Pickford Off In Leeds Win

Preston’s Championship season continued with a one-nil defeat against Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, with an hour of the game played with 10-men when Sunderland loanee Jordan Pickford was sent off.

A difficult task for Preston as it was became more difficult when Pickford was adjudged to have handled the ball outside of the area with just half an hour played. 17-year-old Matt Hudson was called into unexpected action as a result.

Having got through to half time level just a minute into the second half Alan Browne headed past the teenager to give Leeds the lead and ultimately the points.

An equaliser was something the 10-men pushed for with Neil Kilkenny, having come off the bench himself; denied several times against a former club by Leeds ‘keeper Marco Silvestri.

Before that Paul Gallagher, Will Keane and Joe Garner had also threatened for Preston who made a bright save with Liam Bridcutt denied by a fine Pickford save before he was shown a red card with it deemed he handed (and didn’t use his shoulder as claimed) when he looked to deny Chris Wood a chance as he looked to get onto Scott Wootton’s ball.

These were the other results.

Friday 18th December 2015
Birmingham 1-0 Cardiff

Saturday 19th December 2015
Brighton 0-3 Middlesbrough
Bolton 2-2 Fulham
Brentford 4-2 Huddersfield
Bristol City 1-1 QPR
Burnley 4-0 Charlton
Ipswich 0-1 Derby
Nottm Forest 2-1 MK Dons
Rotherham 0-2 Hull

Sunday 20th December 2015
Sheff Wed 4-1 Wolves
Leeds 1-0 Preston
Reading 1-0 Blackburn

Some interesting results with some expected outcomes, and some not so!

Middlesbrough consolidated their place at the top of the Championship, and ended Brighton unbeaten start to the season, with a resounding three-nil win at the Amex Stadium to know they’ll go into Christmas top of the pile.

It’s been a difficult few weeks for Burnley but the Clarets got back to winning ways with a resounding four-nil win against struggling Charlton with another struggling side Rotherham causing an upset to see off the challenge of Hull with Neil Redfearn’s side winning two-nil at the New York Stadium.

Rivals Derby and Nottingham Forest also collected good wins against Ipswich and MK Dons respectively.

On Sunday we saw a great result for Sheffield Wednesday with the Owls going into Christmas with a four-one win Wolves at Hillsborough with the second Brian McDermott era of Reading beginning with a one-nil win over Blackburn, who had been on an unbeaten run, at the Madejski Stadium.