Fulham out to open gap at top after Cherries slip

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND ROUND-UP

BOURNEMOUTH have seen a comfortable cushion to third place evaporate after six matches without a win. their latest setback was a 1-0 defeat at MIDDLESBROUGH, with in-form BLACKBURN squeezing the gap to just a point when they thrashed BIRMINGHAM 4-0 on a Saturday afternoon that saw five games postponed because of Covid outbreaks. Leaders FULHAM will have the chance to spend Christmas five points clear when they host SHEFFIELD UNITED tonight. Boro were full value for their win, sealed early in the second half through Slovenian striker Andraz Sporar’s penalty after isaiah Jones was fouled by Jaidon Anthony. Some Bournemouth fans climbed on to buses at 1.15am to make the 636-mile round trip from Dorset to the Riverside Stadium after Sky moved the kick-off to lunchtime. But it was another tale of woe as they slumped to a second straight loss. Manager Scott Parker said: ‘We didn’t look like a team that i want us to look like. You have to weather these moments and i understand there will be a blip along the way. Are we the team we were six weeks ago? of course not.’ there were no such issues for Blackburn, who brushed aside Birmingham to record a fourth straight win. goals from John Buckley and Reda Khadra were followed by two more from Ben Brereton Diaz, who now has 19 for the season. Manager tony Mowbray said: ‘Do we look like we can score goals when we win the ball back and break away? Yes.’ BLACKPOOL won for the first time in eight matches, beating PETERBOROUGH 3-1 to consign the Posh to Christmas in the bottom three. Siriki Dembele actually fired Peterborough ahead but goals from Keshi Anderson, Sonny Carey and Jerry Yates moved the tangerines to within five points of the play-offs. HUDDERSFIELD are just two points off the top six after their 3-2 win at BRISTOL CITY.