EFL highlights and round-up: Rotherham hit five; Sheff Wed win | Football News

Rotherham stretched their lead at the top of Sky Bet League One with a 5-0 win at bottom club Doncaster.

Mickel Miller scored straight for a corner to give the visitors an early lead before Ben Wiles added a second in the 17th minute.

Chiedozie Ogbene ended hopes of a second-half Rovers revival when he curled the ball into the top corner with 18 minutes left before Daniel Barlaser swiftly tucked away a penalty and Jamie Lindsay scored a late fifth from close range.

Wigan sit three points behind, but still hold two games in hand, after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by play-off chasers Oxford.

Matt Taylor gave the U’s the lead with 23 minutes gone, but Callum Lang had Wigan level before half-time.

The Latics thought they had grabbed a late winner when substitute Josh Magennis turned the ball in with six minutes left, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

At the other end of the table, new Gillingham boss Neil Harris marked his opening game in charge with a 1-0 home win over Crewe – a first victory for the Kent club since October.

Danny Lloyd had given the Gills a 16th-minute lead from the penalty spot.

There was, though, a long delay just before half-time when Mustapha Carayol needed treatment on a head injury and was eventually taken off on a stretcher.

Gillingham later reported Carayol was back on his feet and had returned to the dressing room, with Harris’ men holding on for all three points.

Sheffield Wednesday kept themselves within striking distance of the top six after beating relegation-battlers Morecambe 2-0.

The Owls – missing manager Darren Moore due to a positive Covid-19 test – saw two goals ruled out before George Byers eventually broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half with a 25-yard strike.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing added a second during stoppage time to wrap up the points.

Bolton chalked up a fourth straight league win, beating Cambridge 2-0.

After Sunderland had been thumped 6-0, which later saw manager Lee Johnson sacked, the Trotters maintained momentum as Amadou Bakayoko put them in front shortly before half-time.

Oladapo Afolayan struck with 20 minutes left as Ian Evatt’s side continued their winning run.

AFC Wimbledon picked up a point in their survival battle after fighting back to draw 2-2 with Cheltenham at Plough Lane.

Ayoub Assal gave the Dons an early lead following a corner.

Alfie May, though, then struck twice in the space of three minutes to turn the match around just after the half-hour mark, his second coming from the penalty spot.

However, the Dons hit back to level with 10 minutes left through Aaron Cosgrave.

Sky Bet League Two

Matt Stevens continued his good form in front of goal as his 80th-minute equaliser at Port Vale extended leaders Forest Green‘s unbeaten run to 16 matches in League Two.

The visitors have not lost since early October but Ryan Edmondson’s goal from a 12th-minute corner put that record under threat until Stevens made it four goals in as many games with his 17th of the season in the league.

While his close-range finish earned a point, Forest Green’s advantage at the top was cut to eight after Tranmere beat Stevenage 1-0 courtesy of Kieron Morris’ low shot from the edge of the area early in the second half for an 11th home win of the season.

Northampton missed the chance to move up to third as Barrow ended a run of three successive defeats with a 1-0 victory, lifting them 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Mansfield failed to take advantage as they were held to a goalless draw at Harrogate.

Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s far-post downward header in the 51st minute was enough to end the Cobblers’ three-match unbeaten run.

Colchester moved eight points clear of the bottom two despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Rochdale after Alan Judge’s brilliant 25-yard dipping volley, his first goal since September, was cancelled out by Conor Grant 14 minutes from time.

Salford moved within three points of the play-offs with a 2-1 win at home to Carlisle, who remain eight points clear of the drop zone.

January signing from Tranmere Ryan Watson put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot seven minutes into the second half and although Omari Patrick equalised in the 67th minute, Salford went back in front four minutes later thanks to Matt Smith’s header.

Swindon‘s Ben Gladwin snatched an equaliser two minutes into added time in a 1-1 draw against Crawley, cancelling out Jack Powell’s penalty just before the break, before team-mate Louis Reed was shown a red card at the final whistle.

Bradford drew 1-1 at home to Leyton Orient after Elliot Watt’s late goal denied the visitors their first win in seven matches after Darren Pratley had put them ahead.