English Football League Playoffs

[epjr]

Because of the World Cup this summer the Play-Off Finals will not be all played over one weekend, as in previous seasons.



DATE MATCH DIVISIONS KICK-OFF


Sat 8th May
Semi-Final 1st leg
Championship
#3 Nottingham Forest @ #6 Blackpool
12:45pm



Sun 9th May
Semi-Final 1st leg
Championship
#4 Cardiff City @ #5 Leicester City
1:15pm



Tue 11th May
Semi-Final 2nd leg
Championship
#6 Blackpool @ #3 Nottingham Forest
7:30pm



Wed 12th May
Semi-Final 2nd leg
Championship
#5 Leicester City @ #4 Cardiff City
7:30pm



Fri 14th May
Swindon Town @charlton Athletic
Semi-Final 1st leg
League 1
7:45pm



Sat 15th May
Huddersfield Town @millwall
Semi-Final 1st leg
League 1
12:15pm



Aldershot Town @rotherham United
Semi-Final 1st leg
League 2
7:75pm



Sun 16th May
Dagenham & Redbridge @morecambe
Semi-Final 1st leg
League 2
1:30pm



Mon 17th May
Charlton Athletic @swindon Town
Semi-Final 2nd leg
League 1
7:45pm



Tue 18th May
Millwall @huddersfield Town
Semi-Final 2nd leg
League 1
7:45pm



Wed 19th May
Rotherham United @aldershot Town
Semi-Final 2nd leg
League 2
7:45pm



Thu 20th May
Morecambe @dagenham & Redbridge
Semi-Final 2nd leg
League 2
7:45pm



The Finals for all three divisions will take place at Wembley with:

• The Coca-Cola Championship on Saturday 22nd May
  Cardiff Vs. Blackpool
  
• League 1 on Saturday 29th May
  Millwall Vs. Swindon Town
  
• League 2 on Sunday 30th May.
  

[Livewyre]

Newcastle and West Brom are clear into the EPL avoiding the play-offs completely.
Notts Forest are the first team to be in the play-offs for sure, but they are not playing particularly well, likely to join them will be Cardiff, Leicester and maybe Swansea, Middlesborough or Blackpool - still something to play for...

[epjr]

With Newcastle and West Brom not playing, the focus on Saturday afternoon was firmly on the play-off places.

Swansea are being chased hard for sixth, but they won only their second game in nine as they beat Barnsley 3-1 at the Liberty Stadium.

Goals from Ashley Williams and Shefki Kuqi put Paulo Sousa's side 2-0 up.

Darren Moore pulled one back for Barnsley, but the home side sealed victory late on through Darren Pratley.

Blackpool stayed in seventh within two points of Swansea, though, with a 3-1 win over third-placed Nottingham Forest at Bloomfield Road. Charlie Adam put them ahead on the half-hour from the penalty spot and DJ Campbell doubled their lead not long into the second-half.

Joe Garner pulled one back on 65 minutes, but Blackpool sealed the win as Campbell grabbed his second late on. Cardiff made sure of their place in the play-offs with a 1-0 win at QPR. The only goal came ten minutes from time with Joe Ledley pouncing.

Leicester are on the brink of finalising their place after a 4-1 win over lowly Watford at the Walkers Stadium



www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6099193,00.html

[epjr]

Leeds United wins 2nd place in League 1 and automatic promotion



Leeds United have won promotion back to the Championship at the third time of asking while Gillingham have been relegated on the last day of the season

Leeds recovered from Max Gradel's sending off and Darryl Duffy's opener to secure the win they needed against Bristol Rovers to clinch second place thanks to goals from Jonny Howson and Jermaine Beckford

www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11719_6140847,00.html

[epjr]

FIRST LEG



Blackpool came from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 at Bloomfield Road in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.

www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3277876,00.html

Advantage Cardiff at halfway stage of play-off semi-final

Whittingham: Important strike

A stunning free-kick from Peter Whittingham ensured it is advantage Cardiff City at the halfway stage of their Championship play-off semi-final with Leicester.

