
:48:13. > :48:22.one-on-one chance against Barton. But it is hard to keep the Brentford
:48:23. > :48:27.forms quite the 90 minutes. Stuart Dallas had a late volley saved, not
:48:28. > :48:32.vintage Brentford, but they remained rock-solid in second spot. Lucky to
:48:33. > :48:38.get the point, and it was that type of game. We will learn from that.
:48:39. > :48:46.The first half was not the level required. The players will admit
:48:47. > :48:50.that. With Brentford and Wolves collecting points on their travels,
:48:51. > :48:54.Leyton Orient's automatic promotion hopes could not afford another
:48:55. > :48:57.slip. Russell Slade insisted they were the better team, but the
:48:58. > :49:01.Bradford goalkeeper John McLaughlin would not be beaten. The decisive
:49:02. > :49:05.goal came from a corner kick from Gary Jones, Aaron McLean with the
:49:06. > :49:13.all-important touch. It was Bradford's day. We were calm in our
:49:14. > :49:16.defending. There was a real determination about the team. We
:49:17. > :49:24.needed it after a disappointing performance midweek. Rotherham are
:49:25. > :49:28.enjoying their best run since 1971. Unbeaten in 14 games, against
:49:29. > :49:32.Roberto city team that has found some form recently. It lived up to
:49:33. > :49:40.the pre-match billing on with some outstanding goals, James Tavernier
:49:41. > :49:44.will not forget that strike in a hurry. Bristol city came back into
:49:45. > :49:47.the match with another wonderful offering, this time from Wade
:49:48. > :49:52.Elliott, and manager Steve Coppell has them playing with confidence.
:49:53. > :49:56.Wade Elliott showed that as he went for a goal in spectacular style.
:49:57. > :50:00.They put five past portrayal in the last outing, but there would be no
:50:01. > :50:07.repeat of that high-scoring affair. Waldrom winning, as Tavernier kept
:50:08. > :50:14.alive their automatic promotion hopes. It is a measure of the
:50:15. > :50:18.strength of the one that Preston began the day that. Paul Gallagher
:50:19. > :50:27.with a shot that went just wide. It helps to have a striker you can rely
:50:28. > :50:34.on. And they had exactly that. Joe Garner with his 23rd of the season
:50:35. > :50:37.in all competitions. Preston North End could have sealed the game in
:50:38. > :50:42.the second half. The header from Stuart Bevan was the closest they
:50:43. > :50:56.came. The victory leaves them a single point away from a guaranteed
:50:57. > :50:59.play-off place. All that matters is winning the game. People get nervous
:51:00. > :51:04.in the last 30 minutes, but I thought we did enough to win again,
:51:05. > :51:09.anyway. At this stage it is all about gaining momentum. Preston just
:51:10. > :51:17.one defeat in 15. Joe Garner, 22 goals in 20 appearances. It is a
:51:18. > :51:22.great comeback from him. Fantastic. There is a bit of competition
:51:23. > :51:28.therefore places. They have a list of strikers. He has done very well.
:51:29. > :51:35.Sometimes players do not work under that pressure, others thrive under
:51:36. > :51:39.it, he obviously the latter. If you think of where they should finish,
:51:40. > :51:41.it would probably be the play-off places. They will be a tough side to
:51:42. > :51:48.play against. Rotherham doing likewise, three wins in a week, not
:51:49. > :52:02.tasting defeat in 15 games. Some cracking goals from the full-back,
:52:03. > :52:06.James Tavernier. This was a game that was littered with fantastic
:52:07. > :52:10.goals. That was fantastic, over the top of the wall, into the top
:52:11. > :52:15.corner. Brilliant finish. Another team that are going to go into some
:52:16. > :52:21.great form, believing that they can get through to the play-offs. Five
:52:22. > :52:27.points off second place. What about that backing for Wolves? 9000, they
:52:28. > :52:33.took two MK Dons. A local lad scoring the winner at that end, and
:52:34. > :52:42.it shows how far the club has, in its recovery. It is good to see them
:52:43. > :52:48.enjoying some good times. They have had some very lean years. As you
:52:49. > :52:52.say, it is not an easy job to do at that level. You either thrive in
:52:53. > :52:57.that situation or who tend under the pressure. They have done
:52:58. > :53:01.brilliantly, to handle what is a difficult league for clubs of that
:53:02. > :53:07.size. And the finishing line is in sight. More from League One now and,
:53:08. > :53:11.on Tuesday, Sheffield United bounced back from their first defeat in nine
:53:12. > :53:14.matches last week with a comfortable 2-0 win at Crawley. Still in with a
:53:15. > :53:20.shout of the play-offs, the Blades were at promotion rivals Swindon.
