Championship Review: Leeds move top, Middlesbrough lose again

Leeds United carved out a 2-0 win against QPR to reclaim top spot in the Championship, while struggling Middlesbrough suffered another defeat to remain in the bottom three.

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds had been held to back-to-back draws ahead of Saturday’s match, but a goal in each half from Tyler Roberts and Jack Harrison lifted them to the summit.

At the opposite end of the division, Jonathan Woodgate remains under pressure following Middlesbrough’s 2-0 loss at Derby County, with Tom Lawrence scoring both goals.

Luton Town and Wigan Athletic also remain in trouble after losing to Nottingham Forest and Swansea City respectively on a dramatic day of Championship action.

LEEDS KEEP PACE WITH SWANSEA

With West Brom not in action until Monday, the chasing pack knew they had a chance to capitalise.

Swansea were first up in the early kick-off and followed up their 1-0 derby win over Cardiff City last time out with a late 2-1 victory at Wigan to temporarily move top.

Sam Surridge’s late header snatched all three points for Swansea after Kieffer Moore had cancelled out Nathan Dyer’s opener from the penalty spot.

However, the Welsh side dropped down to second a few hours later following Leeds’ home win, Harrison adding to Roberts’ first goal of the season.

So it’s @LUFC who are the new leaders in the #SkyBetChampionship #EFL pic.twitter.com/O2Je4J5g2R

— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) November 2, 2019

FOREST CLIMB INTO PLAY-OFFS

Having had their game with Reading called off last week due to bad weather, Nottingham Forest put their fresh legs to good use by opening a two-goal lead at Luton Town.

Callum McManaman pulled one back late on for strugglers Luton, but goals from Lewis Grabban and Sammy Ameobi proved enough to move 2-1 winners Forest from 10th to fifth.

Sheffield Wednesday remain outside the top six after going down 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers, all three goals at Ewood Park coming in the final seven minutes.

Jacob Murphy made the breakthrough for the Owls, only for Tosin Adarabioyo and John Buckley to net in quick succession to end Blackburn’s six-match winless run.

WWWW. 

Four home wins in a row for Phillip Cocu’s Rams! #DCFCvMFC pic.twitter.com/3p33nbNsnm

— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) November 2, 2019

PRESSURE BUILDING ON WOODGATE

The Championship’s lowest scorers fired another blank – their fourth in a row – with Derby winger Lawrence’s brace at Pride Park leaving under-fire Woodgate with two wins since becoming Boro boss.

Elsewhere, Huddersfield Town opened up a four-point gap on the relegation zone with a Karlan Grant-inspired 1-0 win at fellow in-form side Brentford.

Grant broke the deadlock just after the hour mark at Griffin Park to snap Brentford’s three-match winning streak and continue Huddersfield’s resurgence under Danny Cowley.

Meanwhile, Reading beat fellow strugglers Millwall 2-1 through first-half goals from Jordan Obita and Sam Baldock to give themselves some breathing space.

.@Joe_Ralls is keeping the ball

Brilliant again from the City No.8! #CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/3aW0gE69Pq

— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) November 2, 2019

CARDIFF EDGE FIERY ENCOUNTER

Hull City picked up a third league win in a row with a clinical 3-0 victory over out-of-form Fulham, who have won just one of their last five matches.

A first goal in senior football from Josh Bowler gave Hull the lead and further goals followed from Jarrod Bowen and Tom Eaves after the break.

Grant McCann’s ever-improving side are now in 11th place, one point better off than Cardiff City, who were 4-2 winners over Birmingham City in south Wales.

Joe Ralls scored a hat-trick in an eventful contest that ended with both teams reduced to 10 men, with Danny Ward and Harlee Dean the players to see red.