Queens Park Rangers cemented their position as league leaders with a 4-0 win over 4th place Swansea City.
Cardiff City moved back up to second place with a 1-0 win over playoff contenders Coventry City. Leeds United fell to third place after a 2-2 draw at Leicester City, but have now extended their unbeaten streak to 10 games.
Reading moved to within one point of the playoff spots with a 4-1 win over Bristol City, while Burnley are only one point further back after beating Barnsley 2-1 at Oakwell.
At the bottom end of the table, Hull City pulled eight points clear of the drop zone, after a dramatic injury time winner from Jimmy Bullard.
Five games were postponed due to the current snowy and freezing conditions in England, including Middlesbrough v Nottingham Forest, and the bottom of the table clash between Scunthorpe United and Preston North End.
Queens Park Rangers secured their status as league leaders with an emphatic 4-0 win over 4th place Swansea City. Adel Taarabt scored twice in an excellent performance for QPR, while Heidar Helguson and Jamie Mackie were also on the score sheet.
The visitors started brightly, and missed two chances to open the scoring courtesy of Scott Sinclair and Craig Beattie.
QPR settled into the game and the inspirational Taarabt was the creator of their 16th minute opener. The Morrocan dribbled by two defenders and squared the ball to Mackie, who beat Dorus De Vries from the edge of the penalty area.
Three minutes after Mackie’s opener both teams were reduced to 10 men. Alan Tate went in recklessly on Kyle Walker, and QPR fullback Clint Hill ran 40 yards to get involved in a needless fight that saw both men dismissed.
Swansea rebounded after the red cards and Joe Allen was sent free in the penalty area, only to sky his shot over the bar. Ashley Williams then produced two long range shots, but both were saved by Paddy Kenny.
QPR went up the other end and good bits of skill from Taarabt set up Kaspars Gorkks and Mackie in quick succession. Saves from De Vries meant the teams went in level at the interval.
Taarabt continued his role as tormentor-in-chief after the restart, and the Hoops were awarded a penalty when Williams brought down Taarabt in the area. Helguson stepped up to send De Vries the wrong way and double the lead.
The performance of Taarabt deserved a goal and he got one in the 70th minute when he turned home a Helguson knockdown. Taarabt rounded off the 4-0 win with his second goal 10 minutes later, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder nutmegged Allen and found the net with a shot from outside the area.
Portsmouth and Millwall shared a 1-1 draw that leaves both teams tied on points in mid-table. Liam Trotter headed Millwall into a first half lead, before a David Nugent goal led to the points being shared.
Millwall started well, and almost had a man advantage within two minutes, but Pompey Captain Aaron Mokoena saw only a yellow card for a reckless lunge on Steve Morison. The bright play of Millwall was rewarded in the 26th minute when Trotter headed the Lions into a 1-0 lead.
Morison twice came close to scoring, but Millwall were unable to extend their lead before half-tine.
Portsmouth were revitalized in the second half and Dave Kitson sent a shot just wide, before Hayden Mullins fired against the post in the search for an equalizer.
Nugent then had a strike ruled out, before he did level the scores in the 73rd minute by heading home a Kitson cross.
Pompey had a late chance to steal victory, but Nugent headed wide from a Michael Brown cross.
Jimmy Bullard marked his Hull City comeback with a dramatic injury time winner for the Tigers at Sheffield United. Jay Simpson scored twice to give Hull a 2-0 half-time lead, but a Ched Evans brace in the second half tied the scores before Bullard’s late winning goal.
Hull were ahead after only three minutes when Manchester United loanee Cameron Stewart pulled the ball back for Simpson to fire past Steve Simonsen. Simpson played well throughout the first half and was awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time after being brought down in the area by Nyron Nosworthy. Simpson got up to dispatch the resulting spot kick and send the Tigers into the break with a two goal lead.
United responded well and had a chance soon after the restart when Matt Lowton went close with a header. The Blades did halve the deficit at the 62 minute mark when Andy Reid found Evans in the area, and the Welsh striker beat Vito Mannone to make the score 2-1.
Evans found an equalizer in the 73rd minute and Reid was again the provider, setting up the Welshman to fire low past Mannone to draw the Blades level.
With a point seemingly rescued for the Blades, it was left to Bullard to break the hearts of the home fans. Playing his first game since October, Bullard slammed in Stewart’s cross in the third minute of injury time to give Hull a win that pulls them eight points clear of the drop zone.
