Derby equaled their biggest win of the season and suggested they are hitting form for the run-in with a resounding 4-0 win over Hull City at the iPro Stadium. Steve Bruce’s visitors required a win to stay in touch with the top two but instead fell to a first-half pair from Bradley Johnson, added to by late goals from Chris Martin and Craig Bryson. To add insult to injury, they had Moses Odubajo sent off 10 minutes into the second half. Derby are sixth, with a four-point cushion from seventh, while Hull sit two points ahead in fourth.
Burnley’s blank meant Brighton, in third, moved two points behind them after a 2-1 victory at Birmingham. Kyle Lafferty, the Northern Ireland striker on loan from Norwich, put City in the lead but Chris Hughton’s side turned things around either side of half-time with goals from the centre-backs Connor Goldson and Lewis Dunk.
Sheffield Wednesday entrenched themselves further in the play-off spots by surviving a scare to defeat Blackburn 2-1 at Hillsborough. Craig Conway was hero and villain for the away side, scoring a minute after half-time before, after an Adam Henley own goal had levelled matters, seeing red in the 53rd minute. Ross Wallace punished him by volleying in a winner shortly afterwards.
The bottom club Bolton could be relegated on Saturday after their 3-1 defeat at Brentford. They did rally in the second half, Zach Clough scoring a penalty 20 minutes from time, but the damage had been done before the interval. Nico Yennaris opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Lasse Vibe added two more. The same players had scored a goal apiece in the weekend win at Nottingham Forest. Bolton are 17 points adrift of safety with six games left to play.
Bristol City and Rotherham, the two sides just outside the relegation zone, drew 1-1 at Ashton Gate – a result that went down nicely after 22nd-placed MK Dons, who are six points adrift, lost 2-1 at home to Wolves despite going ahead through a Kortney Hause own goal after six minutes. George Saville and Jack Price put Wolves ahead with two goals in four minutes
