Championship wrap: Southampton kick away, Hammers held

Southampton beat Peterborough 2-1 on Tuesday to move five points clear at the top of the Championship, as West Ham drew with Bristol City.

Richard Chaplow and Jos Hooiveld scored within five minutes of each other to put hosts Southampton ahead 2-0 early in the first half at St Mary’s Stadium.

Peterborough’s task became harder when they lost midfielder Lee Frecklington to a red card in the 34th minute.

The visitors did pull one back when Emile Sinclair struck with 14 minutes remaining, but they proved unable to force an equaliser in the time remaining.

Victory takes Nigel Adkins’ league leaders five points clear after second-placed West Ham were held 0-0 at home to Bristol City.

Middlesbrough closed to within one point of West Ham after they came from behind to beat bottom side Doncaster Rovers 3-1.

Doncaster had led through a goal from striker Billy Sharp 14 minutes in at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Sharp bravely chose to play despite the death of his two-day-old son on Saturday, but his goal was not enough for Doncaster to take anything from the match.

Scotsman Barry Robson levelled for the visitors on 29 minutes and Dutch forward Marvin Emnes was on target to make it 2-1 to Middlesbrough in first-half stoppage time.

Robson claimed his second from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.

Among the other teams occupying the play-off berths, sixth-placed Hull City suffered their first defeat in 10 matches when they went down 2-1 at Barnsley.

And fourth-placed Crystal Palace also dropped points, with a 0-0 draw at home to Portsmouth.

Elsewhere, a Darius Henderson brace helped Millwall defeat struggling Coventry City 3-0 at home.

Leicester City, without a manager after the departure of Sven Goran Eriksson on October 24, managed a 3-1 win away to Burnley.

Nottingham Forest defeated Reading 1-0 at home and Watford saw off the visit of Brighton by the same score-line.