NPower Championship - Round 13: Southampton, Boro, Birmingham and Millwall in Top 6 Highlights

Another weekend of Championship football saw a flurry of goals, the leaders show their fighting spirit, Boro bounce back, Palace and Birmingham continue their fine form and the Lions finally roar. All these and more are covered in TheHardTackleai??i??s Top 6 highlights of Round 13 of the Championship.

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10-men Saints escape with a point

Five points clear going in to the weekend, leaders Southampton travelled to The Madjeski Stadium to face Reading.

The Royals were the better side for large periods, with Simon Church, Adam Le Fondre and Mikele Liegertwood all going close. At the other end, Reading keeper Adam Federici pulled off a stunning save to keep out an Aaron Martin header.

On 71 minutes, the home side took a deserved lead when Liegertwood fried in after a Jobi McAnuff free-kick had hit the post. Six minutes later, Reading were also a player up as Saints skipper Dean Hammond was sent-off for a second yellow card.

Southampton Leeds — (Archive Image) Adam Lallana - one of the brightest Saints!

But Nigel Adkinsai??i?? table-toppers showed their title credentials when Steve De Ridder smashed in to equalise with 10 minutes remaining.

Outplayed and down to 10-men, the Saints will see this as a point gained rather than two dropped.

Boro return to winning ways

After suffering their first league defeat of the season at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, Middlesbrough returned to winning ways at home to Derby County.

The visitors handed a debut to Mason Bennett, who at aged only 15 years and 99 days, became the youngest ever Ramsai??i?? player.

In a first-half of chances at both ends, Boro striker Marvin Emnes saw an effort cleared off the Derby line. As the home side upped the pressure, they took the lead on the stroke of half-time, when defender Rhys Williams converted a Justin Hoyte shot.

Hoyte was the provider again seven minutes after the break, as his cross was met by the head of Emnes, who scored his sixth league goal of the season.

Derby responded, with youngster Bennett heading wide and Ben Davies going close with a free-kick. Amazingly, they were then denied by the woodwork four times as Boro hung on to move within three points of leaders Southampton.

Palace and Birmingham continue good runs

Crystal Palace and Birmingham City both continued their recent good runs of form with away victories at Ipswich Town and Bristol City respectively.

Palace moved into third spot with an impressive 1-0 win at Paul Jewellai??i??s improving Ipswich. Eagles skipper Paddy McCarthy was the hero, toe-poking home Sean Scannellai??i??s low-cross.

The home sideai??i??s main danger was Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who forced Eagles keeper Julio Speroni into a trio of good saves. However, Palace, who themselves went close through Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray, were more than worthy of the three points, as they stretched their unbeaten run to 10 games.

After another impressive away victory in the Europa League on Thursday, Birmingham Cityai??i??s league game away at Bristol City was moved to Sunday.

The Blues though showed no ill-effects from their travels as two Chris Burke goals gave them three points to ruin new Robinsai??i?? manager Derek McInnesai??i?? first game in charge.

Burke headed in Jean Beausejourai??i?? cross on 36 minutes, then cemented the Bluesai??i?? win in the 5^th minute of second-half stoppage time, when he nut-megged ex-England keeper David James.

Birmingham remain in the bottom-half on 17 points, but have now won three games on the bounce. With their European involvement meaning they have missed out on midweek league fixtures, Brum have 3 games in hand on their rivals, which if they were to win, would move them only a point behind leaders Southampton.

Sven feels full force of Lions roar

There was a surprise at the King Power Stadium as struggling Millwall ran out 3-0 winners against Leicester City.

After gaining only 9 points from 12 games, Millwall were expected to find life difficult against Sven Goran-Erikssonai??i??s side. The opening quarter of the game only added to this notion, with Sol Bamba and David Nugent both going close to giving the Foxes the lead.

However on 36 minutes, Millwall took the lead. Bustling centre-half Bamba was adjudged to have fouled Brian Howard, with Darius Henderson coolly slotting home the spot-kick. Remarkably, three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first-half, Henderson doubled his account as he tapped home to put his side 2-0 up at the break.

Eriksson made a double substitution at half-time, resulting in the home side exerting more pressure on the Lions defence, with Lee Peltier hitting the bar. But they were made to pay for failing to hit back, as Henderson completed his hat-trick when he headed home a Warren Feeney cross on 68 minutes.

The win moves Kenny Jackettai??i??s team out of the bottom three.

Forest win again

Steve Cotterill saw his new Forest side make it two wins out of two as Blackpool were defeated 2-1 at Bloomfield Road.

After bossing the opening exchanges, Wes Morgan headed Forest into the lead on 39 minutes. Only four minutes later though, the home side were level when Kevin Phillips rolled back the years to fire home from fully 25 yards.

But Cotterillai??i??s appointment has given the away side a huge lift and the new-found confidence saw the away side regain the lead on 76 minutes when Polish schemer Radoslaw Majewski hit home a half-volley.

Blackpool winger Thomas Ince hit the post, but Forest hung on for a second successive win as they slowly creep up the table.

Goals, Goals, Goals

In 11 games this weekend, there were a massive 38 goals, meaning an average of nearly 3.5 goals per game.

Leading the way was Cardiff versus Barnsley, where the home side edged an 8-goal thriller. Scottish striker Kenny Miller put the Bluebirds 1-0 up, a lead which was doubled by Joe Mason on 34 minutes.

Two minutes later, Danny Drinkwater pulled a goal back for the Tykes, but Aron Gunnarssonai??i??s stunning volley restored Cardiffai??i??s two-goal cushion on 38 minutes.

After the break, Don Cowie made it 4-1, then Gunnarsson grabbed his second, and third in two games, to make it 5-1 on 71 minutes.

But Barnsley didnai??i??t give up, scoring twice in the last 10 minutes through Jimmy McNulty and Ricardo Vaz Te to make the scoreline look closer than it actually was.

AsAi??regular readers of this column will no doubt know, if you want goals, then watch Peterborough. After running out winners in a midweek seven-goal thriller, Posh entertained Leeds United in Saturdayai??i??s early kick-off.

Andy Keogh gave the visitors the perfect start, volleying home after four minutes, but Gabriel Zakuani levelled on 23 minutes.

The home side were reduced to 10-men when Lee Tomlin saw red for a challenge on goalscorer Keogh. Leeds took advantage, with Adam Clayton coolly slotting home 9 minutes into the second-half.

However, Peterborough looked to have salvaged a draw with only two minutes left, when Leeds keeper Paul Rachubka misjudge the flight of a punt into his box and collided with his defenders, allowing Mark Little to tap home.

But, Leeds were not to be denied the three points, as they netted a 95^th minute winner when Darren Oai??i??Dea nodded in from Claytonai??i??s free-kick.

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