Barnsley 1 - 3 Norwich City
Three second-half goals stretched Norwich's unbeaten run to nine matches as they came from behind to turn the tables on Barnsley.
The Tykes took the lead in the 18th minute with a stylish goal from winger Martin Devaney.
He collected a header from Bobby Hassell and, as the City defence parted, Devaney darted unchallenged into the gap and struck a fierce curling 20-yard shot that David Marshall could only divert onto the post at full stretch before it went in.
But the goal sparked Norwich into life and they had a string of efforts that came close to earning them an equaliser before the break.
The leveller eventually came three minutes into the second half when Ched Evans drilled a cool finish through Heinz Muller's legs.
City then took the lead in the 70th minute when Mark Fotheringham crashed in a shot that took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot Muller.
And ten minutes later veteran striker Dion Dublin rolled back the years as he produced a towering header from Fotheringham's corner for the third to send Barnsley to their first home defeat since the opening day of the season.
Barnsley had started brightly with Jamal Campbell-Ryce showing slick control down the right before cutting inside, twisting and turning and lashing a long-range shot just over from the edge of the area.
And when Marciano van Homoet swung in a dangerous cross, Marshall had to stretch to palm the ball away before Campbell-Ryce found space again to drill a low effort across goal.Kayode Odejayi was inches short of a scoring connection, and when Devaney hit another carbon-copy cross, Norwich were grateful to clear the ball away.
But then came the home side's goal that triggered Norwich's revival.
Barnsley keeper Muller dived low to his right to save after Evans had hit an angled shot and Mo Camara was just short of finishing off the rebound.Lee Croft sprinted to chase a loose ball and swung in a super cross that brought a diving header from Fotheringham that was just off target.
And another swift break from Norwich saw Evans doing well again to produce a dangerous shot from the right but his effort was a fraction wide.
But after the break Norwich took control after the equaliser as they romped to a comfortable win.
Bristol City 1 - 1 Colchester United
Bristol City dropped two home points as they were held to a draw by struggling Colchester United, but they could easily have been three goals behind inside the first 15 minutes.
With Hungarian centre-back Tamas Vasko struggling to mark Colchester's main striker Kevin Lisbie, City's back-line was in disarray.
Each time Lisbie ran at him, City were in trouble. He scored after six minutes, side-footing home from 12 yards for Colchester's first goal in four visits to Ashton Gate.
It followed a break-out from a corner and Lisbie almost grabbed a second two minutes later with Vasko standing too far off him to the fury of the home bench.
City's Brazilian keeper Adriano Basso fended off his right-footed flick and then made a good save from Johnnie Jackson before the Robins pulled their game together.
They did so down the flank where Ivan Sproule and Michael McIndoe were given space and time to move forward on a packed defence.Chris Coyne, signed from stricken Luton Town for £350,000, did a resolute job at the heart of Colchester's defence, but their other new signing, Spurs' Phil Ifil, had a much more difficult time against Sproule.
Running on to a throughball from Lee Johnson, the Irishman put City level on 33 minutes with a thumping cross-drive past keeper Dean Gerken.
Trouble built for Colchester from a string of corners. From one, Vasko thought he had made up for his earlier errors, but was ruled offside. From another, Ifil cleared off the line, while McIndoe kept the pressure on with a shot which crashed onto the bar.
This was City's best spell but, after they failed to take their chances, Colchester upped their game in the second half and Jackson had the chance of the game to restore their lead.
For the final ten minutes, they played with substitute goalkeeper Mark Cousins after Gerken was injured, but City never had the finishing power to worry their visitors.
Burnley 1 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Burnley manager Owen Coyle was able to celebrate his first home win as Clarets manager thanks to a superb second-half strike by substitute Robbie Blake.
Coyle recalled Brian Jensen in goal and the Danish shot-stopper was called upon to make a save as early as the second minute when Plymouth skipper Lilian Nalis directed a header towards goal.
