Championship roundup: Sunderland beat Oxford to go five points clear

Sunderland solidified their lead in the Championship with a convincing 2-0 victory against Oxford. Following consecutive away wins against Hull and Luton, they notched up a third win in just six days, courtesy of Jobe Bellingham's header in the 16th minute and a volley from Wilson Isidor.

Burnley, currently in second place, and Leeds in third both lost points, giving Sheffield United the chance to close the gap. They bounced back from two straight losses with a solid 2-0 win against Stoke. Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell scored goals before and after halftime, putting an end to Stoke’s four-game unbeaten streak. Before the match started, there was a minute of silence in honor of former Sheffield United player George Baldock, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 31.

Burnley's disappointing 0-0 stalemate against QPR allowed them to maintain a slight edge over Leeds in terms of goal difference. However, with four draws in their last six matches, they fell further behind the league leaders. Meanwhile, QPR continues to hover near the bottom of the standings, sitting second from last.

Daniel Farke expressed his disappointment after Leeds were unable to break through their rivals at Ashton Gate. His team controlled much of the match but couldn't manage to score against a resolute Bristol City, who were playing under their new coach, Liam Manning, for the first time following the tragic loss of his baby son, Theo.

Farke commented, "We always aim for victory rather than just trying to prevent defeat, and we certainly did enough to win. However, we were not efficient with our scoring opportunities."

Both groups of fans offered Manning a hearty round of applause when he stepped onto the field for a short moment before the match to express his gratitude for their support. Farke commented, “I prefer not to discuss Liam's situation while focusing on a game because the two are unrelated. We can talk about missed opportunities, but there is a far more significant issue at hand.”

Manning left the responsibility of the post-match press conference to his assistant Chris Hogg. Hogg remarked, “Liam’s willingness to step onto the pitch today really shows his character. He was eager to express his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support and affection.”

West Brom, currently in fifth place, also ended up with a 0-0 draw against Cardiff, marking their sixth consecutive match without a victory. Cardiff's goalkeeper, Jak Alnwick, delivered an outstanding performance that kept West Brom from scoring, leading to boos from the crowd when the match concluded.

Mark Robins praised his Coventry team for their impressive comeback to secure a 3-2 victory against 10-man Luton. The Hatters initially led 2-0 at halftime, thanks to Carlton Morris's penalty and Elijah Adebayo's second goal in as many matches. However, Coventry turned things around: Ellis Simms scored a powerful header, and Victor Torp delivered an outstanding effort to equalize. Ultimately, Haji Wright netted the winning goal after Tom Holmes received a red card.

Coventry celebrated their second victory in 10 league matches, which helped them climb out of the relegation zone. "Everyone contributed to the success," Robins remarked. "There were some truly outstanding aspects to our performance."

Mansfield, currently positioned fourth, continued their strong beginning in League One by securing a 1-1 draw against league leaders Birmingham at Field Mill. Lee Gregory netted his seventh goal of the season with a free-kick in the second half, equalizing after Willum Willumsson had put Birmingham ahead before halftime.

Wycombe narrowed the gap with the Blues to just three points after securing a 3-0 victory against Leyton Orient at home. Goals from Fred Onyedinma, Daniel Udoh, and Cameron Humphreys sealed the win. As a result, the Chairboys moved up to second place, surpassing Wrexham, who were held to a 2-2 draw at Charlton after a late penalty from Matt Godden.

Huddersfield secured a 2-0 victory against Exeter at home, with goals from Matty Pearson and Ben Wiles helping them maintain fifth place. Meanwhile, Reading rounded out the top six by clinching their third consecutive league win. A single goal from Sam Smith in the second half was sufficient for Reading to overcome Bristol Rovers, who played with 10 men after Shaq Forde was dismissed.

Lincoln came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Stockport, with goals from Ben House and Bailey Cadamarteri after Isaac Olaofe had put the visitors ahead early on. Meanwhile, Barnsley enjoyed a 2-0 win against Shrewsbury, thanks to goals from Jon Russell and Max Watters. In another match, Bolton edged past Peterborough with a late goal from Klaidi Lolos, finishing 1-0 at home.

