Parkinson and Bolton cut down by sharp Blades
Bolton’s unbeaten start to the Championship season came to a shuddering halt as they were beaten 3-0 by Sheffield United at the University of Bolton Stadium. Phil Parkinson’s side never recovered from a nightmare start which saw them concede twice in the first 22 minutes thanks to Mark Duffy and Kieron Freeman. The Blades then wrapped up a fully deserved win with a third in the 73rd minute from John Fleck. Bolton had won three and drawn one of their opening four Championship games, but they were dominated by the Blades who rarely looked threatened. A Lucas Joao brace gave Sheffield Wednesday a 2-1 win over 10-man Ipswich Town, whose goalscorer Aristote Nsiala was also shown a straight red card in the second half. Nsiala had equalised for Paul Hurst’s winless Tractor Boys five minutes before the break, but the defender was sent off for a bad foul on Fernando Forestieri midway through the second half. Kasey Palmer’s first league goal for Blackburn Rovers was enough to secure a 1-0 win over Brentford. The on-loan winger slammed home decisively from close range in the 54th minute – the hosts’ only shot on target in the entire game – as Rovers registered their first win on home soil, remaining unbeaten in what has been an encouraging start to life back in the Championship. As crucial as Palmer’s strike was, the chief architect behind Brentford’s first defeat this season was Rovers goalkeeper David Raya, who made two outstanding saves – once tipping onto the crossbar – while the Bees rattled the woodwork on another occasion. Mason Mount scored his third goal of the campaign as Derby County beat Preston North End 2-0 to record their best start for seven seasons. The on-loan Chelsea midfielder struck with a low shot before Richard Keogh headed home a corner, with goalkeeper Declan Rudd at fault for both. Sam Baldock converted a dramatic last-minute penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw for Reading against Aston Villa. Egyptian winger Ahmed Elmohamady had given the home side a 51st-minute lead, only for Reading to claw their way back into the game with their lastminute penalty. Stoke City ended their winless start to the Championship season in style by beating 10-man Hull City 2-0 at the bet365 Stadium. Goals in either half from James McClean and Mame Diouf confirmed a comfortable victory in the Staffordshire sunshine. And Tomer Hemed’s goal on his QPR debut gave them a much-needed 1-0 win over Wigan and their first points under manager Steve McClaren.