CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP: Middlesbrough keep up automatic promotion hopes by beating QPR

Middlesbrough maintained their automatic promotion hopes with a 2-0 win against QPR.

Jonny Howson fired Boro ahead in the opening minute, latching onto Muhamed Besic’s pass to fire low past Joe Lumley.

Ashley Fletcher doubled the lead as QPR slipped to a seventh successive league defeat.

Ashley Fletcher scored as Middlesbrough beat Queens Park Rangers 2-0 on Saturday

Bottom club Ipswich were denied just a third win under Paul Lambert by Joe Garner’s late equaliser for Wigan.

Ipswich’s Jonas Knudsen was given his marching orders after 25 minutes for pulling down Leon Clarke when through on goal.

But Ipswich rallied through Will Keane’s 33rd-minute penalty, only to see the three points snatched away after 90 minutes.

Semi Ajayi snatched a point for Rotherham in a 1-1 draw with fellow relegation strugglers Reading. Ovie Ejaria gave the hosts the lead just after the half hour with his first Reading goal.

Semi Ajayi snatched a point for Rotherham in a 1-1 draw with Reading at the Madjeski

Preston extended their unbeaten run to eight games by beating Millwall 3-1.

The visitors were 3-0 up inside half an hour as Andrew Hughes, Tom Clarke and Sean Maguire all found the net – with Paul Gallagher involved in setting up all three.

Millwall pulled a goal back after 67 minutes through substitute Ben Thompson.

Sheffield Wednesday kept up their unbeaten start under Steve Bruce with a resounding 3-1 win over Swansea.

Adam Reach’s double and Steven Fletcher’s strike gave the Owls a 3-0 half-time lead. Oli McBurnie’s 69th-minute finish proved nothing but a consolation for Swansea.

Adam Reach scored a double as Sheffield Wednesday beat Swansea 3-1 on Saturday

Stoke and Aston Villa drew 1-1. Sam Vokes grabbed his first Stoke goal to claim a sixth-minute lead, before Albert Adomah equalised just after the hour from Anwar El Ghazi’s pass.

Brentford came from behind to thrash Hull 5-1, meaning the Tigers have now won just one of their last six games.

Fraizer Campbell fired Hull ahead after 24 minutes, but Kamohelo Mokotjo, a hat-trick from striker Said Benrahma and Neal Maupay’s 19th league goal of the season secured an emphatic win.

Che Adams took his Championship tally to 21 goals as Birmingham drew 2-2 with Blackburn.

Adams opened the scoring before Charlie Mulgrew and Danny Graham looked like they had won it for Blackburn in the closing stages, only for Adams to strike again.