Bluebirds close in on automatic promotion
CARDIFF took a huge step towards automatic promotion from the Championship as captain Sean Morrison scored a double to fire his side to a 2-0 victory at Hull.
The centre-back scored a goal in either half as the Bluebirds overcame a nervy start to set up a potential promotion party when relegation-threatened Reading visit next Sunday.
Derby missed the opportunity to secure their play-off place as Aston Villa hit back to claim a 1-1 draw.
Cameron Jerome put the Rams in front early on, but Lewis Grabban equalised six minutes from time.
The result ended Villa’s slim automatic promotion hopes, while Derby must avoid defeat against Barnsley.
Preston are two points behind the Rams after Alan Browne’s second-half goal gave Alex Neil’s side a 1-0 win at Sheffield United, whose own play-off hopes are over.
Burton made it three straight wins against relegation rivals Bolton, but Nigel Clough’s side must get a result at Preston on the final day after Barnsley beat Brentford 2-0 to move out of the drop zone by virtue of their vastly superior goal difference.
Goals in either half from Kieffer Moore and Oliver McBurnie gave the Reds a crucial victory that left their fate in their own hands and ended Brentford’s play-off bid.
Burton did their bit with a 2-0 triumph courtesy of first-half strikes from Hope Akpan and Lucas Akins, a result that left Bolton – who began the day outside the bottom three – a point from safety. Birmingham and Reading face an anxious week after both sides suffered defeats that left them two points above the drop zone.
Che Adams put Birmingham ahead at QPR, but the hosts hit back to claim a 3-1.
Martyn Waghorn, Jordan Spence, Freddie Sears and Callum Connolly all netted in the final 20 minutes as Ipswich hammered Reading 4-0.
Champions Wolves were held to a goalless draw by Sheffield Wednesday, while a 0-0 stalemate at Nottingham Forest ended Bristol City’s remote top-six chances.
Wes Hoolahan enjoyed a dream send-off as he engineered a 2-1 comeback win over Leeds on his final appearance for Norwich.
The 35-year-old midfielder brought the curtain down on a 10-year spell at Carrow Road by cancelling out Kalvin Phillips’ opener before Josh Murphy completed the turnaround. the Everton loanee was the driving heart of the Middlesbrough midfield, surging forward with the ball at his feet and constantly looking to ask questions of the Millwall defence.
The visitors have been one of the surprise packages of the Championship season, but while they enjoyed plenty of possession as they looked to get back into the game, they struggled to carve out chances in the final third.
Steve Morison headed Shaun Williams’ corner over the crossbar in first-half stoppage time, but that was a rare moment of concern for a Boro defence that has improved markedly since Pulis replaced Garry Monk.
The hosts needed a second goal to provide a degree of comfort, though, and it should have arrived four minutes after the break. Adama Traore ghosted behind the Millwall defence to reach Besic’s through-ball, but while he brought the ball down neatly, his shot was skewed wastefully wide.
The Teessiders finally doubled their lead in the 66th minute, and their second goal owed much to a glaring error from Archer. The Millwall goalkeeper allowed Downing’s left-wing cross to slip through his grasp, leaving Howson with the simple task of slotting home from inside the six-yard box.