Bournemouth underlined their Premier League promotion credentials as they consolidated their place at the top of the Championship with a 6-1 demolition of Blackpool on Saturday.
Eddie Howe's team are surprise contenders for promotion from the second tier, but anyone questioning whether one of the division's smaller clubs can last the pace had their doubts answered in emphatic fashion at Bloomfield Road.
Matt Ritchie scored in each half and Callum Wilson also helped himself to his 11th league goal of the campaign in the first period.
Nathan Delfouneso got one back for bottom of the table Blackpool on 65 minutes but Brett Pitman, Marc Pugh and Harry Arter goals ensured a memorable afternoon for the visitors.
Bournemouth, defeated by Liverpool in the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek, are unbeaten in 12 league games and hold a one-point lead at the top heading into the Christmas period.
"We don't want to get too carried away with what we can achieve at the end of the season," said Howe, whose side have never played in the top flight in their 124-year history.
"We just keep ticking along for the minute. This is uncharted territory for us as a club. Let's just enjoy the moment and see where it can take us.
"The win was right up there as our best performance."
Ipswich returned to second in the table with an impressive 2-0 victory over fellow promotion contenders Middlesbrough at Portman Road.
Daryl Murphy opened the scoring after 25 minutes before Jay Tabb netted a crucial second just before half-time, heading home after a fine move from Mick McCarthy's side.
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka was furious with his team and said: "This is the first time I have been angry with my players' attitude.
"After last week's win against Derby County, we thought we were a Champions League team.
"But today it is impossible to take anything from the game. Ipswich wanted it more than us."
- Clarke frustrated -
Brentford climbed above Middlesbrough into third place after making it seven wins from their last eight games with a 3-2 success at Cardiff.
Norwich twice came from behind to share the spoils in a 2-2 draw at Derby, with Cameron Jerome and Steven Whittaker striking for the Canaries and Johnny Russell and Chris Martin on target for fifth placed County.
New Reading manager Steve Clarke got off to a losing start as sixth-placed Watford recovered from having Gabriele Angella sent off to claim a 1-0 victory thanks to Almen Abdi's 70th-minute goal at the Madejski Stadium.
"Watford are a top-six team and yet today we showed that we can match them," Clarke said.
"The only thing we didn't do today was stick the ball in the net."
Jordan Rhodes netted twice in Blackburn's 2-0 win over Charlton at Ewood Park, while David Cotterill scored the only goal as Birmingham won 1-0 at Huddersfield.
Ross McCormack, Shaun Hutchinson, Lasse Vigen Christensen and Cauley Woodrow all scored as Fulham thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 at Craven Cottage.
Leeds moved five points clear of the relegation zone after Billy Sharp's second half-penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Rotherham edged out Wigan 2-1 at DW Stadium and Wolves drew 1-1 with Brighton.
Source: AFP
