Football
PA Sport 7y

Cardiff flying high at top of table as Aston Villa slump to another defeat

Cardiff maintained their 100 percent start to stay top of the Championship with a 2-0 home win over Sheffield United, but Aston Villa dropped into the relegation zone after losing at Reading.

Sean Morrison headed Cardiff in front from a corner just before half time before midfielder Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, a summer signing from Rochdale, netted his fourth goal of the season 10 minutes into the second half.

That left the Bluebirds flying high, but Villa are still searching for their first Championship win after going down 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium.

Steve Bruce's men were behind four minutes into the second half when Glenn Whelan deflected Adrian Popa's cross into his own net.

The Royals, beaten on penalties in last season's playoff final, doubled their lead after 55 minutes through a close-range effort from Mo Barrow.

Villa, one of the pre-season promotion favourites, pulled a late goal back through Conor Hourihane but it was not enough.

Wolves also made it three league in a row as they won 3-2 at Hull.

The visitors raced into an early lead through Ruben Neves, a £15.8 million summer signing from Porto, but Hull were back on level terms after 27 minutes when Michael Dawson headed home from a corner.

On-loan Atletico Madrid midfielder Diogo Jota put the visitors back in front two minutes before the break, with substitute Ricardo Cavaleiro slotting home a third in stoppage time.

With nine minutes added on, Hull pulled a goal back through David Meyler's penalty, but there was no grandstand finale.

Ipswich also have maximum points after a late goal from Jordan Spence secured a dramatic 4-3 win at Millwall.

The Lions were in front after just 43 seconds when Jed Wallace swept home, but Ipswich soon levelled through a long-range Joe Garner effort.

There were then two goals in as many minutes as Martyn Waghorn put Town ahead only for Aiden O'Brien to square things up again after 36 minutes.

Mick McCarthy's side found themselves in front once more in first-half stoppage time when Republic of Ireland forward David McGoldrick set up Waghorn, a recent signing from Rangers.

Tom Elliott looked to have earned Millwall a point when he made it 3-3 with 10 minutes left, but there was still time for Spence to head an 87th-minute winner.

Barnsley picked up their first points of the new campaign with a 2-1 home win over Nottingham Forest.

The Tykes took the lead after four minutes through Matty Pearson, but Daryl Murphy nodded Forest level after 26 minutes.

A close-range strike from Ryan Hedges brought Barnsley's winner five minutes into the second half.

There were no goals at St Andrew's between Birmingham and Bolton, while Leeds and Fulham were also unable to break the deadlock at Elland Road.

Bristol City grabbed an equaliser deep into eight minutes of stoppage time to bag a 2-2 draw at Brentford, whose midfielder Josh McEachran was taken off on a stretcher late on.

City had raced ahead after only five minutes through Josh Brownhill before Ollie Watkins headed an equaliser after 56 minutes.

Brentford substitute Neal Maupay looked to have secured all three points with 13 minutes to go, but the visitors grabbed a draw when Bobby Reid scrambled the ball over the line.

A 58th-minute penalty from Matej Vydra was enough to give Derby a 1-0 home win over Preston, while Britt Assombalonga scored twice as Middlesbrough beat 10-man Burton 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

Albion's miserable night on Teesside was compounded when substitute Hope Akpan was shown a straight red card for a clumsy challenge.

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