Leaders Wolves held by Hull, Fulham beat Leeds

LONDON: Wolverhampton Wanderers missed the chance to move eight points clear at the top of the English Championship as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Hull at Molineux.

Third-placed Fulham moved within five points of Cardiff with a 2-0 home win over mid-table Leeds, while Aston Villa, who are fourth, beat strugglers Reading 3-0.

Wolves are on 86 points from 40 games, ahead of Cardiff, who drew 1-1 at Sheffield United on Monday and have 80 points with a game in hand.

Fulham have 75 points with Villa on 73, followed by Derby County with 65 and Middlesbrough on 63.

The top two earn automatic promotion to the English Premier League with the next four clubs going into the playoffs. Wolves visit Cardiff in a top-of-the-table clash tomorrow.

Wolves debutant Oskar Buur salvaged a point for the league leaders with a header in the 83rd minute after Hull had moved 2-1 ahead through a Ryan Bennett own goal five minutes earlier.

Diogo Jota had earlier put Wolves ahead with a penalty after 18 minutes having been fouled by Michael Hector but struggling Hull’s David Meyler equalised from the spot in the 37th.

Wolves need eight points from their remaining six games to secure promotion back to the top flight.

Fulham kept up the pressure on Cardiff as they beat Leeds thanks to Kevin McDonald’s deflected opener in the 33rd minute and Aleksandar Mitrovic’s goal on the counter just past the hour.

Villa kept pace with three second-half goals to beat 10-man Reading after the visitors had Dave Edwards sent off on the half-hour for a second booking following two poor challenges.

Birkir Bjarnason curled in the opener from the edge of the area after the break before Conor Hourihane headed in a Robert Snodgrass cross after 63 minutes. Scott Hogan added the third after visiting goalkeeper Vito Mannone tried to dribble the ball.