Summary

  • Sunderland leapfrog Millwall to claim final Championship play-off spot

  • Lions beaten 4-3 by Blackburn after leading 3-1

  • Coventry seal top-six place with draw at Middlesbrough

  • Burnley & Sheff Utd promoted; Reading, Blackpool & Wigan relegated

  • Northampton win at Tranmere to clinch promotion to League One; Stockport draw with Hartlepool

  • Stockport, Carlisle, Bradford and Salford into League Two play-offs

  • Leyton Orient & Stevenage already promoted; Hartlepool & Rochdale relegated

  1. Championship fixturespublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    All games kick off at 15:00 BST

    MillwallImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    Millwall fans are hoping their side could be in the Championship pay-off places at the end of the day

    • Birmingham City v Sheffield United
    • Burnley v Cardiff City
    • Huddersfield Town v Reading
    • Luton Town v Hull City
    • Middlesbrough v Coventry City
    • Millwall v Blackburn Rovers
    • Norwich City v Blackpool
    • Preston North End v Sunderland
    • Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City
    • Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion
    • Watford v Stoke City
    • Wigan Athletic v Rotherham United
  2. Moving on...published at 14:45 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Neil WarnockImage source, Rex Features

    Right, barely time to draw breath but now we move on to the end of the Championship season.

    Let's see what's on the slate for the final round of second tier action.

  3. All set for a (Greater) Manchester derbypublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    #bbcefl

    Bradford CityImage source, Rex Features

    With Stockport falling short of overtaking Northampton for automatic promotion and Salford clinging onto seventh, we have the appetising prospect of a Greater Manchester derby in the play-offs.

    The other semi-final will see Bradford face Carlisle.

    You can follow live text coverage of all those games, and the final of course, right here.

    Here are the dates and times that matter:

    Sat 13 May: Salford v Stockport (KO 19:45 BST)

    Sun 14 May: Bradford v Carlisle (KO 19:00 BST)

    Sat 20 May: Stockport v Salford (KO 12:00 BST)

    Sat 20 May: Carlisle v Bradford (KO 15:00 BST)

  4. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    #bbcefl

    Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Northampton Town:The Cobblers knew they needed a win to be certain of going up to League One. They held their nerve and a sumptuous Will Hoskins volley earned them victory over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.

    Bradford City 1-1 Leyton Orient: Bradford secure a play-off place with a draw against champions Leyton Orient in front of a club record 22,576 crowd.

    Colchester 0-2 Mansfield Town: Heartbreak for Mansfield Town who fall just short of snatching a League Two play-off place despite the win.

    Stockport County 1-1 Hartlepool United: Stockport County miss out on automatic promotion following their draw with relegated Hartlepool United. The Hatters needed a win to have a chance of leapfrogging Northampton Town and nabbing third place. They settle for the playoffs.

    Salford City 0-1 Gillingham: Salford City squeeze into the League Two play-offs on goal difference despite defeat.

    Sutton United 1-1 Carlisle United: Carlisle limp into the playoffs with just two wins from their last 11 games.

    Barrow 0-1 Stevenage: Jake Reeves's 25th minute goal was enough for the already promoted visitors to seal the win, in a largely flat game in the pouring rain.

    Newport County 2-2 Crewe Alexandra: A barn storming finish between these two sides who knew a win could give them a top 10 finish in League Two. A goal for either side in injury time kept it spicy until the final whistle.

    Grimsby Town 1-0 AFC Wimbledon: An early own goal that came off Dons defender Isaac Ogundere inside the opening 10 minutes was the difference in this one. Danilo Orsi was happy to claim the goal as his own for Grimsby.

    Harrogate Town 1-1 Rochdale: A second half equaliser from Toby Sims extended the Sulphurites solid end to the season - they only lost twice in their last 11.

    Swindon Town 2-1 Crawley Town: Two first half goals from the Robins was enough to sink the Red Devils who were already safe from relegation.

    Walsall 2-1 Doncaster: This one livened up in the second half with three goals. Walsall leapfrog Doncaster in the table following the win.

  5. League Two: The reckoningpublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    #bbcefl

    The top 10 in League Two

    The final picture has been decided.

    Northampton make up for 12 months of disappointment hanging over them by doing the job, joining Leyton Orient and Stevenage in the third tier.

    We know the play-off story too.

    Stockport will play Salford over two legs, with Carlisle taking on Bradford.

    Mansfield's brave effort wasn't enough, as they miss out on the play-offs by a single goal.

