Date: 2nd May 2016 at 12:16pm
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Burnley returned to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they beat QPR 1-0 at Turf Moor, with both Brighton and Middlesbrough only drawing over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend.

The Clarets knew that a win would guarantee promotion, and Sam Vokes’ second half header was enough to give Sean Dyche’s men an instant return to the top flight.

Middlesbrough went to the top of the Championship table on Friday night following a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City.

Boro knew that a win would put them on the brink of promotion, but they went behind when Stephen Gleeson opened the scoring for the hosts, before the visitors replied with goals either side of the break through Jordan Rhodes and Gaston Ramirez. David Davis then equalised for the Blues with just over 20 minutes left to play.

Yet the match’s crucial moment came moments later when Daniel Ayala had a goal disallowed for offside, which in retrospect was the wrong decision. Aitor Karanka’s men are level on points with Brighton, and know if they avoid defeat against the Seagulls this weekend, they will join Burnley in the Premier League.

Brighton rescued a last-gasp 1-1 draw at home to Derby County, but Chris Hughton’s side know that they still need to win at the Riverside Stadium next weekend if they are to avoid the play-offs.

Substitute Andreas Weimann gave the Rams the lead with one of his first touches, before Lewis Dunk saw red after picking up a second yellow card for Albion. However, another substitute, James Wilson, fired in with one of the last kicks of the game to give the hosts a share of the spoils.

Sheffield Wednesday confirmed their place in the play-offs with a 3-0 victory over Cardiff. Gary Hooper was the hero for the Owls as he scored two and pressured Lee Peltier into turning the ball into his own net for the final strike of the match.

Already-relegated Bolton won for the first time in 14 matches as they beat fourth-placed Hull 1-0 on Saturday thanks to a well-placed Stephen Dobbie header, just five minutes after coming off of the bench for the Trotters.

16 May 2015 Premier League Football ; Tottenham Hotspur v Hull City; HUll manager Steve Bruce. Photo: Mark Leech

Steve Bruce’s Hull City were beaten 1-0 at already-relegated Bolton Wanderers. Photo: Mark Leech/Offside

Bristol City thrashed Huddersfield 4-0 in their last home game of the season as the Robins climbed up to 18th. Joe Bryan scored either side of Jonathan Kodjia’s brace, before Lee Tomlin scored a wonderfully taken volley from the edge of the penalty box.

Brentford also gave their fans something to cheer about for their last home game of the campaign as they beat west London neighbours Fulham 3-0. The visitors were 2-0 down in the opening seven minutes after Sam Saunders and Scott Hogan got the Bees off to a flying start. Hogan then netted his fifth goal in six appearances following his recovering from a serious knee injury.

Ipswich won for the first time eight matches after a stoppage-time winner from Luke Varney gave them a 3-2 victory against already-relegated MK Dons. The hosts took the lead three times too with David McGoldrick’s first goal since August making it 1-0, before Alex Revell equalised from the penalty spot. Brett Pitman then put the Tractor Boys back in front, but Revell levelled the match again, before Varney headed home in the 90th minute.

Another side destined for League One football next term, Charlton, won 2-1 at Leeds. Johann Berg Gudmundsson scored for the second game in a row when he converted Morgan Fox’s cross, and Ademola Lookman made it 2-0 with a fine right-footed effort. Sol Bamba pulled one back for the hosts, who are 12th.

Preston won for the first time in six matches after a 2-1 victory at Reading. Jermaine Beckford put the visitors ahead with a cheeky lob, but Stephen Quinn’s long-range effort looked to have earned a point for the Royals, before Daniel Johnson slotted home in stoppage-time.

Blackburn beat Rotherham 1-0 at the New York Stadium thanks to a Shane Duffy header from on-loan Swansea midfielder Matt Grimes’ corner, in the first game since manager Paul Lambert announced that he would be leaving Rovers at the end of the campaign.

And, finally, Forest drew at home 1-1 with Wolves, as Gary Gardner’s superb free-kick earned a point for the hosts after Joe Mason had put Kenny Jackett’s side ahead with a curling effort.

Player of the Weekend: Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday)
Team of the Weekend: Burnley
Goal of the Weekend: Lee Tomlin (BRISTOL CITY vs Huddersfield)

 
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