CH:Brentford(H)RotherhamUnited

 Tuesday 27th April

Brentford 1 Rotherham United 0

From the BBC Sport website:

Bryan Mbeumo's header put Brentford in front against Rotherham

Rotherham United slipped closer towards relegation from the Championship with defeat at Brentford, who are already certain of a play-off place.

Bryan Mbeumo scored the game's only goal before half-time, glancing Sergi Canos' teasing cross into the corner.

The Millers remain four points adrift of 21st-placed Derby County with one game in hand, meaning they will now have to rely on other results if they are to stay up.

Paul Warne's side have been playing catch-up in recent weeks after a series of postponements earlier in the campaign because of two Covid-19 outbreaks in the squad left them with several games in hand.

But they have squandered their opportunity to reel in Wayne Rooney's Rams, taking only four points from a possible 27 during a manic April fixture list.

Despite a bright start against the Bees, who are third in the table, Thomas Frank's men took control after Mbeumo's well-taken opener.

Canos twice missed chances to double their lead, shooting straight at goalkeeper Jamal Blackman before dragging another attempt wide of the near post.

Ivan Toney also went agonisingly close to a 30th goal of the campaign, thumping the foot of the post after going through on goal at the end of the first half.

Toney had a second-half header saved by Blackman, who also kept out a curling shot from Emiliano Marcondes.

Michael Ihiekwe saw a 92nd-minute header saved by Brentford keeper David Raya before Marcus Forss spurned a chance to make it 2-0 at the death when he flashed a shot narrowly wide.

The Bees extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches with victory to move four points clear of fourth-placed Bournemouth.

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:

"It's important that we build momentum at this stage of the season and it was a hard-earned win.

"We are starting to see new relationships grow on the pitch at just the right time.

"We had to fight and for the first 25 minutes we couldn't get control of the game.

"But one bit of class and brilliance from Sergi Canos and Bryan Mbeumo with the header changes the game."

Rotherham boss Paul Warne:

"The schedule has caught up with us but we will keep going. It is absolutely exhausting and I don't know how the players are doing it.

"It feels like we've played a quarter of a season in a month and the sad thing is, if you are winning every week you feel a million dollars but when you lose you lick your wounds and they get deeper.

"I can't knock the lads' effort and I was very proud of them. On another day we might have nicked one at the end.

"I feel for my group and myself that we haven't got our just rewards, but we will go to the end."

L2:Exeter(H)Grimsby

 Tuesday 27th April

Exeter City 3 Grimsby Town 2

From the BBC Sport website:

Jay Matete was sent off three minutes after putting Grimsby in front at Exeter

Grimsby Town have been relegated back to the National League after five seasons in the English Football League.

The Mariners fell to a 3-2 defeat at Exeter City to leave them seven points adrift of safety with two games left.

Lenell John-Lewis and Jay Matete had put them 2-1 up. But Matete was then sent off, and Ryan Bowman struck an 89th-minute winner for the Grecians.

It has been a season of toil on and off the pitch, with a protracted takeover still to go through.

Relegation has always looked likely in a campaign in which the highest position they reached was 15th in October.

Holloway walks away and the wrong kind of fight

Grimsby's season got off to bad start when an outbreak of Covid-19 meant they did not play a competitive game for three weeks between 19 September and 10 October.

When they did return to the pitch, seven points in three games saw them reach their season-high position of 15th but they quickly tumbled back down the table.

Boss Ian Holloway resigned on 23 December, less than a week after saying he was "not going anywhere unless I'm told to".

He was replaced by former manager Paul Hurst, who had led the club to promotion out of the National League in 2016.

However, Hurst was unable to stop the slide and it took him until his seventh game to pick up his first win.

They did manage an eight-game unbeaten run from 9 March to 5 April but drew seven of those eight as their survival bid stuttered.

