Lincoln City clinched promotion to the Sky Bet Championship for the first time since 1961, securing their return to the second tier with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over playoff rivals Reading. Lincoln needed only a point to guarantee promotion but faced a late scare before Jack Moylan scored the decisive goal four minutes after halftime. This triumph ends a 65-year absence from the Championship, marking a monumental achievement for the Lincolnshire club and their passionate fanbase. The victory also significantly alters the playoff picture, pushing Reading down to a playoff spot themselves and elevating Lincoln into a direct promotion position. Reading's equalizer in stoppage time from a Lewis Wing free kick added drama to the final moments of the playoff final.

While Lincoln's promotion dominates the headlines, other results reshaped the Championship race. Peterborough drew 1-1 with second-placed Cardiff, who now trail Bradford by seven points after Bradford's 2-1 win over Wycombe. Wycombe's wobble continued with a loss, while Bolton and Stockport's 2-2 draw effectively ended their automatic promotion hopes. Stevenage moved into the playoff places with a 1-0 win over Blackpool, though Plymouth's 3-0 victory at Barnsley kept pressure on the bottom of the table.

League Two saw MK Dons draw 1-1 at Oldham despite missing leaders Barrow, while Notts County climbed into the top three with a 3-1 win over Newport. Cheltenham's 1-1 draw with Cambridge dented the Robins' automatic promotion hopes. Exeter ended a 15-match winless run with a 3-0 thrashing of Doncaster, while Leyton Orient slipped to a 2-1 home defeat against Huddersfield. Grimsby's play-off bid received a boost with a 2-0 win over Crawley, and Bristol Rovers edged past Harrogate 3-2, with Ellis Harrison scoring twice.