Roundup of a dramatic matchweek in the Sky Bet Championship across both ends of the table.
A significant matchweek saw a change of leader at the summit heading into a blockbuster showdown between the top two within the next matchweek this coming weekend.
There also was a change in the scrap for survival whilst midweek’s selection of rearranged action saw a dramatic comeback in a seven-goal thriller at the King Power Stadium, amidst a missed opportunity for one team to climb into the last play-off position of sixth place.
Weekend
Coventry began the weekend sat top of the table but stuttered to a goalless draw at home to second-bottom Oxford United.
Middlesbrough subsequently took advantage of Coventry’s stumble to move onto the summit with a 2-1 victory at Sheffield United, as Tommy Conway and Riley McGree scored in the first half before Patrick Bamford pulled a goal back for the Blades who finished a man down after Joe Rothwell was red carded. ]
Lewis Travis’ headed own-goal and Leif Davis’ finish saw Ipswich climb to third with a 2-1 win at Derby despite Rhian Brewster’s equalising penalty for the Rams, although the hosts finished with ten men after a late red card was shown to Travis.
Hull consequently slipped to fourth after Kieran Dowell netted a consolatory goal in a 3-2 loss at home to Bristol City, having initially led through Oli McBurnie before Rob Atkinson, Ross McCrorie and Emil Riis Jakobsen sealed the Robins’ comeback despite a squirrel causing a second-half stoppage.
Fifth-placed Millwall won 2-0 away at sixth-placed Wrexham through Max Cleworth’s own-goal and Josh Coburn’s late finish.
Down in the relegation zone, rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday slumped to a 4-0 loss at Swansea as Goncalo Franco opened the scoring, before Zan Vipotnik’s brace and Malick Yalcouye’s first goal for the club sealed victory.
Anis Ben Slimane and Mohamed Toure’s second-half goals saw Norwich beat Blackburn 2-0 at Carrow Road which dropped the latter to third-bottom.
Leicester sat above the bottom three on goal difference after Abdul Fatawu’s equaliser wasn’t enough in a 2-1 loss at Birmingham amidst a red card for Bobby Decordova-Reid, as Ibrahim Osman opened the scoring for the hosts before Jay Stansfield netted a 67th-minute winner.
West Brom moved out of the relegation zone by a single point after they held Stoke to a goalless draw.
Elsewhere, Cyle Larin’s header saw Southampton snatch a 70th-minute winner at home to Watford.
Alfie Devine headed in a 40th-minute winner as Preston scraped a 1-0 victory at home to Portsmouth.
Charlton held QPR to a goalless draw in a London derby at The Valley.
Midweek
Birmingham missed a chance to move up to sixth after they were held at St Andrew’s by West Brom to a 0-0 draw.
Toure’s hat-trick saw Norwich cruise to a 3-0 victory at Oxford Utd.
Shea Charles’ 96th-minute strike saw Southampton complete a 4-3 victory at Leicester from 3-0 down, as Divin Mukasa, Patson Daka and Fatawu put the Foxes ahead at half-time, before Ross Stewart, Jack Stephens and Ryan Manning dragged the Saints level.
Tyrese Campbell’s 84th-minute winner saw Charlton scrape past Stoke at The Valley.
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