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Championship MatchDay 22 Wrap-up
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Championship MatchDay 22 ended with Fulham still firmly placed at the top of the Championship table with a two point gap to second placed Bournemouth. Third placed West Brom ended the MatchDay three points below Bournemouth.
There were four home wins, two away wins and five draws with a total of 27 goals. The highest scoring game of the day was Nottingham Forest's 4-1 away
win at Swansea City. There were 44 yellows, an above average 4 a game, and no reds.
Luton Town 1 - 1 Fulham
Fulham were denied a victory that would have put them four points clear at the top of the Championship when former Fulham youth player Elijah Adebayo scored a second-half equaliser for Luton.
The Whites, who have now drawn four matches in a row, went ahead through Aleksandar Mitrovic's 22nd goal of the season.
Mitrovic was on hand to tap in the loose ball after Tosin Adarabioyo's header from Harry Wilson's free-kick had been cleared off the line by Sonny Bradley.
But Luton hit back via a free-kick of their own, with Adebayo heading home James Bree's excellent delivery.
Fulham are unbeaten in 11 matches, while Luton have won just one of their past six.
But this was a useful point for the Hatters - and a missed opportunity for the west London side in light of second-placed Bournemouth losing 2-0 at home to Blackburn.
However, they are two points clear of the Cherries, five clear of third-placed West Brom, and very much on course for a return to the Premier League.
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Championship table - 13th December 2021 |
|
Home |
Away |
|
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Fulham |
22 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
24 |
7 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
27 |
11 |
33 |
45 |
| 2 |
Bournemouth |
22 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
23 |
13 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
14 |
6 |
18 |
43 |
| 3 |
West Brom |
22 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
40 |
| 4 |
Blackburn |
22 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
24 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
39 |
| 5 |
QPR |
21 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
16 |
10 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
17 |
17 |
6 |
35 |
| 6 |
Stoke |
22 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
15 |
9 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
11 |
12 |
5 |
35 |
| 7 |
Coventry |
22 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
20 |
10 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
16 |
3 |
34 |
| 8 |
N Forest |
22 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
12 |
15 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
18 |
9 |
6 |
31 |
| 9 |
Middlesbrough |
22 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
11 |
1 |
30 |
| 10 |
Huddersfield |
22 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
12 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
10 |
13 |
0 |
30 |
| 11 |
Millwall |
22 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
14 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
13 |
0 |
30 |
| 12 |
Luton |
22 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
13 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
14 |
14 |
4 |
29 |
| 13 |
Sheff U |
21 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
11 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
13 |
17 |
0 |
29 |
| 14 |
Preston |
22 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
12 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
16 |
-4 |
28 |
| 15 |
Birmingham |
22 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
14 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
10 |
12 |
-4 |
27 |
| 16 |
Swansea |
22 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
14 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
12 |
19 |
-5 |
27 |
| 17 |
Blackpool |
22 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
13 |
14 |
-6 |
27 |
| 18 |
Bristol C |
22 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
9 |
10 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
15 |
22 |
-8 |
27 |
| 19 |
Hull |
22 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
14 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
12 |
-7 |
23 |
| 20 |
Cardiff |
22 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
18 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
16 |
21 |
-14 |
22 |
| 21 |
Reading ** |
22 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
16 |
16 |
4 |
0 |
7 |
11 |
18 |
-7 |
21 |
| 22 |
Peterborough |
22 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
14 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
5 |
30 |
-22 |
19 |
| 23 |
Barnsley |
22 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
15 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
19 |
-19 |
13 |
| 24 |
Derby * |
22 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
13 |
11 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
-3 |
4 |
|
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AFC Bournemouth 0 - 2 Blackburn Rovers
Bournemouth's stuttering form continued as the second-placed Cherries lost 2-0 to fellow Championship high-fliers Blackburn.
Rovers - who stay in fourth place - took the lead somewhat against the run of play as top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz's shot from a tight angle came off the bar and went in off Ben Pearson.
Jan Paul van Hecke's powerful header from Joe Rothwell's corner midway through the second half sealed the three points for Rovers.
Scott Parker's side, who have now won just once in seven games, are now only two points behind leaders Fulham while Rovers are four points behind the Cherries and one off third-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Blackburn have now won their past four games without conceding a goal and taken 22 points from a possible 27 in their past nine matches.
West Bromwich Albion 1 - 0 Reading
West Bromwich Albion made it back-to-back Championship wins as they scored the only goal of the game to beat Reading.
The Covid-hit Baggies only played after being refused permission by the English Football League to postpone the fixture.
But Callum Robinson got the winner on 62 minutes to cement the Baggies' place in third - and extend the Championship's only unbeaten home record to 11 matches.
Following Karlan Grant's run, Robinson fired deftly in off the underside of the bar. It was his first goal for Albion since August, when he netted in three successive games, although he has scored six times for the Republic of Ireland (including a hat-trick in a friendly against Qatar) since then.
Reading remain 21st, just two points clear of danger, having won just two of their past 20 games going into next Saturday's home match against Luton Town.
| Championship MatchDay 22 ~ Results |
| Saturday 11th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
AwReay | Att |
| 12:30 | Huddersfield |
1-1 |
Coventry | 16493 |
| 15:00 | Bournemouth |
0-2 |
Blackburn | 10064 |
| 15:00 | Birmingham |
2-2 |
Cardiff | 17840 |
| 15:00 | Derby |
1-0 |
Blackpool | 21663 |
| 15:00 | Hull |
2-2 |
Bristol City | 10446 |
|
15:00 | Luton |
1-1 |
Fulham | 9992 |
| 15:00 | Peterborough |
2-1 |
Millwall | 9140 |
| 15:00 | Preston |
2-1 |
Barnsley | 11106 |
| 15:00 | Stoke |
0-0 |
Middlesbrough | 21140 |
| 15:00 | Swansea |
1-4 |
N. Forest | 17659 |
| 15:00 | West Brom |
1-0 |
Reading | 11109 |
| Monday 13th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
| 14:30 | Sheff Utd |
P |
QPR | - |
|
|
Stoke City 0 - 0 Middlesbrough
Stoke City and Middlesbrough took a point each from a game of few clear-cut chances in the Championship.
