EFL Easter Monday clockwatch: latest from Championship and beyond – live | Football League

Key events

Full time: Huddersfield Town 2-2 Blackburn Rovers

Championship: Having gone in two goals down at half-time, Blackburn threw the kitchen sink at Huddersfield as the game went on and rescued a point courtesy of goals from Joe Rankin-Costello and Ryan Hedges. The Welsh international scored Blackburn’s equaliser in the first of five minutes of added time.

The result means Blackburn stay in sixth place, two points ahead of Norwich City with both teams having played the same number of games but Norwich due to host Rotherham at 3pm. Huddersfield are in 19th, three places but only two points clear of the drop zone.

Blackburn’s Joe Rankin-Costello (right) celebrates scoring the first of his side’s two goals with team-mate Tyrhys Dolan. Photograph: Tim Goode/PA

Hatzidakis stood down for Robertson “elbow”

Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis has been stood down from his duties while the Football Association investigates an incident in which he appeared to elbow Liverpool defender Andy Robertson shortly after the half-time whistle was blown during yesterday’s match at Anfield.

Hatzidakis made contact with Robertson’s throat after the Scotland international approached him at the end of the first half in Sunday’s thrilling draw with with Arsenal. The incident prompted Robertson and several teammates to angrily surround referee Paul Tierney, who promptly booked the Liverpool full-back.

Andy Robertson remonstrates with referee’s assistant Constatine Hatzidakis, who later appeared to swing an elbow at the Liverpool full-back.
Andy Robertson remonstrates with referee’s assistant Constatine Hatzidakis, who later appeared to swing an elbow at the Liverpool full-back. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA

Today’s Championship fixtures

Burnley have already guaranteed themselves promotion and host second-placed Sheffield United at Turf Moor tonight. Luton, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Blackburn Rovers occupy the play-off places, with Norwich, Preston, Coventry, West Brom, Sunderland and Watford all still hopeful of gatecrashing their party.

At the bottom of the table, things are looking bleak for Wigan Athletic, who are bottom and eight points from safety, while Blackpool and Reading occupy the other two relegation places. QPR’s alarming slide from top towards bottom of the table shows no sign of letting up. On their third manager of the season in Gareth Ainsworth, QPR have lost nine of their past 10 games and registered just two wins in their past 24 league matches.

Today in the Championship

  • Huddersfield Town 2-1 Blackburn Rovers (L)

  • Birmingham City v Stoke City

  • Cardiff City v Sunderland

  • Coventry City v Watford

  • Hull City v Millwall

  • Luton Town v Blackpool

  • Norwich City v Rotherham

  • Preston v Reading

  • West Brom v QPR

  • Wigan Athletic v Swansea City

  • Bristol City v Middlesbrough

  • Burnley v Sheffield United (8pm)

  • View the Championship table

Some easy listening …

Max Rushden was asking the questions as Troy Townsend, Will Unwin and yours truly rose with the lark to pick through the weekend’s action, kicking off with yesterday’s thriller between Liverpool and Arsenal, on the latest episode of our Football Weekly podcast. Listen here and if you’re not already a subscriber, where have you been? Sign up for free on all the usual podcast platforms.

Today’s League Two fixtures

Ten points clear at the top of the table, Leyton Orient can take another giant stride towards promotion with a win over Harrogate, who are in danger of slipping into the relegation zone. Rock bottom of the table, Rochdale travel to Mansfield Town, who are seventh.

Today in League Two

  • AFC Wimbledon v Salford City

  • Barrow v Crawley Town

  • Bradford City v Sutton United

  • Colchester United v Crewe Alexandra

  • Doncaster Rovers v Grimsby Town

  • Hartlepool United v Stevenage

  • Leyton Orient v Harrogate

  • Mansfield Town v Rochdale

  • Northampton Town v Gillingham

  • Stockport County v Newport County

  • Tranmere Rovers v Swindon Town

  • Walsall v Carlisle United

  • View the League Two table

Today’s League One fixtures

Two points clear of Ipswich Town at the top of the table, Plymouth Argyle host Lincoln City, while the Tractor Boys go to Cheltenham Town. Without a win in six games, Sheffield Wednesday will try to get their promotion push back on track in their home match against Accrington Stanley, who are the highest placed team in a relegation zone in which Cambridge United, Morecambe and Forest Green sit beneath them.

Today in League One

  • Barnsley v Shrewsbury Town

  • Bolton Wanderers v Cambridge United

  • Charlton Athletic v Burton Albion

  • Cheltenham Town v Ipswich Town

  • Derby County v MK Dons

  • Fleetwood Town v Bristol Rovers

  • Peterborough United v Exerter City

  • Plymouth Argyle v Lincoln City

  • Port Vale v Oxford United

  • Portsmouth v Morecambe

  • Sheffield Wednesday v Accrington Stanley

  • Wycombe Wanderers v Forest Green

  • View the League One table

Sheffield Wednesday have taken just four points from the past 18 available in their bid to return to the Championship.
Sheffield Wednesday have taken just four points from the past 18 available in their bid to return to the Championship. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

It’s a massive EFL Easter Monday

Already promoted with seven games to spare, Burnley will receive a rapturous reception tonight when they run out to face Sheffield United at Turf Moor in their first match since securing their return to the Premier League. In second place in the table, Sheffield United currently have an eight point lead (and game in hand) over Luton Town in third and look set to secure the second automatic promotion spot but still have work to do.

Ahead of tonight’s top-of-the-table clash, there are 11 other Championship games to enjoy and Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield can pull further clear of the relegation zone with a home win over sixth-placed Blackburn Rovers in today’s early kick-off. On a run of three consecutive league wins, Huddersfield look set to make it four from four as they currently lead by the odd goal of three.

While there’s plenty of League One and League Two action to monitor this afternoon, arguably the most box office game of the day takes place at the Racecourse Ground, where Wrexham and Notts County go toe-to-toe in a titanic clash at the summit of the National League.

Locked together on 100 points each with just one automatic promotion place available, the outcome of this mother of all six-pointers could have a massive bearing on who ultimately takes their place in League Two.

Critically and arguably unfairly, whichever club finishes second in the table will be forced into play-offs from which, on current standings, they could be eliminated by a team who finishes 32 points behind them. The ongoing debate that the National League should have more than one automatic promotion spot does not look like being resolved any time soon.

On a huge day of action in the Championship and beyond, we’ll bring you news of goals as they go in, stay across all the major talking points and finish up with post-match reaction, so stay tuned to stay informed no matter what it is you’re up to on this Easter Monday.

Ben Brereton Diaz (left) and Tom Lees are pictured in action during the early Championship game between Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town.
Ben Brereton Diaz (left) and Tom Lees are pictured in action during the early Championship game between Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/Shutterstock

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