Championship: Derby’s great escape builds steam, Fulham surge clear at top
Derby took another step on the road to a great escape in the Championship when Wayne Rooney’s side beat Hull 3-1 at Pride Park.
The Wales international, Tom Lawrence, scored and laid on another for Festy Ebosele after Craig Forsyth gave Derby a first-half lead they never looked like relinquishing.
The defender headed past Matt Ingram on his 250th appearance. Forsyth’s own goal in the 65th minute gave Hull a glimmer of hope, but the Rams ran out deserved winners.
Despite still being in administration, Derby are now only four points behind fourth-from-bottom Reading, who have played two games fewer and travel to Bristol City on Wednesday night.
Aleksandar Mitrovic took his goal tally in this season’s Championship to 30 as Fulham beat Millwall 3-0 to move eight points clear at the top of the table.
Mitrovic opened the scoring in the 29th minute and doubled the home side’s lead shortly after the interval by firing in the rebound after Harry Wilson’s shot had been saved. Bobby Decordova-Reid rounded off the scoring in the closing minutes as Marco Silva’s side extended their cushion over nearest rivals Blackburn.
Luton are outside the play-off places on goal difference following a 2-1 win against the bottom side Barnsley. Allan Campbell’s opener was cancelled out by Carlton Morris on the stroke of half-time, but Brad Collins brought down Fred Onyedinma in the area on the hour mark and Elijah Adebayo converted the resulting penalty.
Stoke moved to within three points of the play-off places with a 3-0 win against 10-man Swansea. Jaden Philogene-Bidace celebrated his 20th birthday with the opener just two minutes into the second half and Lewis Baker made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Swansea defender Ryan Bennett was sent off for handling the ball on the line. Jacob Brown completed the scoring 10 minutes from time.
Coventry and Blackpool remain in mid-table following a 1-1 draw, Gary Madine’s 24th-minute opener for the visitors cancelled out by Viktor Gyokeres shortly before the interval.