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Championship MatchDay 30 Wrap-up
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Championship MatchDay 30 ended with Fulham six points clear at the top of the Championship, 10
points clear of third placed Blackburn and with a vastly superior goal difference to any other Championships club and, in terms of goals against, have the joint best defence in the Division.
Fulham were able to strengthen their grip at the top of the table thanks to another goal by striker Aleksandar Mitrovic as they won away at Hull City.
It's now 31 goals in just 28 league appearances for Mitro who needs just one more goal to break the single-season scoring record in a regular Championship campaign, currently jointly held by Ivan Toney (Brentford, 2020/21) and Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace, 2012/13)
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Championship table - 15th February 2022 |
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Home |
Away |
|
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
| 1 |
Fulham |
30 |
10 |
4 |
2 |
40 |
13 |
9 |
3 |
2 |
38 |
13 |
52 |
64 |
| 2 |
Bournemouth |
30 |
8 |
3 |
3 |
29 |
15 |
9 |
4 |
3 |
20 |
11 |
23 |
58 |
| 3 |
Blackburn |
32 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
31 |
19 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
14 |
14 |
12 |
54 |
| 4 |
QPR |
30 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
23 |
13 |
7 |
2 |
5 |
23 |
21 |
12 |
52 |
| 5 |
Huddersfield |
32 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
22 |
16 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
18 |
18 |
6 |
50 |
| 6 |
Middlesbrough |
30 |
10 |
2 |
4 |
25 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
13 |
15 |
9 |
49 |
| 7 |
N Forest |
31 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
21 |
20 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
22 |
13 |
10 |
47 |
| 8 |
West Brom |
31 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
21 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
13 |
18 |
8 |
46 |
| 9 |
Sheff U |
29 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
19 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
22 |
6 |
46 |
| 10 |
Luton |
30 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
24 |
17 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
17 |
19 |
5 |
45 |
| 11 |
Preston |
32 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
20 |
17 |
6 |
4 |
7 |
15 |
18 |
0 |
45 |
| 12 |
Coventry |
29 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
23 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
16 |
20 |
5 |
44 |
| 13 |
Stoke |
30 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
22 |
16 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
16 |
16 |
6 |
43 |
| 14 |
Blackpool |
31 |
8 |
2 |
7 |
17 |
18 |
3 |
6 |
5 |
17 |
19 |
-3 |
41 |
| 15 |
Millwall |
30 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
18 |
13 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
13 |
20 |
-2 |
40 |
| 16 |
Swansea |
30 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
19 |
14 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
13 |
25 |
-7 |
38 |
| 17 |
Bristol C |
32 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
20 |
20 |
4 |
2 |
10 |
22 |
38 |
-16 |
37 |
| 18 |
Birmingham |
32 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
21 |
21 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
16 |
28 |
-12 |
36 |
| 19 |
Hull |
31 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
15 |
18 |
4 |
2 |
9 |
11 |
18 |
-10 |
32 |
| 20 |
Cardiff |
30 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
15 |
20 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
21 |
30 |
-14 |
32 |
| 21 |
Reading ** |
30 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
23 |
34 |
4 |
0 |
10 |
13 |
26 |
-24 |
22 |
| 22 |
Peterborough |
29 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
15 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
8 |
42 |
-37 |
20 |
| 23 |
Derby * |
31 |
7 |
6 |
2 |
21 |
14 |
2 |
6 |
8 |
11 |
21 |
-3 |
18 |
| 24 |
Barnsley |
30 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
9 |
17 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
10 |
28 |
-26 |
17 |
|
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Hull City 0 - 1 Fulham
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his 31st league goal of the season, equalling the Championship's scoring record, as Championship leaders Fulham strengthened their grip on top spot with a narrow win at Hull City.
The away side had the better of the play in the first half but it was the hosts who should have taken the lead when Marcus Forss slotted the ball wide after getting in on goal following a mix-up in the Whites defence.
Mitrovic headed home a cross from Liverpool loanee Neco Williams to put Marco Silva's men in front.
Hull stayed in it but never really looked like getting an equaliser and they have now lost three in a row.
Fulham are 10
points clear of third-placed Blackburn and have markedly better goal difference.
