Tom Hamer scored the vital goal in a 2-1 victory against 10-man Stevenage to move Burton three points clear of relegation.

Mark Helm netted late in the first half and after Dan Butler was sent off, Hamer added a buffer to the score which proved crucial when Kane Hemmings struck two minutes from time.

The victory saw Albion open a three-point gap between them and 21st-placed Port Vale while Stevenage fell six points behind Oxford heading into the final two games.

Boro dominated the first-half possession but Helm scored with the game’s first shot on target when he diverted Sam Hughes’ flick-on past Craig MacGillivray just before half-time.

Helm was to cause more damage to Stevenage after the break when a tussle with Butler ended with the Boro defender lashing out and seeing red and Hamer made sure Burton took advantage of the extra man by lashing in Hughes’ pass.

Stevenage were much improved in the second half but couldn’t find a way past Max Crocombe until the 88th minute when Hemmings converted Jamie Reid’s cross.

Ten-man West Brom’s Championship play-off charge was dented as Sunderland won 1-0 at The Hawthorns.

Pierre Ekwah netted the winner after connecting first time with a Callum Styles corner at the end of the first half.

That immediately followed West Brom forward Brandon Thomas-Asante’s 43rd-minute red card for two bookable offences, the first Albion player to be sent off of Carlos Corberan’s 16-month reign.

The defeat left the Baggies fifth, seven points clear of seventh-placed Hull, who had a game in hand.

Sunderland centre-half Dan Ballard, whose foul on West Brom striker Josh Maja in the reverse fixture at the Stadium Of Light back in December ruled the striker out for four months, was booed by the home crowd with his every touch.

West Brom began with a greater tempo than their visitors, who had played out two goalless draws prior to this.

Sunderland captain Luke O’Nien was required to nod behind a teasing delivery from Albion winger Mikey Johnston before Nathaniel Chalobah tested his luck from outside of the penalty area with a dipping effort which goalkeeper Anthony Patterson claimed at the second attempt.

The real first-half drama unfolded in the final few minutes leading up to the break.

Thomas-Asante was late when he caught Jack Clarke and was appropriately booked by referee Matthew Donohue.

The man in the middle reached for his pocket a minute later when the Albion striker took a heavy touch and, in attempting to retrieve the ball, cleaned out Ballard. Thomas-Asante was duly given his marching orders.

Things got worse for the hosts in first half stoppage time. Styles took a corner from the left and Ekwah, near the penalty spot, was left unmarked and was able to stylishly steer the ball into the top corner, well beyond the reach of Alex Palmer, to the delight of the strong away following.

Sunderland returned with more of a swagger to their play against their depleted opponents.

Midfielder Dan Neil was teed up by Chris Rigg on the edge of the penalty area and he stung the palms of Palmer, who had to help the ball over the bar.

John Swift bent a shot just wide of Patterson’s far post from the edge of the area, but Sunderland themselves came close to killing the game as a contest when Styles cut inside from the left and arrowed a curling shot wide of the outstretching Palmer’s far post.

For West Brom, there was a lack of potency following Thomas-Asante’s dismissal and the Black Cats claimed just their second victory in 12 league matches, ending Albion’s 10-match unbeaten run.

Barnsley had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 draw with Reading.

The Reds are yet to confirm a play-off spot, whilst Reading have all-but ensured Sky Bet League One safety.

Sam Smith and Lewis Wing netted for the visitors, with Adam Phillips and Fabio Jalo providing equalisers.

The Royals opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Smith nodded home from Femi Azeez’s corner.

Barnsley levelled in the 29th minute when John McAtee dinked a cross from the left for Phillips to head in for his 10th goal of the season.

Smith wasted a guilt-edge chance to give Reading the lead in the 69th minute when he rolled an effort wide inside the six yard box from Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan’s cut back.

Ruben Selles’ side regained the lead with nine minutes to play when Wing smashed one home from 25 yards out.

Barnsley responded well though and equalised two minutes later through 18-year-old Jalo, who headed beyond substitute goalkeeper David Button.

Jalo almost won it for the hosts two minutes later when he broke free inside the box, but his laced effort struck the left-hand post.

