Ashley Barnes scored two and had a big hand in another goal for Anass Zaroury as Burnley swept aside Blackburn 3-0 in Sunday’s East Lancashire derby to claim top spot in the Championship.
The 33-year-old has had to make do with rare starts this season, but the absence of the unfit Jay Rodriguez handed him a start against rivals Rovers, who themselves would have gone top with a win.
His first league goal of the campaign broke the deadlock in the second half of what had been a tense encounter – and that goal opened the floodgates for a convincing Clarets win.
The chance to leapfrog Sheffield United into pole position ahead of the World Cup break heightened the stakes in a derby which is always ferocious, one of only two local rivalries to have survived since the first Football League season in 1888-89.
Vincent Kompany opted for Barnes above the more youthful, subtle skills of Nathan Tella, and it paid off for the Clarets manager. Barnes, looking rusty early on, was beaten to Josh Brownhill’s cross by Daniel Ayala as the Clarets threatened in the opening exchanges, while Rovers’ only hope in that opening 45 minutes came with a penalty appeal as Ben Brereton Díaz went down under a challenge from Jordan Beyer.
Thomas Kaminski was the visitors’ hero just before the break as Burnley imposed themselves at successive set-pieces. The Belgian goalkeeper hurled himself high to his left to turn away Barnes’ header and moments later he tipped over another dangerous attempt, this time from Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Barnes and the Rovers defender, Daniel Ayala, go head to head at Turf Moor. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
Blackburn began the second half in more positive fashion, with Brereton Díaz getting free down the left and cutting inside to sting the palms of Aro Muric. Barnes caused more problems from Jack Cork’s direct ball, chesting it down for Josh Cullen, with two Rovers defenders desperately hurling their bodies in the way to prevent a certain goal.
Within a minute, resurgent Burnley were ahead as Anass Zaroury got the better of Hedges and crossed for Barnes to steer his header past Kaminski. Rovers could not respond and when the Burnley pressure forced a mistake, Tella’s flick teed up Barnes for a volley. It was parried by Kaminski but Zaroury tucked away the rebound.
The home fans’ joy was complete seven minutes from time as Josh Brownhill skipped past Clinton Mola and pulled his cross back for Barnes, who calmly slipped a challenge and fired home the third.
There was elation in the away end as League Two side Gillingham advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 6-5 win on penalties over Premier League opponents Brentford. The Bees were ahead inside five minutes when Mikkel Damsgaard’s fine pass found England hopeful Ivan Toney, who tapped in the opener.
Brentford enjoyed 80% possession but the resilient visitors struck back on 75 minutes when the substitute Mikael Mandron headed home Alex MacDonald’s cross at the near post, ensuring the Gills’ only shot of the match counted. A thrilling battle from the spot ended when the Gillingham midfielder Alex MacDonald scored their sixth penalty and Damsgaard saw his effort hit the bar, sealing victory for the underdogs.
Victory capped a memorable a day for the Kent club given that they had to walk the last part of their journey to Brentford, which meant kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes. “We had to walk here, we had to climb over barriers and help each other get over fences,” said the Gillingham manager Neil Harris.
“We got to about a quarter of a mile from Chiswick Roundabout and we got stuck. Fortunately we had a tactics board on the bus. But we couldn’t move and they couldn’t get a police escort to us. So we got in touch with the officials and decided to walk – probably about a 10-minute walk.”
Frank Lampard suffered an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit as his Everton side were thrashed 4-1 by Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The Toffees were made to pay for a number of defensive mistakes as Bournemouth ended their run of four successive Premier League defeats to ease into round four.
Jamal Lowe, Junior Stanislas, Emiliano Marcondes and Jaidon Anthony were on target for the hosts, with Demarai Gray replying for Everton. Frank Lampard admitted Everton’s fringe players had come up short. “We were poor,” Lampard said. “I made a lot of changes, but the reality of my job is that we want to win every game we play.”
Jamal Lowe of Bournemouth celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal against Everton. Photograph: Robin Jones/AFC Bournemouth/Getty Images
Lincoln bounced back from FA Cup embarrassment to storm into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 victory over Championship club Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The League One side took a seventh-minute lead when midfielder Matty Virtue was allowed time and space 25 yards out to the left of goal and netted with a sweetly struck right-footed drive.
It was 2-0 on 15 minutes as Ben House robbed young defender Joe Low, making his first start for the Robins, and ran through to slot home from inside the box. Four minutes into the second half Lincoln were in dreamland as Paudie O’Connor headed the third from virtually on the goal line after a free-kick was not dealt with.
The substitute Tommy Conway shot home from close range on 80 minutes but Lincoln, dumped out of the FA Cup by non-League Chippenham at the weekend, were in no mood to surrender their advantage.
