Summary

  • Relegation-battling West Brom win at Preston but Charlton held at Sheff Wed

  • In-form Southampton come from behind to win at Swansea

  • Saints' play-off rivals Wrexham beat Stoke but Hull held by Birmingham

  • Toure hits Norwich hat-trick at Bristol City, Sheff Utd win at Watford

  • Earlier, Bowat bundles Portsmouth winner against Leicester in relegation six-pointer

  • Promotion-chasing Millwall beat QPR to go second; top-six hopefuls Derby beat struggling Oxford

  • Get Involved: Use yellow button on page

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  1. Back tomorrowpublished at 18:16 BST 18 April

    Championship

    Southampton players celebrating at SwanseaImage source, Getty Images

    I think that is more than enough for today don't you?

    We are probably no closer to learning who will join Coventry in the Premier League next season or who will contest the play-offs.

    The relegation picture does look a lot clearer and it's not good news for Leicester City.

    You can review all of today's scores, reports and reaction on our dedicated Championship page and we are back tomorrow with the small matter of Ipswich v Middlesbrough.

    Until then, thanks for joining us and enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

  2. 'Every game is now important'published at 18:14 BST 18 April

    FT: Birmingham 1-1 Hull City

    Hull City

    Media caption,

    Mike White talking to Sergej Jakirovic after Hull City draw 1-1 at home with Birmingham.

    Hull City dropped two points in their play-off bid with a 1-1 draw at Birmingham.

    The Tigers boss Sergej Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside:

    "That was not our best performance and from the beginning we didn’t have a good balance.

    "There is always expectation because you want to win the game especially in this moment of the season. Every game is now important and we will see at the end where we will finish.

    "Now we will see who will be more successful. I said to the players you have to enjoy this moment of the season especially when it is hard. If you cannot win the game you don’t deserve to be in the play-off positions."

  3. 'It's disappointing after our three game dream'published at 18:13 BST 18 April

    FT: Bristol City 2-4 Norwich

    A photo of Roy HodgsonImage source, Getty Images

    Bristol City manager Roy Hodgson spoke to BBC Radio Bristol following his first loss as boss since taking over earlier this month to Norwich City.

    The dramatic 4-2 defeat ends his three match unbeaten start with the side.

    “I thought we were decent value in the first half, and then Norwich stepped up their game.

    “We were a little bit unlucky with one or two of the goals they scored, but at 4-1 you’re just hoping it not going to be a further disaster.

    “At the end of the day, it's disappointing because we we've had this dream after the three games.

    “But today we came across a team who have been beating everybody, especially away from home, and so I have to accept it was our turn.”

  4. Norwich rewarded for great second half - Garrypublished at 18:11 BST 18 April

    FT: Bristol City 2-4 Norwich

    Norwich City

    Norwich City first-team coach Ryan Garry spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk after their 4-2 win at Bristol City.

    The Canaries are eight points off the top six with three games to play.

    “We played a great game in the second-half with and without the ball,” he said.

    “The manager’s message at half-time was certainly around raising levels of intensity and you have to give credit to the players because everyone did that, and I saw all the correct behaviours.

    “As much as it was a team performances, Mo (Toure) is obviously going to get the plaudits.

    "He could have done more in the first half, and he showed another side of himself in the second, and so it's great when one of your players gets a hat-trick."

  5. Pedersen pleased with 'strongest offensive performance'published at 18:08 BST 18 April

    FT: Sheff Wed 1-1 Charlton

    Sheffield Wednesday

    Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after their 1-1 draw with Charlton.

    The relegated Owls have now gone a Football League record of 37 matches without a win but are unbeaten in three.

    "I think it's the strongest offensive performance we've had this season, and most control on the ball," he said.

    "We knew before the game it would be a game with all the basic things in the Championship.

    "There was a lot of long balls, a lot of direct play, there'll be a lot of set pieces and we have to match them today to get anything.

    "They score from a long ball and then a second ball in the box and then they had one more chance from this but we also score from these phases in the game."

  6. 'Leicester lack fight'published at 18:04 BST 18 April

    FT: Portsmouth 1-0 Leicester

    Leicester City

    Media caption,

    Post match analysis with Matty Fryatt and reaction from Foxes boss Gary Rowett.

    Former Leicester City forward Matty Fryatt believes Leicester City's players lack enough fight to get out of trouble at the bottom of the Championship.

    He was previously relegated to League One with the Foxes and was working for BBC Radio Leicester at Fratton Park today:

    "In that second-half Leicester had chances but weren't clinical in the final third and the opposite for the goal at the other end where they concede easy goals.

    "It looked a bit desperate at the end and you're relying on others and I'm clutching at straws, Oxford haven't won today and you're looking at West Brom and hope they get a points deduction.

    "But Leicester have got to get something together and do what Portsmouth have done - from somewhere they've got three wins back to back.

    "At the minute it's a real desperate situation and there doesn't look a lot of fight in the players which is hard to say and some are so short of confidence it's untrue."