There were only two efforts on target throughout the match, with the Potters' Tyrese Campbell shooting wide after being put through on goal.
Boro's Duncan Watmore slipped at the crucial moment when trying to tap the ball in, while team-mate Andraz Sporar smashed a volley over the bar in the second half.
Stoke remain in the play-off places in sixth, with Middlesbrough three places below them.
Swansea City 1 - 4 Nottingham Forest
Boss Steve Cooper savoured his first return to Swansea City as his Nottingham Forest side made it eight games unbeaten with a thumping 4-1 win.
Philip Zinckernagel drilled Forest ahead before Lewis Grabban swept home to double their lead.
Joel Piroe's deflected volley gave Swansea hope but Brennan Johnson tapped in after Ben Hamer's mistake.
Swansea missed chances to get back into the contest before Cafu drove home Forest's fourth right at the end.
The visitors climb to eighth in the Championship, having lost only once in 15 matches, while Swansea drop to 16th.
Huddersfield Town 1 - 1 Coventry City
Coventry City came from behind again to earn their fourth draw in five games as Matt Godden's injury-time header rescued a point for the late-goal specialists at Huddersfield.
Former Sky Blues loan man Danny Ward's well-struck left-foot 20-yard shot in the first half looked like it would prove the only goal.
But, in the 93rd minute, fit-again Jodi Jones, making only his sixth substitute appearance after two almost totally lost seasons through injury, cut back in down the right to curl over a wicked left-foot cross - and Godden's deft glance was enough.
A point each for seventh-placed Coventry and Huddersfield, who climbed two places from 11th to ninth, still leaves both sides with only one win now in seven games.
| Championship MatchDay 23 ~ Fixtures |
| Friday 17th December 2021 |
| KO | Home | Away | TV |
| 19:45 | Barnsley |
West Brom | SKY |
| Saturday 18th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
| 12:30 | Middlesbrough |
Bournemouth | SKY |
| 12:30 | Cardiff |
Derby | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn |
Birmingham | |
| 15:00 | Blackpool |
Peterborough | |
| 15:00 | Bristol City |
Huddersfield | |
| 15:00 | Coventry |
Stoke | |
| 15:00 | Millwall |
Preston | |
| 15:00 | N. Forest |
Hull | |
| 15:00 | QPR |
Swansea | |
| 15:00 | Reading |
Luton | |
| Monday 20th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
|
19:45 | Fulham |
Sheff Utd | SKY |
|
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Birmingham City 2 - 2 Cardiff City
Cardiff City defender Mark McGuinness headed home an injury-time equaliser as the Bluebirds came from 2-0 down to draw with Birmingham City.
Lee Bowyer's Blues looked to have a comfortable lead at the break, following goals from Troy Deeney and Ivan Sunjic.
But Kieffer Moore pulled one back midway through the second half before McGuinness met Joe Ralls' 91st-minute cross to find the bottom left corner.
The Welsh side stay 20th ahead of next Saturday lunchtime's home date with Wayne Rooney's Derby County, while Blues, five points better off, climb a place to 15th ahead of next week's trip to Blackburn.
Hull City 2 - 2 Bristol City
Hull City extended their unbeaten run to six matches but were denied a victory by Bristol City's stoppage-time equaliser.
Ryan Longman gave the Tigers an early lead. City were toothless before the break, but were rewarded for a good start to the second half when Antoine Semenyo drilled home after his initial shot hit the post.
George Honeyman tapped Hull ahead after Keane Lewis-Potter had been denied by Bentley's fine save, but Matty James fired in deep into added time from the edge of the box.
Having picked up just nine points for their first 16 matches of the season after promotion, Grant McCann's side have now earned 14 in an unbeaten run of six matches.
Peterborough United 2 - 1 Millwall
Super-sub Jonson Clarke-Harris earned Peterborough a first victory in eight matches as they came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Millwall.
The striker responded to being benched against the Lions by helping to force an own goal from Danny McNamara before four minutes later volleying home to secure a second-half turnaround for Posh, who desperately needed the win as they attempt to move out of the relegation places.
The goals were the first for Posh in their last six matches.
The result was a blow for Millwall's promotion chances as they missed the chance to keep the pressure on the sides in the play-offs.
Preston North End 2 - 1 Barnsley
Preston North End's new boss Ryan Lowe started his reign with three points as his side beat Barnsley in the Championship.
Alan Browne's close-range strike opened the scoring for the Lilywhites, before Cauley Woodrow levelled the match with a header.
Daniel Johnson's neat finish restored the lead to delight the home crowd at Deepdale.
Victory saw Preston move up to 14th in the table, while Barnsley remain next to bottom, eight points from safety, and without a win since Poya Asbaghi took over as head coach.
Derby County 1 - 0 Blackpool
Teenager Luke Plange scored on his first senior start for Derby as Wayne Rooney's side beat Blackpool at Pride Park.
The 19-year-old striker followed up to tap in after Chris Maxwell had pushed Kamil Jozwiak's effort onto the post following good play by Max Bird and Tom Lawrence.
Derby moved to four points - having had 21 deducted by the English Football League - and 17 adrift at the foot of the table.
Blackpool's third successive defeat saw them drop two places to 17th, but still eight points clear of the relegation places.