Bromley And Lincoln Lead EFL Charge As Promotion Battles Intensify

As January 2026 draws to a close, the English Football League's lower divisions are serving up a feast of drama, resilience, and tactical innovation. With League One and League Two both boasting fierce promotion chases and captivating storylines, fans across the country are glued to every twist and turn. Tuesday night’s fixtures, broadcast live and dissected endlessly, have only heightened the intrigue as teams jostle for position, pride, and the promise of a brighter spring.

In League Two, Bromley’s remarkable ascent continues to capture imaginations. The south-east London club, once considered outsiders, now sit atop the table and are redefining what it means to be set-piece kings. Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Andy Woodman’s side have netted a staggering 58 goals from dead-ball situations, making up more than half their total output. Twenty-five of those have come in just 27 games this season, a rate that would make even Premier League giants Arsenal and Brentford envious.

Woodman, ever the pragmatist, credits this success to meticulous preparation and a willingness to embrace the club’s underdog status. “We haven’t got the best players – with respect to my players – we haven’t got the biggest budget, we haven’t got the biggest ground. We’ve got a lot of minuses against us, so we have to find a different way,” he told Sky Sports. The manager’s NFL-inspired approach, with players drilled to know their roles for each set-piece, has paid dividends. “Everyone’s got to know their job. The end result is no coincidence.”

No player has thrived more under this regime than Michael Cheek, who leads the set-piece scoring charts across England’s top four divisions with 19 goals since summer 2024. Woodman calls him “a phenomenon” and a “Bromley legend, hero forever and a day.” The club’s unbeaten home record, shared only with Sunderland in the top six tiers, is another badge of honor. “That’s our super strength,” Woodman declares, pointing to the culture of relentless winning he’s instilled. “The top teams are the top teams for a reason. They keep winning. They don’t get embarrassed to keep winning.”

Bromley’s story is even more remarkable considering their recent history. After narrowly missing the play-offs in their debut EFL season, the Ravens have surged to the summit thanks to a run of 12 wins in 14 games and a squad brimming with players eager to prove doubters wrong. “It’s like a band of brothers,” Woodman says. “They’ve really bonded and really worked hard. Deep in the depths of them, they want to prove to everyone they are good enough.”

Elsewhere in League Two, Salford City’s own charge up the table has fans dreaming of promotion. Karl Robinson’s side, buoyed by a run of seven wins in nine games, currently occupy second place with 49 points. Their attacking verve is underlined by an impressive home expected goals (xG) figure of 1.92, suggesting they’re creating—and converting—plenty of chances at Moor Lane. With six wins from their last seven, Salford are “impossible to oppose” according to betting pundits, but they know the race is far from over with a pack of contenders breathing down their neck.

Chesterfield, despite a recent five-match winless streak, remain just four points outside the play-off places. Manager Paul Cook is searching for that elusive big result to reignite their campaign, but defensive frailties—24 goals conceded on the road—have cost them dearly. Their latest setback, a 2-1 loss at struggling Newport, exemplified the fine margins at play in this division.

Accrington Stanley, meanwhile, continued their impressive climb with a resounding 4-1 win over 10-man Newport County at Rodney Parade. Alex Henderson opened the scoring inside two minutes, before Nathan Opoku equalized for County. But after Isaac Sinclair restored Stanley’s lead early in the second half, Opoku’s red card for a high challenge swung the momentum decisively. Paddy Madden and Isaac Heath added late goals to seal an emphatic victory, keeping Accrington firmly in the mix for promotion.

Barnet’s fortunes also took an upward turn thanks to Mark Shelton’s dramatic stoppage-time header, which secured a 1-0 home win over Tranmere Rovers. It was a cruel blow for Tranmere, who were seconds away from halting a three-match losing run, but Barnet’s persistence paid off in the dying moments. The Bees had threatened early through Nnamdi Ofoborh and Adam Senior, while Tranmere’s Connor Jennings suffered an unfortunate injury that saw him stretchered off. As the League Two title race intensifies, moments like Shelton’s late heroics could prove decisive.

Turning to League One, the promotion battle is equally compelling. Lincoln City—nicknamed the Imps—are hot on the heels of leaders Cardiff, having maintained an extraordinary run of form. The Imps last tasted defeat in November and haven’t failed to score in a match since the 8th of that month. Their physical, direct style has yielded a formidable home record of 10 wins, one loss, and just 14 goals conceded. With such consistency, Lincoln are “churning out results with the efficiency of an accountant presented with a tricky number of tax returns.”

Reading, too, are showing signs of revival under manager Leam Richardson. Although sitting below Exeter in the standings, the Royals have improved markedly since mid-December, buoyed by strong home form. Recent signing Haydon Roberts made an instant impact by scoring on his debut, while Jack Marriott continues to impress with five goals in his last seven outings. Fellow newcomer Ryan Nyamble has also caught the eye, providing an assist off the bench and pushing for a starting berth as Richardson shapes his evolving squad.

Elsewhere, Huddersfield’s new boss Liam Manning made a winning start with a gritty 1-0 victory over Bradford, achieved despite playing most of the second half with ten men. Manning’s side limited Bradford to a paltry 0.16 xG, a testament to their defensive resilience even under pressure. MK Dons enjoyed a thumping 5-1 win over Shrewsbury, with Callum Paterson netting his first-ever hat-trick in the opening half. Manager Paul Warne praised his team’s flawless back line and dynamic midfield, describing one goal as “as picture perfect a goal we can score.”

With so many teams in the hunt for promotion and survival, every point, every goal, and every tactical tweak could tip the balance. The EFL’s midweek action delivered 49 goals across 21 matches, with only one 0-0 draw—a testament to the attacking intent on display. As managers like Andy Woodman and Karl Robinson push their squads to new heights, fans can expect even more fireworks as the season barrels toward its thrilling conclusion.

The next round of fixtures promises more high-stakes drama, with eyes turning to Friday night’s Championship clash between Bristol City and Derby. For now, though, the lower leagues provide a rich tapestry of ambition, adversity, and the relentless pursuit of glory—proof, if any were needed, that the heart of English football beats strongest outside the top flight.