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Championship roundup: Burnley win again, Middlesbrough go fifth

Championship roundup: Burnley win again, Boro go fifth
© Reuters
Burnley extend their lead at the top of the Championship with victory at Swansea City, while Middlesbrough continue their resurgence with a win at Birmingham City.

Burnley have extended their lead at the top of the Championship table to six points with a 2-1 victory away at Swansea City on Monday afternoon.

Two goals from the unlikely source of Ian Maatsen put the Clarets in control within 22 minutes, before Oliver Cooper halved the deficit before the half-hour mark.

However, Vincent Kompany's side held on for all three points, posting a sixth successive win in the second tier and to open up a 14-point lead over third-placed Blackburn Rovers.

Meanwhile, Middlesbrough now sit in fifth position courtesy of a 3-1 triumph at Birmingham City, the seventh success in 10 games under Michael Carrick.

After a goalless first half, two goals from Matt Crooks put Boro in control and although Tahith Chong kept Blues in the game in the final quarter, Chuba Akpom's 13th goal of the campaign secured another impressive win for the North East outfit.

Middlesbrough had been on course to occupy fourth spot until Vakoun Issouf Bayo netted a late winner for Watford in their tussle with Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The Canaries have been overtaken by West Bromwich Albion, who rise to ninth after Daryl Dike netted the only goal of the game against Reading at The Hawthorns.

At the bottom end of the table, Kolo Toure witnessed his Wigan Athletic side suffer a fourth successive defeat, this one coming by a 4-1 scoreline to relegation rivals Hull City.

Nathan Broadhead cancelled out a Jacob Greaves opener to leave the game level heading into the final 15 minutes, but a Oscar Estupinan effort and two Tyler Smith goals earned a Hull a win which sees moves them seven points clear of the bottom three.

In the last of six 3pm kickoffs, a 93rd-minute goal from Ched Evans earned Preston North End a 1-0 win at Stoke City, who are managed by their former boss Alex Neil.

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Written by
Darren Plant

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd22155232112148
2Leeds UnitedLeeds22136341152645
3Burnley2212822891944
4Sunderland22127334181643
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2111462518737
6Middlesbrough22105738281035
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom22811326161035
8Watford2110473028234
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds229582830-232
10Millwall217772118328
11Swansea CitySwansea227692424027
12Bristol City226972628-227
13Norwich CityNorwich226883734326
14Queens Park RangersQPR2251072328-525
15Luton TownLuton2274112538-1325
16Derby CountyDerby2266102728-124
17Coventry CityCoventry2266102834-624
18Preston North EndPreston2241172229-723
19Stoke CityStoke2257102330-722
20Portsmouth204882535-1020
21Hull City2247112131-1019
22Cardiff CityCardiff2146111934-1518
23Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2146112137-1618
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2146112245-2318


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