The battle at the top of the Championship seems to have pulled four teams clear of the chasing pack, with just four games remaining in the normal season, as Bournemouth and Norwich City currently occupy the two automatic promotion places into the Premier League. With Watford and Middlesbrough also winning over the weekend, the top four places remained unchanged as the campaign heads into what looks likely to be a dramatic finale, given that just two points now separate first place from fourth.
With Bournemouth having already claimed three points against Brighton to cement their place at the top of the league, Norwich needed to maintain their own formidable form on the road at Bolton to keep within touching distance of the Cherries.
They achieved this with a commendable 2-1 victory. Graham Dorrans gave them the perfect start on 9 minutes with his first goal for the club, courtesy of a deflection off the wall from a free-kick. The lead lasted just nine minutes though before Adam Le Fondre drew the home side level, despite the Canaries looking to be the dominant team up to that point. The travelling Norwich fans would have enjoyed their long trip back to East Anglia though, thanks to Gary Hooper's winner deep into injury time, just as it had seemed certain that they would be slipping out of the top two places.
Norwich's success keeps them just a point behind Bournemouth, who scored two second-half goals to maintain their momentum at the top on Friday evening, with Yann Kermorgant and Callum Wilson scoring in a 2-0 win at Brighton.
The match had looked to be heading towards a stalemate until Kermorgant scored with a delightful free-kick strike in the 70th minute. Wilson made the game safe as he tormented the Brighton defence before coolly slotting the ball into the net.
Watford are now third after defeating relegation-threatened Millwall 2-0 in a convincing performance as they too seek a return to the top flight.
Matej Vydra volleyed the Hornets in front on 26 minutes and their advantage was doubled after the break by Adlene Guedioura. They are now level on points with Norwich, with just one goal separating them on goal difference, proving that goals besides wins may be the deciding factor come the end of the season.
Middlesbrough continued their pursuit of the top sides with a solid 2-0 home victory against Rotherham United, keeping them just a point behind Watford in fourth place. Two second-half goals secured all three points for them, with Lee Tomlin and Patrick Bamford as the men on target for Aitor Karanka's side.