But Burnley dominated almost from start to finish with the visitors lightweight in attack after the midweek transfer of leading scorer Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.
Winger Wade Elliott was a constant thorn in the side of the Argyle defence creating numerous opportunities which his colleagues were unable to take advantage of.
Midfielder Joey Gudjonsson tried his luck from distance but was just too high with his attempt and then volleyed just wide after Elliott had slipped a tackle and pulled the ball back from the by-line.
Elliott was again the supplier a minute later as, from his cross, Steve Jones headed wide.
The pattern was repeated on 44 minutes when Elliott provided another opportunity for Jones but again the striker headed wide.
Jones was replaced by Blake only ten minutes into the second half and the substitute was soon in the thick of the action with a cross-cum-shot that evaded both Andy Gray and the far post.
The only goal arrived after 66 minutes when Elliott's supply line eventually proved decisive when his cross was expertly volleyed home by Blake leaving Argyle keeper Luke McCormick grasping at thin air.
Blake almost had another when his 30-yard strike was magnificently tipped over by McCormick.
Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock made a double change with 15 minutes to go, replacing Nalis and Lukas Jutkiewicz with new signing Yoann Folly and Rory Fallon.
However, the changes had no real impact with the home side seeing out the remainder of the game to register a victory that will no doubt lift a monkey off the Burnley players' backs.
Cardiff City 1 - 0 Sheffield Wednesday
A first-half strike by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink gave the Bluebirds their fourth straight home victory as they moved closer to the play-off positions.
He seized on a pass from Gavin Rae in the 36th minute before sliding the ball past the on-rushing Lee Grant in the visitors' goal.
Wednesday took control of the match during the second period but City defended magnificently to continue their impressive run.
The Bluebirds showed one change with Hasselbaink restored to the starting line-up in place of Aaron Ramsey.
Amongst the substitutes was new loan signing Peter Enckelman.
City pinned Wednesday back on to the defence in the opening minutes and both Hasselbaink and Peter Whittingham had shots blocked as the Bluebirds piled on the pressure.
The Owls won their first corner in the 28th minute after Michael Oakes had pushed a Leon Clarke shot around the post.
Two more corners three minutes later spelt danger for City, but the defence held firm and they went back on to the attack only for Grant to tip Hasselbaink's header over the bar.
When the deep corner came over Roger Johnson rose highest but his header clipped the woodwork.
Hasselbaink finally hit the target for his fifth league goal of the season and Joe Ledley should have doubled the lead in the 42nd minute, but fired wide with only the visitors' keeper to beat.
The second half began with City back on the offensive and Glenn Loovens' header in the 51st minute rattled the Owls crossbar.
Second-half substitute Ronnie Wallwork had a close-range header tipped over by Oakes and Clarke went close before Brian Laws brought on Deon Burton to add more fire-power at the front.
The visitors had certainly raised the tempo in the second half and City were hanging on for long spells but Loovens and Johnson were superb for the Bluebirds who held out for a deserved victory.
Charlton Athletic 4 - 1 Blackpool
Charlton Athletic got their season back on track in impressive style by beating Blackpool 4-1 to record their first Championship victory in six games
The Addicks got off to a flying start with two goals in the first ten minutes.Madjid Bougherra netted the first with a close-range header from a Darren Ambrose corner after six minutes and Luke Varney increased the home side's lead four minutes later after sprinting into the Blackpool penalty area before firing low into the net.
A well struck 25-yard shot out of the blue by Ben Burgess got Blackpool back into the game, but some more poor defending by the visitors allowed Charlton to re-establish their two-goal cushion.
Varney's pace caused more problems and his low cross was turned into the net by Zhi Zheng.
Blackpool keeper Paul Rachubka denied Charlton skipper Matt Holland with a fine save, and had it not been for the impressive form of the visiting keeper then the Lancashire side would have lost by an even bigger score.
