Summary

  • Leaders Leicester win at Cardiff to go eight points clear

  • Second-placed Ipswich held to goalless draw by QPR

  • Leeds nine points adrift of second place after defeat at West Brom

  • Victories for Middlesbrough, Hull, Millwall & Sheff Wed

  • Birmingham-Bristol C, Coventry-Swansea, Rotherham-Sunderland & Watford-Stoke draw

  • FT: Southampton 2-1 Plymouth - goals from Alcaraz and Adams see Saints extend unbeaten run to 17 games

  1. FULL-TIMEpublished at 19:56 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    Southampton 2-1 Plymouth

    Carlos Alcaraz celebrates giving Southampton the lead against PlymouthImage source, get

    Southampton survive the late smash and grab attempt from Plymouth.

    The win means they are now 17 games unbeaten and moves them to within two points of the automatic promotion spots ahead of the night's later kick-offs.

  2. GREAT SAVE!published at 90+3

    Southampton 2-1 Plymouth

    Ryan Fraser has the chance to make the three points safe for Southampton, but he is denied by Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard.

    Fraser was through one-on-one there, but Hazard makes a massive save.

    Just three minutes remain.

  3. goal

    GOAL: Southampton 2-1 Plymouthpublished at 90+1 mins

    Ryan Hardie

    The board goes up to indicate that there will be six minutes of added time, and Plymouth are gifted a way back into this game.

    Gavin Bazunu has the ball as his feet and just stalls. Ryan Hardie makes the most of the moment of hesitation, nicks the ball and rolls it home.

  4. Postpublished at 88 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    And from that corner, again Southampton go close.

    And this one was very nearly an own goal. The ball bobbles around and from a swing of the boot from a defender to try clear ends up heading goalward, with Conor Hazard managing to save at his near post.

  5. Postpublished at 19:50 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    Birmingham 0-0 Bristol City

    Under way at St Andrew's where 17-year-old Romelle Donovan is making his first start for the Blues.

    Six appearances from the bench so far for the young midfielder.

  6. Postpublished at 19:49 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Jo Tessem
    Ex-Southampton midfielder on BBC Radio Solent

    (Kyle) Walker-Peters puts on his dancing shoes again to go around every Plymouth player there is.

    Really should have been 3-0.

  7. Postpublished at 86 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Dan Scarr gets a goal-saving block in on Southampton substitute Sekou Mara.

    Great work from Kyle Walker-Peters to cut the ball back set Mara up, but Scarr was there to keep it out from point-blank range.

  8. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:46 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    We're off and running in our 10 19:45 GMT games.

    Southampton look set to move within two points of second-placed Ipswich, can the Blues respond?

  9. Postpublished at 85 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Southampton's substitutes Jack Stephens, Stuart Armstrong and Joe Aribo have been bright additions.

    They play the ball nearly around the area trying to unpick Plymouth, but they hold firm.

  10. Postpublished at 84 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Lewis Gibson finds himself under pressure as he tries to usher the ball out, and he slices it our for a corner.

    It's another short corner from Southampton, which turns out to be a disaster as Saints are eventually caught offside as they trade passes on the right.

  11. Postpublished at 19:41 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Alan Seabrook
    BBC Radio Devon commentator

    Southampton bring on another player who could walk into most teams in this division.

  12. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 82 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    And there it is. Jack Stephens comes on to face his former side. He replaces Adam Armstrong.

    Less than 10 minutes remain.

  13. Postpublished at 78 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Plenty of chopping and changing now as Southampton look to lock up the win and Plymouth plot a potential fightback.

    Seems that Southampton have their final substitution on the way...

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:39 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    #bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Ed, Winchester: Absolutely not offside as a Saints fan. Let's hope Che's goal and the overall balance of play see's the win nonetheless.

    James, Wiltshire: What game is Jo Tessem watching re comments at 19:17. Clearly onside, must be watching with red and white tinted glasses.

    Nick: The assistant referee has had a nightmare there, his totally wrong offside decision has influenced the result of the game there. Not the first time the officials have contributed to an Argyle defeat.

  15. Elsewhere in the Championshippublished at 19:38 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    Race for the play-off places in the ChampionshipImage source, BBC Sport

    It hasn't been a healthy festive season for Hull so far with defeats either side of Christmas Day to knock them back to seventh.

    This evening they welcome Blackburn to Humberside who have fared even worse recently, losing four of five games in December, but even down in 15th they're only five points behind sixth.

    Watford were moving nicely in the right direction until Boxing Day's 4-1 battering by Bristol City.

    Tenth in the ladder, two points outside the play-offs, they welcome Stoke to Hertfordshire who snapped a run of three straight draws with a 3-1 win at Birmingham on Boxing Day.

    Norwich are also in this exceptionally tight mid-table - 12th, two points off sixth - and had gone five games unbeaten until they lost at West Brom three days ago.

    Tonight they go to Millwall, who moved six points clear of the bottom three with victory over QPR on Boxing Day after a run of seven games without a win.

    Another side in the play-off mix are Preston, who will have high hopes of an 11th win of the season as they host Sheffield Wednesday tonight.

    North End are just a point outside the top six after victory over Leeds on Boxing Day, while Wednesday have lost their last two and are second bottom of the table.

    Also tonight, we have Coventry v Swansea and Huddersfield v Middlesbrough.

  16. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 77 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Plymouth with their last change now with Finn Azaz heading off to be replaced by Mustapha Bundu.

  17. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 75 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Sekou Mara will see out that last 15 minutes or so for Southampton as he replaces Samuel Edozie.

  18. 'Frustrating evening so far for Argyle..'published at 19:37 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Frank Nouble
    Former Plymouth striker on BBC Radio Devon

    I think they have changed their shape now.

    I always think if you are on the bench then you are fit enough to play more than 15 minutes.

    Frustrating evening so far for Argyle, but still enough time to get back in this.

  19. GREAT SAVE!published at 74 mins

    Southampton 2-0 Plymouth

    Conor Hazard ensures it remains only 2-0!

    The Plymouth goalkeeper gets a big old palm on the shot after Adam Armstrong finally pulled the trigger dummying his marker a few times.

  20. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:36 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2023

    #bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    John, Manchester: The Plymouth goal was a goal, not offside. Surely an assistant referee making the wrong call is more annoying than VAR holding up the game for a few minutes and getting to the right decision? Let's ask a Plymouth fan right now.

    Tom, Woking: Re Jo Tessem, 19:17 - you'd never know he was ex-Saints! 'Good call' for the offside?! What are you watching? Was never offside! Argyle unlucky.

    Ross, Leeds: Jo Tessem is talking absolute nonsense. Absolutely no way that was offside. VAR not being in the Championship is a disgrace. Mumba, on the six-yard line, Southampton player in the box. I would suggest he looks at the offside rule. Saints deserve to win, but the decision was appalling.