Relive Saturday's Championship action as Ipswich win 6-0 to go second

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It was a better performance from Birmingham against Watford after a dismal display against Middlesbrough earlier in the week but a moment of poor defending kept them from gaining any points for their efforts. Blues are now fourth from bottom, with only goal difference keeping them out of the relegation zone.

Birmingham interim boss Mark Venus told BBC Radio WM:

"Everybody gave everything for the cause - I can't question any of them. They have to have everything - the quality, the desire, everything they had on the pitch we have to have to the remaining eight games.

"We need more quality to score goals - everybody knows that but we have to keep believing in every game.

"The guys were getting in the box and they all wanted to score but it didn't come for whatever reason.

"We tried to breed a team spirit but I think it's coming. We're in a mess and we need to get out of this situation and that's going to need a team."

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It was a comfortable win for Norwich against a struggling Stoke side, giving the sixth-placed side a three-point cushion over Hull in their battle for a play-off place. As the opportunity for a return to the the Premier League draws ever closer, manager David Wagner was pleased with his team's superb performance.

Norwich City manager David Wagner told BBC Radio Norfolk:

"I think it was a very good away performance. Today, we put the game to bed.

"In the second half, [we were] very focused, very sharp defensively, counter-press was top class.

"Offensively, we scored some wonderful goals and had chances for more.

"The players are in a very good mood. They really enjoy playing football together and I think it was a totally deserved result."

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After a 6-0 thumping by Ipswich that leaves Sheffield Wednesday in the bottom three, albeit only one point from safety, manager Danny Rohl is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his side in their final eight games - when the Championship resumes in two weeks.

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Rohl said:

“It’s a hard defeat. It’s hard to say the first half was OK when we conceded three, but I saw some moments, six or seven minutes, where we had a cut back into the area and a shot from [Ike] Ugbo.

“We conceded the first goal and were still in the game, then another from a set-piece and the third just before half time, and then it’s difficult.

“All in all it was well deserved from Ipswich. They are a strong side, and that’s why they are at the top of the table at the moment.

“We need to refresh our minds and face eight finals in the coming days, games we have to win, with no excuses.”

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Huddersfield Town saw out a goalless draw at bottom side Rotherham United in their Yorkshire derby, despite the fact they were reduced to 10 men.

Sorba Thomas was dismissed having picked up two yellow cards but the Terriers rescued a point, having played most of the second half without him.

Huddersfield Town boss Andre Breitenreiter told BBC Radio Leeds:

"We played over 30 minutes minus one player and we controlled the whole game over 90 minutes.

"We controlled the game. They were dangerous from throw-ins and long balls and we knew this, but most of the time we defended well.

"We had many wrong decisions in the second half I felt, but we had to live with it. We concentrated on defending with 10 players and also creating chances.

"For this I have total respect for my players as they did it really well, and you couldn't tell we were down to 10."

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It was a dream first game for Watford interim manager Tom Cleverley as his side held out at Birmingham to claim all three points at St Andrew's.

A defensive lapse from the Blues gave them the lead but it was the tenacity of their own defence that sees the Hornets move further clear the relegation-threatened sides.

Watford interim manager Cleverley told BBC Radio Three Counties:

"That's exactly what the doctor ordered. It's what I dreamt of last night.

"It wasn't as perfect as it sounds but I think if the players play with that much desire and heart to stop the ball going in our half, and we know what quality the team possesses, we have a bright future ahead of us.

"They are players I've played with and I know they are fighters and warriors. They really showed that for me today.

"It was a little more chaotic than I'm used to; with the noise, with the occasion. I thought Birmingham played well today. I came to their game on Tuesday and saw they were in quite a flat way, but today I thought they were excellent. Credit to us for winning the game.

"The result was all that mattered. We were starting to fall down and starting to look over our shoulders. Hopefully this will be the shackles off and we can try and finish the season in a positive way so everyone is full of optimism for next year."

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Middlesbrough played out a goalless draw against Blackburn which ended a run of three wins on the bounce for Michael Carrick's side.

They finish the day in 10th and seven points off the top six, with eight games remaining, but lost Marcus Forss to injury early on.

Boro head coach Carrick told BBC Tees:

“We’re disappointed not to win the game. We saw it as an opportunity today to make a jump, make a bit of difference, and we didn’t manage to take it.

“We played OK in many parts, but didn’t have enough to finish off the chances created.

“The game just drifted along after [the Marcus Forss injury]. We’ll have to assess it and hopefully it’s not too bad.

“We started the second half alright and finished it with a couple of chances at the end that didn’t go our way, and that was the story of the game."

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Relegation-threatened Stoke were comfortably beaten at home by Norwich, leaving the Potters just two points above the relegation zone.

Stoke head coach Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Stoke:

"Norwich were the better team in every department.

"We were way below the standards that we've played at the past week - we were just off.

"We didn't make it uncomfortable for them, we made it too easy for Norwich and it took us 78 minutes before we won a tackle.

"What I see all the time is, if we don't score the first goal, it really effects our confidence.

"We have to show courage and pass the ball forward.

"Countless times today our centre-backs passed the ball backwards to the goalie and he had to boot it forward, I don't want to play like that.

"I'm asking them to pass the ball forwards and show courage."

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Omari Hutchinson scored twice in a virtuoso performance as Ipswich Town put six goals past Sheffield Wednesday to reclaim second place in the Championship.

