Live Commentary: Championship - Matchday 43 - as it happened

Ah good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Matchday 43 of the Championship on a night when England's second tier promises to throw up more twists than Game of Thrones and more turns than a lost driver.

Dodgy analogies aside, I'm Shane and I'll be bringing you key updates spread across TEN matches tonight as we see discover who strengthens their bid for promotion - automatic and via the playoffs - and who creeps nearer to joining Blackpool in League One next season.

What a truly brilliant campaign its been, and the good news is that it's only going to get better! Let's have a classified check (never known what that actually means) on who's playing this evening, shall we?

Birmingham vs. Blackburn (7.45pm)
Brighton vs. Huddersfield (7.45pm)
Derby vs. Blackpool (7.45pm)
Ipswich vs. Cardiff (7.45pm)
Leeds vs. Norwich (7.45pm)
Boro vs. Wolves (7.45pm)
Millwall vs. Wigan (7.45pm)
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Brentford (7.45pm)
Bolton vs. Charlton (8pm)
Reading vs. Bournemouth (8pm)

As you can see there's a few key encounters but, like a rectal exam, we'll start at the bottom and what a truly massive night it is for Millwall and Wigan. It's 23rd meets 22nd at The Den and, with both sides currently seven points adrift of safety, defeat just isn't an option for either side, my friends. Victory is marginally less important for the Lions, who have a game in hand, but dropped points certainly doesn't bode well either way, does it?

With both those sides a good bit adrift of safety, and Blackpool already relegated, the battle for survival is nowhere near as close as the battle for promotion. Yep, with nine points seperating leaders Bournemouth and eighth-placed Wolves, it's tighter than Neville Southall in medium-sized trousers up there at the minute and we'll see undoubtedly see further drama tonight.

Actually, there's only two points seperating first and fourth, which should illustrate just how close it is - and make the Neville Southall analogy better.

Bournemouth must want the season to be over tonight. Top of the Championship, Eddie Howe's side will be looking to move one step closer to automatic promotion as they travel to Reading with a nine-game unbeaten run to protect - six of which were victories.

They're one point clear of Norwich, who travel away to Leeds United tonight, and Watford, who face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground tomorrow night. Then you've got Middlesbrough a point further back in fourth place. It's just a ridiculously tight finale to the season, but who could complain? Not me, and not you.

With a further six points seperating Boro from Derby County in fifth, it seems as if it's a four-horse race for the final two playoff spots, with the Rams and Ipswich in there at the moment, but Brentford and Wolves sit outside the top six on goal difference! It's tighter than Adebayo Akinfenwa in Niall Horan's clothes. Okay we'll ditch the tight analogies for now.

Team News: Let's have a look at a bit of team news for the six-pointer between Wigan and Millwall will we? Why not, and the Latics are unchanged from their 2-2 draw with Fulham last time out, while Lee Martin comes in for Martyn Woolford in Millwall's only change from Saturday's defeat at Watford.

Millwall: Forde, Cummings, Nelson, Beevers, Harding, Upson, Abdou, Williams, Martin, O'Brien, Gregory
Wigan: Carson, Boyce, Maguire, Pearce, Bong, Kvist, Perch, Pennant, McClean, Kim-Bo-Kyung, Fortune

Here, have a bit more from the night's other big game in Bournemouth's trip to Reading. Well, there's plenty of big games really, and we've got lineups for a few here:

Reading vs. Bournemouth:

Reading: Federici; Gunter, Obita, Pearce, Hector, Ake, Chalobah, Karacan, McCleary, Robson Kanu, Mackie
Bournemouth: Boruc, Daniels, Cook, Elphick, Francis, Pugh, Surman, Arter, Ritchie, Kermorgant, Wilson

Ipswich vs. Cardiff:

Ipswich: Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Mings, Skuse, Parr, Bishop, S.Hunt, Murphy, Sears
Cardiff: Marshall, Peltier, Malone, Ecuele Manga, Morrison, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Fabio, Ralls, Doyle, Mason

Derby vs. Blackpool:

