Championship Review: Newcastle United on brink of promotion, Fulham thump play-off rivals Huddersfield

Newcastle United are on the brink of being
promoted back to the Premier League as the other
high-flyers in the Championship faltered.
Third-placed Reading were beaten 3-2 as
Nottingham Forest secured a huge three points in
their battle against the drop, meaning the Royals
are six points shy of Newcastle with two games of
their season remaining.
Reading are crucially 36 worse off than Newcastle
in terms of goal difference and they must now
prepare for a play-off campaign – something that
is almost certain to concern Huddersfield Town
after their 4-1 loss at home to in-form Fulham.
The Terriers have three to play and are seven
points behind Newcastle, who will confirm an
instant return to the top flight if they beat Preston
North End on Monday.
Huddersfield lie fifth, a place below Sheffield
Wednesday after their Yorkshire counterparts beat
Derby County 2-1, while Leeds United's defeat by
the same scoreline to Burton means Fulham have a
three-point cushion in sixth.
At the other end of the table, Wigan Athletic drew
0-0 at home to Cardiff City and will be relegated
if Birmingham City avoid defeat in Sunday's derby
at Aston Villa.
Chris Lowe gave Huddersfield an early lead from
the penalty spot after being brought down by Sone
Aluko, but Fulham's Scott Malone squeezed in a
shot from a tight angle in the 16th minute to
restore parity.
The game's second penalty arrived four minutes
later, with Fulham's Tom Cairney - on the back
of his PFA Championship Team of the Year
selection - sending Danny Ward the wrong way.
Stefan Johansen piled further misery on to the
Terriers before half-time, his quick-fire brace
capping a stunning 45 minutes for Slavisa
Jokanovic's men.
Elsewhere, Steven Fletcher's fourth goal in five
games pegged back Derby, who led at Hillsborough
through Darren Bent before Gary Hooper netted the
winner for Wednesday with just under half-an-hour
remaining.
Royals slip-up
Reading's hopes of automatic promotion took a hit
as they crashed to a 3-2 defeat against relegation-
battling Forest.
Britt Assombalonga's double and an effort
from Mustapha Carayol had put the hosts into a
commanding lead by the 54th minute at the City
Ground.
Yann Kermorgant's brace hauled Reading back into
proceedings, but despite a late glut of pressure
from the visitors, Forest held firm to move three
points clear of the drop zone.
Albion set for Championship stay
After spending the vast majority of the campaign in
the play-off spots, Leeds look the most likely to
miss out on a place in the top six, as Burton all-
but secured Championship football for next season.
In a flurry of late activity at the Pirelli Stadium,
Marvin Sordell's curling strike put the hosts ahead
with just 15 minutes remaining.
Michael Kightly added a second moments later,
and that effort proved decisive when Kyle Bartley
bundled home in the 80th minute.
The victory moves Burton onto 51 points - six clear
of the relegation zone - while Leeds are now three
points adrift of inform Fulham in the final play-off
berth.