Neil Harris described Lyle Taylor’s first Cambridge appearance as good a debut as he had seen after his side’s 2-1 win against Fleetwood.

Taylor enjoyed a memorable first outing after coming off the bench against Fleetwood, opening the scoring and then assisting Sullay Kaikai’s added-time winner.

The win lifts Harris’ side to seven points above the League One relegation zone, while Fleetwood remain bottom and eight points from safety.

“If you look at debuts, that was as good a debut as I’ve seen,” Harris said.

“Ultimately the game changed when Lyle came on, but then when Brandon Njoku came on as well it changed the impetus of the game.

“That’s the importance of the transfer window. Getting Lyle done before training and midday yesterday was a challenge.

“The temptation to start him was there, naturally. It had been an up and down week for him, he hadn’t had a lot of time on the grass.

“He knows playing for me he’ll get chances to score. He’s been desperate to come, I’ve been desperate to get him in. I’m delighted to have him because his qualities suit the way I want to play.

“What was lacked in the first half at times was that composure, and moment of quality as well.

“Sometimes, especially at this stage in the season, it’s just about three points. I just praise the players’ character and resilience.

“When we conceded and it went back to 1-1 there was no feeling sorry for yourself. The crowd didn’t melt, we didn’t melt as a group. We were on the front foot and probably should have scored one or two before we did.”

Charlie Adam knows his Fleetwood side must start winning games if they are to stand any chance of avoiding the drop to League Two.

“In large spells we did well for an away performance,” Adam said.

“Again, big moments change games. In the 92nd minute we lose a goal and its disappointment, but again there are good signs at times of what we’ve been working on all week.

“We bounced back from that goal that we conceded but again late goals we’ve conceded have cost us this year and we’ll need to address that in the week.

“You’re hoping that your team can go on and try and win the game. If not we want to draw the game, take a point and we go to next week. We’re disappointed to lose the game and we’ll focus on what we can do better as a group, we’ll readdress it and go against Portsmouth next week.

“I think the confidence is in the team, there’s a good spirit in there. I’ve had two away games, when the lads travelled they’re connected, they’re together. That’s important and that’s what will get us results.”

Neil Critchley praised the patience of his Blackpool side as their impressive home form continued with a 2-0 win over Exeter.

Long-range Albie Morgan strikes either side of half time earned the Tangerines their 10th home league win of the season – the most of any side in Sky Bet League One.

Critchley’s side remain within four points of the play-offs and the 45-year-old hailed the mentality of his players in the face of increased expectations.

“We can’t expect to just turn up and win,” he said. “That applies to all of us.

“Due to our home record, there’s an expectation that we turn up and win, but it’s not like that. It’s a total shift in mentality from my previous time here and last season as well.

“It takes a different mindset to understand, it’s not easy to beat opponents with everyone behind the ball, it takes time and patience.

“You have to work for those opportunities. In my opinion, we were the deserved winners.

“They obviously came with a plan to frustrate us and wait for us to make a mistake and counter, but we made very few errors.

“Albie (Morgan) showed what he’s capable of, and then the second goal was a great strike as well.

“We were a little bit wasteful and not clinical enough. It nearly became a game it should never have been, at 3-0 the game would’ve been completely dead and buried.”

Jordan Rhodes saw a 25th-minute penalty saved by Viljami Sinisalo, but it did not prove overly costly as Morgan slammed home from long range six minutes before the break.

The 23-year-old doubled his tally with an equally-stylish finish early in the second half to seal the outcome against an Exeter side who remain just three points above the relegation zone following a ninth successive away league match without a win.

“They [Blackpool] are the best team at home in the league for a reason, they have good players all over the park and they cause you a lot of problems,” said Grecians boss Gary Caldwell.

“We restricted them to few chances and they scored two good goals from outside the box.

“We caused ourselves too many problems, but we were better in the second half and even at 2-0, I thought there was something there for us.”

Ben Purrington made his debut for the visitors at Bloomfield Road and Caldwell hopes more reinforcements will arrive to boost his side’s survival bid.