Derby: Grant, Bryson, Keogh, Dawkins, Hendrick, Lingard, Whitbread, Ince, Shotton, Warnock, Bent
Blackpool: Parish, Maher, Clarke, O'Dea, Dunne, Cubero, O'Hara, Perkins, Orlandi, Cameron, Madine

Birmingham vs. Blackpool:

Birmingham City: Randolph, Caddis, Morrison, Kiernan, Grounds, Gleeson, Tesche, Cotterill, Fabbrini, Gray, Donaldson.
Blackburn Rovers: Eastwood, Marshall, Spurr, Kilgallon, Olsson, O'Sullivan, Spearing, Evans, Conway, Brown, Rhodes

Brighton vs. Huddersfield:

Brighton: Stockdale; Bruno, Dunk, Halford, Bennett; Kayal, Stephens; Calderon, Teixeira, Carayol; Best
Huddersfield: Smithies; Hudson, Smith, Gobern, Lynch; James, Butterfield, Coady; Scannell, Miller, Wells

Let's stray to League One chat for a moment and Bristol City will grace England's second tier next season if they win away to Bradford City tonight. Good luck to them.

More team news filtering through all the time folks, and Norwich, who go top tonight if they beat Leeds and Bournemouth drop points, are unchanged for their trip to Elland Road.

Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bamba, Cooper, Berardi, Murphy, Ngoyi, Mowatt, C. Taylor, Byram, Sharp
Norwich: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin, Bassong, Olsson; Tettey, Dorrans, Howson; Redmond, Hoolahan, Jerome

Should Bournemouth go up to the Premier League, it would be the first time in history that a 15-year-old manager has ever achieved the feat. He's actually 37, apparently.
© Getty Images

Incidentally, Reading have an FA Cup semi-final clash on Saturday so, considering they have little to play for in the league, you wonder if they might preserve some of their energy for Wembley. They won't roll over of course, but put yourself in Steve Clarke's shoes.

Three minutes until kickoff then, with eight games kicking off at 7.45pm, while Reading - Bournemouth and Bolton - Chartlon gets underway at 8pm.

Kickoff!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off in eight of the 10 Championship games tonight, my friends. Stay tuned for goals as they go in!

Didn't take long, did it? Derby, chasing a playoff spot, move into a 1-0 lead over already-relegated Blackpool when Craig Bryson takes a long-range shot and Elliot Parish can't keep it out. He looked a bit suspect there.

What an unbeliveable start for Middlesbrough in another of the night's big games, with Jelle Vossen tapping home Patrick Bamford's pass and Aitor Karanka's side are top of the Championship as it stands! In contrast, Wolves, who sit outside the playoff positions on goal difference, can't afford to lose here really when the competition for the top-six is as fierce as it is.

We said we'd see an exciting day, didn't we! Ipswich, who sit in the playoff spots on goal difference, move ahead when Freddie Sears chases a hopeful long ball before cutting inside Ecuele Manga and firing past Marshall. Brilliant start for them.

Cardiff are staring down the barrel of a first defeat in seven, having won five of those. This would be a really impressive win for the Tractor Boys.

It's taken eight minutes but we've seen our first away goal as Matthew Kilgallon heads Blackburn into a 1-0 lead.

Two goals in quick succession now. First, Patrick Bamford volleys Middlesbrough into a 2-0 lead at home to Wolves to really stack the odds against them, while Cardiff, who haven't lost an away game since January, bid to keep that record going as Eoin Doyle cancels out Freddie Sears's early opener.

Have we caught our breath then? Six goals and we've only been underway about 15 minutes! Middlesbrough, as it stands, are top of the Championship.

Kickoff: They're underway at The Reebok Stadium and The Madejski, my friends, where Bournemouth look to earn another step toward the Premier League by beating Reading, while Bolton welcome Charlton in a game where neither side has much to play for.

It looks like Bristol City are joining us in the Championship next season folks, as James Tavernier fires them into a 1-0 lead at Bradford City in a game where victory would see them promoted! But who's going to replace them in League One? We know Blackpool are heading down, but it's still goalless at The Den between Millwall and Wigan in a huge game down at the bottom.