:53:21. > :53:24.Before last Saturday, Swindon's play-off chances look over, but
:53:25. > :53:28.suddenly, they have come alive, when Miles Storey got them off to a great
:53:29. > :53:33.start against Sheffield United. Keeper, Wes Foderingham had been
:53:34. > :53:40.here at Tranmere, and he bravely kept al John Brayford. The blade
:53:41. > :53:44.responded in typical style. A fast incisive move down the left was
:53:45. > :53:48.finished by the skipper, Michael Doyle. Now it was Sheffield United
:53:49. > :53:54.looking to give their play-off chances are shot in the arm. After
:53:55. > :53:58.Wes Foderingham shut out Carl Cordy, it was the Robbins broke away in
:53:59. > :54:07.devastating style to grab the winner with the game approaching stoppage
:54:08. > :54:11.time. It was superbly created. Kasim With the final pass, and teenager
:54:12. > :54:16.Louis Thompson arriving from the deep to celebrate the first goal of
:54:17. > :54:19.his career. We did not have enough possession in the second half. We
:54:20. > :54:23.came under a lot of pressure. The goalkeeper got us out of jail again.
:54:24. > :54:29.He made a world-class save at the end. That led to the winning goal.
:54:30. > :54:38.All of those things have to come together to be able to get results.
:54:39. > :54:42.At Walsall, we saw the best and worst of Craig Westcarr. This shot
:54:43. > :54:47.gave the saddle as an early lead, following a brace in the midweek win
:54:48. > :54:51.at Bradford, taking his tally for the season to 16. The shrews wee
:54:52. > :54:55.survival bid had been boosted by taking quite a Mac points in the two
:54:56. > :54:59.games before this. Robert Madley took a dim view of this challenger
:55:00. > :55:05.James Chambers. The visitors were reduced to ten men. Ten minutes
:55:06. > :55:09.later, Westcarr was on the receiving end of a full-blooded tackle from
:55:10. > :55:20.Jacobson. Both sides finished one man down. The Saddlers held on and
:55:21. > :55:22.stay in the play-off picture. To get two successive clean sheets was
:55:23. > :55:32.pleasing. It was a good goal from Westcarr. We were nowhere near best
:55:33. > :55:35.but we did enough to win the game. Stevenage prop up the League One
:55:36. > :55:39.table and after two league defeats, they could not afford another
:55:40. > :55:45.setback. They failed to hit up Tom Pope, and he added to his impressive
:55:46. > :55:48.goals tally, 16 to the campaign. The response from Stevenage was
:55:49. > :55:56.positive, a Luke Freeman free kick headed home by defender, Peter
:55:57. > :56:00.Hartley, and they had their reward. Distinct signs of life at Meadow
:56:01. > :56:04.Lane. Were successive victories give the Magpies the chance to escape the
:56:05. > :56:09.bottom four. Their robe ladder to safety could be the goals of Ronan
:56:10. > :56:13.Murray. He broke clear to score five what was the fifth goal in his last
:56:14. > :56:17.question matches. Colchester had not won a game here for 12 years.
:56:18. > :56:24.Freddie Sears was kept out by the prose, as close as they have come in
:56:25. > :56:28.the first half. -- out by the post. Aidan Hollis hit two in the previous
:56:29. > :56:32.Notts County home match, his first goals for the club, and another goal
:56:33. > :56:47.here, not bad from the centre back, not bad at all. Both clubs face an
:56:48. > :56:49.anxious and decisive few weeks. The worst defence in English football
:56:50. > :56:54.facing the hottest striker in League One. It was no surprise to anyone
:56:55. > :57:00.that Callum Wilson stuck away the opener for Coventry at Crewe. The
:57:01. > :57:04.snapshot from Frank Luther Achenbach of the prose. Crewe started the
:57:05. > :57:08.match one point above the drop zone, but they levelled courtesy of an own
:57:09. > :57:14.goal from Jordan Clarke. They threaten to secure a much-needed
:57:15. > :57:19.victory. Matt Google bought the best out of Joe Murphy in the goal for
:57:20. > :57:26.the Coventry side, and then, following an incisive run, Coventry
:57:27. > :57:33.were at full stretch again. Byron Moore, close to giving Crewe the
:57:34. > :57:38.lead. When you have got a rampant striker in the ranks, there is no
:57:39. > :57:42.need to panic. Wilson's 21st league goal of the season for Coventry made
:57:43. > :57:48.certain that Crewe were back in the bottom four.
