Fulham extend advantage at the top after winning five-goal thriller at Stoke
FULHAM extended their lead at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a thrilling 3-2 win at Stoke.
There was an explosive start inside two minutes, with Rodrigo Muniz cancelling out D’Margio Wright-Phillips’ first senior goal for Stoke.
Fabio Carvalho’s eighth goal of the season put Fulham ahead after 33 minutes.
Lewis Baker levelled with a debut 58th-minute goal following his free transfer from Chelsea, but Bobby Decordova-Reid smashed home to secure Fulham’s fourth straight win.
Nearest challengers Bournemouth are eight points adrift of the Cottagers after a surprise 1-0 home defeat by Hull.
Ryan Longman curled home the winner 13 minutes from time to steer the Tigers away from relegation danger.
Albert Adomah struck late on as fourth-placed QPR won 2-1 at Coventry.
Andre Gray’s early opener was cancelled out by Jordan Shipley just after the break before Adomah made it four consecutive league wins for the Hoops.
West Brom stay fifth as their late show accounted for Peterborough 3-0 at The Hawthorns.
Cedric Kipre, with his first Albion goal, Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana saw off Posh with goals in the final 12 minutes.
Danny Ward scored a hat-trick as Huddersfield won 4-3 at Reading.
Six goals came in an actionpacked first half, with Lucas Joao’s early opener for the Royals wiped out by goals from Danel Sinani and Ward.
George Puscas equalised before Ward restored Huddersfield’s lead after 25 minutes with his second.
Michael Morrison levelled on the stroke of half-time, but Ward won it for the Terriers eight minutes into the second period.
Nottingham Forest ended Derby’s five-game unbeaten league run in a fiercely contested East Midlands derby.
Second-half goals from Lewis Grabban and Brennan Johnson put Forest 2-0 ahead before a dramatic finale at the City Ground.
Tom Lawrence netted from the penalty spot in the 87th minute to reduce the deficit and Derby substitute Ravel Morrison was then sent off in stoppage time for a high challenge on Philip Zinckernagel.
Birmingham claimed a first win since the end of November with a 2-1 home victory over Barnsley.
Loan signing Onel Hernandez and Scott Hogan scored either side of the break before Victor Adeboyejo pulled one back for the Tykes.
Sheffield United beat 10-man Luton 2-0 at Bramall Lane.
Rhian Brewster and Jack Robinson were on target in the space of three minutes just after half-time and Luton’s misery was completed by the dismissal of Reece Burke for a professional foul.
Blackpool were 1-0 winners as Shayne Lavery’s second-half goal was enough to beat Millwall.