• Championship

Birmingham survive in last-minute drama

ESPN staff
May 3, 2014
Paul Caddis scored in the third-minute of injury time to keep Birmingham in the Championship © Getty Images
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There was late drama at both ends of the Championship table as Birmingham City sent Doncaster Rovers straight back down to League One, while Brighton & Hove Albion snatched the final play-off place from Reading.

Doncaster never really looked like scoring at champions Leicester City, who won the game thanks to David Nugent's penalty midway through the second half.

League One & League Two round-up

  • Wolverhampton and Brentford's promotion to the Championship and the teams who will be involved in the play-offs were already confirmed prior to kick-off, so relegation was the focus in League One.
  • Carlisle were beaten 3-0 at Wolves and will be playing League Two football next season, as will Tranmere, who lost at home to Bradford. Notts County ensured survival with a 1-1 draw at Oldham.
  • In League Two, Chesterfield secured the title after they came back to beat Fleetwood 2-1 at home. Scunthorpe and Rochdale are the other two teams who go up, while the play-off teams had already been determined before kick-off.
  • However, at the bottom, Bristol Rovers will be playing Conference football with Torquay next season after they lost 1-0 at home to Mansfield. Wycombe enjoyed a 3-0 win at Torquay, while Northampton survive thanks to a 3-1 victory at home to Oxford.

Birmingham, who needed to better Rovers' result to survive, looked dead and buried at Bolton until Paul Caddis swooped to head home in injury time to make it 2-2 and ensure they stay up on goal difference.

Millwall, who were also in danger of going down, beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the New Den, while fellow relegation rivals Blackpool survived despite going down 3-0 at home to Charlton Athletic.

At the top, Jose Ulloa's 92nd-minute strike earned Brighton a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

And with Reading only managing a 2-2 draw against promoted Burnley, it meant Albion sneaked sixth place by a single point.

Brighton will face Derby for a place in the play-off final. Steve McClaren's side, who were already guaranteed third place, ended the regular season with a 1-1 draw at Leeds United.

Wigan Athletic, already assured a play-off place, lost 4-3 at Blackburn Rovers and will face Queens Park Rangers, who edged Barnsley 3-2.

Ipswich finished ninth with a 2-1 over Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road, while Middlesbrough claimed a top-half finish by thrashing relegated Yeovil Town 4-1 at Huish Park.

Watford ended a disappointing season by going down to the same score at home to Huddersfield Town.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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