Championship wrap: QPR net four to increase lead

Queens Park Rangers increased their lead in the Championship on Sunday, and Cardiff climbed into second place after Leeds were held at Leicester.

A stunning individual performance from QPR captain Adel Taarabt helped them to a 4-0 win over Swansea at Loftus Road.

The 21-year-old Moroccan midfielder created Jamie Mackie’s opener, was brought down for a penalty which Heidar Helguson duly converted and then tucked home two late goals of his own to complete the rout and increase QPR’s lead to four points.

Mackie put QPR ahead 16 minutes in with his ninth goal of the campaign, but things got heated three minutes later when a foul on QPR’s Kyle Walker by Alan Tate led Clint Hill to seek retribution, and both he and Tate were shown red cards.

Cardiff moved to second after goals from Seyi Olofinjana and Craig Bellamy helped them to a 2-0 home win over Coventry and saw them leapfrog Leeds.

Leeds drew 2-2 at Leicester and will be ruing a missed opportunity after leading 2-0 with 18 minutes to play thanks to goals from Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass.

But Paul Gallagher pulled a goal back for the hosts on 72 minutes and Andy King levelled four minutes later to keep Sven-Goran Eriksson’s unbeaten league record at home intact.

Reading cruised to a 4-1 home win over Bristol City after overcoming a 15th-minute Jonathan Stead strike that put the visitors in front.

Jobi McAnuff equalised after half an hour, and Noel Hunt gave Reading the lead two minutes before half-time.

Shane Long then scored a second-half brace to secure all three points for Reading who remain seventh.

Burnley enjoyed a 2-1 win over Barnsley at Oakwell Park after John Guidetti and Andre Bikey helped overturn Adam Hammil’s 25th-minute goal.

Hull climbed to 15th with a 3-2 win over Sheffield United after a dramatic injury-time winner from Jimmy Bullard.

Two goals from Jay Simpson helped Hull to a 2-0 lead before a second-half brace from Ched Evans evened the scores with 15 minutes to play, paving the way for the thrilling finale.

And Portsmouth and Millwall played out a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park after David Nugent’s 73rd minute equaliser cancelled out Liam Trotter’s first-half goal for Millwall.