EFL Championship: Luton Town Hold Sheffield Utd From EPL Return

Sheffield United are within touching distance of a return to the Premier League after Luton Town were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Reading on Wednesday.

Despite the point securing Luton a playoff place with a 12-point lead on seventh-placed West Bromwich Albion, their hopes of catching up to Sheffield United for second place in the Championship have faded.

The state of play in the Championship after tonight's results. ? pic.twitter.com/6PZz2SEXMW

— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) April 19, 2023

Former England striker Andy Carroll gave struggling Reading the lead but was shown a second yellow card for handling the ball into the net as he attempted to double their advantage. An error by home goalkeeper Joe Lumley then allowed Carlton Morris to head in an equalizer for Reading, leaving Luton still seven points behind Sheffield United with only three games remaining.

In other Championship action, Middlesbrough moved a point behind Luton in fourth place with a 3-1 win over Hull City, with Chuba Akpom becoming the first player to score in nine consecutive Championship home games. Akpom completed a second-half comeback for Middlesbrough after Hayden Hackney and Cameron Archer had responded to Allahyar Sayyadmanesh's opener for Hull.

The night's drama unfolded at Ewood Park, where Coventry City goalkeeper Ben Wilson scored a 95th-minute equalizer to snatch a 1-1 draw against playoff rivals Blackburn Rovers. "I thought yeah we've got to do it because it might just cause a little bit of mayhem and it did," said Coventry boss Mark Robins on the decision to send Wilson forward.

"Credit to Ben, being in the position he did. He actually went between the sticks, went in where the striker should be and he's ended up getting a goal." The point keeps Coventry just one point behind sixth-placed Blackburn Rovers.

At the bottom of the table, Cardiff City boosted their survival hopes with a 3-1 win at Watford, with Sory Kaba scoring a stunning overhead kick. Queens Park Rangers are just one point outside the relegation zone after a 1-1 draw with Norwich City, which did little for Norwich's hopes of climbing into the playoffs.

Preston North End's chances of a top-six finish were dealt a blow as they were beaten 4-2 in a heated clash against Swansea City. A mass touchline brawl saw Preston boss Ryan Lowe and former Wales international Joe Allen, who had been substituted, sent off five minutes from time. Joel Piroe scored twice for Swansea, leaving Preston still two points adrift of the playoff places in 11th.