Leeds a step closer to the big time

Soccer: Leeds United secured automatic promotion to the English Championship after a tense final day in League One.

Soccer:Leeds United secured automatic promotion to the English Championship after a tense final day in League One.

With Norwich already promoted as champions, the permutations for who could join them in winning automatic promotion were vast, with five teams in with a shout.

Three points separated second-placed Leeds and sixth-placed Huddersfield before kick-off, with Millwall, Swindon and Charlton the other sides guaranteed at least a play-off place.

Leeds came from behind to beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 and join the Canaries in returning to the Football League’s top tier.

READ MORE

Millwall beat Swindon 3-2 to finish third and set up a play-off meeting with Huddersfield, who lost 2-1 at Exeter.

The Robins will meet Charlton in the play-offs after the Addicks’ 2-0 win at Oldham secured fourth place.

At the other end of the table, Gillingham joined Stockport, Southend and Wycombe in being relegated to League Two after a 3-0 loss to the Wanderers.

Blackpool, meanwhile, came from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final at Bloomfield Road.

Keith Southern levelled and Charlie Adam netted a penalty winner after Chris Cohen had put Forest ahead.

Cohen's opener came just 13 minutes in - a superb left-foot volley with the outside of his booot into the top corner of the Blackpool net.

But Ian Holloway's side gradually gained the upper hand and were level on 26 minutes when Southern scuffed home his shot from a low cross.

The winner came 12 minutes into the second half when DJ Campbell played a one-two with Brett Ormerod and raced into the Forest box before going down under pressure from James Perch.

Referee Phil Dowd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Adam stepped up to coolly stroke the penalty home. The second leg takes place at the City Ground on Tuesday night.