Nottingham Forest go third with 2-0 win over Blues

NOTTINGHAM Forest maintained their Championship promotion charge as a 2-0 home win against Birmingham lifted them up to third in the table.

On-loan Aston Villa forward Keinan Davis gave Forest a flying start and Scott Mckenna headed a game-clinching second with 11 minutes left.

Forest comfortably saw out 12 minutes of added-time following an injury to Birmingham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge after a second-half collision with Forest’s Djed Spence.

Bournemouth’s bid for automatic promotion met with more frustration as they were held 0-0 at play-off hopefuls Sheffield United.

Blackburn missed the chance to climb into the play-off places after being held 1-1 by Blackpool at Ewood Park.

Blackpool defender Marvin Ekpiteta’s effort soon after the interval cancelled out Sam Gallagher’s early opener for Blackburn.

QPR’S miserable run continued as they slipped to a fifth straight defeat, beaten 2-1 at Preston.

Hoops defender Jimmy Dunne’s first-half own-goal edged Preston ahead and they doubled their lead through Cameron Archer early in the second half. Andre Gray’s stoppage-time penalty for the visitors was scant consolation.

Barnsley’s hopes were dealt blow as they lost 4-1 at Millwall.

Millwall defender Danny Mcnamara scored his first goals for the club with a brace either side of halftime. Romal Palmer fired Barnsley back into it, but Oliver Burke restored Millwall’s two-goal advantage and Benik Afobe lashed home their fourth.

Stoke made it three wins from their last four with a 3-1 win at West Brom. Jake Livermore’s first-half own goal gave Stoke the lead and Jacob Brown headed home after the break. Callum Robinson’s eighth goal of the season for West Brom set up a grandstand finish but Stoke sealed the points through Lewis Baker’s stoppage-time effort.

Joel Piroe struck an early double as Swansea won 2-1 against Derby.

Piroe struck his 17th and 18th league goals of the season inside the first 16 minutes to put Swansea in control before Tom Lawrence’s penalty for Derby reduced the deficit.

Will Vaulks’ late goal clinched Cardiff a 2-1 win at relegation battlers Reading.

Lucas Joao’s header gave Reading an early lead, but Alfie Doughty curled Cardiff level and Vaulks struck five minutes from time.

Jonson Clarke-harris rescued a point for 10-man Peterborough in a 1-1 draw at Bristol City.

Rob Atkinson headed City in front and Posh defender Joe Ward was shown a straight red for his second-half challenge on Andreas Weimann, but Posh hit back to level through Clarke-harris.