EFL highlights and round-up: Paul Ince wins on Reading bow; Steve Bruce’s West Brom beaten by Middlesbrough | Football News

Reading interim boss Paul Ince marked his return to management with a 2-1 home win over Birmingham.

The 54-year-old former Manchester United and England midfielder – whose son Tom is on loan at the Royals from Stoke – was handed the reins on Saturday evening just hours after Veljko Paunovic’s departure following a 3-2 win at Preston.

Lucas Joao broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, with John Swift converting a second from the penalty spot with 15 minutes left.

A late own goal from Royals defender Tom McIntyre set up a tense finale, but Ince’s men held out to move further clear of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.

Bournemouth’s visit to Swansea postponed was because of storm damage at the Liberty Stadium, but Middlesbrough improved their promotion hopes by coming from behind to beat West Brom 2-1.

Jayson Molumby’s deflected shot broke the deadlock after 27 minutes with the Baggies’ first goal since January 22.

Paddy McNair hauled Boro level on the hour with a close-range finish before Marcus Tavernier completed the turnaround in the 69th minute when he knocked in a low cross at the back post.

Boro sit sixth, two points ahead of Sheffield United and one behind Huddersfield.

Bottom club Barnsley finally got their first away win of the season after beating Hull 2-0.

Midfielder Callum Styles gave the Tykes the lead in the 24th minute and Carlton Morris added a second in stoppage-time at the end of the first half.

Barnsley move to within a point of Peterborough and Derby after a second victory in three Championship games.

Viktor Gyokeres struck with a minute left to give Coventry a 2-1 win at Bristol City, edging them to within two points of the top six.

Ian Maatsen put the Sky Blues ahead in the 25th minute at Ashton Gate.

Bristol frontman Antoine Semenyo crashed a header against the crossbar early in the second half, before Chris Martin nodded in an equaliser from a well-worked free-kick just after the hour.

Gyokeres, though, secured all three points with a breakaway goal in the 89th minute.

Elsewhere, it finished goalless between Preston and Nottingham Forest at Deepdale.

Sky Bet League One

There were victories for top-three teams Rotherham, Wigan and MK Dons in League One.

Leaders Rotherham moved ahead early against Morecambe, with Freddie Ladapo scoring in the fourth and 30th minutes to earn a 2-0 victory.

Wigan trailed fellow promotion chasers Wycombe for much of the contest at Adams Park but finished with a flourish for a 3-1 victory.

Sullay Kaikai put the hosts ahead in the 22nd minute but, three days after a 5-5 draw with Cheltenham, they conceded three times in just over 10 minutes, with Tom Naylor equalising in the 70th minute and then Callum Lang scoring a double.

MK Dons remain three points behind Wigan after beating Charlton 2-0 thanks to goals from Tennai Watson and Kaine Kessler Hayden either side of half-time.

Fourth-placed Oxford defeated Crewe 1-0 – Ciaron Brown scoring the only goal in the 65th minute – but Plymouth in fifth fell to a 2-0 loss against Cambridge.

Sam Smith opened the scoring in the seventh minute, with Jack Lankester adding the second two minutes before the break.

An injury-time equaliser from Ross Stewart earned faltering Sunderland a 1-1 draw against Burton, who had taken the lead through Cameron Borthwick-Jackson in the 53rd minute.

The result was secondary, though, to the health of a supporter who collapsed early in the game, with play suspended for a lengthy period.

Doncaster climbed up to 22nd place as second-half goals from Josh Martin and Joseph Olowu earned them a 2-0 victory over Accrington.

Portsmouth recovered from a goal down to defeat 10-man Shrewsbury 2-1. Luke Leahy opened the scoring but Denver Hume equalised before Josh Vela saw red for the hosts in the 31st minute for violent conduct.

It took Pompey until six minutes from time to find a winner through Louis Thompson.

Bolton are only five points off the top six after making it back-to-back wins with a 3-1 success against Lincoln.

All the goals came in the second half. Cohen Bramall cancelled out George Johnston’s opener for Bolton but Kieran Sadlier and then Amadou Bakayoko restored the Whites’ lead.

The games between Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon and Ipswich and Cheltenham ended goalless.

Sky Bet League Two

Swindon thrashed Walsall 5-0 to maintain their Sky Bet League Two promotion drive.

Striker Louie Barry fired the hosts in front late in the first half, with Ricky Aguiar grabbing a second in stoppage time before the break.

Aguiar helped himself to another in the 56th minute before Barry grabbed hissecond just after the hour.

Jonny Williams headed in Swindon’s fifth with 20 minutes left as Walsall were brought back down to earth after their surprise 1-0 victory at runaway leaders Forest Green.

Northampton failed to make up ground on Rovers as they were held to a surprising goalless draw at bottom club Scunthorpe.

Port Vale kept within striking distance of the play-off places with a 1-0 win at Rochdale, where Ben Garrity headed the only goal from a corner at the end of the first half.

Bristol Rovers moved into the top 10 following a 2-0 win at Leyton Orient – a result which led to the sacking of Orient manager Kenny Jackett.

Playmaker Antony Evans put Rovers ahead in the 34th minute, with Aaron Collins adding a second shortly afterwards from close range.

Harrogate came from behind to win 3-1 at Bradford.

Matty Foulds put the Bantams ahead in the 12th minute with a 25-yard effort.

Warren Burrell headed Harrogate level in first-half stoppage time and Lewis Page’s free-kick completed the turnaround just after the hour. Jack Diamond added a third at the death.

Hartlepool also produced a second-half recovery to win 2-1 at struggling Colchester.

Noah Chilvers put the U’s in front after 22 minutes.

Omar Bogle equalised with 20 minutes to go and substitute Isaac Fletcher then swiftly put the visitors ahead as Colchester suffered a third defeat in four winless league games.