Play-off chasing Lincoln saw their 16-game unbeaten run ended by Charlie Hughes’ last-gasp winner as Wigan claimed a 2-1 victory at the LNER Stadium.

The Imps looked well-placed to extend their impressive run even further having battled back from a goal behind.

Jonny Smith fired Latics into a welcome 20th-minute lead with his first goal since New Year’s Day. The midfielder’s sweet strike took a slight deflection as it flew into the bottom corner.

But Daniel Mandroiu levelled for the Imps five minutes before the break with a fine finish.

It was the Irish midfielder’s first goal for nearly two months but it could not have come at a better time as the hosts found a way back into the contest.

Smith had an early effort saved, while at the other end Hughes rifled a right-foot shot just wide.

Thelo Aasgaard turned provider for Smith to open the scoring, before Mandroiu had a powerful shot saved.

Ben House went close before Mandriou levelled and leading scorer Joe Taylor had a header saved on the stroke of half-time.

Jason Kerr headed wide for Latics and Tom Pearce blasted over, but Hughes’ stunning last-gasp volley saw the visitors take the points.

Flynn Downes sensationally bundled in a stoppage-time winner to keep Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion race with a 3-2 victory over Watford.

Will Smallbone and Che Adams had put Saints on course to capitalise on Leeds and Leicester’s earlier defeats before Ryan Porteous and Ismael Kone levelled things up.

But Downes crashed home at the back post deep into stoppage time to send St Mary’s and manager Russell Martin into raptures – with a play-off place confirmed at the very least.

Saints are now seven points off the top two with games in hand.

Saints were rapid out the blocks as Smallbone headed in their quickest goal of the campaign after 57 seconds.

Adam Armstrong provided a perfect cross from the left side to allow Ireland international Smallbone to celebrate his fifth goal of the season.

The midfielder almost bagged a quickfire brace when he won the ball with a tackle on the edge of the Hornets box before getting back to his feet to blaze over the crossbar.

The home supporters did not have to wait too long for a second goal, though, as Adams tapped home in the 20th minute.

His 15th goal, and third versus Watford, this season came after Kyle Walker-Peters’ cross was sliced by Tom Dele-Bashiru, with his clearance chased down by David Brooks to tee up the Scotland international.

The momentum suddenly turned towards Watford half an hour into the match with Yaser Asprilla twice shooting wide, the second after a skilful run off the right flank.

They capitalised in the 34th minute when lackadaisical defending saw Porteous pick up the ball and fire home, via a deflection off Jack Stephens.

Vakoun Bayo stabbed another Hornets chance wide as Saints’ advantage was almost completely wiped out.

But the hosts rallied either side of the interval. Adam Armstrong controlled and fired over a Joe Aribo lifted ball, before Brooks slapped over a first-time effort from the edge of the box.

Porteous almost notched for a second time in the 53rd minute but his header was cleared off the line by Taylor Harwood-Bellis, before Giorgi Chakvetadze sliced wide from six yards.

Ryan Fraser thought he had settled the nerves when he slotted home in the 83rd minute but had not timed his run from Armstrong’s through ball.

And his poor synchronisation was punished when Kone turned on the ball in midfield before driving into the box and coolly inserting into the bottom corner – which appeared to put Watford on course for a fifth straight draw.

Armstrong almost won it when he volleyed into the ground, but Daniel Bachmann brilliantly tipped over before Downes’ last-gasp heroics.

The on-loan West Ham midfielder met Harwood-Bellis’ knock-on from a corner to take the three points.

Freddie Woodman produced a goalkeeping masterclass but Gabriel Sara’s late winner saw Norwich beat Preston 1-0 at Deepdale to move closer towards securing a coveted play-off place.

The former Newcastle shot-stopper pulled off a string of fine saves but Brazilian midfielder Sara’s 86th-minute strike dented the Lilywhites’ play-off hopes and left the Canaries six points clear of seventh-placed Hull.

Woodman made four excellent saves in the first half alone while the Lilywhites also hit the crossbar but it was Sara’s later intervention which proved crucial.

It was the playmaker’s fifth goal in seven games, with the Canaries having left themselves well-placed to be in the play-off mix with just three games left.

