Summary

  • Championship leaders Burnley thrash Norwich to go seven points clear

  • Second-placed Sheff Utd held to stalemate at Rotherham

  • Akpom scores twice as third-placed Boro beat Blackpool

  • Birmingham win seven-goal thriller at Swansea in stoppage time

  • Sheff Wed replace Plymouth at top of League One after beating Pilgrims

  • Leyton Orient edge past AFC Wimbledon to stay top of League Two

  1. goal

    GOAL: Reading 1-2 Watfordpublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Tom Ince pen (66 mins)

    Craig Cathcart brings down Shane Long in the box and the referee points to the spot.

    Tom Ince fires the penalty into the corner of the net.

    Can Reading get another?

    Game on.

  2. League Two latestpublished at 16:21 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    #bbcefl

    Given the form guide this might be a bit of a surprise... Ben Whitfield has put Barrow ahead at Colchester, who have won five of their last eight to march up the table.

    Can the Cumbrians get back in the play-off race?

  3. goal

    GOAL: Preston 1-2 Bristol Citypublished at 16:21 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Ched Evans (61 mins)

    A shot from 25 yards out is fumbled by the Bristol City keeper Max O-Leary who pushes it out to Ched Evans who knocks the rebound into the back of the net.

  4. goal

    GOAL: Millwall 1 Sunderland 0published at 16:20 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Jake Cooper (59 mins)

    Breakthrough in the battle of the play-off hopefuls at The Den.

    It's come from centre-half Jake Cooper as a corner lands at his feet in the middle of the box and he steers it home, via the crossbar.

    The Lions up into the play-off places as things stand.

  5. goal

    GOAL: Swansea 3-2 Birminghampublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Joel Piroe (58 mins)

    Oh dear, John Ruddy look away now.

    Just three minutes after Blues got back level, the veteran keeper presents the ball straight to Joel Piroe and Swansea's top scorer needs no second invitation.

  6. goal

    GOAL: Middlesbrough 2-0 Blackpoolpublished at 16:18 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Chuba Akpom (60 mins)

    Who else?

    Chuba Akpom scores his second of the afternoon and it comes following a fabulous flowing move from Middlesbrough.

    Riley McGree plays his through to coolly finish past Blackpool keeper Chris Maxwell.

    That's his 17th goal of the season and ninth goal in his past seven home games.

  7. HITS THE WOODWORKpublished at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackpool

    Blackpool keep on testing Middlesbrough and they've just come centimetres away from a leveller.

    Jerry Yates, who earlier had a goal disallowed for offside, heads CJ Hamilton's cross against the crossbar.

  8. goal

    GOAL: Swansea 2-2 Birminghampublished at 16:16 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Tahith Chong (55 mins)

    Good response from Birmingham after the break.

    Would have been easy to fold after falling 2-1 behind at Swansea from 1-0 up - especially on the back of five league losses on the spin.

    But Juninho Bacuna threads a lovely pass through the middle of the Swans' defence for Tahith Chong and the former Manchester United man finishes tidily.

  9. League One latestpublished at 16:15 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    #bbcefl

    Sean Roughan has doubled the advantage for Lincoln at the Wham Stadium. Long way back for Accrington now. Looking like a first win in nine for the Imps.

    To make matters worse for Stanley, Harry Perritt, who only came off the bench on 43 minutes, has been shown a red card for the hosts for a professional foul and Teddy Bishop has added a quickfire third goal.

    Ipswich are back on level terms at Cambridge, Freddie Ladapo has made it 1-1. Can the third-placed Tractorboys complete the comeback?

  10. goal

    GOAL: Reading 0-2 Watfordpublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Ryan Porteous (48 mins)

    A debut goal for Ryan Porteous.

    The Scot doubles Watford's lead with a towering header.

    What a start to the second half for the visitors.

    Ryan Porteous goalImage source, Rex Features
  11. League Two latestpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

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    Shaun Williams has put new-look Gillingham 1-0 ahead in their bumper game against Crawley at Priestfield.

    Tom Nichols, recently of Crawley, now scorer of three in three for the Gills, had a shot saved in the build-up.

  12. Postpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackpool

    Tommy Smith tries his luck from range as Middlesbrough look to double their lead against Blackpool.

