Championship wrap: Noble fires Hammers clear, Cardiff win

West Ham moved three points clear on top of the Championship on Saturday thanks to a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Upton Park.

A penalty from Mark Noble in first-half stoppage time put Sam Allardyce’s men a goal to the good, and when Noble scored his second penalty just after the hour mark West Ham were almost home.

Lewis McGugan scored in injury time for the visitors, but it was too little too late for Forest, who remain in the relegation zone and five points from safety.

West Ham, meanwhile, are three points clear of Southampton on top of the table, although Nigel Adkins’ side have a game in hand – against Leicester on Monday.

Third-placed Cardiff kept the pressure on the top two when an injury-time strike from Craig Conway helped them snatch a 3-2 home win over Portsmouth.

Kenny Miller put Cardiff ahead after 15 minutes, but goals either side of half-time from Marko Futacs and Greg Halford put Portsmouth ahead.

Mark Hudson equalised on 69 minutes and Conway’s late intervention sent the home fans into frenzy.

Middlesbrough, meanwhile, slipped up in their pursuit of the leaders when they went down 3-1 at bottom side Coventry.

Strikes from Gary McSheffrey, Alex Nimely and an own-goal from Matthew Bates put Coventry 3-0 up, and although Australian Scott McDonald managed to pull one back, Tony Mowbray’s side left the game empty-handed.

Hull climbed to fifth place when Robbie Brady’s goal gave them a 1-0 win at Reading, and a pair of headed goals from Curtis Davies helped move Birmingham into sixth place with a 3-0 mauling of Watford.

Millwall had a Darius Henderson hat-trick to thank for their 3-1 win at Barnsley, while late strikes from Elliot Grandin and Chris Basham helped Blackpool come from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1.

Bristol City had a 2-1 win over 10-man Doncaster Rovers, who had defender Habib Beye dismissed just after the half-hour mark, while a brace from William Buckley saw Brighton to a 2-1 win at Peterborough.

Leeds United needed late goals from Luciano Becchio, Robert Snodgrass and Ross McCormack to overhaul Ipswich 3-1 at Elland Road, with the visitors finishing the game with 10 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Alex McCarthy for a deliberate handball outside his area.

Burnley and Derby played out a goalless draw at Turf Moor.