Football
PA Sport 7y

Newcastle return to top, Huddersfield go third; Derby beat Reading

Matt Ritchie fired a second-half double as Newcastle United climbed back to the top of the Championship with a 4-0 home win against Rotherham United.

Winger Ritchie took his goals tally for the season to eight, putting Newcastle 2-0 up after Daryl Murphy's opener in first-half stoppage time and adding his second after Ayoze Perez had put Rafael Benitez's side out of sight in the 59th minute.

Newcastle leapfrogged Brighton into pole position, one point above the Seagulls, who beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the Amex Stadium on Friday night.

Huddersfield Town moved into third place thanks to a 2-0 home win against Ipswich Town.

Izzy Brown's stunning strike -- his first goal for the club -- gave David Wagner's side the lead at the interval lead before defender Chris Schindler made it 2-0 just before the hour-mark.

In the tea-time kick-off at Oakwell, Barnsley came from behind to beat Leeds 3-2 and halt their Yorkshire rivals' six-game unbeaten league run.

Tom Bradshaw headed Barnsley level just before the break after Chris Wood had tapped home Pablo Hernandez's cross to give Leeds an 18th-minute lead.

The Reds turned the game around with two goals in six minutes early in the second half from Ryan Kent and skipper Conor Hourihane, who netted a fine free-kick.

Wood converted a controversial penalty with 22 minutes to go -- Marc Roberts appeared to have handled outside the area -- but Barnsley held on to climb within four points of the top six.

Derby County moved to within two points of the top six after they beat play-off rivals Reading 3-2 at Pride Park.

Darren Bent equalised for Derby before the break after John Swift had given Reading an early lead and second-half goals from Tom Ince and Will Hughes put the Rams in control.

Reading pulled one back through Yakou Meite's late header but had Jordan Obita sent off in stoppage time for his second yellow card.

In the early kick-off, Chris Martin squandered an early penalty before firing Fulham's second-half equaliser as the west London derby at QPR ended 1-1.

Martin, whose seventh-minute penalty was saved by Alex Smithies after Jake Bidwell had bundled over Sone Aluko, equalised with 15 minutes left to cancel out Ryan Manning's first goal for QPR in the first half.

Norwich City secured just their second win in six league matches with a 3-1 home victory against 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wander Helder Costa's 57th-minute penalty, following Daniel Ivo Pinto's foul on Matt Doherty, cancelled out Steven Naismith's opener for Norwich, who regained the lead through Robbie Brady's spot-kick after Carl Ikeme had been sent off for hauling down Wes Hoolahan.

Jonny Howson's stoppage-time effort made sure for the Canaries, who now lie five points off the top six.

Preston North End hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa thanks to Jordan Hugill's second-half brace.

Albert Adomah struck twice, his second a penalty after he had been fouled by Aiden McGeady, to give Villa a 2-0 half-time lead, but Hugill struck in the 64th and 76th minutes.

Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City drew 1-1 at Ewood Park with both goals scored before the break.

Danny Graham equalised for Blackburn in first-half stoppage time after Lukas Jutkiewicz's early penalty, for Jason Steele's foul on David Cotterill, had given Birmingham the lead.

Sam Morsy and Harlee Dean's own goal helped Wigan Athletic to a 2-1 home win against Brentford.

Morsy opened the scoring midway through the first half and Dean put through his own net four minutes later, while Ramallo Jota grabbed Brentford's late consolation.

Rhys Healey's stoppage-time header clinched Cardiff City a 1-0 home win against Burton AlbionĀ and Nottingham Forest secured their first league win in eight courtesy of Ben Osborn's second-half goal in a 1-0 win against visitors Bristol City.

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