Traore is the battering ram

MUHAMED BESIC and Britt Assombalonga won this for Middlesbrough — but it was provider Adama Traore who received the plaudits.

Manager Tony Pulis said: ‘He’s as quick as any player I’ve ever worked with in terms of his pace off the mark.’

A penalty by David Nugent sparked brief hope but Derby boss Gary Rowett said: ‘I didn’t think we would fall away like this when we were second.’ SERGI CANOS and Florian Jozefzoon were on the scoresheet as Brentford beat their arch-rivals and moved to within a point of the play-offs.

Idrissa Sylla had given QPR hope with an equaliser just before the break.

Rangers boss Ian Holloway, who lost his mother two days before the game, said: ‘Sometimes football doesn’t matter. It’s about people, and all the Brentford players and staff made a point of passing on their condolences. They were a touch of class.’ WEDNESDAY manager Jos Luhukay said he was proud of his side after they eased to victory over relegationthreatened Reading.

A brace from Fernando Forestieri and one from George Boyd sealed the win, while Reading finished the game with 10 men after Tyler Blackett was sent-off.

Luhukay also praised Forestieri for his overall contribution. ‘I think Fernando was very inspirational and very motivating,’ he said. JACQUES MAGHOMA was Birmingham’s goalscoring hero as they clawed their way closer to safety.

Winning manager Garry Monk was understandably delighted after the game.

‘It was a huge step forward in our situation,’ he said. ‘To go a goal behind in the Championship is hard enough. But it was great to see the mentality and belief of the players.’

Former Birmingham player Mark Duffy gave Sheffield United an early lead, which was cancelled out by Marc Roberts. ALEX NEIL was left searching for the positives after his Preston side were held by Norwich.

The hosts’ Paul Gallagher’s excellent freekick which rattled off the bar was the nearest either side came to breaking the deadlock. Neil said: ‘We are all a bit frustrated because we certainly did enough to win the game.’

Norwich manager Daniel Farke said was slightly more content. ‘I’m proud of my lads behaviour,’ he said. PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM’S Leeds inflicted a narrow defeat on his former side, who are now in grave danger of falling down into League One.

Tom Pearce put Leeds ahead, before Barnsley levelled through a Paudie O’Connor own goal.

However, Ezgjan Alioski scored what proved to be the winner. On Heckingbottom’s absence from the post-match press conference, assistant Jamie Clapham joked: ‘He might have injured himself and couldn’t get up the stairs.’