CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND ROUND-UP

CARDIFF CITY sacked manager Mick McCarthy after they crashed to an eighth consecutive defeat. The 2-0 home loss to MIDDLESBROUGH, managed by former Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock, sealed McCarthy’s fate after a shocking run of results that has seen his team drop from eighth place to 21st in the table. Former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder is among the frontrunners to succeed McCarthy, with Chris Hughton and Craig Bellamy others apparently being considered. Middlesbrough took the lead when Andraz Sporar converted a penalty and Martin Payero sealed the win in the 73rd minute. ‘We won’t get too carried away by three wins in a row,’ promised Warnock. BOURNEMOUTH continue to set a relentless pace at the top of the Championship. Unbeaten in their first 14 league matches, they equalled a 60-year club record for their best start to a campaign with a 3-0 dismantling of HUDDERSFIELD. Just eight goals conceded and eight clean sheets so far underlines the resoluteness of Scott Parker’s side ‘We didn’t think it would go as well as it has done so far,’ said defender Jack Stacey. ‘Psychologically, if we can keep picking up the wins and increase the gap, the other teams will be looking at us as a real force to be reckoned with.’ Dominic Solanke scored twice to move into double figures for league goals, before captain Lloyd Kelly wrapped it up. ‘We were every bit what I wanted us to be,’ said Parker. ‘With the ball, superb, then we locked down any threat they posed and suffocated them.’ WEST BROMWICH ALBION swept aside BRISTOL CITY 3-0 to continue their pursuit of Bournemouth. Jordan Hugill’s first goal for the club put them ahead before Kyle Bartley headed the second and Danny Simpson’s poor backpass allowed Karlan Grant in for the third.