“We are speaking to agents, clubs and players and come the end of the window I’m sure we’ll bring more players in,” he said.

“But they have to be the right players. I know it’s frustrating for the fans but we have to be patient.”

Reading manager Ruben Selles fears that the club may be forced to play home games behind closed doors “maybe for the rest of the season” after their League One match against Port Vale was abandoned.

Play was halted at 0-0 in the 17th minute after around 1,000 home fans invaded the pitch in the latest protest against Chinese owner Dai Yongge, who is trying to sell the club.

After repeated PA announcements for the fans to leave the pitch – including a threat of the game being called off – a hardcore group of about 40 stood in the centre circle and refused to move back to the stands.

Both clubs consulted with the EFL over the situation but at 4.25pm, the game was abandoned and will be restaged at a later midweek date.

“We know that there could be repercussions,” Selles said. “A points deduction is unlikely, but it can happen.

“It could be that we play with an empty stadium for one or two games or even the rest of the season.

“There could be a financial punishment, of course.

“It’s a big variety of things and it will be up to a panel of experts to decide.”

Selles added: “We knew that something was going on (the planned on-pitch protest) from reading the social media and all its comments.

“Basically, I had a decision to make. The decision was to come here to compete and don’t get distracted by those things.

“If it happened, we will just take it. Sometimes, with social media, things never happen. So if you lose focus and concentration, you can be late into the game.

“You can then lose the game because you were not ready in the key moments.

“Then it happened and we just took it as it comes. We went inside, people (the fans) made their point clear and the game got postponed.

“After the pitch invasion, I made sure that our players and their (Vale) players were all inside the players’ tunnel.

“Not that I was worried about the situation. I knew that our people (the fans) were not going to make any stupidity in that way.

“The invasion was not aggressive, it was passive. It was just to make the point.

“Listen, I’m sympathetic with the fact that we all want the best for Reading football club.

“I think our fans are proud with what the team is doing, the way in which we are playing and competing.

“But the fans are getting frustrated about the similar things that we are.

“I’m sympathetic but, really, what I want is just to play football matches and win football matches.”

Vale manager Andy Crosby was not available for comment on the abandonment afterwards.

But the club later posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Today’s Sky Bet League One match against Reading has been abandoned. We’d like to thank our supporters for making the trip to Berkshire and wish you a safe trip back.”

West Brom boss Carlos Corberan was full of praise for striker Brandon Thomas-Asante after his two goals helped earn the Baggies a 4-1 win over Blackburn.

The hosts were three up inside 33 minutes thanks to a Tom Fellows effort, an own goal by Dominic Hyam and a Thomas-Asante strike.

Jake Garrett pulled a goal back for Blackburn after 60 minutes, but Thomas-Asante soon restored the hosts’ three-goal advantage.

West Brom cement fifth position, five points clear of sixth place, whilst Blackburn drop to 18th in the table and are winless in six league games.

Corberan, whose side strengthened their position in fifth, said of Thomas-Asante’s display: “Excellent, not only for the goals but the way he was linking the play and how he was helping the team build attacks.

“The most important thing with Brandon is his mentality and his physical condition to play and always be ready to help the team.

“The most important moment is every game he plays with us and today he was able to help the team with the goals that he scored.”

The afternoon saw the return of key players John Swift, Adam Reach and Jed Wallace for West Brom and Corberan was delighted to have the trio back after injury lay-offs.

“I liked a lot the contribution of Reach, I think he was perfect for the type of game we wanted to play today,” the head coach said.

“His contribution in defending was very important too.

“To have all your fullest squad is one of the key points in the Championship.”

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson admitted it was a bad day at the office for his side, who have now conceded the most goals in the Championship

“We need to accept it was not a good day,” he said. “We knew coming here with the quality of West Brom it would be a tough task. I thought we started the game well, but I was disappointed in the manner we gave the goals away.

“We gave three set-piece goals away today. When Garrett scored an excellent goal in the second half we had a chance to get back in the game, but we conceded immediately.

“The only thing I was pleased with today was to give Sam Gallagher minutes who’s been out for four months.”

