The Championship season continued with the latest round of games played over the weekend.
Brighton – winners at QPR – again moved to the top of the Championship. However, on this occasion Newcastle DIDN’T respond, beaten at Sheffield Wednesday they are now second.
It’ll take something special but Wigan’s win – in a five goal thriller against already relegated Rotherham – keeps the Latics in with a chance but Blackburn’s own chances of avoiding the drop into League 1 were dealt a huge blow.
Here’s a round up of the Championship action from the other games.
Results
Friday 7th April 2017 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion 19:45
Saturday 8th April 2017 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Birmingham City 1-2 Derby County 15:00
Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Barnsley 15:00
Bristol City 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 15:00
Burton Albion 1-1 Aston Villa 15:00
Cardiff City 2-1 Brentford 15:00
Fulham 3-1 Ipswich Town 15:00
Leeds United 3-0 Preston North End 15:00
Norwich City 7-1 Reading 15:00
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Huddersfield Town 15:00
Wigan Athletic 3-2 Rotherham United 15:00
Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Newcastle United 17:30
QPR slipped to a third successive defeat on Friday as Brighton’s win took them back to the top of the Championship – to the brink of Premier League promotion. Albion, who previously had two goals disallowed, managed to stave off an R’s comeback to move two points ahead of Newcastle, who lost at Sheffield Wednesday 24 hours later.
Things continue to go from bad to worse for Birmingham. The Blues, just outside of the play-offs when they sacked Gary Rowett, remain six points above the relegation zone following the Derby defeat, of course under Rowett now. The Rams’ added time winner, in this 2-1 victory, keeps alive faint top six hopes.
Blackburn slipped four points from safety when a rapid fire Barnsley start saw them to a victory at Ewood Park. Rovers’ first spell at the third level of English football since 1970-80 beckons…
Having suffered back-to-back defeats – after a four game unbeaten run – Bristol City recorded a crucial three points with a 3-1 win over in-form Wolves. The third bottom Robins moved four points clear of Blackburn as Wolves’ five game winning run – Paul Lambert’s claiming of the Manager of the Month award proved ‘a curse’ – came to an end.
Burton scored a precious second half equaliser to leave Villa Park with a 1-1 draw, moving the Brewers five points clear of danger. An, already unlikely, Aston Villa push for a top six finish was almost certainly ended – Villa are 11 off the play-offs with five to play.
A second half comeback saw Cardiff – for a first win in three – ended Brentford’s three game winning run. The Bluebirds’ 3-1 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium took them to within a point of the 12-placed Bees.
Fulham, beaten in their last game, remain in play-off contention following a 3-1 win over Ipswich. The Whites remain on the coattails of sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday, having overtaken them at the time – the Owls’ later win over title-chasing Newcastle put them back up to sixth, two points ahead of Fulham, seventh.
Leeds’ two game losing run came to an end with this 3-0 win over 10 man Preston consolidating the Whites’ top six position – probably confirming it in fact – whilst all but ending North End’s chances of finishing in the play-offs.
Norwich bagged six first half goals – they were four up barely half an hour in – in a 7-1 thrashing of promotion chasing Reading. Despite the three game winning run ended in emphatic fashion the Royals remain six points clear of seventh-placed Fulham.
Nottingham Forest eased relegation concerns when responding positively to Mark Warburton’s first loss as boss by collecting a crucial 2-0 victory over promotion chasing Huddersfield. This first win in six – only a second in the last 11 – moved Forest five points clear of Blackburn. Town’s third defeat in four means the third-placed sides automatic promotion hopes were dealt another blow.
Wigan twice came from behind before scoring a dramatic added time winner against already relegated Rotherham. The Latics’ 3-2 victory at the DW Stadium couldn’t alter the second-bottoms clubs position but a first win in five did keep them within seven points of safety – albeit these chances are slim with five to play…
Play-off chasing Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Newcastle moved the Owls back above Fulham, into sixth. However, the Magpies defeat leaves Brighton in the driving season to win the title. Both clubs SHOULD gain automatic promotion though.
Who was the MotM? That’s what the latest poll is asking so do cast a vote.
Did a starter, or someone from the bench, offer the most?
Select the name you want from the list in the poll to your right. We’re also looking for some thoughts and views on the game so do share some with a comment or two below.
