Championship Matchday 43 Review

Fulham were held by Brentford after late drama in west London on Saturday evening. Aleksandar Mitrovic's excellent 70th-minute strike looked to have made it five wins on the trot but, following Maupay's last-gasp response, Fulham are now a point outside the automatic places, having played a game more than the Cardiff.

Cardiff left it late but kept themselves on course for a Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion place with a 2-0 win at Norwich. Neil Warnock's side had to dig deep to earn a vital three points at Carrow Road. Kenneth Zohore squeezed the ball past Angus Gunn in the 86th minute before Junior Hoilett's goal in added time ensured Cardiff's two-game losing streak was brought to an end.

Middlesbrough stormed into the play-off places after coming from behind to beat Bristol City 22-1 at the Riverside Stadium. Milan Djuric volleyed the visitors into a 13th-minute lead before George Friend levelled for Boro five minutes later. Daniel Ayala then headed home the winner in the 68th minute, moving Middlesbrough up to fifth while also denting Bristol City's own top-six hopes.

Veteran striker Steve Morison struck his fifth goal of the season for strong>Millwall as they came back to draw 1-1 against fellow play-off hopefuls Sheffield United in the early kick-off. Leon Clarke opened the scoring for the Blades in the 74th minute, but Morison equalised instantly to grab his side a point. The sixth-placed Lions remain unbeaten in the league since New Year's Day and Sheffield United, who are ninth, have not lost at home since late January.

Derby slipped out of the top six, but Burton moved off the bottom and to within five points of safety after a 3-1 victory over the Rams at the Pirelli Stadium. Liam Boyce tapped home from close range to put the hosts in front after 24 minutes, but their lead did not last long as David Nugent equalised moments later. Luke Murphy curled a beautiful effort past Scott Carson to restore the Brewers' lead just before the break and Lucas Akins added a third in the 68th minute.

Oli McBurnie's added-time equaliser secured a vital 2-2 draw for Barnsley at home to fellow strugglers Bolton. Gary Gardner scored from 10 yards midway through the first half for the Tykes before Adam Le Fondre levelled from the spot after 82 minutes. Craig Noone thought he had won it for Bolton three minutes later, but McBurnie had the final say to keep Barnsley within two points of the 21st-placed Trotters.

Sunderland slipped to the foot of the table and remain six points below Bolton after drawing 2-2 at Reading. Liam Kelly gave the Royals the lead from the penalty spot after Lee Camp brought down Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in the box after 20 minutes. Paddy McNair fired home a stunning equaliser for the Black Cats just after the break before Lee Cattermole's first goal since August 2014 put the visitors in front in the 66th minute. Yann Kermorgant restored parity for Reading with 11 minutes remaining to leave Chris Coleman's side on the brink with three games left.

Ben Brereton's late penalty and Joe Lolley's goal in added time secured an unlikely 2-1 win for strong>Nottingham Forest against Ipswich, who had led through Grant Ward's first-half header.

Elsewhere, Callum Robinson scored twice as Preston kept their Championship play-off hopes alive with a 2-1 victory at QPR. North End came from behind to win at Loftus Road. The home side struggled in the second half and Preston had a goal disallowed for offside . But there was no let-off for Rangers in the 74th minute, when another Gallagher free-kick similarly led to Robinson touching the ball in, this time after a header from Alan Browne.

While Jordan Rhodes scored his first goal since Boxing Day as Sheffield Wednesday beat Hull 1-0 at the KCOM Stadium. After Allan McGregor had produced a good save to deny him in the opening stages, striker Rhodes headed Wednesday in front after 18 minutes on his return to the starting line-up.

On Sunday lunchtime Wolves celebrated their promotion to the Premier League in style with a 2-0 Sky Bet Championship win against 10-man Birmingham at Molineux. Birmingham were reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute when Harlee Dean was sent off for his challenge on Helder Costa.




Aston Villa secured their place in the Championship play-offs and boosted their automatic promotion hopes with victory over mid-table Leeds United.

Villa deservedly went in front when Lewis Grabban powerfully headed in Jack Grealish's cross from six yards.

Glenn Whelan cleared Kalvin Phillips' shot off the line as Leeds improved but Grabban, Jonathan Kodjia and Albert Adomah all had chances for the hosts.

Villa's victory leaves them two points behind second-placed Fulham.