He made two great saves in the last five minutes to deny Varney and Holland, but he had no chance with Charlton's fourth goal.
Zheng netted his second of the game when he slotted home a rebound after Bougherra's header had come back off the post.
Charlton look far more comfortable playing in their 4-4-2 system, but this was a disappointing performance by Blackpool, whose recent good results had seen them go four matches unbeaten in the Championship.
Charlton manager Alan Pardew is still likely to dip into the transfer market despite his side's convincing victory and is thought to be interested in bringing in a striker and a defender.
Ipswich Town 1 - 1 Stoke City
Former Ipswich loan player Ricardo Fuller returned to haunt his old colleagues with an equaliser as two play-off contenders fought out an entertaining draw at Portman Road.Danny Haynes had given Ipswich the lead with a fierce low shot on 19 minutes, but Fuller, who spent time on loan at Ipswich two years ago, scored with a similar effort 14 minutes later.
Both sides had chances to claim all three points, with Fuller perhaps having the best when he broke through 16 minutes from time but was unable to round home keeper Neil Alexander.
Both teams got into their stride early with Alexander saving a low Fuller shot and then Alan Lee played in Jon Walters, who shot across goal on his weaker left foot.Steve Simonsen stretched to turn away a shot-cum-cross from the livewire Haynes and Lee almost got his head to a Jason De Vos chip in the penalty box as Town tried to turn the screw early.Danny Pugh volleyed over from an Andy Wilkinson cross, before Alexander had to dive to turn aside a 20-yard low drive from Richard Cresswell as Stoke got a foothold in the game.
Town went in front in their next attack when Lee's ball wide was collected by Haynes ahead of Dickinson and he drilled a shot across goal and in off the far post.
Ipswich could have built up a comfortable lead in the space of four minutes as first Haynes had a fierce drive parried away by Simonsen, Ryan Shawcross cleared off the line from Walters and then Lee glanced a Tommy Miller corner wide.
Shawcross and Leon Cort got in each other's way when either could have scored from a Stoke corner, but the visitors then levelled when Pugh pulled down a long ball and his pass was collected by Fuller, who drove across Alexander from a narrow angle.
The second half took a while to get going with Lee side-footing over a David Wright cross, then for Stoke Pugh had a shot held low down by Alexander and John Eustace fired well wide from a loose clearance.
The game became a bit fractious and Fuller's reaction to several De Vos fouls eventually got the home skipper booked, before Fuller was cautioned himself for needlessly charging into Alex Bruce to the delight of the home crowd.
Haynes had a 25-yard free-kick deflected over, but Stoke nearly scored from the ensuing corner as it was cleared up field to Fuller who raced away from Wright and Sito Castro, but as he tried to round Alexander the Scottish international dived onto the ball.
Ipswich looked set to take the points on 82 minutes when Haynes got free down the right and crossed low for Lee, but what looked like a tap-in was denied by a superb block by sub Gaby Zakuani.
Both sides had penalty shouts turned down late on as Pablo Counago felt he was pulled down at a corner and then Stoke sub Jon Parkin went to ground as Alexander challenged him, but ref
Leicester City 2 - 0 Coventry City
Leicester City's new strikeforce combined to blow away Coventry City and extend their unbeaten run against their M59 rivals to nine games.
The Foxes tore into their opponents from the start and were rewarded on 11 minutes when Michael Hughes was hustled out of possession to allow Ian Hume to feed Steve Howard, who thumped home an angled shot through the keeper's legs from six yards out.
Manager Ian Holloway gave Walkers Stadium debuts to five new faces, but fears that the revamped side would take time to gel were comprehensively dismissed as the East Midlanders dominated their neighbours from start to finish.
Coventry threatened just once throughout the game when they were gifted the chance of an equaliser on 15 minutes when a misunderstanding between on loan keeper Ben Alnwick and Richard Stearman gave Dele Adebola a clear sight of goal, but Leicester were relieved to see the Coventry striker roll a shot against a post with the goal gaping.