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna speaking to BBC Radio Suffolk:

"I thought it was an outstanding performance from the first minute to the last and pretty much all phases in the game. Our work on the ball, off the ball, out set plays, our transitions were excellent. A top, top performance.

"Against a team in good form, a Sheffield Wednesday team who were improved and have been performing well against the top teams who have been performing well. To impose ourselves on them to that extent is a really, really good performance.

"You can't complain having scored six by any means and they were high quality goals, but we created chances right the way through the game and the players never settled, never stopped, kept pushing for more goals while still respecting things defensively so that's always really pleasing."

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Have you been at a Championship game today?

Any thoughts on Ipswich jumping back into the top two? Or the seemingly tighter-than-ever relegation scrap?

Send us your thoughts using #bbcefl on X/Twitter and we'll look to use some of them.

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Commitment. That’s the overall vibe from Blackburn boss John Eustace post-match.

Pretty much every answer in his press conference hailed how committed his side were at the Riverside, and before. That’s only earning them draws at the minute, the wait for the elusive win goes on.

International break now so feet up (for a couple of days for the players not heading off anyway). Less so maybe for a Championship manager in a relegation battle. Eustace you feel will relish the challenge.

Not a lot has changed at the bottom of the Championship which is remarkable really, as the league pauses for two weeks for the international break.

Rotherham picked up a point in their draw with Huddersfield but remain firmly cut adrift. Otherwise, the next seven teams all failed to win and stay separated by only five points.

Birmingham are hanging out of the bottom three by a thread (goal difference) as Huddersfield's draw moves them up level on points with the Blues.

Plymouth's loss to Preston sees them drop a place below Blackburn, too, while Swansea's win over Cardiff in the lunchtime kick-off has given them a bit of breathing room as they move up to 14th.

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This is the lay of the land at the top of the Championship after today's games.

Leicester continue to lead the way despite not playing today but Ipswich closed the gap thanks to their thumping win over struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds don't play until tomorrow, meaning they drop a place to third, while Southampton also sit out today, making Ipswich's win even more valuable as they set the pace.

Meanwhile the race for the play-offs continues and wins for Norwich and Preston mean we're shaping up for a thrilling end-of-season battle for the top six.

Middlesbrough creep into the top 10 by virtue of their goalless draw with Blackburn, meanwhile.

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• Ipswich move up to second and a within a point of leaders Leicester with a thumping 6-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls fall to their second consecutive loss and remain in the bottom three, one point from safety.
• None of the bottom eight teams manage to win as the battle to avoid relegation stays as tight as it was at the start of the afternoon, with four points separating 17th and 23rd.
• Norwich kept up their chase of the play-offs with a 3-0 win over Stoke to open a three-point gap over Hull below them - with the Tigers not in action today. Defeat leaves the Potters firmly stuck near the bottom, two points from safety.

• Basement club Rotherham fail to get the better of 10-man Huddersfield as they draw a 0-0 stalemate. The Terriers stay in the relegation zone but draw level on points with Birmingham above them.
• The Blues meanwhile fell to another loss, courtesy of Emmanuel Dennis's goal to give Watford the 1-0 win and hand Hornets' interim manager Tom Cleverley a win in his first game in charge.
• Preston manager Ryan Lowe guided his side to a 1-0 win on his return to former side Plymouth.
• Sunderland end a six-game losing streak, albeit with a 0-0 draw against QPR. Middlesbrough and Blackburn also played out a stalemate.

There used to be a TV show on Anglia Television called Tales of the Unexpected.

Looks like it’s being repeated here at Ipswich.

From the depths of League One, with 14,000 despondent fans, to one point from the Championship top spot in front of 29,000 fans in just over two seasons.

It really is a tale of the unexpected.

But the Ipswich fans here believe this is no longer a fairytale, but a reality.

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Watford held on tight and absolutely white knuckled this entire game.

Emmanuel Dennis' goal just before the stroke of halftime due to a Blues error at the back, was the difference.

The Hornets move up one spot to 13th in the Championship.

Only goal difference keeps Birmingham out of the bottom three.

A concern for Blues after striker Lukas Jutkiewicz came off late with what looked like a pretty serious leg injury.

Ryan Lowe's return to Home Park is a happy one as Preston edge out Plymouth.

Liam Millar's first-half goal gives North End the three points as they move up to ninth and five points off the play-offs.

Plymouth slip to 18th and are two points off the drop zone as things stand.

Another goalfest at Portman Road as Ipswich hit Sheffield Wednesday for six and move up to that crucial second spot in the table ahead of Leeds and one point behind league leaders Leicester.

Omari Hutchinson scored twice and set up two goals, sub Ali Al-Hamadi also got a double, to add to one from Cameron Burgess and Nathan Broadhead.

Sheffield Wednesday stay in the bottom three and fall to a second defeat on the trot.

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Demoralising for Stoke who were never in this game.

Norwich arrived at the bet365 and stepped over the top rope, puffed out their chest's and dominated this match from start to finish.

Results elsewhere mean the loss doesn't hurt the Potters too much and they remain 19th and just outside the bottom three.

The Canaries looking very good in their once-unlikely pursuit of the play-offs.

West Brom make it six games unbeaten as they beat Bristol City 2-0 and solidify their fifth place position in the table.

Tom Fellows and Jed Wallace get the two goals either side of half-time. Inconsistency is the story of the day again for Bristol City.