They then fell to a 1-0 defeat at Bradford on 10 April in a game that say Mariners forward Stefan Payne sent off for headbutting team-mate Filipe Morais. Hurst subsequently said neither would play for the club again.

A shock 2-1 win over promotion-chasing Bolton in the next match gave them a glimmer of hope, only for a thumping 3-0 defeat at Blundell Park by Morecambe three days later to all but extinguish it.

NL:Weymouth(A)MaidenheadUnited

 Tuesday 27th April

Miadenhead United 0 Weymouth 1

From the BBC Sport website:

Weymouth moved up to 18th in the National League table with a 1-0 win at 10-man Maidenhead.

In-form striker Danilo Orsi-Dadomo had a good chance to put Maidenhead in front in the 25th minute but his effort clattered a post.

And it was the visitors who opened the scoring on the 30-minute mark when Calvin Brooks turned in Sean Shields' cross at the back post.

The home side were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when Seth Twumasi was sent off, but they were handed a lifeline when Josh Kelly was fouled in the box six minutes later and the referee pointed to the spot.

But visiting goalkeeper Ethan Ross saved Orsi-Dadomo's penalty and Weymouth returned home with three valuable points.

WSL:Arsenal(H)Brighton

 Sunday 25th April

Arsenal 2 Brighton 0

From the BBC Sport website:

WSL Highlights: Nobbs scores twice as Arsenal beat Brighton

Arsenal maintained their bid for a Champions League spot as they edged past Brighton for a sixth straight Women's Super League win.

Jordan Nobbs sent a low finish past Brighton keeper Megan Walsh into the corner to put the Gunners ahead.

Vivianne Miedema put a good chance past the far post, while Emily Simpkins was inches away from an equaliser.

But as Brighton pushed forward, Arsenal broke and Beth Mead teed up Nobbs for a simple finish to seal the points.

• Relive Sunday's WSL action

Having seen rivals Manchester United replace them in the Champions League places with victory in their lunchtime kick-off, Arsenal responded in kind to retake third spot on goal difference with a game in hand.

Brighton had beaten Chelsea and United in an impressive run of six wins in seven and started confidently, but Joe Montemurro's side soon resumed control.

However, aside from Nobbs' fourth league goal of the season, Brighton's disciplined defence soaked up the first-half pressure and limited the Gunners to half-chances.

The hosts found themselves pushed back, and Simpkins almost benefitted as their high press forced a calamitous mix-up in the Arsenal defence, but rolled a shot just wide with keeper Manuela Zinsberger well out of her goal.

Yet Zinsberger was rarely called into action, and Arsenal showed their ruthless side as Nobbs finished a clinical break to continue their strong finish to the season.

WCH:Lewes(H)LeicesterCity

 Sunday 25th April

Lewes 1 Leicester City 0

From The Football Association:

 

Lewes 1-0 Leicester City

Ini-Abasi Umotong's first-half penalty proved the difference as Lewes beat champions Leicester City

Already crowned FA Women’s Championship champions Leicester City suffered an upset at the hands of Lewes as Ini-Abasi Umotong’s penalty proved the difference.

Umotong slotted home from the spot on 20 minutes to seal a 1-0 win for The Rooks in their final home game of the season after Lucy Ashworth-Clifford was brought down in the box.

Leicester had a series of chances to equalise in the second half but despite their best efforts, Jonathan Morgan’s Foxes were unable to avoid a rare away defeat.

KEY MOMENTS

City were given a guard of honour by the hosts before the game but that was where the niceties ended at The Dripping Pan as Lewes enjoyed a bright start to the contest.

Umotong was the first to threaten the Leicester goal early on but saw her effort deflected behind before Ashworth-Clifford was denied by visiting goalkeeper Kirstie Levell.

The Rooks had another chance on 17 minutes when an error in the Leicester backline presented Megan Mackey with an opportunity, only for midfielder to fire her shot over.

