Championship wrap: Haroun sends Boro third, Reading edge Leeds

Middlesbrough moved up to third in the Championship and ended Cardiff’s 11-match unbeaten run with a thrilling 3-2 victory on Saturday.

Belgian midfielder Faris Haroun found space between two defenders to slide the ball through the legs of Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall for a deserved winner 14 minutes from time at the City Stadium.

Ben Turner cancelled out Bart Ogbeche’s opener for Boro and Cardiff went 2-1 up when Kenny Miller’s neat back-heel picked out Aron Gunnarsson.

Scott McDonald was on hand to side-foot the visitors level again before Haroun’s winner drew Boro within three points of leaders Southampton and West Ham.

The Hammers went level on points with Southampton in the second automatic promotion place with a 1-0 win at home to Barnsley, ahead of Saints’ away trip to Portsmouth.

Papa Bouba Diop bobbed up for a rare yet crucial goal in the sixth minute with the colossal midfielder’s powerful header all that separated the sides.

Reading followed up their 3-0 win over West Ham with another important 1-0 victory away to playoff rivals Leeds. Simon Church scored the game’s only goal in the second minute at Elland Road to make it two wins on the trot for Reading.

Hull’s 2-0 win over Millwall moved them ahead of Cardiff into fourth place after Robert Koren created the opener and scored the sealer.

Koren’s cross on 54 minutes was turned in by Millwall defender Jack Smith before he netted a low volley 10 minutes from time to hand Hull a deserved win.

Billy Sharp scored a brace in two rampant second-half minutes for struggling Doncaster as they cast aside Leicester 2-1 at home.

David Nugent put the Foxes into a first-half lead with his trickery and fine finish but it was Sharp who had the last say with his downward header and crafty overhead kick past Kasper Schmeichel, in the 63rd and 65th minutes, completing a rousing come-from-behind win.

Watford frustrated playoff hopefuls Blackpool in a 0-0 draw while strugglers Bristol City and Nottingham Forest stay level on 21 points after their goalless stalemate.

Kieran Trippier’s 32nd-minute effort from outside the area consigned Brighton to a 1-0 home defeat by Burnley.

Keith Andrews’ goal moments after half-time earned Ipswich their fifth home win of the campaign, this time over Derby, while Peterborough edged bottom side Coventry 1-0 thanks to Emile Sinclair’s rebound.