Summary

  • League One leaders Portsmouth win at Shrewsbury to go seven points clear

  • Peterborough move into second after Bolton lose again

  • Oxford pick up first league win under Des Buckingham to go third

  • Stockport thrash bottom club Sutton 8-0 to stay six points clear at top of League Two

  • Wrexham and Barrow stay in the automatic promotion places after both win

  • Morecambe win 5-0 at Doncaster to record their record EFL away win

  1. Pompey and Hatters top of Christmas treepublished at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    John Mousinho claps the Portsmouth fansImage source, Rex Features
    Image caption,

    Portsmouth manager John Mousinho salutes his side's fans after their 3-0 win at Shrewsbury

    So we now know that Portsmouth and Stockport will be top of the charts in Leagues One and Two on Christmas Day.

    A nice feeling for those supporters, but no guarantees of promotion just yet.

    A sobering afternoon for Sutton after that 8-0 loss at Edgeley Park, but there's always next week.

    Or you could be a Morecambe fan celebrating a record EFL away win.

    That's football, you just never know what's around the corner.

    Thanks for your company today on this live text commentary. We'll back for more next Saturday.

  2. Stockport sitting prettypublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    League Two tableImage source, BBC Sport

    It’s as you were at the top of the table with leaders Stockport remaining six points clear and boosting their goal difference with the 8-0 battering of lowly Sutton.

    Barrow’s 3-0 win at Swindon not only set a new club record for six straight league wins but saw them jump to second, above Wrexham on goal difference, after the 10-man Dragons could only edge past Colchester 2-1 at the Racecourse.

    Mansfield were 3-1 winners at Crawley but Notts County lost ground, losing by the same score at Harrogate.

    The status quo remains at the bottom too as Sutton are six points adrift of safety, now with a much worse goal difference, while second-bottom Forest Green lost 2-0 at MK Dons.

    Colchester remain third-bottom with Tranmere a point ahead after a 1-0 reverse at Walsall.

    Salford did pick up a point in a stalemate at home to AFC Wimbledon while Doncaster were thumped 5-0 at home by Morecambe.

    Bottom half of League TwoImage source, BBC Sport
  3. Pompey top of the pilepublished at 17:39 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    Top of League One tableImage source, BBC Sport

    Portsmouth ensure they will be top for Christmas after a strong 3-0 win at Shrewsbury helped by two Abu Kamara goals.

    The gap at the top is now seven points after Bolton, who began the day in second, lost 2-1 at home to Bristol Rovers and had a man sent off. Peterborough take that second spot after a narrow 1-0 win at Fleetwood.

    Oxford are up to fourth after beating managerless Burton 3-0 with Stevenage fourth after they were held by Exeter.

    Derby remain sixth as they concede a 98th minute equaliser at home to Wycombe, with the sides immediately below the play-offs, Barnsley and Blackpool both failing to win.

    At the other end, Cheltenham looked set to jump off the bottom as they led Leyton Orient only to concede two late goals.

    Reading could only draw at Lincoln and remain the bottom four with Fleetwood and Carlisle, who allowed a 2-1 lead to slip at home to Northampton.

    Port Vale were the big movers at that end, thanks to Ethan Chislett's hat-trick in the win over Wigan.

    Bottom half of League One tableImage source, BBC Sport
  4. League Two headlines - Stockport hit EIGHTpublished at 17:17 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    Paddy Madden celebrates scoring for StockportImage source, rex
    • Leaders Stockport score EIGHT as they thrash bottom side Sutton.
    • Barrow move up to second on goal difference after a 3-0 win at Swindon.
    • 10-man Wrexham hold on to beat Colchester 2-1 but slip down to third.
    • Mansfield remain fourth after a 3-1 victory away to Crawley.
    • Crewe snatch a point in the 98th minute after Accrington looked to have won it in the 96th minute as the game ends 3-3.
    • Morecambe record their biggest ever EFL away win - 5-0 at Doncaster.
    • Notts County are beaten again, this time 3-1 at Harrogate.
    • Bradford make it three wins on the spin with a 2-0 success at Gillingham.
    • Forest Green remain in the bottom two after a 2-0 loss at MK Dons.
    • Walsall defeat Tranmere by the odd goal, while Newport draw 1-1 with Grimsby and it finishes goalless between Salford and AFC Wimbledon.
  5. League One headlines - all change in the play-off placespublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    Peterborough celebrate scoring a goal in their win over FleetwoodImage source, Rex Features
    • Portsmouth continue their march after a 3-0 win at Shrewsbury thanks to an Abu Kamara double.

    • Peterborough join them in the automatic promotion places after a 1-0 win at Fleetwood.

    • Oxford's 3-0 win against Burton gives Des Buckingham a first win in charge of United, and they're up to third.

    • Stevenage miss the chance to go second after a 1-1 draw at home to Exeter, while a late Luke Leahy penalty earns Wycombe a point with Derby.