Ridiculously good start from the Cherries as Callum Wilson taps home from close range after Andrew Surman's effort came back off the post. You feel a little sorry for Surman, whose partner had a baby girl recently, so he's obviously got a celebration planned if he finds the net but the post keeps him out!

Speaking of celebrations, here's how Craig Bryson celebrated his opening goal against already-relegated Blackpool.

© Getty Images

We'll have a look at a 'as it stands' table at the break folks. It's suicide to do it now because, having seen seven goals already, it could change at any given moment. Bournemouth still top, though, after Callum Wilson fired them ahead.

Another game in the 8pm kickoff as Charlton earn a one-goal lead at The Reebok courtesy of Frederic Bulot. Was it a bullet from Bulot? I don't know because I haven't seen it yet, but I'll keep you apprised.

I've just seen it and, while it wasn't a bullet, it was a very decent finish as the Gabonese swung a left-footed volley at a dropping ball and it was enough to open the scoring. It's not easy to volley a dropping ball, and I know because I lost about 200 footballs when I was younger by kicking them over an unclimbable wall.

Ah now here simmer down lads. I've only got one pair of hands. The first goal to tell you about is from Portman Road where Cole Skuse fired Ipswich into a 2-1 lead with a truly magnificent strike. Think Gerrard vs. Olympiakos. At the iPro Stadium, meanwhile, we've seen two goals in quick succession as Tom Ince and Darren Bent established a three-goal lead against Blackpool. The sooner this mob go down to League One the better.

In the words of the Chuckle Brothers, oh dear. With Boro and Bournemouth both winning, Norwich have the chance to follow suit but Graham Dorrans smacks a penalty against the crossbar. Good lord. The Canaries are still third, but now three points behind leaders Bournemouth after being just one behind them coming into this one.

© Getty Images

Here's the moment Callum Wilson fired promotion-chasing Bournemouth into a one-goal lead.

Eight minutes without a goal now, which is pleasant because it gives us a chance to catch our breath, but let's not be kept waiting too long. It seems like a typical relegation six-pointer at The Den because we've heard virtually nothing about Millwall's visit of Wigan Athletic.

We're five minutes from the break in our 7.45pm kickoffs now and it's proven to be a very eventful first half in those games so far. FOUR of the top six are winning at the moment; the ones who aren't are Norwich, who missed a penalty a little earlier, and Watford, who play tomorrow.

12 - Callum Wilson has scored more goals away from home (12) than any other player in the Championship this season. Opener. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 14, 2015

Some of the half-time whistles are sounding around the Championship about now and we'll give you full half-time scores in just a moment.

Birmingham 0-1 Blackburn HT
Brighton 0-0 Huddersfield HT
Derby 3-0 Blackpool HT
Ipswich 2-1 Cardiff HT
Leeds 0-0 Norwich HT
Boro 2-0 Wolves HT
Millwall 0-0 Wigan HT
Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Brentford HT
Bolton 0-1 Charlton latest
Reading 0-1 Bournemouth latest

That's the state of play at the moment then folks. Promotion-hopefuls Derby, Middlesbrough and Ipswich all leading at the break, while Championship leaders Bournemouth also lead 1-0 at Reading but that one kicked off 15 minutes after all the rest.

It's been a bit of a damp squib down at The Den so I believe, where relegation candidates Millwall and Wigan have played out a rather dull 0-0 first-half draw. It's so crucial that one of those sides win because dropped points is not acceptable.

It could be a huge next 45 minutes in Wolves' season, with Kenny Jackett's side, who came into the clash outside the playoff positions on goal difference, losing 2-0 away to second-in-the-table Middlesbrough. Goals from Jelle Vossen and Patrick Bamford inside 11 minutes has them in cruise control.

As promised, here's how the top eight is looking as it stands:

1 - Bournemouth 83
2 - Boro 81
3 - Norwich 80
4 - Watford 79
5 - Derby 75
6 - Ipswich 74
7 - Brentford 72
8 - Wolves 72

And here's how the bottom four is looking at the break and, as you can see, Wigan and Millwall both in big, big trouble as it stands. Rotherham, who were charged with fielding an ineligible player recently, could yet suffer a points deduction though so, who knows, maybe Wigan and Millwall don't have to win their meeting tonight.

