Sky Bet Championship round-up: West Brom beat Stoke and delight for Derby
Review of the action from the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday as West Brom beat Stoke, Derby's good start continued and Preston came from 2-0 down to earn a point.
Sky Bet Championship results
- Birmingham 0-0 QPR
- Brentford 2-1 Nottingham Forest
- Hull 1-2 Derby
- Preston 2-2 Bolton
- Reading 1-2 Sheff Wed
- Sheff United 4-1 Aston Villa
- West Brom 2-1 Stoke
- Wigan 1-0 Rotherham
- Millwall 1-2 Swansea
Updated Sky Bet Championship table
Updated Sky Bet Championship odds
Dwight Gayle's double allowed West Brom to emerge victorious from a clash of two relegated clubs at the Hawthorns.
The Baggies and Stoke are both hoping for instant returns from the Championship, but on the evidence of the first six games, the former look the most likely and won this 2-1.
On-loan striker Gayle scored in the 16th and 59th minutes, while Benik Afobe missed a penalty for Stoke, with Erik Pieters adding a consolation just as time was up. Gary Rowett's men have one win from six.
Aston Villa had a chastening afternoon as they lost 4-1 at Sheffield United.
Villa have been active in the transfer market in the wake of their financial worries being resolved, but were humbled in South Yorkshire.
Jack O'Connell set the tone six minutes in and Mark Duffy added a deflected second. Oliver Norwood made it three before the break and it was four thanks to Billy Sharp (49).
Anwar El-Ghazi netted a consolation for Villa.
Derby left it late but continued their fine start under Frank Lampard as they won 2-1 at Hull.
Summer signing Martyn Waghorn opened his account from the spot 23 minutes in, but Todd Kane levelled (53). However, Derby dug deep and won it through Florian Jozefzoon with two minutes left.
Jozefzoon's former club Brentford also continue to impress, scoring a winner six minutes from time as they beat Nottingham Forest 2-1.
Lewis Macleod got them going (45) and although in-form Matty Cash replied, Ollie Watkins won it.
Adam Reach and Lucas Joao scored as Sheffield Wednesday won 2-1 at Reading, Liam Moore replying for the hosts who remain without a win.
Bolton came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Preston. Callum Robinson (11) and Alan Browne (16) got North End off to a flier but Sammy Amoebi and Pawel Olkowski levelled before the break. Preston's Ben Pearson was sent off late on.
Substitute James Vaughan's goal 17 minutes from time earned Wigan a 1-0 win over Rotherham while Birmingham and QPR drew 0-0.
Ten-man Swansea came from behind to beat Millwall 2-1 in the day's late kick-off, with Oli McBurnie scoring the winner five minutes from time after Kyle Naughton had cancelled out Murray Wallace's opener.
Courtney Baker-Richardson was shown a straight red as early as the fifth minute for a reckless lunge, but the Welsh side were able to produce a dramatic turnaround to claim the three points.
Opta Sky Bet Championship facts
- Since conceding twice against Millwall on the opening day, Middlesbrough have kept five successive clean sheets in the league - their best run since January 2016 under Aitor Karanka (9 consecutive shutouts).
- Ollie Watkins has scored in each of his last three home league games for Brentford; this after netting only twice in his last 12 games at Griffin Park.
- Preston have failed to win a league game at Deepdale in which they had a two-goal lead for the first time since April 2015 vs Gillingham.
- Sheffield United are unbeaten in each of the last 35 league games in which Billy Sharp has found the net (W29 D6) – a run dating back to a defeat against Coventry City in League One.
- Dwight Gayle has scored 10 goals in his last 10 home games in the Championship, dating back to December 2016 with Newcastle United.
- Wigan Athletic are now unbeaten in their last 10 home league games (W6 D4), stretching back to a 0-2 loss to Blackpool in League One.
- Derby County have scored nine goals from the penalty spot in the Championship since the start of last season – three more any other side in the division.
- Lucas Joao scored just 14 seconds into the second half against Reading – the earliest second half goal since Ben Marshall scored after 14 seconds against Rotherham in September 2016.
- Oliver Norwood has been directly involved in three goals in his opening three league games for Sheffield United (one goal, two assists) – as many as he got in his last 20 Championship outings for Fulham.
- QPR have won one of their last 20 matches in September in all competitions (D10 L9), a 2-1 win over Ipswich in September 2017.
- Reading have failed to win any of their opening six league games in the second tier for the first time since 1997-98, a season in which they were relegated.
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Odds correct as of 1700 BST on 01/09/18