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Summary

  • League One leaders Portsmouth drew with lowly Fleetwood, while second-placed Peterborough beat Shrewsbury

  • Wrexham beat Newport 2-0 in one of Saturday's six League Two matches

  • Dean Lewington of MK Dons equalled record for most appearances made for a single EFL club

  • League Two's bottom club Sutton, who sacked manager Matt Gray on Tuesday, lost at home to Mansfield

  1. Bye for now!published at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    That's it from us today, thank you for joining us for coverage of today's games in League One and League Two.

    We shall bid you farewell, let you know that we will have more EFL live text commentaries on Boxing Day, and leave by wishing you a Merry Christmas.

  2. Pompey's League One lead cut to five pointspublished at 17:18 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    Top of League One table

    We knew that Portsmouth would be top at Christmas, but what we did not expect was for them to drop points at home to relegation-threatened Fleetwood.

    That allowed Peterborough to narrow the gap to five points after they came from behind to win 2-1 at Shrewsbury.

    Bolton climb from sixth to third as they beat Leyton Orient 3-2, while Derby - who beat Lincoln on Thursday and were not in action today - drop to fourth.

    The Rams have a superior goal difference to Oxford and Stevenage, who lost at Northampton and Barnsley respectively.

    The South Yorkshire side are now only two points behind that trio of clubs, while Blackpool are four points off the top six after a home win over Bristol Rovers.

  3. Wrexham keep up pressure on top twopublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    After leaders Stockport maintained their six-point cushion on Friday, the onus was on Wrexham and the chasing pack to do their bit to stay in the promotion hunt.

    The Dragons' 2-0 derby with over Newport County keeps them going well in third, level on points with Barrow - who also won on Friday.

    Mansfield's latest win at bottom club Sutton keeps them firmly on the Dragons' tails.

    Top of League Two table
  4. Postpublished at 17:13 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    #bbcefl

    What do today's results mean for the league tables? Let's find out, shall we?

  5. League One full-time headlinespublished at 17:08 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

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    • Leaders Portsmouth dropped points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fleetwood.
    • Peterborough took advantage to cut Pompey's lead to five points, with Hector Kyprianou sealing a comeback win against Shrewsbury.
    • Bolton led Leyton Orient 3-0 after 10 minutes but had to hold on for a nervy 3-2 win which sends them up to third.
    • Oxford dropped to fifth after Tyreece Simpson struck an added-time winner for Northampton.
    • Herbie Kane sealed a come-from-behind win for Barnsley, who beat Stevenage 2-1 to move within two points of the playoff spots.
    • Jordan Rhodes’ 15th goal of the season sealed a 3-1 win for Blackpool over Bristol Rovers.
    • Wycombe’s winless run now stretches to 10 games after James Wilson’s 90th-minute equaliser earned a point for Port Vale.
    • Struggling Reading moved within a point of safety after beating Wigan thanks to Femi Azeez and Sam Smith.
    • Liam Sercombe’s first-half goal gave bottom side Cheltenham a precious win over relegation rivals Carlisle.
    • Lloyd Jones’s 19th-minute strike looked like it would be enough to give Charlton victory over Burton but Ryan Sweeney struck in added time to equalise.
  6. League Two full-time headlinespublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

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    Wrexham celebrate a goal against NewportImage source, PA Media
    • James Jones and Elliot Lee score in the second half as Wrexham get the better of fellow Welsh club Newport. They're back within six points of leaders Stockport.
    • Dean Lewington equals the record for the most appearances made for a single club in the EFL, and he celebrates with an MK Dons victory at Morecambe.
    • Sutton, who sacked Matt Gray in midweek, are beaten at home by promotion-chasing Mansfield.
    • There are also wins for Harrogate, Tranmere and Accrington in the final League Two matches before Christmas.
  7. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Barnsley 2-1 Stevenage

    Herbie Kane's deflected goal wins it for Barnsley, who edge closer towards the top six.

    It is a first defeat since the clocks went back for Stevenage.

  8. FULL-TIMEpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Portsmouth 1-1 Fleetwood

    Portsmouth v FleetwoodImage source, Rex Features

    Not a result many people would have expected as Josh Earl's second half goal ensures a share of the points for Fleetwood after Colby Bishop's first-half penalty.