:57:49. > :57:54.Tranmere made the brighter start at Prenton Park. Actor actor was denied
:57:55. > :58:00.the opener by Chris Chandler's goal-line clearance. -- actor actor.
:58:01. > :58:06.On chances created it was a position they should have improved. J Cassidy
:58:07. > :58:14.as close as anyone to the breakthrough. He hit the woodwork.
:58:15. > :58:18.Then the 21-year-old from Wolves was sent clear on the left. Jordan
:58:19. > :58:23.Pickford had to be at his best to maintain parity. Six years after
:58:24. > :58:26.beginning his career with Carlisle, Gary maybe made another debutant
:58:27. > :58:31.after shining on loan from Gibraltar Wednesday. His shot was too high, so
:58:32. > :58:36.it was one point apiece. I thought that we had the better of the
:58:37. > :58:40.chances late in the game. But they had it cleared off the line, and we
:58:41. > :58:42.had the prose. In the end, you have got to be pleased with 0-0. -- we
:58:43. > :58:54.hit the post. Of those teams at the bottom, what
:58:55. > :59:00.about Notts County, three wins in a week, they have gone up sixth places
:59:01. > :59:05.as a result. They are calling it the great escape is on at Meadow Lane.
:59:06. > :59:12.They clearly believe it can happen. Of course. They had a poor start.
:59:13. > :59:18.Then in really good run, then they fell into a whole. They have shown
:59:19. > :59:25.again they are capable of reaching these highs. Three fantastic wins in
:59:26. > :59:36.a week. If the teams below them picked up points with a game in
:59:37. > :59:42.hand... They must have some belief. Coventry haven't had a great second
:59:43. > :59:46.half of the season. They were at one point in freefall. They have pulled
:59:47. > :59:55.themselves a points away from the relegation zone. What about this
:59:56. > :59:58.player? He has been a real find. With ten points deducted, it was
:59:59. > :00:07.always going to be an uphill struggle. It is tough. They have
:00:08. > :00:10.done well to see this season out. They have found a real positive in
:00:11. > :00:19.that young lad. If you have someone like that for next season, you have
:00:20. > :00:25.already ticked the box. Steven Pressley makes no apologies,
:00:26. > :00:30.but at this stage of the season, you have to do anything for a win. They
:00:31. > :00:37.were flirting with being in serious danger.
:00:38. > :00:43.A great season at the Swindon ground with the Thompson Brothers
:00:44. > :00:46.celebrating. It is good things after -- is good that things have settled
:00:47. > :00:52.down after Paolo di Canio. I like the way the club has handled
:00:53. > :00:57.the situation, how fans have accepted what has gone on. They are
:00:58. > :00:59.reaping the rewards. Their expectations shot up.
:01:00. > :01:04.In League 2 now, starting with the division's form team York City, who
:01:05. > :01:08.recorded their sixth win on the bounce, against Torquay on Tuesday,
:01:09. > :01:11.to climb into the play-off places. Now, in only their second season
:01:12. > :01:14.back in the Football League after seven years in the wilderness, Clem
:01:15. > :01:15.takes up the story, as promotion rivals Burton arrived at Bootham
:01:16. > :01:39.Crescent. A trip to York City is right up
:01:40. > :01:45.there with the best of them. For those who follow the club,
:01:46. > :01:52.recent times haven't been quite so enjoyable. I want a word to reflect
:01:53. > :02:00.the challenge you face putting York City back on the map. Difficult.