Cardiff City ended a recent run of bad form and moved back into second place with a 2-0 win over playoff contenders Coventry City.
Seyi Olofinjana opened the scoring for Cardiff, before Craig Bellamy sealed the win with a deflected long range strike.
Cardiff started brightly in what would become a feisty affair, and Michael Chopra drilled an early chance wide. Chris Riggott was then denied by a Keiren Westwood save, before the Bluebirds took a 21st minute lead. Bellamy was released down the left from a quick free kick, and the Wales international’s low cross was turned home by Olofinjana.
The Bluebirds played well after their goal and only two fine saves from Keiren Westwood in the space of 10 minutes prevented Chopra from adding to the lead before half-time. Westwood was also called into action quickly after the restart, producing a fine stop to keep out Bellamy.
Lukas Jutkiewicz thought he had leveled the scores against the run of play but his strike was ruled out for offside. Westwood then produced yet another good save to keep out Chopra.
Freddy Eastwood tried to beat Westwood but his shot hit the side netting as Coventry fought for an equalizer, but Cardiff iced the game in the 83rd minute. Bellamy let loose a shot from the edge of the area, and the ball span into the net after a cruel deflection off James McPake. The 2-0 victory gives Cardiff just their second win in eight games, Coventry remain in 6th place despite the defeat.
Leicester City came back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Leeds United. Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass had given Leeds a 2-0 cushion, but goals in the last 20 minutes by Paul Gallacher and Andy King earned Leicester a share of the points.
Leeds took a 19th minute lead when Gradel scored against his old club by nodding in a Neil Kilkenny cross. Leicester had the better of possession for the rest of the half, but were unable to get in behind the Leeds backline.
Snodgrass extended the visitors lead 10 minutes after the restart with an excellent strike. The Scottish midfielder swung in a corner and after the ball was headed back to him, drove an angled strike beyond Chris Kirkland to make it 2-0.
Leicester were given a lifeline in the 72nd minute when Kasper Schmeichel fouled Darius Vassell and a penalty was awarded. Gallacher stepped up to coolly dispatch the resulting spot kick and halve the deficit.
The Foxes were buoyed by the goal, and the home crowd was celebrating four minutes later when King smashed a long range strike in off the underside of the crossbar to tie the game at 2-2.
Leeds responded and poured late pressure on Leicester in search of a winning goal. Leeds had chances to win from two late corners but Kirkland saved well to keep out Neill Collins and Billy Paynter.
The draw sees Leeds fall to third place, but the Yorkshire club have now extended their unbeaten run to 10 games.
Second half goals by John Guidetti and Andre Bikey helped Burnley seal their first away win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Barnsley. Adam Hammill had opened the scoring for the Tykes, who fall to 16th after this defeat, Burnley have climbed to within two points of the playoff places.
Guidetti went close to opening the scoring for Burnley when he headed a Jack Cork cross against the goal post. Barnsley responded well and did open the scoring in the 25th minute.
Goran Lovre released Hammill with a neat through ball, and the midfielder scored at the second attempt, after his first effort was saved by Lee Grant.
Burnley were level within five minutes of the restart, when Guidetti nodded in a Wade Elliott cross to tie the game at 1-1. Five minutes later the Clarets were ahead, when Ross Wallace sent in a corner, and Bikey headed home the decisive goal.
Jay Rodriguez had a chance to add to the score for Burnley but his header hit the goalpost, and the Clarets finished with a 2-1 win.
Reading moved to within one point of the playoff places with a resounding 4-1 victory over Bristol City. Jon Stead opened the scoring for Bristol, before Jobi McAnuff and Noel Hunt scored to give the Royals a half-time lead. Shane Long scored twice in the second half to give Reading a convincing win.
Bristol took the lead when Steven Caulker’s lob bounced back off the crossbar, and Stead headed home the rebound.
Reading responded well and England World Cup goalkeeper David James produced a good save to prevent Jem Karacan leveling the scores. The equalizer did come after 31 minutes when McAnuff swept in the rebound after his own shot had hit the goalpost.
Reading were ahead two minutes before the break, when Long produced a good run down the wing and crossed for Hunt to bundle the ball home and send Reading into half-time with a 2-1 lead.
