Championship

Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 27 December 2014

Sports Mole chooses its best XI from Boxing Day's Championship games, as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal from Friday's action.

With nearly 40 goals scored, the Championship on Boxing Day was almost as gluttonous as Father Christmas wolfing down mince pies a couple of nights before.

The division's leading scorer Daryl Murphy netted the first of the day inside 20 seconds for Ipswich Town, who beat Brentford 4-2 in one of two early kickoffs as second travelled to third.

That victory took Ipswich to the summit at mid-afternoon, but they didn't end the day on top as Bournemouth saw off Fulham to reclaim first place at the halfway mark of the season.

Brentford and Watford were the only top-six sides to lose as Derby County and Middlesbrough got back to winning ways with comfortable 4-0 and 3-0 victories over Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest respectively.

Norwich City moved to within a point of the playoffs thanks to a 6-1 hammering of Millwall, while Wigan Athletic climbed above Brighton & Hove Albion in the bottom three courtesy of a 2-0 win at Leeds United - Malky Mackay's first maximum in six games as Latics boss.

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

Scott Carson (Wigan Athletic)
It was a huge relief for Wigan fans to finally see their side win, but it could have been different had Carson not made some key saves at the other end.

Dominic Iorfa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
On just his fourth senior start for Wolves, Iorfa helped Kenny Jackett's men to a clean sheet and impressive victory on the road at top-six side Watford.
Matt Mills (Bolton Wanderers)
Emile Heskey stole the headlines for his debut goal as the Trotters fought back from a goal down to beat Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers, but Mills was a beast in defence and kept the dangerous duo of Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede fairly quiet.
Tommy Smith (Ipswich Town)
Barring a couple of scrappy late goals, Ipswich bullied Brentford at Griffin Park, where the Bees had won six of their last seven games and not suffered defeat in over three months. Smith scored Ipswich's fourth with one of the best goals you'll see by a defender this season - he faked a shot to cut inside onto his weaker right foot before curling into the far top corner.
Craig Forsyth (Derby County)
The Rams won their first game in almost three weeks with a convincing win at Birmingham, who hadn't lost at home under Gary Rowett. Forsyth was on target for the third with a fine right-footed finish not too dissimilar to Smith's described above.

James McClean (Wigan Athletic)
McClean was Wigan's danger man as they finally ended their eight-game, two-month wait for a win. It was his cross that Liam Cooper inadvertently turned into his own net for the opener and then his fierce drive that sealed the win late on.
Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough)
Leadbitter moved into double figures for the season with his seventh successful penalty and also sent over the corner that George Friend headed home to open the scoring against Forest.
Bradley Johnson (Norwich City)
Four goals in Norwich's last two home games for Johnson, who followed up his brace in the 5-0 destruction of Huddersfield Town with another double against Millwall.
Jordon Ibe (Derby County)
A goal and an assist for the Liverpool loanee at St Andrew's. His goal which broke the deadlock was a thumping near-post finish after some neat skill in the box saw him scamper away from two Blues defenders.

Gary Hooper (Norwich City)
Norwich's recent run of good form has coincided with Hooper earning himself a starting spot. After going three games without a goal, Hooper netted two and set up another as the Canaries tamed the Lions.
Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town)
Murphy has now scored more goals in half a season with Ipswich than he did in five with Sunderland. He is up to 16 for the campaign following a bullet strike inside the opening minute and well-taken second as the Tractor Boys blew away the Bees in the first half.

Numpty of the Week

David Forde: The Millwall keeper had a nightmare first half at Carrow Road, first letting Steven Whittaker's shot squeeze under his body for the opener before calamitously presenting Cameron Jerome with a simple finish for the second. A mention, too, for Charlton Athletic striker Igor Vetokele for missing this golden late opportunity to steal all three points against Cardiff City.

Goal of the Week

Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Charlton Athletic) vs. Cardiff City: No contest here. There were several lovely goals, but none as breathtaking as this rocket from the Charlton midfielder. With his side down to 10 men, it was some way to rescue a point.