Todorov goal puts Pompey up

Svetoslav Todorov side-footed into the Burnley net to send Portsmouth into the Barclaycard Premiership after a 15-year exile from top flight football.

The Bulgarian’s goal took the pressure off Paul Merson, who had earlier missed a penalty after Dean West had brought down Gianluca Festa in the Burnley box.

The former Arsenal star had thundered the ball against the crossbar and the evening looked set to end in frustration for the south coast side until Todorov broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute.

The Bulgarian was then booked for celebrating with the Pompey fans but nothing could take the shine off his evening.

Sheffield United did their best to keep the push for promotion alive with a 1-0 win over fellow play-off hopefuls Nottingham Forest.

Carl Asaba hit a right-footed shot past Darren Ward in the 62nd minute from close range to earn the Yorkshire side the win which means they can still theoretically catch second-place Leicester, who are 14 points ahead with five games left to play.

A Nicky Forster hat-trick gave Reading's play-off chances a shot in the arm in a 5-1 win over nine-man Preston.

The Lancashire side were reduced to 10 men when defender Michael Jackson was red-carded for a bad foul on Forster in the 28th minute – for his second bookable offence.

Forster dealt Craig Brown’s side a second blow two minutes later when he put the Royals in front.

And the former Gillingham man fired in a second in the 42nd minute to put Reading firmly in charge.

Preston’s cause was further hampered when David Lucas was given a straight red card for a foul on Glen Little.

Reading’s third came from a Nicholas Shorey penalty and Forster completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute.

Tyrone Mears scored a late consolation for Preston before Darius Henderson netted Reading’s fifth.

In a midlands derby of little import, Coventry fought out a scoreless draw with Walsall.

In the second division, promotion hopefuls Crewe and Bristol City shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw which sent Wigan up.

Kenny Lunt put Crewe ahead from the penalty spot in the first half after Rodney Jack had been fouled by Mickey Bell only for City to equalise after the break with a Christian Roberts goal.

The result means Wigan are promoted because Crewe and Cardiff – the two teams closest to them – cannot both catch the Lancashire side as they play each other on the last day of the season.

A stoppage time goal from John Miles saw Macclesfield edge out struggling Shrewsbury 3-2 in Division Three.

Macclesfield took the lead with a goal from George Abbey but the home side levelled through Sam Aiston.

The Cheshire club again went in front when John Miles fired home.

Shrewsbury levelled once more when Nigel Jemson headed in but Miles’ effort earned three points for Macclesfield.

Darren Kelly’s header earned relegation-haunted Carlisle a valuable point in a 1-1 draw at home to play-off hopefuls York.

Sam Shilton netted Kidderminster’s winner in the 1-0 defeat of Rochdale.