Long found the net himself in the 66th minute when he collected an Alex Pearce through ball and slammed the ball beyond James. With only one minute remaining, Long collected a pass from Hal Robson-Kanu and finished well to round off the 4-1 win.
Reading moved to within one point of the playoff spots with a 4-1 win over Bristol City, while Burnley are only one point further back after beating Barnsley 2-1 at Oakwell.
At the bottom end of the table, Hull City pulled eight points clear of the drop zone, after a dramatic injury time winner from Jimmy Bullard.
Five games were postponed due to the current snowy and freezing conditions in England, including Middlesbrough v Nottingham Forest, and the bottom of the table clash between Scunthorpe United and Preston North End.
Queens Park Rangers secured their status as league leaders with an emphatic 4-0 win over 4th place Swansea City. Adel Taarabt scored twice in an excellent performance for QPR, while Heidar Helguson and Jamie Mackie were also on the score sheet.
The visitors started brightly, and missed two chances to open the scoring courtesy of Scott Sinclair and Craig Beattie.
QPR settled into the game and the inspirational Taarabt was the creator of their 16th minute opener. The Morrocan dribbled by two defenders and squared the ball to Mackie, who beat Dorus De Vries from the edge of the penalty area.
Three minutes after Mackie’s opener both teams were reduced to 10 men. Alan Tate went in recklessly on Kyle Walker, and QPR fullback Clint Hill ran 40 yards to get involved in a needless fight that saw both men dismissed.
Swansea rebounded after the red cards and Joe Allen was sent free in the penalty area, only to sky his shot over the bar. Ashley Williams then produced two long range shots, but both were saved by Paddy Kenny.
QPR went up the other end and good bits of skill from Taarabt set up Kaspars Gorkks and Mackie in quick succession. Saves from De Vries meant the teams went in level at the interval.
Taarabt continued his role as tormentor-in-chief after the restart, and the Hoops were awarded a penalty when Williams brought down Taarabt in the area. Helguson stepped up to send De Vries the wrong way and double the lead.
The performance of Taarabt deserved a goal and he got one in the 70th minute when he turned home a Helguson knockdown. Taarabt rounded off the 4-0 win with his second goal 10 minutes later, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder nutmegged Allen and found the net with a shot from outside the area.
Portsmouth and Millwall shared a 1-1 draw that leaves both teams tied on points in mid-table. Liam Trotter headed Millwall into a first half lead, before a David Nugent goal led to the points being shared.
Millwall started well, and almost had a man advantage within two minutes, but Pompey Captain Aaron Mokoena saw only a yellow card for a reckless lunge on Steve Morison. The bright play of Millwall was rewarded in the 26th minute when Trotter headed the Lions into a 1-0 lead.
Morison twice came close to scoring, but Millwall were unable to extend their lead before half-tine.
Portsmouth were revitalized in the second half and Dave Kitson sent a shot just wide, before Hayden Mullins fired against the post in the search for an equalizer.
Nugent then had a strike ruled out, before he did level the scores in the 73rd minute by heading home a Kitson cross.
Pompey had a late chance to steal victory, but Nugent headed wide from a Michael Brown cross.
Jimmy Bullard marked his Hull City comeback with a dramatic injury time winner for the Tigers at Sheffield United. Jay Simpson scored twice to give Hull a 2-0 half-time lead, but a Ched Evans brace in the second half tied the scores before Bullard’s late winning goal.
Hull were ahead after only three minutes when Manchester United loanee Cameron Stewart pulled the ball back for Simpson to fire past Steve Simonsen. Simpson played well throughout the first half and was awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time after being brought down in the area by Nyron Nosworthy. Simpson got up to dispatch the resulting spot kick and send the Tigers into the break with a two goal lead.
United responded well and had a chance soon after the restart when Matt Lowton went close with a header. The Blades did halve the deficit at the 62 minute mark when Andy Reid found Evans in the area, and the Welsh striker beat Vito Mannone to make the score 2-1.
Evans found an equalizer in the 73rd minute and Reid was again the provider, setting up the Welshman to fire low past Mannone to draw the Blades level.
With a point seemingly rescued for the Blades, it was left to Bullard to break the hearts of the home fans. Playing his first game since October, Bullard slammed in Stewart’s cross in the third minute of injury time to give Hull a win that pulls them eight points clear of the drop zone.
Cardiff City ended a recent run of bad form and moved back into second place with a 2-0 win over playoff contenders Coventry City.
