Championship

Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 08 February 2015

Sports Mole picks out its 11 star performers from matchday 29 in the Championship, as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal.

Five of the Championship's top six recorded victories on matchday 29 yesterday, with 37 goals scored in total as all 12 games kicked off at 3pm.

Bournemouth continue to lead the way from Derby County on goal difference, with Middlesbrough a point further back in third place.

Ipswich Town dropped to fifth as they suffered defeat at Rotherham United, allowing Brentford to move up to fourth as they edged out Leeds United.

Watford remain in the final playoff place, three points ahead of Norwich City, who cruised to a 4-0 win over rock-bottom Blackpool.

One positive for the Tangerines was that the five sides now above them also lost.

Here, Sports Mole chooses its best XI from the weekend's action, in a traditional 4-4-2 formation, as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal.

Heurelho Gomes (Watford)
Watford ensured that they didn't fall too far behind the pacesetters with a slim 1-0 win over Blackburn Rovers. It could have been ever so different if Gomes hadn't made a string of fine saves.

Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest)
Forest won their first game under Dougie Freedman with a 3-2 triumph at Brighton & Hove Albion, with Lichaj crucial at the back.
Gabriele Angella (Watford)
As well as Gomes's saves, Angella helped keep Blackburn out and also provided the touch before the winner to claim an assist.
Bruno Ecuele Manga (Cardiff City)
Back from the Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon international Manga made several key clearances as Cardiff earned a point at Sheffield Wednesday.
Ezekiel Fryers (Rotherham United)
Rotherham got the better of high-flying Ipswich and kept a clean sheet, with Fryers clearing one effort off the line.

Thomas Ince (Derby County)
Some debut from the Hull City man after joining the Rams on loan. He put Derby ahead with a curling free kick before adding a second and then coming within a few centimetres of a hat-trick by hitting the bar.
Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)
Hendrick scored Derby's other two from central midfield as the Rams moved ever closer to Bournemouth at the top of the tree.
Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough)
Another classy display from the Boro skipper. He set up two of their three goals against Charlton Athletic.
Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest)
Osborn netted what turned out to be the winner at The Amex and also set up Forest's other two goals on the South coast.

Gary Hooper (Norwich City)
Three goals from three shots as Hooper scored his first hat-trick for Norwich against Blackpool. The second goal, especially, was a stand-out team effort.
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)
Make it 14 league goals this season for Wilson after he netted two of Bournemouth's three at the DW Stadium. Both were cool-as-you-like finishes.

Numpty of the Week

David Forde and Nadjim Abdou: After Huddersfield Town were reduced to 10 men with the score at 1-1, Millwall were expected to take the game to the Terriers. However, the relegation-threatened Lions ended up losing 3-1 and Forde and Abdou both made mistakes for the crucial third goal that put the visitors back in front.

Goal of the Week

Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) vs. Charlton Athletic: Just a day after winning January's Player of the Month award, Tomlin scored Boro's third to seal the win at the Riverside against Charlton with a first-time volley from a corner. Think Paul Scholes against Bradford City.