Sunday 5 May 2019 17:08, UK
Southend retained their place in Sky Bet League One in dramatic style as Stephen Humphrys scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Sunderland.
The odds were stacked against the Shrimpers ahead of kick-off, with relegation a certainty should they have lost, or drawn and other results went against them, yet they went ahead just before half-time and in quite some style.
Overhead kicks and centre-backs do not usually appear in the same sentence, yet that is exactly how John White opened the scoring. Chris Maguire netted a penalty to create an anxious atmosphere in the closing minutes at Roots Hall, before Humphrys - sporting a mask after sustaining fractures to his nose, cheekbone and eye socket in February - poked home the winner.
Their victory, however, proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Plymouth, who dropped down to League Two despite a 3-2 win over Scunthorpe at Home Park.
Lloyd Jones and Freddie Ladapo had put Argyle two goals up after 35 minutes, before Kyle Wootton pulled one back before the break. Josh Morris scored a controversial equaliser on the hour mark, before Graham Carey netted a winner scored in vain.
Walsall's 0-0 draw with Shrewsbury was not enough to save them from the drop, but, with other results going in their favour, AFC Wimbledon kept their heads above water after a goalless draw away at already-relegated Bradford.
Luton ousted any late competition from Barnsley to secure the League One title after a 3-1 victory over Oxford at Kenilworth Road.
George Moncur scored either side of an Elliott Lee strike, with Luke Garbutt managing to reduce the deficit for the Yellows with an hour on the clock.
Barnsley, meanwhile, did little to mount a challenge for top spot in the end, falling to a 2-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Ground.
Daniel Stendel's men took the lead through Kieffer Moore after 12 minutes, before they lost Liam Lindsay to a second bookable offence on the verge of half-time. The numerical advantage clearly boosted Rovers, who rallied and took all three points thanks to a late double from Alex Rodman.
In the play-off picture, Doncaster beat Coventry 2-0 to snare the final top-six berth, with goals from Kieran Sadlier and John Marquis. This meant Peterborough missed out by a solitary point, despite a convincing 3-1 home win over Burton.
Both Charlton and Portsmouth had already booked their spots in the end-of-season lottery ahead of the final day of the regular season, but it was the Addicks who enjoyed a thumping end to the campaign, with a 4-0 rout of Rochdale, which saw them finish third.
Pompey, though, will face Sunderland in the play-offs after they could only muster a 1-1 draw against Accrington at Fratton Park.
Elsewhere, Wycombe beat Fleetwood 1-0 at Adams Park, while Blackpool fell to a comprehensive 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Gillingham.
