West Brom have announced the departure of Tony Mowbray after the club’s play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 Championship defeat at home to relegation-threatened Derby.
The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-pieces when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half. Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until Nathaniel Mendez-Laing sealed maximum points for Derby, two minutes from time.
Defeat left West Brom 10th following five defeats in six games and the club confirmed Mowbray’s departure hours after the final whistle, while assistant head coach Mark Venus also departed the club.
A statement said: “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Tony and Mark for their efforts – but has made the decision to part company following a series of poor results. Tony and Mark will forever be welcome at The Hawthorns and their contributions to the club winning the 2007-08 Championship title will never be forgotten.”
James Morrison will take interim charge of the team, who are six points adrift of the top six.
Joe Gelhardt scored two second-half penalties as Hull boosted their Championship survival hopes by coming from behind to beat their fellow strugglers Preston 2-1. Lewis Gibson put the visitors ahead to give them hope of ending a five-match winless run that has dragged them into trouble, but Gelhardt twice struck from the spot at a rainy MKM Stadium.
Defeat for Hull would have put them in the bottom three but Rubén Sellés’ side remain two points above the drop zone in 20th. They can guarantee their Championship status by beating Derby at the weekend, while a third successive loss leaves Preston three points above 22nd-placed Luton and desperately low on confidence.
Luton, meanwhile, beat playoff chasing Bristol City 3-1 at Kenilworth Road. Thelo Aasgaard’s opener was cancelled out by George Tanner but Carlton Morris and Izzy Jones secured a vital victory.
Elsewhere in the relegation battle, Plymouth stunned playoff-chasing Coventry to claim their third home win in a row, but remained rooted to the foot of the table. Goals from Mustapha Bundu and Ryan Hardie shortly before half-time put the hosts in the driving seat, but there was still time for Haji Wright to make it 2-1 just before the interval. Bundu added his second of the afternoon 20 minutes into the second half to make sure of the points.
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League One roundup: Stockport and Orient boost promotion hopes
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Stockport remain just behind fourth-placed Charlton after Oliver Norwood’s penalty earned them a 2-1 comeback win against Huddersfield, with Callum Marshall dismissed for the Terriers minutes later.
Sixth-placed Leyton Orient came from behind to beat relegation-threatened Cambridge 2-1 after Josh Stokes’ opener was cancelled out by Charlie Kelman before Jamie Donley scored the winner. Orient remain in the top six on goal difference, but are level on 72 points with Reading, who won 5-1 at Mansfield.
Jayden Wareham scored two and Lewis Wing, Billy Bodin and a George Williams’ own goal also counted for the visitors, with Keanu Baccus replying for the Stags.
Champions Birmingham held on to beat Burton 2-1, with goals from Alfons Sampsted and Jay Stansfield before Fábio Tavares netted late on.
Dara Costelloe’s double helped Northampton beat bottom-of-the-table Shrewsbury 4-1, a 28th league defeat for the Shrews.
A six-goal thriller ended with Lincoln beating Bolton 4-2. The Trotters were reduced to 10 in the final minutes after Josh Dacres-Cogley was shown a second yellow card. Bolton levelled through Jay Matete and Alex Murphy after Erik Ring and James Collins’ penalty gave Lincoln the lead, but the Imps restored control with goals from Collins and Reeco Hackett.
Elsewhere, Barnsley and Peterborough drew 1-1 and Stevenage won 1-0 at relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers, while James Carragher’s effort was the difference as Wigan defeated Rotherham by the same scoreline.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy scored a brace as relegation-threatened Crawley beat Exeter 3-1.
Cardiff suffered a huge blow to their survival hopes as a screaming free-kick from Cameron Brannagan salvaged a 1-1 draw for Oxford and soured Aaron Ramsey’s first game as caretaker manager. Yousef Salech’s header early in the second half rewarded a far more proactive performance than in recent months from Cardiff, little more than 48 hours after Omer Riza’s sacking. But, with their relegation rivals profiting elsewhere, Brannagan stepped up 11 minutes from time to score from 25 yards out. It was a hammer blow for Cardiff, who remain 23rd and are now three points from safety.
