Championship wrap: Southampton, Derby continue winning starts

Newcomers Southampton have maintained their position at the top of the English Championship with Derby keeping pace.

The south coast club upheld their unblemished record since their return to the Championship with a 1-0 win over Millwall at St Mary’s Stadium, claiming their fourth straight win this season as well as a club record 10th straight league victory.

Guly Do Prado’s neatly-timed finish in the 18th minute was enough to separate the sides and consolidate the Saints’ spot on top of the table ahead of Derby on goal difference.

The Rams also made it four wins from four with a comprehensive 3-0 win over lowly Doncaster at Pride Park.

Former Toffee Kevin Kilbane headed the home side into the lead on six minutes before second-half goals from Simon Davies and namesake Ben Davies made sure of the points.

Cashed up Leicester threw away a two-goal advantage at Nottingham Forest after goals from David Nugent and Gelson Fernandes had put them 2-0 up before half-time.

Sven Goran Eriksson’s men looked to have arrested two straight defeats after a disappointing start to their campaign, but Forest responded through a 79th-minute penalty and an unlikely equaliser from defender George Boateng after Kasper Schmeichel was sent from the field.

Brighton slipped back to third, with their 2-2 draw with Blackpool marking their first dropped points of the campaign.

The League One champions took a 2-0 lead in front of a raucous home crowd, but veteran recruit Kevin Phillips bagged a second-half brace to level proceedings for Blackpool.

Crystal Palace moved up to fourth with a 1-0 win away to Hull thanks to a own goal from defender James Chester.

Reading suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Barnsley with Hal Robson-Kanu’s late penalty proving too little, too late.

Charlie Austin’s headed goal for Burnley was cancelled out by Robbie Earnshaw’s poachers finish as their match with promotion-chasing Cardiff ended 1-1.

Bristol City could not break Portsmouth at home in a 0-0 draw while Coventry and Watford shared the same score line at the Ricoh Arena.