Wolves extend Championship lead to 13 points after QPR win

Derby County remain in second; McGeady scores in Sunderland comeback

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Alfred N’Diaye scores his side’s first goal in the Sky Bet Championship match against QPR at Molineux. Photograph:  Barrington Coombs/PA Wire
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Alfred N’Diaye scores his side’s first goal in the Sky Bet Championship match against QPR at Molineux. Photograph: Barrington Coombs/PA Wire

Wolves extended their lead at the top of the Championship to 13 points by beating QPR 2-1 at Molineux.

Goals from Alfred N'Diaye and Helder Costa put the hosts in control at half-time before Northern Ireland international Conor Washington reduced the arrears for QPR soon after the restart.

Wolves rode their luck in the closing stages, but clinched their third straight league win to put their recent home defeat against Nottingham Forest behind them.

Derby stayed second but lost ground on the leaders as they were held 1-1 at home by Norwich.

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Matej Vydra's 17th league goal of the season put the Rams ahead and, although Canaries striker Nelson Oliveira's penalty shortly before the interval was saved by Scott Carson, James Maddison fired a second-half equaliser.

In a lunchtime kick-off, Paul Heckingbottom lost his first game in charge of Leeds as Billy Sharp's double against his former club earned Sheffield United a 2-1 triumph at Bramall Lane.

Sharp volleyed the Blades into an early lead and, after Pierre-Michel Lasogga headed Leeds level, the striker converted a penalty following a foul on him by Eunan O’Kane.

Barnsley responded to Heckingbottom's departure this week by drawing 1-1 against Sheffield Wednesday in another all-Yorkshire lunchtime kick-off, but they slipped into the bottom three.

Atdhe Nuhiu's first-half penalty, following Andy Yiadom's challenge on Lucas Joao, was cancelled out by Barnsley's on-loan Swansea striker Oli McBurnie on his first start for the club.

Bolton forward Adam Le Fondre checked Fulham's march up the table with a second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Macron Stadium.

Matt Targett had headed the Cottagers into an early lead, but Le Fondre equalised just after the hour mark to ensure Bolton's mini revival continued.

Bristol City's playoff hopes suffered another setback as they squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 at home against Sunderland.

Aden Flint’s early opener and Famara Diedhiou’s quickfire double put City in control at half-time.

But the Black Cats hit back through Josh Brownhill's own goal and Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady before home defender Marlon Pack turned the ball past his own goalkeeper Frank Fielding in stoppage time.

Middlesbrough kept in touch with the top six thanks to a 2-1 home win over struggling Reading.

Adama Traore struck twice in five minutes for Boro either side of half-time and Grant Leadbitter hit a post before Reading pulled one back through Chris Martin.

Britt Assombalonga fired a late penalty for Boro over the crossbar.

Florian Jozefzoon's second-half equaliser earned Brentford a 1-1 home draw against 10-man Preston.

Tom Barkhuizen's opener for Preston was cancelled out by Jozefzoon six minutes later before visiting defender Greg Cunningham was shown a second yellow card.

Ipswich were held 0-0 by Burton at Portman Road, while Hull halted their nine-game winless run in the Championship with a 2-0 triumph at Nottingham Forest.

Jon Toral quickly made amends, after his eighth-minute penalty had been saved by Forest goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, by heading the opening goal less than 60 seconds later.

On-loan Liverpool winger Harry Wilson added the Tigers' second before half-time on his full debut for the club to leave Forest with one league win in their last 10 games.