• Championship round-up

Late own goal denies Leeds the chance to move second

Kyle Walker scored from a ridiculous angle against Coventry City © PA Photos

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Leeds United were left to rue two own goals as they wasted the chance to go second in the Championship, while QPR claimed their first away victory in six attempts as they saw off Coventry to head into 2011 with a firm stranglehold at the summit.

Leeds found themselves 2-0 to the good inside ten minutes against Portsmouth, with Max Gradel continuing his red-hot form and Jonathan Howson curling home from 20 yards.

David Nugent gave Pompey hope before the break but Bradley Johnson's close-range finish looked to have ensured a fourth straight home win for Leeds. However, just after the hour mark, Andrew O'Brien turned into his own net to set up a nervy finale and Simon Grayson's side failed to cling on as O'Brien scored at the wrong end for a second time.

Cardiff were thrashed 4-1 by an inspired Watford at Vicarage Road. After their Boxing Day victory against Coventry, Cardiff appeared to be over their recent wobble but familiar frailties returned as their defence leaked goals at will.

Peter Whittingham put the visitors ahead after 15 minutes but that was as good as it got for the Welsh outfit. Danny Graham grabbed a brace, including one from the penalty spot, and Marvin Sordell and John Eustace netted the others in a comprehensive win.

Earlier, QPR - safe in the knowledge the team leading the second tier going into January have won promotion to the Barclays Premier League in all but two of the last 19 years - boosted their promotion chances with a dominant showing against Coventry.

The visitors, sporting green and white hoops, could count themselves lucky to still be on level terms after a keenly-contested first half at the Ricoh Arena in which the Sky Blues were denied on more than one occasion. But the clash was over as a contest within 16 minutes of the restart as on-loan Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker burst down the right and found the net at the near post - only to see what would have been his first professional strike go down as a Keiren Westwood own goal as the ball came off his shoulder.

Max Gradel bagged his fifth goal in his last four games for Leeds © PA Photos

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Tommy Smith's header then put QPR into a more commanding position to leave fellow promotion hopefuls City nursing a third successive defeat against sides alongside them in the top six.

Sven-Goran Eriksson was stung by goals from Steve Morison and Jason Puncheon as Leicester crashed to a 2-0 defeat at Millwall. Foxes chief Eriksson made four changes from the team which grabbed a 2-2 draw against Leeds on Boxing Day, but his reshuffle failed miserably as his side were outplayed in south London.

Wales striker Morison took his tally for the season to 11 and Puncheon grabbed his second goal since joining on loan from Southampton to leave the visitors on the ropes well before half-time.

Jermaine Easter's first goal for Swansea was enough to beat Barnsley and ensure Brendan Rodgers' side ended a three-match winless run to move level on points with second-placed Cardiff. The Wales international's 27th-minute close-range finish from Nathan Dyer's cross proved the difference between the two sides and provided a much-needed victory for the Swans, who lost 4-0 at leaders QPR on Boxing Day.

Danny Graham got on the score sheet for Watford as they beat Cardiff © PA Photos

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Preston will go into 2011 rooted to the bottom of the table after a 3-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Middlesbrough at Deepdale. Wes Hoolahan stepped off the bench to score a second-half hat-trick as Norwich won for the fourth time in five games after a 4-2 victory over Sheffield United.

Simon Church's goal eight minutes from time helped Reading move into the play-offs as they claimed a 1-1 draw at Hull. The substitute netted from close range after Nigel Pearson's men had failed to clear Ian Harte's free-kick. Substitute Brett Pitman kept his cool to score a penalty deep into injury time and rescue a point for Bristol City in their clash with Crystal Palace which ended 1-1. Meanwhile, Brian Laws came under heavy fire from Burnley supporters after struggling Scunthorpe claimed a deserved 2-0 victory with goals from Martyn Woolford and Chris Dagnall.

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