But the home side did not have to wait much longer for the opening goal as they were handed a penalty on 20 minutes when Ashworth-Clifford was brought down in the box.

Umotong stepped up to convert from the spot and give her side a deserved lead but the goal woke the champions from their slumber as they came close to equalising before the break.

Hannah Cain almost got on the end of a Remi Allen free-kick before Sophie Barker had an effort at goal comfortably saved by Tatiana Saunders just before the half-hour mark.

Saunders also denied Libby Smith from close range on 34 minutes as Umotong’s penalty remained the difference between the two sides at the half-time interval.

Leicester continued to pile the pressure on Lewes at the start of the second half, with Smith firing wide from just inside the area before the hosts cleared the subsequent corner.

Natasha Flint then blazed over the bar from outside the area before being denied by Saunders moments later after taking down a high ball, spinning and firing towards the bottom corner.

The visitors made several changes as they pushed for the equaliser but Lewes almost doubled their lead on 84 minutes when Ashworth-Clifford weaved her way into the Leicester box.

She found Filippa Savva in space in the area but the substitute’s effort on goal was blocked on the line from close range as Leicester kept their hopes of salvaging a point alive.

And there was time for one more Leicester chance in time added on as Flint pounced on loose ball following a scramble before missing the target in a dramatic finish.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Ini-Abasi Umotong’s penalty settled the contest in Lewes’ favour and she showed impressive composure to fire the ball from the spot with 20 minutes gone.

Lewes (3-4-3): Tatiana Saunders; Charley Boswell, Rhian Cleverley, Ellie Hack; Sophie O’Rourke, Mollie Rouse, Ellie Leek, Megan Mackey; Georgia Timms, Ini-Abasi Umotong, Lucy Ashworth-Clifford 

Substitutes: Filippa Savva for Leek 75’; Danielle Lane for Mackey 75’; Simran Jhamat for Timms 90+4’; Samantha Quayle for Ashworth-Clifford 90+5’

Substitutes not used: Zahra Cheeseman

Goals: Umotong 20’

Leicester City (4-5-1): Kirstie Levell; Sophie Howard, Grace Riglar, Lia Cataldo, Ashleigh Plumptre; Remi Allen, Shannon O’Brien, Natasha Flint, Sophie Barker; Libby Smith, Hannah Cain

Substitutes: Esmee De Graaf for Howard 61’; Lachante Paul for O’Brien 63’; Charlie Devlin for Cataldo 68’; Sam Tierney for Smith 68’

Substitutes not used: Demi Lambourne, Aimee Everett, Charlotte Fleming, Millie Farrow, Liv Fergusson

CH:Brentford(A)Bournemouth

 Saturday 24th April

Bournemouth 0 Brentford 1

From the BBC Sport website:

Bryan Mbeumo's goal was his sixth in the Championship this season

Brentford substitute Bryan Mbeumo scored the winner just two minutes after coming on as the 10-man Bees held on to beat Championship play-off rivals Bournemouth.

While that catapulted the Bees up above the Cherries into third, it also kept second-placed Watford waiting, for a few more hours at least, in their quest for automatic promotion.

A draw would have sent the Hornets up, but Brentford's win did not deny Watford as their 1-0 win over Millwall later on Saturday ensured they will join Norwich in the Premier League next season.

As it was, Brentford made light of defender Pontus Jansson's early second-half red card to end Bournemouth's run of seven straight league wins - and officially book the Bees' play-off place.

The winner came on 77 minutes when Ivan Toney's shot was only parried by Asmir Begovic and Mbeumo neatly threaded home the rebound past two wrongfooted Cherries defenders.

• Relive Saturday's EFL action

Pontus Jansson's early second-half dismissal for his challenge on Dominic Solanke changed the pace of the game

In an even, well contested first half, both sides went close.

The Championship's 29-goal top scorer Toney had a shot cleared off the line before Begovic's fine fingertip save from Matthias Jensen.

