League Championship: Who will be coming up?
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Sunderland are well and truly in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premiership after beating Derby 2-1 at the Stadium of Light. Liam Miller was the Black Cats' hero, firing in from Grant Leadbitter's cross deep into injury-time to move his team up to fourth in the Coca-Cola Championship table.
The result also knocked Derby off top spot, with West Brom the new leaders. Roy Keane's men grabbed the lead when David Connolly tucked in a 27th-minute penalty after he was fouled by Marc Edworthy but the Rams equalised through Giles Barnes just before the hour mark.
West Brom's 1-1 draw at Leicester put them top on goal difference. Foxes defender Alan Maybury fouled Diomansy Kamara in the box and the Senegal international dusted himself down to convert the spot-kick after 26 minutes, but eight minutes later Gareth McAuley headed an equaliser for the hosts.
Birmingham stay third but Sunderland are now just one point behind after the Blues lost 2-0 at Hull. Veteran striker Dean Windass grabbed both of the goals for the Tigers, and a red card for defender Radhi Jaidi compounded the misery for Steve Bruce's men.
Southampton are up to fifth after Marek Saganowski's header inside the first minute proved decisive against Ipswich.
Leeds remain bottom of the table after they lost 1-0 away to Wolves. Michael Kightly was the hero for the hosts with the only goal after 75 minutes.
Southend are still alongside them on 31 points after they suffered a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. Steven MacLean scored the winner with an injury-time penalty after Lewis Hunt was judged to have handled the ball in the box. Hunt had given the Shrimpers the lead but Marcus Tudgay's header quickly brought the sides level again and a sliced clearance into his own net by Spencer Prior left the visitors trailing at half-time. Freddy Eastwood's 61st-minute strike looked to have earned a point for Steve Tilson's side before the late penalty drama at Hillsborough.
Iain Dowie's Coventry were held 1-1 at Norwich, Jay Tabb putting the Sky Blues in front in the 42nd minute before Chris Martin levelled for the home side with nine minutes to go.
QPR slipped into the bottom three with a 1-1 draw at home to Plymouth, who forged ahead through Lilian Nalis (32).
Lee Cook's close-range effort (59) earned the Londoners a point and they are now just a point behind Luton, who lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace. Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison scored a brace for the Eagles.
Colchester and Burnley took a point each from a goalless draw at Layer Road. -
Top 2 will automatic go up, 3rd to 6th will have to fight it out like in a cup semi-final, home and away i belief... This is the best year to go up... They will be entitle to the big money, somewhere between 30 to 50 million pounds.
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West Brom, Derby County and Southampton will go up to the EPL..
Cheers,
turbo -
I predict Sunderland (Finish as 2nd ) , Derby and Preston (Play offs) to make it.
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i would like to see Roy Keane boys playing in EPL nx season
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finally derby coming back up?
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cardiff southhampton derby
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birmingham i believe can hit top form at the right time and they have two games in hand, so i say it's them, west brom, and saints.
more midlands derby= more villa matches to watch next season!!
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sunderland la! waiting to see if he shakes saf's hand when the two teams meet
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wah lao eh..leeds hancai sia
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Birmingham spent too much money and to still remain in the championship next season = Bruce losing his job.
As for Sunderland, they seem to come to life after Keane took over as coach. I'd like to see them back in the Premiership.
And lastly, Cardiff will be promoted as well.
Cheers.
C.K -
birmingham should have bounced back up to the epl. they still have quality in their squad. how many teams can actually trash newcastle at st james's park??
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i hope sunderland wil come up n do well...
HAHA...see roy keane square up with fergie!shiok...
let sunderland establish themselves prove that keane's capable to succeed at highest level then succeed fergie at manUtd eventually...
sounds gd right?manU fans -
Erm, it's a bit funny that if sunderland goes back to the epl.. Cuz i still believe Sunderland will remain in Championship for another season..Originally posted by F.raon.I.R:i hope sunderland wil come up n do well...
