In a fixture list that saw three Championship fixtures postponed, Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City and Middlesbrough all earned deserved victories to start 2021 on the front foot.
Despite being the new year, the Championship showed its old tendencies, with only two games exceeding a winning margin of two goals. Norwich City resumed the season with a nervy 1-0 win at home to Barnsley, extending their lead to four points at the top of the Championship table. Elsewhere, a 14th defeat for Wycombe this campaign sees The Chairboys still at the foot of the table and still without a win against teams in the top half.
Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City and Middlesbrough Star in Latest Round of Championship
Dack is Back to Sink Struggling Blues
Blackburn Rovers inflicted more damage on an already struggling Birmingham City, winning 2-0 at St Andrews.
Adam Armstrong opened the scoring after just ten minutes, firing past Neil Etheridge expertly after latching onto Harvey Elliot‘s perfectly-weighted through ball. For the next 80 minutes, it remained 1-0, but the hosts were unable to create any chances to level the game. Rovers did manage to find a second, deep into injury time, with Bradley Dack finding the back of the net for the first time since November 2019.
Victory for Blackburn takes them into 11th place and will once again be eyeing up a top-six finish, moving to within six points of Watford. However, Birmingham still sit in 18th but are now just four points above Derby County in 22nd.
Coventry City Outplay Millwall to Eighth Home Game Without Victory
Coventry City put on a dominant display against Millwall to record a 2-1 victory in South East London, putting even more pressure on Lions boss Gary Rowett.
A Jake Cooper own goal made it 1-0 to the visitors in the 20th minute, after he was unable to divert Jordan Shipley‘s effort away from goal after it had hit the post. It was two just six minutes later when Gustavo Hamer volleyed into the bottom corner after his previous attempt came flying back to him. The Sky Blues had several chances to add a third and subsequently kill the game off, but were unable to convert. Jed Wallace pulled a goal back for the hosts from the penalty spot in the 74th minute, but Coventry stood strong and finished the game the better side once again.
Millwall drop to 17th in the Championship table, carrying on their dreadful run into the new year. Whereas Coventry City have overtaken the Lions, and now occupy 16th place.
Boro Score Three to Pile Pressure on Play-off Spots
Middlesbrough had to come from a goal behind to eventually win 3-1 against bottom of the table, Wycombe Wanderers, continuing the Chairboys’ poor record against those in the top half.
Uche Ikpeazu fired the division’s bottom side into the lead when he cut in and curled an effort beyond Marcus Bettinelli in the Boro goal. However, the Buckinghamshire side’s lead was short-lived, with Marcus Browne’s header restoring parity just four minutes later. Middlesbrough made it 2-1 after 36 minutes, thanks to Marcus Tavernier‘s powerful drive from just outside the box. Chuba Akpom sealed the three points for his side in the second half, tapping home from no more than a yard out, after Paddy McNair‘s corner caused Ryan Allsop trouble.
Victory for Boro, sees the Teeside club move to within a point of the play-offs, whilst Wycombe remain bottom of the league and four points off Championship survival.
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