Two late goals from substitute Anass Zaroury broke Crawley’s stubborn resistance and gave Burnley a hard-earned 3-1 win to reach the Carabao Cup fourth round. The third-round tie at Turf Moor looked as if it might have to be settled by a shootout as the Championship side spurned chance after chance to kill off the League Two outfit, who had taken the scalps of League One Bristol Rovers and Premier League Fulham to earn the trip to Turf Moor.
But Zaroury, who had been sent on as a 56th-minute substitute, eased their frustrations when he tapped the ball home from a couple of yards in the 79th minute after Ashley Barnes had touched on Manuel Benson’s low cross. And he added his second with a similar close-range finish in the 90th minute from his fellow sub Vitinho’s cross.
Goals either side of half-time from Warren O’Hora and Matthew Dennis ensured MK Dons earned a place in Thursday’s fourth round draw as they beat League One rivals Morecambe 2-0. Charlton edged a close contest with fourth-tier Stevenage, advancing with a 5-4 win on penalties. Stevenage went ahead through Luke Norris’s 22nd-minute penalty and defended their lead deep into the second half, when Chuks Aneke equalised to take the match to penalties.
Oli McBurnie scored twice as Sheffield United produced a superb second-half display to beat leaders Burnley 5-2 in a pulsating contest at Bramall Lane. The Blades twice trailed but scored four goals after the break to blow away the Clarets, who struggled to cope with the home side’s attack.
Burnley took the lead after 17 minutes in an action-packed first half when Manuel Benson looked to curl in an effort from the right. The forward’s shot took a big deflection off the head of Jack Robinson and past a helpless Wes Foderingham.The away side should have made it two just moments later but an unmarked Taylor Harwood-Bellis failed to direct his header on target.
United levelled in controversial circumstances on the half hour mark. A corner was awarded when it ought to have been a goal-kick and the Blades took full advantage when Iliman Ndiaye bundled in from close range.
There was almost an immediate response from Vincent Kompany’s men but Ian Maatsen’s fierce drive kissed the crossbar as it flew just over Foderingham’s goal.
The home side could have gone in front themselves when McBurnie stabbed towards goal but it was cleared off the line by Harwood-Bellis.
Burnley regained the lead on the stroke of half time, capitalising on a mistake from the Robinson as Benson picked his pocket and curled confidently into the bottom corner.
The Blades made a dream start to the second half with a equaliser on 48 minutes. Anel Ahmedhodzic nodded a ball into the box back across goal and McBurnie’s diving header levelled things up again at 2-2.
The home side thought they had a third when Ndiaye poked in after Arijanet Muric’s save from another McBurnie header but the flag was rightly raised for offside.
Robinson made up for his first-half struggles when he put United in front in the 64th minute, using his knee to loop the ball into the net. Fellow defender Ahmedhodzic got in on the act on 69 minutes, finishing emphatically into the top corner and once again highlighting Burnley’s difficulty dealing with the Blades’ set pieces. McBurnie put some real daylight between the sides on 74 minutes, following in after Muric’s low save.
United could have added even more glamour to the scoreline but it remained at 5-2, a well-deserved victory for the high-flying Blades.
Goals in added time from the substitutes Manuel Benson and Halil Dervisoglu saw Burnley again come from behind to win as they beat Rotherham 3-2. The Millers appeared to have pulled off a stunning away win as goals from Ben Wiles and substitute Chiedozie Ogbene twice edged them in front, with Jay Rodriguez providing Burley’s reply.
But the Yorkshire side finally succumbed after Bramall was dismissed for two yellow cards in the 75th minute, setting up Benson for another late rescue act. The Belgian had stepped off the bench to provide a goal and an assist and turn around Saturday’s game against Reading, and this time he curled in a lovely effort in the first minute of added time before playing a part in Dervisoglu’s winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time as the Clarets extended their unbeaten run to 16 games.
Norwich and QPR sharing the spoils in an entertaining goalless draw between two promotion contenders. There were plenty of chances at both ends, with both goalkeepers making excellent stops to keep the scoreline level.
The woodwork also came into play on three occasions, the last of them. coming from the last kick of the game from the home captain Grant Hanley. Teemu Pukki also hit a post for the home side, while Chris Wilcock followed suit for Rangers as the game ended in a draw and kept the fourth-placed visitors two points clear of their opponents.
Sunderland midfielder Alex Pritchard’s first goal since February helped consign his old club Huddersfield to a 2-0 home defeat. Ex-England under-21 international Pritchard struck early in the second half and the on-loan Manchester United winger Amad Diallo wrapped up matters in the sixth minute of stoppage time to leave Huddersfield anchored to the bottom of the Championship table.
Defeat also meant that the Terriers are now without a league win against the Black Cats in nine contests – a sequence stretching back to 1986. Sunderland are 12th in the table with 24 points.
Patrick Roberts crosses for Alex Pritchard to score Sunderland’s opening goal against Huddersfield. Photograph: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC/Getty Images
Watford made it back-to-back away wins as they beat Cardiff 2-1 to move up into the playoff places. It was a fourth win in a row at Cardiff for the visitors and a fifth win in eight games under their new manager Slaven Bilic.
