Brentford are only two points off second and an automatic promotion place after Said Benrahma scored a hat-trick against troubled Wigan, whose nine-match unbeaten run came to an end in a week where the club was placed into administration.
Fulham were on the way to dropping two vital home points against Birmingham but Josh Onomah scored in the fifth minute of injury time to keep then in the hunt after Leeds’ win at Blackburn and Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw at Derby. West Brom play Hull on Sunday. Scott Parker’s Fulham are fourth, two points behind Brentford.
Cardiff are in the sixth and final play-off position after winning at Bristol City courtesy of an 85th-minute goal from Danny Ward, who had come off the bench. That dropped Lee Johnson’s City down to 12th, their chance of a play-off spot surely gone.
Preston’s promotion hopes took another blow in drawing 0-0 at Huddersfield. Alex Neil’s team have not won a game since February, while Huddersfield are only two points off the bottom three.
Stoke climbed out of the relegation zone and into 18th place after a desperately needed 4-0 home victory over fellow-strugglers Barnsley, who ended the day in 23rd. Sam Vokes headed the opener before Tyrese Campbell scored the first of two. Tom Ince completed the rout with a free-kick.
The star of the day was Reading’s Yakou Méïté, who scored four in a 5-0 romp at rock-bottom Luton. The Ivorian had reached his hat-trick by the 35th minute, completing his day’s work with Reading’s fifth after George Puscas had scored the fourth. Luton find themselves five points from safety.
Derby 1-1 Nottingham Forest, Blackburn 1-3 Leeds, Brentford 3-0 Wigan, Bristol City 0-1 Cardiff, Fulham 1-0 Birmingham, Huddersfield 0-0 Preston, Luton 0-5 Reading, Stoke City 4-0 Barnsley
