CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW
MIDDLESBROUGH thrashed Reading 5-0 to close up on the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places after leaders Burnley drew and Sheffield United were beaten.
Chuba Akpom put Boro ahead from a 24th-minute penalty to take his Championship tally to 20 goals.
On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Ramsey doubled the lead before the break with a fine solo effort.
Akpom added another from close range soon after the restart before Ramsey also got his second goal in the 51st minute with Marcus Forss scoring a fifth from the penalty spot.
Boro moved to within four points of second-placed Sheffield United, who were earlier beaten 1-0 at Blackburn where an early goal from Harry Pickering proved enough for victory.
Burnley edged 13 points clear of the Blades after they had to settle for a goalless draw at relegationbattlers Blackpool.
Stoke boss Alex Neil enjoyed a return to former club Sunderland as his side ran out 5-1 winners at the Stadium of Light.
Josh Laurent gave Stoke the lead at the end of the first half, with Tyrese Campbell scoring twice in the space of five minutes in the second to put the Potters in control.
Alex Pritchard reduced the deficit just after the hour, but Dwight Gayle added Stoke’s fourth with 20 minutes left and then nodded in a fifth.
Norwich moved up into the top six after coming from behind to win 3-2 at play-off rivals Millwall.
Tom Bradshaw put the Lions in front in the 20th minute, but Jacob Sorensen had Norwich level before the break following a well-worked corner.
The Canaries turned things around in the 55th minute when Bradshaw diverted Onel Hernandez’s cross into the net for an own goal, with Brazilian Gabriel Sara soon sweeping in a third.
Zian Flemming headed in a corner with seven minutes left to set up a tense finale, but David Wagner’s men held out.
At the other end of the table, Wigan came from behind to draw 1-1 against Birmingham and haul themselves off the bottom.
Huddersfield slumped to the bottom of the table after a 4-0 home defeat by Coventry.
Jordan Hugill scored his first goals for Rotherham in a 3-1 home win over QPR. Hugill, who has joined from Norwich, put the Millers in front in the 15th minute and added a second half penalty. Jamal Lowe pulled a late goal back for the the visitors, but Hakeen Odoffin sealed victory with Rotherham’s third in the last minute.