    But his shot is well dealt with by Seasiders keeper Chris Maxwell.

  13. SUBSTITUTIONSpublished at 16:12 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Those injuries we mentioned on the stroke of half-time at Luton and Millwall have resulted in a couple of half-time changes.

    Stoke have brought on Wolves loanee Ki-Jana Hoever for Josh Tymon, who went off on a stretcher.

    And there's a Millwall debut for on-loan Middlesbrough winger Duncan Watmore, who is on for Mason Bennett at The Den.

    Bennett was carted off while wearing an oxygen mask. The fears are for a broken leg.

  14. Postpublished at 16:12 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Hull 0-0 Cardiff

    Callum Elder links up with Ozan Tufan as Hull chase the first goal of this game.

    Tufan is played into the Cardiff box but he can't divert his shot on target.

  15. League One latestpublished at 16:10 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    #bbcefl

    David McGoldrick has his 15th goal of the season and a third hat-trick of the campaign. He's doubled the advantage for Derby at home to Morecambe and then made it 3-0 moments later. He's 35 years of age. There's hope for us all, clearly!

    Speaking of leading scorers... Portsmouth have taken the lead at home to Barnsley through Colby Bishop's 16th of the season. The Tykes have a torrid record at Fratton Park in the past 23 years... is it continuing here.

  16. DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 16:07 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Middlesbrough 1-0 Blackpool

    Jerry Yates has the ball in the net as Blackpool look for a quickfire response against Middlesbrough in the second half.

    But he's flagged offside.

  17. KICK-OFFpublished at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    Breather over. Games are back under way.

  18. League Two half-time headlinespublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    #bbcefl

    The top-two Leyton Orient and Stevenage remain goalless against AFC Wimbledon and Sutton respectively.

    Carlisle, in third, and Northampton, in fourth, also await the breakthrough against Harrogate and Walsall, respectively.

    Salford lead basement-boys Rochdale 1-0 through Matt Smith while nearby Stockport lead Tranmere 2-1 at the break after Kyle Wootton added to Kyle Knoyle’s opener. Kane Hemmings got Rovers’ goal.

    In-form Andy Cook has put Bradford 1-0 up against his former club Mansfield while Grimsby lead 2-0 at Crewe through John McAtee and George Lloyd.

    Doncaster v Hartlepool, Gilingham v Crawley and Colchester v Barrow remain goalless.

  19. League One half-time headlinespublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

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    Callum PatersonImage source, Rex Features

    In the big game in League One Sheffield Wednesday are the new leaders in the live table as Callum Paterson’s early goal has them 1-0 ahead against Plymouth, who slip to second.

    Ipswich are not closing the gap in third as they are 1-0 down at lowly Cambridge thanks to Harvey Knibbs. Joe Ironside missed a penalty which would have made it 2-0.

    David McGoldrick has put Derby ahead at home to Morecambe just before half-time while Wycombe lead at Port Vale through Brandon Hanlan.

    Jesuran Rak-Sakyi and Corey Blackett-Taylor goals have Charlton 2-1 to the good at Exeter.

    Ben House has Lincoln 1-0 up at Accrington while Mo Eisa’s early penalty is the difference for MK Dons at Bristol Rovers.

    Bolton v Cheltenham, Fleetwood v Burton, Forest Green v Peterborough, Oxford v Shrewsbury and Portsmouth v Barnsley remain goalless.

  20. Championship half-time headlinespublished at 15:57 Greenwich Mean Time 4 February 2023

    We've got three of the Championship's top six in action this afternoon - and all three are a goal to the good at half-time.

    The division's leading scorer Chuba Akpom has netted his 15th league goal of the season as third-placed Middlesbrough lead Mick McCarthy's struggling Blackpool 1-0.

    Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu's early piledriver has edged Luton ahead against Stoke, while Ismaila Sarr has handed sixth-placed Watford an interval advantage at Reading.

    At the bottom, Huddersfield fell behind to QPR but have levelled at 1-1, while fourth-bottom Cardiff are holding Hull 0-0. Elsewhere, Swansea lead out-of-form Birmingham 2-1, Preston's horrible home form looks set to continue as they trail 2-0 to Bristol City, while it's goalless between Millwall and Sunderland.

    Nigel PearsonImage source, Getty Images