Summary

  • Mitrovic scores again as leaders Fulham win at Cardiff

  • Second-placed Bournemouth come from behind to beat Stoke

  • Huddersfield up to third, Luton into play-offs, Blackburn beat QPR

  • Barnsley win to move off bottom, Hull thrash Peterborough

  • Hughes loses first game in charge of Bradford

  1. goal

    GOAL: Barnsley 1-0 Middlesbroughpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Mads Andersen (7 mins)

    Barnsley scoreImage source, Rex Features

    Oh my.

    Struggling Barnsley registered their first away win of the season in midweek and they have the lead now.

    Amine Bassi crosses in and Mads Anderson heads home.

    If the Tykes hold out this will be three wins in four. Long, long way to go of course.

  2. Postpublished at 15:10 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Nott'm Forest 0-0 Bristol City

    Forest have made a strong start at the City Ground and visiting goalkeeper Daniel Bentley makes a super save to deny defender Steve Cook.

  3. League One updatepublished at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    #bbcefl

    Sunderland celebrateImage source, PA Media

    An early goal in League One sees defender Bailey Wright put Sunderland ahead at second-placed Wigan with a header from Alex Pritchard's free kick.

    A good result is needed to prevent the Black Cats - who have won just once in ten games - sliding down the table.

    Elsewhere, George Byers has put Sheffield Wednesday ahead at home to Carlisle.

  4. Postpublished at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Blackpool 0-0 Reading

    Another chance for Blackpool as they dominate the opening few minutes against Reading.

    Jerry Yates has the chance to put the Seasiders ahead but it's stopped by Royals keeper Luke Southwood.

  5. Postpublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Coventry 0-0 Preston

    Coventry get the first chance of the game against Preston and it comes via some good work from Todd Kane.

    He does well on the right and puts a ball in towards Viktor Gyokeres but he heads over the bar.

    Soon after, he half-volleys a second chance which is dealt with by Sepp van den Berg.

  6. Postpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Blackpool 0-0 Reading

    Blackpool have started brightly against Reading and have won a couple of corners in the early stages.

    The wind is blowing against the Reading defence, making their task more difficult but they've defended them both so far.

  7. Listen to Squad Goalspublished at 15:02 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    #bbcefl

    To keep across every goal as it goes in, don't forget that you can also listen to Squad Goals.

    Click the play button along the top of this page to tune into our team of EFL experts - Sanny Rudravajhala, former Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson, Lucy Oliva and guest Michael Redford.

    Squad GoalsImage source, BBC Sport
  8. KICK-OFFpublished at 15:01 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    #bbcefl

    Mark HughesImage source, Rex Features

    Right then.

    The whistles are being sounded across the English Football League and we're about to get going in today's 15:00 kick-offs.

  9. Watch Final Scorepublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    #bbcefl

    Final Score is the best place to be this afternoon to stay up to date with all of the BBC's reporters around the grounds.

    Catch it live from 14:30 GMT by hitting the play button at the top of this page.

    Final ScoreImage source, BBC Sport
  10. Squad Goals - League Two game of the daypublished at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Bristol Rovers v Exeter (15:00 GMT)

    Joe Thompson
    Former Rochdale and Tranmere midfielder on Squad Goals

    Bristol Rovers are chasing a fourth straight victory as they welcome in-form Exeter to what could be a sell out at The Mem, in my game of the day.

    The home side are now three points off the play-offs and only nine off the automatic spots - that’s been quite a turnaround for Joey Barton’s team after a poor start to the season.

    The visitors on the other hand are fourth in League Two and looking like serious promotion contenders under Matt Taylor. The Grecians come into the game with four consecutive wins under their belt.

    I’m expecting action and aggression. It’s a key fixture for both in their pursuit of promotion.

  11. Home return for Hughes with top League Two sides awaypublished at 14:54 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    All games kick off at 15:00 GMT

    Mark HughesImage source, Getty Images

    All eyes are on Mark Hughes' return to management at Bradford in League Two.

