Sunday
The Premier League continued at noon with Wolverhampton Wanderers welcoming Brighton & Hove Albion and unused substitute Aaron Connolly to Molineaux where the hosts came from behind to secure a two one victory. Teenage defender Lewis Richards was an unused substitute for the hosts. Later at 4.30pm West Ham United went down to a one nil defeat by visitors Everton. Darren Randolph, Ademipo Odubeko and Conor Coventry were unused on the ‘Hammers’ substitute bench while captain Seamus Coleman was in excellent form for the ‘Toffees’. Arsenal defeated visitors West Bromwich Albion by three goals to one which consigned them to relegation. Callum Robinson started for the ‘Baggies’ with Dara O’Shea unused on the substitute bench.
The second Scottish Cup Semi-Final took place Hampden Park where Scottish League Cup winners St Johnstone defeated Jim Goodwin‘s St Mirren by two goals to one. Jamie McGrath, Conor McCarthy, Joe Shaughnessy and Jake Doyle-Hayes started for St Mirren with Dylan Connolly a 68th minute substitute. St Johnstone led by two goals to nil entering the final stages when a McGrath free kick was headed home by McCarthy to generate a frantic finale. The winners will face Hibernian who defeated Dundee United in the first semi-final with the final scheduled for Saturday the 22nd May.
The regular League One season was completed on Sunday with all fixtures kicking off at noon. Champions Hull City and runners-up Peterborough United (Jack Taylor) were already assured of promotion. The third promotion spot will be contested by Blackpool, Sunderland (Aiden McGeady, Aiden O’Brien) , Lincoln City (Anthony Scully) and the side which finishes sixth. At the start of play, Portsmouth (Ronan Curtis, Marcus Harness) held that position, one point clear of Oxford United (Mark Sykes, Anthony Forde, Olamide Shodipo, Liam Kelly) and Charlton Athletic. Portsmouth suffered a disappointing one nil defeat by visitors Accrington Stanley while Oxford United defeated their visitors Burton Albion by four goals to nil to grasp the final play-off spot.
The semi-final first legs will see Oxford United at home to Blackpool on Tuesday the 18th May with Lincoln City hosting Sunderland on Wednesday the 19th May. The second legs are set for Friday the 21st May with Blackpool hosting Oxford United and Sunderland taking on Lincoln City on Saturday the 22nd May.
Saturday
Tottenham Hotspur named Matt Doherty on their substitute bench for their Premier League visit to Leeds United where they suffered a three one defeat. Sheffield United and their starting trio of John Egan, Enda Stevens and David McGoldrick went down to a two nil defeat by visitors Crystal Palace for whom James McCarthy was an unused substitute at Bramall Lane. The 8.15pm kick-off saw Liverpool secure a comfortable two nil victory over Anfield visitors Southampton for whom Michael Obafemi was introduced from the substitute bench on 66 minutes while Will Ferry was confined to the bench.
The regular Championship season reached a climax with all fixtures kicking-off at 12.30pm on Saturday afternoon. Champions Norwich City and runners-up Watford were already assured of promotion with the third promotion place set to be contested by the four clubs currently occupying positions three to six. Brentford who defeated hosts Bristol City by three goals to one were already assured of third place while Swansea City, for whom Conor Hourihane started while Ryan Manning was an unused substitute retained fourth place despite a two nil defeat at Watford. AFC Bournemouth slipped from fifth to sixth place following their two nil home defeat by Stoke City. Shane Long was a 75th minute substitute for ‘The Cherries’ while Mark Travers was an unused substitute. Barnsley moved from sixth to fifth with a two all draw at champions Norwich City who included Andrew Omobamidele in their starting eleven while Adam Idah was introduced from the bench on 52 minutes and scored two minutes later. At the foot of the table the Pride Park meeting of Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday ended in a three all draw which sealed the fate of the ‘Owls’ and ensured survival for the ‘Rams’. Jason Knight started for for the hosts with Festy Ebosele and Louis Watson unused on the substitute bench while Keiren Westwood started with Ciaran Brennan an unused substitute for the visitors. The draw at Pride Park saw the ‘Owls’ relegated but was enough for the ‘Rams’ to survive as Rotherham United conceded a very late equaliser at Cardiff City. Daryl Horgan was a 74th minute substitute for Wycombe Wanderers who were relegated despite their three nil victory at Middlesbrough.
The first legs in the promotion play-off semi-finals are set for Monday the 17th May and the second legs for Saturday the 22nd May.
AFC Bournemouth v Brentford
Barnsley v Swansea City
Brentford v AFC Bournemouth
Swansea City v Barnsley
The League Two regular season was completed this Saturday afternoon and sees Tranmere Rovers and Glasgow Celtic loanee Lee O’Connor finish in sixth position following their scoreless draw with visitors Colchester United.
They will now contest the promotion play-offs where they will face Morecambe in the semi-final first leg at Prenton Park on Thursday the 20th May with the second leg set for the Globe Arena on Sunday the 23rd May.
Josh Cullen started for RSC Anderlecht who played out a two all draw with visitors Royal Antwerp in the Belgian First Division on Saturday evening. Cullen received an early yellow card and was withdrawn at half-time.