Championship Round-Up: Blackburn earn first win, Brentford hit five and Wolves shock Newcastle

Blackburn Rovers recorded their first Championship win of the season as they beat Rotherham United 4-2 at home on Saturday.

Danny Ward had initially given the visitors the lead, only for Craig Conway’s 20-yard strike levelled the score, before strikes from Marvin Emnes and Ben Marshall put the hosts 3-1 up. Ward hit his and the Millers’ second to give the away fans hope of rescuing a point, but on-loan Southampton striker Sam Gallagher sealed the victory for Owen Coyle’s side in stoppage-time.

Brentford scored four goals in the final 15 minutes to thrash Preston North End 5-0 in an emphatic ending to their fixture. Scott Hogan gave the Bees the lead with just over half-an-hour gone. Yet it took until the 76th minute before the hosts found the back of the net again, this time through defender Harlee Dean. Hogan then netted a further two to complete his hat-trick in between an own goal from Chris Humphrey.

Owen Coyle’s Rovers climbed off the bottom of the Championship standings after defeating Rotherham – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Huddersfield Town remain top of the Championship as they beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1. Kasey Palmer headed home Rajiv van La Parra’s pinpoint cross and Elias Kachunga doubled the Terriers’ lead on the hour mark. Idrissa Sylla grabbed his first goal in English football as the visitors pulled one back, which made for a very nervous finish.

Wolverhampton Wanderers put an end to Newcastle United’s five-match league winning streak as they won 2-0 on their travels. An own goal from Chancel Mbemba put Walter Zenga’s team ahead, before on-loan Benfica midfielder Helder Costa wrapped up the scoring. The hosts’ day soon got worse as Vernon Anita was sent off in the final moments for a lunging challenge.

Norwich City came from behind to win 2-1 at Nottingham Forest to move up to second in the league standings. Former Everton striker Apostolos Vellios had put Forest ahead at half-time, but goals in the second 45 minutes from Jonny Howson and Graham Dorrans’ 20-yard thumping strike meant it was the visitors who went home happy with all three points in the bag.

Brighton and Hove Albion narrowly won 1-0 at Burton Albion, after Tomer Hemed kept his cool to score a penalty in the 88th minute, after Jiri Skalak was brought down in the 18-yard box by Jackson Irvine.

Leeds United made it back-to-back wins to ease the reported pressure on manager Garry Monk as they overcame Cardiff City 2-0 over the weekend. Chris Woods opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute, before Monk’s former Swansea City team-mate, Pablo Hernandez, netted a beautiful curling effort from the edge of the box into the top right-hand corner.

Reading’s strong start to the campaign under new manager Jaap Stam continued as they won 2-1 at Barnsley. Goals from Gareth McCleary and John Swift put the Royals into a comfortable lead, before the former was sent-off late in the first-half for shoving Conor Hourihane.

The Tykes tried to make their extra man advantage count in the second-half and did manage to find the back of the net through on-loan Newcastle forward Adam Armstrong, but they could not ultimately find a crucial equaliser.

Striker Donaldson equalised for Birmingham against Sheffield Wednesday from the penalty spot – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Birmingham City scored two goals in the final nine minutes to win 2-1 at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Gary Hooper’s earlier effort looked like it was going to be a decisive one for the Owls, but Clayton Donaldson struck his third penalty of the season so far before Lukas Jutkiewicz scored his first goal since May 2014 in the second minute of stoppage-time to dramatically snatch all three points at St Andrew’s.

Early promotion favourites Derby County remain just above the relegation zone after their 1-1 draw at Bristol City. Ikechi Anya hit his first goal for the Rams since his summer transfer from Watford to double the visitors’ scoring tally in the league this campaign. Yet, the hosts denied them the victory as Aaron Wilbraham tapped-in from close range in the 94th minute to deny Derby boss Nigel Pearson only his second league win in charge.

Aston Villa have now drawn five of their opening eight fixtures in the Championship as they held onto a point after a 0-0 stalemate at Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys on another day could have scored three or four, but the result means the hosts drop out of the top 10.

And finally, Wigan Athletic and Fulham also played out a goalless encounter on Saturday, with the Latics’ Nick Powell coming the closest to breaking the deadlock when his strike sailed just above the crossbar.

Player of the Weekend: Scott Hogan (Brentford)
Team of the Weekend: Wolverhampton Wanderers
Goal of the Weekend: Pablo Hernandez (LEEDS UNITED vs Cardiff City)

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