Cardiff City continue to hold on to sixth place in the Championship, despite Saturday's 1-0 defeat at fifth place Leicester City. Simon Glanville takes a look at how things went elsewhere in the Championship and how the league shapes up ahead of the midweek fixtures.
Newcastle United saw their lead at the top of the table cut to four points after they were held in an entertaining derby at Middlesbrough. Peter Lovenkrands put the Magpies in front, but the hosts hit back to take the lead thanks to goals from Barry Robson and Scott McDonald. Andy Carroll earned a point for the visitors though with a late equaliser, moving them twenty-one points ahead of Cardiff. Middlesbrough will still harbour hopes of a play-off place and, following this point, are now just four points adrift of the Bluebirds and the top-six.
West Bromwich Albion are now seventeen points ahead of City after they came from behind to see off Blackpool at the Hawthorns. Charlie Adam gave the Tangerines a surprise lead, but they were pegged back when Ishmael Miller levelled with his first goal since Autumn 2008. Robert Koren then fired the Baggies ahead, only for Brett Ormerod to make it all square again. A controversial Graeme Dorrans penalty eventually won the points for WBA, keeping Ian Holloway's 'Pool two points behind the Bluebirds.
Cardiff remain twelve points behind Billy Davies' Nottingham Forest after the Tricky Trees were beaten at improving Preston North End. The Lilywhites took control of this one with a wonderful first-half display, which saw them take a 3-0 lead into the break courtesy of goals from Ross Wallace, Callum Davidson and Matt James. Forest were much improved after the interval, and despite making it nervy for the hosts thanks to Dexter Blackstock and Rob Earnshaw strikes, they left Deepdale with nothing. Victory for Preston has seen them move up to twelfth, and they are now just five points behind City.
Goal-shy Swansea City missed a host of chances but still extended their advantage over the Bluebirds to eight points after they were held to a goalless stalemate by Alan Irvine's Sheffield Wednesday at the Liberty Stadium. The Owls would have been happy to have picked up an away point which moved them out of the relegation zone, albeit only on goal-difference.
Chris Coleman's Coventry City cut the gap on Cardiff to just two points, despite being held at home by battling Plymouth Argyle. Kari Arnason gave the struggling Pilgrims a shock lead, but Michael McIndoe scored the equaliser to make it four games undefeated for the Sky Blues ahead of Cardiff's visit to the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday.
Neil Warnock kept his unbeaten record as Queens Park Rangers boss intact as his new club held out-of-form Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. Richard Creswell headed the Blades in front, but Adel Taarabt grabbed a point for the visitors with a second-half leveller. Kevin Blackwell's United are now three points behind Cardiff, while the Super Hoops are eight short of the top-six.
Doncaster Rovers are now only four points behind City after they saw off Nigel Clough's Derby County at the Keepmoat Stadium. Goals from Billy Sharp and on loan Arsenal youngster Jay Emmanuel-Thomas put Donny two to the good and despite Rob Hulse halving the Rams' deficit, the home side held on to take all three points. Derby still have some work to do if they want to remain in the Championship, this defeat leaving them just four points above the relegation zone.
Mark Robins' Barnsley are still in with a shout of grabbing a play-off place after the Tykes drew at home with Crystal Palace to move to within six points of Cardiff. Julian Speroni was the Palace hero as he kept the dominant Yorkshiremen at bay, earning his side a valuable point in their survival battle and keeping them out of the bottom three on goal difference.
Resurgent Reading continued their impressive form at the weekend after they eased past Bristol City on home soil. Gylfi Sigurdsson scored both the goals to lift the Royals six points clear of the drop zone, while the Robins are now just a point ahead of Reading following this defeat.
An injury-time goal from sixteen-year-old Connor Wickham ensured Ipswich Town got the three points in their relegation battle with Scunthorpe United. This big win for the Tractor Boys moves them six points clear of the relegation zone, while the Iron have slipped into the bottom three courtesy of their poor goal difference.
Bottom club Peterborough United gave their unlikely survival hopes a boost after they won at Watford to complete a league double over the Hornets. Liam Dickinson's thirty-five yard lob was worthy of winning any game and it did in this one to move the Posh to within eight points of safety. Watford have been sucked into the relegation battle at an alarmingly quick rate and they are now only a point above the bottom three.
