Burnley maintain surge towards Premier League promotion
Burnley maintained their march towards promotion to the Premier League as the Championship leaders won 1-0 against Coventry, while Cardiff boss Mark Hudson was sacked after a 1-1 draw with Wigan on Saturday.
Vincent Kompany’s Burnley are on course for an immediate return to the top flight after last season’s relegation.
They sit five points clear of second-placed Sheffield United after Jordan Beyer headed the winner in the 82nd minute at Turf Moor.
Hudson’s time as Cardiff manager ended following his struggling team’s lacklustre display against rock-bottom Wigan.
Cardiff are just above the relegation zone after Will Keane’s stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out an 82nd-minute opener from Callum O’Dowda.
Hudson was visibly downcast afterwards and Cardiff later announced Dean Whitehead would take over as interim boss.
“Cardiff City Football Club has relieved Mark Hudson of his duties as first-team manager,” a club statement read.
“The board of directors would like to place on record its thanks to Mark for all of his work as a player, coach and manager while with the Bluebirds. We wish Mark all the very best of luck for the future.”
Sheffield United kept pace with Burnley after a 3-1 win against Stoke.
Iliman Ndiaye netted his 10th goal of the season to give the Blades a ninth-minute lead and Jayden Bogle made it two when his deflected effort found the back of the net.
Nick Powell cut the deficit on the stroke of halftime before Bogle bagged his second on 90 minutes.
Watford moved into third place after Tobi Adeyemo’s second-half strike and Ismaila Sarr’s penalty sealed a 2-0 victory over lowly Blackpool at Vicarage Road.
Marcus Forss scored the second-half winner in fourth-placed Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win against Millwall as the hosts’ promotion charge gathers pace under the management of former Manchester United star Michael Carrick.
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Blackburn dropped to fifth after a surprise 4-0 defeat at Rotherham, while Swansea beat 10-man Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.
Luton blew a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat against West Bromwich Albion at Kenilworth Road.
Mark Sykes scored his first two goals for Bristol City in a 4-2 win over Birmingham at Ashton Gate.
Tyler Roberts’ brace saw QPR battle back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw at Reading, whose goals both came from Jeff Hendrick.
Kieran Dowell and Teemu Pukki both scored twice as Norwich beat Preston 4-0 to move into seventh place, while Huddersfield’s trip to Hull also ended 1-1.