Asaba puts Blades into play-offs

Sheffield United joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in the First Division play-offs yesterday when two goals from Carl Asaba gave them a 2-1 win over Leicester City.

Asaba struck five minutes into injury time as United finally broke down a Leicester side who played with 10 men after the defender Callum Davidson received his second booking in the 56th minute for a foul on Michael Brown. The former Sheffield striker Brian Deane volleyed Leicester in front in the fourth minute but Asaba levelled in the 15th, before turning in Shaun Murphy's header from point-blank range.

Leicester were knocked off the top when Portsmouth beat fourth-placed Reading 3-0 at Fratton Park to go two points clear – Vincent Péricard scoring twice and Svetoslav Todorov adding the third.

Two late goals in two minutes condemned Ipswich to a defeat that badly dents their play-off hopes. John Mullin's free-kick and Mark Robins' close-range effort with three minutes remaining did the damage.

Coventry City's player-manager, Gary McAllister, recommended "a complete and utter overhaul" at Highfield Road although his club ensured First Division survival – despite losing – as results elsewhere went their way. Coventry lost 1-0 to visiting Stoke City, and McAllister said: "This place is an absolute disaster from top to bottom. The defeatism, the negativity, is all a bit alarming. I need to bring characters here, men. I've got irons in the fire but there's no budget and it's going to be dog eat dog out there in the summer."