HAHA...see roy keane square up with fergie!shiok...
let sunderland establish themselves prove that keane's capable to succeed at highest level then succeed fergie at manUtd eventually...
sounds gd right?manU fans
Cheers,
turbo -
SUNDERLAND CONTINUE PROMOTION PUSH
Sunderland maintained their Coca-Cola Championship promotion charge with a 2-1 win over fellow challengers West Brom. Trinidad and Tobago internationals Dwight Yorke and Stern John were the men on target at The Hawthorns as fourth-placed Sunderland moved level with the Baggies. Substitute Darren Carter pulled one back for the hosts but Sunderland held on to deny them the chance to move back to the top of the table. West Brom's misery was compounded late on when Paul Robinson was sent off after bringing down David Connolly.
Wolves moved up to fifth as they overcame Luton 3-2 at Kenilworth Road to win for a fifth game in succession. Gary Breen gave Wolves an early lead but the visitors trailed after Lewis Emanuel equalised and Leon Barnett added a second on the stroke of half-time. Mick McCarthy's team turned the game around as Andrew Keogh levelled eight minutes after the restart and Karl Henry struck a long-range winner which Marlon Beresford could not keep out.
Bottom side Leeds crashed to another defeat despite a late fightback against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road. Marcus Tudgay, Chris Brunt and Jermaine Johnson fired the Owls into a 3-0 lead inside 54 minutes but the sending-off of Tudgay for two bookable offences on 49 minutes gave Leeds a glimmer of hope. It was not taken as despite an own goal from Lee Bullen and a Richard Cresswell effort inside the last two minutes, the Owls had done enough.
Fellow strugglers Southend, despite being down to 10 men, snatched a point with a last-minute equaliser against Leicester at Roots Hall. Iain Hume had twice given the Foxes the lead, in the ninth and 81st minutes, but equalisers from Freddy Eastwood and Alan McCormack on 53 and 90 earned a draw. Southend had had Richie Foran sent off for a second bookable offence 14 minutes from time.
QPR missed the chance to make up ground as they went down 2-1 at Ipswich. Alan Lee and Jonathan Walters were on target for the Tractor Boys before Paul Furlong replied.
Hull were also beaten again as goals from Michael Doyle - from the penalty spot - and Leon McKenzie gave Coventry a 2-0 win at the Ricoh Arena.
Norwich won 3-1 at Barnsley after first-half goals from Darren Huckerby, Lee Croft and Chris Martin. Istvan Ferenczi pulled one back but there was to be no fightback.
Burnley and Crystal Palace settled for a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor after Ade Akinbiyi struck for the Clarets to cancel out Clinton Morrison's opener.
Darel Russell's 55th-minute equaliser saw Stoke draw by the same scoreline at Plymouth. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had opened the scoring from the penalty spot late in the first half. -
Nice to see a thread on the championship, I am one of the minorities who follow the championship. I am following Sunderland and hope they make it to the premiership. Love to see Roy kean pitting against Alex Ferguson's man utd next season.
I am looking forward to see the megastar West Ham playing their trade against the likes of Burnley , Coventry and even the potential likes of Nottingham Forest (League one potential promotion hopefuls) -
Newcastle certainly won't be too pleased if their biggest rival Sunderland comes back up into the premiership...
Sunderland vs Newcastle is also like a derby match... -
wad happen to leeds?
but i would like to see sunderland and birmingham to go up. -
English League Championship - 2006/07.
Sunderland moved up to third in the Coca-Cola Championship table after claiming the points in an unexpectedly tight match at Barnsley. Roy Keane's side were the only one of the top four in action - with Birmingham replacing Derby at the top after their 1-0 win over the Rams on Friday night and West Brom playing Wolves on Sunday - and they ran out 2-0 winners.
