Saturday’s EFL: Norwich go four points clear at top of Championship; Villa into play-off spots

1. Championship leaders Norwich win at Rotherham to go four points clear
2. Sheffield United go second in table with win at Leeds
3. Villa beat faltering Boro to climb to sixth
4. Wigan cruise to win over relegation rivals Bolton
5. League One leaders Luton held by Gillingham, Sunderland and Portsmouth win
6. Crewe hit five in 11 minutes against Crawley, Sol Campbell's Macclesfield win

Time for an international break

Rex Features

The full EFL programme heads off on a bit of an international break now for a couple of weeks.

The Championship returns at the end of the month when the clubs will brace themselves for the run-in.

But of course Leagues One and Two will still be at it in the meantime and we'll have full coverage of those games next weekend.

Keep across BBC Sport this evening where we'll have all the reaction to today's events but in the meantime, thanks for being with us.

Changes at the top

BBC

Today's winners? Definitely Norwich City and Sheffield United, who both secured victories and finish the evening in the top two.

West Bromwich Albion keep up their pursuit of the automatic places, narrowing the gap on Leeds United in third to six points.

Middlesbrough are in a worrying free-fall after their fourth loss in eight games and second in a row, while Aston Villa are on an upward trajectory, into the top six on goal difference ahead of Preston North End.

Slip and slide

BBC Sport

Ipswich's draw with Nottingham Forest provides little comfort in terms of climbing out of the relegation places, given Reading in 21st are 13 points clear...

Bolton's hopes of survival are also fading after a crushing defeat by Wigan, who rise to 19th.

Millwall drop down, as their focus this weekend turns to the FA Cup and possible Wembley appearances, as do Reading after their draw at Stoke.

Rotherham found out to their cost that performances don't always produce points, as a spirited effort at home to leaders Norwich ended in defeat despite their passion and pride.

Championship full-time headlines

Reuters

• Norwich are four points clear at the top after winning 2-1 at Rotherham.
• Their lead is extended thanks to Sheffield United's earlier 1-0 win at Leeds, a result which saw those two change places in second and third.
• Aston Villa win a fourth game in a row to move into the play-offs and a point behind the team they dispatched 3-0, Middlesbrough.
• West Brom caretaker manager James Shan wins a second match in a row as they end Brentford's home resurgence.
• Wigan win in style against fellow strugglers Bolton, 5-2 on home turf to give themselves some breathing space above the relegation zone.

League One full-time headlines

Rex Features

• Leaders Luton stretch their unbeaten run to 25 games, but Gillingham twice peg them back to earn a 2-2 draw at Kenilworth Road.
• Sunderland come from behind to beat Walsall 2-1.
• Portsmouth beat Scunthorpe 2-0, but Charlton in fifth are held to a goalless draw at Bristol Rovers.
• Coventry close in on the play-offs with a 2-1 away win at Peterborough.
• AFC Wimbledon move off the bottom with a 1-0 win at Southend.
• There's also crucial wins for struggling Oxford United against Bradford, who are now at the bottom, and Shrewsbury against Wycombe.

League Two full-time headlines

Rex Features

• Crewe Alexandra score six goals without reply - including five in 11 minutes - in their 6-1 win against Crawley, who are reduced to 10-men by Ibrahim Meite's dismissal.
• Macclesfield Town win 2-0 in the big bottom-end-of-the-table showdown with Yeovil Town to reduce the gap on their vanquished fellow strugglers to three points.
• Exeter climb into the top seven with a 3-0 win against fellow promotion hopefuls Colchester.
• Chuks Aneke's late goal earns MK Dons a point at home to Stevenage.
• Carlisle drew at Forest Green after Nathan Thomas' goal cancelled out Reece Brown's opener.
• Swindon-Port Vale, Notts County-Morecambe and Grimsby-Northampton finish goalless.

Stay right there - we'll bring you the headlines from across the EFL shortly...

FULL-TIME

All over at the DW Stadium and a thumping win for Wigan in their fight against the drop.

Bolton still in disarray off the pitch and pretty similar on it on this evidence.

FULL-TIME

Norwich stretch out four points clear at the top of the Championship with a big goal in South Yorkshire thanks to Ben Godfrey's header.

The Canaries went in front thanks to Kenny McLean's strike before the break, but Semi Ajayi equalised.

Godfrey's goal keeps the Canaries soaring... but for Rotherham it's points missed as they battle to avoid the drop.

FULL-TIME

Big, big goal for Preston as Sean Maguire popping up with a massive goal to keep the North Enders on the upward curve.

Only goal difference keeps them out of the top six.

Birmingham will wonder what might have been, they had the better chances in normal time.

FULL-TIME

Kyle Edwards' quality goal gives James Shan back-to-back wins as West Brom caretaker manager.

Brentford's six-game home winning run comes to an end.

FULL-TIME

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Excellent comeback from QPR who looked to be heading to defeat after Jarrod Bowen's brace.

But second-half goals from Josh Scowen and Tomer Hemed earned the Hoops a point.

GOAL: Preston 1-0 Birmingham

Hold the front page!

Looked for all money as though this was going to finish a draw but Sean Maguire buries a header to continue Preston's unbeaten run to 12 games!

Play-off bound? Perhaps. Tough on the Bluenoses.

FULL-TIME

Sheffield Wednesday continue their late push for the play-offs, winning a six-goal thriller with Blackburn.

That's 10 games unbeaten for the Owls under Steve Bruce.

FULL-TIME

Honours even at Portman Road.

Collin Quaner's early strike cancelled out by a Jon Nolan own goal that I think Molla Wague might try and claim for Forest.

Ipswich still with just three wins all campaign.

FULL-TIME

Getty Images

Big win for Aston Villa. They keep on rolling.

It's a crushing defeat for Middlesbrough though, they are in a bit of a tailspin.

FULL-TIME

All over in the Potteries and it's a seventh goalless draw of the season for Reading.

But, it could be a very vital point in their bid to avoid the drop.

Into stoppage time and despite neither side breaking the deadlock, Benik Afobe for Stoke and Garath McCleary for Reading have seen chances flash narrowly wide of goal.

Rotherham clear off the line as Emi Buendia sought a third...

Not long to go...

GOAL: Sheff Wed 4-2 Blackburn

A sixth goal at Hillsborough where Elliott Bennett fires home right-footed for a consolation for Blackburn.