Tomasson feels his side are too easy to score against at the moment.

“When you look at the whole play, I thought we were just as good as West Brom, but games are won in each box in the way you defend,” he said.

“Are you winning your duels, are you winning your personal duels, the first and second contact, are you smelling danger all those things? Football is won in each box and we need to do better.”

Russell Martin has urged his Southampton players to “make history” after equalling their best English Football League unbeaten run by thrashing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0.

Adam Armstrong scored and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara to mark Saints’ 19th league game without defeat. They moved into the automatic places for the first time since the opening day of the season, ahead of Ipswich’s evening kick-off.

The unbeaten run is only bettered in the club’s history by a 24-match spell in 1896 and 1897.

Martin said: “We are on an unbeaten run where I’m immensely proud of the players. It is incredible what they have achieved and we have to keep it going as long as possible.

“We have never gone ‘we need to chase Leicester and Ipswich’. We are concentrating on ourselves and we’ll see where it takes us.

“It has never been a conscious focus for us but I want them to go and make some history next week.

“I want them to be remembered for that. I want them to do it and it has been an incredible achievement.

“I told them that the biggest incentive was finishing the game in second, for how long who knows. But it is a reward for the hard work they have put in and we are really in the race and the hunt now.

“For the players to put themselves in that position of 20 games unbeaten in all competitions is amazing.

“The way they have done it has shown they are growing. It has been a pleasure to watch but it is now our job to keep them hungry.

“If they do it then we will be in with a really good chance of achieving what we wanted to achieve.”

Adams opened the scoring after collecting an Armstrong cross before rounding a defender and lashing into the bottom corner.

Armstrong got his goal on the counter after Stuart Armstrong fed him before the former Blackburn man brilliantly provided for Fraser and Mara to make it nine straight home victories at St Mary’s.

Martin said of Armstrong: “If he carries on going I will be happy either way.

“He’s been so good and probably playing in a position he doesn’t really want to play. He wants to be the number nine in the team but he’s playing a role he is playing so well in.

“The goals and the assists are what strikers get judged on but there is so much more to it than that with Adam.”

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl was previously an assistant at Saints and is crossing his fingers for his former employers in their automatic promotion hunt.

Rohl said: “It is a big challenge at the top of the table but when you see what they are doing they are a good team.

“Because of my past I cross my fingers for Southampton but it won’t be easy. If they do a job like today then they’ll stand a good chance.”

He added: “That was hard. Southampton played well. It was a game we had to perform well and make no mistakes.

“Everyone was convinced we could have taken something. It is different to three months ago when we came to games and thought there wasn’t a chance. We had the confidence to try something.

“This team is a different league to us. For us it is about staying in the league and for them it is the Premier League.

“All in all it was a deserved victory for Southampton.”

Daniel Farke hailed Leeds’ “most mature performance” of the season after his side strolled to a 3-0 win at Cardiff.

Fourth-placed Leeds had lost their previous three away games in the Sky Bet Championship, but Patrick Bamford, Daniel James and Georginio Rutter were on target as mid-table Cardiff were swept aside.

“We have had some electrifying performances in the home games with many goals,” said Leeds boss Farke.

“But this was our most mature performance of the whole season.

“Cardiff is always a difficult place to go, to be in so control of the game from the first to the last second makes me pretty happy.

“We kept them totally quiet in their possession and we dominated the ball in a fantastic manner.

“We probably should have scored a few more, but the win was never in doubt and I was especially pleased with the control we had.”

Leeds also had the luxury of missing a penalty at 2-0 ahead with 11 minutes remaining.

Crysencio Summerville struck a post before Rutter rounded off a one-sided contest two minutes from time.

Farke said: “Sometimes when you are so dominant in the first half with a 2-0 lead you are too comfortable and sit back a bit too much.

“But it’s important we stayed with the foot on the gas and pressed them high.

“Cardiff is by far the best side in terms of set-pieces in this league, so it’s important you keep their game from your goal.

“You have to press them high and make sure the ball is in their half and that you are really accurate in your possession.