But it was the home side who remained in control with another new boy, Gabor Bori, blasting just over from 18 yards after the Coventry keeper had been forced to punch clear another dangerous cross from Hume.
Leicester had bossed the first half and were quick to resume their offensive after the restart with Hume, Stephen Clemence and Laczko Zsolt all threatening to increase the home side's lead.
Laszcko was a constant threat down Coventry's left all afternoon and he deserved his standing ovation when he made way for Barry Hayles after 80 minutes.
Leicester dominated from start to finish and their superiority was rewarded with five minutes to go when Ben Turner stumbled to allow another new boy, substitute Barry Hayles, to take full advantage to stroke home the Foxes second beyond an unprotected Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Preston North End 1 - 0 Watford
Preston snatched all three points against a Watford team that has the best away record in the Championship when substitute Neil Mellor, two minutes after coming on, scored the all-important winning goal.
In an even opening half the first chance fell to Preston after 12 minutes when Lewis Neal's 25-yard left-foot shot was deflected for a corner.
Seven minutes later Jobi McAnuff's shot was deflected for a right-wing corner.Matt Jackson was booked for a foul on Karl Hawley after 26 minutes and two minutes later Preston keeper Andy Lonergan made a great save to deny Darius Henderson from inside the six-yard box.
Hornets striker Marlon King then chipped the Preston keeper from the right-hand side but Sean St Ledger cleared the ball for a left-wing corner.
Seven minutes before half-time, Neal's 25-yard left-foot shot flew just over the bar.Simon Whaley was booked for a foul on Jordan Stewart and, right on half-time, Richard Chaplow crossed from the right for Neal to send in a volley which the keeper could not hold but the danger was eventually cleared.
Early in the second half Preston left-back Callum Davidson was booked for a foul before Hawley crossed from the right-hand side when it would have been better to shoot.
Neal then tried his luck with another 25-yard shot which the keeper dived to his right to push away for a corner.
Mellor replaced Chris Brown and Darren Carter replaced Chaplow.
Almost immediately Whaley's 75th-minute cross was knocked on by Hawley and, when Mellor's shot was blocked by Lee Williamson, the former Liverpool striker fired the rebound from almost on the goal-line home.
Watford brought on John-Joe O'Toole for Damien Francis and Adrian Mariappa for Matt Jackson but Preston held out for three vital points in their relegation battle.
Sheffield United 2 - 1 Queens Park Rangers
Lee Hendrie grabbed the three points for Sheffield United with a 68th-minute strike to end a miserable run for Bryan Robson's side against a Rangers side dubbed the world's richest club.
The Loftus Road side have spent £5million on eight signings since Indian multi-billionaire Lakshmi Mittal bought a stake in the side.
Rangers, who were propping up the Championship earlier in the season, had snatched the lead against a United side with just one win from their last seven games, before they were hit with two goals in a four-minute spell.Akos Buzsaky, one of eight new signings in the transfer window, almost found a way through early in the game, but his low strike was saved by the diving Paddy Kenny.
Dangerman Buzsaky, snapped up from Plymouth for £500,000, was then foiled by Kenny who tipped his stinging free-kick over the bar in spectacular fashion before United woke up.
Keeper Lee Camp pulled off two vital stops, pushing David Carney's strike around the post and palming away Rob Hulse's deceptive cross.
Rangers went ahead seconds before the break when Leigh Bromby failed to clear Matthew Connolly's cross from the right as Patrick Agyemang lashed the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.Billy Sharp almost set up an equaliser from the restart, as he chased into the area to lob the ball over Camp's head, but Fitz Hall stuck out a foot to clear and the ball fell to Hulse who headed wide from close range.
United were back on level terms in bizarre fashion in the 64th minute. Michael Tonge's long-range strike was pushed away by Camp but, when Martin Rowlands tried to clear, he lashed the ball against Damion Stewart and it spun over the line.
