Championship Round Up

While Cardiff spent Easter confirming theor play-off credentials and resurrecting automatic promotion hopes, rivals gave us a helping hand with slip ups a plenty.

Leaders Wolves now look home and dry after a see-saw 3-2 victory at Derby County. They took a first half lead but found themselves 2-1 in the second half yet, despite not playing well, showed the character to hit back with two goals in the final 15 minutes. It’s a result that leaves them needing a maximum 3 points off their final 3 games to guarantee Premiership football and it might not even come to that.

The race is hot for the 2^nd spot with Cardiff now in the mix as key rivals failed.

2^nd placed Birmingham City had a horrible St Andrews afternoon losing goalkeeper Maik Taylor to a harsh red card that will see him miss their final 3 league games, Paul Gallagher converted the resulting penalty. It got worse as key central defender Liam Ridgewell broke his leg in a fair challenge before luck fell their way with Plymouth’s keeper making a terrible mistake to gift to Quedrue but dropping two points at home while losing two key men could prove very costly. Birmingham’s crowd was smaller than Cardiff City’s – who’s a big club now then??

3^rd placed Sheffield United, despite being willed on by almost 30,000, couldn’t beat relegation threatened Nottingham Forest despite the visitors playing with 10 men for almost 80 minutes after Wilson’s red card for a head butt. The game was tight with few chances as Forest played for a point and got it. Thanks Forest!!

Reading continue to slide and now stand 3 points behind City in 5^th after an awayday disaster at Blackpool. Two up in 20 minutes, they looked on the way but allowed the home side to hit back for 2-2 and were left hanging on for their point. They really are in no form at all.

Bristol City’s play off hopes have ended after being held at hiome by Ipswich (ha ha ha Wurzels!) but Swansea and Preston can still hope after 3-1 and 2-0 away victories at Barnsley and Doncaster respectively.

What a climax the Championship is set to have.

		P	GD	PTS
1	Wolverhampton	43	26	83
2	Birmingham	43	16	77
3	Sheff Utd	43	25	76
4	CARDIFF CITY	42	22	73
5	Reading	42	29	70
6	Burnley	43	7	69
7	Swansea	43	14	65
8	Preston	43	4	65