“I like the mentality. I’ve criticised them in the last away games when we’ve had setbacks – penalties denied and red cards – and found it difficult to grind out a result.

“But we were really on it and showed resilience. It was nice to watch our football, it was pleasing on the eye.”

Cardiff remain within touching distance of the top six, despite taking only four points from their last seven home games.

Boss Erol Bulut is hoping to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window, but confirmed post-game that Fenerbahce striker target Mehmet Umut Nayir has joined fellow Turkish club Pendikspor.

Bulut said: “He has signed for Pendikspor. I do not know how the transfer window will go for us.

“We have many names on our list, but it is about the finance.”

On the defeat, Bulut added: “I am not in a good mood, this team can give much much more.

“We didn’t expect to lose a game like that. We know Leeds are a strong team but my players respect them too much.”

Oxford boss Des Buckingham has urged his players to find their consistency after a 3-1 win at Carlisle.

The promotion-chasing U’s remain in the hunt after Mark Harris’ double and Tyler Goodrham’s effort at Brunton Park.

Alfie McColmont’s goal was a mere consolation for the relegation-threatened Cumbrians, but Buckingham’s charges are three points off the top three after a fourth victory in six games.

“It’s a big win for us,” said the Oxford manager.

“We’re obviously still short of bodies ourselves, but we’re slowly starting to get right.

“It’s about trying to remain consistent and if we do that the performances will come.

“It’s important with 20 games to go to get as many points as possible.”

Harris’ brace, with goals either side of half-time, took his tally to four in four, and Buckingham is pleased as punch his striker is getting the rewards after an 11-game goal drought.

He said: “Mark’s getting some reward for the efforts he put in for the spell he had when he wasn’t scoring.

“We’ve spoken in the dressing room about standards so we don’t get too high or too low with the performance or the result.

“Mark Harris’ attitude to that spell where he wasn’t scoring, he was creating, he was hitting the bar and the post and the keepers were making good saves. If he could continue doing that he would be scoring and it’s great to see those efforts hitting the net rather than the woodwork or the keeper now.”

Struggling Carlisle have won just one of their last 12 league games and boss Paul Simpson believes the difference has been the quality in front of goal.

He said: “They are a very good side. They’re a club that is gearing up to try and be promoted.

“When we didn’t make those opportunities count in the first half they started to get control of the game.

“The first goal was a set-play and it was a really simple thing where we don’t pick up the biggest centre-half on the pitch, he’s 6ft 4in, and he gets a free header. You go a goal down and you’re up against it and we were rocked a bit.

“The second goal is an absolute sickener to give that away when the striker runs through two centre-backs. If we had VAR it would be given offside.

“But we don’t, it’s down to the human eye. Whether it’s right or wrong is debatable, we don’t really know. We were chasing it after that.

“That was the difference, the difference in quality in the final third separated us. We’ve got in there and not been able to test the keeper enough.

“Things go against you when you’re down but we stuck at it, kept trying to give it a go. There were incidents where we should have done better and worked the goalkeeper more.”

Michael Carrick admitted Middlesbrough’s bench made the difference after they came from a goal behind beat Millwall 3-1 at The Den in the Sky Bet Championship.

Carrick’s Boro were on a high after Tuesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first leg victory over Chelsea and rounded off an impressive week with victory over another London side.

Joe Bryan opened the scoring for the hosts before strikes from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and substitute Marcus Forss turned things around.

Matt Crooks also came off the bench to have a positive impact in the second half.

Carrick said: “We knew it was going to be a challenge but we found our way the longer the game went, I’m delighted for the boys.

“We showed good spirit and quality and the bench made the difference for us, which we missed for a period of time.

“I thought the squad felt strong today and it can get stronger. We have a good group.

“Marcus (Forss) has worked hard for a period of time now and it’s a big goal for him and for us.”

Millwall struggled to replicate their dominant first half display and lost their way in the second 45.

Manager Joe Edwards highlighted his team’s injuries and agreed that Boro’s squad depth played a part on the day.

He added: “We felt that today (Boro’s depth). I’ve felt it in other games as well.