Preston dropped to 10th and are now eight points off sixth place, although they have four games left.

Defender Liam Lindsay went close for the home side in the 13th minute but his header flew narrowly over.

Midfielder Mads Frokjaer forced a fine save from Canaries keeper Angus Gunn not long after as the home side forced the early pace in their quest to further their play-off hopes.

At the other end, Sara picked out Borja Sainz with a fine pass but the Spaniard rifled his powerful volley wide of the target.

Centre-back Jordan Storey was then thwarted from close range by a superb save from Gunn.

But another missed chance nearly cost the home side but for Woodman’s brilliant intervention.

The on-song keeper produced an excellent block to deny Sainz the opener as the visitors found their way back into the contest.

Two minutes later Woodman saved well from Ashley Barnes as the home side found themselves on the back foot.

Sara went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock but again Woodman did well to collect a fizzing 25-yard volley.

Woodman saved again from Sara in first-half stoppage time as the home side were able to get some much-needed respite going into the break.

But that was just before Jack Whatmough thought he had put them ahead on the stroke of half-time, his thundering header having beaten Gunn and crashed into the woodwork.

Sara smashed over the bar after just two minutes of the second half while Sainz’s deflected effort fell fortuitously into the path of Josh Sargent but he lashed across the face of goal.

Kenny McLean fired a powerful shot over the bar as the visitors pushed for a winner and the pressure told with just four minutes left when Sara pounced to win it for the visitors.

Woodman got a hand to the shot but not enough to prevent it going into the far corner.

Midfielder Alan Browne had a shot cleared after a goalmouth scramble as Preston desperately tried to get back on level terms but Sara’s winner was a real sucker-punch to their play-off ambitions.

Found A Fifty was the epitome of bravery in a pulsating finish to the My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

Gordon Elliott’s Arkle runner-up had seen the form of that race franked by Cheltenham Festival third Il Etait Temps on Thursday and with Quilixios and Nickle Back leading the field along at a strong pace, the seven-year-old’s stamina was assured to come into play in the closing stages.

Both Jack Kennedy aboard Found A Fifty and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Master Chewy edged their way into contention and it soon became evident they would fight out the finish of this race, as Quilixios backed out of things after two out.

There was little to separate the pair at the last and it seemed Master Chewy was going to keep on to glory when edging his head in front up the run-in. But Found A Fifty (11-8 favourite) was not for lying down and rallied gamely to get back up after a titanic tussle in the shadow of the post.

Elliott said: “We’ve had a great season, we’ve been hitting the crossbar all week and what’s not winning is running very well.

“I’m thrilled to see this horse win and I’m delighted for Noel and Valerie (Moran, owners). It’s a huge day and he was tough. He’s a good horse.”

Fleetwood’s survival hopes continue to hang by a thread despite a hard-earned 2-0 victory against Northampton.

Charlie Adam’s men secured only a second win in 13 games but remain six points shy of the safety zone with just three matches to play.

Fleetwood opened the scoring after only five minutes, with Promise Omochere perfectly placed to tap home Bosun Lawal’s cross.

Omochere went close again with a header shortly afterwards, before the Cod Army did double their lead on the half-hour.

This time Lawal provided a tidy finish following a precise, measured pass from Brendan Wiredu.

Lawal later tried his luck from 35 yards but Cobblers goalkeeper Lee Burge was equal to the task.

Northampton came to life after making a triple switch for the start of the second half, with Sam Sherring and Kieron Bowie both going close to a leveller.

Bowie then saw a 20-yard strike deflected behind for a corner.

Ben Fox and Marc Leonard went closest to grabbing a consolation goal for the visitors as the game fizzled out late on.

Atlanta Braves ace and 2023 All-Star Spencer Strider will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his right elbow Friday.

Strider, 25, had his right ulnar collateral ligament repaired by Dr. Keith Meister, the club announced Saturday.

The procedure was notably a repair of Strider’s existing UCL with an internal brace, not a total reconstruction, also known as Tommy John surgery.

While UCL repairs typically require less recovery time than Tommy John surgery, the Braves said that Strider will not return this season.

Strider pitched four innings in the Braves’ 6-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 5, leaving the game with elbow discomfort. An MRI the next day revealed damage to his UCL.

