Championship Matchday 39 Review

Championship Results - MatchDay 39
KO	Home		Away	TV
Friday March 30th 2018
13:00	Millwall	2-0	N. Forest
13:00	Barnsley	2-2	Bristol C
15:00	Brentford	1-1	Sheff Utd
15:00	Cardiff	3-1	Burton
15:00	Leeds	2-1	Bolton
15:00	Norwich	0-2	Fulham
15:00	Sheff Wed	4-1	Preston
17:30	Middlesbrough	1-2	Wolves	Sky
17:30	Reading	1-0	QPR
19:45	Derby	1-4	Sunderland	Sky
Saturday March 31st 2018
15:00	Birmingham	1-0	Ipswich
17:30	Hull	0-0	Aston Villa	Sky
League Table

Wolves and Cardiff matched each other at the top of the Championship on Friday, the two promotion favourites both winning.

Cardiff went first, closing to within three points as they recorded an eighth win in a row, seeing Burton off 3-1.

Kenneth Zohore, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Callum Paterson all scored for the hosts, while Darren Bent was on target for Burton.

But Wolves replied, winning 2-1 at Middlesbrough to return the gap to six. They need just three more wins to secure promotion now, with Helder Costa and Ivan Cavaleiro scoring.

Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty were then sent off, and Patrick Bamford pulled one back, but Wolves held on.

Sunderland climbed off the bottom of the Championship table after stunning promotion-chasing Derby 4-1 at a rain-lashed Pride Park

Chris Coleman's team ended a 10-match winless run with first-half goals from George Honeyman and Ashley Fletcher setting them on their way before Matej Vydra replied with his 18th Championship goal of the season. But Derby never looked like ending their seven-game run without a victory as Sunderland boosted their chances of avoiding relegation.

Shaun Williams scored after just 27 seconds as Millwall beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 in the early kick-off to maintain their play-off push.

The win extends the Lions' unbeaten run to 13 league matches and takes them within one point of the top six with seven matches remaining. Williams' first-minute header put Neil Harris' men in charge before Lee Gregory's 10th goal of the season doubled their advantage before the break.

Quickfire goals from Stefan Johansen and Tom Cairney in the second half inspired third-place Fulham to a 2-0 win at Norwich.

Fulham remain seven points off second-placed Cardiff after extending their unbeaten run to 17 league games.

Bristol City missed the chance to break into the play-off spots but claimed a share of the spoils in their 2-2 draw with struggling Barnsley thanks to Josh Brownhill's late goal.

New Reading manager Paul Clement made a winning start as his 10-man side eased their Championship relegation fears with a 1-0 home win over QPR.

Sone Aluko's fine individual goal in the first half secured the Royals' first victory in 10 matches, moving them six points clear of the bottom three.

Sheffield United and Brentford both had a man sent off as they drew 1-1 at Griffin Park.

United goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and Ryan Woods were shown straight red cards for clashing as the Brentford man attempted to grab the ball.

Atdhe Nuhiu netted a brace as Sheffield Wednesday beat play-off hopefuls Preston 4-1.

Lucas Joao and fit-again Fernando Forestieri were also on the scoresheet for the Owls, while Louis Moult scored for the visitors.

Caleb Ekuban and Pablo Hernandez scored for Leeds as they beat Bolton 2-1.

Adam Le Fondre's second-half effort kept the visitors in the game but Leeds managed to hold on to seal all three points.

On Saturday Birmingham did themselves a big favour by winning 1-0 at home against Ipswich Town. The result lifted themselves out of the relegation zone at the expense of mid-table Ipswich.

Later in the day Aston Villa's automatic promotion chances suffered a blow as they were held to a goalless draw at Hull leaving Villa two points below Fulham



Millwall moved to within a point of the Championship play-off places with victory against Nottingham Forest.

Shaun Williams put the hosts in front after 27 seconds, heading past Costel Pantilimon from Ben Marshall's cross.

Marshall helped double the lead before half-time, his delivery headed back across goal by Steve Morison for Lee Gregory to fire into the bottom corner.

Matty Cash fired over a rare chance after the break for Forest, who failed to score for a fourth successive game.

Aitor Karanka's visitors had far more of the possession throughout the game, but never threatened to break down a resilient Millwall side.

The Lions, promoted through the League One play-offs last season, are unbeaten in 14 home matches in all competitions, and climbed to eighth in the table.


Josh Brownhill headed a late equaliser for play-off hopefuls Bristol City to deny Barnsley their first home win in the Championship since early November.

Kieffer Moore gave the home side an early lead when he beat goalkeeper Frank Fielding to a corner to head in.

Famara Diedhiou curled home a superb equaliser, but Brad Potts fired home from eight yards for Barnsley's second.

Midfielder Brownhill, though, had the final word as he scored with a looping header from Joe Bryan's cross.

City have not won away from home for 11 games, but remain seventh in the Championship table, while Barnsley slipped into the bottom three after Birmingham beat Ipswich on Saturday.


Brentford and Sheffield United shared the points in a game that saw both teams end with 10 men.

The visitors took the lead when Chris Basham's deflected effort beat Bees goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

Chris Mepham levelled with a low shot, with Blades keeper Jamal Blackman and home midfielder Ryan Woods sent off after clashing in the aftermath.

Clayton Donaldson and Leon Clarke forced good saves from Bentley as the Blades pushed for a late winner.

The draw moved Chris Wilder's side to within a point of the top six but they will ultimately be disappointed not have taken all three after ending the game on top.


Cardiff City took another step towards automatic promotion as they battled past Championship strugglers Burton Albion to make it eight wins in a row.

Darren Bent cancelled out Kenneth Zohore's opener to worry Cardiff.

