Reading promoted into Premier League

Reading returned to the English Premier League after securing automatic promotion with a 1-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Mikele Leigertwood volleyed in an Ian Harte free-kick nine minutes from time for the only goal of the game at the Madejski Stadium.

Forest, though, came close to snatching an equaliser in stoppage time but substitute Marcus Tudgay's header was cleared off the line by Alex Pearce with the striker's follow-up kept out by Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici.

Victory took the Royals, who've won 46 points from a possible 51 since January, back to the top flight for the first time since 2008, with the players swamped by joyful Reading fans who swarmed onto the pitch at the final whistle.

With only the top two sides guaranteed promotion, victory gave Championship leaders Reading an unbeatable eight point lead over third-placed West Ham, with only a maximum of six on offer to the Hammers from their final two regular season league games.

"It's unbelievable, it puts the cherry on the cake," an elated Federici told the BBC. "To see all the fans on the pitch is fantastic.

"We always believed and we knew what we could achieve as a group."

Reading manager Brian McDermott, who suffered the agony of a playoff final defeat by Swansea last year, added: "I'm delighted. I couldn't see too much good in losing that play-off final at Wembley final last year, but perhaps this is meant to be.

"I'm not even bothered about the Premier League tonight, I'm just concerned about the players and staff. It's a night for the fans."

One consolation for Forest was that results elsewhere meant they could not now be relegated.

Meanwhile, second-placed Southampton took a giant stride towards promotion with a 3-1 win away to Peterborough.

Jos Hooiveld headed the Saints into a fifth minute lead before, five minutes later, Billy Sharp doubled their advantage.

Sharp scored his second and Southampton's third in the 57th minute before Peterborough's Tommy Rowe pulled one back four minutes from time.

That left Saints on the brink of promotion as they now have a five-point lead over West Ham.

The Hammers remained third with a 1-1 draw away to strugglers Bristol City.

James Tomkins headed the Londoners into a 25th minute lead only for City to equalise four minutes later through Cole Skuse.

Had City won, they would have relegated both Portsmouth and Coventry.

Instead Portsmouth, Southampton's bitter south coast rivals, gave themselves hope of avoiding the drop, until Saturday at least, with a 2-1 win at home to Crystal Palace.

Scott Allan fired Pompey, into a 32nd minute lead and, 10 minutes after half-time, Greg Halford made it 2-0 for Michael Appleton's men.

Pompey, docked 10 points for entering administration, knew a draw with Palace would mean ensure relegation.

And Palace's Darren Ambrose ensured a nervous finale at Fratton Park when he scored with a 71st minute penalty but the south Londoners could not equalise.

Australian defender Shane Lowry's 66th minute header saw Millwall win 1-0 away to Coventry after visiting keeper Maik Taylor saved Gary McSheffrey's penalty.

Portsmouth and Coventry are now five points from safety, but both clubs will be relegated if City beat Barnsley on Saturday.

Blackpool and Cardiff all but made sure of playoff spots with 1-0 and 2-0 wins over Leeds and Derby respectively.

Meanwhile Hull beat Barnsley, now safe from relegation, 3-1, Brighton drew 2-2 with Watford, Ipswich and playoff contenders Birmingham shared the points in a 1-1 draw.

Elsewhere, the matches between Leicester and Burnley and Middlesbrough - now five points off a playoff place - and already relegated Doncaster both ended in goalless stalemates.

English Football League tables

(played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Championship
Reading                44 27  7 10   67   37   88 - promoted
Southampton            44 25 10  9   80   44   85
West Ham               44 22 14  8   77   46   80
Birmingham             44 19 15 10   75   50   72
Blackpool              44 19 14 11   73   57   71
Cardiff                44 18 17  9   63   51   71
Middlesbrough          44 17 16 11   49   48   67
Hull                   44 18 11 15   44   41   65
Brighton               44 17 13 14   51   51   64
Leicester              44 17 12 15   63   52   63
Burnley                44 17 10 17   60   53   61
Leeds                  44 17  9 18   63   65   60
Watford                44 15 15 14   52   61   60
Derby                  44 17  9 18   47   56   60
Ipswich                44 16 10 18   66   72   58
Crystal Palace         44 13 16 15   43   47   55
Millwall               44 14 11 19   50   55   53
Peterborough           44 13  9 22   64   74   48
Nottm Forest           44 13  8 23   45   61   47
Barnsley               44 13  8 23   49   72   47
Bristol City           44 11 12 21   41   67   45
Portsmouth             44 13 11 20   49   55   40
Coventry               44  9 13 22   41   59   40
Doncaster              44  7 12 25   39   77   33 - relegated
Note: Portsmouth deducted 10 points for entering administration

League One
Charlton               43 28 10  5   75   31   94
Sheff Utd              43 27  7  9   88   46   88
Sheff Wed              43 25  9  9   75   46   84
Milton Keynes Dons     43 20 14  9   81   45   74
Huddersfield           43 19 17  7   75   46   74
Notts County           43 19 10 14   65   55   67
Stevenage              43 16 18  9   62   41   66
Carlisle               43 17 15 11   59   61   66
Brentford              43 17 13 13   58   46   64
Colchester             43 12 19 12   55   59   55
Tranmere               43 14 12 17   45   47   54
Bournemouth            43 14 11 18   45   50   53
Hartlepool             43 13 13 17   45   50   52
Preston                43 13 13 17   51   64   52
Bury                   43 14 10 19   56   74   52
Scunthorpe             43 10 20 13   53   56   50
Yeovil                 43 13 11 19   54   74   50
Oldham                 43 13 10 20   47   64   49
Walsall                43  9 19 15   47   52   46
Leyton Orient          43 12 10 21   43   70   46
Wycombe                43 11 10 22   61   80   43
Chesterfield           43  9 12 22   50   74   39
Exeter                 43  9 11 23   39   67   38
Rochdale               43  8 14 21   44   75   38

League Two
Swindon                43 28  5 10   69   29   89
Shrewsbury             43 25  9  9   63   37   84
Crawley Town           43 22 14  7   74   50   80
Torquay                43 23 11  9   60   44   80
Southend               43 22  8 13   70   48   74
Cheltenham             43 21  8 14   61   47   71
Oxford Utd             43 17 16 10   58   42   67
Crewe                  43 19 10 14   63   56   67
Gillingham             43 18  9 16   73   60   63
Rotherham              43 17 11 15   61   58   62
Aldershot              43 18  7 18   46   48   61
Accrington Stanley     43 14 14 15   52   59   56
Morecambe              43 14 13 16   59   50   55
Bristol Rovers         43 14 12 17   55   64   54
Port Vale              43 18  9 16   64   55   53
Burton Albion          43 13 12 18   51   75   51
AFC Wimbledon          43 13  9 21   57   73   48
Bradford               43 11 13 19   52   56   46
Dagenham and Redbridge 43 13  7 23   45   70   46
Northampton            43 12  9 22   54   77   45
Plymouth               43 10 14 19   43   59   44
Barnet                 43 10 10 23   46   75   40
Macclesfield           43  8 13 22   39   59   37
Hereford               43  8 13 22   44   68   37
Note: Port Vale deducted 10 points for entering administration
 

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