CHAMPIONSHIP
THE Championship’s incredible promotion race served up more surprises on Saturday, with a staggering set of results adding to a complicated picture.
After Leicester’s shock loss at Plymouth on Friday, Leeds, Ipswich and Southampton all knew a win could be decisive for their Premier League hopes.
However, Leeds lost their unbeaten home record in the early kick-off against Blackburn and Ipswich drew with Middlesbrough, allowing Southampton to steal a march as they scored in added time to beat Watford 3-2.
Leeds were first up and for the second time in a week were frustrated at home, with Sammie Szmodics’ 24th league goal of the season eight minutes from time putting them to bed 1-0.
That opened the door for Ipswich, but all they could manage was a 1-1 draw, Massimo Luongo and Emmanuel Latte Lath trading first-half goals.
All the while, goals from Will Smallbone and Che Adams had Southampton comfortable against the Hornets before Ryan Porteous and Ismael Kone – five minutes from time – pegged them back.
But there was more drama, with Flynn Downes scoring a winner for the home side nine minutes into injury time.
As a result, Ipswich sit top on 89 points, with Leicester second a point back. Leeds are third and two points worse off, with Southampton fourth, seven off the top two but with two games in hand.
West Brom should still make the play-offs but lost 1-0 at home to Sunderland, Pierre Ekwah punishing them after Brandon ThomasAsante had been sent off.
Hull thought they had a window back into the play-off picture, crushing QPR 3-0, but a late goal for Gabriel Sara for Norwich earned them a 1-0 win at Preston which keeps them six points clear of the Tigers in sixth.
As nai-biting as it is at the top, the bottom of the table is also serving up some real drama.
Sheffield Wednesday were left to rue a 76th-minute Luke Cundle equaliser for Stoke, eight minutes after Liam Palmer had put them ahead.
The draw leaves them in the drop zone, with Huddersfield joining them and already-relegated Rotherham after ex-Town striker Nakhi Wells scored a penalty in the 10th minute of added time to deny them a win at Bristol City.
Josh Koroma’s goal had Town out of the bottom three, but Wells’ intervention ensured it was Birmingham who had breathing space thanks to a 3-0 win over Coventry, Birmingham sit a point above the bottom three, with Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday a point behind.