    • A fine 2-1 win for Bristol Rovers on the road at Bolton, and the Trotters have dropped from second to fifth in the table.

    • Ethan Chislett's hat-trick for Port Vale sees them defeat Wigan 3-2 after an entertaining encounter at Vale Park.

    • A come-from-behind 2-1 win for Leyton Orient at Cheltenham keeps the home side bottom of the League One table. They stay level on points with Reading, who also came from behind to claim a point at Lincoln.

    • Elsewhere, a 2-1 win for Cambridge at home to Blackpool, while the spoils were shared between Carlisle and Northampton, and Barnsley and Charlton.
  6. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:02 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Derby 1-1 Wycombe

    Luke Leahy's penalty deep into injury time rescues a point after Tom Barkhuizen looked to have won it for Derby.

    Two runs end with this result, the Rams' run of five wins and the Chairboys' four losses on the spin.

  7. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Shrewsbury 0-3 Portsmouth

    Abu Kamara scores for PortsmouthImage source, Rex Features

    Job done for the League One leaders.

    That goal for Abu Kamara on the stroke of half-time made the difference before they added two more after the break, including a second for Kamara.

    An excellent afternoon for Pompey.

  8. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Wrexham 2-1 Colchester

    Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds celebrates a goal in the standsImage source, Rex Features

    Wrexham hold on to make it five straight home wins despite playing more than an hour with 10 men.

    Elliot Lee's 12th goal of the season gave them an early lead and an own-goal gave them a cushion, however Jayden Fevrier set up a nervy finale.

  9. goal

    GOAL: Derby 1-1 Wycombepublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Luke Leahy (90+8 mins)

    Luke Leahy converts the penalty and Wycombe have snatched a point!

  10. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Stockport 8-0 Sutton

    Stockport celebrate a goalImage source, Rex Features

    Sutton's miserable afternoon is mercifully over.

    The leaders ran riot with Ryan Croasdale getting his first two goals of the season and Paddy Madden completing a hat-trick and passing 50 Hatters goals.

    They returned to winning ways in emphatic style against the division's bottom side who end a five-match unbeaten run by losing for a 14th time this season - the heaviest loss in their EFL history.

  11. goal

    GOAL: Stockport 8-0 Suttonpublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Paddy Madden - penalty (90+3 mins)

    A hat-trick for Paddy Madden, completed from the spot after a handball in the area. Ryan Croasdale loses the quest for the matchball.

    What a day for the Hatters.

    Stockport celebrate a goalImage source, Rex Features
  12. PENALTY TO WYCOMBEpublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Derby 1-0 Wycombe

    Sam Vokes is brought down by Joe Ward. Wycombe have a chance to snatch a point.

  13. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Swindon 0-3 Barrow

    Barrow have done it. Their first win at Swindon since September 1967 and the first time they have ever won six straight games, having now played 2,083 times in the league. They've kept four clean sheets in that run too.

    The Bluebirds keep pace with the leaders in League Two. Swindon, however, continue to falter.

  14. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:56 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Lincoln 1-1 Reading

    A point apiece at the LNER Stadium.

    Harvey Knibbs with the equaliser for Reading after a very early Nelson Abbey own goal, but the Royals may feel they have had enough of the game to force a win.

  15. Postpublished at 16:53 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Derby 1-0 Wycombe

    So close to an equaliser for Wycombe.

    Kane Vincent-Young drills a ball across the box and Garath McCleary is inches away from getting a toe on it.

  16. goal

    GOAL: Wrexham 2-1 Colchesterpublished at 16:52 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Jayden Fevrier (89 mins)

    Grandstand finish in store?

    Jayden Febrier has halved the deficit and there will be seven added minutes to play.

    Wrexham players celebrateImage source, Rex Features
  17. goal

    GOAL: Stockport 7-0 Suttonpublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Tanto Olaofe (86 mins)

    Normal service resumed. The substitute Tanto Olaofe converts an Ibby Touray cut-back to make it seven.

    This scoreline surpasses Sutton's 6-0 FA Cup defeat in the fourth round against Leeds in 1970.

  18. GREAT SAVE!published at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Lincoln 1-1 Reading

    Reading forward Harvey Knibbs almost has his second of the game as he makes space in the box, but Lukas Jensen denies him what would surely have been a winner.

  19. Postpublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Stockport 6-0 Sutton

    Aiden O'Brien has had a long-range shot for Sutton. It was saved by the keeper. This was against the run of play, it goes without saying.

  20. goal

    GOAL: Shrewsbury 0-3 Portsmouthpublished at 16:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Abu Kamara (84 mins)

    Two for Abu Kamara. Three for Portsmouth. Three points in the bag.

    Christian Saydee plays the ball in to Kamara and the on-loan Norwich man finishes confidently at the near post for his sixth of the season.

    This is what prospective title winners do.