  7. Morrison delighted with 'magical' winpublished at 18:01 BST 18 April

    FT: Preston 0-2 West Brom

    West Bromwich Albion

    West Brom manager James Morrison spoke to BBC WM after their 2-0 win at Preston.

    The Baggies are now five points clear of the bottom three with three games to go.

    “It was magical really. The performance that we gave was a typical away performance, a clean sheet and two goals from our strikers tops it off really," he said.

    “It was a performance where we were under pressure, but I didn’t feel played with that pressure. I’m really pleased for them, all the hard work they have given us. Then the scenes at the end with the fans, it was a good afternoon’s work.

    “Everyone was working for each other. You could see when they had the ball, we had twos and threes around them. We were winning tackles and duels, so I’m very pleased with everyone because it was a good performance.”

  8. 'Pompey fought for their lives'published at 17:56 BST 18 April

    FT: Portsmouth 1-0 Leicester

    Andrew Moon
    BBC Radio Solent commentator

    Pompey celebrateImage source, Getty Images

    To say a team wanted it more has become very cliched in football. An easy retrospective analysis to say about the team that won.

    But it feels relevant today. Pompey fought for their lives and it was enough to beat a side that’s more talented on paper.

    It was a poor spectacle with Pompey failing to reach the levels of Tuesday’s win over Ipswich. Losing Terry Devlin and Keshi Anderson in the opening 20 minutes was unfortunate and didn’t help the match find a rhythm

    Before last Saturday Pompey hadn’t kept a clean sheet since January. They’ve now had three in a row. They’ve also scored three times from corners in that time. Football is a game of fine margins

    Portsmouth aren’t safe yet but it would now take an unlikely sequence of results to send them down. The turnaround since the 6-1 thrashing at QPR has been incredibly impressive. Survival would be a great achievement.

  9. Rams have grown this season - Eustacepublished at 17:52 BST 18 April

    FT: Derby 1-0 Oxford

    Derby County

    Media caption,

    Derby County head coach John Eustace speaks following the game against Oxford City.

    Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after their 1-0 home win over Oxford.

    They're now three points off the top six with the games to play.

    “It was a really difficult game today. We obviously knew that Oxford would sit in and make it very difficult for us, and I thought we controlled the tempo for a majority of the game, but obviously the last 10-15 minutes was a little nerve wracking as they took a lot of risks," he said.

    “But overall, we defended well even though we gave them a couple of chances from being sloppy on the ball.

    “We scored an unbelievable goal through Jaydon and I’m delighted for him. I felt going himself was possibly not the thing to do, but he’s put it in the net and you can’t argue with that.

    “We have grown together this season and every player wants to be successful and that is the standard we want to build at the football club – win, lose or draw Derby County are a really tough, competitive team to play against. And every player is ready for the final three games now.”

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:48 BST 18 April

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    Massive 3 points for the Baggies today, Mozza deserves the job full time. Shows what instilling belief in the team does for the players.

    Paul, West Bromwich

  11. 'Morrison for permanent Baggies boss?'published at 17:46 BST 18 April

    FT: Preston 0-2 West Brom

    Samantha Fletcher
    Final Score at Deepdale

    James Morrison Interim Head Coach of West Bromwich Albion celebrates with the West Bromwich Albion fansImage source, Getty Images

    Eight games unbeaten, three successive clean sheets and a result at Deepdale which puts everything in their favour, should West Brom back James Morrison as a permanent manager?

    Now five points from the drop zone, the risk of a possible points deduction because of an alleged financial breech, didn’t stop the Baggies and Morrison said he had banned talk of the possible points penalty and insisted they keep focus on the pitch.

    They exploded out the gate and found success with short, sharp passes and a 'battle to the end' mindset.

    There has been a significant upturn in form since Morrison took charge as interim manager for the second time this season, only losing the first game of his stint, winning three and drawing five since then including today. Previous to that, West Brom had won only twice in 18 games.

    If this form continues, even amid the points dedication uncertainty, Morrison seems an obvious choice to take on the job permanently.

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:44 BST 18 April

    Use yellow button on page

    Ipswich have Boro tomorrow and still have to play Saints - automatic promotion still on!

    Matt, Southampton

    The race to join Coventry in the Premier League next season looks like it will go down to the final day.

  13. 'The two goals we conceded were hideous'published at 17:41 BST 18 April

    FT: Wrexham 2-0 Stoke

    Stoke City

    Stoke boss Mark Robins shouting at his playersImage source, Getty Images

    Stoke suffered a sixth successive away league defeat for the first time in 13 years.

    Head coach Mark Robins has been speaking to BBC Radio Stoke:

    "In general we weren't in any danger, we looked like we were okay from back to front but we make the wrong decision, either the wrong touch or we try to take people on.

    "The supporters are frustrated, I'm frustrated and there's plenty of work for us to do in the summer.

    "Two moments in a game from a corner and some inexplicable circumstances is the disappointment of today but that was coming because we didn't win tackles or duels and the ball was turned over too many times."

    "It was a really poor performance in terms of chances created and trying to take them, plus the two goals we gave away were just hideous."

