CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP: Sunderland are held by 10-man Swansea

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CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP: Sunderland are held by 10-man Swansea while Plymouth and Middlesbrough draw six-goal thriller

  • Sunderland drew 0-0 with Swansea, who had Charlie Patino sent off
  • Morgan Whittaker scored a late equaliser as Plymouth drew with Middlesbrough 
  • IAN LADYMAN: Erik ten Hag reminds me of David Moyes – It’s All Kicking Off 

Sunderland wasted the chance to enter the Championship play-off zone after failing to see off 10-man Swansea.

The Swans were rocked by the 29th-minute dismissal of midfielder Charlie Patino, but Sunderland couldn’t capitalise.

Two yellow cards for fouls on playmaker Pierre Ekwah earned Arsenal loanee Patino a red from referee Robert Madley. But Swansea defied all their opponents’ attacking efforts.

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray side: ‘We are all frustrated, we were at our best with 11 v 11. Credit to them, they worked hard, they got their bodies in the way. I’m disappointed we couldn’t put the ball in the net.’

Swansea would have led at half-time had striker Jamal Lowe not missed a penalty in time added on.

Swansea had Charlie Patino sent off for a foul on Sunderland’s Pierre Ekwah

Sunderland defender Luke O’Nien pulled down centre-back Harry Darling in the box, but Anthony Patterson saved Lowe’s effort brilliantly.

Swans boss Michael Duff said: ‘To play that long with 10 men against one of the best teams in the league showed spirit.’

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Plymouth 3-3 Middlesbrough 

Morgan Whittaker scored a late leveller for Plymouth against Middlesbrough at Home Park. 

Josh Coburn’s double and a Sam Greenwood goal had put Boro in charge after creative players Bali Mumba and Finn Azaz had put Plymouth 2-1 up in the first half. Steven Schumacher praised his Plymouth side for their character. 

He said: ‘If we play as well as we do then we have got to get points. ‘So I am pleased we got a point. I thought it was a great game, two good teams who obviously like to attack. There were moments of quality and passages of good play. ‘We are getting better and we can only learn and develop so that’s what I want them to do, what I believe and hopefully what our fans like to see.’ 

Boro boss Michael Carrick added: ‘We did enough to win the game, a lot of the performance was good, we didn’t give them an awful lot and what we did give them they punished us for. ‘We were terrific in the second half and they had a free kick that came from nowhere going at the back post and it is what it is.’

Morgan Whittaker scored a late equaliser as Plymouth drew 3-3 against Middlesbrough

Huddersfield 0-0 Watford 

Huddersfield and Watford played out a drizzly draw in West Yorkshire, and the hosts’ manager Darren Moore was satisfied with a point. 

He said: ‘The main thing for me was the clean sheet. ‘We worked incredibly hard in getting that clean sheet and having that mentality. ‘I know the goalkeeper and defenders will get the plaudits, but it was a massive team effort.’ 

Watford have now stretched their unbeaten run to five. Head coach Valerien Ishmael said: ‘I told the players It’s nice to see we’re getting disappointed after not winning away.’

Darren Moore was satisfied with a point after Huddersfield drew with Watford

Preston 3-2 Coventry

Mark Robins has urged his Coventry side to build on their second-half showing against Preston despite suffering their fourth straight loss. 

Haji Wright put the visitors ahead before Duane Holmes equalised, and Preston skipper Alan Browne put the hosts in front from the spot before half-time. 

Milutin Osmajic headed North End’s third after the break, before Wright grabbed his and Coventry’s second before full-time. 

Robins said: ‘We showed the intent that our team shows generally and has done for years and we’ve got to hold on to that.’ Preston boss Ryan Lowe added: ‘I’m just pleased for the lads, they’ve been working hard.’ 

Milutin Osmajic celebrates after scoring Preston’s third goal in their win against Coventry

Bristol City 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Curtis Fleming made a successful start to his spell as Bristol City interim head coach thanks to Rob Dickie’s second half goal at Ashton Gate. 

However, Fleming admitted his future is uncertain. ‘I am just taking things day by day,’ he said. ‘I will enjoy a glass of beer and then see what the club’s plans are going forward.’ 

Rob Dickie’s close-range strike from Tommy Conway’s cross was enough to secure the points against opponents reduced to 10 men after 32 minutes when Barry Bannan was shown a straight red for fouling Jason Knight on the edge of the box.

West Brom 3-1 Hull

Carlos Corberán was pleased with his West Brom side’s display against fellow play-off contenders Hull. Corberán’s side have now lost only one of their last 10 league fixtures and the head coach said: ‘We were playing against one of the most competitive teams in the Championship and it was a massive defensive display.’

West Brom captain Jed Wallace slotted home the opener before Lewie Coyle. Matt Phillips grabbed his third goal of the season in the second half to put the hosts back in-front before Semi Ajayi secured the points. 

Hull head coach Liam Rosenior said: ‘We were in complete control, and we got a young team, and we gift the goal away.’ 

Matt Phillips celebrates his goal for West Bromwich Albion in their victory against Hull

Stoke 0-0 Cardiff

Erol Bulut praised the progress of his Cardiff side despite being held by Stoke. Callum Robinson came the closest to breaking the deadlock for the visitors in the first half as his deflected cutback ricocheted off the post. 

And his teammate Ryan Wintle, who scored in the same fixture last season, nearly notched a late winner but was denied by Jack Bonham. ‘I’m really happy with my players; they’ve made big progress,’ said Bulot. Stoke were limited a solitary shot on target, but boss Alex Neil was encouraged. ‘If you can’t win, don’t lose,’ he said. 

Millwall 0-1 Southampton

Russell Martin praised his Southampton side’s bravery as Ryan Fraser was again their late hero at Millwall. Martin’s side are now motoring but were made to wait for their fifth win in seven, peppering Bartosz Bialkowski’s goal but unable to get past the Pole until the last gasp. 

‘The lads responded and stayed so brave in the second half,’ said Martin. ‘I’m really grateful for that and proud of the players.’ Adam Barrett continues to take caretaker charge at the Den with Millwall now winless in five. ‘It was a real sickener to concede so late again,’ he said. 

Ryan Fraser was the late hero for Southampton in their 1-0 victory against Millwall

Rotherham 1-1 QPR

New QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes said he will ‘never be happy’ with taking a point following his side’s draw at fellow strugglers Rotherham. Ilias Chair produced a moment of magic to fire Rangers in front but they were pegged back by substitute Georgie Kelly’s finish. 

Spanish coach Cifuentes, who has replaced Gareth Ainsworth, said: ‘I think I will never be happy about a draw especially when we concede from a set-piece.’ On the other hand, Rotherham manager Matt Taylor was pleased to pick up a point. He said: ‘The game was relatively level and on the back of last weekend I would have taken that given the fragility of the confidence of the squad.’ 

New QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes wasn’t happy with his side’s point against QPR

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

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It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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