Burnley close on promotion with win at Watford: football – as it happened (2025)

Time to sign off with Ben Bloom’s match report – but you can join me later for Oxford United v Leeds United, liiiive. Until then …

Carlisle’s bid for a dramatic late escape continues, after they defeated leaders Port Vale 3-2 at Brunton Park. Doncaster eased past Tranmere 3-0, while Walsall were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Harrogate. Accrington won at Salford in a big boost to their survival hopes, but Morecambe are on the brink after a 1-0 defeat at Bromley.

Wycombe leapfrog Wrexham with victory at Bolton, with the Dragons held at home by Bristol Rovers. Stockport rescued a late point at Peterborough but drop behind Charlton in fourth place, while Leyton Orient are up to sixth after beating Barnsley 4-3. Cambridge boosted their faint hopes of a great escape by winning 2-1 at Huddersfield, but Shrewsbury were relegated before their 1-0 home defeat to Wigan kicked off.

Burnley’s win at Watford puts them top, and they could seal their Premier League return against Sheffield United on Monday. Bristol City sank Sunderland and Coventry saw off West Brom to boost their playoff hopes, but Middlesbrough’s late penalty winner against Plymouth keeps them in touch. Argyle stay bottom, while Stoke and Portsmouth are probably safe after earning victories today.

“It’s the hope I can’t stand for Boro,” says Victor Rushton. “I was poised to throw in the towel, in light of today’s shambles and both Cities (Bristol and Coventry) winning, then we score a last gasp penalty. Does feel like a stay of execution though, don’t deserve to be anywhere near the play offs.”

In the National League North, Scunthorpe have suffered a costly 1-0 home defeat to King’s Lynn, allowing Kidderminster and Brackley Town to move above them in a crowded promotion race, with two games left to play.

That’s positively straightforward compared to the NL South, though: Torquay’s 1-0 win at Truro City means that Worthing – who drew 1-1 at Eastbourne Borough – are top with 84 points. Truro and Torquay both have 83pts, Dorking are up to 82pts alongside Eastbourne – and Boreham Wood, who are sixth, have 80pts.

With two games to go, half-a-dozen teams can still win the title, and Worthing host Dorking on Easter Monday. Cor!

In the National League, AFC Fylde’s defeat to Halifax means they are relegated; third-placed Forest Green earned a point at Yeovil, while Oldham beat Hartlepool 2-1 and Rochdale won at Altrincham to consolidate both sides’ playoff places. The big game comes at 5.30pm, with under-pressure leaders Barnet at home to Eastleigh.

Bromley 1-0 Morecambe
Carlisle 3-2 Port Vale
Cheltenham 1-1 Gillingham
Colchester 0-0 Crewe
Fleetwood 0-0 Barrow
Grimsby 0-4 Swindon
MK Dons 0-0 Newport
Salford 1-2 Accrington
Tranmere 0-3 Doncaster
Walsall 2-2 Harrogate
Wimbledon 0-0 Chesterfield

Birmingham 0-0 Crawley
Bolton 0-2 Wycombe
Charlton 2-1 Northampton
Huddersfield 1-2 Cambridge
Leyton Orient 4-3 Barnsley
Peterborough 1-1 Stockport (L)
Reading 0-1 Lincoln
Rotherham 3-3 Mansfield
Shrewsbury 0-1 Wigan
Stevenage 1-3 Blackpool
Wrexham 1-1 Bristol Rovers

Blackburn 4-1 Millwall
Bristol City 2-1 Sunderland
Coventry 2-0 West Brom
Middlesbrough 2-1 Plymouth
Norwich 3-5 Portsmouth
Preston 1-2 QPR
Stoke 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Swansea 1-0 Hull
Watford 1-2 Burnley

Classified check coming up – but first, Stockport grab a late equaliser at Peterborough through Josh Diamond, in a League One game that’s running a few minutes behind.

Full-time: Carlisle 3-2 Port Vale It was nervy for the home fans as Port Vale fought back, but a late penalty save earns Carlisle their third straight win. Tranmere fell to a 3-0 home defeat against Doncaster, but Accrington boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 win at Salford. Morecambe lost 1-0 at Bromley, and are surely doomed.

A big, big win for Burnley, who went behind early on but hit back in style. Josh Brownhill’s winner puts them top on 91 points, three clear of Leeds and eight ahead of Sheffield United. A Premier League return is very close now.

Norwich get a third through Emi Marcondes … and are 5-3 down at home to Portsmouth. At Deepdale, QPR have pinched the win, Lucas Andersen belting home from 25 yards deep in stoppage time.