:02:01. > :02:04.Their ground sold from under them, and owner who had threatened to
:02:05. > :02:08.withdraw them from the Football League. Relegated anyway when they
:02:09. > :02:17.failed to win any of their final League matches a decade ago. It is
:02:18. > :02:33.surprising York City were desperate to preserve their
:02:34. > :02:45.Trivia first, you and Brendan Rodgers, family. Yes, we are
:02:46. > :02:52.cousins, we were brought up 15 miles between the two houses. We are close
:02:53. > :02:58.family. Delighted to see he is doing so well.
:02:59. > :03:03.Are the principles of banishment the same regardless of the bricks and
:03:04. > :03:07.mortar that surround you, the facilities? If you are a football
:03:08. > :03:12.person, they are the same. The higher up the League, the more focus
:03:13. > :03:25.and attention and hope -- high profile. I had some opportunities
:03:26. > :03:29.but they were not right for me. What has Nigel Worthington brought to the
:03:30. > :03:35.club? Discipline and hard work. He has
:03:36. > :03:39.edge menders work ethic which is reflecting in the performances. What
:03:40. > :03:43.a resurgence. It has been fantastic, a testament to the gaffer
:03:44. > :03:49.who has been great. Really professional. It is infectious what
:03:50. > :03:59.he is doing. It brings confidence. We are on a
:04:00. > :04:05.super run, seven games. We will look at the seven first from today. Deal
:04:06. > :04:11.with those one at a time. Hopefully we can get enough points. We have
:04:12. > :04:16.been through the mill. Anything can happen in football. We do have to
:04:17. > :04:20.take it one game at a time. It is a sweet moment for everyone at the
:04:21. > :04:27.club. Keep your feet on the ground and keep looking forward and working
:04:28. > :04:33.hard. McCombe was climbing high his
:04:34. > :04:47.header, though, a fraction over the top.
:04:48. > :04:57.Albion had a first chance falling to Kean. The goalkeeper Pope ensured
:04:58. > :05:13.this goalkeeper -- score she remained blank. -- sheet.
:05:14. > :05:20.Not an inch given by either of you. No.
:05:21. > :05:26.It was a tough game. The first half wasn't what it has been. It was
:05:27. > :05:34.better in the second half. A good second division game. A great point
:05:35. > :05:40.for us. Disappointing we didn't win. We can't get everything in this
:05:41. > :05:47.game. A case of both teams cancelling each other out.
:05:48. > :05:52.He clearly still loves the game, he has been at the highest level, with
:05:53. > :05:59.Norwich, Northern Ireland. At York now and doing very well. Lately,
:06:00. > :06:07.they have only conceded one in the last. Sometimes, off the back of a
:06:08. > :06:14.great one, a game against her -- Burton, it isn't a bad point. They
:06:15. > :06:21.have kept the unbeaten run going. For the majority of the season, it
:06:22. > :06:27.looked a struggle. But they have been elevated up the League. A far
:06:28. > :06:30.cry from the drama of last season. Time to round up the rest of League
:06:31. > :06:34.2, starting with leaders Rochdale who maintained their two-point lead
:06:35. > :06:36.at the top, with a comfortable 3-0 win over freefalling Portsmouth on
:06:37. > :06:40.Tuesday. It signalled the end of Richie Barker's time in charge. The
:06:41. > :06:50.Dale's next challenge was an away trip to Fleetwood.
:06:51. > :06:55.The top of League two suffered from a mysterious lack of goals this
:06:56. > :07:02.weekend. It wasn't for the want of trying. This overhead kick deserved
:07:03. > :07:07.better. The best chance for Fleetwood came from Blair. The
:07:08. > :07:15.keeper ensured that Rochdale kept a clean sheet. The first half, we
:07:16. > :07:24.played some really good football. We had a couple of chances. We didn't
:07:25. > :07:32.manage to put them away. We haven't lost. A cagey game. The
:07:33. > :07:39.second half belonged to us. Move over, Jose, the Special one now
:07:40. > :07:50.resides at Blandford Park, Russ Wilcox is the first man to claim the
:07:51. > :07:57.24 game unbeaten start as a manager. They could reflect on a hard earned
:07:58. > :08:04.point. Wilcox rewrote the history books.
:08:05. > :08:17.Oxford had lost their last three away League matches. A glorious
:08:18. > :08:26.opportunity here. Constable was kept out by the outstretched leg of
:08:27. > :08:34.Lewington. The winner for the Daggers was distinctly fortunate,
:08:35. > :08:40.striking Bevins on its way in. I thought we performed quite well. We
:08:41. > :08:44.passed a bit slow. Overall, a decent performance. The goal we considered
:08:45. > :08:52.will go into one of those Christmas DVDs. Clarke didn't have a save to
:08:53. > :08:59.make all afternoon, then in the 89th minute. Bitterly disappointed.
