Leeds frustrate Brighton’s bid for automatic promotion
LONDON: Brighton’s bid for automatic promotion to the English Premier League was damaged as New Zealand forward Chris Wood gave Leeds a 2-0 victory, while leaders Newcastle were frustrated by Birmingham in the Championship.
Wood opened the scoring in the 64th minute and struck again with an 85th minute penalty at Elland Road on Saturday to stop Brighton going top of the Championship table.
Second-placed Brighton are now just six points ahead of third-placed Huddersfield, who have a game in hand, while fifth-placed Leeds are eight points adrift of the top two.
Newcastle have gone three games without a win for the first time this season after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Birmingham.
Rafa Benitez’s side were second best for long periods and have now scored only once in their last three matches, while Birmingham goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak made several excellent saves.
Fulham missed the chance to climb into the playoff places as they lost 3-1 at home to Wolves.
Ivan Cavaleiro gave Wolves a half-time lead and Andreas Weimann put them 2-0 ahead early in the second period.
Substitute Denis Odoi pulled one back for Fulham soon after, but Dave Edwards restored the visitors’ two-goal advantage.
Managerless Norwich halted their six-game winless run with a 2-0 home victory against Barnsley.
Jacob Murphy edged Norwich ahead just before the break and Angus MacDonald’s second-half own goal sealed Barnsley’s fate.
Aston Villa registered their fifth win in six league games with a 2-0 victory at struggling Wigan thanks to second-half goals from James Chester and substitute Scott Hogan.
Cardiff secured their first win in five with a 3-1 home victory over Ipswich, who had drawn their previous six.
Luke Chambers headed Ipswich into the lead, but Kenneth Zohore equalised before the break and notched his second soon after the restart before Joe Bennett added Cardiff ’s third.
Brentford hit back from 3-1 down to win 5-3 at Burton, whose survival hopes were dealt a blow.
Queens Park Rangers condemned rock-bottom Rotherham to a seventh straight defeat with a 5-1 win at Loftus Road.
At the City Ground, Daniel Pinillos’ stoppage-time header clinched Nottingham Forest a 2-2 draw against local rivals Derby.
Pinillos struck in the fourth minute of time added on to ensure both Forest boss Mark Warburton and Derby counterpart Gary Rowett, both appointed by their respective clubs on Tuesday, took a point from their first game in charge.
Derby pair Matej Vydra and David Nugent scored early in the second half to cancel out Zach Clough’s early opener for Forest before Pinillos’ last-gasp equaliser.
Aiden McGeady also scored a stoppage-time equaliser as Preston salvaged a 2-2 draw at local rivals Blackburn.