Championship
INTERIM manager Paul Ince couldn't hide his delight after Reading took a giant step towards safety with a 2-1 home win against Stoke.
Michael Morrison headed home after 13 minutes to give the Royals the lead, only for Potters sub Romaine Sawyers to level the score on the stroke of half-time.
But Reading won it just after the hour mark when Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored an own goal under pressure from Lucas Joao. It put the Royals eight points clear of the drop.
“We came here today really desperate to get the three points by any means, but, overall, I just feel there was an atmosphere,” Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire.
“We felt together, it felt whole and, overall, it looked like we all won today as a club. In many ways that was outstanding.”
Sheffield United inflicted QPR's fourth straight defeat as the Blades moved back into the play-off places thanks to Oliver Norwood's goal after nine minutes.
Fourth-placed Luton were held to a draw at bottom of the table Peterborough.
It could have been better for the Hatters as Danny Hylton's tap-in had them leading into the latter stages but Jonson Clarke-Harris scored three minutes from time to earn Posh a draw.
Millwall missed the chance to move one point off the play-off places as Joel Piroe scored to give Swansea the win at The Den.
Cameron Archer scored in first-half stoppage time as Preston beat Blackpool 1-0 and leapfrogged them in the table.
League One
RUTHLESS Wigan grabbed top spot with a 3-0 win at home against Accrington Stanley.
Joe Bennett, Josh Magennis and Will Keane all found the net in a 20-minute spell either side of half-time against mid-table Stanley.
MK Dons saw off bottom of the table Crewe to move into the automatic promotion places.
Troy Parrott and Conor Coventry both scored in the first half to ease Sunday's Papa Johns Trophy winners Rotherham out of the top two. Bassala Sambou pulled one back at the death to make it 2-1.
Despite going second, MK boss Liam Manning admitted his side were disappointed with their performance.
“For the players, who have been on a really good run with some really good moments, the dressing room is pretty flat tonight,” he said.
“It's great from a coaching perspective, because they're so self-aware that it's actually my job to lift them tonight rather than knock them for being sloppy.”
A Sam Vokes brace, plus goals from Josh Scowen and Garath McCleary, helped Wycombe climb into the play-off places with an emphatic 4-1 win at Cambridge. Harvey Knibbs netted for the U's.
Cole Stockton's 21st goal of the season helped drag Morecambe out of the relegation zone as they came from behind to stun Oxford 2-1.
Matty Taylor had given the U's the lead after three minutes, but Aaron Wildig and Stockton netted for the Shrimps to turn the tables in the opening 25 minutes.
Fleetwood are three games unbeaten and one point outside the drop zone after drawing 1-1 with Lincoln. Dan Batty scored for the Cod Army in the first half, but Lewis Fiorini notched a 64th-minute equaliser for Lincoln.
Elsewhere, Bolton and Portsmouth, and AFC Wimbledon and Charlton both drew 1-1.
League Two
THIRD-PLACED Port Vale's sixth win in seven moved them three points clear of the chasing pack in the race for automatic promotion.
Hosts Salford had been on a fine run of form to put themselves in the play-off picture, but they remain on the outside looking in after Harry Charsley scored a 59th-minute winner to give Vale a 1-0 win.
Mansfield missed their chance to move level on points with Vale as an early goal from Josh March and red card for George Lapslie meant it was a disappointing night for the Stags as they fell to a 1-0 loss at league leaders Forest Green.
Written by JOE ACKLAM