Big drama at Carlisle: Not quite a Jimmy Glass moment, but home keeper Gabriel Breeze has made himself a hero, saving a late Port Vale penalty to keep Carlisle 3-2 ahead.

In League One, Wycombe wrap up a 2-0 win at Bolton, and go up to second as Wrexham drop points with a 1-1 draw at home to Bristol Rovers. Cambridge are pegged back late at Huddersfield … but Sullay Kaikai immediately strikes back to make it 2-1 to the U’s!

A big goal at either end of the table – Joe Edwards is sent off for Plymouth for a shove in the area, and Boro have a penalty. It looked a pretty soft decision, but Tommy Conway converts to boost the hosts’ playoff hopes, and leave Argyle in despair.

The Robins fight back from a goal down at home to 10-man Sunderland to consolidate their place in the top six, while the Black Cats stay isolated in fourth place.

Liam Gordon levels for Walsall at home to Harrogate – it’s 2-2, and the Saddlers edge closer to the top three. Bradford (in third) drew 1-1 with Notts County (sixth) last night.

Watford are down to nine men, Edo Kayembe joining Sissoko on the naughty step. Burnley still lead 2-1, and look good to go top of the Championship table. West Brom haven’t been at it today, and John Swift can’t get a promising free-kick over the Coventry wall. In League One, Jordan Bowery strikes for the visitors to make it Rotherham 3-3 Mansfield.

Goal! Preston 1-1 QPR Michael Frey hammers in a leveller for QPR at Deepdale. In League Two, Accrington lead 2-1 at Salford, while Tranmere are 3-0 down at home to Doncaster. Carlisle still holding on to their 3-2 lead at home to Port Vale.

Goal! Norwich 2-5 Portsmouth One win in 16 away games for Pompey before today, but they’re having a great old time at Carrow Road – Regan Poole slots home their fifth. At the Riverside another former Plymouth player, Morgan Whittaker, goes down cheaply in the penalty area for Middlesbrough to no avail.

Rory McCrorie completes the turnaround for Liam Manning’s side, who are up to fifth in the live standings and tightening their grip on a playoff place with Middlesbrough still being held at home by Plymouth.

Goal! Wrexham 1-1 Bristol Rovers Matt James fires the League One promotion-chasers level – they’re back up to second place. Charlton, by the way, are only five points behind Wrexham and Wycombe, and have to play both in their final three games.

Bristol Rovers’ surprise lead at Wrexham has left Cambridge on the brink of relegation – but they’re not giving up without a fight, and they lead at Huddersfield through James Brophy! And there’s better news coming …

Game back on at Carlisle? Port Vale have struck twice and now trail 3-2. And Leyton Orient, from 2-0 down, lead Barnsley 4-3 in League One! As it stands, they’re up to sixth. Above them, Charlton are 2-1 up at home to Northampton, Matt Godden on target.

In League One, Leyton Orient have rallied to level at 3-3 with Barnsley in a blockbuster at Brisbane Road. Another playoff hopeful, Reading, are a goal down at home to Lincoln. Blackpool’s Rob Apter has hit a 12-minute hat-trick for Blackpool, who lead 3-0 at Stevenage.

Goal! Coventry 2-0 West Brom Matt Grimes keeps Coventry on course for the top six, with Albion’s Callum Styles sent off shortly after. Elsewhere in the second tier, Blackburn lead Millwall 4-1, and Norwich have one back against Portsmouth, who lead 4-2. Stoke are 2-0 up at home to Sheffield Wednesday thanks to Ben Wilmot – to be specific, Wilmot’s posterior, which redirected a Pierce Charles drop-kick into the net.

It’s a strange red card, with Sissoko booked for dissent, and then again for a shove as he tried to creep into the Burnley half before the kick-off was taken. More goals incoming …

Josh Brownhill fires Burnley in front – and moments later, Moussa Sissoko is sent off for Watford! The game changes at Vicarage Road, and Burnley are top of the table (and eight points clear of third-placed Sheffield United) as it stands.

Goal! Bolton 0-1 Wycombe Centre-back Caleb Taylor gives Wycombe the lead – and they move above Wrexham and up to second in League One as it stands.

Goal! Carlisle 3-0 Port Vale Scenes at Brunton Park, where Aaron Hayden has put Carlisle three up against the League Two leaders. Carlisle visit Accrington on Monday in a huge game at the bottom of the table; meanwhile, bottom club Morecambe are a goal down at Bromley and edging towards the drop. Doncaster lead Tranmere 2-0, and are a point behind Vale in the crowded battle for the title.

Rob Dickie blasts in the equaliser for Bristol City at home to 10-man Sunderland, in a game that could be reprised in the playoffs.

