All eyes were on League One as that was the first division to finish at the weekend. TIBS News provides an EFL review of that and the Championship and League Two.
Championship
Philip Billing scored a brace to lead Bournemouth to a 3-0 win at Blackburn to get within touching distance of promotion. Dominic Solanke scored in the first half to put the Cherries ahead before Billing’s double secured the three points. Blackburn’s play-off hopes were ended as a result of the loss, while Bournemouth need to avoid defeat against Nottingham in midweek to remain second.
Cardiff and Birmingham’s poor form continued as they played out a 1-1 draw in south Wales. Jeremie Bela got the visitors off to a great start with a smart finish before Will Vaulks scored a penalty in the 82nd minute to end Cardiff’s losing run. Both sides are now winless in their last five games as they trudge to the end of their forgettable seasons.
Millwall’s second-half dominance earned them a 3-0 win over already-relegated Peterborough. Benik Afobe and George Saville scored either side of a Josh Knight own goal to keep the Lions’ faint play-off hopes alive. They remain three points outside of the top six but will need Middlesbrough and Sheffield United to lose on the final day.
League One
Wigan Athletic took the next step of their revival as they were crowned League One champions following their 3-0 win over Shrewsbury. Max Power tapped the visitors ahead before Will Keane bagged a double to ease any nerves and secure promotion. Wigan have come a long way from the financial issues of recent years and will now harbour ambitions of taking the club back to where they believe it should be.
That result meant Rotherham’s 2-0 win at Gillingham proved fruitless in winning the title, but it did secure them the second automatic promotion spot in the table. The defeat for the Gills though saw them relegated as they were unable to better Fleetwood’s result – who lost 4-2 at Bolton but survived the drop due to a better goal difference.
AFC Wimbledon suffered their first-ever relegation since their formation in 2002 after a 4-3 loss to Accrington. Jack Rudoni’s brace, along with a goal from Ayoub Assal, wasn’t enough to stop the home side from being relegated to League Two as they finished the season on a 27-game winless run. Accrington’s Jay Rich-Baghuelou, Colby Bishop, Michael Nottingham and John O’Sullivan all scored as both sides seemed to forget how to defend.
Elsewhere, Scott Twine’s brilliance was on show again after scoring FOUR against Plymouth Argyle. Harry Darling scored in between Twine’s goals as MK Dons won 5-0 in Devon to secure third place. Plymouth, who had Jordan Houghton sent off in the first half, fell out of the play-offs on the last day in heart-breaking fashion, leaving Wycombe to take their place against the Dons in the play-off semi-finals.
League Two
Swindon climbed back into the play-off places as they dispatched Barrow 2-1. Louis Reed’s 85th-minute goal snatched all three points after barrow had thought they had rescued a draw through Matt Platt’s goal just two minutes earlier. Josh Davison had opened the scoring as the Robins held on to the win as they attempt to return to League One at the first time of asking.
Sam Nombe’s equaliser meant that Exeter head into the final day top of the table following their 1-1 draw at Northampton. Mitch Pinnock scored a sublime goal to put the hosts ahead before Nombe struck in the 71st minute to score his first goal since December. Northampton currently sit third but could drop into the play-offs should either Port Vale or Mansfield win their game in hand.
Tranmere kept their ambitions of a play-off place within reach after pouring on the misery over troubled Oldham. Josh Hawkes and Kane Hemmings got a goal apiece as the home side recorded a comfortable 2-0 win to put them three points outside the top seven. Oldham lacked motivation and truly looked a defeated club following their abysmal season and now face a long summer of uncertainty.
By Joshua Stewart
