Southampton’s resurgence under newly appointed manager Tonda Eckert continued with an impressive 3-1 win over Birmingham City at St. Mary’s. After earning the job permanently thanks to four wins in five as interim boss, Eckert marked his official debut in style. Finn Azaz and Adam Armstrong tore through Birmingham’s fragile away defence, with the former scoring one and assisting another as his remarkable revival under Eckert rolls on. Despite a stunning strike from Demarai Gray that briefly halved the deficit, Birmingham’s poor away form once again proved their undoing. They’ve picked up just two wins on the road all season, a stark contrast to their strong home record. Southampton, meanwhile, are suddenly back in the playoff conversation and playing with a belief not seen in over a year.

Wimbledon fought valiantly but couldn’t convert their three leads, ultimately drawing 3-3 in a thrilling encounter with Huddersfield. Both clubs remain in the hunt for a playoff spot, but with results hard to come by, the pressure is mounting as League One’s competitive nature heats up.

In a scrappy encounter at Vale Park, Plymouth Argyle edged out Port Vale with a crucial 1-0 victory in the battle of the bottom two. Lorent Tolaj's second-half strike was the difference, as the visitors capitalized on a rare chance. Despite dominating possession, Port Vale’s inability to finish chances has left them rooted to the bottom of the League One table. Will Argyle's first win in eight games spark a turnaround, or will Port Vale continue to struggle in front of goal?

Lincoln City seized a crucial opportunity in the League One promotion race, edging past a struggling Doncaster side to climb into the automatic spots. Francis Okoronkwo’s first league goal for the club and a chaotic second-half own goal proved enough in a tense 2–1 win. Doncaster briefly levelled through Brandon Hanlan, but their defensive frailties resurfaced immediately. With promotion and relegation battles tightening by the week, this result could prove pivotal for both clubs.

Ipswich Town stormed to another dominant victory in Wales, dismantling Swansea City 4-1 to edge closer to an immediate Premier League return. Jack Clarke opened the scoring with a screamer before former Tractor Boy Cameron Burgess endured a nightmare, scoring two own goals to hand his old club the points. With three wins and a draw in their last four, Kieran McKenna’s side are hitting stride, while Swansea look dangerously close to slipping into a relegation scrap.

Sheffield United’s Championship misery deepened on Halloween weekend as Derby County strolled into Bramall Lane and left with all three points. The Rams’ 3-1 win marked their third consecutive victory and highlighted just how far the Blades have fallen since last season’s promotion push. Carlton Morris bagged his first career hat-trick, while Sheffield United once again gifted goals through sloppy defending and lack of leadership.