The Hornets replaced Swansea in sixth place with goals from Francisco Sierralta and Ismaïla Sarr completing their fightback after Cédric Kipré had given the home side the lead.
Josh Tymon’s goal just after the hour mark was enough to give Stoke an important 1-0 victory at fellow strugglers Wigan. With the two sides having slipped to third and fourth-bottom respectively after Tuesday’s matches, the stakes were high.
Stoke broke the deadlock just after the hour mark. Tymon driving through the left channel and smashing the ball under the exposed Jones. Wigan immediately went all in, sending on the strikers Josh Magennis and Charlie Wyke for Nathan Broadhead and Darikwa. But they were unable to really lay a glove on the Stoke defence and it needed a mixture of Jones and Whatmough to desperately clear the ball as Stoke threatened a second in the closing stages.
Birmingham and Millwall played out a dull goalless draw at St Andrew’s in which the visitors showed the bulk of the meagre attacking flair and intent on show. The point keeps Millwall ninth, two points off the Championship playoff places, while Birmingham slip one place to 13th.
Anass Zaroury headed a dramatic Burnley winner deep into added time as they came from behind to beat Reading 2-1 at Turf Moor.
The goal came after Manuel Benson’s equaliser had levelled Tom Ince’s opener, as the Clarets extended their unbeaten record to 15 in the league and stayed above neighbours Blackburn.
Ince’s goal had given Reading a second-half lead in a tight encounter, raising hopes that his father Paul’s team could build on last week’s victory over Bristol City that ended a run of three defeats. But the Clarets had the final word thanks to the Belgium U21 international Zaroury, who gave Reading problems throughout.
Blackburn sealed a hard-earned 1-0 victory at managerless Hull. Rovers have now won four games in a row and left East Yorkshire with three more deserved points thanks to a cool 15th-minute effort from Sammie Szmodics.
The hosts, who look set to announce Liam Rosenior as their new manager, had enjoyed a mini resurgence under interim head coach Andy Dawson, but lacked the imagination to land a blow on their well-organised opponents.
Carlos Corberan is convinced he can solve West Brom’s problems after starting his reign with a bruising 2-0 home defeat against Sheffield United. First-half goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie gave Albion a mountain to climb, and they were booed off at full-time. They languish in the relegation zone after just one win in 12 games.
“I believe in the players we have and in the work we need to do to change this situation and this momentum,” said Corberan. “I will decide one way to work and we will go that way in any circumstance. We need to start with a high level of a strong mentality.”
Sheffield United players celebrate after their win at West Brom. Photograph: Morgan Harlow/Getty Images
Norwich turned in an improved second-half performance to beat Stoke 3-1 and record their first win in seven league games. The Canaries were below par for long periods but stuck to their task and followed up a goal late in the first half with two in the second to get their promotion campaign back on track.
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Ipswich missed out on the chance to move to the top after Charlton hit a last-gasp leveller in an eight-goal thriller at the Valley.
With league leaders Plymouth not in action until Monday, the Tractor Boys looked like taking full advantage having let a two-goal lead slip before four stoppage-time goals saw the sides draw 4-4.
It took until first-half injury time for the deadlock to be broken as George Edmundson’s header put Ipswich in front before Tyreece John-Jules nodded in to double the advantage.
Charlton hit back through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Albie Morgan but when both Freddie Ladapo and Sam Morsy hit fine injury-time goals, the points looked to be heading back to Suffolk.
Instead there was still time for the hosts to wrestle back a share of the spoils as Terell Thomas pulled a goal back and George Dobson headed home in the ninth minute of added time.
SheffieldWednesday moved to within three points of the top two as they put pay to a Burton comeback to beat the division’s new bottom side 4-2.
The Owls were four goals to the good after a decent Barry Bannan finish, a Michael Smith penalty, Mallik Wilks’ strike and a Fisayo Dele-Bashiru effort.
Sam Winnall and Tom Hamer halved the arrears but Wednesday could afford for Lee Gregory to miss from the spot in between the visitors’ goals and still take the points.
Things were much more straightforward for fourth-placed Peterborough, who beat Cambridge 1-0 courtesy of an early Lloyd Jones own goal.
Morecambe moved off the foot of the table as they earned a 1-1 draw at Wycombe, Adam Mayor’s effort direct from a corner cancelling out Chris Forino’s header for the hosts.
ForestGreen are just a point off the bottom having lost 2-0 at Barnsley, Devante Cole and Josh Martin on target, while MK Dons complete the relegation zone after a 0-0 draw at Cheltenham.
David McGoldrick hit a hat-trick as Derby beat BristolRovers 4-2 with all six goals coming in a frenetic first half. James Collins scored County’s second with Bobby Thomas and Anthony Evans scoring for Rovers.
