Championship Review: Brighton on brink of glory as Leeds peg back Newcastle

Brighton and Hove Albion will all-but clinch promotion to the Premier League on Easter Monday after Anthony Knockaert’s brace secured a 2-0 win at Wolves.

Chris Hughton’s side are four points clear of second-place Newcastle United with four matches to play after Chris Wood snatched a 1-1 draw in stoppage time for play-off incumbents Leeds United at St James’ Park.

There were victories in the top six for Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday, while Fulham kept up their chase in seventh with a 3-1 triumph at Norwich City.

At the other end of the table, Blackburn Rovers enhanced their survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, who find themselves now dangerously close to the bottom three.

ALBION KNOCKAERT-ING ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE DOOR

Brighton’s French forward made it 15 goals for the season at Molineux, although Wolves were entitled to feel aggrieved when the offside flag did not come to their aid when Knockaert put the visitors in front on the stroke of half-time.

Paul Lambert’s men pressed for an equaliser but lacked cutting edge, leaving Knockaert to seal the points on the break. Brighton now need a mere four points from their remaining matches to be promoted and will be celebrating on Monday if they beat second-bottom Wigan Athletic and Huddersfield fail to do likewise against Derby County.

Newcastle only had captain Jamaal Lascelles’ header midway through the second half to show for their dominance against Leeds and were made to pay when Wood dispatched Kemar Roofe’s cross in the 95th minute.

Rafael Benitez’s men are still eight points ahead of Huddersfield, although they have played a game more.

Amazing win !!! Thanks a lot for the fans , just incredible … almost there #Seagulls pic.twitter.com/wcmvBRiLbl

— Anthony Knockaert (@AKnockaert) April 14, 2017

TERRIERS AND OWLS LEAVE IT LATE

Huddersfield were on the enjoyable end of late drama in the sixth minute of stoppage time as Collin Quaner scored on the rebound after Aaron Mooy’s penalty was saved to defeat Preston North End 3-2.

Fulham made light of Chris Martin’s first-half red card for elbowing Mitchell Dijks as Stefan Johansen and Floyd Ayite scored either side of Tom Cairney’s spot-kick at Norwich, but they remain behind Wednesday in the final play-off spot.

Fernando Forestieri’s 84th-minute header accounted for Cardiff City at Hillsborough, as late plot-twists proved to be the order of the day.

Oooh Forestieri!

#swfc pic.twitter.com/6B6ZaPhBaK

— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) April 14, 2017

ROVERS BITE BACK IN RELEGATION SCRAP

Blackburn won for the first time eight games as Tommie Hoban powered in from Connor Mahoney’s corner at the City Ground.

It means Tony Mowbray’s side are two points from safety, behind Forest and Burton Albion, who lost 2-1 at Ipswich Town.

Bristol City remain four points better off than Rovers in 18th as Marlon Pack and Jamie Paterson were on target before half-time in a 2-1 win over QPR to make it back-to-back victories.

Bristol and Blackburn face each other on Monday, while Birmingham City passed up a chance to move clear of the drop by being held to a draw by already relegated Rotherham United.

Derby County’s resurgence under Gary Rowett hit the buffers heavily at Brentford, with braces from Lasse Vibe and Jota all but ending their slim play-off hopes.

TABLE: @OfficialBHAFC have a four-point lead at the summit after today’s results.

It’s looking interesting at the bottom, too… pic.twitter.com/chBlXcN4ou

— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) April 14, 2017