• Championship round-up

Hammers get off the mark with narrow win

Birmingham's Keith Fahey scores his side's winner © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Tottenham agree Keane fee with Galaxy - reports
  

Recently relegated Birmingham City and West Ham United both got their Championship campaigns off the mark with hard-fought wins on Saturday.

Sam Allardyce's side had summer signing Kevin Nolan to thank for their 1-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers, the club captain finding the top corner from Jack Collison's cross inside the fifth minute to put his side ahead - ultimately for good.

Goalkeeper Robert Green was barely tested by the hosts, as West Ham bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Cardiff City on the opening weekend of the season.

Birmingham, meanwhile, gave new manager Chris Hughton his first three points of the season with a 1-0 win over Andy Thorn's Coventry City. Keith Fahey grabbed the only goal of the game although Hughton, making his competitive bow at St Andrew's, can be credited with the inspired introduction of substitute Adam Rooney which led to the vital breakthrough in an evenly-fought clash.

The summer signing stepped off the bench in the 68th minute and wasted little time making a difference, heading against a post before reacting quickest to tee up the rebound for Fahey to smash home from 10 yards.

Leicester City's first league game at the newly-named King Power Stadium ended in a 2-0 defeat as Reading began life without Shane Long in the best possible fashion. Following the departure of the prolific Long to West Brom this week, more responsibility for goals rested on the shoulders of his Republic of Ireland international Noel Hunt and the Waterford man responded with the opener after 64 minutes. The Royals wrapped up all three points in the final minute through substitute Hal Robson-Kanu.

Nottingham Forest are still looking for their first league goal under Steve McClaren after Millwall secured a clinical 2-0 victory at the New Den. Forest enjoyed plenty of the ball, particularly after half-time, but lacked the incisiveness that marked much of the hosts' attacking play.

Darius Henderson scored his first Millwall goal on his home debut in the opening stages and, as the Reds struggled to find a way through, Liam Trotter made sure of the win on the counter-attack with 13 minutes to play. American striker Robbie Findlay prodded against a post midway through the second half for Forest, but clear-cut chances were a rarity for the visitors.

A Marvin Emnes goal midway through the second half was enough to give Middlesbrough their first league win of the season as they got the better of nine-man Leeds, winning 1-0 at Elland Road.

The Teesiders only had 10 men themselves, with Tony McMahon following Leeds' Max Gradel down the tunnel in the first half but, when home captain Jonny Howson also saw red, that was the invitation they needed to open the scoring. Until Howson's departure, perhaps the most questionable of the three given, neither side had looked capable of scoring barring a couple of close shaves.

Palace and Burnley players square off © PA Photos

Enlarge

Jonathan Parr and Owen Garvan scored in either half as Crystal Palace claimed their first win of the season at the expense of 10-man Burnley, triumphing 2-0. Parr opened the scoring with an early header and fellow midfielder Garvan struck from the penalty spot midway through the second half - with Marvin Bartley being dismissed for the visitors in the final few minutes.

Liam Lawrence missed a penalty with the last kick of the game as Brighton kept up their fine start to the season by sinking south-coast rivals Portsmouth 1-0. Craig Mackail-Smith, Albion's £3.25 million record signing from Peterborough, struck the winner moments before half-time to make it two Championship wins out of two for Gus Poyet's side.

Pompey should have grabbed a point but Lawrence hit a post with his spot-kick, and their miserable week, during which they were dumped out of the Carling Cup by Barnet, ended in derby-day defeat.

A superb strike from Steve Davies early in the second half at Watford was enough to see Derby to make it two wins from two in the league with a 1-0 victory. Nigel Clough's side bounced back from the midweek Carling Cup defeat against Shrewsbury despite spending most of the game on the back foot.

The strike from Davies, his second of the season having also scored the winner against Birmingham at Pride Park last weekend, secured the Rams' first victory at Vicarage Road since 2009 and their first away win in seven league games.

Promoted Southampton also have a perfect record in the league this season, after David Connolly got on the scoresheet for the second game in a row to give his side a 1-0 win away to Barnsley. The Tykes had fewer chances at Oakwell as Nigel Adkins' side continued their impressive start, and failed to find a response to Connolly's 30th minute goal even after Richard Chaplow was sent off in the closing stages.

Matt Fryatt struck late in the game to hand Hull their first win as they beat Ipswich 1-0. Fryatt took advantage of the space afforded to him to roam forward and drill a low shot from the edge of the box beyond the reach of on-loan goalkeeper David Stockdale and into the far corner.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.