Strider led the major leagues with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts last season and finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

The flame-throwing right-hander made two starts in 2024, allowing seven runs in nine innings.

Elbow injuries have ravaged major league pitching staffs early this season, with the Cleveland Guardians announcing last week that ace Shane Bieber will undergo Tommy John surgery. New York Yankees ace and reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole is out at least until June with elbow inflammation.

Hearts secured European football for next season after coming from two goals down to beat Livingston 4-2.

Basement team Liv stormed into a two-goal lead after 22 minutes courtesy of Stephen Kelly’s brace.

But Hearts produced an emphatic response to score four goals before the interval, with Jorge Grant, Yutaro Oda, Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland all finding the net.

The victory meant Hearts, who remain 11 points clear in third place, can finish no lower that fourth in the cinch Premiership, while Livingston remain nine points adrift at the bottom.

The big team news pre-match was the return of Craig Gordon in goal for Hearts for the first time in a league match since Christmas Eve 2022.

The 41-year-old goalkeeper’s inclusion was with an eye on next weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers.

But it was a difficult start for Gordon and his team-mates against a Livingston team fighting for their lives.

The Lions started well and wasted a great chance to open the scoring after nine minutes.

Sean Kelly’s pass down the left was missed by Hearts defender Frankie Kent and Tete Yengi came in on the blindside but his tame shot was easily saved by Gordon.

That warning was not heeded by the hosts as the away team stormed into a two-goal lead.

The first came just a minute later when a long ball over the top was intercepted by Gordon outside his area.

But the Scot allowed his touch to get away from him and Stephen Kelly swept a stunning first-time shot into the unguarded net from 40 yards.

The boos rang around Tynecastle in the 22nd minute as Livingston doubled their lead. Kent’s attempted clearance was charged down by Yengi and the ball broke to Stephen Kelly, who slammed a right-footed drive past Gordon from 18 yards.

But Hearts’ response was emphatic as they scored four unanswered goals before half-time.

The first arrived in the 29th minute when Shankland’s left-footed cross was forced in by Grant.

The equaliser was a near mirror imagine as Oda tapped in another Shankland cross at the front post.

Hearts kept coming and added a third with another delivery from the left flank, this time Alex Cochrane’s low pass being squeezed in by Devlin.

And the fourth arrived from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time when Shankland slotted home after Lions goalkeeper Shamal George tripped Oda.

The second half was less eventful although Livingston striker Yengi was shown a second yellow card by referee Colin Steven just seconds after he had been substituted.

Hearts controlled the half and went close through Shankland and Devlin.

Dundee sealed their place in the top six of the cinch Premiership as they completed a controversial week with a goalless draw at Aberdeen.

The Dark Blues were the better side for long spells of a match that saw Dons captain Graeme Shinnie sent off in injury time.

After the postponement of their midweek clash with Rangers, the visitors arrived at Pittodrie knowing their place in the top six would be confirmed if they matched Hibernian’s result away to Motherwell.

But the home side had other ideas.

The lively Duk was brought down by Antonio Portales in the opening stages, with the defender earning the first of three bookings for fouls on the Cape Verde man in the first quarter of the game.

From the resulting free-kick Leighton Clarkson’s effort was pushed over the bar by Jon McCracken in the Dundee goal.

Another Clarkson set-piece saw Nicky Devlin head tamely towards goal before Bojan Miovski’s persistence in the right channel fashioned an opening for Clarkson himself, only for the former Liverpool man to hit wide.

Dundee had been lively without creating a clear-cut chance until Connor Barron’s lose touch after 20 minutes allowed Luke McCowan to steal possession before playing in Lyall Cameron, but Kelle Roos stood up well to block.

A lull in the action followed until Joe Shaughnessy’s knock-down gave Dundee’s Amadou Bakayoko a chance at the edge of the area, but he sliced well wide.

Cameron then tried his luck from 20 yards, but his effort clipped the bar on the way over.

Dundee had found their feet and had the first chance of the second period as McCowan flashed a free-kick well wide.

Miovski’s neat touch allowed him to create a chance for Duk, who saw McCracken push his crisp strike wide at the near post.