  14. U's have to move on quickly - Bloomfieldpublished at 17:38 BST 18 April

    FT: Derby 1-0 Oxford

    Oxford United

    Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield spoke to BBC Radio Oxford after his side's narrow 1-0 defeat at play-off chasing Derby at lunchtime.

    Results elsewhere mean the U's are now five points adrift of safety.

    “Arguably, we had the three best chances of the game – two break-aways and a great chance right at the end," he said.

    “I was really disappointed with how we played in the first half and it was nowhere near good enough.

    “By the end of the game, with our intensity, the way we played and the chances we created, it was very frustrating because it is a clear illustration that if you take your chances you get the points.

    “We haven’t got the time to rest on it [the loss], it’s done now and we have to move on very quickly to Tuesday evening and make sure that the intensity and the energy we had in the second half is there from the first whistle.”

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:35 BST 18 April

    Use yellow button on page

    Saints fan here. How can I put this? YYYYEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS! YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTIES! Such a shame Ipswich have those two games in hand.

    Drew, Dawlish

    Saints fan married to an Ipswich Town fan. I have been singing ‘under pressure’ since we equalised. Might be ‘ground for divorce’ if we finish above them..

    Dave, Marseille

    Wishing you luck with that Dave! Saints are steamrolling up the table at the moment...

  16. 'There was only one deserved winner'published at 17:32 BST 18 April

    FT: Swansea 1-2 Southampton

    Southampton

    Southampton boss Tonda Eckert at SwanseaImage source, Getty Images

    Cameron Archer's 90th-minute goal made it seven successive league wins for Southampton for the first time since 1908 and moved them to within one point of the automatic promotion places.

    Head coach Tonda Eckert has told BBC Radio Solent:

    "It was a lovely afternoon trip to wales - in the first-half we were clearly on top but didn't manage to defend on one throw-in.

    "It speaks for the character of the group that we just kept pushing and pushing and pushing and over 90 minutes there was only one deserved winner.

    "I was very calm at half-time - you just know if you keep pushing you are going to win and you need to transmit that belief, the boys have that as well and over the 90 minutes it was a very good performance."

  17. 'We needed to play on the front foot'published at 17:28 BST 18 April

    FT: Millwall 2-0 QPR

    Millwall

    Media caption,

    Millwall boss Alex Neil reacts to a 2-0 win over QPR.

    Millwall noved back into second place in the Championship with a comfortable win over QPR at lunchtime.

    The Lions head coach Alex Neil told BBC Radio London:

    "We made a fast start. We needed to get the fans behind us, we needed to play on the front foot, try and create chances and pressure.

    "To score so early and to back that up with a few chances and another goal set us up really nicely for the remainder of the game."

    "[I'm] Delighted with the lads' performance."

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:24 BST 18 April

    Use yellow button on page

    Southampton boss Tonda EckertImage source, Shutterstock

    What Tonda has done to the Saints is an incredible job. 19 games unbeaten, a crammed fixture list on top of beating Arsenal. I fancy them against Manchester City next weekend!

    Ted, London

    Well done to this young hard working history-making Saints team.

    Emlyn, Southampton

    Southampton fan here. What can I say we just keep winning but in all honesty not the best performance and Swansea did deserve something today, but at this stage of the season it’s just about getting the result instead of the performance! Up the Saints!

    James, Winchester

  19. 'Not a pretty game' - Mousinhopublished at 17:20 BST 18 April

    FT: Portsmouth 1-0 Leicester

    Portsmouth

    Media caption,

    The Pompey boss reflected on a third win in a week, as Portsmouth beat Leicester 1-0.

    Portsmouth boss John Mousinho speaking to BBC Radio Solent after Pompey beat Leicester:

    "That was probably the toughest 90 minutes of our last three games.

    "It was hugely important and overall we deserved the win, we just had to get the job done because it wasn't a pretty game.

    "The start of the game doesn't help with the injuries we picked up with Keshi (Anderson) and that changed the way that we play a little bit as Segs (Adrian Segecic) is a very different player.

    "And then with the injury to Terry (Devlin) we had to restructure the back four and nothing got going in the first half at all.

    "Thankfully we had a couple of good chances before the goal and probably could have done better but managed to find the net."

  20. Frustration for Rowett at 'soft set piece goal'published at 17:17 BST 18 April

    FT: Portsmouth 1-0 Leicester

    Leicester City

    Media caption,

    Post match analysis with Matty Fryatt and reaction from Foxes boss Gary Rowett.

    Leicester City boss Gary Rowett speaking to BBC Radio Leicester after defeat by Portsmouth:

    "I'm dissapointed with the way we conceded the goal to lose the game.

    "If you played my last four interviews it would sound very similar to this one which is deeply frustrating.

    "We've made it pretty clear to the players the importance of where we are in the season and what it means to a lot of people at this football club.

    "We got into some really good positions but without finding that final third quality, we have to show that and we can't keep not showing it in those moments.

    "We tweaked a few things after the break and the frustration is that we've conceded a soft set-piece goal, we chased the game reasonably well and we created some good moments but didn't take them.

    "That's been the story of this last 10-11 games for us."