    His last game in the dugout for Southampton was at home to Manchester United in December 2018 and today he welcomes Mansfield.

    Above the Stags, the top four sides in the division are on the road today. That includes Forest Green's trip to Crawley and Tranmere in action at fellow promotion hopefuls Newport.

    Two other clubs who changed manager this week are Carlisle and Leyton Orient.

    The Cumbrians replaced Keith Millen (after just 22 games) with Paul Simpson, while the O's sacked Kenny Jackett and placed Matt Harrold in caretaker charge. They face one another at Brisbane Road this afternoon.

    At the bottom end of the table, Colchester host Oldham with both sides desperate for points to steer clear of the relegation zone.

    • Barrow v Harrogate Town
    • Bradford City v Mansfield Town
    • Bristol Rovers v Exeter City
    • Colchester United v Oldham Athletic
    • Crawley Town v Forest Green Rovers
    • Leyton Orient v Carlisle United
    • Newport County v Tranmere Rovers
    • Port Vale v Stevenage
    • Rochdale v Northampton Town
    • Sutton United v Scunthorpe United
    • Swindon Town v Salford City
    • Walsall v Hartlepool United
  12. Contrasting moods among fanspublished at 14:52 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Wigan v Sunderland (15:00 GMT)

    Andy Sixsmith
    Final Score reporter

    DW StadiumImage source, BBC Sport

    I spoke to a group of seven Sunderland fans outside the DW Stadium.

    Not one of them predicted anything but defeat today, which says everything you need to know about the mood among their fans!

    In contrast, Latics fans are buoyant - their team are on the same number of points after 31 games as they were last time they were promoted.

  13. Squad Goals - League One game of the daypublished at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Plymouth v Rotherham (15:00 GMT)

    Sanny Rudravajhala
    Presenter, Squad Goals

    Rotherham have been nigh on unstoppable in League One this season. Paul Warne’s side are top of the table, have won seven in eight and won their past four away league games too.

    In 21-goal Michael Smith they’ve got a big man who can bring others into play and also has the finishing technique to boot. He’s due a goal though, with only one strike this month. The timely return to form of Freddie Ladapo is welcome for Warne. His brace in a 2-0 home win against Morecambe in midweek moved Ladapo onto 15. Not a bad return for the ex-Plymouth man.

    Steven Schumacher’s Argyle are looking to recover from a surprise 2-0 loss at Cambridge on Tuesday. They had won their past four league games in a row and their promotion push is gathering momentum.

    Rotherham may have two key strikers but Plymouth have four! Ryan Hardie, Luke Jephcott, Jordan Garrick and Niall Ennis have played their part and have 35 goals between them as we approach the business end of the season.

  14. Exciting clashes at the top of League Onepublished at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    All games kick off at 15:00 GMT

    Rotherham and Wigan, League One's top two, drew 1-1 last week.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Rotherham and Wigan, League One's top two, drew 1-1 last week

    Rotherham have cemented themselves as League One leaders but face a tricky trip to fifth-placed Plymouth.

    That could allow Wigan to close the six-point gap as they host Sunderland, who have taken one win from 10 league games.

    By contrast, Bolton have won eight out of their last 10 and could make life tough for third-placed MK Dons.

    Meanwhile, two wins in three have lifted Doncaster off the bottom, and they have a great chance to climb higher with a result at struggling AFC Wimbledon.

    • Accrington Stanley v Wycombe Wanderers
    • AFC Wimbledon v Doncaster Rovers
    • Burton Albion v Shrewsbury Town
    • Cheltenham Town v Crewe Alexandra
    • Lincoln City v Gillingham
    • Milton Keynes Dons v Bolton Wanderers
    • Morecambe v Ipswich Town
    • Oxford United v Cambridge United
    • Plymouth Argyle v Rotherham United
    • Portsmouth v Fleetwood Town
    • Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic
    • Wigan Athletic v Sunderland
  15. Elsewhere in the Championship...published at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    OakwellImage source, Rex Features

    Lowly Barnsley registered their first away win of the season with success at Hull in midweek. They'll need to follow that up with a positive result against play-off chasing Middlesbrough today.

