Burnley extended their lead at the top of the Championship table to six points after coming from behind to beat Middlesbrough 3-1; Plymouth back on top of League One as they win and Ipswich lose; Leyton Orient win to extend League Two lead.
Saturday 17 December 2022 19:55, UK
Burnley extended their lead at the top of the Championship table to six points after coming from behind to beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Turf Moor.
The visitors took the lead just after half-time when Duncan Watmore, who had only just come on as a substitute, capitalised on a defensive mistake.
But Burnley's response was impressive. Manuel Benson equalised on the hour mark and then put the hosts ahead seven minutes later with a cross that evaded everyone, before Jonny Howson headed into his own net.
Connor Roberts was sent off in the final minutes when the referee thought he had handled on the line, although replays showed the ball actually hit the bar.
Boro were unable to take advantage of their stroke of fortune, though, as Chuba Akpom's weak penalty was easily saved.
Second-placed Sheffield United play Wigan on Monday, and Watford closed to within four points of the Blades thanks to a 2-0 win over bottom side Huddersfield, Joao Pedro scoring both goals in the second half.
In the day's late game, Norwich were booed off the pitch after a 2-0 defeat against promotion rivals Blackburn at Carrow Road.
Ben Gibson's own goal and a late strike from Tyrhys Dolan secured just a second win in five matches for Rovers, who beat the Canaries away from home for the first time since August 1999.
QPR head coach Neil Critchley made a winning start to his tenure after being appointed last Sunday as Rangers ended a run of four straight defeats by beating fellow play-off contenders Preston 1-0.
The only goal came from Jimmy Dunne in the 58th minute.
Swansea staged a remarkable comeback to draw 3-3 with Coventry. The Sky Blues looked certain to take the three points when Viktor Gyokeres made it 3-0 in the 54th minute, adding to goals from Jonathan Panzo and Jamie Allen.
But Joel Piroe pulled one back in the 68th minute and the Swans earned an unlikely point through Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen.
West Brom continued their good run of form with a fifth win in a row, beating Rotherham 3-0.
Jed Wallace put the Baggies in front in the 20th minute, Grady Diangana scored the second 12 minutes after half-time and Brandon Thomas-Asante made sure of the points, tucking home the rebound after his penalty was saved.
Hull and Sunderland drew 1-1 after an eventful second half. Oscar Estupinan spurned a glorious chance for Hull to take the lead when he rolled his penalty past the post, and Sunderland were then reduced to 10 men.
Elliot Embleton injured himself in fouling Ryan Woods and was shown a red card as he was carried off. Ross Stewart gave the visitors the lead in the 74th minute but Ozan Tufan equalised for Hull eight minutes from time.
Stoke came from behind to beat Bristol City 2-1, Liam Delap cancelling out Nahki Wells' opener with the final action of the first half before Jacob Brown netted the winner in the 57th minute.
Kion Etete scored his first goal for Cardiff but Blackpool earned a 1-1 draw through Gary Madine.
Plymouth moved back to the top of Sky Bet League One as goals from Niall Ennis and Sam Cosgrove secured a 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Morecambe at Home Park.
After Morgan Whittaker's 44th-minute penalty was saved by Shrimps goalkeeper Connor Ripley, Argyle grabbed the lead with 20 minutes remaining when Ennis finished at the near post from a Ryan Hardie cross and Cosgrove then added a second after 84 minutes.
Anthony O'Connor pulled a goal back for Morecambe in stoppage time, but Steven Schumacher's side held out for the win to go two points clear at the summit, replacing Ipswich.
The Tractor Boys lost 1-0 at Wycombe, with Brandon Hanlan netting in the 40th minute.
Sheffield Wednesday are two points behind Ipswich in third after they drew 0-0 at Hillsborough with Oxford, who were denied victory when Cameron Dawson kept out a Josh Murphy penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Devante Cole scored in each half as fourth-placed Barnsley beat struggling Burton 2-0 at Oakwell, the Tykes' fifth successive league victory.
Bolton, in fifth, also won 2-0 at home, beating Exeter, with Conor Bradley and Dion Charles netting in the first half.
David McGoldrick scored a hat-trick as Derby moved into the play-off places with a 4-0 thumping of Forest Green at Pride Park.
McGoldrick notched his treble, capped with an 87th-minute effort, after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing had put the Rams ahead five minutes into the contest.
MK Dons won in their first league match since sacking boss Liam Manning, triumphing 2-0 at Portsmouth.
Bradley Johnson and Jack Tucker got the goals as the Dons, under Dean Lewington's interim management, moved up a place to 22nd, swapping spots with Burton.
Charlton, also managerless after dismissing Ben Garner, led at home against Bristol Rovers before being defeated 2-1.
Ryan Inniss headed the Addicks in front before the visitors hit back through a second-half brace from substitute John Marquis.
Leyton Orient extended their lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two to seven points as a Paul Smyth stunner and Alastair Smith own goal secured a 2-0 win at home to Sutton.
Smyth opened the scoring after 61 minutes when he collected a pass from Theo Archibald and lashed the ball into the top-right corner from 20 yards for his ninth goal of the season.
The outcome was settled by an own goal in the 79th minute. A Tom James throw-in from the right was helped on by Omar Beckles and Smith deflected the ball into his own net.
Louis Reed's seventh-minute penalty saw Swindon beat Barrow 1-0 and move up to fourth in League Two.
It was one of just two games to be played in the fourth tier due to the weather.