Seyi Olofinjana opened the scoring for Cardiff, before Craig Bellamy sealed the win with a deflected long range strike.
Cardiff started brightly in what would become a feisty affair, and Michael Chopra drilled an early chance wide. Chris Riggott was then denied by a Keiren Westwood save, before the Bluebirds took a 21st minute lead. Bellamy was released down the left from a quick free kick, and the Wales international’s low cross was turned home by Olofinjana.
The Bluebirds played well after their goal and only two fine saves from Keiren Westwood in the space of 10 minutes prevented Chopra from adding to the lead before half-time. Westwood was also called into action quickly after the restart, producing a fine stop to keep out Bellamy.
Lukas Jutkiewicz thought he had leveled the scores against the run of play but his strike was ruled out for offside. Westwood then produced yet another good save to keep out Chopra.
Freddy Eastwood tried to beat Westwood but his shot hit the side netting as Coventry fought for an equalizer, but Cardiff iced the game in the 83rd minute. Bellamy let loose a shot from the edge of the area, and the ball span into the net after a cruel deflection off James McPake. The 2-0 victory gives Cardiff just their second win in eight games, Coventry remain in 6th place despite the defeat.
Leicester City came back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Leeds United. Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass had given Leeds a 2-0 cushion, but goals in the last 20 minutes by Paul Gallacher and Andy King earned Leicester a share of the points.
Leeds took a 19th minute lead when Gradel scored against his old club by nodding in a Neil Kilkenny cross. Leicester had the better of possession for the rest of the half, but were unable to get in behind the Leeds backline.
Snodgrass extended the visitors lead 10 minutes after the restart with an excellent strike. The Scottish midfielder swung in a corner and after the ball was headed back to him, drove an angled strike beyond Chris Kirkland to make it 2-0.
Leicester were given a lifeline in the 72nd minute when Kasper Schmeichel fouled Darius Vassell and a penalty was awarded. Gallacher stepped up to coolly dispatch the resulting spot kick and halve the deficit.
The Foxes were buoyed by the goal, and the home crowd was celebrating four minutes later when King smashed a long range strike in off the underside of the crossbar to tie the game at 2-2.
Leeds responded and poured late pressure on Leicester in search of a winning goal. Leeds had chances to win from two late corners but Kirkland saved well to keep out Neill Collins and Billy Paynter.
The draw sees Leeds fall to third place, but the Yorkshire club have now extended their unbeaten run to 10 games.
Second half goals by John Guidetti and Andre Bikey helped Burnley seal their first away win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Barnsley. Adam Hammill had opened the scoring for the Tykes, who fall to 16th after this defeat, Burnley have climbed to within two points of the playoff places.
Guidetti went close to opening the scoring for Burnley when he headed a Jack Cork cross against the goal post. Barnsley responded well and did open the scoring in the 25th minute.
Goran Lovre released Hammill with a neat through ball, and the midfielder scored at the second attempt, after his first effort was saved by Lee Grant.
Burnley were level within five minutes of the restart, when Guidetti nodded in a Wade Elliott cross to tie the game at 1-1. Five minutes later the Clarets were ahead, when Ross Wallace sent in a corner, and Bikey headed home the decisive goal.
Jay Rodriguez had a chance to add to the score for Burnley but his header hit the goalpost, and the Clarets finished with a 2-1 win.
Reading moved to within one point of the playoff places with a resounding 4-1 victory over Bristol City. Jon Stead opened the scoring for Bristol, before Jobi McAnuff and Noel Hunt scored to give the Royals a half-time lead. Shane Long scored twice in the second half to give Reading a convincing win.
Bristol took the lead when Steven Caulker’s lob bounced back off the crossbar, and Stead headed home the rebound.
Reading responded well and England World Cup goalkeeper David James produced a good save to prevent Jem Karacan leveling the scores. The equalizer did come after 31 minutes when McAnuff swept in the rebound after his own shot had hit the goalpost.
Reading were ahead two minutes before the break, when Long produced a good run down the wing and crossed for Hunt to bundle the ball home and send Reading into half-time with a 2-1 lead.
Long found the net himself in the 66th minute when he collected an Alex Pearce through ball and slammed the ball beyond James. With only one minute remaining, Long collected a pass from Hal Robson-Kanu and finished well to round off the 4-1 win.
