Scotland star caps fine win for leaders
SCOTLAND winger Matt Ritchie scored an exquisite goal as Newcastle United moved three points clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.
The win at home to Ipswich was made sweeter for the Magpies as promotion rivals Norwich slipped up at home to Preston.
Ayoze Perez scored the fastest goal in the Championship this season, netting after just 60 seconds and added a second in the 73rd minute to fire Rafa Benitez’s men to a fifth straight win.
£12m man Ritchie completed the 3-0 victory by curling home a fine shot using the outside of his left foot.
Tractor Boys boss Mick McCarthy reckoned his opponents would go on to be crowned champions.
“If you see a better team than that this year I’d be surprised,” said the former Celtic defender.
“There’s not a lot more we could have done.”
Alex Neil’s men, meanwhile, were unable find a way past Preston at Carrow Road and Alex Baptiste’s 75th-minute header secured a fourth win in six games for North End.
Former Hamilton Accies boss Neil was less than impressed with his side’s defending at the key moment.
“It was really, really sloppy,” he admitted.
“We have defended set-pieces well all game and then we allow Baptiste to have a free run from a central area and head the ball in.”
“In those sort of situations defending players have to take individual responsibility to get there first and get their heads on it and that didn’t happen.
“It was a very frustrating game for us because although we had a lot of the ball we didn’t do enough with it.”
The Canaries slipped to fourth in the table as Brighton and Huddersfield clinched 1-0 wins away to Wigan and at home to Derby respectively.
Dale Stephens grabbed the only goal for Brighton with a fine strike from 25 yards midway through the second half, while Elias Kachunga headed a stoppage-time winner for Huddersfield as Derby suffered their first defeat since Steve McClaren returned to the club.
Sheffield Wednesday are up to