Source: FOOTYMAD
Forest Defeat Made It A Happy Day
With 16 games to go, Newcastle moved back to the top of the Championship, and we can expect more twists and turns before the season ends. Andy Carroll's 87th-minute header earned a 1-1 draw against the run of play, after David Cotterill looked to have secured Swansea a 1-0 win in the lunchtime kick-off at the Liberty Stadium. Some could argue Carroll was somewhat fortunate to still be on the pitch following a foul on Garry Monk just minutes earlier, but he headed home Leon Best's cross from close range to send the Geordie crowd home happy. They are one point clear of West Brom, having played the same number of games, and five ahead of Forest and we have a game in hand. Newcastle 30 60pts (+28) West Brom 30 59 (+30) Nottm Forest 31 55 (+22) CHAMPIONSHIP Swansea 1 Newcastle 1Doncaster 1 Nott'm Forest 0Leicester 5 Scunthorpe 1Sheff United 2 Bristol City 0M'brough 1 Peterborough 0Preston 0 Blackpool 0Barnsley 1 Plymouth 3Coventry 1 QPR 0 In the other early kick-off, Lancashire rivals Preston and Blackpool played out a 0-0 draw at Deepdale. Both sides had numerous chances to claim three points, but it was the visitors who came closest when DJ Campbell's header cannoned off the crossbar. With West Brom not in league action due to their FA Cup commitments, Nottingham Forest had an opportunity to move to within one point of the second automatic promotion slot with victory at Doncaster. Yet it was the hosts who claimed a 1-0 win at the Keepmoat Stadium following Billy Sharp's 31st-minute header as Forest went down to their third consecutive away defeat. Forest finished the game with 10 men when Garath McCleary was given a straight red card for a foul on John Oster. Leicester had a resounding 5-1 victory over Scunthorpe to remain in the play-off places. Michael Morrison headed the Foxes in front early on and Paul Gallagher added a second in the 16th minute from the edge of the area. Gallagher then curled home a delightful free-kick to put Nigel Pearson's side in total control before Martyn Waghorn volleyed a fourth 11 minutes before the interval. Paul Hayes pulled one back before Gallagher completed his hat-trick with a header. Sheffield United kept up the heat on the play-off places with a 2-0 win over Bristol City at Bramall Lane. After a goalless first half the Blades went ahead from a stunning volley by Henri Camara in the 49th minute. Darius Henderson doubled the home side's lead when Jamie Ward whipped in a cross and the striker flicked a header past Dean Gerken in the 62nd minute. Barry Robson fired home his first goal for Middlesbrough, following excellent work down the left from Jonathan Franks, to hand Gordon Strachan's side a 1-0 victory at home to bottom club Peterborough. Struggling QPR suffered further misery as they went down 1-0 at Coventry, who scored through Gary Deegan's deflected effort. Plymouth came from a goal down to claim a 3-1 victory at Barnsley. The hosts took the lead through Hugo Colace's 45th-minute strike but the Pilgrims hit back after the break and Carl Fletcher levelled with a volley into the top left of the goal. Jamie Mackie then turned the match on its head with a header for Paul Mariner's side and victory was sealed when Rory Fallon lobbed the keeper from 35 yards.