Djavan Anderson, Ciaron Brown and Steve Seddon scored as Oxford pulled themselves away from the drop zone with a fine 3-1 win at Bolton, whose reply came from Dion Charles.
Fleetwood eased to a 3-0 home win over Accrington with three goals in 10 minutes.
Daniel Butterworth’s goal saw PortVale beat Lincoln 1-0 as Portsmouth and Shrewsbury drew 1-1.
Photograph: James Manning/PA
Teenage midfielder Aaron Ramsey was the star, scoring twice to put Norwich 2-0 up in a match which could have gone either way, while substitute Gabriel Sara added a third before Nick Powell fired a late consolation for the visitors.
Nigel Pearson was proud of his illness-hit Bristol City side after they had the better of a 1-1 draw with high-flying Swansea. Tommy Conway fired the hosts in front in the midday kick-off with his eighth goal of the season on 24 minutes, a low drive from Nahki Wells’ perfectly-paced pass. But other chances went begging and the Swans levelled on 76 minutes, substitute Olivier Ntcham firing home with a deflected volley from 20 yards when a corner was cleared into his path.
Pearson was without four centre-backs, including Rob Atkinson, who pulled out shortly before the game with the bug that had affected several other players during the week. “We have had numerous players under medication,” Pearson said, “but we restricted a very good Swansea side to few chances. We’ll take a head count of fit players tomorrow. At the moment, I have no idea who will be available for Tuesday.”
João Pedro headed home the only goal with three minutes left at the DW Stadium to give improving Watford a 1-0 victory at strugglers Wigan. Pedro’s effort earned Slaven Bilic’s side a third win in four games, leaving them two points off the play-off places. Wigan, though, have lost six of their last seven and sit two points above the relegation zone.
Elliot Embleton came off the bench to score a second-half equaliser as Sunderland earned a 1-1 draw at Luton. Both sides were denied by the woodwork before Carlton Morris put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time, but the impressive Jack Clarke set up Embleton for the leveller.
Huddersfield moved off the foot of the table with a dominant display in a 1-0 home win over Millwall. The visitors, who had won four on the trot heading into the fixture, could not recover from an early setback when Yuta Nakayama opened the scoring in freakish fashion with a miscued cross.
Michael Carrick had an immediate insight into the cold realities of full-time football management when Jordan Storey’s stoppage-time goal earned Preston a 2-1 comeback victory over Middlesbrough.
Carrick, who was appointed head coach on Teesside on Monday, enjoyed a promising start to his tenure when Chuba Akpom nodded Boro in front after eight minutes. But Emil Riis thrashed home his fifth goal of the campaign to equalise 10 minutes before the break, and Storey stole in to head home in the first of three added minutes.
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LeytonOrient extended their lead at the top to three points after Paul Smyth scored the only goal against Salford.
Stevenage lost ground, but stay second, after they were held 1-1 at Colchester, who dropped to the foot of the table despite a second successive draw.
Sam Hoskins’ stoppage-time equaliser rescued Northampton a point in a 1-1 home draw against Newport and kept his side in the automatic promotion places. Newport appeared set for victory after Omar Bogle had given them an early lead, but Hoskins levelled in the third minute of added time.
Swindon climbed up to fourth after twice coming from behind to win 5-2 at 10-man promotion rivals Mansfield. Kellan Gordon gave Mansfield the lead inside the opening minute and Will Swan was also on target for the home side. Jonny Williams’ double cancelled out both goals before Luke Jephcott put the Robins in front for the first time early in the second half.
Mansfield’s Hiram Boateng was dismissed for two yellow cards with 31 minutes remaining, and after Ronan Darcy made it 4-2, Ben Gladwin’s late penalty completed the scoring.
Barrow striker Josh Gordon’s double helped lift his side up to fifth after a 3-0 home win against Crewe.
Bradford moved up one place to sixth despite being held 1-1 at home by Crawley, who equalised through James Tilley’s free-kick after Dion Pereira had given the hosts a second-half lead.
Carlisle jumped back into the top seven as Kristian Dennis scored twice, his second from the penalty spot, in a 2-0 win at Tranmere.
Walsall secured back-to-back wins thanks to Hayden White’s solitary goal at home against Rochdale and Harrison Biggins’ second-half header earned Doncaster a 1-0 home win against Gillingham.
Stockport registered their fourth straight win in all competitions by beating 10-man Sutton 3-0. Kyle Wootton headed Stockport into a half-time lead after Omar Bugiel’s straight red card for his challenge on Will Collar, before goals in the second period from Paddy Madden and Collar eased them to victory.
Harrogate slipped to back-to-back defeats, losing 3-2 at AFC Wimbledon.
Hartlepool clinched their second league win of the season, 2-1 at home against Grimsby, to climb off the bottom. Alex Lacey and Niall Maher’s own goal snapped Pools’ four-game losing run after their former midfielder Gavan Holohan had given Grimsby an early lead.
