EFL UPS AND DOWNS
CHAMPIONSHIP
NORWICH are on the verge of becoming a Premier League club again. Their 2-2 draw at Stoke left them with 88 points, three ahead of Sheffield United and six clear of Leeds with two games to go. In the battle for the one remaining automatic promotion place, the Blades face Ipswich then Stoke, while Leeds meet Aston Villa then Ipswich. West Brom and Villa are heading for the play-offs while Derby, Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea are chasing sixth. Ipswich and Bolton have had their relegations confirmed. Rotherham currently sit third bottom on 40 points and seem set for the drop. They are chasing Millwall, who are on 43 points but also have a game in hand.
LEAGUE ONE
LUTON face Wimbledon tonight in a clash that will impact the fight for promotion and survival. Luton sit top on 90 points, followed by Barnsley on 88 then Portsmouth on 86 and Sunderland on 84. Pompey and the Black Cats have a game in hand and face one another this Saturday as they bid for promotion. Charlton already have their play-off place sewn up. Doncaster, Peterborough and Coventry are battling to finish sixth. Bradford are already relegated and another three clubs will follow them through the trapdoor. It seems set to go down to the wire. Walsall are four points from safety while Accrington Stanley, Southend, Plymouth, Scunthorpe and Wimbledon are also scrapping for survival.
LEAGUE TWO
LINCOLN were crowned champions with two games to spare after a 0-0 home draw with Tranmere. The other two automatic promotion places are still up for grabs. Bury and Mansfield currently occupy second and third but they have stiff competition from MK Dons, Forest Green Rovers and Tranmere, with only five points separating those five clubs. There is then a battle for the final play-off position and, as it stands, anyone from Exeter in seventh to Swindon in 14th could claim it. Newport and Oldham are among those and they each have a game in hand on the rest. There is also a nailbiting fight for survival between Macclesfield, who are on 40 points, and Yeovil Town and Notts County, who are both on 38.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
LEYTON ORIENT are all but champions. Their 0-0 draw at Solihull Moors yesterday and Salford’s 1-0 home loss to Fylde left the London club three points clear at the top of the table. With one game to go, and a goal difference of +38 compared to Salford’s +33, the O’s are just about there. Orient face already-relegated Braintree on the final day of the season while Salford travel to mid-table Hartlepool. The play-off positions are all but finalised with Salford, Solihull, Fylde, Wrexham, Harrogate and Eastleigh to battle it out for the one remaining promotion place. At the bottom, the four relegation slots have already been taken up by Aldershot, Havant & Waterlooville, Braintree and Maidstone.