Huddersfield Town 0 - 0 Sheffield United
Championship play-off hopefuls Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United played out a competitive goalless draw in a Yorkshire derby in difficult conditions.
The home side had the ball in the back of the net in the first half but Jon Russell's effort was controversially ruled out for a foul on visiting goalkeeper Wes Foderingham by Danny Ward.
Replays showed the striker fell into Foderingham after being pulled down by Blades defender George Baldock.
The fifth-placed Terriers are now unbeaten in their past 14 matches in all competitions
Carlos Corberan's men travel to promotion-chasing Fulham next Saturday, while Paul Heckingbottom's side are back in action against Hull City on Tuesday.
Barnsley 1 - 0 Queens Park Rangers
Domingos Quina's stunning strike gave bottom side Barnsley victory over promotion-chasing QPR - their first win since Poya Asbaghi took over as Tykes boss.
Goalkeeper David Marshall got a hand to Quina's left-footed shot but the ball bounced in off the underside of the bar.
Barnsley had lost their previous six league matches and were without a win in 13.
Rangers had not lost in seven league games but badly missed forward Chris Willock, who was ruled out of the trip to Oakwell after picking up an injury in training.
Barnsley remain bottom but the five teams immediately above them all lost, enabling Asbaghi's side to close the gap to second-bottom Derby to just one point.
QPR, who remain fourth, have lost five and drawn one of their past six matches against Barnsley, who have been a bogey team for them in recent seasons.
| Championship MatchDay 30 ~ Results |
| Saturday 12th February 2022 |
| KO | Home | Res | Away | Att |
| 12:30 | Huddersfield |
0-0 |
Sheff Utd | 17523 |
| 15:00 | Barnsley |
1-0 |
QPR | 12476 |
| 15:00 | Birmingham |
3-0 |
Luton | 17292 |
| 15:00 | Blackpool |
1-2 |
Bournemouth | 11141 |
| 15:00 | Hull |
0-1 |
Fulham | 13022 |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough |
4-1 |
Derby | 26266 |
| 15:00 | Millwall |
2-1 |
Cardiff | 12710 |
| 15:00 | N. Forest |
2-2 |
Stoke | 28990 |
| 15:00 | Peterborough |
0-1 |
Preston | 9+082 |
| 15:00 | Reading |
2-3 |
Coventry | n/a |
| Sunday 13th February 2022 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
| 13:00 | Swansea |
3-1 |
Bristol City | 19162 |
| Monday 14th February 2022 |
| KO | Home |
Res |
Away | Att |
| 20:00 | West Brom |
0-0 |
Blackburn | 20680 |
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Birmingham City 3 - 0 Luton Town
Juninho Bacuna grabbed his first Birmingham goal as Lee Bowyer's team brushed aside Luton at St Andrew's.
The midfielder, who moved from Rangers in January, fired the Blues into a first-half lead.
Fellow recent arrivals Lyle Taylor and Onel Hernandez wrapped up the points after the break.
It was Blues' first victory in five games and their first clean sheet since the end of November.
Blackpool 1 - 2 AFC Bournemouth
Siriki Dembele scored a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth, who came from behind to win with two late goals at Blackpool.
Bournemouth equalised with four minutes remaining when Todd Cantwell's ball into the box was deflected towards Jamal Lowe, who fired home.
And in the final moments Dembele, making his full debut, picked the ball up on the right before fizzing a low shot past Grimshaw.
It cemented the Cherries' position in second place in the Championship and made it back-to-back wins since their embarrassing FA Cup defeat against non-league Boreham Wood on Sunday.
Middlesbrough 4 - 1 Derby County
Middlesbrough recorded their sixth successive home victory with a win against struggling Derby that moved them into the Championship play-off spots.
The home side took the lead when Isaiah Jones' low cross was turned into his own net by Lee Buchanan but Max Bird levelled with a crisp volley from distance after Boro failed to clear a set-piece.
Chris Wilder's men took the game away from the Rams with two quick-fire goals before the break from Aaron Connolly and Matt Crooks, with the in-form Jones instrumental in the creation of both.
sFolarin Balogun teed up substitute Duncan Watmore to wrap up the points late on.
