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Championship MatchDay 31 Wrap-up
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Championship MatchDay 31 ended with Fulham still six points clear at the top of the Championship and 10 points clear of third placed Blackburn.
Bournemouth had seen Friday night's match against Nottingham Forest called off after Storm Eunice caused damage at the Vitality Stadium - and then Blackburn's clash with Millwall on Saturday was also postponed because of snowy conditions.
But The Cottagers could not take the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table as Huddersfield struck twice in the first half with Bobby Decordova-Reid pulling a late goal back for Fulham. The result meant that Fulham had suffered a first league defeat since December 20.
The only change in the top six, from last week, was Sheffield United who jumped up to sixth from ninth.
|
Championship table - 21st February 2022 |
|
Home |
Away |
|
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Fulham |
31 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
41 |
15 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
38 |
13 |
51 |
64 |
| 2 |
Bournemouth |
30 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
29 |
15 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
20 |
11 |
23 |
58 |
| 3 |
Blackburn |
32 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
31 |
19 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
14 |
14 |
12 |
54 |
| 4 |
QPR |
32 |
8 |
6 |
3 |
24 |
14 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
23 |
23 |
10 |
53 |
| 5 |
Huddersfield |
33 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
22 |
16 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
20 |
19 |
7 |
53 |
| 6 |
Sheff U |
31 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
23 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
22 |
10 |
50 |
| 7 |
Middlesbrough |
31 |
10 |
2 |
4 |
25 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
14 |
17 |
8 |
49 |
| 8 |
Luton |
31 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
26 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
17 |
19 |
7 |
48 |
| 9 |
N Forest |
31 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
21 |
20 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
22 |
13 |
10 |
47 |
| 10 |
Coventry |
31 |
9 |
3 |
4 |
24 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
16 |
22 |
4 |
47 |
| 11 |
West Brom |
32 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
21 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
20 |
6 |
46 |
| 12 |
Preston |
33 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
22 |
20 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
15 |
18 |
-1 |
45 |
| 13 |
Stoke |
31 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
24 |
18 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
16 |
16 |
6 |
44 |
| 14 |
Millwall |
31 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
13 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
13 |
20 |
0 |
43 |
| 15 |
Blackpool |
32 |
8 |
2 |
7 |
17 |
18 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
18 |
20 |
-3 |
42 |
| 16 |
Bristol C |
33 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
22 |
21 |
4 |
2 |
10 |
22 |
38 |
-15 |
40 |
| 17 |
Swansea |
31 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
19 |
14 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
29 |
-11 |
38 |
| 18 |
Birmingham |
33 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
21 |
21 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
18 |
30 |
-12 |
37 |
| 19 |
Cardiff |
32 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
18 |
21 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
21 |
30 |
-12 |
36 |
| 20 |
Hull |
33 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
15 |
18 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
12 |
19 |
-10 |
34 |
| 21 |
Reading ** |
32 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
23 |
34 |
5 |
1 |
10 |
16 |
28 |
-23 |
26 |
| 22 |
Derby * |
32 |
8 |
6 |
2 |
22 |
14 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
11 |
21 |
-2 |
21 |
| 23 |
Peterborough |
31 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
15 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
8 |
43 |
-38 |
21 |
| 24 |
Barnsley |
31 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
9 |
17 |
0 |
4 |
12 |
10 |
29 |
-27 |
17 |
Fulham 1 - 2 Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield stunned league leaders Fulham at Craven Cottage to maintain their Championship play-off push.
A Danny Ward strike and Duane Holmes penalty in the first half were enough to inflict Fulham's first league defeat since December.
Bobby Decordova-Reid's fierce drive pulled one back as the hosts fought to take something from the game.
But fifth-placed Huddersfield held on to close the gap to five points behind Bournemouth in second and an automatic promotion place.
Much of the pre-match build-up centred around Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who remains just one goal away from breaking Ivan Toney's Championship record of 31 in a season.
