Boro set the pace

22 August 2009 18:09
Goals from Leroy Lita and substitute Tuncay earned Gareth Southgate's side a 2-0 win over Doncaster and put Middlesbrough on top of the Coca-Cola Championship. Tuncay fired them in front in the 17th minute and Lita made sure of the points in the second half. It was Boro's third successive win and they have yet to concede a goal. Newcastle finished the day in second place behind Middlesbrough after a convincing 2-0 away win over Crystal Palace - their first in the league since February. Kevin Nolan's first goal for the club put Newcastle in front after just two minutes to make light of their off the field problems. United went further ahead in the 21st minute thanks to a stunning drive into the top corner by Ryan Taylor and Palace could not find a way back into the game. Preston moved into third place and left visitors Peterborough one off the bottom with a 2-0 win at Deepdale. Preston went ahead through former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor and Billy Jones added a second on the half-hour to give North End a comfortable victory. Coventry slumped to ninth in the table after losing to struggling Swansea 1-0 at the Ricoh Stadium. Sammy Clingan missed a 12th minute spot-kick for the Sky Blues and they paid the penalty when Wales international defender Ashley Williams scored the decider for the Swans in the 69th minute to record their first win of the season. Sheffield United climbed to fourth in the table with a fine 3-1 away win at troubled Reading. The home side scored their first league goal of the season through Matthew Mills in the 13th minute to give them a first-half advantage. But they could not sustain the lead and Stephen Quinn levelled before the break. Second-half strikes from Jamie Ward and a last-minute effort from David Cotterill sealed the win.

Source: Eurosport