Championship wrap: QPR soar as Cardiff, Leeds stutter

Queens Park Rangers extended their lead on top of the Championship to seven points on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Coventry City at Ricoh Arena.

It was QPR’s first away league win in six attempts, and with slip-ups from challengers Cardiff and Leeds, Neil Warnock’s side head into the New Year with a healthy buffer on the chasing pack.

Kyle Walker created the first goal with a breathtaking run down the right flank before firing a cross that came off goalkeeper Keiren Westwood’s shoulder and into the net four minutes after half-time.

Tommy Smith sealed the win with a superbly angled header on the hour mark.

Elsewhere, Cardiff City held on to second place despite letting a lead slip in their 4-1 loss to Watford.

Peter Whittingham put Cardiff ahead after 16 minutes, but Watford hit back through two goals to Danny Graham and extras from Marvin Sordell and John Eustace to move into eighth place.

Leeds dropped to fourth after squandering a healthy lead for the second time in three days.

This time they led 3-1 thanks to goals from Max Graidel, Jonathan Howson and Bradley Johnson, but two own-goals from Andrew O’Brien – the second in the third minute of injury time – helped Portsmouth to a share of the spoils and into 13th place.

Swansea leapfrogged Leeds into third on goal difference with a 1-0 win over Barnsley courtesy of a 27th minute strike from Jermaine Easter.

Norwich kept in touch with the leaders after coming from 2-1 down to defeat Sheffield United 4-2.

Reading moved into sixth place after Coventry’s loss and their 1-1 draw at Hull.

James Harper gave Hull the lead six minutes before half-time, but Simon Church equalised eight minutes from the end for Reading, who will be ruing a brilliant penalty save from Hull goalkeeper Vito Mannone to deny Shane Long.

Millwall climbed into 10th after first-half goals to Steve Morison and Jason Puncheon set up a 2-0 win over Leicester at The New Den.

A brace from Leroy Lita helped Middlesbrough notch a much-needed 3-1 win over bottom side Preston North End.

Scunthorpe remain in the relegation zone despite their 2-0 triumph over Burnley, as do Crystal Palace who could only manage a 1-1 draw at Bristol City.