Review of Championship MidWeek Catch Up games

Wolves maintained their lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship after a routine 3-0 win over Reading. Defender Matt Doherty scored twice and on-loan Bournemouth striker Benik Afobe also netted at Molineux.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side had won just one of their previous five games to see their lead cut to three points. But victory ensured they stayed ahead of Cardiff in the race for the titl.

Cardiff won at Brentford as they came back from 1-0 down to win 3-1 at Griffin Park and strengthen their grip on second spot. Sol Bamba, Callum Paterson and Kenneth Zahore scored for Neil Warnock's side after Neal Maupay had opened the scoring for Brentford.

It left a seven-point gap to third place after Aston Villa's automatic promotion hopes suffered a major blow with a surprise 3-1 defeat at home to QPR. Ryan Manning's header and Jake Bidwell's deflected effort put the visitors 2-0 up at half-time.

Luke Freeman added a late third at Villa Park to move QPR up to 15th despite James Chester's consolation - the defender's third goal in as many games.

Sheffield United closed the gap to the top six to two points after a 2-0 win over Burton. Enda Stevens opened the scoring in the first half before David Brooks' goal after the break helped lift them to seventh but the result leaves Burton in a desperate position in their bid for survival. The Staffordshire club have now won just one of their last 11 games and sit 23rd in the table with nine games to go.

At the bottom Barnsley inched three points clear of the relegation zone, despite the fact they have only won one of their last 10 league games. Norwich. Swansea loanee Oli McBurnie celebrated his first Scotland call-up with a neat volley just before half-time only for Josh Murphy to equalise.

Hull also grabbed another crucial win and are now nine points above the bottom three. The Tigers beat Ipswich 3-0 at Portman Road thanks to goals from Markus Henriksen, Harry Wilson and Jarrod Bowen. A result that looks to have ended Ipswich's faint play-off hopes.

The Suffolk club, who are now nine points off the play-off spots, are almost confirmed to be spending their 17th consecutive season in England's second tier.



Queens Park Rangers upset Aston Villa's automatic promotion hopes as they eased to only their third Championship away win of the season.

Jake Bidwell crossed for Ryan Manning to head an early opener before the QPR left-back himself scored with a low left-foot shot for a 2-0 half-time lead at Villa Park.

Substitute Luke Freeman turned to drill home an 82nd-minute third. James Chester's third goal in as many games was only a consolation.

Villa's first home defeat in four months leaves them seven points behind second-placed Cardiff and 10 points adrift of leaders Wolves, both of whom won on Tuesday.

An impressive QPR performance was their third win in the Midlands this season and lifts Ian Holloway's side one place to 15th.


Josh Murphy's second-half strike earned Norwich a point at struggling Barnsley and extended the hosts' winless home run to 10 games.

Barnsley went ahead when Oli McBurnie steered Andy Yiadom's cross from the right inside the near post.

Kieffer Moore had a shot saved after going through on goal, while Mamadou Thiam also went close for the Tykes.

But Murphy earned his side a point with their first clear chance, firing past Adam Davies from a tight angle.

The Canaries have failed to win in their past seven games, and their latest disappointment was compounded by the loss of Alex Tettey late in the second-half as the midfielder was taken off the pitch on a stretcher.


Cardiff City extended their lead over third-place Aston Villa as they came from behind to win at Brentford.

The Bees started the brightest and took a deserved lead through Neal Maupay before Neil Etheridge made two crucial saves for the visitors.

Sol Bamba and Callum Paterson gave Cardiff a half-time lead before Kenneth Zohore made it 3-1 on the hour.

Second-placed Cardiff are now seven points clear of Villa, who lost to QPR on Tuesday, with nine games remaining.


Hull City moved nine points clear of the Championship relegation zone with a convincing victory at Ipswich Town.

The visitors, who had won once in their past 11 away league games, went ahead from Markus Henriksen's 25-yard shot.

Harry Wilson's volley made it 2-0 at half-time and Jarrod Bowen squeezed the ball past Bartosz Bialkowski's near post a minute after the restart.

It was another night of misery for the home fans who last saw an Ipswich goal in a 1-0 win over Leeds on 13 January.

The run of five matches without a league goal at Portman Road is the longest barren spell in their history.


Sheffield United closed the gap on the Championship play-off places to two points with victory over Burton Albion.

Enda Stevens put the hosts ahead when he converted George Baldock's low cross, but Burton were unfortunate not to be level at half-time.

Hope Akpan saw his flick at the near post deflect wide and Jamal Blackman saved superbly from Lloyd Dyer.

Billy Sharp blazed wide with the goal gaping before Mark Duffy set up David Brooks to seal the win for the Blades.

Burton are now three points from safety after Barnsley picked up a point at home to Norwich City. Nigel Clough's side have won only once in the past 11 Championship matches and next have a tough trip to leaders Wolves on Saturday.


Championship leaders Wolves bounced back from Saturday's heavy defeat at Aston Villa with victory over struggling Reading at Molineux.

The hosts were frustrated for much of the first half, until full-back Matt Doherty capitalised on hesitant defending to nod Wolves in front.

Cool second-half finishes from Benik Afobe and Doherty sealed three points.

The win was soured slightly by Wanderers' top scorer Diogo Jota limping off before the break.

But Villa's home defeat by QPR on Tuesday means Wolves now have a 10-point buffer to their third-placed rivals with nine matches remaining.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side had won just one of their past five league games heading into the re-arranged fixture against the Royals, postponed because of snow 10 days ago.



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