Canaries fly straight back to top flight
A LATE fightback by Swansea at home to Wycombe could not deny Norwich an instant return to the Premier League yesterday.
Jamal Lowe and Liam Cullen struck in the final 10 minutes at the Liberty Stadium to earn the Swans a 2-2 draw, but with play-off rivals Brentford also drawing it meant the Canaries were able to secure automatic promotion from the Championship without kicking a ball.
Admiral Muskwe and Garath Mccleary had put Wycombe two goals up to raise hopes Norwich would clinch a top-two finish ahead of their evening kick-off with Bournemouth and, even though Steve Cooper’s side hit back, the draw leaves them third and 14 points off the leaders. Victory for fourth-place Brentford at home to Millwall would have ensured the champagne stayed on ice at Carrow Road, but it finished 0-0 at Griffin Park.
The good news for Norwich continued at Kenilworth Road with title rivals Watford losing 1-0 at Luton. James Collins scored a penalty in the 78th-minute to secure the Hatters bragging rights in the derby.
Sheffield Wednesday were denied a vital three points at home to 10-man Bristol City in their battle to beat the drop after Tyreeq Bakinson levelled for the visitors in the 87th minute. The Owls went ahead at Hillsborough through Julian Borner’s fourth-minute header. It could have been 2-0 midway through the first half, but Barry Bannan was denied from the spot and Bakinson hit a sucker punch when he fired in an equaliser late on.
Wednesday remain 23rd and seven points from safety while Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield boosted their chances of beating relegation with a 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
Aaron Rowe broke the deadlock in stoppage time before the interval and Juninho Bacuna wrapped up the victory with a spectacular strike midway through the second period.
Huddersfield are eight clear of the bottom three and only two points off Preston, who earned a point away to Stoke. It finished goalless at the bet365 Stadium but the hosts finished the game with 10 men after Harry Souttar was sent off for a professional foul.
Another mid-table clash between Middlesbrough and QPR went the way of the London club by a 2-1 score despite playing with 10 men for most of the second half.
Mark Warburton saw his team race out of the blocks at the Riverside, with Rob Dickie and Lee Wallace netting inside 18 minutes.
Yannick Bolasie reduced the deficit before half-time and when goalkeeper Seny Dieng saw red after he clashed with Duncan Watmore outside his area, it looked a tall order for QPR to hang on. But Joe Lumley impressed between the posts to help secure the victory.