Jerry Yates scored his seventh goal in five games as Blackpool came from behind to beat Coventry 2-1. Kasey Palmer’s first Coventry goal had put the hosts ahead before half-time but Gary Madine equalised after missing three fantastic first-half opportunities. Yates then headed Blackpool in front with 10 minutes to go to secure the Tangerines’ first away win in five.
Substitute Jaden Philogene’s second-half strike was enough to earn Cardiff a 1-0 home win over Rotherham. Philogene’s 65th-minute winner halted a run of three successive losses for Bluebirds’ interim manager Mark Hudson as they bounced back from last week’s derby defeat to Swansea.
Jay Rodriguez scored his eighth goal of the season for Burnley as his penalty against Norwich sent Vincent Kompany’s side to the top of the Championship.
Burnley were handed the chance as Grant Hanley blocked Manuel Benson’s cross with his elbow with just eight minutes left, and when it seemed Norwich might hold out for a second successive draw to halt their slide. But Norwich remain outside the playoff spots after extending their winless run to six matches.
The first half was one-way traffic as Norwich clung on despite Burnley continually stretching them through the attacking play of Vitinho and Anass Zaroury. Norwich defended doggedly enough but the fact that they survived until half-time without conceding was more down to the lack of an end product from the hosts.
Norwich were much brighter after the break and when Teemu Pukki escaped from Jordan Beyer, he crossed for Todd Cantwell who was denied by a brilliant sliding block from Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
Rodriguez, though, punished Hanley’s error of judgement and the win means Burnley are unbeaten since 12 August, a run of 14 games.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Viktor Gyokeres’ stoppage-time penalty earned Coventry a 2-2 home draw against Rotherham.
The hosts had twice found themselves behind through Cohen Bramall’s first goal for Rotherham and then Conor Washington. Gustavo Hamer had briefly levelled things at 1-1 but it was Gyokeres’ spot-kick that earned Coventry a point.
QPR remain top of the Championship after a 2-1 win over Wigan at Loftus Road capped a perfect week for the west London club.
Sam Field put Rangers ahead on 12 minutes, and Leon Balogun quickly restored their lead after Nathan Broadhead’s equaliser. Rangers’ victory was their fifth in six matches and came 48 hours after manager Mick Beale delighted fans by turning down the chance to manage Wolves.
Burnley staged an incredible second-half comeback with three goals inside 19 minutes to beat Sunderland 4-2 at the Stadium of Light.
The hosts made an impressive start, securing a 2-0 lead through quickfire goals from Amad Diallo and Dan Neil inside the opening 20 minutes. But with Sunderland hoping for only their second win in seven games, Burnley showed their promotion credentials by turning things around after the break.
Nathan Tella pulled one back in the 50th minute before Vincent Kompany’s Belgian compatriots Manuel Benson and Anass Zaroury put the visitors on course for maximum points with goals in the 61st and 69th minutes. There was still time with three minutes left for captain Josh Brownhill to put the seal on another win for Burnley, who remain third, while Sunderland sit 13th.
Burnley celebrate Manuel Benson’s equaliser at the Stadium of Light. Photograph: Alex Dodd/CameraSport/Getty Images
Teenager Adam Wharton’s first senior goal helped high-flying Blackburn to a battling 2-1 win over Birmingham. The Rovers academy graduate fired in a fine low strike just before the break, adding to the hosts’ 17th-minute opener from former Birmingham loanee Sam Gallagher. Scott Hogan pulled one back with ten minutes to go.
Teemu Pukki spurned the chance to earn Norwich victory and complete his hat-trick as a poor penalty ensured Sheffield United took a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane. Goalkeeper Adam Davies made a comfortable save as goals from Ben Osborn and Ollie McBurnie earned the Blades a point following Pukki’s first-half double.
Substitute Tyler Burey struck a 90th-minute winner as Millwall made it four league wins in a row by coming from behind to defeat West Brom 2-1 at The Den. The hosts are now up to fifth in the table after making their pressure count against the Baggies, who had Kyle Bartley sent off with five minutes left, after Callum Styles had cancelled out John Swift’s opener.
Hull made it back-to-back wins under interim head coach Andy Dawson after a resounding 4-2 win at Rotherham. The Millers headed into the game full of confidence after recording two wins on the bounce under their new manager Matt Taylor, but they were swept aside by their neighbours from East Yorkshire, with goals from Jacob Greaves, Cyrus Christie, Ryan Longman and Ozan Tufan.
Reading ended a run of three successive league defeats with a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Bristol City at the SCL Stadium. Neither side offered much going forward in a drab first half, but Reading made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute, when loanee Mamadou Loum headed in from a Tom Ince corner. And, deep in stoppage time, Andy Carroll made the points safe for the hosts by clinically finishing a quick counter-attack.