But goals from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Callum Paterson secured the victory that matches the best winning run of manager Neil Warnock's career.

Burton remain in the relegation places, while Cardiff head to Sheffield United on Monday seeking a ninth straight win.

If Warnock manages to secure victory at his former club then the Bluebirds will equal a 71-year club record at Bramall Lane.


Leeds United ended their run of four games without a win with victory over Bolton at Elland Road.

Caleb Ekuban broke the deadlock after three minutes, volleying home his first Championship goal from eight yards.

The hosts doubled their lead after the break when Pablo Hernandez met the rebound from Ezgjan Alioski's shot.

Adam Le Fondre pulled one back for the visitors, heading Sammy Ameobi's free-kick beyond the arms of Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Victory gave Heckingbottom his second win as Leeds boss in nine attempts, while defeat for Bolton kept them six points clear of the drop, with Birmingham looking to close the gap when they host Ipswich on Saturday.


Fulham maintained their Championship automatic promotion bid with a routine victory at Norwich.

Stefan Johansen opened the scoring for the Cottagers with a tap-in after Norwich keeper Angus Gunn could only parry Aleksandar Mitrovic's header.

Tom Cairney doubled the advantage minutes later, sidefooting the ball into the bottom corner.

Fulham remain seven points off second-placed Cardiff after extending their unbeaten run to 17 league games.

This latest defeat means the Canaries have now won just one of their past nine games.


Sheffield Wednesday eased to a comfortable win over Preston.

The hosts took the lead when Atdhe Nuhiu headed in from Jack Hunt's cross before Lucas Joao quickly doubled their advantage with a looping header over visiting keeper Declan Rudd.

Preston got back in it when Louis Moult prodded in Daniel Johnson's low cross.

The Owls wrapped up the win in injury time, with Nuhiu scoring a fine curling effort and Fernando Forestieri adding a fine free-kick.

A second successive victory moved Jos Luhukay's side 11 points clear of the bottom three.


Wolves beat Middlesbrough to restore their six-point Championship lead despite being reduced to nine men following two second-half red cards.

Helder Costa's sweetly hit volley and Ivan Cavaleiro's close-range header gave Wolves a two-goal lead.

But Boro dominated after Ruben Neves and Matt Doherty were shown second yellow cards for rash challenges.

Patrick Bamford rifled in to give his side hope, and Stewart Downing fired agonisingly wide in added time.

Bamford's goal gave Middlesbrough hope, but they could not force a second and the defeat kept them sixth in the table, level on points with seventh-placed Bristol City and one ahead of Millwall and Sheffield United.

There was more controversy after the final whistle, as Wolves boss Nuno did not shake Tony Pulis' hand, celebrating next to the Boro manager before running to join his players.


Reading survived a stoppage-time penalty and having a player sent off as they narrowly beat QPR in Paul Clement's first game in charge.

Sone Aluko's solo strike in the first half ultimately eased their Championship relegation worries.

The Royals survived the last 10 minutes with 10 men after Yann Kermorgant saw red for a second booking.

And Vito Mannone kept out a Jake Bidwell spot-kick after Pawel Wszolek had been fouled by Dave Edwards.

Reading clung on to win for the first time in 10 Championship matches, a result that lifted them to 19th place, six points clear of the bottom three with seven games remaining.


Sunderland exploited defensive errors by Derby to win at Pride Park and move off the bottom of the Championship.

George Honeyman's shot deflected in off Craig Forsyth for the opener, before Ashley Fletcher pounced on a loose Richard Keogh pass to make it 2-0.

Matej Vydra's half-volleyed finish reduced the deficit before half-time.

But Aiden McGeady's penalty restored the two-goal lead after Forsyth fouled Lynden Gooch, and John O'Shea poked in a fourth after a goalmouth scramble.

The veteran defender's first club goal for more than four years helped Sunderland move within three points of safety with seven matches remaining.

It was only the second victory of 2018 for Chris Coleman's side, a result which ended a winless run of 10 games and took them above Burton, who lost to Cardiff earlier on Friday.



Birmingham City climbed out of the Championship relegation zone with victory over mid-table Ipswich.

Jota's first-half penalty confirmed back-to-back league wins for Garry Monk's team, who are now two points clear of the bottom three.

Cameron Carter-Vickers brought down Jacques Maghoma inside the box and Jota stroked in the resulting spot-kick for his third goal in two games.

Ipswich, who stay 13th, failed to score for the fourth successive league match.


Aston Villa's chances of sealing a Championship automatic promotion place suffered a blow as they played out a goalless draw against Hull City.

Villa could have taken the lead early on when Robert Snodgrass teed up Albert Adomah but he shot over the crossbar.

Hull improved after half-time and Sam Johnstone palmed Angus MacDonald's close-range effort away to safety.

Michael Dawson marshalled the Hull defence superbly as Villa pushed for a late winner, but the hosts held on.

Villa, who had striker Jonathan Kodjia back from an ankle injury that has kept him out since October, have now gone three games without a win since their 4-1 derby victory against Wolves on 10 March.

Steve Bruce's side remain fourth in the Championship table but, having been four points off second place after their win against Wolves, their stalemate at the KCOM Stadium now leaves them nine points off Cardiff City in the automatic promotion places with seven games remaining.

return to results

west ham jimenez liverpool fulham premier league premiership wells ryan sessegnon pawson raul jimenez tom cairney football rumours fulham fc shahid khan gray west ham united harry wilson wilson leicester city championship leicester antonee robinson craig pawson craven cottage ipswich silva wigan watford ipswich town boa morte sessegnon robinson cairney wigan athletic matt donohue cottage transfer rumours donohue marco silva fa cup