Hendrie grabbed the winner in the 68th minute after he and Connolly challenged for Billy Sharp's cross. The little midfielder was first to his feet as he swept the ball into the net from six yards.
United centre-back Matt Kilgallon pulled off a stunning clearance seconds from time jumping to clear Martin Rowlands' long-range strike off the line.
Southampton 1 - 0 Scunthorpe United
Grzegorz Rasiak sent Scunthorpe spiralling towards the foot of the Championship with his first goal in four months enough to secure a much needed win for Southampton.
The Poland international, who has been in and out of the Saints starting line-up after a fall-out with manager George Burley, latched onto Andrew Surman's low cross on 25 minutes.
It proved to be the difference as Southampton got their promotion campaign back on track.
For Scunthorpe it merely continued their poor run in the Championship, as they have just one win from their last 17.
It could have been so different for the away side, who went close twice inside the first minute as striker Martin Paterson tested Kelvin Davis from range on ten seconds, before midfielder Ian Morris then missed a fine opportunity 30 seconds later.
Southampton too were not without their chances in a game which saw the sides meet for the first time since 1964.
Rasiak fed the fit-again and restored Inigo Idiakez on goal, only for the Spaniard to shoot embarrassingly over.
Bradey Wright-Phillips then pounced upon a mistake by Shelton Martis to give himself a clear route to goal but skewed wide.
The Southampton striker though partially made up for his wastefulness in front of goal by freeing Surman down the left-hand side for the opener.
The young midfielder could have opted to shoot himself, but instead chose to roll the ball across to the grateful Rasiak, who saw the back of the net bulge for the first time since September 22.
Scunthorpe tried in vain to push for an equaliser before the break and Paul Hayes went close as he capitalised on a Wayne Thomas mis-kick only to see his looping header well tipped over by Davis.
The second-half failed to match the ferocity of the first as Paterson was denied again by Davis from distance on 50 minutes, before Saints had a worthwhile penalty shout turned down after Adam Hammill was clipped by Andy Crosby.Matthew Sparrow crashed a 25-yard effort against the crossbar and substitute Jonathan Forte forced Davis into an another impressive save, but that was as close as Scunthorpe got to finding an elusive equaliser.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 - 3 Crystal Palace
Neil Warnock's impressive Crystal Palace side maintained their steady charge up the table as they stretched their unbeaten run to 14 games at the expense of struggling Wolves.
Palace have made their mark with a run of eight wins and six draws while Wolves - early favourites for promotion - continue to fall away from the promotion race.
Mick McCarthy's men have now not tasted success in eight games and they have a miserable tally of just four points from a possible 24.
And, despite fielding new £1.5million striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, they have managed to find the target only 24 times in 27 League outings.
It has been much different for on-song Palace with striker Clinton Morrison opening the scoring at Molineux with his tenth goal in 12 League games.Ben Watson crossed the ball into the middle where it found its way to Morrison and he made no mistake with a terrific right-footed volley.
Palace, now in the play-off zone, while Wolves are down to 12th spot, stretched their lead four minutes after the break when their marksman was the hard-working Sean Scannell.John Halls crossed from the right, Morrison mis-hit his shot and Scannell was perfectly positioned to lash his close-range effort past the helpless Wayne Hennessey.
It was 3-0 to Palace in the 64th minute when James Scowcroft stunned Hennessey as he lashed in a superb 30-yarder that flew into the back of the net.
Wolves' dreadful afternoon was made complete in the 80th minute when Andy Keogh created a golden scoring opportunity for Jay Bothroyd but the striker ballooned his shot over the crossbar from only five yards.
It was a poor all-round display from Wolves with Keogh also guilty of poor marksmanship as he powered his close-range header high over the woodwork.
It was always Palace who held the upper hand with Scowcroft squandering a superb chance as he too shot over the woodwork when it looked easier to score.
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Sat 12th Jan: The Championship
