Ipswich Town climbed back into second place in the Championship after a 0-0 draw with West Brom, a result that also confirmed West Brom’s safety despite a recent points deduction, while the battle for promotion and survival tightened across the rest of the division.

Millwall had briefly moved into the second automatic promotion position on Friday following a goalless draw against Leicester, but Ipswich Town’s point was enough to move ahead again, leaving Middlesbrough, Hull City and Derby County all trying to stay in touch in the Championship race.

Oxford United dropped out of the Championship because West Brom collected a point at Portman Road, even though Oxford United defeated Sheffield Wednesday 4-1, with Will Lankshear striking twice and adding an assist, while Wills Vaulks and Myles Peart-Harris also found the net for Matt Bloomfield’s team.

Middlesbrough applied further pressure near the top by dismantling Watford 5-1 at Riverside Stadium, moving within a single point of Ipswich Town, who still hold a game in hand, as Morgan Whittaker scored twice and assisted David Strelec, before Tommy Conway added a second-half double for the home side.

Hull City missed a major chance to enter the top six, losing 2-1 at Charlton Athletic, while Derby County closed in on the play-off places by winning 3-2 away to Queens Park Rangers, leaving Derby County just one point adrift of sixth-placed Wrexham in the Championship standings.

The clearest opportunity during Ipswich Town’s draw came late for George Hirst, who missed the target from close range inside the six-yard box, yet the home side still saw goalkeeper Christian Walton stand out by producing six saves to deny West Brom, who created several strong openings.

West Brom generated 1.25 expected goals from 12 attempts, while Ipswich Town recorded 1.17 xG from 13 shots, three on target, and elsewhere Sheffield Wednesday’s defeat at Oxford United extended a run of 39 Championship matches without a victory, the club’s longest sequence without a win since at least 2016-17.

The results leave Ipswich Town holding second place with a game in hand, Middlesbrough closing fast, West Brom safe for another Championship season, Oxford United relegated despite victory, and several clubs, including Hull City, Derby County and Wrexham, locked in a tight contest for the final promotion positions.