Championship leaders Southampton saw a four-match winning streak come to
an end with a 3-0 defeat at Blackpool.
Billy Sharp missed a penalty for the Saints after 16 minutes, and just six
minutes later they conceded a spot-kick of their own for Morgan Schneiderlin's
challenge on Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
Stephen Dobbie was more successful from the spot, and then added another goal
after 31 minutes to put the Seasiders in control.
Ian Evatt then posted a third in the 53rd minute to move Blackpool into the
play-off places.
Southampton sit two points clear of Reading who defeated West Ham 4-2
The Hammers, who had drawn their last five home matches to slip out of the top two, were leading through Carlton Cole's strike as half-time approached.
Not only that, Sam Allardyce's side were also putting in comfortably their best performance in front of their own fans this season.
But, the match, and possibly West Ham's entire campaign, turned in the space of two minutes.
Totally against the run of play, Kaspars Gorkss equalised from a corner in the 44th minute and then, in first-half stoppage time, Noel Hunt fired Reading into an unlikely lead.
In the second half Ian Harte added a third from the penalty spot and, although Ricardo Vaz Te pulled one back, any hopes of a comeback were extinguished by Mikele Leigertwood's disputed fourth six minutes from time.
League leaders Southampton, two points ahead of Reading, face Blackpool in the day's evening contest.
At the other end, Charlie Austin came off the bench to score a second-half hat-trick for Burnley and leave Portsmouth deep in the relegation mire, winning 5-1.
Kieran Trippier opened the scoring for the visitors before David Norris levelled matters and Portsmouth remained on top until the interval, giving little indication of what was to follow.
Danny Ings netted his first goal for the Clarets early in the second half before substitute Austin clai med a quickfire treble - his final two goals coming in stoppage time.
Pompey went into the match buoyed by two consecutive home wins but are now five points from safety with six games remaining.
Elsewhere, Coventry climbed out of the relegation zone in the Championship for the first time since October thanks to a long-awaited first away win of the season - 2-0 at out-of-sorts Hull.
Liam Cooper's unfortunate 13th-minute headed own goal, in what was the 20-year-old Scot's first league game for the Tigers since August 2010, handed the visitors the initiative before substitute Cody McDonald's late finish.
Radoslaw Majewski stunned Crystal Palace with a clinical hat-trick to lift Nottingham Forest further away from trouble after a 3-0 win.
Dougie Freedman could not invoke a sense of urgency in his Palace side as he looked to claim a first-ever league double over his old club, with the hosts largely anonymous before the br eak.
And the Eagles were ultimately punished in the second half as Majewski ran riot, registering three craftily-taken goals to push Forest up to 19th in the table and six points clear of Bristol City in 22nd place.
Inigo Calderon's second-half header extended Brighton's unbeaten home run to eight games as they shared the spoils with fellow play-off hopefuls 1-1 Middlesbrough.
In an open and entertaining game it was Boro who dealt the first blow just after the hour-mark when Marvin Emnes' flicked header gave the visitors the lead.
Lukas Jutkiewicz then hit a post but Brighton got the equaliser their play warranted when Calderon met Kazenga Lua Lua's corner with a thumping header.
In the day's early kick-off, Cardiff were held to a 0-0 draw by Millwall - a result that did little to further either club's ambitions.
The Bluebirds dominated long spells but could not find a way past Maik Taylor in the Millwall goal, with Stephen McPhail, Kenny Miller and Joe Mason all denied by the Lions stopper.
Ipswich extended their unbeaten home run to eight matches as Daryl Murphy's second-half strike earned them a 1-0 victory over Barnsley, while Chris Iwelumo dealt Leeds' play-off hopes another blow with both goals as form team Watford secured an impressive fifth win in their last seven matches.
Brett Pitman came off the bench to rescue a point for strugglers Bristol City against Derby in a 1-1 draw.
The striker netted with a brilliant 25-yard curling effort in the 74th minute to ensure a share of the spoils for the Robins, who are now winless in five matches.
City started well but fell behind against the run of play in the 20th minute when Craig Bryson slotted home from Jeff Hendrick's pass.
Finally, Leicester's play-off hopes suffered another setback as they were beaten 1-0 by Peterborough at London Road.
Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was called into action on a handful of occasions before Posh made the breakthrough on the hour mark through Paul Taylor. Captain Grant McCann should have extended the lead two minutes afterwards but his penalty was saved by Schmeichel - but the win nevertheless looks like guaranteeing they will be playing Championship football again next season.
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