Bristol City 2 - 1 Middlesbrough
Bristol City secured a fourth consecutive home victory with a 2-1 win over promotion-chasing Middlesbrough on a memorable day at Ashton Gate.
The Robins took seven minutes to take the lead, after Antoine Semenyo found Andreas Weimann in space to slot the ball in.
Middlesbrough failed to record a shot on target until the second-half when Marcus Tavernier, Aaron Connolly and Folarin Balogun all saw chances go begging.
Semenyo doubled City's lead with 20 minutes to go and - while a late goal from Matt Crooks set up a nervous finale - it was too little too late for Middlesbrough, who fell out of the top six after Sheffield United's win.
Cardiff City 1 - 1 Blackpool
Joel Bagan's third goal in three games earned Cardiff City a draw with Blackpool in a blustery Championship encounter in the Welsh capital.
Playing with the wind in the first half, Blackpool led through captain Marvin Ekpiteta's 11th-minute header.
Bagan levelled for the much-improved home side early in the second half as he tapped in from fellow wing-back Cody Drameh's fine cross.
The draw keeps Blackpool in 15th place in the table, while Cardiff stay 19th.
| Championship MatchDay 31 ~ Results |
| Friday 18th February 2022 |
| KO | Home | Res | Away | Att |
| 19:45 | Bournemouth |
pp |
N. Forest | - |
| Saturday 19th February 2022 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
| 12:30 | Fulham |
1-2 |
Huddersfield | 19001 |
| 15:00 | Blackburn |
pp |
Millwall | - |
| 15:00 | Bristol City |
2-1 |
Middlesbrough | 20148 |
| 15:00 | Cardiff |
1-1 |
Blackpool | 19025 |
15:00 |
Coventry |
1-0 |
Barnsley |
17104 |
| 15:00 |
Derby |
1-0 |
Peterborough |
30251 |
| 15:00 |
Luton |
2-0 |
West Brom |
10021 |
| 15:00 |
Preston |
2-3 |
Reading |
12817 |
| 15:00 |
QPR |
1-1 |
Hull |
14945 |
| 15:00 |
Sheff Utd |
4-0 |
Swansea |
26564 |
| 15:00 |
Stoke |
2-2 |
Birmingham |
23502 |
|
|
Coventry City 1 - 0 Barnsley
Dominic Hyam's stoppage-time winner gave Coventry City a deserved win over basement side Barnsley.
Hyam collected a rebound on the edge of the box and smashed a shot into the bottom corner in the third of nine additional minutes.
Without a win away from home all season, Barnsley looked the perfect opponents for City to improve their stuttering home form in their first match at the Coventry Building Society Arena since the long-running row over its sale ended.
Coventry, who have not lost at home to the Tykes since 1923, moved up to 10th, three points off the top six, while Barnsley's 18th defeat in 23 matches leaves them bottom and nine points adrift of safety.
Derby County 1 - 0 Peterborough United
Louie Sibley's stoppage-time winner saw Derby edge past Peterborough United in their crucial basement match at Pride Park.
Patience finally paid off for the dominant Rams as Sibley fired a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area in the second minute of added time.
Posh had Hayden Coulson sent off 10 minutes before the break after the left-back picked up two bookings in just four minutes, but the hosts then lost skipper Tom Lawrence to a straight red card two minutes after the break when his leading arm struck Nathan Thompson.
Victory sees Wayne Rooney's Derby leapfrog their opponents on goal difference into 22nd, just five points from safety despite being deducted 21 points this season for financial breaches and going into administration.
Luton Town 2 - 0 West Bromwich Albion
Luton moved above West Bromwich Albion in the Championship table with a victory that leaves the Baggies still looking for their first win under Steve Bruce.
Albion were on top in the first half with Andy Carroll forcing Hatters goalkeeper Jed Steer into a series of saves.
But they were punished after 55 minutes when Cameron Jerome powered home a header from Kal Naismith's free kick.
Allan Campbell's drive from the edge of the box wrapped up the win seven minutes from time to leave West Brom without a win or a goal in five games.
