Brighton & Hove Albion returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship after coming from behind to beat Fulham on Matchday 25.
Tomer Hemed and Lewis Dunk scored for the Seagulls, who reclaimed pole position after Newcastle United were beaten by Blackburn Rovers for the second time this season — Charlie Mulgrew settling matters once again.Reading managed to remain third following a late comeback win at Bristol City, while Leeds United and Huddersfield kept pace with triumphs against strugglers Rotherham United and Wigan Athletic.
Nelson Oliveira hit a hat-trick as Norwich City eased past Derby County, with Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers also recording home successes.
Conor Hourihane struck late to see Barnsley past Nottingham Forest, while Brentford and Preston North End also returned from road trips with three points.
In the day’s other game, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers played out a goalless draw.
Sky Bet Championship: Matchday 25 results
Monday 2nd January 2017
Birmingham City 1-3 Brentford
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Newcastle United
Bristol City 2-3 Reading
Burton Albion 0-1 Preston North End
Cardiff City 1-0 Aston Villa
Fulham 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Leeds United 3-0 Rotherham United
Norwich City 3-0 Derby County
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Barnsley
Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Ipswich Town
Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic 0-1 Huddersfield Town
Standings: Click here to see the Sky Bet Championship table
Sheffield United extended their lead at the Sky Bet League One summit with a 3-1 win at Bury on Matchday 25.
Closest challengers Bolton Wanderers and Scunthorpe United could only draw, against Coventry City and Peterborough United, handing the Blades a three-point lead.
Fleetwood Town’s win at Shrewsbury Town saw them move into the top six, where they join Rochdale and Bradford City, who also won away from home.
Josh Magennis was the EFL Star of the Day after grabbing a hat-trick in Charlton Athletic’s 4-1 win over Bristol Rovers, Oxford won 1-0 at Gillingham, and the spoils were shared in the day’s early fixture — AFC Wimbledon fighting back twice to draw with Millwall.
Elsewhere, there were three more stalemates played out, with the games at Chesterfield, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town failing to produce a goal between them.
Sky Bet League One: Matchday 25 results
Monday 2nd January 2017
AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Millwall
Bury 1-3 Sheffield United
Charlton Athletic 4-1 Bristol Rovers
Chesterfield 0-0 Milton Keynes Dons
Coventry City 2-2 Bolton Wanderers
Gillingham 0-1 Oxford United
Northampton Town 1-2 Bradford City
Oldham Athletic 0-0 Port Vale
Scunthorpe United 1-1 Peterborough United
Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Fleetwood Town
Swindon Town 0-0 Southend United
Walsall 0-2 Rochdale
Standings: Click here to see the Sky Bet League One table
Doncaster Rovers struck late to move back to the top of the pile in Sky Bet League Two.
It took an own goal to seal victory over Stevenage but, with Plymouth Argyle losing at Barnet, Darren Ferguson’s men leapfrogged the Pilgrims into first place.
Third-placed Carlisle United slipped to a 3-1 defeat at home to Grimsby Town, while Portsmouth won the battle between fourth and fifth, edging Luton Town 1-0.
Wycombe Wanderers fought back late on to defeat Newport County and extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches, moving above the Hatters in the standings as a result.
Cambridge United and Exeter City both notched four goals to comfortably see off Notts County and Leyton Orient, while Colchester United and Crawley Town both won 2-0 at home.
Aside from the Mariners' win, the only other away victory came courtesy of Mansfield Town, who triumphed at Blackpool, while the points were shared between Accrington Stanley and Hartlepool, as well as Morecambe versus Crewe Alexandra.
Sky Bet League Two: Matchday 24 results
Monday 2nd January 2017
Accrington Stanley 2-2 Hartlepool United
Barnet 1-0 Plymouth Argyle
Blackpool 0-1 Mansfield Town
Cambridge United 4-0 Notts County
Carlisle United 1-3 Grimsby Town
Colchester United 2-0 Cheltenham Town
Crawley Town 2-0 Yeovil Town
Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Stevenage
Exeter City 4-0 Leyton Orient
Morecambe 0-0 Crewe Alexandra
Portsmouth 1-0 Luton Town
Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Newport County
Standings: Click here to see the Sky Bet League Two table