Championship roundup: Ipswich Town move up to second and Blackburn Rovers secure their safety

Ipswich Town seized control of the race for automatic promotion with a comeback win over Charlton Athletic, while Blackburn Rovers secured their Championship survival on a lively Wednesday night.

The Tractor Boys came from behind to climb into second ahead of Millwall, as Middlesbrough tasted victory after a seven-game winless run to keep their own promotion hopes alive.

Blackburn surged into a commanding lead against Sheffield United and held firm to seal their survival, while Birmingham City also picked up three points with victory over Preston North End.

Here’s a full round-up of Wednesday night’s Championship action.

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Charlton Athletic 1-2 Ipswich Town

Jaden Philogene’s penalty fired Ipswich back up to second as Kieran McKenna’s promotion chasers came from behind to beat Charlton 2-1.

The Tractor Boys are back above Millwall on goal difference and with a game in hand, as they close in on a return to the Premier League a year after they were relegated.

In the first of three pivotal away games in six days, they started badly, falling behind to a Greg Docherty goal inside the first minute.

In the first of three pivotal away games in six days, they started badly as Greg Docherty fired the hosts into a shock lead after only 42 seconds.

Ben Johnson’s mistake allowed Tyreece Campbell to burst down the right, and when his angled drive was palmed away by Christian Walton, the ball fell to the Addicks skipper, who thumped it into an unguarded net.

The equaliser came when Azor Matusiwa found Darnell Furlong 20 yards out and the full-back lashed his shot beyond Thomas Kaminski into the far corner.

The 30-year-old also played a major role in Ipswich’s second when he was sent tumbling in the area by Macaulay Gillesphey.

Philogene’s spot-kick was actually pretty tame, but it rolled under the body of the diving Kaminski and squirmed into the net.

Charlton pushed for the point they still need to ensure their safety, but Ipswich held out to move another step closer to a swift return to the top flight.

Sheffield United 1-3 Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn guaranteed their Championship survival thanks to Japanese pair Yuki Ohashi and Ryoya Morishita in a 3-1 win at Sheffield United.

Rovers needed a victory to seal safety in their penultimate game of the season, and although they came under sustained pressure, the defence held firm to lift them eight points clear of the drop zone, with their relegation rivals having two games to play.

The opener came when Morishita’s precision pass sent Japan team-mate Ohashi scampering clear on goal and he rounded Blades keeper Adam Davies to side-foot home his ninth league goal of the season.

Rovers’ greater intensity was rewarded with two more priceless goals before the interval.

Davies was forced into successive saves, first from away full-back Ryan Alebiosu’s low shot and then Ohashi’s header, and Morishita pounced on the rebound from the latter to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Blackburn cashed in on more statuesque defending on the stroke of half-time when Ohashi reacted quickest to meet Alebiosu’s excellent cross with a thumping header for his 10th league goal of the season.

The half-time whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from the home fans and boss Chris Wilder made four changes.

Harrison Burrows lifted the home fans by reducing the deficit, turning home Tom Cannon’s cutback.

However, the hosts were unable to mount a comeback and slipped to a fourth defeat in their last eight matches, whilst Blackburn’s travelling fans were left to celebrate their side’s safety.

Middlesbrough 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Morgan Whittaker’s 12th goal of the season cemented Middlesbrough’s place in the Championship play-offs as they edged past Sheffield Wednesday to end their eight-game wait for a victory.

Kim Hellberg’s men closed to within three points of the automatic promotion places courtesy of a prosaic 1-0 win over already relegated Wednesday at the Riverside Stadium, but more importantly went six clear of seventh-placed Hull City with just two games to play.

Perhaps fittingly on a night when they dominated, but were once again unable to kill the game off, the winner was served up on a plate.

On a cool Spring night on Teesside, it was the hosts who made the more progressive start, but Wednesday had arrived in a determined mood and were not making life comfortable for the promotion-chasers.

However, Boro took the lead, albeit from a gift when Whittaker anticipated defender Gabriel Otegbayo’s ill-judged back-pass and intercepted before rounding stranded goalkeeper Murphy Cooper and sliding the ball into the empty net.

Despite dominating, Boro struggled to put the game to bed, with Cooper denying Whittaker again and David Strelec’s effort blocked en route to goal.

Wednesday remained a threat, and Sol Brynn was forced into a key save to keep out substitute Will Grainger late on.

Kaly Sene missed a stoppage-time chance to seal it, but one goal proved enough as Boro held on for a crucial victory.

Birmingham City 2-1 Preston North End

Ibrahim Osman was at the heart of everything in an eventful first half as Birmingham beat Preston 2-1 at St Andrew’s, creating one goal and scoring the other before going off injured.

He made the opener by intercepting Pol Valentin’s pass, beating the right-back and driving to the byline, his low shot turned in from close range by Jay Stansfield to end the striker’s 13-match goal drought.

Osman doubled the lead six minutes later, cutting inside and curling a low finish past Daniel Iversen after leaving defenders trailing.

Preston hit back midway through the half, Andrew Hughes chesting home after Alfie Devine’s goalbound corner was missed by goalkeeper James Beadle.

Osman was then forced off to be replaced by Demarai Gray after an earlier clash of heads.

There were no further goals, but chances at both ends – Carlos Vicente struck the post as Blues pushed for a third.

Preston threatened but Birmingham held firm to secure the win and climb into the top 10.

Full-time scores

Birmingham City 2-1 Preston North End
Charlton Athletic 1-2 Ipswich Town
Middlesbrough 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United 1-3 Blackburn Rovers

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