Championship Review – Matchday 41

Norwich City are just three wins away from clinching promotion to the Premier League, despite seeing their winning run ended by Reading.

Yakou Meite gave the Royals the lead on the half-hour mark, and it was a lead that stood until the eighty-sixth minute when Ben Godfey levelled.

Christoph Zimmerman looked to have secured the points, and a ninth straight victory though Andrew Rinomhota scored in stoppage time to salvage a much-needed point for Jose Gomes’ side in their fight for survival.

Brace

A second-half brace from Patrick Bamford saw Leeds United past ten-man Preston North End – three victory seeing them move back in to the automatic promotion places after Sheffield United only managed to draw at Birmingham City.

Enda Stevens put the Blades in front, though Michael Morrison netted an equaliser just four minutes later to give Garry Monk’s men a share of the spoils.

Bristol City strengthened their grip on a top-six spot after beating fellow promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion by three goals to two at Ashton Gate.

Strikes from Josh Brownhill, Andreas Weimann and Jack Hunt had the Robins three goals to the good inside nineteen minutes, and they managed to hold on for the points despite replies from Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez.

Despite going in at half-time both a man, and a goal down Aston Villa picked up a vital three points in their quest for a play-off place at Rotherham United.

Comeback

The defeat sees the Millers stay in the bottom three, while Dean Smith’s side are now five points clear of seventh place Middlesbrough, with a far superior goal difference with just five games to play – all of which leaving their promotion odds at 11/4.

Boro ended their recent run of defeats with a welcome triumph over second-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers while both Derby County and Nottingham Forest’s hopes of finishing in the top six were dealt a huge blow after they lost at Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday regularly.

Hull City are up to ninth place after making it three wins from three with victory over Wigan Athletic – the Latics, like Reading and Millwall just two points clear of the drop zone.

Scrap

The Lions played out a goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers at The Den while Swansea City beat Stoke City by three goals to one at the Liberty Stadium – the Potters finishing the game with just nine men after both Bruno Martins Indi and Tom Edwards both given their marching orders.

Finally, goals from Neal Maupay and Ollie McBurnie secured a 2-0 win for Brentford over Ipswich Town, who will be relegated to the third tier for the first time in over sixty years if they fail to beat Birmingham City on Saturday.