Barnsley made light of their relegation worries to hold firm for 66 minutes but Grant Leadbitter's right-footed finish broke their resistance. David Connolly broke free to score a second in the 90th minute and ensure the Black Cats extended their unbeaten run to 11 games.
Stoke pegged back Southampton's play-off ambitions - and kept their own afloat - with a 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium. The sides went in level after Marek Saganowski put the visitors ahead from close range and Jonathan Fortune claimed the equaliser from a Stoke corner. Lee Martin claimed the winner after 72 minutes, stroking home from Salif Diao's pass. At the other end of the table Hull jumped out of the bottom three in resounding fashion, condemning promotion contenders Preston to a 2-0 defeat at the KC Stadium. Hull showed they have the stomach for a relegation battle and went ahead through Nicky Forster's header in the 30th minute before David Livermore doubled the lead with a diving header.
Fellow strugglers Southend also found some form, beating Ipswich 2-0. They took a lucky lead in the 35th minute when Mark Gower's cross from the left somehow evaded everyone before crossing the line. But there was no mistake about the second when Peter Clarke converted Kevin Maher's free-kick to score his first goal for the club. Alan Lee was later dismissed for deliberate handball.
A 1-0 win for Leeds over Luton meant that all three teams in the relegation places at the start of the day won. Dennis Wise's side remain bottom with the Hatters dropping two positions to join them in the drop zone. Richard Cresswell was the scorer for United, converting five minutes after the restart before goalkeeper Casper Ankergren saved Dean Morgan's penalty to prevent an equaliser.
Former leaders Cardiff saw off Norwich 1-0 to keep the pressure on the play-off pack. The division's top-scorer Michael Chopra was the architect for the Bluebirds, cutting the ball back to Paul Parry who netted after three minutes.
QPR kept themselves just above the relegation zone when they came from behind to salvage a point against Sheffield Wednesday. Chris Brunt followed up last week's stunning goal against Leeds with his 10th of the campaign after a goalless first period but Richard Wood conceded a penalty for the Owls and Martin Rowlands made no mistake from the spot.
Carl Fletcher's close-range finish and Ben Watson's penalty saw Crystal Palace to a 2-0 win over Leicester, while both Colchester and Coventry were unable to find the net. -
English second division leaders Birmingham City's promotion bid faltered on Tuesday when they lost 1-0 at Norwich City, allowing Derby Country to draw level on points. Darren Huckerby's strike early in the second half sealed the points for Norwich and left Birmingham looking over their shoulders as the promotion race hots up.
With that result, Derby will be disappointed they managed only a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Queens Park Rangers, but the point was enough to put them alongside Birmingham on 70 points, although Birmingham have a game in hand.
Third-placed Sunderland also dropped points, drawing 2-2 at home to Stoke City, while Preston North End moved up to fourth with a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
With just 10 points separating the top eight teams, the battle for the two automatic promotion slots, as well as the four playoff places, is tight. -
i hope sunderland win promotion.
i want keane in the premiership next season.
go sunderland, go!!!! -
Coca-Cola Championship
Half-Time:
Coventry 3 0 Barnsley
Derby 1 1 Cardiff
Leicester 0 0 QPR
Luton 0 1 Ipswich
Norwich 1 0 Stoke
Plymouth 0 0 Crystal Palace
Preston 2 0 Burnley
Sheff Wed 1 1 Wolverhampton
Southend 1 0 Leeds
Sunderland 1 0 Hull -
Coca-Cola Championship
Coventry 4 0 Barnsley
Derby 3 1 Cardiff
Leicester 0 2 QPR
Luton 0 1 Ipswich
Norwich 1 0 Stoke
Plymouth 1 0 Crystal Palace
Preston 2 0 Burnley
Sheff Wed 2 1 Wolverhampton
Southend 1 0 Leeds
Sunderland 1 0 Hull -
I don't understand the passion of watching football. I am trying to learned. How you all have the passion of watching football?
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sunderland have moved up to 2nd place.
