Saturday 2 January 2016 18:43, UK
Middlesbrough extended the lead at the top of the Championship to four points with a 2-0 victory over second-placed Derby County at the Riverside.
It took 83 minutes for Boro to break the deadlock, Albert Adomah's calmly chipping over Lee Grant. But two minutes later George Friend made sure, tapping in from David Nugent's pass as the hosts inflicted a first defeat in nine for the Rams in front of a bumper crowd of 32,870.
Boro kept an eighth consecutive clean sheet in the process as Aitor Karanka beat Paul Clement in the battle of the former Real Madrid coaches.
Burnley, in fifth, and Ipswich in sixth played out a goalless draw at Turf Moor.
Slavisa Jokanovic's first official game in charge of Fulham ended in defeat, with Sheffield Wednesday cutting the gap behind Ipswich two just two points with a 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.
Ross Wallace scored the only goal - and it was a firecracker to win it. On 29 minutes, he cut in from the right and unleashed an absolute thunderbolt which cannoned off the underside of the bar and in.
Birmingham left it late to beat Brentford 2-1, and leapfrog the visitors in into eighth in the process.
Jacques Maghoma (55) fired home after a superb, sweeping move down the right to put the Blues in front.
The west Londoners, who have now scored 14 goals in their last eight away games, levelled on 77 when Tomasz Kuszczak could only parry Alan Judge's long-range effort into the path of sub Phillip Hoffman, and he did the rest.
But right at the death James Vaughan broke and crossed for Maikel Kieftenbeld to prod home the winner, City earning the points without Damarai Gray who was left out of the team ahead of what appears to be a transfer window move to Leicester City.
Cardiff City stayed in touch with the play-off contenders with a 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers. Craig Noone cut in from the right on 58, and when his shot was cleared off the line by Grant Hadley, Joe Mason was on hand to tap home.
Leeds United drew 1-1 at home with MK Dons, and they had a late own goal to thank for their point.
Rob Hall put the visitors in front at Elland Road - Nicky Maynard set it up with a run down the right, and when he cut back low and hard to the edge of the box, Hall drilled it home, his first goal since the opening day of the season.
Leeds almost levelled on 55 when Charlie Taylor's free-kick hit the foot of the post. But with three minutes left a cross came in from the right and Anthony Kay leapt unchallenged - and inexplicably headed past his own keeper.
Preston North End also had a late own goal to thank for their 2-1 win over Rotherham.
The struggling Millers had taken a surprise lead on 35 when Danny Ward's superb cross was headed home by Tony Andreu into the bottom left-hand corner.
The hosts levelled on 64, Eoin Doyle nodding in from Paul Huntingdon's header. And four minutes into injury time, a throw was launched into the box, and in a tangle of players challenging desperately for the ball the unfortunate Jonson Clarke-Harris headed over his keeper and in.
Struggling Charlton drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest at the Valley. The visitors took the lead when Ben Osborn, set up by Ryan Mendes, lashed into the top corner just before half-time.
But on 70 Callum Marriott's cross the left was met by the toe of Simon Makienok, who poked in his third goal of the season for the Addicks.
Charlton substitute Tareiq Holmes-Dennis was sent off late on after picking up two yellow cards in the 11 minutes he was on the pitch.
Reading nicked a late 1-0 victory over Bristol City at the Madejski, Nick Blackman scoring an injury time winner, beating two defenders and curling home superbly - real class in what was otherwise a dreadful game.
Bottom club Bolton were beaten again, 2-0 at home by Huddersfield. Joe Lolley 61 got the opener, and sub Mustapha Carayol fired into an empty net on 87 after Nakhi Wells' initial shot had been blocked.
