Bowler strikes as leaders Fulham are held

JOSH BOWLER scored for Blackpool as Championship leaders Fulham were held to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored after just six minutes but the hosts were unable to capitalise on an impressive start.

Blackpool grew in confidence as the match progressed, and got their reward when Bowler (right) equalised with 57 minutes gone.

Blackburn remain five points behind the Cottagers after they were held to a goalless draw by play-off chasing Luton at Kenilworth Road.

Bournemouth won 1-0 at Barnsley following an early goal from Philip Billing but were forced to hold on after being reduced to 10 men.

Denmark midfielder Billing scored the decisive goal for the Cherries after 12 minutes while defender Gary Cahill was sent off in the closing stages.

QPR thrashed Reading 4-0 to boost their promotion hopes and pile more pressure on Royals boss Veljko Paunovic.

Lyndon Dykes scored twice and there were also goals for Luke Amos and Jimmy Dunne as fourthplaced Rangers made it five wins and a draw from their past six matches.

The victory left the west London side just two points behind Blackburn with a game in hand. Reading, however, are struggling near the relegation zone and have now gone nine games without a win.

Shota Arveladze enjoyed a dream start as new Hull manager with a 2-0 victory at home to Swansea.

First-half goals from Tom Eaves and Keane LewisPotter essentially put the game to bed before the break as Hull secured a third league win on the bounce.

Emil Riis Jakobsen secured a point for Preston with an equaliser deep into stoppage time but their play-off push was hit by a 2-2 draw with Bristol City.

Ryan Lowe’s inconsistent side missed out on the chance to put renewed pressure on the top six with a disappointing performance as Jakobsen had to equalise twice to earn a share of the spoils. Mason Bennett and Benik Afobe’s second-half heroics lifted mid-table Millwall to a 2-0 win over promotion-chasers West Brom at The Den.

Millwall’s opener came in the 67th minute through Bennett’s low shot. Their second followed within nine minutes. Afobe’s beautiful piece of skill helped him to round the defender while running towards goal, before placing his shot into the corner.

Andraz Sporar’s fourth goal in his last six matches lifted Middlesbrough up to sixth after sealing a 1-0 win over Coventry.

The Sky Blues, who were only a place and a couple of points behind Boro beforehand, had their chances and hammered the woodwork at the Riverside. But it was Sporar’s eighth goal of the season that proved decisive to return Middlesbrough to winning ways.

In Saturday’s evening kick-off, Sheffield United moved into the top half of the table with a 2-0 win at Peterborough with Billy Sharp on target and a Callum Morton own goal doubling the visitors’ tally.