Championship Wrap: Reading hammer Bolton, Leicester extend winning run

Reading thrashed Bolton Wanderers 7-1 at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday to move back into the Championship play-off positions.

Nigel Adkins’ men ended a four-match winless run with a 1-0 triumph at Watford last weekend, and backed that up with an emphatic home victory.

Adam Le Fondre took centre stage in the first half with a hat-trick inside 33 minutes, before Pavel Pogrebnyak added a fourth before the break from the penalty spot.

Further goals from Kaspars Gorkss, Hope Akpan and Nick Blackman left the home fans in dreamland, before David N’Gog grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.

Bolton’s fourth match without a win leaves Dougie Freedman’s men in 18th.

Leicester City racked up a sixth straight league win to move six points clear of third-placed Burnley as David Nugent’s dramatic 88th-minute winner earned a 1-0 success over Leeds United.

Nigel Pearson’s charges had survived several scares including Ross McCormack hitting the post in the first half, but Leeds have now gone six Championship games without a win, including four straight losses.

Burnley were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield Wednesday at Turf Moor as Chris Maguire quickly cancelled out Sam Vokes’ 44th-minute opener.

Wednesday – who thrashed Leeds 6-0 last weekend – survived a late onslaught from the hosts, with Danny Ings coming closest by striking the post in the closing stages.

Sean Dyche’s men have now been leapfrogged by QPR, who defeated Huddersfield Town 2-1. A Charlie Austin brace sandwiched Nahki Wells’ second goal in as many games.

At the other end of the table, there were victories for all of the bottom three teams.

Danny Wilson secured his first win in his second stint as Barnsley manage as a quick-fire double from Chris O’Grady – the first of which came from the penalty spot – secured a 2-0 win over a Blackpool side who have now lost eight of their last nine games.

A James Hayter double earned Yeovil Town a 2-0 triumph at Birmingham City, while Chris Brown scored twice either side of a James Coppinger strike to earn Doncaster Rovers a superb 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Ian Holloway secured his first three points as Millwall manager in a 1-0 triumph over Ipswich Town, while Charlton Athletic dropped to 21st following a 1-0 defeat at resurgent Middlesbrough, who move to ninth, just five points adrift of the play-off spots.

Nottingham Forest completed a comprehensive 4-1 rout of fellow promotion hopefuls Blackburn Rovers. Henri Lansbury netted twice from the penalty spot and, though Ben Marshall pulled a goal back before half-time, the win was complete with second-half goals from Jamie Paterson and Andy Reid.

Elsewhere, Derby County continued their promotion push as Patrick Bamford’s deflected effort earned a 1-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion, while Bournemouth played out a 1-1 draw with Watford.