Forest Defeat Sets Up Toon Promotion

14 March 2010 13:09
Forest lost at Preston on Saturday, putting them nine points behind the Toon with a game less to play. Making this a significant day in Newcastle's push for promotion. CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS Middlesbrough 2 Newcastle 2West Brom 3 Blackpool 2Preston 3 Nottm Forest 2Swansea 0 Sheff Weds 0Leicester 1 Cardiff 0Coventry 1 Plymouth 1Sheff Utd 1 QPR 1Doncaster 2 Derby 1Barnsley 0 C Palace 0Reading 2 Bristol C 0Ipswich 1 Scunthorpe 0Watford 0 Peterborough 1 Newcastle's lead is down to four points, though, after West Brom saw off play-off hopefuls Blackpool 3-2 at The Hawthorns with a controversial penalty. Charlie Adam (6) fired the visitors into a shock early lead, before Ishmael Miller (13) drew the Baggies level. Slovenia midfielder Robert Koren (53) put the home side in front at the start of the second half, but Brett Ormerod's close-range header looked to have earned the Seasiders a vital point. However, with just 12 minutes left, referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot when Joe Martin appeared to have brought down Giles Barnes just outside the box, and Graham Dorrans converted the resulting penalty to seal victory. Nottingham Forest missed the chance to keep the pressure up on the top two when they were beaten 3-2 at Preston. Ross Wallace (10) put North End ahead, before Callum Davidson's penalty (29) doubled their lead and Matty James made it 3-0 with just over half-an-hour gone. Dexter Blackstock (57) pulled one back from the spot, and although Robert Earnshaw (76) set up a grandstand finish, Forest could not find an equaliser. Reading's resurgence under Brian McDermott continued as a first-half brace from Gylfi Sigurdsson (12 & 22, pen) was enough to beat Bristol City 2-0 at the Madejski Stadium as the Royals moved six points clear of the bottom three with a seventh league win from eight games. Neil Warnock enjoyed his return to Sheffield United as Queens Park Rangers picked up a useful point after a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane. Richard Cresswell put the Blades ahead a minute before half-time, but impressive Moroccan midfielder Adel Taarabt (49) grabbed an equaliser just after the restart, A stoppage-time goal from 16-year-old striker Connor Wickham handed Roy Keane's Ipswich a much-needed 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Scunthorpe at Portman Road, where both sides finished the game with 10 men. Iron defender Cliff Byrne was shown a straight red for a professional foul on Jack Colback, while Damien Delaney also found himself dismissed by referee Pat Miller after pulling down Jonathan Forte. Martyn Waghorn's first-half goal was enough to give Leicester a 1-0 win over fellow play-off hopefuls Cardiff at the Walkers Stadium. However, fourth-placed Swansea were left frustrated as they failed to find a way past struggling Sheffield Wednesday as the Owls moved out of the bottom three. There were also no goals between Barnsley and Crystal Palace at Oakwell. Bottom club Peterborough secured a much-needed 1-0 win at Watford to keep alive their slim hopes of staying up, after a stunning long-range effort from Liam Dickinson left the Hornets looking over their shoulders. Plymouth remain deep in trouble despite a 1-1 draw at Coventry, while Doncaster beat Derby 2-1 with goals in each half from Billy Sharp (pen) and on-loan Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. NEWCASTLE UNITED Wednesday 17th March 2010    Newcastle  v  Scunthorpe 19.45  Saturday 20th March 2010    Bristol City  v  Newcastle 17.20  Tuesday 23rd March 2010   Doncaster  v  Newcastle 19.45     Monday 29th March 2010   Newcastle  v  Nottm Forest 19.45  Saturday 03rd April 2010   Peterborough  v  Newcastle 15.00  Monday 05th April 2010    Newcastle  v  Sheff Utd 19.45  Saturday 10th April 2010    Newcastle  v  Blackpool 15.00  Tuesday 13th April 2010    Reading  v  Newcastle 20.00    Monday 19th April 2010    Plymouth  v  Newcastle 19.45  Saturday 24th April 2010    Newcastle  v  Ipswich 15.00  Sunday 02nd May 2010   QPR  v  Newcastle 13.00  NOTTINGHAM FOREST Tuesday 16th March 2010   Barnsley  v  Nottm Forest 19.45  Saturday 20th March 2010    Nottm Forest  v  Peterborough 15.00  Tuesday 23rd March 2010    Nottm Forest  v  C.Palace 19.45     Monday 29th March 2010    Newcastle  v  Nottm Forest 19.45  Saturday 03rd April 2010   Bristol City  v  Nottm Forest 15.00  Monday 05th April 2010   Nottm Forest  v  Cardiff City 17.15  Saturday 10th April 2010   Nottm Forest  v  Ipswich 15.00  Saturday 17th April 2010   Blackpool  v  Nottm Forest 15.00  Saturday 24th April 2010    Nottm Forest  v  Plymouth 15.00  Sunday 02nd May 2010   Scunthorpe  v  Nottm Forest 13.00  WEST BROMWICH ALBION Saturday 06th March 2010    QPR  v  West Brom 15.00  Tuesday 09th March 2010    West Brom  v  Sheff Weds 19.45  Saturday 13th March 2010   West Brom  v  Blackpool 15.00  Tuesday 16th March 2010   Swansea City  v  West Brom 19.45  Saturday 20th March 2010   West Brom  v  Preston NE 15.00     Wednesday 24th March 2010   West Brom  v  Coventry 19.45  Saturday 27th March 2010    Reading  v  West Brom 15.00  Friday 02nd April 2010   West Brom  v  Leicester 17.15   Monday 05th April 2010    Watford  v  West Brom 15.00  Saturday 10th April 2010    Doncaster  v  West Brom 15.00  Saturday 17th April 2010   West Brom  v  Middlesbrough 17.15  Saturday 24th April 2010    C.Palace  v  West Brom 15.00  Sunday 02nd May 2010    West Brom  v  Barnsley 13.00    

Source: FOOTYMAD