Coventry City tightened their grip on top spot in the Championship on Wednesday night, battling back to beat Sheffield United and open up their advantage at the summit, while Millwall kept the pressure on Middlesbrough in second.
The Blades struck first at Bramall Lane, but were undone in a blistering five-minute spell as Frank Lampard’s side turned the contest on its head to claim all three points and move five clear at the top of the table.
Millwall responded emphatically to their shock defeat at lowly Portsmouth on Saturday by putting Birmingham City to the sword, closing the gap on the automatic promotion places in the process to just four points.
Elsewhere, Norwich City deepened the misery for already-relegated Sheffield Wednesday, and Stoke City brought their winless run to an end to heap further frustration on Oxford United.
Here’s your full round-up of Wednesday night’s action.
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Sheffield United 1-2 Coventry City
Coventry moved five points clear at the top of the Championship after fighting back to beat Sheffield United 2-1 at Bramall Lane.
The Sky Blues, who held a 10-point lead at the top in November, were knocked off top spot by Middlesbrough earlier this month, but have regained momentum in their bid for a top-flight return for the first time in 25 years.
The Blades, who remain nine points adrift of the play-off places, were made to pay for a string of missed first-half chances.
However, the Yorkshire club took a deserved lead three minutes after the restart.
Harrison Burrows ran on to Gus Hamer’s clever reverse pass into the area and his shot was deflected into the roof of the net to give his side a deserved lead.
Coventry had been second best, but they launched a speedy response, scoring twice in five minutes to turn the game on its head.
Haji Wright stepped inside on the left edge of the Blades’ area and fired home a right-footed shot for his 14th league goal of the season and Jack Rudoni headed home Ephron Mason-Clark’s cross in front of the jubilant travelling fans to seal their third straight win.
(Nick Potts/PA)
Millwall 3-0 Birmingham City
Millwall got their bid to gatecrash the Premier League back on track by ending in-form Birmingham’s unbeaten run with a thumping 3-0 victory.
Birmingham arrived in south London undefeated in nine and with three successive away wins, but they were swept aside at The Den.
The hosts went ahead in the 25th minute through a peach from Femi Azeez.
Zak Sturge punted the ball forward from halfway and Tristan Crama headed it back to the feet of Azeez, who pinged a sweet half-volley beyond James Beadle and into the top corner.
It was a strike Teddy Sheringham, in the stand watching the club where he began his career, would have been proud of.
Sheringham was in the team the last time Millwall were in the top flight, which was two years before the Premier League was formed, but on this evidence, they have a genuine chance of getting back among the big boys.
They surged two in front five minutes later when Beadle touched Azeez’s 30-yard free-kick onto his left-hand post and Crama snaffled the rebound.
The Lions roared three ahead four minutes after half-time from another Azeez free-kick.
This one was floated deep to Crama, who kept the ball alive on the byline before cutting it back for captain Jake Cooper to sweep home.
Things went from bad to worse for Birmingham when Jhon Solis was shown a second yellow card for a bad foul on Casper De Norre.
The visitors also lost Kai Wagner to a nasty-looking shoulder injury to cap a miserable night for Chris Davies’ side, who remain just outside the play-offs.
(John Walton/PA)
Norwich City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Another bad day for Sheffield Wednesday ended on an all-too predictable low note as they lost 2-0 at Norwich – an 11th successive Championship defeat.
Having been relegated at Steel City neighbours Sheffield United on Sunday, the Owls were hit by the worrying news that a proposed £47.8million takeover by a consortium led by James Bord had collapsed.
And there was to be no relief on the pitch either, despite a battling display, as Norwich scored twice in seven minutes in the latter stages of the first half to record a comfortable win.
Norwich took time to settle against a spirited Wednesday side and were not helped by the loss of in-form striker Mohamed Toure to injury after just seven minutes, and was replaced by Mathias Kvistgaarden.
The Canaries gradually started to take control and after seeing an effort from Kvistgaarden ruled out for offside, they took the lead when the Danish striker finally got his goal.
Goalkeeper Seny Dieng made a superb stop to deny Paris Maghoma when the midfielder caught Jack Stacey’s cross with a powerful volley, and Kvistgaarden then nodded the loose ball against the crossbar – but made no mistake when the ball rebounded for a third time.
Norwich wasted no time in doubling their advantage, scoring again in the 38th minute with a beautiful strike from Maghoma, who turned Dominic Iorfa just outside the area before firing home into the far corner of the net to leave a diving Dieng clutching at thin air.
The home side comfortably saw out the game after that, with the struggling Owls never threatening a comeback.
(Bradley Collyer/PA)
Stoke City 2-1 Oxford United
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s second-half header earned Stoke a 2-1 Championship win against Oxford to end their seven-match winless league run.
It was a first home Championship success since December 13 and completed the league double over the relegation-threatened U’s.
In an entertaining game between two out-of-form sides, Stoke deservedly went in front with a speedy, long-distance raid.
Defending an Oxford long throw on the edge of their own box, Tomas Rigo and Million Manhoef combined to give Lamine Cisse a clear run on goal.
This time, Stoke made no mistake with the Frenchman beating Cumming from 18 yards to grab his maiden league goal for the Potters – at the 24th attempt.
The lead, however, lasted just eight minutes. A corner routine ended with Stan Mills heading a Will Vaulks pass onto Ciaran Brown’s left boot for a peach of an equaliser.
Stoke claimed for offside, but replays suggested the full-back was marginally onside, ending a 481-minute goal drought for the visitors that stretched back to February 3.
However, the Potters hit back as the Crystal Palace loanee, who began the season in Turkey, stooped to head in Sorba Thomas’ floated cross to the far post.
Stoke saw the game out to move up to 13th while Oxford stay second bottom, six points from safety.
Championship scores from Wednesday night’s action
Millwall 3-0 Birmingham City
Norwich City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United 1-2 Coventry City
Stoke City 2-1 Oxford United
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