The Cottagers play their game in hand at home to Brentford on Saturday, while third-placed Cardiff are a point ahead of Villa but have played two games less than Steve Bruce's side.



Sheffield United and Millwall both remain in the Championship play-off race after drawing at Bramall Lane.

Leon Clarke headed in his 18th goal of the season from close range in the second half to put the Blades in front.

But Steve Morison instantly volleyed in Jake Cooper's long ball to level.

The Lions remain sixth in the table after Derby lost to Burton to slip out of the play-off spots, while the Blades are ninth, three points off the top six with three games left.

It extended Millwall's unbeaten run to 17 games, with only Fulham having picked up more than the Lions' 39 Championship points in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Blades were again left to rue their failure to hold on to a lead as they drew for the fourth time in the last six games.


Oli McBurnie scored an injury-time equaliser as Barnsley snatched a late draw with fellow Championship relegation strugglers Bolton.

Gary Gardner fired the Tykes into a half-time lead from 10 yards.

Bolton thought they had won it when Adam Le Fondre levelled with a penalty before Craig Noone volleyed in late on.

But McBurnie headed in a corner to leave third-from-bottom Barnsley two points behind both Bolton and Birmingham City.

Barnsley have a game in hand on Bolton but have now played the same number of games as Birmingham, who face leaders Wolves at Molineux on Sunday.


Burton Albion kept their Championship status for at least another week after a win over local rivals Derby County.

Liam Boyce gave Albion the lead as he found himself unmarked at the back post to convert Joe Sbarra's cross.

David Nugent headed the Rams level five minutes later, but Derby were punished for some poor defending when Luke Murphy curled a shot past Scott Carson.

Lucas Akins tapped in Burton's third before Matej Vydra had an 89th-minute penalty saved by Stephen Bywater.

Albion's first home win in almost six months lifts them off the bottom of the table above Sunderland and leaves them five points from safety with nine to play for, while Derby slip out of the play-off places to seventh, a point behind Millwall but with a game in hand.


Sheffield Wednesday ended Hull City's four match unbeaten run after the Tigers had a late equaliser disallowed.

Jordan Rhodes opened the scoring for Wednesday, heading Jack Hunt's cross beyond Allan McGregor.

Abel Hernandez thought he had levelled for the hosts in injury time when he poked the ball beyond Owls keeper Joe Wildsmith.

But his goal was ruled out for offside and the away side held on despite a late flurry of Hull chances.

Defeat sees Hull fall to 18th while Wednesday rise to 16th in the Championship table.


Middlesbrough boosted their play-off chances and dented Bristol City's hopes of making the top six as they came from behind to beat the Robins.

Milan Djuric acrobatically slotted in to give City an early lead, before George Friend equalised with a header.

Daniel Ayala headed in the winner after the break to move Boro up to fifth.

But the game was marred by a first-half collision between Boro striker Patrick Bamford and Robins defender Aiden Flint which saw Bamford stretchered off.

Bamford received 10 minutes of attention by medics on the pitch, before he was carried from the field receiving oxygen. Flint was unscathed.

Derby County's surprise defeat at Burton Albion and the draw between Sheffield United and Millwall did Bristol City a slight favour, but they are now four points outside the Championship play-offs with three games left.

Boro, who are looking for an immediate return to the Premier League, finish the campaign against Derby, Millwall and Ipswich.

Bristol City, now down to 10th, have a slightly easier run in on paper as they take on Hull and Nottingham Forest before ending the season at home to Sheffield United.


Cardiff City regained their advantage in the Championship automatic spots after securing a late win at Carrow Road.

Substitute Kenneth Zohore's goal helped Cardiff end a run of successive defeats with arguably their most important victory of the whole campaign.

Junior Hoilett's superb strike capped the victory in stoppage time.

Fulham's 1-1 draw with Brentford means Cardiff regained second spot with a game in hand on the Londoners.

Zohore's winning goal came from a rebound after goalkeeper Angus Gunn failed to hold his original header on 85 minutes and rewarded the Bluebirds for a bold approach after the interval, with Hoilett making the result safe with a blast.

Cardiff had never previously done a league double over Norwich.


Nottingham Forest scored two late goals to beat Ipswich and end their run of six matches without a victory.

Grant Ward opened the scoring for Ipswich, heading Myles Kenlock's cross beyond Costel Pantilimon.