But it was the visitors who had the better of the second period and Cameron should have broken the deadlock when Scott Tiffoney picked him out at the corner of the six-yard box, only for Angus MacDonald to block.

Substitute Curtis Main thought he had broken the deadlock after 72 minutes, but the flag went up for an offside against Bakayoko.

With Hibs wining at Motherwell, the Dark Blues were now throwing everything forward in search of a winner, Main again threatening, this time with a bicycle kick.

That of course left spaces at the back and Aberdeen suddenly sparked into life, with a late Duk header forcing a save from McCracken, just before news of a Motherwell equaliser got the visiting fans off their seats.

Stefan Gartenmann flashed a bicycle kick wide for the Dons deep in injury time before Shinnie, already booked for a foul on Dara Costelloe, picked up a second yellow for a late challenge on Malachi Boateng.

Port Vale remain in the League One relegation zone after surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 against in-form Exeter.

Goals from Ethan Chislett and Baylee Dipepa put the Valiants firmly in charge at half-time, but two goals for Millenic Alli and one each for Zak Jules and Luke Harris earned the visitors – now unbeaten in eight matches – victory and leaves their opponents three points from safety.

Vale came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute when Ben Garrity was denied by Viljami Sinisalo from close range after bringing down Chislett’s measured pass over the top.

And the hosts went in front just after the half-hour mark as a cleared corner was volleyed home brilliantly by Chislett from outside the area.

Their advantage was doubled in the 40th minute, with 17-year-old Dipepa cutting in from the right and guiding a left-footed shot past Sinisalo.

Alli nearly pulled a goal back for Exeter within moments of the restart, but his attempt from Yanic Wildschut’s delivery was saved by Connor Ripley.

The striker did find the net, though, in the 57th minute, with his deflected effort looping over Ripley.

Substitute Jules brought the Grecians level 10 minutes later, firing the ball in from Ryan Woods’ corner, and the comeback was complete in the 79th minute as Harris smashed a volley beyond Ripley from Pedro Borges’ lovely flicked pass.

Alli tapped in from Ilmari Niskanen’s cross late on to add extra gloss to the scoreline.

Ipswich moved a point clear at the top of the Championship after a thrilling 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Portman Road.

Town went into the game looking to take advantage after seeing automatic promotion rivals Leicester and Leeds lose to Plymouth and Blackburn respectively.

In a breathless first half the visitors took the lead through a header from Emmanuel Latte Lath but Town struck back 10 minutes later when Massimo Luongo crashed home a corner by Leif Davis.

Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky produced two wonderful saves, firstly from Isaiah Jones and then Matt Clarke, to keep the scores level deep into the second period.

Ipswich were on the front foot from the start but Middlesbrough were carving out their own chances and they got their noses in front after 20 minutes when a cross from Leeds loanee Luke Ayling found Ivorian striker Latte Lath, who headed home.

There were strong shouts for handball after Boro defender Clarke blocked a cross from Axel Tuanzebe but referee Sam Allison ruled it out and awarded a corner from which Town equalised as Luongo came rushing in at the far post and fired the ball home via the underside of the bar.

Town almost immediately took the lead when Jeremy Sarmiento was played through by Conor Chaplin and chipped Seny Dieng as he rushed off his line.

It looked like it was going into the net but it clipped a post. Ali Al-Hamadi tried for the rebound with a back-heel flick but it was blocked.

Boro wasted a great chance to take the lead just before half-time when they countered down the left through Sammy Silvera.

Latte Lath’s first shot was deflected, with a handball shout from the visitors, before the second went out for a corner from which former Norwich midfielder Jonny Howson headed wide.

A dazzling run by Omari Hutchinson saw him leave Middlesbrough defenders in his wake and as he closed in on goal his shot was deflected over the bar by Danish defender Lukas Engel.

As both teams pushed Hladky had to dive to his right to deny Boro substitute Sam Greenwood after Town skipper Sam Morsy lost possession while at the other end Dieng parried away a shot from Hutchinson.

Hladky produced two wonderful saves to keep the game level. First he stopped Jones from point-blank range and then stretched to palm over a header from Clarke as the game drew to a nail-biting close.