Championship
• Brighton extended their unbeaten run to 20 matches to return to the league summit after coming from two goals behind to beat 10-man Charlton. It looked like an archetypal coupon buster: the visitors scored twice in the first five minutes, as goals from 18-year old Ademola Lookman and the Iranian striker, Reza Ghoochannejhad, handed the Addicks a surprise lead. But the Seagulls just do not know when they have been beaten. James Wilson, the on-loan Manchester United striker, prompted the comeback, scoring his first goal since arriving on the coast five minutes into the second half. Then the Charlton defender Patrick Bauer, viewed as the last man by referee Keith Stroud, was given a straight red card. It took them a while but Brighton gradually turned the screw and who else but Bobby Z brought them level. Zamora equalised after 83 minutes before the substitute, Tomer Hemed, completed a remarkable turnaround 60 seconds later.
• Dean Smith enjoyed a winning start to life at Brentford, with a 2-0 home win over MK Dons. Lasse Vibe got the party started before Alan Judge sealed the victory in the second half. Leeds won only their second game of the season at Elland Road as Hull stretched their winless run. Chris Wood and Tom Adeyemi scored before Ahmed Elmohamady grabbed a goal back for Steve Bruce’s side, who are without a victory in four matches. Another local tussle saw Preston get the better of Burnley, as Will Keane and Daniel Johnson scored the goals to earn the Lilywhites their, very own, first win in four.
• Nottingham Forest swept aside managerless Fulham 3-0 at the City ground, thanks to a brace from Matt Mills and Chris O’Grady’s second half strike. The Cottagers are now five matches without a win, with sacked Reading manager Steve Clarke favourite to take charge at the club.
• Steve Cotterill’s Bristol City endured another tough day at the office at home to Blackburn, a week after losing 3-0 at fellow strugglers Rotherham. The Robins defender Nathan Baker picked up two yellow cards and therefore a red four minutes into the second period, to give the visitors the required incentive. Grant Hanley poked home from close range 10 minutes later before Ben Marshall slotted home a penalty.
• Birmingham manager Gary Rowett – who has been touted for vacant jobs in the second tier – insists his full focus remains at the club but defeat to Huddersfield condemned his side to their third successive loss. Birmingham’s minds were perhaps elsewhere after just 36 seconds when Joe Lolley fired home for the visitors. In contrast, David Wagner celebrated his first win as Terriers boss, after finally watching his Dortmund-inspired gegenpressing style rub off on his players. Nahki Wells made it 2-0 with nine minutes remaining in the Midlands.
There was a five-goal thriller, well, kind of, at the Macron Stadium (although we remember it as the Reebok). Bolton and Cardiff had both cancelled each other out but just as the game was heading for a draw, Anthony Pilkington popped up with a winner for the Bluebirds 10 minutes from time. To make matters worse, José Casado was sent-off in added time for the Trotters.
Elsewhere, Wolves registered their fourth away win of the season with a 2-1 win at the New York Stadium. James Henry and Danny Batth scored either side of Joe Newell’s strike, to down Rotherham.
FA Cup second round
• Northampton Town managed to break the hearts Northwich Victoria – the lowest ranked side left in the competition at the start of the day. The Vics, as they are known, really were in dreamland. They were leading by two goals, against a team who had won their last five matches, with 63 minutes played at Sixfields. Even a fire at the nearby Sixfields Tavern, which acted as a backdrop for most of the second half, could not distract the team from the eighth-tier of the football pyramid. But the hosts ruined the fairytale story in spectacular fashion with seven minutes left to play. Sam Hoskins, Jason Taylor and then Dominic Calvert-Lewin found the net to score three goals inside 240 seconds and avert a surprise exit for the League Two side.
• Another non-league side will however be celebrating long into the night. Eastleigh reached the third round of the competition for the first time in their history, with a 2-0 win at Stourbridge. James Constable put the Spitfires ahead on the hour, sliding the ball home from a Josh Payne free-kick before Payne made sure of victory himself after 77 minutes. Karl Hawley saw his late penalty for the hosts saved by Ross Flitney.
• Newport County also reached the third round for the first time since the club was reformed in 1989, with a narrow win at fellow League Two strugglers Barnet. Scott Boden scored the only goal of the game when he headed home Andrew Hughes’ cross after 59 minutes.
• At Yeovil, the interim manager, Darren Way, taking charge of his first game since Paul Sturrock left the club, saw his side beat Stevenage 1-0. Ben Tozer, a defender once of Newcastle United, fired home from 20 yards to secure victory with four minutes left on the clock.
• Portsmouth, who lifted the FA Cup in 2008, beat Accrington Stanley 1-0 courtesy of Adam McGurk’s first-half strike. Lee Novak earned Chesterfield a replay with Walsall after netting a 90th-minute equaliser against the managerless Saddlers, who went ahead through the Cyprus defender, Jason Demetriou. Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient played out a bore draw, which will see them play each other again later this month.
• Elsewhere, Sheffield United recorded their first victory in six matches with a 1-0 win over Oldham, courtesy of Matt Done’s strike immediately after the break. League Two side Wycombe got the better of League One’s Millwall, thanks to Michael Harriman’s late winner.