Goal! Norwich 1-4 Portsmouth Colby Bishop completes his hat-trick to surely wrap up victory at Carrow Road, where the home fans are getting restless.

Goal! Swansea 1-0 Hull Zan Vipotnik strikes from the penalty spot for Swansea, in bad news for the visitors, who are now just two points clear of Derby and Luton in the relegation battle.

Goal! Blackburn 3-1 Millwall Right-back Callum Brittain boosts Blackburn’s slim playoff hopes, smashing home at the near post after a nice team passing move.

Now, I promised National League updates and have failed to deliver so far. Allow me to make amends. York City won 3-1 at Gateshead earlier on, turning up the heat on leaders Barnet, who are now just three points clear of York; they host mid-table Eastleigh at 5.30pm.

Elsewhere, Yeovil lead playoff-bound Forest Green 1-0, Rochdale lead Altrincham 1-0 in a Greater Manchester derby, and Halifax are a goal up at AFC Fylde – a result which would see the hosts relegated today. Rochdale and Halifax move level on points with Oldham – currently 1-1 at home to Hartlepool – in the playoff places.

Bromley 0-0 Morecambe
Carlisle 2-0 Port Vale
Cheltenham 1-1 Gillinham
Colchester 0-0 Crewe
Fleetwood 0-0 Barrow
Grimsby 0-2 Swindon
MK Dons 0-0 Newport
Salford 0-1 Accrington
Tranmere 0-1 Doncaster
Walsall 1-1 Harrogate
Wimbledon 0-0 Chesterfield

Birmingham 0-0 Crawley
Bolton 0-0 Wycombe
Charlton 1-1 Northampton
Huddersfield 0-0 Cambridge
Leyton Orient 0-2 Barnsley
Peterborough 1-0 Stockport (L)
Reading 0-0 Lincoln
Rotherham 2-1 Mansfield
Shrewsbury 0-0 Wigan
Stevenage 0-0 Blackpool
Wrexham 0-1 Bristol Rovers

None of the third tier’s top 10 sides are leading at half-time …

Blackburn 2-1 Millwall
Bristol City 0-1 Sunderland
Coventry 1-0 West Brom
Middlesbrough 1-1 Plymouth
Norwich 1-3 Portsmouth
Preston 1-0 QPR
Stoke 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Swansea 0-0 Hull
Watford 1-1 Burnley

Goal! Carlisle 2-0 Port Vale Ooof! Matthew Dennis puts Mark Hughes’ side two goals up. They’re still four points off Tranmere in the relegation battle, but this would be their third win in a row – is the great escape on?

Goal! Norwich 1-3 Portsmouth Colby Bishop converts a penalty to leave Pompey sitting pretty at half-time. And Preston lead QPR at Deepdale, in a rare game between teams without much to play for in mid-table.

GOALS! Blackburn 2-1 Millwall After 40 minutes of not much, three goals in three minutes at Ewood Park. Rovers struck first through Dom Hyam, Mihailo Ivanovic levelled for Milwall, but now Sondre Tronstad’s deflected strike has the hosts back in front! Blackburn move a point behind Millwall in the battle of playoff outsiders.

End-to-end action at Vicarage Road, as James Trafford makes a fingertip save to deny Kayembe, then throws the ball out to start a counter, which is finished at the other end by Zian Flemming! And that scoreline moves Burnley top of the live table.

Goal! Norwich 1-2 Portsmouth Matt Ritchie ends a flowing team move as Pompey retake the lead in what we’re all calling the battle of beaten 1992 FA Cup semi-finalists.

A big goal in League Two, where lowly Carlisle are 1-0 up at home to leaders Port Vale. Georgie Kelly strikes for Mark Hughes’ side, but fellow strugglers Accrington have also taken the lead at Salford.

Plymouth have spurned a couple of chances to take the lead at Middlesbrough, while it’s still goalless between Blackburn and Millwall, Preston and QPR, and also Swansea and Hull. Bristol City think they’re level at home to 10-man Sunderland, but the pesky offside flag spoils their fun.

Goal! Wrexham 0-1 Bristol Rovers A surprise scoreline in League One, Taylor Moore putting relegation-threatened Rovers in front at Wrexham – who drop from second to third in the live table as a result.

Goal! Bristol City 0-1 Sunderland They may be down to 10 men, but the visitors lead at Ashton Gate! Eliezer Mayenda strikes with a moment of individual brilliance, very much against the run of play.

League Two latest: Promotion chasers Doncaster lead at struggling Tranmere, Swindon are 2-0 up at one of Ian Holloway’s former clubs, Grimsby … and Cheltenham are level with Gillingham.