Victory sees Luton climb to eighth in the table with West Brom dropping to 11th, four points outside the playoff places.
| Championship MatchDay 32 ~ Fixtures |
| Tuesday 22nd February 2022 |
| KO | Home | Away | TV |
| 19:45 | Bristol City |
Coventry | Sky |
| 19:45 | Hull |
Barnsley | Sky |
| 19:45 | Middlesbrough |
West Brom | Sky |
| 19:45 | Preston |
N. Forest | Sky |
| 19:45 | Swansea |
Bournemouth | Sky |
| 20.00 | Reading |
Birmingham | Sky |
| Wednesday 23rd February 2022 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
| 19:45 | Derby |
Millwall | Sky |
| 19:45 | Fulham |
Peterborough | Sky |
| 19:45 | Huddersfield |
Cardiff | Sky |
| 19:45 | QPR |
Blackpool | Sky |
| 19:45 | Sheff Utd |
Blackburn | Sky |
| 19:45 | Stoke |
Luton | Sky |
|
|
Preston North End 2 - 3 Reading
Lucas Joao's early double helped ease Reading's relegation fears - but a first win in 13 games was not enough to keep Royals boss Veljko Paunovic in his job.
Victory at Preston moved the Royals five points clear of the bottom three in 21st place but Reading announced the departure of their Serbian manager soon after the final whistle.
Portuguese striker Joao stunned Preston by putting the visitors 2-0 up inside the opening 20 minutes.
John Swift extended the Royals' advantage early in the second half, only for Daniel Johnson to cut the deficit immediately.
Cameron Archer made it 3-2 with his third goal in four games but Reading clung on to secure the points.
Queens Park Rangers 1 - 1 Hull City
QPR's winless Championship run stretched to four games after they were held at home by struggling Hull.
On-loan Brentford striker Marcus Forss put the Tigers ahead with a shot that went in off the bar.
The game was held up for 15 minutes when Hull goalkeeper Matt Ingram was stretchered off, and Ilias Chair levelled soon afterwards for the R's.
But Ingram's replacement, teenager Harvey Cartwright, did enough to secure a point for the visitors.
Sheffield United 4 - 0 Swansea City
In-form Sheffield United moved into the Championship play-off places with a dominant victory over Swansea at Bramall Lane.
The hosts were relentless in the first half, going ahead when Morgan Gibbs-White calmly flicked home after Oliver Norwood's delightful clipped pass in behind.
George Baldock doubled the lead with an excellent arrowed volley off the underside of the bar from 12 yards and Gibbs-White then fed Billy Sharp, who lifted the ball over the sprawling Andy Fisher to put the Blades 3-0 up at the break.
Swansea offered nothing in attack and Sharp turned provider for Sheffield United's fourth, rolling the ball back for the outstanding Gibbs-White to side-foot into the far corner.
Paul Heckingbottom's side have now lost only one of their past 14 league games, winning nine of them, and rise to sixth after Middlesbrough were beaten at Bristol City.
The Swans, meanwhile, drop a place to 17th as their season looks set to peter out under Russell Martin.
Stoke City 2 - 2 Birmingham City
Birmingham City let slip an early lead in the Potteries, but then battled back to get a point as their Midlands derby with Stoke City ended all square.
Teenage midfielder Jordan James put Blues ahead with his first goal for the club on 12 minutes before Tyrese Campbell levelled on 25 minutes with his first league goal for the Potters in over two months.
Campbell then put Stoke ahead on 52 minutes, only for Gary Gardner to level it up again just six minutes later with his fifth Championship goal of the season.
After a game of only six shots on target, of which four went in, Michael O'Neill's Stoke are 13th in the Championship, but only six points off the play-off places, while Blues remain 18th, seven points behind the Potters.
But, although their vocal 2,067-strong away end could not inspire a first away win since 30 October, Blues are now 16 points clear of trouble and demonstrating battling performances under head coach Lee Bowyer, 11 months on from his appointment, along with technical director Craig Gardner and new managing director Ian Dutton.