A typically competitive Championship campaign is entering its final few weeks with important games involving Chelsea loanees taking place at the top and bottom of the table this weekend.

Levi Colwill helped Huddersfield get back to winning ways with a gritty 1-0 success at 10-man Hull City. The only goal arrived 10 minutes from time and it leaves the Terriers third in the Championship, although teams below them do have games in hand, some of which will be played this midweek. Tino Anjorin was not involved, while Nathan Baxter was an unused sub for the hosts.

Nearer the foot of the table, 21st-placed Reading netted a vital late leveller against Barnsley, one of the teams trying to leapfrog them. Danny Drinkwater played the entire game in midfield and Baba Rahman was an unused sub having missed Ghana’s World Cup play-off win over Nigeria through injury.

The results keeps the Royals’ five points clear of the Tykes on the right side of the relegation zone line, with seven games now remaining for both sides.

In midtable, Coventry’s inconsistencies continue but with Ian Maatsen at left wing-back as usual they grabbed a 99th-minute equaliser against play-off contenders Blackburn Rovers, that game finishing 2-2. Jake Clarke-Salter was not involved having picked up an injury prior to the international break.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Blackpool were well beaten by Nottingham Forest with Dujon Sterling at right-back. It finished 4-1 in Lancashire.

Tight in League One

Focusing on England’s second tier, Jamie Cumming (pictured top in pre-season training) picked up a second straight clean sheet for MK Dons as they defeated Shrewsbury 2-0. They are now just a point behind Wigan in second, although the Latics do have two games in hand.

AFC Wimbledon’s long wait for a league win, going back to early December, goes on after two narrow defeats in which Henry Lawrence played throughout. They lost 1-0 at home to Cambridge last weekend and then were beaten 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, the winning goal arriving in the second minute of added time.

Those results have seen Wimbledon slip to 22nd in the table, four points from safety although with a game in hand on Gillingham in 20th.

There were draws away from home for Armando Broja and Billy Gilmour on Saturday. Southampton came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Leeds and end a four-game losing streak, while Gilmour completed the 90 minutes as Norwich and Brighton finished goalless at the Amex, Neal Maupay missing a penalty for the hosts.

Crystal Palace and Conor Gallagher play Arsenal tonight (Monday).

The only other action in England involved Ethan Wady, whose Hendon side responded well to a 6-0 reverse at Weston-Super-Mare by beating Beaconsfield Town 2-0 on Saturday.

Mixed results on the continent

In Italy, Ethan Ampadu and Venezia were narrowly beaten 1-0 at Spezia. Their fifth straight loss leaves them three points from safety.

Emerson Palmieri played 70 minutes of Lyon’s 3-2 win at home to Angers, the winning goal coming after his withdrawal, and Michy Batshuayi got the same amount of game time as Besiktas earned a creditable draw at runaway Turkish Super Lig leaders Trabzonspor.