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Championship MatchDay 23 Wrap-up
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Championship MatchDay 23 ended with Fulham still firmly placed at the top of the Championship table with a two point gap to second placed Bournemouth and a three point gap to third placed Blackburn .
Fulham 0-1 Sheffield United
Stuttering Championship leaders Fulham were beaten by Sheffield United who continued their winning start to life under Paul Heckingbottom with Iliman Ndiaye's excellent solo goal.
Ndiaye broke from his own half before sliding an inch-perfect shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards in the first meaningful attack of the game.
The hosts, who had drawn their previous four games, dominated possession but struggled to really threaten the Blades goal for most of the match.
Championship top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic smashed an effort against the angle of the post and crossbar in time added on before Harry Wilson sent the rebound way off target as the visitors hung on for three points.
Defeat ended Fulham's 11-match unbeaten run but they are now without a victory in their past five games and are just three points clear of third-placed Blackburn.
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Championship table - 21st December 2021 |
|
Home |
Away |
|
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Fulham |
23 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
24 |
8 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
27 |
11 |
32 |
45 |
| 2 |
Bournemouth |
23 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
23 |
13 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
14 |
7 |
17 |
43 |
| 3 |
Blackburn |
23 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
28 |
16 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
13 |
11 |
14 |
42 |
| 4 |
West Brom |
23 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
41 |
| 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 |
N Forest |
23 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
14 |
16 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
18 |
9 |
7 |
34 |
| 8 |
Coventry |
22 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
20 |
10 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
16 |
3 |
34 |
| 9 |
Middlesbrough |
23 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
16 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
11 |
2 |
33 |
| 10 |
Huddersfield |
23 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
12 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
13 |
15 |
1 |
33 |
| 11 |
Sheff U |
22 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
11 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
14 |
17 |
1 |
32 |
| 12 |
Millwall |
22 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
14 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
13 |
0 |
30 |
| 13 |
Blackpool |
23 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
13 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
13 |
14 |
-4 |
30 |
| 14 |
Luton |
22 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
13 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
14 |
14 |
4 |
29 |
| 15 |
Preston |
22 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
12 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
16 |
-4 |
28 |
| 16 |
Swansea |
22 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
14 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
12 |
19 |
-5 |
27 |
| 17 |
Birmingham |
23 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
14 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
10 |
16 |
-8 |
27 |
| 18 |
Bristol C |
23 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
11 |
13 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
15 |
22 |
-9 |
27 |
| 19 |
Hull |
23 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
11 |
14 |
3 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
14 |
-8 |
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 |
23 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
14 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
6 |
33 |
-24 |
19 |
| 23 |
Barnsley |
23 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
15 |
0 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
19 |
-19 |
14 |
| 24 |
Derby * |
22 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
13 |
11 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
-3 |
4 |
|
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Middlesbrough 1 - 0 AFC Bournemouth
Andraz Sporar scored from the penalty spot as Middlesbrough moved closer to the Championship play-off places with victory over second-placed Bournemouth, who missed the chance to go top.
Bournemouth created plenty of chances to get something out of the match but Anthony, Dominic Solanke and Ryan Christie were all guilty of wasting clear opportunities.
The Cherries would have gone above Fulham with victory at the Riverside, with the leaders not playing until Monday, but Scott Parker's side have stumbled since the end of October.
They are now without a win in six games and have only won one of their past eight, allowing chasing West Brom and Blackburn to close the gap.
Middlesbrough, meanwhile, are ninth in the table after a third win in four games, only two points off a play-off spot, underlining their improvement under Chris Wilder.lesbrough 1 - 0 AFC Bournemouth
Barnsley 0 - 0 West Bromwich Albion
Valerien Ismael's West Bromwich Albion failed in their bid to draw level with second-placed Bournemouth as they were once again denied victory by Barnsley on a bogey ground where they have not won in 74 years.
On his first return to a foggy Oakwell since leaving to join Albion in May, Ismael's men were the better side but were denied by a combination of the woodwork and some heroic defending.
West Brom remain third in the Championship - but, after a week in which Chinese owner Guochuan Lai made his first visit to the club in three years, they now know more than ever that they need to strengthen up front in January after failing to score in four of their past six games.