“I remember being stood down there when we were hanging on to a 1-0 lead against Norwich and when I saw the subs they were bringing on I thought ‘wow, that’s some impact and it will now get harder in the final 20 to 30 minutes.’

“That’s something I felt today.

“There’s a group of around seven of our players in their tracksuits today who are unable to play and that hurts us.”

Edwards struggled to hide his disappointment after the Lions failed to make it four successive league wins.

He said: “It’s disappointing. The goals they scored were soft and the bottom line is if you are playing a team at that level and dominate as much as we did in the first half an hour we needed to cash in and get that second goal.”

Stoke head coach Steven Schumacher believes Lewis Baker can flourish in his system after he netted the winner in a narrow 1-0 Championship victory at Rotherham.

The game’s only goal and moment of real quality came through Baker’s sensational free-kick just before the break.

That proved to be the difference and ensured Schumacher a second victory in charge.

Stoke had certainly enjoyed the better of the first half but they did not take the lead until the fourth minute of added on time when Baker’s strike whistled into the top corner.

Schumacher wants the former Chelsea man to keep contributing and hinted he could become a key man under him.

He said: “It was a brilliant goal, unstoppable. I am really pleased for him because he hasn’t played much football. He’s a proper model professional.

“He is the type of player who competes very well and he’s got a goal in him. It’s important he stays available. He’s doing really well and he’s a talented player.

“When you come to a new club you try to build relationships with people. This system is designed for players like him, midfielders who score goals.

“Hopefully he can keep contributing. He’s one of the best two-footed players I have worked with.”

Rotherham came closest through former Stoke man Sam Clucas’ long-range strike but their former loanee goalkeeper Daniel Iversen enjoyed a quiet afternoon.

There were even fewer chances in the second half with the Millers failing to really put the visitors’ goal under threat and Stoke content with a one-goal cushion.

The best opportunities fell the way of Andre Vidigal, who had two opportunities to notch a second.

One of his efforts was palmed out by Viktor Johansson and a counter-attack deep into added time was curtailed by Cohen Bramall’s desperate defending.

Schumacher added: “I think it was a really tough game and what we expected. You have to come and battle and stand up to everything Rotherham throw at you. It’s a tough place to come to. It was a really good performance.

“The way they play, you have got to try and be brave but use your brain as well. It was really well executed from my players.”

Rotherham head coach Leam Richardson will now look to bring some players in after loanees Dexter Lembikisa and Fred Onyedinma departed the New York Stadium this week.

He said: “Hopefully we will be busy next week. We have needed bodies from January first. We are struggling to fill the bench.

“The first emotion was there was a game there to be won. I think it was a 0-0 game with one moment of quality which wins the game.

“I don’t think it should have been a free-kick. I think their manager would be saying the same thing if it was a flipside.

“In the second half we were the aggressor without having that final moment of quality or decision making.

“We have been very diligent in certain areas and aggressive in others. One of my frustrations is we got in some good areas but we need to be more aggressive with our crosses and shots.

“We have got to improve daily and have really good habits. We have to keep being really positive and working hard.

“I won’t have anybody knock the lads’ work effort or endeavour.”

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins praised his side’s first-half performance after they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 at Oakwell

Devante Cole and Corey O’Keefe scored either side of Chris Martin’s equaliser to wrap up the three points.

Collins said: “It was a tough game. It was a game that I knew was going to be very tough.

“The fine balance is always emphasising to the team how tough it’s going to be without getting them scared and making sure we know it’s about us.

“I just felt this was a big one because Bristol (Rovers) will still have an eye on the play-offs. They’re good enough to do that and they’ve been on a good run of form.

“The players trained fantastically. I thought in the first half they were really excellent in most parts of the game apart from the final pass or final cross.

“Once we did get that right, we scored and probably should’ve done it a little bit more often and taken advantage of the first-half performance.”

On his side’s reaction to losing their lead, Collins said: “There’s always an opponent to consider, they brought on two big target strikers. We don’t have that dominant presence, although the lads at the back stood up to it really well.

