Sheffield Wednesday won just their second game of the season at the expense of Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City stayed on top with a narrow win at playoff-chasing West Bromwich Albion.
Meanwhile, Norwich City picked up a third win in four matches and Queens Park Rangers stunned Preston North End on Friday evening, becoming the first of two teams in the bottom three to be victorious this weekend.
Let’s take a look at all the action that the EFL Championship had to offer this weekend.
Preston North End 0-2 Queens Park Rangers
Beginning with Friday evening’s game at Deepdale, an impressive QPR side ran out 2-0 winners to move to within three points of safety. Paul Smyth and Chris Willock bagged the goals and the brilliant Ilias Chair managed to assist both in what was Rangers’ second consecutive victory, the first of the season.
West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Leicester City
Onto Saturday lunchtime and a mammoth fixture took place between table-topping Leicester City and play-off-chasing West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies put up a great fight but eventually went down 2-1 in the game’s final embers, with goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harry Winks for the Foxes coming either side of a Josh Maja strike for West Brom.
Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
Hillsborough rocked once again this week as Sheffield Wednesday have now taken four points from the last six available to them, including an impressive draw against the league leaders Leicester City in midweek.
Bailey Cadamateri scored his first senior goal for the club at the age of just 18 and in only his second senior appearance. Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass bagged the other goals for the Owls. The league’s top scorer Sammie Szmodics managed to score his 14th goal this term but it wasn’t to be for Rovers who now have two wins and two draws from four matches.
Bristol City 1-2 Norwich City 2
Moving onto Sunday’s clash between two promotion chasers, Bristol City hosted a revitalised Norwich City side at Ashton Gate, with the latter picking up their third win from four games. It would seem David Wagner has turned it around for the Canaries.
Jason Knight fired the home side in front but the visitors came back with a vengeance, grabbing an equaliser in the second half through a George Tanner own goal. Adam Idah won it for the visitors with one of the last kicks of the game to clinch all three points.
Leeds United 3-2 Middlesbrough
In a five-goal thriller in a bitterly cold West Yorkshire, Leeds United came out on top. Emmanuel Latte Lath opened the scoring in the third minute by just four minutes later, it was 2-1 to the home side, with Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville putting the Peacocks ahead.
Joel Piroe extended Leeds’ lead from the penalty spot just a few minutes from the interval, but right on half-time, Latte Lath scored again, clawing Boro’s second to make it 3-2. Daniel Farke’s side managed to hold on in the end after a breathtaking first 45 minutes from both teams.
Southampton 2-0 Cardiff City
Southampton moved back into fourth in the table with a routine 2-0 win against Cardiff City. Adam Armstrong scored both goals for the Saints, taking his tally to 12 goals for the season, just two behind Blackburn’s Szmodics.
Hull City 1-2 Watford
Playoff-chasing Hull City were stung by the Hornets as Watford came to town. Edo Kayembe opened the scoring for the visitors before Scott Twine equalised two minutes. However, a moment of sheer class occurred as Wesley Hoedt spotted Ryan Alsop off his line and unleashed a lob from very close to the halfway line.
The win takes Watford to within three points of the home side who occupy the final play-off position.
Ipswich Town 2-1 Coventry City
Ipswich Town kept themselves within a point of table-toppers Leicester City by battling past a resolute Coventry City side. George Hirst opened the scoring for the Tractor Boys before Wes Burns unleashed a wicked trivela with the outside of his boot from the edge of the area. A Ben Williams own goal was the consolation for the away side who left Portman Road empty-handed.
Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Stoke City
Plymouth Argyle overtook Stoke City in the table by winning 2-1 at Home Park, with the goals coming from Tyrese Campbell for the visitors before Mustapha Bundall equalised for the Pilgrims. Homegrown Adam Randell won it in the final seconds for the southern-based side.
The Rest Of The Action
Huddersfield drew 1-1 away at Swansea City, with Ben Cabango scoring an own goal for the away side before Charlie Patino equalised for the hosts but neither side could find the winner.
Meanwhile, Sunderland’s poor form continued as the Black Cats were held to a 1-1 draw at The Den against strugglers Millwall. Kevin Nesbit broke the deadlock just before half-time but a Jack Clarke spot-kick 12 minutes from time grabbed a point for Tony Mowbray’s side.
Finally, managerless Rotherham United played out the only goalless draw of the weekend against Birmingham City. Wayne Rooney’s blues continued as the Blues are now seven points off relegation and the promotion places.