Andy Carroll makes the three points safe for Reading. Photograph: Jasonpix/Shutterstock
Blackpool upset the division’s tightest defence with a four-goal display to beat Preston 4-2 in a pulsating Lancashire derby. CJ Hamilton sealed the win at Bloomfield Road with the last kick of the game, placing the ball into an open goal from 45 yards.
Jerry Yates had opened the scoring on 30 minutes but Preston hit back quickly when Ben Whiteman scored from the spot. Teenager Charlie Patino then fired the hosts back in front on 68 minutes, before teeing up Yates for his second. A Callum Connolly own goal on 89 minutes gave Preston hope, but Hamilton made it safe in added time, finding the empty net with Freddie Woodman out of his goal having gone forward for a corner.
Coventry’s revival continued as they secured a third successive victory with a 2-0 win at Stoke. The Potters, who slumped to a second home defeat in the space of five days, dominated but to no avail. Gustavo Hamer created the opener for Jamie Allen in the second half and added a second as the visitors closed the gap to safety to just one point.
Leo Percovich’s reign as Middlesbrough’s temporary manager continued with a goalless draw at home to Huddersfield. While Michael Carrick has been widely touted as Boro’s likely new manager, the former Manchester United midfielder was nowhere to be seen at the Riverside as the Teessiders were frustrated by a dogged Huddersfield side, who nevertheless remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Lyndon Dykes scored twice as Queens Park Rangers moved to the top of the Championship with an easy 3-0 victory against 10-man Cardiff at Loftus Road. Dykes struck a 19th-minute penalty after Jack Simpson was shown a straight red card for bringing down Sinclair Armstrong, then doubled his side’s lead before the break.
Kenneth Paal added a third to make it four wins from five for QPR, whose manager Michael Beale is set to hold talks with Wolves over their vacancy this week.
The impending arrival of Michael Carrick as new manager inspired Middlesbrough to a thumping 4-1 win at Wigan, despite the hosts grabbing a 34th-minute lead through Will Keane. Isaiah Jones equalised just before the break and second-half strikes from Duncan Watmore, Hayden Hackney and a Chuba Akpom penalty left Middlesbrough in full control.
Burnley missed the chance to leapfrog local rivals Blackburninto top spot as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham. Johann Berg Gudmundsson belted the visitors in front in the 74th minute but they were denied a third straight win when Scott Hogan equalised six minutes later for the hosts.
Sheffield United also missed the chance to go back to the summit as they saw their winless streak extend to five games after a 1-0 defeat at Coventry. The home side pushed throughout and got their reward three minutes from time when Martyn Waghorn converted a penalty to lift Coventry off the bottom of the table.
Goals from Ryan Longman, Greg Docherty and Regan Slater saw Hull end a run of two straight losses with a 3-1 winat Blackpool, who had equalised through Kenny Dougall. Tom Bradshaw scored a first-half hat-trick as Millwall cruised to a 3-0 victory over Watford at the Den.
Oliver Norwood’s goal at the death rescued a point for Sheffield United in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Blackpool, which ended with four red cards and a mass brawl.
The hosts had looked comfortable following goals from James McAtee and Iliman Ndiaye, but Jerry Yates struck twice to make it all-square at the break and Kenny Dougall made it 3-2 to Blackpool early in the second half.
Blackpool were reduced to nine men in the closing stages with Marvin Ekpiteta and Dominic Thompson both sent off and, soon after Rhian Brewster missed an 88th-minute penalty, Norwood equalised deep into time added on. A brawl after the final whistle ended with red cards for Wes Foderingham and Shayne Lavery.
Jay Rodriguez struck twice as Burnley despatched 10-man Swansea 4-0 to replace Sheffield United at the top. The Swans’ run of four-straight wins was brought to an end by goals from Vitinho, Rodriguez and Anass Zaroury, and their misery was completed by a straight red card for top scorer Joel Piroe for violent conduct with 15 minutes left.
Managerless West Brom defeated Reading 2-0 to end their eight-match run without a league victory. Under the guidance of interim manager Richard Beale after Steve Bruce was sacked on Monday, Albion went in front in the 25th minute through a close-range effort from Matt Phillips. Although Reading had much of the play in the second period, the visitors secured the three points in the 72nd minute through a fine goal from defender Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Middlesbrough dropped into the relegation zone as their problems continued to mount with a 2-1 home defeat to Blackburn. Rovers returned to winning ways at the Riverside thanks to an early own goal from Darragh Lenihan and a superb long-range finish from Sam Gallagher. Duncan Watmore gave Middlesbrough hope when he pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time, but, with interim manager Leo Percovich watching on from the technical area, the hosts were unable to avoid a second successive defeat.
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League One roundup: Plymouth extend lead at top
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Plymouth remained top of the table after a thoroughly professional display saw them brush aside a struggling MKDons side 4-1.