21 - Rotherham 43
22 - Wigan 37
23 - Millwall 37
24 - Blackpool 25 (R)

Incidentally, it's just gone half time in the 8pm kickoffs, with leaders Bournemouth winning 1-0 at Reading, who have an FA Cup semi-final this weekend, while Charlton lead Bolton 1-0 at The Reebok.

Didn't I say we'd see fireworks tonight? It's been another truly magnificent night of football in the Championship so far - and we've still got 45 minutes of left! Let's go.

Ipswich's Daryl Murphy comes close to firing the Tractor Boys 3-1 ahead early in this second half. By virtue of the fact that Cardiff haven't lost an away outing since January, you could say that the hosts really need a third goal at Portman Road. It's not an exaggeration to suggest that their promotion hopes could hinge on it.

It's nearly been 45 minutes since we've last seen a goal, my friends. I'm having withdrawal symptoms akin to Renton in Trainspotting.

Bristol City have only gone and scored a third at Valley Parade and looks like The Robins are joining us in the Championship next season! Congratulations to them.

But who may they be replacing in the Championship? Well we know Blackpool are heading to League One, but we're no nearer to discovering if Millwall or Wigan will effectively be joining the Tangerine down there because it's still 0-0 at The Den. That one has 0-0 written all over it, doesn't it?

Now then and what a huge moment this could be in Wolves' season as Bakary Sako reduces the arrears away to Middlesbrough with a fine near-post effort. Is that the foundations of a comeback? They came into tonight outside the playoffs on goal difference, and with Ipswich and Derby winning, they could do to follow suit. It could have huge implications for Boro too of course, with Aitor Karanka's side chasing automatic promotion.

What a massive goal for Norwich, who missed a first-half penalty, as Jonny Howson fires them into a 1-0 lead at Elland Road in a game they also have to win to preserve their hopes of automatic promotion. And what a goal it was, as Howson executed a sublime outside-of-the-boot effort to beat Silvestri. Graham Dorrans, who missed that penalty, is breathing a huge sigh of relief you'd imagine.

This doesn't fall under our mandate really, but there's been a bit of a lull in Championship action lately so I might aswell tell you that Juventus have taken a 1-0 lead in their first-leg Champions League quarter-final at home to AS Monaco. It's goalless in the night's only other tie between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Goal difference could be critical to Derby's playoff hopes, with things so tight down there, and Steve McClaren's side grab a FOURTH at home to Blackpool and there's only 65 minutes gone. Darren Bent grabs his second of the night with a truly brilliant penalty to beat Elliot Parish.

Jonathan Grounds levels up at St Andrew's as Birmingham peg back Blackburn.

Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear. Wigan, who need to win this to have any hope of staying in the Championship, are down to 10 men in their relegation six-pointer away to Millwall. Martyn Waghorn, who was only on the field about eight minutes, gets a straight red and what a chance for Millwall now.

Update: Bournemouth, Norwich, Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Derby are all winning at the moment but, aside from Derby, they're all only winning by one goal! That's five of the top six, with Watford not playing until tomorrow. Lots of bottle being displayed thus far.

Looks like Jonathan Grounds equaliser has been in vein, as Jordan Rhodes capitalises on a truly shocking goalkeeping error from Birmingham's Darren Randolph and taps into an empty net for his 18th of the season.

What have we got left in the 7.45 kickoffs, about 20 minutes? Dreams could be made or broken in this 20 minutes, my friends. Millwall have plenty of time to beat 10-man Wigan. Wolves have plenty of time to stay within touching distance of the top six after Bakary Sako reduced the arrears to make it 2-1 at the Riverside. Norwich and Bournemouth, who occupy the top two spots, also leading 1-0 over Leeds and Reading respectively. Massive last 20 minutes, as I said.

Two potentially HUGE goals, as Kieran Lee deals Brentford's playoff hopes a bitter blow by firing Sheffield Wednesday ahead at Hillsbrough. Elsewhere, Millwall score a huge goal through Nadjim Abdou as the Lions lead 1-0 over 10-man Wigan. Just a reminder that victory would take them above the Latics and four points adrift of safety with a game in hand. Massive.

