EFL play-offs: Wins for Sunderland and Salford in first legs

1. FT: Salford 1-0 Stockport in League Two semi-final first leg
2. Smith bundles in first-half winner to give Salford edge in tie
3. FT: Sunderland 2-1 Luton in Championship semi-final first leg
4. Adebayo gives Hatters lead but Diallo & Hume reply for hosts
5. FT: Bolton 1-1 Barnsley in League One semi-final first leg
6. Tykes lead through Cadden but Charles levels for Wanderers
7. Get involved using #bbcefl

CHANCE!

Patrick Roberts drifts in off the right and curls a low effort towards the back post.

Luton goalkeeper Ethan Horvath makes a bit of a mess of it and parries it straight at Joe Gehardt but he's not expecting it!

The ball goes by the Leeds loanee with the goal at his mercy.

As Matt says, Sunderland have got their tails up early on.

They might not be the tallest side but they've got a lot of energy in that starting XI.

I saw them against Preston on Monday and they blew the Lilywhites away in the second half.

Matt Newsum

BBC Sport at the Stadium of Light

So much positivity is ringing around the Stadium of Light, and Sunderland are thriving on it.

There have been times in the past where frustrations from the stands seemed to have spread to the players but it's a united front here.

It's also a confidence to play among the hurly-burly in midfield.

Luton have shown some early promise of their own with Carlton Morris testing Anthony Patterson, but the home side have forced errors with their commitment.

Injuries mean Sunderland's defence is, at best, makeshift.

None of them are particularly tall and with Luton boasting Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo up top I think the Hatters might look to test them with some early crosses.

Early stoppage as Luton defender Tom Lockyer needs some treatment after being caught by a stray elbow from Joe Gelhardt.

No video assistant referee in the play-off semi-finals but there will be in the final.

I dare say VAR would have taken another look at that. Daft from the Leeds loanee.

Right, what will we have next then?

The first two games in this year's play-offs have produced an absolute shellacking as Peterborough stunned Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 last night.

The second League One match up was a cagier affair as Bolton and Barnsley played out a 1-1 draw.

Extra time in National League final

Notts County and play-offs just screams drama.

Yet again they are on the verge of heartbreak but John Bostock's 87th-minute penalty has taken the National League promotion final against Chesterfield to extra time.

Could a shootout beckon for a place back in the EFL? You can follow it here.

KICK-OFF

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What an atmosphere on Wearside. Superb.

Game two of this bumper EFL play-off Saturday is under way.

Tale of the tape

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Luton might have finished three places and 11 points above their play-off opponents this season but there's been nothing between them in the two league meetings.

A 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road in October was followed up by a 1-1 draw back at the Stadium of Light in March.

Sunderland have the better of the all-time matches with 32 wins for the Black Cats, 15 draws and 14 Luton victories.

Excitement rather than nerves

Matt Newsum

BBC Sport at the Stadium of Light

Getty Images

Seldom has a game bristling with importance and significance felt so much like a celebration, at least for the home supporters here at Sunderland's cavernous Stadium of Light.

The mood is strangely sanguine, befitting a team that almost found itself in the Championship play-offs by accident after a dramatic final day. There is excitement rather than nerves, the sun is out and the fans just want to watch some more of the excellent football this entertaining Tony Mowbray-led team has to offer.

Even the Luton fans seem pretty chilled, given their excellent away record - only Sheffield United and Burnley won more on their travels this season. One year on from their heartache and it's almost as if they have more confidence, more belief, more settled emotions.

Volume-wise, it's starting to crank up too, as fans filter in from the sunshine to take up their seats. Just over 45,000 will be in here for kick-off. It's buzzing. Boos for the Luton players who go to applaud their contingent up high.

Fans have also unfurled a huge 'Til the End' banner. It's become the catchphrase around Wearside. Impressive.

Team News

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One change for Sunderland from that 3-0 win at Preston on Monday. Dennis Cirkin is out injured so Alex Pritchard comes in. Injuries mean it's a very attacking line-up for Tony Mowbray.

Luton boss Rob Edwards makes eight changes from their final-day draw with Hull City. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who went up with Nottingham Forest through the play-offs last season, and Aston Villa loanee Marvelous Nakamba are amongst those back in.

Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, O'Nien, Gooch; Roberts, Neil, Ekwah, Clarke; Amad, Pritchard, Gelhardt

Subs: Bass, Lihadji, Ba, Anderson, Michut, Taylor, Huggins

Luton XI: Horvath, Drameh, Lockyer, Morris, Adebayo, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Clak, Bell, Osho, Doughty

Subs: Shea, Potts, Berry, Burke, Campbell, Onyedinma, Freeman

Can Black Cats go back-to-back?

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Sunderland are looking to do something that no team has ever done in the EFL before.

Win successive promotions through the play-offs.

The Black Cats pinched the final play-off place thanks to a thumping 3-0 win at Preston on the final day, as Millwall blew a two-goal lead to lose to Blackburn.

Luton of course have their own motivations, as they look to reach the Premier League for the first time in their history.

Eyes on the prize...

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One down, two to go today.

Let's turn our attentions to the second of our three EFL play-off games today.

It's time for the Championship to take centre stage...

Who will be happiest?

Tom Gayle

BBC Radio 5 Live commentator at the University of Bolton Stadium

Mixed emotions amongst the excellent away support as they head out and back up the M62.

Nicky Cadden's low, curling strike from the edge of the box was the bit of quality needed to beat the impressive James Trafford.

Just the one Bolton effort on target, and their fans know they got away with one here today.

They’ll need to be much better at Oakwell.

'Intense' display from Barnsley

David Preece

Former Barnsley keeper on BBC Radio Sheffield

As a contest it's been really intriguing.

Both sides have given it everything - no tentativeness, calmness or caution.

Barnsley will be happy with how they've played.

They've been intense with their play, as the away side.

'Evatt has lessons to learn'

Keith Hill

Former Bolton and Barnsley boss on BBC Radio Manchester

The players have been magnificent.

It was a very closely contested fixture, and it will be again at Oakwell.

Still everything to play for - Bolton boss Ian Evatt will have lessons to learn for the second leg.

For me, the pressure will now mount on Barnsley, playing at home.

Southampton relegated to Championship

Bolton or Barnsley could be facing Southampton in the Championship next season - the Saints have officially been relegated from the Premier League this afternoon after losing 2-0 at home to Fulham.

It had been on the cards for a while, but they now have the dreaded 'R' next to their name.

They return to the EFL after 11 seasons in the Premier League.

Follow more from the Premier League here.

FULL-TIME

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Honours even.

Decent contest in this second League One play-off semi-final.

It took a while to get going but then came to life in the space of four second-half minutes.

First Nicky Cadden rifled the away side into the lead but Dion Charles popped up with an almost-instant equaliser.

A draw probably about a fair result.

These two sides will do it again at Oakwell on Friday.

Bolton moving the ball around looking to try and create a late opening but Aaron Morley sends a pass out of play.

Looks set to end level now.

INJURY TIME

Six minutes of time added on at the end of this one.