The visitors scored the opener less than 10 minutes into the game, Morgan Whittaker latching onto Matt Butcher’s through ball and, though his tame shot was straight at Jamie Cumming, the MK Dons goalkeeper could not hold onto it as it spilled over the line.
The lead was doubled on 25 minutes, Niall Ennis finishing off a neat move that involved some slick, quick passing from Finn Azaz and Whittaker.
Argyle increased their advantage further eight minutes before half-time, Azaz picking up a loose ball from the home defenders before lashing home from 12 yards out. Will Grigg got the home side back into the game four minutes after the restart, firing home past Michael Cooper after picking the ball up on the edge of the visitors’ area.
A three-goal lead was restored 10 minutes later, Azaz again latching onto a loose ball before curling past Cumming in the MK Dons goal.
Lowly Lincoln stunned Ipswich with a 1-0 victory and inflicted the first home league defeat of the season on the Tractor Boys.
The only goal of the game came in the 24th minute from Ben House following a corner. The ball initially hit the head of Regan Poole and went up in the air only to drop down for the City man to score.
Oxford turned in a superb display as they ran out emphatic 4-2 winners at Exeter.
Cameron Brannagan, Sam Long and a double from Kyle Joseph put the visitors in complete control inside an hour at St James Park and Exeter could only respond though consolation goals from Jevani Brown and Sonny Cox.
A second-half comeback from PortVale saw them snatch a point in a 2-2 draw with ForestGreen.
Two first-half headed goals from Myles Peart-Harris and Baily Cargill, both via free-kicks, left Vale dumbfounded after they had controlled possession. Mipo Odubeko pulled one back after the break before Ellis Harrison’s late penalty secured a point.
Lee Gregory scored twice in SheffieldWednesday’s 2-0 win at Cambridge. Derby defeated Accrington 3-0 with Stanley missing two penalties, Shrewsbury edged past Fleetwood 1-0 and Wycombe saw off Peterborough 3-1. BristolRovers scored four in the first half but none in the second as they down Cheltenham 4-1.
There was a 1-1 draw between Burton and Morecambe, while Bolton and Barnsley ended goalless.
Elliot Embleton and Dennis Cirkin led a second-half Sunderland comeback to secure a first win in five games for Tony Mowbray’s side with a 2-1 victory over Wigan. Charlie Wyke had continued his fine return to football with a second goal in as many weeks at his former ground, but a formation change from Mowbray at the interval turned the tide of the contest definitively.
Two expertly taken goals from Will Smallbone and Tyrese Campbell inside eight second-half minutes propelled Stoke to a wholly deserved 2-0 win at Preston. Stoke’s win meant a successful first return to Deepdale for former Preston manager Alex Neil, who has revived hopes of a promotion challenge after taking charge of the Potters in August.
Midfielder Smallbone, on loan from Southampton, sparked joyous scenes among more than 3,000 travelling fans behind Freddie Woodman’s goal when he stroked Stoke in front after 58 minutes and Campbell was equally clinical in the 66th.
Lewis Baker of Stoke City celebrates their side’s first goal scored by teammate Will Smallbone. Photograph: Lewis Storey/Getty Images
Luton ended their long wait for a victory over QPR as they halted the visitors’ five-game unbeaten run with a 3-1 win at Kenilworth Road. The Hatters had not won any of their six meetings since returning to the Championship, with their last league success coming in January 2006.
Luton took the lead on 19 minutes through Elijah Adebayo, then, with 13 minutes to play, made it two via a Jimmy Dunne own goal. In added time another own goal, this one from Ethan Horvath, made it 2-1, but there was still time for Luton to find a third through Luke Freeman.
Matt Taylor earned his first win as Rotherham manager as they edged out Huddersfield 2-1. The result ensured Rotherham’s strong home form continued and put a seven-point buffer between the two sides as Taylor looks to put his stamp on the squad built over six years under predecessor Paul Warne.
The hosts took a 25th-minute lead via a clinical curler from Conor Washington. Huddersfield levelled four minutes later as Danny Ward struck through a host of bodies at the near post. The winner came on the hour from substitute Georgie Kelly.
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Stevenage maintained their two-point lead at the top despite being held 1-1 at Gillingham. Steve Evans’ side were denied a fifth straight league win as Elkan Baggott’s first-half header for Gillingham cancelled out Danny Rose’s opener.
The point was enough to keep Stevenage clear of Leyton Orient and Northampton, who drew 0-0 at the Breyer Group Stadium. Orient defender Daniel Happe’s first-half header hit the crossbar, while Northampton played most of the second half with 10 men after midfielder Ben Fox was shown a straight red card.
Mansfield extended their unbeaten home league run this season to six matches as substitute Will Swan’s late header sealed a 2-1 win against Walsall. The promotion-chasing Stags had been pegged back by Liam Bennett before the interval after George Lapslie had given them the lead.