Anthony Musaba scrambled home an 89th-minute winner for Sheffield Wednesday as Middlesbrough’s playoff hopes were dented by a damaging 2-1 loss at Hillsborough.
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Michael Carrick’s side were on course to climb into the top six following Finn Azaz’s 11th-minute opener in rain-soaked South Yorkshire. But Josh Windass equalised early in the second half before Musaba, on as a substitute, earned Wednesday a first home success since New Year’s Day at the death.
The defeats for Coventry and Boro allowed Millwall to roar back into the playoff race after Mihailo Ivanovic scored twice to sink Norwich 3-1 at the Den. Millwall’s top-six hopes looked to have been dealt a fatal blow when they were thumped 4-1 at Blackburn on Friday. But Ivanovic’s double and Femi Azeez’s goal leave Millwall three points off sixth place.
Tyrhys Dolan kept alive Blackburn’s chances of making the playoffs after a hard-earned win at Sunderland. On an afternoon when results elsewhere meant the hosts secured fourth place, Dolan’s 33rd-minute strike was enough to clinch a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light and a third on the trot for Valérien Ismaël’s side. By contrast, Régis Le Bris’ team have lost their last three games, hardly the kind of form they would want to take into the playoffs.
Resurgent Swansea made it five consecutive wins by beating QPR 2-1, further boosting Alan Sheehan’s chances of taking charge permanently. Sheehan has now presided over seven wins, two draws and two defeats from his 11 matches since taking over as caretaker boss, following the sacking of Luke Williams in February.
It would have been five clean sheets in a row had Karamoko Dembele not pulled a goal back for QPR with their first effort on target. Morgan Fox’s 29th-minute own goal put Swansea in front and Harry Darling scored early in the second half for the Welsh side, who were six points clear of the drop zone a little over a month ago. They are now 11th and pushing for a top-half finish.
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League Two: Morecambe relegated as Doncaster go top
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Morecambe‘s relegation from the Football League after 18 years was confirmed with a 3-1 defeat by Salford, with Ossama Ashley, Cole Stockton and Kelly N’Mai doing the damage. Yann Songo’o’s effort for the hosts will be of little consolation.
Carlisle kept their survival hopes alive after Callum Whelan’s stoppage-time effort earned a 1-1 draw against Accrington.
At the opposite end of the table, Doncaster went top after goals from Harry Clifton, Jordan Gibson and Patrick Kelly earned a 3-0 win over Colchester, who had Owura Edwards sent off in the 80th minute.
Port Vale slipped to second despite staging a late comeback to draw 2-2 with Grimsby, Lorent Tolaj and Jesse Debrah salvaging a point after Danny Rose’s brace.
Walsall‘s automatic promotion hopes took a blow following a goalless draw with 10-man Newport, while third-placed Bradford were held 3-3 in a thriller at Chesterfield.
Bradford took the lead through Bobby Pointon and Antoni Sarcevic’s penalty before Jenson Metcalfe pulled one back just before the break. Alex Pattison extended the Bantams’ advantage but Will Grigg started a late comeback and Liam Mandeville equalised in stoppage-time.
Ethon Archer’s 89th-minute winner gave Cheltenham a 2-1 win at playoff hopefuls Notts County, while Scott Hogan’s goal was enough for MK Dons to see off hosts Crewe.
Harrogate moved further away from the relegation zone after coming from behind to beat Fleetwood 3-1 and Will Wright’s late own goal gave Bromley a 1-0 win over Swindon.
Joseph Gbode’s effort ensured Gillingham beat Wimbledon 1-0, while Barrow‘s meeting with 22nd-placed Tranmere finished goalless. PA Media
Colby Bishop’s goal earned Portsmouth a 1-0 win over 10-man Watford which ensured their safety. Portsmouth are six points clear of the relegation zone but, with Hull and Derby still to play each other, their Championship status is guaranteed. Watford were reduced to 10 men in the 57th minute when Kévin Keben was sent off for bringing down Josh Murphy just outside the area.