    Reading boss Paul Ince made a winning return to football management with a win over Birmingham on Tuesday. He returns to his previous club Blackpool, who he left in January of 2014.

    Storms mean that Bournemouth haven't played for two weeks. However, they're still second and will hope to boost their promotion chances against a Stoke side in indifferent form.

    Coventry have got their play-off push back on track with successive wins, while Preston's own bid for a top six finish has hit the buffers with one point from their past two games.

    Luton Town are one of the league's form teams and victory today could send them back into the top six. Visitors Derby are now eight points off safety and need to start finding wins if they're to pull off the great escape.

    Back-to-back draws have stunted Nottingham Forest's play-off charge and they need to register a success over mid-table Bristol City today to keep pace.

  16. Squad Goals - Championship game of the daypublished at 14:45 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Peterborough v Hull (15:00 GMT)

    Michael Redford
    Squad Goals

    Football has a habit of throwing up these strange turn of events - and this is a perfect example. After being sacked by Hull at the end of last month, Grant McCann is back in management at fellow strugglers Peterborough - and his first match? Of course it's against Hull.

    McCann's appointment is the third time he's been at the club, the second as manager, and he needs to hit the ground running. Peterborough are eight points from safety and without a win in 10. As it stands, they're going down with very little fight.

    Meanwhile McCann's replacement Shota Arveladze started his tenure with a win at home to Swansea. They've not won since. That’s six games and counting. They're 13 points clear of the bottom three and should be fine, but with Reading under new management and Derby refusing to give it up, they might be looking over their shoulders.

  17. Can roaring Lions blunt Blades?published at 14:43 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Millwall v Sheffield United (15:00 GMT)

    Fans of veteran manager Neil Warnock may be familiar with a clip on YouTube of him having a particularly action-packed afternoon out at The Den when Sheffield United manager a couple of decades ago...

    The current iteration of the Lions are in fine fettle, with three successive wins sending them up to 12th and giving them an outside shot at a push for the play-offs.

    If they're to secure a top six slot you feel they'll need to beat in-form Sheffield United.

    The Blades sit in the last of the play-off spots after a late, late 1-0 win over Blackburn on Wednesday.

  18. Blues hope to secure win by order of the Peaky Blinderspublished at 14:40 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Birmingham v Huddersfield (15:00 GMT)

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    In recognition of the launch of the final season of Peaky Blinders, Birmingham City have wound the clock back.

    Blues are going under their original name of Small Heath Alliance for today's clash with in-form Huddersfield.

    It's not been an easy ride for Bowyer's side, something the Shelby family could no doubt sympathise with, but they look like they'll have plenty to avoid getting dragged into the scrap at the bottom.

    Town are on a brilliant 16-match unbeaten run and have their sights firmly set on a surprise play-off place.

    This should be a cracker.

  19. How to solve a problem like Mitro?published at 14:37 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    Cardiff v Fulham (15:00 GMT)

    Aleksandar MitrovicImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    He might have only scored twice in midweek but if Aleksandar Mitrovic says he's taking the matchball home then who are we to stop him?

    Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic broke the record for most goals in a Championship season (since the league rebranded in 2004) with a double against Peterborough on Tuesday.

    The Serbian now has 33 league goals this season.

    If you were unsure, it's still February.

    Attempting to stop the runaway league leaders today are a Cardiff side who look like they'll be clear of relegation concerns, but they did throw away a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 at Huddersfield in midweek.

  20. Championship fixturespublished at 14:33 Greenwich Mean Time 26 February 2022

    All games kick off at 15:00 GMT

    Small Heath AllianceImage source, Rex Features
    • Barnsley v Middlesbrough
    • Birmingham v Huddersfield Town
    • Blackpool v Reading
    • AFC Bournemouth v Stoke City
    • Cardiff City v Fulham
    • Coventry City v Preston North End
    • Luton Town v Derby County
    • Millwall v Sheffield United
    • Nottingham Forest v Bristol City
    • Peterborough United v Hull City