Championship wrap: Reading secure promotion

Reading have secured promotion to the English Premier League after a 1-0 Championship win against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Brian McDermott’s side entered the game with 14 wins from their last 16 league matches and although it took a while, they added to that with a famous win at the Madejski Stadium.

Mikele Leigertwood scored the crucial goal with just nine minutes left, turning home a free-kick.

Forest nearly bagged an equaliser though, with Reading defender Alex Pearce forced to make a goal-line clearance in injury time.

Reading held on, however, as they celebrated their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2007/08.

Southampton are also likely to be automatically promoted after they won 3-1 at Peterborough, giving them a five-point lead over third-placed West Ham.

Jos Hooiveld and Billy Sharp scored inside the first 10 minutes for the winners and Sharp’s second 12 minutes into the second half sealed the result.

Tommy Rowe bagged a late consolation for Peterborough.

West Ham disappointed as they drew 1-1 at lowly Bristol City, with Cole Skuse cancelling out James Tomkins’ opener for Sam Allardyce’s side.

The race for the play-offs continued as fourth-placed Birmingham City drew 1-1 at Ipswich Town, while Joe Mason and Mark Hudson netted for Cardiff City as they toppled Derby County 2-0.

Angel Martinez’s late winner gave Blackpool a 1-0 win over a 10-man Leeds United while Middlesbrough drew 0-0 at already relegated Doncaster Rovers.

Portsmouth’s unlikely bid to avoid relegation continued as they beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Fratton Park.

The visitors – who scored twice in injury time to win 4-3 at Doncaster on Saturday – won thanks to goals from Scott Allan and Greg Halford.

They now sit five points away from safety with two matches to play, while Coventry City – who lost 1-0 at home to Millwall – are in the same position.

Australian Shane Lowry scored the only goal of the game to give Millwall their fourth win on the trot.

In other results, Brighton and Hove Albion came from two goals down to grab a point in a 2-2 draw with Watford, a Matty Fryatt hat-trick helped Hull City to a 3-1 triumph against Barnsley, while Leicester City and Burnley played out a goalless stalemate.