Image source, Rex Features

And that's where we leave tonight's action in the English Football League.

It's very much a case of keeping pace at the top with Brentford ending their run of losses in the second tier.

Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Newport and Southend in League Two, as the tail end of the season begins to hot up.

The games come thick and fast in this unusual season and there's plenty more action to come as Derby take on Nottingham Forest in the East Midlands derby to get the weekend's action under way.

We'll be back then to bring you all the action, but for now, thank you for joining us.

Image source, BBC Sport

It was always going to be a tough ask for Sheffield Wednesday at Brentford, but they missed the chance to move out of the bottom three.

Coventry remain five points clear of the drop but they will be disappointed not to have built on their weekend victory, as they lost at Swansea tonight.

Image source, BBC Sport

Victories for Brentford, Watford and Swansea keeps some pressure on leaders Norwich, who had been threatening to build an unassailable lead at the top.

There's now an eight-point gap between the fourth-placed Swans and Reading, in fifth, which perhaps hints that it's two of the top four for automatic promotion.

And how about Cardiff? Their amazing six-game winning run under Mick McCarthy has seen them sneak into sixth on goal difference.

• Brentford end a three-game losing run to beat struggling Sheffield Wednesday and keep the pressure on leaders Norwich
• Swansea edge victory against Coventry to keep pace at the top, while Watford hold on to beat Blackburn
• Cardiff move into the play-off places with victory over Bournemouth, who drop out of the top six
• Barnsley storm to a fourth win in a row to mount a play-off charge as they beat Stoke while Preston v QPR ends goalless

Another defeat for Blackburn, their fifth in a row, as they are beaten by Watford despite a spirited comeback at Ewood Park.

The Hornets seal a fourth win in a row but remain in third place in the Championship.

Cardiff claim their sixth successive victory to leapfrog opponents Bournemouth and move into the final play-off place.

A Sean Morrison header and Kieffer Moore penalty gave them a cushion, and although the Cherries improved after the break and got one back via Shane Long's header, they could not find a leveller.

The Mick McCarthy revolution continues!

All over at Deepdale as QPR's four-game winning run comes to an end with a goalless draw at Preston.

The hosts, who have lost their last two games, earn a point.

The stoppage time board goes up and four minutes have been added on.

Cardiff are wasting seconds whenever they can but Bournemouth aren't done here yet.

Stewart Downing's free-kick is sent into the box as Blackburn frantically try to find a late equaliser against Watford.

The hosts can't quite divert it into the net as the Hornets just about hold on to clear it away.

A late double change for Preston as they look to grab all three points against QPR.

Time's ticking down at Deepdale.

Four minutes left plus stoppage time.

Cardiff have been poor in this second half but they're just about doing enough to keep their noses in front.

QPR trying to do what they can to force a dramatic late winner at Deepdale against Preston.

Dominic Ball fires from distance and, after taking a deflection, North End keeper Daniel Iversen gets onto the end of it.

We're into the last 10 minutes at the Vitality Stadium and Bournemouth keep piling on the pressure.

This time the lively Junior Stanislas finds Arnaut Danjuma, whose attempt is held by the increasingly busy Dillon Phillips.

Image source, PA Media

Ched Evans has just come close to a dramatic late goal for Preston as they pile the pressure on QPR.

It comes as he works onto a ball at the near post but he can't quite divert it goalbound.

Having been so brilliant in the first half Cardiff are now struggling to get out of their half.

They have no-one holding the ball up in attack and Bournemouth continue to come at them in search of an equaliser.

Few chances in the past few minutes of this one as Watford look to maintain their two-goal lead over Blackburn.

Francisco Sierralta tries an acrobatic finish as the Hornets chase a fourth goal but Blackburn clear it off the line.

Image source, PA Media

This one is getting scrappy now.

Anthony Gordon beats Rob Dickie down the left wing and the QPR man brings him down before going into the book.

Time ticking down here and it's still goalless.

Bournemouth's Junior Stanislas tries his luck from another free-kick but this time it goes just over.

Cardiff are having to dig deep as we enter the last 17 minutes of normal time.