Burton, sitting at the bottom of the league, still hasn't managed to win any of their first 12 matches, as Jordan Cousins scored a crucial late goal to help Cambridge's chances of staying in the league. Crawley suffered a 3-0 loss against Northampton, and Jordan Hugill was instrumental in Rotherham's 2-0 victory over Stevenage in a match between mid-table teams. PA Media

Plymouth mounted an impressive comeback in the second half after trailing 3-0, managing to equalize at 3-3 against Preston. Preston initially took the lead with goals from Sam Greenwood, Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, and Brad Potts, putting Wayne Rooney under increasing pressure.

The home team had different plans, as Freddie Issaka and late goals from Andre Gray and Morgan Whittaker brought them back to equal terms. In the fifth minute of added time, Freddie Woodman made an incredible diving save to stop Gray's shot destined for the net while Argyle aimed for an unexpected victory.

Blackburn's manager, John Eustace, expressed his dissatisfaction with Darren England's call regarding the penalty during Watford's 1-0 win. In the 71st minute, Edo Kayembe scored by sending Aynsley Pears the opposite direction after Ryan Hedges was ruled to have committed a handball by England.

"I've witnessed this happen several times, and it's really disappointing," Eustace remarked. "Ryan did have his hands raised a bit, but the ball bounced off the guy's back and then struck his hand. Our player wasn’t even focused on the ball."

Harry Smith scored a last-minute equalizer for the 10-man Swindon team, resulting in a 1-1 draw at home against Gillingham. This match took place in front of their new manager, Ian Holloway.

Holloway is set to begin his new position on Monday, but he found himself in the dugout at County Ground earlier than expected due to Grant Hall receiving a red card early in the match. The visitors took the lead with a goal from Timothee Dieng in the first half, but Smith managed to score deep into stoppage time.

Port Vale increased their advantage at the top of the standings to four points following a 3-2 victory at home against Wimbledon. The home team took charge with goals from Brandon Cover, Rico Richards, and Jayden Stockley, while Josh Neufville and Myles Hippolyte managed to score for Wimbledon, but it wasn't enough to level the game.

Walsall stays in second place even after a goalless draw at Accrington, while Notts County holds third position following Alassana Jatta's goal that secured a 1-0 victory at home against Harrogate.

Doncaster secured a 2-1 victory over their Yorkshire rivals, Bradford, moving them up to fourth place in the standings, thanks to goals from Luke Molyneux and Billy Sharp. Meanwhile, Grimsby suffered a 3-1 defeat at home against MK Dons, who have now won three matches in a row with contributions from Alex Gilbey, Scott Hogan, and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans. In another match, Crewe continued their impressive form, remaining unbeaten in their last six league games after defeating Tranmere 3-1 at home, with Shilow Tracey scoring twice.

Chesterfield secured a convincing 5-2 victory over Morecambe at home, adding to the challenges faced by the team at the bottom of the Football League. Despite leading the match twice thanks to goals from Dilan Markanday and Darren Oldaker, Morecambe was unable to hold on, as substitutes James Berry, Armando Dobra, and Jamie Grimes helped seal a strong win for Chesterfield. Meanwhile, Carlisle continued to struggle, extending their winless streak to seven games after a 1-0 defeat at home against Cheltenham.

Kylian Kouassi netted the game-winning goal in the second half, leading Salford to a 2-1 victory over Colchester and marking their second consecutive league win. Meanwhile, Michael Cheek converted a penalty in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw for Bromley at home against Barrow. In another match, Newport played to a goalless stalemate (0-0) against Fleetwood at their home ground.

Casper De Norre netted the winning goal for Millwall in the 89th minute, extending Swansea’s struggle to score. De Norre finished off a cross from Femi Azeez from eight yards out. This marks Swansea's fifth match in a row without a goal, and they have gone 525 minutes without scoring since Ben Cabango found the net on September 29.

Dajaune Brown netted his first goal for Derby in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw against Hull at Pride Park. The 19-year-old, who came on as a substitute, scored with a clever header over goalkeeper Ivor Pandur in the 66th minute, leveling the score after Xavier Simons had put Hull ahead with a goal in the 57th minute. Derby has now gone four matches without a loss, marking their third straight 1-1 draw, while Hull hasn't won in their last four outings.