    Pompey remain top, but their lead is cut to five points because second-placed Peterborough have won at Shrewsbury.

  9. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:59 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Wrexham 2-0 Newport County

    Wrexham take the un-local local bragging rights giving an expectant and heaving Racecourse ground the win it craved.

    Goals from James Jones and Elliot Lee sent the near 2,000 fans in the new temporary Kop stand bonkers as they bagged a sixth win in a row on their own patch to stay firmly in the automatic promotion hunt.

    Despite taking seven points from their last 12, County suffer a ninth defeat in 11 on their travels to stay firmly in the bottom half.

  10. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:58 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Reading 2-0 Wigan

    What a win for the Royals.

    Just a sixth in their traumatic season but they're now only one point from safety after an excellent result.

    They were pretty good value for it too, sealed with fabulous strikes from Femi Azeez from 20 yards in the first half and a very tidy finish on the volley from Sam Smith in the second.

    David Button made a couple of important saves too to make sure Ruben Selles' side took a precious three points that might - just might - point to brighter times ahead in 2024.

  11. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:56 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Carlisle 0-1 Cheltenham

    A huge three points for Cheltenham.

    Liam Sercombe's first-half goal decides the outcome. The Robins move level on points with their opponents, who are really struggling.

  12. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:53 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Sutton United 0-2 Mansfield Town

    Nigel Clough celebrates a Mansfield winImage source, PA Media

    The Stags keep on grinding them out. Still only one defeat for Nigel Clough's men this season.

    A second straight away win sealed off the back of a confident display in the capital.

    Stephen Quinn's close-range header put them in front before Lucas Akins shook the underside of the bar with a rasping second after the break to seal a first win over Sutton.

    Managerless Sutton stay bottom of the EFL but showed spirit after their 8-0 mauling against Stockport last week.

    Still a lot to ponder though for caretaker Jason Goodliffe.

  13. Postpublished at 16:52 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Carlisle 0-1 Cheltenham

    Halfway through six minutes of injury time at Brunton Park.

    Cheltenham are so close to a very big three points.

  14. Postpublished at 16:50 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Portsmouth 1-1 Fleetwood

    Niall McCaughan
    ±«Óãtv Final Score at Fratton Park

    Pompey did have a nine-point lead at the top in the as-it-stands earlier on in this second half.

    But, with it 1-1 here and Posh winning at Shrewsbury, that gap is now just five - but the home side are pushing for a winner here at Fratton Park.

    Substitute Gavin Whyte has just dragged wide a glorious chance - for Fleetwood its all about digging in and taking a precious point away from the league leaders.

  15. goal

    GOAL - Wrexham 2-0 Newport Countypublished at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Elliot Lee (87 mins)

    The Dragons surely make the points safe now.

    Ben Tozer, who has caused issues for the County defence with his long throws, has done it again.

    His hurl is helped by the strong wind and Elliot Lee gets on the end of it to put Wrexham in touching distance of a sixth win in a row at home.

  16. Postpublished at 16:48 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Wrexham 1-0 Newport County

    Wrexham looking to make the game safe in the closing stages and come close through former Scotland striker Steven Fletcher.

    Paul Mullin finds the former Wolves and Sunderland forward in the box but he can only fire it straight at Nick Townsend.

  17. Postpublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Portsmouth 1-1 Fleetwood

    Christian Saydee tees up Gavin Whyte, but the Northern Ireland international is just past the far post.

    Pompey on the hunt for a late winner.

  18. League One latestpublished at 16:44 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Jordan Rhodes celebratesImage source, PA Media

    Jordan Rhodes' 15th goal of the season has pulled him level with Charlton's Alfie May at the top of the League One goalscoring chart.

    It has also probably wrapped-up a 3-1 win for Blackpool over Bristol Rovers.

  19. Postpublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Carlisle 0-1 Cheltenham

    With Reading winning and Fleetwood drawing, Carlisle are going to sink to 23rd, and level on points with Cheltenham, if this result stays the same.

    The Blues are not really threatening an equaliser, either.

  20. Postpublished at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Portsmouth 1-1 Fleetwood

    Portsmouth were not expecting to be held in check by Fleetwood, and they have a quarter of an hour to find a winner.

    They have just had a couple of corners, which have come to nothing.