Championship - Portsmouth, Coventry relegated

Sat, 21 Apr 19:17:00 2012

Portsmouth and Coventry City have both been relegated from the Championship following the penultimate round of fixtures this season.

Michael Appleton - 0

Pompey had home advantage against Derby but went down 2-1. Jake Buxton put the Rams in front before Luke Varney levelled only for Steve Davies to restore the lead from the penalty spot.

Coventry, meanwhile, suffered a humbling 2-0 reverse to already-relegated Doncaster Rovers. A 0-0 draw appeared to be on the cards until the last 10 minutes, with James Hayter converting an 81st minute penalty following Richard Keogh's red card and Simon Gillett netting just before the close.

Bristol City defeated Barnsley 2-0, Cole Skuse and Jon Stead (penalty) on target as they ensured Championship football for another year.

Merouane Zemmama struck a second-half winner as Middlesbrough came from behind to secure a victory to keep their play-off hopes alive with a 2-1 win at home against Southampton.

The result leaves Tony Mowbray's side two points behind sixth-placed Cardiff with one game to play, while Southampton remain second, needing a win in their last game to guarantee promotion.

Birmingham picked up the point they needed to secure their place in the Championship play-offs despite a late rally from Brighton in a 1-1 draw. Substitute Nathan Redmond put the visitors ahead in the 69th minute but Ashley Barnes grabbed the leveller for Albion in the closing stages.

Blackpool also confirmed their place in the play-offs with a decisive 4-0 win over Burnley. Stephen Dobbie, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Stephen Crainey and Nouha Dicko were the scorers.

Cardiff dropped to sixth after a 1-1 home draw against Leeds in the early kick-off. Joe Mason's opener was cancelled out by Lucciano Becchio in the 73rd minute.

Hull moved into seventh with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest but cannot catch the top six. A Chris Gunter own-goal and Matty Fryatt's penalty were enough to see off Forest, whose consolation came via Radoslaw Majewski in injury-time.

Already-promoted Reading drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace. The Royals had Jason Roberts sent off on the stroke of half-time with the score at 1-1 after Wilfried Zaha's 14th-minute strike and Kaspars Gorkss's swift equaliser. Reading went ahead through Adam Le Fondre but were pegged back by Glenn Murray 16 minutes from time.

An Andy Keogh brace and a Liam Trotter goal scored Millwall a 3-0 victory at Ipswich, while Peterborough drew 2-2 with visiting Watford. Lee Tomlin gave Posh the lead with a 14th-minute spot-kick only for Troy Deeney (26) and Sean Murray (48) to turn the tables. Paul Taylor rescued the point in the 54th minute.

PA Sport

Comment 1 - 15 of 15

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ha ha... Portscum inbred filth..... Jealous losers...­­ They are a gutless no hoper outfit sewer, that couldnt­­ dream of being a club like saints.... Saints have true­­ fans, through thick and thin the gates were clocking­­ up.... The inbreds couldnt even pay their electric­ bill­ with gate receipts.... Go down you loser shyte­ inbred­ filth.. Good riddance...no one likes you or­ needs­ you...

    From SUFFERIN SUCCOTASH, on Sun Apr 22 5:31

  2. to the pompey fan who said it was a an easy 6 pts­ against the posh look where you heading ha ha

    From darrell, on Sun Apr 22 3:48

  3. congrats to reading fc on their return to the­ premiership, from all ur supporters in cork

    From john, on Sun Apr 22 3:08

  4. BYE BYE FROM A BRISTOL CITY FAN!

    From jake pike, on Sun Apr 22 2:04

  5. look its like this pompey yeah are down but i hope they­ bounce back but they need a buyer and soon if not then­ they are doomed we are leeds and we are still there mot

    From PAMELA, on Sat Apr 21 17:03

  6. I'm a Cov fan who is gutted we've gone down but­ we deserve it. Portsmouth are only down because of a 10­ point deduction and I feel a little sorry for them but­ I have no doubt they have more chance of bouncing back­ than us. Besides I have always had time for Portsmouth­ but I hope they are not relying on Coventry to stop­ Southampton getting promoted next week. The Saints will­ not have an easier match all season.

    From MATT, on Sat Apr 21 15:20

  7. might not be promoted but YOUR STILL RELEGATED

    From KIM, on Sat Apr 21 13:56

  8. Shame for portsmouth.

    From swanbiff aka maxi rodriguez, on Sat Apr 21 13:16

  9. Still not promoted scum­ shyte!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From TIM, on Sat Apr 21 13:09

  10. A great day for Southhampton fans, they move up while­ their hated rivals move down to League 1, good luck in­ the Johnson's paint trophy tournament next year,­ Pompey.

    From Neo, on Sat Apr 21 12:25

  11. Hooray! Get the champagne out.

    From Samuel, on Sat Apr 21 11:55
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Well done southampton f.c.... You have a financially­ secure club.. Great green parks in your city.....­ Employment and an education system tat works... Unlike­ the inbred capital of britain,portscum, who live in­ squalor, amongst the worst sex offenders in britain and­ their concrete toilet of a city.... They must be­ devastated knowing what you as a team and city have­ achieved and only 5 minutes up the road..note "up­ the road" as opposed to "down the sewer"­ as the inbreds are....

    From SUFFERIN SUCCOTASH, on Sat Apr 21 9:34

  13. Ah. Hahahaha... Portscum inbreds, down to the shyte­ where they belong... Saints and reading up to the­ premiership..... Wheres ace, blueboy and peter etc­ ????? Choking on their bullshyt hype... Ha hahahahha.

    From SUFFERIN SUCCOTASH, on Sat Apr 21 9:28

  14. never mind blue army we will be back more stronger and­ much well off finance youve done ur best with all the­ financial difficulties still love u and have good faith­ in u i am sure any pompey fan tonight will appreciate­ the courage and hard work u put in this season even­ though i am far away in the uae i love you and i want U­ show the world that u are really good fighters love u­ and miss pompey city especially frATTON PARK WHERE­ EVERY TEAM COMING THERE IS SCARED

    From belgacem, on Sat Apr 21 9:26
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Good, farck off you skate shyte, back to the 3rd­­ division where you belong !

    From Seymour Kuntz, on Sat Apr 21 9:23
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