Cardiff maintain promotion push

LONDON: Cardiff maintained their push for promotion to the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Championship strugglers Birmingham on Saturday.

Neil Warnock’s side were on course for a sixth successive win by half-time thanks to goals from Nathaniel MendezLaing, Craig Bryson and Callum Patterson.

Birmingham reduced the deficit early in the second half through Craig Gardner’s penalty and Maxime Colin scored a second deep into stoppage time.

But Cardiff held on to move back to within three points of Wolves, who were thrashed 4-1 at local rivals Aston Villa in the day’s late game.

Villa scored through Albert Adomah, James Chester, Lewis Grabban and Birkir Bjarnason to return to within four points of Cardiff in the fight for automatic promotion.

Aleksandar Mitrovic extended his superb start to life at Fulham with both goals as the Cottagers snatched a 2-1 win at play-off rivals Preston.

The on-loan Newcastle striker opened the scoring on 69 minutes and made it seven goals in five games in stoppage time to stretch Fulham’s unbeaten run to 15 matches.

Preston had equalised 15 minutes from time through Sean Maguire but they were unable to halt the Fulham juggernaut as they slipped four points adrift of the top six.

Middlesbrough consolidated their place in the play-off spots with a third successive victory to deepen Barnsley’s relegation fears.

Daniel Ayala set sixth-placed Boro on their way in the first minute before in-form pair Adama Traore and Patrick Bamford put the hosts in full control.

Kieffer Moore got one back for Barnsley but the 3-1 defeat sees them remain a place above the bottom three.

Bristol City and Sheffield United lost ground on the top six following goalless draws at Burton and Ipswich respectively.

Millwall leapfrogged Brentford and stretched their unbeaten run to 11 games as George Saville scored in the first minute for the second time this week.

Saville’s previous quick-fire effort came on Tuesday against Hull, who eased their relegation fears in thrilling fashion with a 4-3 victory over Norwich.

Sunderland remain bottom after a 1-0 loss at QPR, with Eberechi Eze’s goal ensuring the hosts took advantage of a red card for Black Cats goalkeeper Jason Steele.

Aaron Wilbraham’s stoppagetime header earned Bolton a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds appeared to be on course for a win at Reading, only to draw 2-2 following Eunan O’Kane’s own goal.

Pontus Jansson and Pablo Hernandez had scored for Leeds either side of the break to cancel out Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s opener. -