But Ben Brereton equalised with an 89th-minute penalty for the hosts after he was bundled over in the box.

Joe Lolley then volleyed in Brereton's deep cross at the far post in the fifth minute of stoppage time to complete a dramatic turnaround.

It meant defeat for Ipswich in their first game under caretaker boss Bryan Klugg following Mick McCarthy's early resignation on Tuesday.

After going into the break 1-0 down against the run of play, Forest found themselves on the second longest goal drought of their history having failed to score in six and a half matches.

But two goals in six minutes gave Forest their first win since beating Birmingham City on 3 March.


Preston kept their hopes of reaching the Championship play-offs alive as they came from behind to win at QPR.

Matt Smith poked in Ryan Manning's volleyed cross to put the hosts ahead.

Callum Robinson levelled on the stroke of half-time when his close-range effort from a low ball in from Darnell Fisher just crept over the line.

After having a goal ruled out for offside, Robinson turned Alan Browne's goalbound header home on the line to seal victory for Alex Neil's side.

The Lilywhites move up to eighth, three points off the play-offs, with three games of the campaign remaining.

Three consecutive defeats looked to have ended North End's hopes of a top-six finish, but back-to-back victories - coupled with Millwall failing to win and Derby losing at relegation-threatened Burton - mean Preston could still force their way into the top six.


Sunderland missed the chance to register a much-needed win in their quest to avoid relegation as fellow strugglers Reading held them to a draw.

Liam Kelly gave the Royals a first half lead from the penalty spot after Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was brought down.

Paddy McNair's strike from distance and Lee Cattermole header then put Sunderland ahead in the second half.

But Reading substitute Yann Kermorgant denied them all three points when he headed in a Chris Gunter cross.

The two dropped points also saw Sunderland slip to the bottom of the table after Burton beat Derby 3-1 to keep their faint survival hopes alive.

Chris Coleman's side are six points adrift of safety with three games to play, including a home fixture against the Brewers next week.

The draw also did little to help Reading's bid to shake off the threat of relegation. They remain five points above the bottom three, with nine points left to play for.

Third from bottom Barnsley also have a game in hand on Paul Clement's side, who missed out on a third successive home win despite a late rally which saw Lee Camp pull off two saves in stoppage time.


Neal Maupay scored a 94th-minute leveller to snatch Brentford a draw at Fulham in a result that sealed Wolves' promotion to the Premier League.

The hosts - who missed the chance to return to second in the Championship - led against the run of play through Aleksandar Mitrovic's curling effort.

Florian Jozefzoon and Yoann Barbet went close for Brentford in the first half.

They finally got their reward when substitute Maupay headed in at the far post with only seconds remaining.

With three matches to go Fulham are a point behind Cardiff, who are in the final automatic promotion spot with a game in hand on the Cottagers.

The draw leaves the Bees 10th in the table, four points adrift of the play-off spots.



Promoted Wolves edged to within a point of the Championship title as a goal in each half beat 10-man Birmingham City in a typically competitive Midlands derby at Molineux.

Matt Doherty's low right wing cross set up Diogo Jota's close-range opener.

Substitute Benik Afobe's neat chip settled the outcome late on.

But it was a miserable day for Blues captain Harlee Dean, who was sent off against Wolves for the second time this season after slicing down Helder Costa.

Wolves were promoted to the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2012 on Saturday, after Fulham could only draw with Brentford.

They will be champions if they avoid defeat at lowly Bolton on Saturday.

Garry Monk's Birmingham remain in relegation danger, two points clear of 22nd placed Barnsley, who have a game in hand, with three matches left.

return to results

Championship Results - MatchDay 43
KO	Home		Away	TV
Friday April 20th 2018
19:45	Millwall	v	Fulham	Sky
Saturday April 21st 2018
15:00	Birmingham	v	Sheff Utd
15:00	Bolton	v	Wolves
15:00	Brentford	v	QPR
15:00	Bristol C	v	Hull
15:00	Derby	v	Middlesbrough
15:00	Ipswich	v	Aston Villa
15:00	Leeds	v	Barnsley
15:00	Preston	v	Norwich
15:00	Sheff Wed	v	Reading
15:00	Sunderland	v	Burton
19:45	Cardiff	v	N. Forest	Sky
League Table