  6. Cobblers heal scars of last seasonpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    FT: Tranmere 0-1 Northampton - Northampton are promoted to League One

    Sam HoskinsImage source, Getty Images

    Northampton's charge towards promotion this season was, according to boss Jon Brady, built on the "big scar" that was left by missing out on automatic promotion on goal difference on the final day of last season, when Bristol Rovers beat Scunthorpe 7-0 to pip them.

    Then losing to Mansfield in the play-offs could have further derailed the Cobblers.

    Instead Northampton have been amongst the challengers all season after winning eight and losing only one of their opening 11 league games this term.

    They stuttered a little in October when they won only one of their six league fixtures, and again early in the new year when they picked up just six points from a possible 18.

    But since winning at Colchester at the end of February, they have won eight of their 14 games, losing only twice, to take a stranglehold on a top-three place.

    Defeat by Bradford in their penultimate game meant, once again, the Cobblers would have to sweat on the final day, but there were to be no freakish goings-on to deny them this time.

    And although it has been very much a team effort, undoubtedly the 22 goals of League Two's player of the year Sam Hoskins has helped ensure they will be in League One next season alongside champions Leyton Orient and Stevenage.

  7. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Colchester 0-2 Mansfield

    All over. Mansfield miss out on a play-off spot by a solitary goal.

    Salford finish above them, having conceded one goal fewer across their 46 games.

    The narrowest of margins.

  8. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Tranmere 0-1 Northampton

    Sam Hoskins scores for SalfordImage source, Getty Images

    Northampton Town are promoted to League One!

    Sam Hoskins' superb first half volley was enough.

    How apt that the division's player of the year gets the goal to send his team up.

  9. Postpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Colchester 0-2 Mansfield

    Sanny Rudravajhala
    BBC Squad Goals presenter

    Mansfield need one more goal and they will go ahead of Salford City.

  10. Postpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Tranmere 0-1 Northampton

    Fair play to Cobblers gaffer Jon Brady.

    They were pipped on goals scored last season after Bristol Rovers thumped relegated Scunthorpe 7-0 on the last day.

    He's clearly emotional on the sidelines.

    Seconds to play now.

  11. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Sutton 1-1 Carlisle

    Carlisle United look like they have done enough to secure home advantage for the second leg of the play-offs with their draw at Sutton.

    Joe Kizzi's equaliser earns them the point they need with a big goal difference, after a Kylian Kouassi goal in the opening half.

    They are in.

  12. goal

    GOAL: Colchester 0-2 Mansfieldpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    James Gale (90+7 mins)

    Hang on right there...

    Mansfield must score ONE more goal. A fine strike from James Gale gives them hope.

  13. Postpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Tranmere 0-1 Northampton

    The Cobblers fans go wild as news of full-time at Edgeley Park comes through.

    Sadly a few of the Cobblers fans have come onto the pitch.

    Boss Jon Brady races over and orders them back to their seats!

  14. Postpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Colchester 0-1 Mansfield

    George Maris heads over from Rhys Oates' cross. Time is slipping away for the Stags.

  15. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Bradford 1-1 Leyton Orient

    Play-off place is in the bag, after a nervy afternoon's work against the champions Leyton Orient for Bradford City.

    Brad Halliday's equaliser cancelled out Jordan Brown's opener.

    Point was all they needed. Play-offs here they come.

  16. Northampton promoted from League Twopublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 8 May 2023
    Breaking

    Tranmere 0-1 Northampton

    Northampton celebrate scoring at TranmereImage source, Rex Features

  17. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Stockport 1-1 Hartlepool

    Stockport's Myles Hippolyte looks dejectedImage source, Rex Features

    It finishes 1-1 and that means the play-offs for Stockport but for Northampton...

  18. Postpublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Tranmere 0-1 Northampton

    Calvin Andrew
    Ex-Rochdale, Mansfield and Port Vale forward on Squad Goals

    That penalty save could be massive because Tranmere are turning the screw. They are launching the ball into the Northampton box at will.

  19. goal

    GOAL: Newport County 2-2 Crewe Alexandrapublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Lachlan Brook (90+3 mins)

    Within seconds of conceding a second and falling behind, Crewe come storming back.

    Lachlan Brook sending away fans into a frenzy with a curling shot into the corner of the net.

    My word.

    What a final few minutes between these two teams.

  20. FULL-TIMEpublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 8 May 2023

    Salford 0-1 Gillingham

    Time is up for Salford. They have a nervous few minutes to wait.