Image source, Rex Features

There is far more than alphabetical pride at stake at the Stok Cae Ras as Wrexham and Wigan renew EFL rivalries for the first time in more than 22 years.

Quite a bit has changed since 2002, it's fair to say, with Wigan's journey to the Premier League, Wembley and Europe in start contrast to Wrexham's drop into non-league and a painstaking battle to get out of it.

They meet today with different goals, Wrexham trying to secure back-to-back EFL promotions, while the Latics try to arrest their slide in order to get back into the promotion picture.

Wigan are way down in 14th, but are only seven points adrift of the play-off spots, thanks largely to their solid defensive record which is only bettered by Birmingham and Wrexham themselves.

The Latics seem to be one of the few sides who finish the year strong, winning three of their past four final games of the calendar year and have also won three of their past four on the road.

It'll be a tough ask to increase that tally today, however, with Wrexham taking 32 points from a possible 36 at home...

Image source, Rex Features

Grimsby Town face Port Vale in arguably the standout 3pm kick-off in League Two today.

The Mariners are coming off the back of a Boxing Day victory over Harrogate Town and a win today would help their promotion ambitions, with David Artell's side sitting just outside the play-off spots on goal difference.

High-flying Port Vale have got stuck in a rut in recent weeks and head to Blundell Park winless in their past five in the league.

Worryingly for Valiant fans, their side have lost each of their past three outings at Grimsby in the football league - the last time they lost four successive league games in Cleethorpes was in 1899.

Image source, Rex Features

No matter what Wycombe do at lunchtime, Birmingham will be favourites to finish the day top of League One as they host former manager Steve Bruce and Blackpool.

Chris Davies' men are rolling towards 2025 like a juggernaut with eight straight wins in all competitions, and have taken 26 points from a possible 30 on home turf this season.

Despite their form, Blues haven’t got the best record against the Tangerines of late, failing to win in their past three encounters, losing two of those, including a 6-1 defeat in April 2022.

Blackpool start the day in 15th and have only scored three goals across their past seven visits to Birmingham, taking five points in total and losing four of those games.

Both of these sides have suffered from festive hangovers in recent seasons, Blues have failed to win their final game of the year for the past six seasons, taking two points in total since a 1-0 home win over Leeds in 2017.

It’s even worse for Bruce’s men who have gone 13 years without winning their final game of December, picking up just five points from that run and losing the past four in succession.

Will that 13 prove unlucky for Blues? Let's find out...

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This is a first league meeting between these two sides since April 1993.

For the record, Reading ran out 3-1 winners that day at their old Elm Park home.

Since then the Royals have been to the Premier League and back, while the Stags spent five seasons in the National League and a further 10 trying to get out of League Two before John Radford's financial backing finally paid off.

Sixth against eighth has all the connotations of two sides capable of sustaining a play-off push but without the consistency to challenge any higher.

With Noel Hunt now in charge Reading, with all their off-field issues to throw into the mix, sit in the final play-off spot but four wins from their past 10 league games and two defeats from their past three suggests they are wobbling.

Fresh to the division Mansfield will be satisfied sitting three points shy of the top six, but they have won only three of their past six in the league, albeit they are on a two-game winning streak.

Consistently inconsistent seems to be the way of sides getting into the play-offs, so what will we get today?

League One

Birmingham v Blackpool

Bolton v Lincoln

Exeter v Crawley

Huddersfield v Burton

Leyton Orient v Cambridge United

Peterborough v Barnsley

Reading v Mansfield

Shrewsbury v Northampton

Stevenage v Bristol Rovers

Wrexham v Wigan

League Two

Bradford v Chesterfield

Cheltenham v Notts County

Colchester v Doncaster

Fleetwood v Harrogate

Grimsby v Port Vale

MK Dons v Crewe

Salford v Morecambe

Tranmere v Barrow

Walsall v Newport

Andrew Hawes
BBC News, Wiltshire

Back-to-back festive draws for Swindon.

Arguably Swindon had the better moments, but all in all a draw feels like the right result.