Instead, it was Ismael's former club who had more to celebrate as new Barnsley boss Poya Asbaghi eked out a third draw in four games - to edge within seven points of safety.
| Championship MatchDay 23 ~ Results |
| Friday 17th December 2021 |
| KO | Home | Res | Away | Att |
| 19:45 | Barnsley |
0-0 |
West Brom | - |
| Saturday 18th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
| 12:30 | Middlesbrough |
1-0 |
Bournemouth | 18323 |
| 12:30 | Cardiff |
P |
Derby | - |
| 15:00 | Blackburn |
4-0 |
Birmingham | 12148 |
| 15:00 | Blackpool |
3-1 |
Peterborough | 9745 |
| 15:00 | Bristol City |
2-3 |
Huddersfield | 18169 |
| 15:00 | Coventry |
P |
Stoke | - |
| 15:00 | Millwall |
P |
Preston | - |
| 15:00 | N. Forest |
2-1 |
Hull | 26513 |
| 15:00 | QPR |
P |
Swansea | - |
| 15:00 | Reading |
P |
Luton | - |
| Monday 20th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
|
19:45 | Fulham |
0-1 |
Sheff Utd | 17308 |
|
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Blackburn Rovers 4 - 0 Birmingham City
Impressive Blackburn Rovers moved to within a point of the Championship's top two as they brushed aside feeble Birmingham to record a fifth successive victory.
With goals from John Buckley, Reda Khadra and two from in-form striker Ben Brereton Diaz, Rovers fully capitalised on second-placed Bournemouth's defeat at Middlesbrough earlier on Saturday.
Buckley steered Rovers ahead after Matija Sarkic parried Ryan Nyambe's cross straight to the unmarked midfielder, while Khadra rounded the keeper from Darragh Lenihan's through ball to double the lead.
Brereton Diaz scored from the spot after being upended by Sarkic and then took his league tally to 19 for the season by nodding in a cross from Dan Butterworth, who had struck the bar moments earlier.
Blues slipped to 17th after a poor display, although Chuks Aneke, on his first league start since joining from Charlton in the summer, did hit the crossbar from 25 yards when the score was only 1-0.
Blackpool 3 - 1 Peterborough United
Blackpool won for the first time in eight games to ensure struggling Peterborough will spend Christmas in the Championship relegation zone.
Siriki Dembele rounded Tangerines goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw to fire Posh ahead after 11 minutes.
Blackpool responded well and deservedly equalised after 27 minutes through Keshi Anderson's close-range finish.
Sonny Carey put the hosts ahead with four minutes left and fellow substitute Jerry Yates bundled in a late third.
Victory saw Blackpool move up to 12th, five points off the play-off spots, but Peterborough remain in the bottom three, two points from safety, ahead of a crucial date with 21st-placed Reading on 26 December.
Championship MatchDay 24
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| Sunday 26th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
| 15:00 | Barnsley |
Stoke | SKY |
| 15:00 | Cardiff |
Coventry | SKY |
| 15:00 | Fulham |
Birmingham | - |
| 15:00 | Huddersfield |
Blackpool | SKY |
| 15:00 | Hull |
Blackburn | SKY |
| 15:00 | Luton |
Bristol City | SKY |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough |
N. Forest | SKY |
| 15:00 | Millwall |
Swansea | - |
| 15:00 | Peterborough |
Reading | - |
| 15:00 | Preston |
Sheff Utd | - |
| Monday 27th December 2021 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
| 15:00 | Derby |
West Brom | SKY |
| 17:30 | QPR |
Bournemouth | SKY |
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Bristol City 2 - 3 Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield secured their first away victory since September as they beat Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Andi Weimann opened the scoring for the home side after just two minutes, before Danny Ward missed a penalty at the other end for the visitors.
Duane Holmes brought Huddersfield level just before half-time and Danel Sinani edged the visitors ahead again seconds after the restart.
Ward doubled the Terriers' lead not long after and there was a lengthy break in play with 20 minutes to go as a small section of people in the Bristol City crowd repeatedly threw objects onto the pitch as Huddersfield tried to take a corner.
The referee temporarily moved the players to the touchline before the game re-started five minutes later and while Weimann pulled one back deep into added time, it was too little too late as Huddersfield wrapped up a first win on the road in eight matches.
Nottingham Forest 2 - 1 Hull City
Nottingham Forest came from a goal down to beat Hull City and move within a point of the Championship play-off places.
Having dominated much of the first period, Forest went in behind as Keane Lewis-Potter got on the end of Sean McLoughlin's excellent long ball, cut inside Djed Spence and fired in right-footed.
But Forest won a penalty six minutes after the break when Alex Mighten went down in the box and Lewis Grabban converted.
The hosts deservedly went ahead when Brennan Johnson superbly chested down Grabban's cross from the right and coolly side-footed home from six yards.
Seventh-placed Forest extended their unbeaten run to nine matches with a third successive victory while Grant McCann's side were beaten for the first time in seven games and stay 19th, four points off the relegation places.
Cardiff City v Derby County Postponed
Coventry City v Stoke City Postponed
Millwall v Preston North End Postponed
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City Postponed
Reading v Luton Town Postponed