Late goals from Colby Bishop and Conor Shaughnessy confirmed Portsmouth’s return to the Championship after a 12-year absence. John Mousinho’s side twice hit back from behind to beat playoff hopefuls Barnsley 3-2 and ensure they will finish the season as champions, sparking celebrations at Fratton Park.
Portsmouth seemed likely be frustrated in their search for the single point they needed in order to make certain of promotion when Devante Cole gave Barnsley an early lead then John McAtee restored the visitors’ advantage after Kusini Yengi’s equaliser. But Bishop levelled from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute and Shaughnessy headed in from a corner six minutes later to put the seal on Portsmouth’s promotion party.
In fact the late drama at Fratton Park had no bearing on the night’s events due to third-placed Bolton being held 2-2 at home by Shrewsbury. Mid-table Shrewsbury twice led through Daniel Udoh and Jordan Shipley, while Bolton responded through Cameron Jerome and Paris Maghoma, whose 71st minute leveller moves them within three points of second-placed Derby.
Peterborough confirmed their place in the playoffs with a 4-1 win over Fleetwood, who remain just about alive in their battle to beat the drop. Two goals in stoppage time from Jonson Clarke-Harris put the seal on a commanding Peterborough win although they had a fright at the start as Fleetwood opened the scoring after 17 seconds through Bosun Lawal. Promise Omochere and Lawal missed penalties for the visitors either side of Malik Mothersille’s equaliser, before Archie Collins put the hosts ahead with nine minutes remaining.
Veteran defender Curtis Davies scored a 71st-minute winner as Cheltenham grabbed a priceless 2-1 win at fellow strugglers Burton Albion, moving the away side within two points of Albion who remain one place above the drop zone.
Port Vale are still in deep trouble after a 2-1 home defeat to Wycombe, for whom Nigel Lonwijk scored a late winner, and Cambridge United are not certain of safety after they fell 1-0 to Chris Martin’s 87th-minute goal at Bristol Rovers.
Lincoln City kept their push for a playoff place alive with a 1-0 at sixth-placed Oxford United, Daniel Mandroiu’s 47th-minute penalty separating the teams in a game in which Dylan Duffy was sent off for the visitors late on.
Stockport were crowned League Two champions after a 5-2 win at Notts County while Forest Green’s seven-year stay in the EFL came to a close due to Colchester’s 2-0 win over Grimsby. Stockport sealed the title in style with Paddy Madden’s first-half hat-trick paving the way for an emphatic win at the County Ground, and they will be joined in League One next season by Mansfield, who held on for a 2-1 home win over Accrington Stanley.
Crawley and Barrow remain clinging on to the final two playoff spots after a 1-1 draw at Broadfield Stadium but Walsall moved within a point of the top seven as Danny Johnson scored in the 89th minute to seal a 2-1 win over Swindon.
Meanwhile in the Championship, Che Adams scored twice to give Southampton a 3-0 victory over Preston, a third home win in seven days and a clear view of the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places. Striker Adams recorded a classy first-half double – which took him past 100 career league goals – before Scotland teammate Stuart Armstrong scored a third.
After three defeats in four matches in February, Southampton appeared as though they would be consigned to the playoffs but three wins in a row, along with Ipswich, Leeds and Leicester’s stumbles, have them four points outside the top two with a game in hand on all but Leicester.