:09:00. > :09:07.Southend secured their first victory in 13 League games, on Monday. After
:09:08. > :09:11.White hit the bar, they netted a controversial when. A set piece
:09:12. > :09:18.caused a panic. Torquay claimed a handball before Eastwood celebrated
:09:19. > :09:22.his first goal since October. Making says in his side jumps into the
:09:23. > :09:28.play-off places. Two back-to-back wins. That is five
:09:29. > :09:36.undefeated. That seems a long way away, tender without a win.
:09:37. > :09:41.Hartlepool were attempting to avoid a second successive defeat.
:09:42. > :09:54.The chart keeper did well to deny Walker. The second period began
:09:55. > :09:57.brightly. Teenager Daniels was that close to a debut goal. The
:09:58. > :10:07.breakthrough eventually came in the 74th minute. Clearing only as far as
:10:08. > :10:14.the edge of the box. And the points were secured.
:10:15. > :10:25.Andy Awford's first match in charge started well. A foul was drawn, and
:10:26. > :10:35.Pompey were awarded a 22nd minute penalty. Taylor scored what was
:10:36. > :10:41.Portsmouth's second goal. Prospects improved five minutes later when
:10:42. > :10:47.Chapman launched himself into this challenge. The referee could hardly
:10:48. > :10:55.have had a better view. The red card came out. Andy Awford said he was
:10:56. > :11:03.delighted with the spirit Pompey showed. You would be hard pressed to
:11:04. > :11:16.find a better header this weekend. That made it 2-0. Portsmouth
:11:17. > :11:27.couldn't resist this. Pompey held on bags in no small part to their
:11:28. > :11:31.opponents being down to nine men. Portsmouth collected points for the
:11:32. > :11:35.first time in seven matches. The players were fantastic today,
:11:36. > :11:42.attitude, effort, commitment, desire.
:11:43. > :11:49.A bit close to the wire, but a massive win for us.
:11:50. > :11:54.The incentive was to hit the 50 point mark. Murray set his sights
:11:55. > :12:00.early, and got lucky. This seventh minute free kick catching out
:12:01. > :12:18.Worner. The Dons were hoping to go one better. Appiah Rod Sutton, then
:12:19. > :12:29.set up Francomb. -- robbed. Morris then fired this one. Just
:12:30. > :12:35.going wide. A first game in charge for Darrell
:12:36. > :12:41.Clarke after John Ward took up the role of director of football. There
:12:42. > :12:48.were some encouraging signs as Fleming nearly made a name for
:12:49. > :12:54.himself. They continued to threaten. There was a pause for optimism. The
:12:55. > :13:00.Rovers substitute delivered the telling cross which is guaranteed
:13:01. > :13:12.late drama. And Muhammad headed in a stoppage time winner. A great
:13:13. > :13:15.moment. A very anxious game. The fans could see that. The players
:13:16. > :13:20.were a little edgy with the situation we are in. Hopefully
:13:21. > :13:28.things will calm down and we can settle down as a team.
:13:29. > :13:34.And His goal at Exeter could be absolutely crucial. His side is
:13:35. > :13:41.battling for survival. This could have been even more convincing.
:13:42. > :13:47.Jordan Taylor's header scrambled to safety by his own keeper. It was a
:13:48. > :13:50.clever goal. Accrington now nine points clear of the drop zone, and
:13:51. > :13:59.Peter Murphy's late missed it not matter a jot. - miss did not.
:14:00. > :14:11.Northampton kicked off track Mac points adrift of Bury. Hallam Hope
:14:12. > :14:16.got his first start for the Shakers. He soon made an impact, stooping to
:14:17. > :14:20.head home. Both sides have made a habit of drawing games, and this was
:14:21. > :14:29.almost on level terms, as John Marquis hit the inside of the post.
