Leeds cement pole position, West Brom on the up

LEEDS teenager Tyler Roberts cemented his side’s position on top of the Championship with a brace in their 3-0 win over Preston yesterday.

Roberts bagged his first-ever goals for Leeds to celebrate his first home league start in style.

The 19-year-old Wales striker scored twice in the space of eight second-half minutes after skipper Liam Cooper had headed Leeds into a first-half lead at Elland Road.

A fifth league win of the season extended Leeds’ unbeaten start to eight matches and lifted them three points clear of Brentford in the race for promotion to the Premier League.

Brentford remain second after being held 1-1 at Ipswich.

Neal Maupay’s header put the Bees 1-0 up at halftime, but Kayden Jackson headed Ipswich’s equaliser with 17 minutes left.

West Brom climbed up to third place by halting Bristol City’s fourgame winning run with a 4-2 victory at the Hawthorns.

Jay Rodriguez converted a penalty, after Dwight Gayle had been fouled by Adam Webster, and after Gayle had made it 2-0, notched his second to put the Baggies 3-0 up at halftime. Lloyd Kelly pulled one back for City, but Harvey Barnes fired West Brom’s fourth before Famara Diedhiou notched another consolation for the visitors. Stoke enjoyed just their second league win of the season thanks to Joe Allen’s goal early in the second period in a 1-0 home win against Swansea. Aston Villa jumped six places into the final playoff spot after a 2-0 victory at home against Rotherham. Tammy Abraham’s first goal since arriving on loan from Chelsea put Villa in front at halftime and Yannick Bolasie headed their second on his full debut for the club. Frank Lampard’s (caricature) Derby slipped one place to eighth after a goalless home draw with Blackburn after spurning several chances. Mason Mount went closest for the Rams early in the second period when his freekick hit the crossbar. Wigan bounced back from Saturday’s defeat at Brentford by beating Hull 2-1. – AFP