But Bournemouth three times carved open the Brentford defence to have men clean through on goal without managing to test Bees keeper David Raya.

The pace of the game changed following Jansson's red card after getting himself in a clumsy tangle as he tried to deal with the close attentions of Dominic Solanke in reacting to a ball dropping over his shoulder.

He had already been booked - and referee John Brooks deemed it worthy of a second yellow card. But it actually had a worse effect on Bournemouth.

Although the Bees sat back looking to protect a point, they still ended up having the better chances as Bournemouth proved punchless up front.

Begovic had to go full length to his right to keep out an awkwardly bouncing shot from Emiliano Marcondes.

But he immediately came off, as one of two changes, Mbeumo came on - and two minutes later Brentford hit their winner, only the third victory in their nine-match unbeaten run.

The Bees now host relegation battlers Rotherham on Tuesday, before Bournemouth return to action next Saturday at bottom club Wycombe.

Brentford 'went for the win' - reaction

Bournemouth boss Jonathan Woodgate:

"To win seven league games in a row is a fantastic effort but it had to come to an end at some point.

"I can't fault the players' effort. Maybe we ran out of steam. I thought when they went down to 10 men we would win but they defended well.

"We had opportunities in the first half but the final ball and the decision-making was not good enough.

"I have said even when we have won games that we need to be better. We need to keep improving. We learn every game we play."

Brentford boss Thomas Frank:

"I am more than delighted. I am immensely proud of the players and I hope the fans are as well.

"In the first half we were by far the better side and in the second half, when it was 10 against 11, they created zero chances.

"We went for the win. That says everything about the attitude and the togetherness.

"Sometimes you take some decisions and they pay off. The easy thing with 10 men is to be very defensive but we wanted to be positive"

L1:Plymouth(A)OxfordUnited

Saturday 24th April

Oxford United 3 Plymouth Argyle 1

From the BBC Sport website:

 Top scorer Matty Taylor struck twice in the second half to take Oxford back into the League One play-off places as they overcame Plymouth.

An own goal from Argyle captain Joe Edwards gave the hosts a half-time lead and after Niall Ennis equalised, Taylor struck twice from close range.

Edwards headed Elliot Lee's free-kick into his own net in the 29th minute, giving goalkeeper Mike Cooper no chance.

Ennis levelled for Plymouth on 65 minutes, running on to Danny Mayor's pass and opening up his body to curl a shot past Jack Stevens.

But Karl Robinson's men took less than four minutes to regain the lead, with Taylor turning Mark Sykes' low cross high into the net.

And Taylor again showed how deadly he can be inside the six-yard box as he swivelled to hook home at a corner 10 minutes from time for his 17th goal of the season.

The home side had squandered three headed opportunities in the opening minutes, while Byron Moore headed against a post for the visitors.

L2:Exeter(H)NewportCounty

Saturday 24th April

Exeter 0 Newport County 0

From the BBC Sport website:

 

Newport's Joss Labadie fends off Alex Hartridge

Newport County remain in the League Two play-off places after a goalless draw with top-seven hopefuls Exeter City.

The Exiles came closest to finding a breakthrough as Lewis Collins' header was brilliantly saved by Jokull Andresson.

Exeter keeper Andresson also saved well from Josh Sheehan, while at the other end Jake Taylor shot wide and Ryan Bowman headed off target.

Newport stay seventh in the table, while Exeter drop a place to ninth.

Salford's win over Mansfield means they climb to eighth, just a point behind Mike Flynn's Newport with three regular-season games to play.

An Exeter win over Newport would have seen them climb into the top seven at the expense of the Welsh club, but they remain three points adrift.

Newport manager Mike Flynn:

"I thought we were the better team today. We played really well.

"A little bit of quality in the final third, we win the game - we should have won the game.

"That's three good performances now on the spin. Hopefully we are hitting form at the right time.

"It's still in our hands. We have got to try to win a couple of games now."