Andy Cook’s 13th goal of the season in all competitions sealed Bradford a 1-0 win at fellow promotion hopefuls Salford, who struck the crossbar through Callum Hendry’s first-half effort. Jack Stretton fired a second-half double as Carlisle extended their unbeaten league run to nine matches with a 3-0 home win against Doncaster. Callum Guy gave Carlisle a first-half lead and Derby loanee Stretton fired his first goals for the Cumbrians.
Grimsby climbed up to 10th after their 3-1 win at 10-man Stockport. Harry Clifton and Gavan Holohan struck in the space of six first-half minutes for the Mariners and although Paddy Madden reduced the deficit, Alex Hunt’s stoppage-time effort sealed all three points. Stockport midfielder Callum Camps received a straight red card for a reckless high tackle.
Rochdale made it three wins from four as goals in either half from Liam Kelly and Scott Quigley secured them a 2-1 home victory against Barrow. Niall Canavan headed a late consolation for the visitors. Harrogate ended their eight-game winless league run by beating Hartlepool 2-1 at the EnviroVent Stadium. Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon gave Harrogate a 2-0 half-time lead before Josh Umerah’s late reply.
Tyrese Shade’s solitary second-half goal clinched Swindon a 1-0 home win against Colchester and Sutton won by the same score at AFC Wimbledon thanks to Craig Eastmond’s close-range finish.
Managerless Newport slipped to a sixth defeat in eight league games, losing 2-1 at Crawley, who climbed off the foot of the table. James Tilley and Ashley Nadesan’s header gave Crawley a two-goal lead and despite Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s reply for Newport, the home side held on.
Zian Flemming hit a 76th-minute winner to give Millwall a 2-1 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The visitors took a 44th-minute lead when Tom Bradshaw’s diving header was well saved by Max O’Leary, only for the striker to get up and shoot home from the rebound.
City responded on 71 minutes when substitute Cameron Pring’s low cross from the left was turned into his own net by Millwall skipper Shaun Hutchinson as he stretched to intercept. But an error from O’Leary, failing to collect the ball when advancing towards the edge on to claim a high ball, allowed Flemming to slot into an unguarded net from 15 yards. The City keeper saved an injury-time penalty from substitute Benek Afobe after a foul by Alex Scott on George Saville, but it counted for nothing.
Coventry ended a run of nine successive away defeats as they recorded only their second win of the season thanks to a first-half goal from Viktor Gyokeres at Cardiff. The 1-0 victory by Mark Robins’ side moved them closer to their relegation rivals with games in hand due to the problems they had at the start of the season in using the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Watford hosted Norwich in the day’s late kick-off.
Emil Riis piled the pressure on Steve Bruce as Preston extended West Brom’s winless Championship run to seven games. In a lively start, Riis converted Álvaro Fernández’s seventh-minute cross.
Grady Diangana might have levelled almost immediately for the visitors and Jed Wallace and Okay Yokuslu both went close before the break, and although West Brom enjoyed the better of the second half, they were unable to find a way past North End keeper Freddie Woodman as they slipped into the bottom three after a 1-0 defeat.
Ben Cabango struck eight minutes into stoppage time as Swansea came from behind to win 2-1 at Watford. Cabango made the decisive intervention on a night when a problem with the officials’ communications system saw 17 minutes of added time signalled and 21 played at the end of the game.
Ismaila Sarr’s 34th-minute goal handed the Hornets the advantage at the break, but the Swans were level within seven minutes of the restart thanks to Olivier Ntcham, and Cabango took full advantage when he got his head to Ryan Manning’s late cross.
Óscar Estupiñán’s first goal in six games handed managerless Hull a comeback victory over Wigan. Will Keane had headed the Latics into a 14th-minute lead, but his effort was cancelled out within seven minutes when Dimitrios Pelkas struck.
However, it was left to the Colombian Estupiñán to claim the points with a 65th-minute header from Callum Elder’s cross.
Chuba Akpom’s first-half strike ensured caretaker Middlesbrough manager Leo Percovich’s big night ended with a 1-0 victory over Birmingham.
Akpom fired the Teessiders, who parted company with Chris Wilder on Monday, into a 23rd-minute lead when he stabbed home from a corner, and they saw out the game to claim their first win in four.
Harry Clarke’s last-gasp header denied promotion-chasing Burnley victory as Stoke bounced back from their weekend nightmare to claim a creditable point.
The substitute Clarke converted Tariqe Fosu’s 87th-minute cross to snatch a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor three days after the Potters’ 4-0 home drubbing by Watford.
Connor Roberts had scored for the home side nine minutes into the second half, but Vincent Kompany’s men saw two points slip from their grasp.
Rotherham and Millwall had to make do with a point apiece as their clash at the New York Stadium ended 1-1. Dan Barlaser put the Millers ahead with a ninth-minute penalty after Jake Cooper had fouled Ben Wiles, but the visitors were back in it three minutes before the break when Zian Flemming smashed a shot into the top corner.
