As the EFL season draws to a close, the second round of Easter fixtures proved pivotal in defining seasons.
The headlines were that Leeds and Burnley have secured promotion to the Premier League, whilst Morecambe will be relegated from League Two to the National League.
However, there was drama in the League One promotion race, and with many twists and turns to come, this season is by no means over.
Championship
Starting in the Championship, where the main headline is that Leeds and Burnley secured automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds defeated Stoke City 6-0 thanks to 4 goals from Joel Piroe to leave themselves on the brink of promotion, before a brace from Josh Brownhill saw Burnley beat 3rd place Sheffield United 2-1 to send both teams up.
That means Sheffield United will compete with Sunderland, who lost 1-0 against Blackburn Rovers, in the playoffs.
Bristol City and Coventry City both saw their chances of joining them hampered, as they were each defeated 3-1 by relegation threatened Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle respectively.
Middlesbrough were unable to capitalise on their rivals slipping up, as a late Anthony Musaba goal saw them lose 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday, but Millwall defeated Norwich City 3-1 to reignite their hopes.
In the relegation battle, the aforementioned victories for Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle kept the pressure on their rivals. Derby County responded by beating playoff chasing West Brom 3-1, whilst Hull City earned a vital 2-1 win over Preston North End.
Cardiff City, who sacked manager Omer Riza after their Good Friday defeat and appointed Aaron Ramsey as interim head coach, were held to a 1-1 draw by Oxford United, meaning that they lost ground in the battle to avoid League One.
Those scores mean that only 4 points separate 22nd and 17th, but with only 2 games remaining the teams are running out of time to save their season.
League One
The promotion race in League One took yet another twist, as second placed Wycombe Wanderers were thrashed 4-0 at home by Charlton Athletic.
That result meant that Wrexham returned to the automatic promotion places with a 2-1 victory at Blackpool.
With 2 games to go, Wrexham sit in 2nd place, 2 points clear of Wycombe and 4 points ahead of Charlton Athletic. With Wrexham hosting The Addicks in their next fixture, the race for The Championship is poised to go right to the wire.
In the playoff race, Bolton Wanderers saw their hopes of a second consecutive playoff final all but dashed, as they lost 4-2 to Lincoln City. Leyton Orient won 2-1 against Cambridge United to maintain their control over 6th place, but Reading’s 5-1 victory over Mansfield means they are also firmly in contention as they are only outside the playoffs on goal difference.
In the relegation battle, Burton Albion lost 2-1 to Birmingham City and Bristol Rovers were beat 1-0 by Stevenage, keeping the teams only separated by goal difference. However, Crawley Town secured a vital 3-1 victory over Exeter City to move themselves to within three points of safety to keep their hopes alive, but Cambridge’s defeat to Leyton Orient leaves them on the verge of relegation.
League Two
With only 2 matches to go, the races to earn both the League Two title and automatic promotion look set to go right to the wire.
Doncaster Rovers went top of the league for the first time since September thanks to a 3-0 win at home to Colchester United. They displaced Port Vale, who required a 95th minute equaliser to snatch a 2-2 draw with Grimsby.
Bradford City remain in third place as a 92nd minute goal saw them pegged back to a 3-3 draw with Chesterfield. Walsall stay 4th as they were unable to snap their winless run with a 0-0 draw against Newport County.
AFC Wimbledon and Notts County saw their grips playoff places loosened by defeats to Gillingham and Cheltenham respectively, whilst Grimsby’s point at Port Vale means they solidify their position in 7th.
In the chasing pack, Colchester’s defeat damages their hopes, but Salford City have reinvigorated their chances with a 3-1 victory at Morecambe. Chesterfield’s late equaliser means that they remain with a chance, but Crewe Alexandra’s season has surely ended as they were defeated 1-0 by MK Dons.
Morecambe saw their 18 year stay in the Football League ended, as their relegation was confirmed by a 3-1 defeat to Salford.
Carlisle scored an injury time equaliser against Accrington Stanley to keep their slim hopes of survival alive, and Tranmere Rovers were held to a 0-0 draw against Barrow to maintain their 4 point gap above the relegation zone.
