2018-19 Sky Bet Championship: Week 20 Roundup

Norwich remain top of Sky Bet Championship after a weekend in which the table started to spread out.

A Teemu Pukki brace either side of Max Aarons’ header saw the Canaries complete a comeback win against Rotherham United, having initially gone behind to a Ricky Towell rebound.

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Leeds United remain second with after a Pablo Hernandez side footer proved the difference against now sixth placed Sheffield United, ahead of West Bromwich Albion who leapfrogged into third with a draw against Brentford, after Lewis MacLeod cancelled out Harvey Barnes’ opener for the Baggies. 

The Baggies however are now four points behind Leeds but move above Middlesbrough on goal difference following a 3-0 home loss to Aston Villa. With that win, the Villains are now three points outside the top six and unbeaten in their last five. 

Nottingham Forest meanwhile are up into the Play-Off spots and fifth position as a first-half Lewis Grabban double saw off bottom placed Ipswich Town. 

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Hull City saw off QPR 3-2 to move out of the relegation zone, dropping Bolton and Millwall back into the bottom three after both sides drew 1-1 with Wigan and Bristol City respectively.  

Reading only remain outside the drop zone on goal difference after a late Modou Barrow effort secured a 2-2 draw against Stoke, who had came from behind to lead 2-1 with 21 minutes remaining after Marc McNulty’s opener for the Royals. 

Elsewhere, Derby saw off Swansea through a Harry Wilson double despite Fikayo Tomori putting a corner into his own goal late on to concede.

Blackburn Rovers are now tenth after taking a commanding win in a thriller against Sheffield Wednesday.

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A Danny Graham rebound off Cameron Dawson’s spilled save from Bradley Dack produced the only first half goal, before returning the favour early in second half for Dack to tap in and make it 2-0.

Wednesday then hit back in 62nd minute when Lucas Joao smashed in a long range volley, only for Graham to net his second rebound four minutes later to restore Blackburn’s two goal lead.

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Barry Bannan then produced a solid chip five minutes from time over David Raya to set up a grandstand finish.

In the end, Richie Smallwood set up Dack for a brace but the former Gillingham midfielder passed to Graham who completed his hat trick and a 4-2 win for Blackburn. 

Finally, Birmingham City saw off Preston North End with all three goals coming in second half.