Swindon fans in a positive mood after that draw. It was a case of keeping it simple and working hard, and that could well be enough to keep them away from any trouble towards the bottom of the table.

United hold on for a vital three points and claim their first home victory in the league since August!

They're off the bottom of the table until at least 5 O'Clock tonight.

Huge roars around Brunton Park greet the final whistle following a hard-fought victory.

Goals either side of half-time from Kadeem Harris and Luke Armstrong, who scored in bizarre fashion, gives Carlisle a huge victory in this relegation "six-pointer".

Its now seven without a win for Stanley, who hit the post twice in the first-half through Shaun Whalley, and although Tyler Walton had given them hope with his goal from 17 minutes from time, they become the first club to leave Brunton Park empty-handed in over four months.

Postpublished at 14:29 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2024

14:29 GMT 29 December 2024

Carlisle United 2-1 Accrington Stanley

We are into added time into additional time following a clash involving Carlisle's Jon Mellish, who is left with a bloodied nose and has to be given a new shirt and a head bandage.

It's over. Wycombe miss the chance to return to the top of League One.

Miles Leaburn struck twice in six minutes at the start of the second half to earn Charlton a memorable win and end Wycombe's incredible unbeaten streak in League One at 19 games.

Richard Kone came off the bench to set up a tense finale with a neat finish for his 15th goal of the season in all competitions but the Chairboys could not find a leveller, despite late pressure, to extent their streak which began in mid-August.

Matt Bloomfield seems incensed at not having been awarded a penalty in the closing stages for a challenge on Gideon Kodua, but questions will surely be asked about why he allowed Kone to watch the best part of an hour from the bench given the form he's been in...

As for Charlton, they are within a point of the play-offs, as things stand...

Despite all of Stockport's second-half pressure it ends all-square.

Rotherham's Hakeem Odoffin equalised Louie Barry's opener for Stockport in the first period but the visitors dominated large swathes of the game without being able to apply the finishing touch.

Barry and Kyle Wootton both wasted clearcut opportunites while Callum Connolly hammered an effort inches wide.

Rotherham were rarely seen as an attacking force but will be the happier with the point.

Worryingly for Stockport, captain Fraser Horsfall was stretchered off in the second-half while Barry went off holding his hamstring.

The points are shared at Hayes Lane.

The first-half will not live long in the memory and the match really just caught fire when Omar Sowunmi's backpost header somehow manahed to beat Daniel Barden and give the hosts the lead.

Swindon instantly hit back though and Rosaie Longelo's leveller three minutes later earned them a deserved point.

From then on, Town looked to be the only side who were going to claim all three points but, with their best chance late on, skipper Oliie Clarke could only fire over following a good run.

A long-ball into the Cumbrian sky from an Accrington defender is comfortably claimed by Gabriel Breeze and Carlisle have the chance to run down the clock here.

Hearts in home mouths as Odin Bailey gets in a shot, it takes a deflection but Rotherham goalkeeper Dillon Barnes adjusts his feet to dive and save.

Dan Harvie's latest set-piece into the Charlton box is headed clear by the home defence, while Cameron Humphreys sliced cross back into the middle drifts over everyone and out for a goal-kick on the far side.

Still two minutes and change to play... can Wycombe keep their streak alive and go top of the table?

A free-kick in injury time for Stockport - it's 25 yards out for Ollie Norwood - it's into the wall.

We're into SIX minutes of additional time at Brunton Park.

Can United hold on to a vital three points?

Corey Whitely hits an ambitious strike for Bromley which sails harmlessly wide of the Swindon Town goal.

Meanwhile, Swindon have a set-piece just outside the Bromley box but Will Wright's excellent fizzing cross is brilliantly defended by a Bromley head.

We're into five minutes of added on time here

OK, make that SEVEN minutes of additional time...

You can imagine what the home fans make of that.

We will have seven minutes of time added on - time enough for a winner?

Wycombe piling on the pressure with a few late set-pieces into the Addicks goalmouth but the Charlton defence are proving equal to it so far...

Into the last minute of the 90 - expect at least four or five to be added.