“We’re going to have a lot more games like that between now and the end of the season. The good thing for me is there’s a lot of room for us still to improve, but a lot to be pleased with.”

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor pointed out the weaknesses that led to his side’s downfall.

He said: “We had a lot of chances; I didn’t think we were good enough first half.

“I think we lacked a little bit of our strength, intensity and brightness when the ball was in and around us.

“The second-half performance was much improved in terms of our understanding of what the game needed first and foremost.

“We haven’t kept a clean sheet since I’ve been here, that’s a pretty damning statement of myself and this group of players because we do create chances, we always look like we’ve got a threat about us.

“We’ve got to find a way of staying more controlled in games.”

On how his team conceded the first goal, Taylor said: “Every goal you concede you’ll go into real detail, but the really clear theme is that we’ve conceded too many goals that we feel are soft goals.

“At the moment, there’s a bit of softness and that’s not always a physical statement, it’s our mindset towards it, our understanding of what’s needed at certain times.

“It’s frustrating because throughout the course of the game we’ve created the cleaner chances, but it’s irrelevant.”

Managers Shaun Maloney and Jon Brady both declared themselves satisfied after Northampton and Wigan shared the points in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Sixfields.

The Cobblers led through Sam Hoskins’ 16th-minute penalty, awarded for a foul by Latics goalkeeper Sam Tickle on Kieron Bowie, but the visitors struck back and netted a deserved equaliser through Josh Magennis after 64 minutes.

It was a match of few clear-cut chances, with Wigan dominating possession for the most part, and both bosses were pleased to come away with a point for their efforts.

“Wigan are a good side, they move the ball well and cause you all sorts of problems with their shape,” said Brady.

“They pull you apart constantly, and we knew that would happen.

“It was the hardest I have had to work all week to try and nullify all of that, and the boys worked extremely hard.

“Then you look at their resources and what they bring on, Charlie Wyke, Callum McManaman, the Smiths, and jeez.

“But what we have got is heart and huge desire, and we dig in.

“I think their position in the table is pretty false, and without the points deduction they’d be in and around us, so I feel overall, although it can be better, I am quite pleased with that today.”

Maloney felt the point was the least his team deserved.

The Latics enjoyed a 67 per cent share of possession as the away team, and Maloney said: “The performance was right up there with the levels we showed in the 1-1 draw at Barnsley on New Year’s Day, but in a different way.

“At Barnsley we played on the counter-attack, today I thought we were very good with the ball on a really difficult pitch, and it is even harder when you go 1-0 down.

“Mistakes like the one for their goal happen, you are going to get that with some of the younger boys, but I thought we played very, very well. I was really happy with everybody.

“We went in 1-0 down, but the performance in the first half was very, very good.

“We didn’t need to change anything, we just needed to be a bit more aggressive and the response in the second half was good.

“It is difficult sometimes when you stand here if you draw or you get beaten and the performance has been good, but today I have nothing but good things to say about my players.”

Ethan Ross struck a penalty deep into stoppage time as cinch League One leaders Falkirk maintained their unbeaten record with a 2-2 draw at bottom club Edinburgh City.

Kick-off had been delayed by 30 minutes because of issues with safety barriers at Meadowbank Stadium.

Falkirk were stunned as Callum Flatman headed Edinburgh in front in the 28th minute and Alieau Faye soon doubled the lead.

Substitute Calvin Miller pulled a goal back for the Bairns early in the second half.

Just when it seemed like John McGlynn’s side were set for a first league defeat of the season, Coll Donaldson was brought down and Ross kept his cool from the spot to deny Edinburgh a memorable win.

Hamilton are now nine points behind after they beat third-placed Cove Rangers 2-0 at New Douglas Park, where both sides had a player sent off.

Kevin O’Hara gave the hosts an early lead before midfielder Ben Williamson was shown a straight red card for a foul on Kyle Connell.

Jamie Barjonas added a second with 20 minutes left, with Cove defender Michael Doyle then dismissed for a second caution.

Callum Crane scored and was then sent off for violent conduct as Stirling won 1-0 at fourth-placed Montrose.