It was a tight affair that ensued at the Walkers Stadium before Whittingham's perfectly executed free-kick 12 minutes from time, which caught Chris Weale unawares at his near post.

www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3277877,00.html

[epjr]

DJ Campbell rocks Blackpool into final


Campbell was Blackpool's hat-trick hero


A stunning hat-trick from DJ Campbell inspired Blackpool to a 4-3 victory over Nottingham Forest to hand the Seasiders a shot at winning promotion to the Premier League following a breathless play-off second leg at the City Ground

www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3277878,00.html

[epjr]

Penalty joy for Cardiff

Thriller settled from 12-yards as Kermorgant blunder proves costly

Cardiff City booked their place in the Championship play-off final after seeing off Leicester 4-3 on penalties following a breathless encounter that finished 3-2 to the Foxes after extra time.

www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3277879,00.html

[epjr]

Football League One Play-Offs Semi-Final 1st Leg
Swindon Town - 2
Charlton Athletic - 1


Swindon Town will have an advantage when the second leg of this League One play-off semi-final kicks off on Monday evening, but it should have been far greater.

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/14/swindon-town-charlton-athletic-league-one

[epjr]

League One play-off semi-final first leg game
Huddersfield Town 0::0 Millwall at the Galpharm Stadium


Millwall have lost out in the play-off semi-finals four times over the last 20 years and suffered the anguish of defeat in the final at Wembley against Sthingyhorpe last year, but they are clearly ready to dispense with their reputation as play-off fall-guys judging by this resolute display.



www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/leagueone/7728526/Huddersfield-0-Millwall-0-match-report.html

[epjr]

Le Fondre hits late winner for Rotherham
Aldershot Town - 0
Rotherham United - 1


Rotherham striker Adam Le Fondre claimed his 29th goal of the season as the Millers snatched a late winner at Aldershot in the first leg of the League Two play-off semi-final


www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article7127737.ece

[epjr]

Dag & Red thrash Morecambe in League Two play-off
Dagenham & Redbridge 6::0 Morecambe


Josh Scott scored four goals as Dagenham & Redbridge beat Morecambe 6-0 in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final at Victoria Road.

Dagenham took just four minutes to open the scoring, through Paul Benson. Scott struck four times in 34 minutes, with Benson scoring another.

John Still's side will head to Christie Park on Thursday knowing only a remarkable comeback can stop them reaching Wembley.


www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/16/league-two-play-off-dagenham-morecambe

[epjr]

Stevenage and the winner of Oxford v. York will be replacing Grimsby and Darlington in League 2

Oxford United 3-1 York City



Oxford United secured their place back in the Football League after a four-year absence with victory over York at rain-lashed Wembley.


news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/8673190.stm

[epjr]

Nicky Bailey's penalty miss sends Swindon Town to Wembley final

Swindon Town players celebrate after beating Charlton Athletic on penalties in the League One play-off semi-final


Charlton Athletic - 2 Ferry (og) 27, Mooney 45
Swindon - 1 Ward 74

Swindon won 5-4 on penalties

Swindon Town will compete for the chance to return to the Championship for the first time in a decade after beating Charlton to a place in the play-off final. Stephen Darby struck the decisive penalty after the home side had finished level after extra-time, setting up a Wembley showdown on 29 May with either Millwall or Huddersfield, who meet tomorrow night in the other semi-final.

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/may/17/charlton-athletic-swindon-town-league-one-play-off

[epjr]

Millwall 2::0 Huddersfield Town: Lions Cruise To Wembley


Millwall will get another attempt to bury their promotion jinx after beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 at the New Den to cruise to the League One playoff final at Wembley. Steve Morison and Paul Robinson scored the goals that ensured the Lions will meet Swindon Town a week on Saturday.

www.breakingfootballnews.com/english-league-championship/millwall-2-0-huddersfield-town-lions-cruise-to-wembley/1545

[epjr]

Millers book Wembley date
Rotherham United 2::0 Aldershot Town


Goals from Adam Le Fondre and Kevin Ellison ensured Rotherham kept their promotion dream alive, beating Aldershot 2-0 on the night at 3-0 on aggregate to book a place in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=292585&cc=5901