There's very little to play for other than pride down at St Andrews, but it's one of the night's best games as Demarai Gray fires Birmingham level for the second time in the game, after Jordan Rhodes re-established the lead earlier in the second half.

Wow. Just wow. Ed Upson and Jason Pearce sent off for Wigan and Millwall respectively following a bit of an off-the-ball spat. Millwall winning 10-9 in terms of players, and 1-0 in terms of goals.

Here's what the top eight looks like at the moment, folks. Bear in mind that Watford have a game in hand.

1 - Bournemouth 83
2 - Norwich 82
3 - Middlesbrough 81
4 - Watford 79
5 - Derby 75
6 - Ipswich 74
7 - Brentford 71
8 - Wolves 71

With Brentford and Wolves losing away to Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough respectively, you wonder how hard that will hit their playoff hopes.

Excellent from Norwich, and it's Dorrans, who missed a first-half penalty, who makes this game safe in the dying stages as Norwich will stay second in the table, one point behind Bournemouth, who are winning 1-0 at Reading and there's about 20 minutes left at the Madejski because it kicked off at 8pm.

Speaking of promotion-hopefuls making the game safe, Daryl Murphy preserves Ipswich's playoff hopes to make it 3-1 at Portman Road.

Adam Le Fondre bags a 79th-minute winner for the Trotters in a game where victory and defeat has very little implications for either side.

That's all she wrote down at The Den as Magaye Gueye helps 10-man Reading to a huge, massive, colossal 2-0 win over nine-man Wigan. They'll go above the Latics into 22nd, four points off safety with a game in hand. Wigan, meanwhile, are as good as gone I fear.

They're in the SIXTH minute of added time down at the Riverside, where Middlesbrough, who lead Wolves 2-1, look to stay within touching distance of Bournemouth and Norwich in first and second.

Here's the results from the 7.45pm kickoffs, my friends. Bournemouth and Charlton still playing at Reading and Bolton in the 8pm kickoffs.

Birmingham 2-2 Blackburn FT
Brighton 0-0 Huddersfield FT
Derby 4-0 Blackpool FT
Ipswich 3-1 Cardiff FT
Leeds 0-2 Norwich FT
Boro 2-1 Wolves FT
Millwall 2-0 Wigan FT
Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Brentford FT
Bolton 1-1 Charlton latest
Reading 0-1 Bournemouth latest

Still playing down at the Madejski and and the Reebok, where it's 1-0 to leaders Bournemouth and 1-1 between Charlton and Bolton. There's little implication for the game at the Reebok, but if Bournemouth managed to throw it away at Reading then it's big news.

It's all over at the Madejski finally! Bournemouth cling on to a 1-0 win and move one step closer to the Premier League as they sit top of the Championship.

Birmingham 2-2 Blackburn FT
Brighton 0-0 Huddersfield FT
Derby 4-0 Blackpool FT
Ipswich 3-1 Cardiff FT
Leeds 0-2 Norwich FT
Boro 2-1 Wolves FT
Millwall 2-0 Wigan FT
Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Brentford FT
Bolton 1-1 Charlton FT
Reading 0-1 Bournemouth FT

Here's a full updated Championship table for you then, and it's pretty much as you were. Bournemouth stay top, one point clear of Norwich after both secured narrow wins tonight. Big wins also for Middlesbrough, Derby and Ipswich as they keep pace in the playoff spots.

It wasn't a good night for the likes of Wolves and Brentford, however. Both went into tonight outside the playoff spots on goal difference, but defeats at Boro and Sheffield Wednesday has left them three points off the pace with three games remaining!

Finally, and there's a huge win down the bottom as 10-man Millwall beat nine-man Wigan 2-0 in a feisty relegation six-pointer at The Den. The Londoners move above Wigan to go four points adrift of safety with a game in hand. Wigan, meanwhile, are seven points behind with three games left. Hard to believe they won the FA Cup two years ago init.

Anyway, that's us! Thanks for joining our live text commentary. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have and we'll see you next time!