:14:30. > :14:39.That was tough on Northampton. Danny Maher strode forward and his shot
:14:40. > :14:46.took a deflection to look above Matt Duke. Hope was just inches from his
:14:47. > :14:50.second. Another defeat leaves Northampton town with six matches to
:14:51. > :14:56.save their league status, the third from Bury would hardly inspire
:14:57. > :15:04.confidence. It was a debut goal but Danny Rose, and job done for the
:15:05. > :15:08.Shakers. The last few days we have been working on a game plan. The
:15:09. > :15:14.clean sheet was important. We secured that. The goals that we
:15:15. > :15:19.scored was the icing on the cake. That could be a priceless victory
:15:20. > :15:22.for Bury and what was not a great afternoon for the bottom two in
:15:23. > :15:27.League Two, but we have to say congratulations to Scunthorpe's Ross
:15:28. > :15:37.will cause, 24 unbeaten starts to life in football league management,
:15:38. > :15:41.but a touch of frustration may be. I don't accept. I look at the table.
:15:42. > :15:47.He has virtually guaranteed them promotion. If you had given him a
:15:48. > :15:53.better start sure would have taken it. Portsmouth picking up an
:15:54. > :15:56.invaluable victory to go five points clear of the relegation zone against
:15:57. > :16:06.nine menu board, exactly the kind of start that Andy Awford would have
:16:07. > :16:09.wanted. I liked the shape of the team, playing with a lone front
:16:10. > :16:13.player, that midfield, giving them stability. How they have got
:16:14. > :16:19.themselves in that situation, it is quite staggering. That is a top six
:16:20. > :16:22.squad, no doubt about that. To find themselves fighting relegation at
:16:23. > :16:27.this stage, although I am sure they will be all right after that. A
:16:28. > :16:34.quick look at the tables before we sign of.
:16:35. > :16:38.Leicester move six points clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship
:16:39. > :16:41.after ending Burnley's unbeaten home record. The Foxes now need just
:16:42. > :16:44.seven points to confirm their promotion to the Premier League. No
:16:45. > :16:48.change in the play-off positions with Derby the only side to gain
:16:49. > :16:51.three points. Bournemouth could be the surprise threat to those teams
:16:52. > :16:54.after a third straight win and are just five points behind?Reading.
:16:55. > :16:57.Doncaster's only second away win means they're now?8 points clear of
:16:58. > :16:59.the relegation zone. Yeovil dropped to the bottom after losing against
:17:00. > :17:02.Barnsley. Only goal difference is keeping Charlton out of the bottom
:17:03. > :17:06.three after their second defeat under Jose Riga. Wolves extended
:17:07. > :17:09.their lead at the top of League One to six points after their late
:17:10. > :17:12.winner at Stadium MK. With Brenftord and Orient dropping points.?Both
:17:13. > :17:14.Rotherham and Preston enhanced their positions with good home wins.
:17:15. > :17:18.Swindon are now just one point off the play-offs after a third straight
:17:19. > :17:22.win. Notts County were the only team in the bottom eight positions going
:17:23. > :17:25.into the weekend to pick up a win. The Magpies jump four places to
:17:26. > :17:28.19th?after their third win in a week. Crewe drop into the relegation
:17:29. > :17:31.zone after back-to-back defeats. With only two points separating the
:17:32. > :17:35.bottom six sides as the relegation battle heats up. Rochdale maintain
:17:36. > :17:38.their two point lead at the top as four of the top five who played
:17:39. > :17:42.today could only draw. Back to back wins for Southend moves them up two
:17:43. > :17:45.places and back into the play-off positions. It was a bad day for the
:17:46. > :17:47.bottom two, who both lost. Struggling Portsmouth earned
:17:48. > :17:50.themselves some much needed breathing space with a win at 9-men
:17:51. > :17:54.Newport, their first away win since January to move five points clear of
:17:55. > :17:58.the relegation zone. That's it from us, but a reminder that we're back
:17:59. > :18:01.on Sunday night with the best of the action from the Johnstone's Paint
:18:02. > :18:03.Trophy Final as League One play-off hopefuls Peterborough take on
:18:04. > :18:07.Chesterfield of League Two, at Wembley. That's at 11.25 on BBC One.
:18:08. > :18:10.And on Monday, Late Kick Off will have all the latest from the
:18:11. > :18:16.Football League teams in your region. It's also at 11.25 on BBC
:18:17. > :18:21.One. Hope to see you in a few hours' time. From me and Steve, goodnight.