Cardiff closing in fast on Wolves
NEIL WARNOCK’S Cardiff may have let in a goal for the first time in five matches but Wolves can now feel the Bluebirds’ breath on their collar after their 2-1 win over Barnsley.
Callum Paterson and Marko Grujic, right, scored to put Cardiff 2-0 ahead and in search of a club-record fifth straight win without conceding.
Barnsley’s Oli McBurnie pulled one back but Warnock’s side are now just three points behind leaders Wolves.
Sean Maguire continued his amazing comeback from a hamstring injury to keep alive Preston’s late-season charge – they won 2-1 at the expense of Bristol City. The Irish striker had marked his return from four months out by netting twice against Bolton on Saturday and last night coolly converted a 69th-minute goal after racing through and cleverly beating two defenders.
That restored the lead two minutes after Famara Diedhiou headed a superb equaliser.
Preston had gone in front on 20 minutes after keeper Frank Fielding and defender Hordur Magnusson gifted the ball to Alan Browne, who chipped into an empty net from 20 yards.
George Saville took just 51 seconds to score as Millwall secured a fifth successive away league victory by beating Hull 2-1. Saville steered in Lee Gregory’s backheel from their first attack before Jake Cooper looped in a header 11 minutes from half-time following a Ben Marshall corner.
The one bright spot for Hull was a goal from Abel Hernandez on his comeback from a snapped Achilles tendon.
Garry Monk endured a miserable 39th birthday as his debut as Birmingham manager was ruined by the in-form Patrick Bamford, who scored Middlesbrough’s winner in a 1-0 St Andrew’s victory.
Monk had his first game in charge of Blues spoiled by the striker he rarely used during his six months in charge on Teesside. Adam Le Fondre scored an equaliser for Bolton against former club Reading in a 1-1 draw which showed why both sides are struggling in the Championship. Modou Barrow had struck for Reading. Burton were dealt another agonising home blow as Brentford won 2-0 at the Pirelli Stadium. With the Brewers already 12 games without a win in front of their own fans, Kyle MacFadzean’s own goal on the hour put the Bees in front after Ollie Watkins’ cross hit him. Watkins then got on the scoresheet himself.