Sheffield United, Luton seal playoff berths on Championship final day

Sheffield United and Luton Town booked their places in the Championship playoffs on the final day of the season on Saturday, joining Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town in the battle for Premier League promotion. The pair were sitting fifth and sixth heading into their games, and home victories over title winners Fulham and Reading respectively ensured they retained those positions ahead of Millwall and Middlesbrough.

Sheffield United brushed aside Fulham 4-0 at Bramall Lane, while Luton's 1-0 victory at Reading meant they finished five points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough, who lost 4-1 to Preston North End. Forest looked set for a third-placed finish, having scored late through Brennan Johnson's penalty at Hull City, but Keane Lewis-Potter's equaliser two minutes later meant Huddersfield climbed up a place after their 2-0 win over Bristol City.

Millwall's faint hopes of snatching a playoff place were dashed after a 1-0 defeat at second-placed Bournemouth, who will join Fulham in the top flight next season having sealed promotion with victory over Forest earlier this week. The relegation places had been settled for weeks, with Peterborough United, Derby County and Barnsley dropping down to the third-tier League One.

Peterborough signed off in style with a 4-0 demolition of Blackpool, but Wayne Rooney's Derby ended a difficult season with a 1-0 home defeat by Cardiff. Barnsley went out with a whimper after a 4-0 loss at West Brom United.

Forest will take on Sheffield United while Huddersfield will play Luton in the two-legged semi-finals, taking place from May 13-17, with the winners clashing at Wembley Stadium on May 29 for a place in the Premier League.