Championship
Fulham, without a manager or a league win since Kit Symons’ departure on November 8th, drew 2-2 with Brentford in an entertaining local derby. The visitors earned a point through Jack O’Connell, with Stuart Gray, Fulham’s new senior coach, but not their manager, in the dugout for the first time.
With Derby and Brighton also playing out a 2-2 draw, and Middlesbrough held at home by Birmingham, the big winners at the top of the table were Hull, who moved third after an unconvincing 1-0 win over bottom club Bolton. Chuba Akpom got the goal.
Match report: Derby 2-2 Brighton
Ipswich climbed into the play-off places with a lunchtime win over Milton Keynes Dons, Brett Pitman scoring the only goal. Sheffield Wednesday fought back to draw 2-2 at Cardiff, with both sides just outside the top six. Simon Grayson has Preston well drilled at the back; they have now conceded two goals in ten matches after beating Reading 1-0.
Another promoted side adjusting nicely to the second tier are Bristol City, who won 2-1 at Huddersfield. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s QPR reign got off to an uninspiring start with a 0-0 draw against Burnley, and Charlton v Leeds also finished goalless.
On Friday night, Wolves and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1, and Paul Lambert’s good start at Blackburn continued with a 1-0 home win over struggling Rotherham.
Match report: Wolves 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Match report: Blackburn 1-0 Rotherham
League One
Hasselbaink’s old club Burton won 3-0 win at Gillingham, despite the absence of returning manager Nigel Clough. With Coventry going to Bramall Lane tomorrow, the Brewers lead the table by five points.
There was drama in Doncaster as the hosts went 2-1 down to Crewe in the 90th minute but snatched a remarkable win, Andy Williams scoring the 94th minute winner. Barnsley also won a thriller, hanging on for a 3-2 win at fellow strugglers Colchester.
Swindon beat Rochdale 2-1 to earn a fourth win in five under Martin Ling, with Ben Gladwin scoring the winner. Peterborough’s winning run was halted by Shrewsbury, who grabbed a 1-1 draw at London Road.
Bad weather saw matches at Bradford, Fleetwood and Oldham called off, but there was action in the north west at Bury, who beat Chesterfield 1-0; Wigan, where Blackpool stunned the hosts; and at Vale Park, where Port Vale and Scunthorpe drew.
League Two
Northampton continued their extraordinary season by climbing to the League Two summit with a 4-3 win at Kenilworth Road. The visitors led 3-1 before Luton fought back to level the game, but Ricky Holmes scored the winner for a club that remain in the financial mire.
There was another thriller at Meadow Lane, with Notts County snatching a 4-3 win over John Sheridan’s resurgent Newport. Liam Noble got the winner in the 95th minute. In a high-scoring afternoon, Rhys Murphy got the winner for Crawley as they beat Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2, while Portsmouth put four past Hartlepool.
Pompey closed the gap on the top three, as both Oxford and Plymouth disappointed at home. Oxford drew 1-1 with Carlisle, while the Pilgrims slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Cambridge. At the other end of the table, Francois Zoko scored two late goals to grab a point for Yeovil against Barnet.
AFC Wimbledon fans were jubilant after the club’s new stadium plans were approved, despite a home defeat to Stevenage. Matt Taylor got a late winner for Bristol Rovers against York, and Mansfield drew 1-1 with Leyton Orient. Accrington v Wycombe and Morecambe v Exeter both fell foul of the weather.