Tommy Goss’ second-half goal earned relegation-battlers Annan a 1-1 draw at Kelty Hearts, who had gone in front through a penalty from Alfie Bavidge.

It also finished 1-1 between Queen of the South and Alloa at Palmerston Park.

In cinch League Two, Stenhousemuir moved 14 points clear at the top with a 2-0 win at Spartans, where Matt Yates and Matthew Aitken scored in each half.

Peterhead lost ground after a 2-0 defeat at Stranraer.

Chris Johnston and Tam Orr scored either side of the break, with Peterhead midfielder Andrew McCarthy sent off late on.

Dumbarton closed up to within a point of third-placed Spartans with a 1-1 draw at Bonnyrigg Rose.

Russell McLean scored a stoppage-time penalty as Forfar came from behind to beat fellow relegation-battlers Elgin 2-1 at Station Park after Bryan Cameron had been sent off for conceding the late spot-kick.

Bottom side Clyde came from behind to draw 1-1 at East Fife, while it also finished 1-1 between Bonnyrigg Rose and Dumbarton at New Dundas Park.

Arbroath and Ayr were forced to settle for a point apiece as the cinch Championship strugglers played out a goalless draw at Gayfield Stadium.

The hosts went closest in a tight first half when Leighton McIntosh headed against a post, but it was Ayr who had the greater share of the play.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the break and Ahkeem Rose spurned a good chance when he shot at Ali Adams.

Anton Dowds then fired over before Francis Amartey forced another save from Adams and Logan Chalmers hit the goal frame.

Arbroath felt they should have had a penalty in the closing stages after a challenge on Mark Stowe but nothing was given.

Middlesbrough conceded early but battled back strongly to win 3-1 win at Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship.

Michael Carrick’s Reds, who beat Premier League Chelsea in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, claimed another London scalp on Saturday.

Joe Bryan opened the scoring for the home side at The Den but goals from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss turned things around in favour of the Teessiders.

Millwall took a deserved 10th-minute lead, as the visitors cracked under early pressure.

Ryan Longman’s cross was cleared but only into the path of Bryan, who guided his effort into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

The Lions came close to doubling their lead five minutes later. Bryan turned creator and whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, with centre-back Jake Cooper’s first-time effort clipping the bar.

Boro spent large parts of the first half on the back foot but they managed to break forward and equalise seven minutes before the interval.

Jones, whose positive form carried on after his impressive display against Chelsea, threaded a pass to Sam Greenwood. The on-loan Leeds player found the Engel with a low cross and the unmarked Dane levelled with a  close-range finish.

The visitors took the lead in the 58th minute after Bryan misjudged heading a high ball, with pacey former Tooting & Mitcham player Jones advancing and coolly finished past Matija Sarkic.

Millwall sought a way back into the game but failed to replicate their dominance of the early stages and played slow passes around the back, much to the frustration of animated manager Joe Edwards.

The visitors turned the screw and looked the most likely to score again.

Substitute Matt Crooks showed quick feet, turning his man in midfield before unleashing debutant Luke Ayling down the right.

The former Leeds right-back produced an excellent pass for Morgan Rogers,  who failed to connect properly.

However, the points were sealed in added time when Forss scored as the visitors moved into the top half.

Substitute Ricco Diack hit a late equaliser as Partick Thistle came from behind to draw 1-1 in their cinch Championship match at Morton.

Morton had the ball in the net through Iain Wilson’s header in the 24th minute, but it was disallowed for offside before Robbie Crawford’s rising shot was tipped over by Jamie Sneddon.

The hosts eventually went in front in the 32nd minute when Crawford diverted the ball in from close range at a corner, with Jags defender Jack McMillan credited with the final touch for an own goal.

Partick were back on level terms with 15 minutes left when Diack, who had only just come on, drilled in a low shot after good build-up play from fellow substitutes Tomi Adeloye and Scott Robinson.

Adeloye, on loan from Swindon, saw a late effort hit a post and Ben Stanway had a penalty shout turned down in stoppage time as third-placed Thistle had to settle for a point.