The Championship season continued with the latest round of games played over the weekend.
Brighton winning and Newcastle drawing saw Albion return to the top of the table. Huddersfield couldn’t close the gap though. Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham are still the bottom three.
Here’s a round up of the Championship action from the other games.
Results
Friday 24th February 2017 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Burton Albion 1-1 Blackburn Rovers 19:45
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Birmingham City 19:45
Saturday 25th February 2017 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Leeds United 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday 12:30
Aston Villa 1-0 Derby County 15:00
Barnsley 1-1 Huddersfield Town 15:00
Brentford 4-2 Rotherham United 15:00
Cardiff City 2-2 Fulham 15:00
Newcastle United 2-2 Bristol City 15:00
Preston North End 2-1 Queens Park Rangers 15:00
Wigan Athletic 0-0 Nottingham Forest 15:00
Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Reading 17:30
Sunday 26th February 2017 – CHAMPIONSHIP
Norwich City 1-1 Ipswich Town 12:00
Burton’s unbeaten run was extended to three after a 1-1 draw in Tony Mowbray’s first game in charge of Blackburn. All three points would have been claimed but for a Brewers equaliser that means Rovers are three points from safety.
A fourth successive Wolves defeat – five in six – was sustained when rivals Birmingham went away from Molineux with a 2-1 win. The gap to safety is now only four points with the Blues’ win ending a three game losing run to ease the pressure on Gianfranco Zola.
Newcastle’s late equaliser saw them come from two down to deny Bristol City a win. A 2-2 draw would have been taken by the Magpies but cost them top spot when Brighton won later in the day. The Robins are two points above the drop zone after this point but for a second time in four games a clear lead was lost in an eventual draw.
Leeds claimed the points in a Yorkshire derby with Sheffield Wednesday to retain a chance of automatic promotion. Defeat for the Owls was a second in a row but they still hold a five point lead in the final play-off spot.
Aston Villa’s first win in 10 – ending a five game losing run – came when Derby were beaten 1-0 to ease relegation concerns. The Rams’ fifth game without a win means they’re now 10 points behind a play-offs place.
The late Barnsley equaliser secured the Tykes a point – but they’ve won just once in the last five – in a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield. This point extended the unbeaten run Town are on to seven but failure to make it seven victories on the trot meant 2nd place Newcastle hold a five point advantage.
After twice being pegged back Brentford scored two added time goals to beat bottom of the league Rotherham – who have lost seven of their last eight – 4-2 at Griffin Park. The Bees’ win also made it back-to-back victories to climb towards a midtable position.
Having come from a goal down to lead Cardiff were denied a fourth straight win by Fulham in a 2-2 draw. A Bluebirds victory would have seen them close in on a top 10 place whereas the Cottagers’ point closed the gap on Sheffield Wednesday – who hold the final play-off spot – to five points.
Preston came from a goal down to beat 10 man QPR – who had won their previous two – 2-1 at Deepdale to boost the play-off hopes. North End extending the unbeaten run to five meant the gap to the top six was cut to six points.
Wigan remain two points – only goal difference would have kept them in the bottom three had they won – from safety following a 0-0 draw with fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest. This point for Forest – after three straight defeats – keeps the gap to the relegation zone at six points.
A 3-0 victory for Brighton in the late kick off against Reading took Albion to the top of the Championship, a point ahead of title rivals Newcastle after they could only draw with Bristol City. The Royals’ own automatic promotion hopes were dealt another blow with it now back-to-back defeats.
Sunday’s derby saw Norwich close the gap on the promotion places to six points but having been forced to settle with a 1-1 draw against Ipswich – who are now five unbeaten having drawn four – the Canaries are now without a win in three.
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