Mansfield boss Nigel Clough labelled his side’s error-strewn display in a 5-1 home hammering by Reading “embarrassing and inexcusable”.Stags, knowing a point will ensure their safety – barring an extraordinary goal difference swing to Bristol Rovers – matched the promotion-chasing Royals for long periods but gifted them goal after goal.Louis Reed’s stray pass le

Andy Crosby says he will focus on controlling the controllables and urged his players to do the same as they seek to secure their Football League status following Monday’s goalless draw at Barrow.Three points against Crewe at Prenton Park on Saturday would see Rovers avoid the drop to the National League.For a spell in the second half, with second-bottom Carlisle a goal down at Accrington an

Charlton manager Nathan Jones described his side’s 4-0 thumping at Wycombe as ‘professional’.The Addicks, who sit fourth, came to Adams Park knowing they had to beat the Chairboys, who started the day in second, to keep alive their own automatic promotion chances.Goals from Lloyd Jones, Luke Berry, Matt Godden and Karoy Anderson put Wanderers to the sword – the first time s

Gareth Ainsworth hailed his Gillingham side as “amazing” after they secured a second-successive home win with a 1-0 League Two victory over AFC Wimbledon.Joe Gbode came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as the Gills put a major dent in the Dons’ automatic promotion hopes with a 10th game without defeat.Ainsworth, who is yet to lose since taking charge of the club,

Birmingham head coach Chris Davies reflected on two moments of quality in three first-half minutes following his side’s 2-1 win at Burton.Blues chose the perfect time to seize the advantage, with Alfons Sampsted firing in a deflected first followed by a cool finish from Jay Stansfield to end the opening 45 minutes perfectly for the visitors.“That was definitely the case. It was a good

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson wants his players to “block out everything” surrounding promotion talk and concentrate on what they need to do after the 2-1 win over Blackpool in Sky Bet League One.James McClean and Ollie Rathbone scored midway through the second half to give the Red Dragons all three points on the seaside, despite a late Rob Apter consolation.Parkinson also praised his

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher admitted “it’s a bigger job than I expected” after seeing his side’s League One play-off hopes crash and burn in a 4-2 defeat at Lincoln.The Trotters had fought back from two goals down to level by the break, through Jay Matete and Alex Murphy, after Erik Ring and James Collins, with a penalty, had put City 2-0 up after 17 minutes.But a second-

Carlisle head coach Mark Hughes promised his team were “still fighting” after securing a late point in a 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Accrington.Callum Whelan rifled home a superb strike in the second minute of stoppage time to cancel out Sonny Aljofree’s 70th-minute opener for Stanley. The visitors also hit the woodwork through Georgie Kelly.The result left the 23rd-placed Cumb

Neil Harris described himself as “absolutely gutted” as Cambridge missed a chance to keep their survival chances alive.The U’s led for a long stretch of the game but fell 2-1 at home to Leyton Orient.A win would have left them two points behind Burton, who they play next, but defeat means they are five points from safety with only two games remaining.“I’m so disappoin

Millwall boss Alex Neil toasted one of the best performances since he took over after they roared back into the Championship play-off race with a 3-1 over Norwich at The Den.The Lions’ top-six hopes looked to have been dealt a fatal blow when they were thumped 4-1 at Blackburn on Friday.But Mihailo Ivanovic’s double and Femi Azeez’s goal – coupled with the four teams above