Charlton boosted their fight against relegation with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Sabri Lamouchi’s side came into the game on a high, having enhanced their promotion credentials with a 2-0 win over Leeds and needing a win to reach the automatic promotion places. But a team who included five changes – probably made with Saturday’s trip to West Brom in mind – toiled to turn things around after Lyle Taylor put Charlton ahead in the 24th minute.
Lee Bowyer’s side had not won in 12 away games and sat fourth bottom but they held on for three points, with the goalkeeper Dillon Phillips making strong saves to deny Tiago Silva and Tyler Walker, while Walker was also denied by the woodwork.
It was a well-crafted goal, too. Naby Sarr snatched a pass off the toes of Joe Lolley before bursting into space on the left and delivering a raking cross to the far post, where Taylor arrived with a confident volley. Forest were almost level a minute later when Sarr almost netted a spectacular own goal, with only a superb save from Phillips saving his blushes.
Lamouchi took responsibility for the defeat. “The best team won. We gave them one chance in the first half and they scored,” he said. “We did not create a lot. It was a bad performance. [Leaving out Matty] Cash and Yuri [Ribeiro] was a mistake. Not because of who played instead but because we did not keep the dynamic we had.
“There was no rhythm, no fight and not the same spirit. Charlton played well and deserved to win. This was my mistake. I changed things because we have a lot of games … I take responsibility, absolutely. This was completely different to a few days ago. A bad performance, a bad result and a big opportunity missed.”
Blackburn scored three times in eight second-half minutes to brush aside Hull 3-0 at Ewood Park. The game looked to be heading for a draw but Tony Mowbray’s side turned the game in their favour in clinical fashion. Darragh Lenihan broke the deadlock by turning home his third goal in five games following a 73rd-minute goalmouth scramble, Adam Armstrong marked his 150th career league start with a stunning 25-yard shot in the 79th minute before Dominic Samuel pounced on an error from the goalkeeper George Long. Blackburn have won three of their last five. For Hull, in contrast, this was a fifth defeat in six.
Wigan and Middlesbrough drew 2-2 in a dramatic encounter at the DW Stadium. Sam Morsy put the Latics ahead but after Chey Dunkley was sent off just after the hour for a second yellow card, Lewis Wing’s double had the visitors in the lead within six minutes. The on-loan Harold Moukoudi’s own-goal 14 minutes from time then assured the points would be shared.
Birmingham extended their unbeaten run to six games with a fortunate 1-0 win at struggling Barnsley. Scott Hogan’s second-half goal, set up by the man of the moment Jude Bellingham, gave the visitors the three points.
Swansea and QPR fought out a drab goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium that must have left the watching Ryan Giggs unimpressed. The Wales manager had to endure a low-quality encounter which suggested neither side are capable of putting together the sort of run required to make the play-offs.
Peterborough made it six League One wins in a row to move within a point of the leaders Rotherham after a 4-0 win over Southend – with all the goals coming in the second half.
Siriki Dembele opened the scoring before Jack Taylor lashed home a second from the edge of the box after 57 minutes. Ivan Toney wrapped it up with a late double, rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball into the net before heading home from a corner.
Coventry climbed to third after a late effort from Matt Godden earned a 1-0 win over Portsmouth, while Sunderland recorded back-to-back victories with a 3-0 win over Rochdale at the Stadium of Light.
Jordan Lyden chose the perfect time to score his first goal for Swindon as his second-half header was enough to see off Northampton 1-0 and keep his side top of League Two. The former Villa midfielder headed home Eoin Doyle’s deep cross after 77 minutes in a tight game against their fellow promotion hopefuls.
Chris Porter scored twice for Crewe as they stay second following a 2-1 win at home to Crawley. The Alex broke the deadlock after 72 minutes when Callum Ainley was brought down in the area by Jamie Sendles-White. Porter stepped up to score. Crawley equalised from the spot six minutes from time, Nathan Ferguson converting, but the striker made amends at the death, heading home unmarked at the back post. Third-placed Exeter made the most of David Wheater’s first-half dismissal as they crushed Oldham 5-1 at St James’ Park.
Championship
Barnsley 0-1 Birmingham; Blackburn 3-0 Hull; Brentford 1-1 Leeds; Nottingham Forest 0-1 Charlton; Swansea City 0-0 QPR;
Wigan 2-2 Middlesbrough
League One
Blackpool 2-3 Gillingham; Burton Albion 2-2 Oxford United;
Coventry 1-0 Portsmouth; Doncaster 2-1 Bolton; Lincoln 1-1 MK Dons; Peterborough 4-0 Southend; Shrewsbury 0-2 Accrington Stanley; Sunderland 3-0 Rochdale; Tranmere 0-0 Bristol Rovers;
Wimbledon 0-0 Ipswich; Wycombe 0-1 Fleetwood
League Two results
Bradford City 3-1 Stevenage; Carlisle 0-1 Cheltenham;
Colchester 2-3 Grimsby; Crewe 2-1 Crawley; Exeter 5-1 Oldham;
Forest Green 2-3 Port Vale; Leyton Orient 2-1 Mansfield;
Morecambe 2-0 Macclesfield; Newport 0-0 Walsall;
Northampton 0-1 Swindon; Salford 2-3 Plymouth;
Scunthorpe 0-2 Cambridge United