JAMES MCCLEAN WAS on target as bottom-of-the-table Stoke City earned a 3-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday that was as vital as it was dramatic. 

McClean handed Stoke an early lead, but Wednesday turned the game around with two goals in seven second-half minutes. Stoke looked to be heading for yet another defeat until Tyrese Campbell rescued what looked to be a late, late equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time. 

Stoke didn’t stop there, however, and Sam Vokes scored a crucial winning goal in the 98th minute. The result lifts Stoke from the foot of the table and out of the relegation zone, ahead of Luton Town on goal difference. 

Luton were involved in their own high-scoring late drama of their own, and were denied a win at home to Fulham by a late Bobby Reid equaliser. 

Irish striker James Collins had given Luton a 2-1 lead midway through the first-half after Reid had cancelled out Kazenga LuaLua’s early opener. Aleksander Mitrovic cancelled that lead in the 78th minute, before Harry Cornick fired Luton in front for a third time six minutes later. 

There was further drama however, with Reid firing in an equaliser to leave Fulham fifth, behind Wednesday on goal difference. 

Wigan have dropped to the bottom of the table in Stoke’s absence, as they were denied a win at home to Derby by a late Martyn Waghorn equaliser in a 1-1 draw. Robbie Keane’s Middlesbrough, meanwhile, continued to inch their way from danger with a 1-0 win over Huddersfield. 

At the top of the table, West Brom were held 1-1 away to Barnsley, and will see their lead at the top cut to a point if Leeds beat Preston later today. 

Brentford are third, following a 3-1 win over Swansea. Elsewhere, Blackburn and Birmingham drew 1-1, while Bristol City slipped from the play-off spots with a 3-2 loss to Charlton. 

Lewis Grabban scored twice in a 2-0 win for Nottingham Forest away to Hull, while Cardiff and Millwall drew 1-1.