Football League Review: Hull close gap at the top, Walsall edge past Gillingham

Hull City closed the gap at the top of the Championship to two points by extending their unbeaten league run to eight games with a 2-0 victory at MK Dons. 

Ahmed Elmohamady opened the scoring in the 19th minute after beating the offside trap, before Mohamed Diame’s late strike sealed a win that keeps the pressure on unbeaten leaders Brighton and Hove Albion, who were denied by Matej Vydra’s equaliser for Reading.

Elsewhere at the top, there were home wins for Burnley and Middlesbrough, while Sheffield Wednesday moved to within a point of the top six with a 1-0 win over out-of-form Nottingham Forest, overtaking Ipswich Town, who were held to goalless draw by Cardiff City.

Birmingham City suffered a setback with a 2-0 derby defeat at home to Wolves, while Lancashire rivals Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers played out a 0-0 draw.

Meanwhile, Rotherham United slipped to the bottom of the table after they were trounced 3-0 by Derby County, with fellow strugglers Bristol City also in trouble after a 4-1 defeat at home to Fulham. 

Walsall moved to the top of the League One with a thrilling 3-2 win to depose previous leaders Gillingham at the Bescot Stadium. 

The Saddlers trailed 2-0 before a storming comeback was completed by Cyprus international Jason Demetriou’s late strike, with defeat seeing Gillingham also overtaken by Burton Albion, who eased to a 1-0 win at Oldham Athletic. 

Wigan Athletic, Bury and Coventry City also picked up wins to strengthen their places in the top six, while there were no goals between Millwall and Bradford City. 

Bottom club Crewe Alexandra secured their first win in 16 home games, seeing off Sheffield United 1-0, but Barnsley and Fleetwood Town remain in the drop zone with respective defeats. 

Elsewhere, there were wins for Port Vale and Doncaster Rovers, while Southend United drew with Rochdale. 

Plymouth Argyle went five points clear at the top of League Two by beating Morecambe 2-0, while Oxford United moved up to second with a 5-1 win at nine-man Stevenage, overtaking Portsmouth, who surrendered a lead over Notts County to lose 2-1.

Accrington Stanley are up to fourth after a 1-0 win at Leyton Orient as neither Northampton Town or Mansfield could muster victories. 

Bottom club Yeovil Town let slip a two-goal lead at Carlisle United to lose 3-2, while fellow strugglers York City lost 1-0 at Crawley Town in their first game since Russ Wilcox’s departure.