Administration-hit Derby remain second bottom but Reading's defeat at home to Coventry means they are still just four points adrift of safety.
| Championship MatchDay 31 ~ Fixtures |
| Friday 18th February 2022 |
| KO | Home | Away | TV |
| 19:45 | Bournemouth |
N. Forest | Sky |
| Saturday 19th February 2022 |
| KO | Home |
Away | TV |
| 12:30 | Fulham |
Huddersfield | Sky |
| 15:00 | Blackburn |
Millwall | |
| 15:00 | Bristol City |
Middlesbrough | |
| 15:00 | Cardiff |
Blackpool | |
| 15:00 | Coventry |
Barnsley | |
| 15:00 | Derby |
Peterborough | |
| 15:00 | Luton |
West Brom | |
| 15:00 | Preston |
Reading | |
| 15:00 | QPR |
Hull | |
| 15:00 | Sheff Utd |
Swansea | |
| 15:00 | Stoke |
Birmingham | |
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Millwall 2 - 1 Cardiff City
Scottish defender Murray Wallace earned a measure of revenge for his rugby compatriots by scoring as Millwall earned a 2-1 win over Cardiff.
The hosts doubled their lead as Mason Bennett finished from close range as Cardiff poured forward seeking a point.
Joel Bagan scored a consolation goal for Cardiff in stoppage time.
The victory for Gary Rowett's side sees Millwall remain 15th after the win, while Cardiff are 20th in the Championship.
Nottingham Forest 2 - 2 Stoke City
Substitute Ryan Yates snatched an injury-time equaliser to salvage a point for 10-man Nottingham Forest against Stoke.
The Potters had looked set for victory after home keeper Brice Samba was sent off, conceding a late penalty that Lewis Baker converted to make it 2-1.
After Samba's red card, the hosts were forced to put defender Joe Worrall in goal for the final 13 minutes, with all their substitutions already used.
The result meant that Forest dropped out of the play-off places to seventh, while Stoke also fell to 13th.
Peterborough United 0 - 1 Preston North End
A late Cameron Archer strike gave Preston North End all three points and kept Peterborough United inside the Championship relegation zone.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, Preston's Emil Riis Jakobsen sent an overhead kick wide, before Kwame Poku shot over for the hosts.
Archer curled the ball into the top corner 10 minutes from time to delight the visiting fans.
The result sees Posh remain two points adrift of safety, while Preston move up one place to 11th in the table.
Reading 2 - 3 Coventry City
Reading's winless run stretched to 11 games as Coventry came from behind to beat the 10-man Royals in the Championship.
Lucas Joao headed the hosts in front, with Sky Blues captain Dominic Hyam equalising from close range on the stroke of half-time.
Michael Rose then put Coventry ahead from a corner, only for Andy Yiadom to level through the same method before his team-mate Junior Hoilett was sent off. Ian Maatsen's deflected effort sealed the away side's win, keeping Reading two points above the drop zone and Coventry in 12th spot.
A group of home fans invading the pitch after full-time in a protest against the ownership of the club, who were celebrating 150 years since their first game.
Swansea City 3 - 1 Bristol City
Swansea City produced a rousing second-half fightback as they came from a goal down to beat Bristol City 3-1.
The Robins deservedly led at the break thanks to Andreas Weimann's fine run and finish.
But Michael Obafemi slid in to level early in the second period before on-loan Fulham defender Cyrus Christie headed in despite appeals for offside.
Joel Piroe drilled in his first goal in eight games to seal Swansea's second straight home win in stoppage time.
Swansea climb to 16th in the table, while Bristol City drop to 17th having seen their run without an away Championship victory stretch to 10 games.
West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz went off with a foot injury as new West Brom boss Steve Bruce picked up a point from his first home game in charge.
The hosts had the best chance of a low-key first half, Karlan Grant failing to connect with Darnell Furlong's cross.
Both sides had offside goals ruled out before 20-goal Brereton Diaz came off on 70 minutes after an attempted shot.
The Baggies almost won it late on but sub Tyrhys Dolan acrobatically cleared Adam Reach's header off the line.
After starting with defeat by Sheffield United five nights earlier, Bruce's first point as Albion boss was just desserts for a committed home performance.
But it was no surprise that it should end in a stalemate in a meeting of two out-of-form teams who have both now gone four games without a goal, with the Baggies it failing to score for the seventh time in nine games.