Troy Parrott and Tom Cannon were on the scoresheet for Preston North End, but their Championship play-off hopes took a hit in a 4-2 defeat at Swansea that saw a full-scale brawl near the end.
Swansea coasted into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to goals from Joel Piroe, Joe Allen and Harry Darling, but the Irish strikers put life back into the contest.
Preston, who are down in 11th but only two points off the top six, threatened a comeback. First Cannon, the Ireland Under-21 attacker on loan from Everton pulled a goal back before Parrott lofted a superb finish beyond goalkeeper Andy Fisher to make it 3-2.
Then things turned sour as both set of players and staff clashed, with Allen, who had been substituted off, sent off along with Preston manager Ryan Lowe.
Piroe's second in stoppage time killed off the game.
Another Irish international on the mark was Adam Idah, who came off the bench to score for Norwich City to cancel out Lyndon Dykes’ early goal for QPR in a result that does little to help either side’s cause at respective ends of the table.
In remarkable scenes, Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson scored a controversial stoppage-time goal to steal a 1-1 draw at Blackburn and boost their play-off chances.
Rovers looked to be strengthening their own top-six ambitions after they led through Sam Gallagher’s first-half goal at Ewood Park.
But in the fifth minute of time added on Wilson came forward for a corner and was in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball home, though there were loud appeals for handball that fell on deaf ears.
The draw left Blackburn in sixth position, with the Sky Blues a point and two places behind.
Andy Carroll was the hero and villain for Reading in a 1-1 draw with Luton, whose slim automatic-promotion hopes took a hit.
The former England international headed his side in front in the 51st minute but just five minutes later was sent off after deliberately handling the ball into the net, which earned him a second yellow card.
The 10-man Royals, who have not won since February and have former Ireland international Noel Hunt in temporary charge, could not hold out as Carlton Morris scored a leveller for Luton, who failed to fully close the gap on second-placed Sheffield United and look set for the play-offs.
Middlesbrough also have outside hopes of overhauling the Blades after a three-goal blast earned a 3-1 win over Hull.
Mid-table Hull went ahead through Allahyar Sayyadmanesh’s goal four minutes before the break, but whatever Boro boss Michael Carrick said at half-time did the trick.
Hayden Hackney levelled matters 10 minutes after the restart, with Cameron Archer turning the game around three minutes later.
Then another three minutes later Chuba Akpom (pictured above) claimed a piece of Championship history as he became the first player to score in nine successive home games at this level.
Three goals in 10 first-half minutes saw Cardiff enhance their survival chances with a 3-1 win at Watford.
Ismaila Sarr put the Hornets into an early lead but quickfire goals from Kion Etete, Cedric Kipre and Sory Kaba - a spectacular overhead kick - saw the Bluebirds take control of the game before the break.
Watford had chances to get back into the game after the break, but their slim play-off hopes took a big blow.
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