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The Championship Weekend Review

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Sit back as Vital Football QPR casts its eyes over the other Championship games this weekend.

Blackpool 1-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich`s winless streak on the road continues, as Claus Jorgenson struck the ball home from new boy Stephen McPhee`s layoff. Ipswich full back Castro Sito was then sent off for a terrible two footed lunge on tricky winger Wes Hoolahan, a poorly timed challenge that deserved a red card from referee Mr. Pike. A second half header from Jonathan Walters from a Gary Roberts corner secured a point on the road for the ten men Tractor Boys, it was a powerful header that gave keeper Paul Rachubka

Colchester United P-P Hull City
Game postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
No date yet announced for the match.

Coventry City 1-2 Burnley
Ade Akinbiyi opened the scoring in the tenth minute as a neat passing move, culminating with a cross from Wade Elliot was finished off with a smashing drive 12 yards from goal into the roof of the net. Michael Doyle levelled, after a game of pinball in the box, the midfielder arrived into the box and smashed the ball home past the despairing Brian Jensen, who had made several good saves previously. Kevin Kyle was given his marching orders with a second yellow card after a lunge at Graham Alexander, a poor tackle that may have been worthy of a red itself. Burnley made the extra man tell as Robbie Blake bagged the winner. The striker was laid in by Joey Gudjonshen and he slotted the ball home comfortably for a good win for Burnley.

Crystal Palace 2-0 Bristol City
Neil Warnock secured his best unbeaten run for 20 years, and stretched Palace`s unbeaten run to 15 games. A goal came early from the fortuitous Clinton Morisson when a cross evaded everyone and a Jamie McAllister`s clearance cannoned into the forward and into the back of the net. Bristol City started the second period a lot brighter and Palace keeper Julian Speroni to thank, denying Bristol City and in particular new signing Nick Carle on numerous occasions. But it was Palace then doubled their advantage when a nearly taken free kick by Ben Watson was converted expertly by centre back Mark Hudson, after Adriano Basso has vacated his line, the two players have both been key figures in the Palace revival.

Norwich City 0-0 Leicester City
A stalemate at Carrow Road as neither team could break the deadlock. Dion Dublin came closest on a number of occasions, striking the bar and the post with the latter being a towering header in injury time after a cross from Lee Croft. Barry Hayles came closest for the visitors also striking the post but luck wasn`t on the attackers side as a goalless draw was all the teams could muster.

Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Southampton
Former manager of Southampton and current Plymouth boss, Paul Sturrock no doubt this encounter against his former employers, but it was Southampton who took a first half advantage in the West Country. Bradley Wright Phillips was fed through by Alexander Ostlund for a neat finish, to really show the form the young striker is capable of. Plymouth had recently signed Steven McLean from Sheffield Wednesday for a club record fee of £500k, but it was his strike partner who caught the eye, Rory Fallon drew Plymouth level after being fed by in form winger Peter Halmosi, to send both teams home with a point.

Scunthorpe Untied 0-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
New boy David Edwards gave Wolves the lead at Glanford Park after a neat turn and shot in the box in the first meeting between the two clubs in 20 years, a goal laid on by former Iron player Andy Keogh. Into the second half and Wolves doubled their advantage, and it was another new signing. £1.5m addition Sylvan Ebanks-Blake tucked away a neat finish to give Wolves the win in a game they dominated. This defeated kept the Iron in the bottom 3, four points from safety, a worrying prospect for he newly promoted team.

Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Sheffield United
A keenly contested Sheffield derby which was dominated in the early stages by Wednesday as Jermaine Johnson caused havoc in the United penalty area to cross for the unmarked Akpo Sodje who slotted the ball home from close range, to send the Wednesday faithful into delirium and Brian Laws embracing the occasion by waving a blue and white scarf frantically on the touchline. The lead was doubled in the second half when Leon Clarke chested the ball down in the area and laid on Marcus Tudgay to smash the ball home past Paddy Kenny to give the blue side of Sheffield bragging rights in the Steel City derby.

Stoke City 3-1 Preston North End
Stoke City looked odds on favourites to dispatch their troubled counterparts before the game, and they didn`t disappoint. Leon Court headed home from a typical Rory Delap long throw for the Potters, a typical Stoke goal, with the Lilywhites unable to deal with the direct style of football. Richard Cresswell then dispatched a disastrous dropped catch from Andy Lonergan, the striker was there to pounce as the keeper dropped the effort at his feet. Preston got an unlikely lifeline when Lewis Neal knocked down a cross to the onrushing Chris Brown who nodded the ball over the line from close range. Stoke though sealed the victory with yet another header from Leon Cort for his sixth goal of his spell at the Britannia stadium, which began in November.

Watford 1-1 Charlton Athletic
2 promotion contenders locked horns at the Vic, in a tight encounter the Hornets lost new signing Callum Davenport when Madjid Bougherra appeared to stamp on the defenders chest, no decision was given by Mr. Marriner and Davenport was on his way to hospital. But it was the home side who broke the deadlock in the second half; Nathan Ellington latched on to a through ball by Darius Henderson, and struck his first goal in 19 appearances for the Hornets, a finish coolly dispatched past Nicky Weaver. The points were to shared however when Darren Ambrose, struck from distance to embarrass keeper Richard Lee, the midfielder should have scored after spurning some good chances previously. Lee was left with egg on his face when Ambrose`s firm drive from distance led to the keeper parrying the ball into his own net on a slick surface at Vicarage Road

West Bromwich Albion 3-3 Cardiff City
The game burst into life after 30 seconds as Paul Parry struck from distance into the top corner to see the Bluebirds take an early lead. One became two when Parry again broke down the right and drilled a fierce drive into the bottom left. The Baggies were relieved 90 seconds later when a Jonathan Greening free kick was nodded home by on-loan striker Roman Bednar. West Brom again conceded though when Joe Ledley struck through the legs of the Albion defence into the bottom left of the goal, somewhat fortuitous to get the chance, but put away well. The Baggies weren`t down and down and when Martin Albrechtsen put a looping header over the despairing Michael Oakes and into the far post. After a good spell of pressure from the Baggies they had their equaliser, Bluebirds defender Roger Johnson sliced the ball over his keepers head once again to give both teams a point in a thrilling affair at the Hawthornes.

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