Championship Round Up: 3rd Jan 2011

There was another full programme of Championship football today in the New Year bank holiday fixtures that signal the end of football's busiest time of the year.

At the top of the table Queens Park Rangers were held by an injury time equaliser at home to Bristol City, but with Swansea losing away to Leicester and Norwich drawing away to Middlesbrough they extended their lead at the top of the table to five points.

Ever since I looked at Watford and how they were struggling towards the bottom of the table the Hornets have gone on to win their last five games. Now sitting in the final play off place, Malky Mackay's side are showing how a good run of form over Christmas can allow a side to surge up the table.

Another theme of the last few summaries is the seemingly weekly occurence of a side in the Championship coming back from a two goal deficit with new Sheffield United the comeback kids this week recovering from a Billy Sharp double with goals from Daniel Bogdanovic and Robert Kozluk. The kicker for ten man Doncaster being the timing of Kozluk's equaliser which came in the sixth minute of second half injury time.

Managerless Crystal Palace proved that new manager syndrome can be beneficial as caretaker manager Dougie Freedman claimed three points in his first game in temporary charge, courtesy of a goal from former Tottenham striker and Palace debutant Steffen Iversen.

Roy Keane's temporary restbite at Ipswich seems to have been shortlived as Ipswich lost to Nottingham Forest and now find themselves within three points of the relegation places. Whereas Nottingham Forest were able to put themselves within two points of the play off places with a hard fought one goal victory.

The most entertaining game of the day could have occurred at Fratton Park where Hull won a five goal thriller thanks to the experience and goals of Jimmy Bullard and Nick Barmby in a game where Hull were always ahead on the scoreboard but not with the momentum.

Finally to conc! lude the round up, at Oakwell Barnsley overcame Coventry and Derby and Millwall played out a goalless draw at Pride Park.

With next weekend hosting the FA Cup Third round there will be no Championship action on the pitch, but I expect plenty off it as the transfer window opens up the league to the transfer merry go round once more.

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