Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne played another 90 minutes and helped QPR to a third clean sheet at Elland Road today with a 1-0 win over Leeds United.
The Dubliner, who is hoping to play some part in Ireland’s upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header against Sweden and Austria in September (9th and 13th), having not featured for his country competitively since Euro 2012 because of a knee injury, helped Harry Redknapp’s side to the top of the Championship, albeit briefly, by keeping their opponents scoreless for the third consecutive game.
Dunne missed the first two game of the season and QPR conceded in both. This afternoon, skipper Clint Hill’s 75th minute strike kept the unbeaten record intact, inflicting Leeds’s first defeat of the season.
They were soon overtaken by Blackpool on goal difference, when Tom Ince did father and manager, Paul, proud by firing the Tangerines top.
Ince curled home the only goal of a 1-0 victory over Watford in the 81st minute, a quarter of an hour after coming on as a substitute at Bloomfield Road.
Blackpool’s win also came on the back of Matthew Gilks’s 14th-minute penalty save from Troy Deeney, who had scored five goals in his previous four matches.
Both Blackpool and Rangers leapfrogged previous leaders Nottingham Forest as they surrendered their unbeaten record in a 2-1 defeat at Wigan.
That was despite taking an eighth-minute lead at the DW Stadium courtesy of Andy Reid’s third goal in successive matches, with his latest via an excellent free-kick. But the Latics needed just six minutes to level, with Shaun Maloney equalising from the spot for his third goal of the campaign, before Jordi Gomez matched Reid’s feat to seal victory in the 35th minute.
The defeat for Forest means they have dropped to fourth, with Burnley also rising above them after they cruised to a 3-0 win at Derby.
Danny Ings opened the scoring in the 17th minute with his fifth goal in seven matches before Sam Vokes added the second 15 minutes later, with Jason Shackell sealing the points after the break.
Like rivals Forest, Leicester also suffered their first defeat of the season, going down 2-1 at Charlton who conversely won their first league game of the campaign.
Defender Michael Morrison set Charlton on their way in the 27th minute at The Valley where City’s Matty Jones was dismissed for two bookable offences early in the second half.
Striker Yann Kermorgant capitalised on Charlton’s extra-man advantage soon after before Danny Drinkwater swiftly pulled one back just after the hour for the visitors, but there was to be no comeback.
Bolton are now the club propping up the table after they were thumped 4-1 by bitter local rivals Blackburn at Ewood Park.
Two goals in 63 seconds in the first half from David Dunn and Jordan Rhodes put Rovers in control, only for Alex Baptiste to give Bolton hope with a left-foot strike on the stroke of half-time.
Corry Evans, a summer acquisition from Hull, added the third in the 70th minute prior to Rhodes doubling his tally 13 minutes later.
Barnsley lifted themselves off the foot with their first league win, beating Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield 2-1 at Oakwell.
Chris O’Grady’s third goal of the season and Marcus Pedersen’s first following his loan move from Vitesse Arnhem put the Tykes 2-0 up at the break.
James Vaughan pulled one back for Huddersfield on the hour but the home side held on to end their wretched run after conceding 10 goals in their previous two matches.
Bournemouth, who had lost their previous two away matches by 6-1 and 5-1 scorelines, secured a 1-0 victory at Doncaster where Brett Pitman headed home the winner in the 31st minute.
After being hammered 6-0 in the Capital One Cup in midweek by Peterborough, Reading bounced back with a 1-0 win at Yeovil where Adam Le Fondre scored the only goal from the penalty spot.
The other three games all ended in 1-1 draws, with Birmingham held at home by Ipswich.
Christophe Berra broke the deadlock for the visitors on the half-hour only for Chris Burke to claim a point for City in the 76th minute.
Visitors Sheffield Wednesday also took the lead at Middlesbrough via Michail Antonio, but Mustapha Carayol levelled just after the break.
At Brighton, the home side also had to come from a goal down after Millwall’s Martyn Woolford scored, with Albion needing Leonardo Ulloa’s fifth goal of the season in the 89th minute to level.
