Fulham 11 points clear after seeing off Rovers
FULHAM moved 11 points clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-0 victory over promotion rivals Blackburn.
Both goals came in the first half as Neeskens Kebano and Harry Wilson struck at Craven Cottage.
Rovers, beaten 7-0 last time the sides met, rallied after the break and Sam Gallagher had an effort disallowed due to an offside flag but Fulham held on.
Bournemouth missed the chance to move above Huddersfield into second as they were stunned by a late Preston winner in an eventful finish at Deepdale.
Emil Riis struck in the 89th minute to hand Preston a 2-1 win moments after Nat Phillips had forced a fine save from Daniel Iversen at the other end.
In the commotion that followed, Bournemouth had both manager Scott Parker and defender Adam Smith, who was on the touchline after being substituted, sent off.
Earlier Jamal Lowe had put the Cherries ahead five minutes into the second half but the hosts quickly responded through Cameron Archer.
Steve Bruce finally claimed his first win as West Brom manager at the sixth time of asking by overseeing a 2-0 success over former club Hull.
Karlan Grant was on target twice for the Baggies, opening the scoring in the 17th minute and then adding a second from the penalty spot early in the second period.
Ravel Morrison struck twice as relegation-threatened Derby reignited their unlikely escape bid by claiming their first win in four games with a 2-0 success over fellow strugglers Barnsley.
Morrison netted in each half - his first goals in English league football since 2014 - to lift Wayne Rooney’s Rams above Barnsley and within five points of Reading in that all-important 21st place. Morrison also hit the woodwork in a fine display from the former Manchester United trainee.
Derby’s hopes were enhanced as Reading slipped up at the home to improving Millwall.
Jake Cooper headed the only goal of a 1-0 win for the Lions, a fifth successive victory for the London side that further boosted their growing play-off hopes.
Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong scored his first goal in English football as Birmingham won 2-1 at Bristol City.
Chong, making his first start since October following injury, was on target after just two minutes at Ashton Gate before Nico Gordon soon added a second. Alex Scott pulled one back for the hosts.
Middlesbrough edged out Luton 2-1.
An early Paddy McNair penalty put the hosts in control but it was not until Duncan Watmore’s effort three minutes from time they began to breathe easily.
Even then Harry Cornick responded for the Hatters but it proved only a consolation.
In the day’s other game, Josh Bowler scored an 86th-minute winner as Blackpool snatched a 1-0 victory at Stoke.