sport

Rovers win again, Pool beat Boro

Blackburn maintained their lead at the Championship summit with a 2-1 home win over Barnsley, while Blackpool thrashed Middlesbrough 4-1.

Jacob Mellis' angled drive gave the Tykes a deserved lead after 32 minutes at Ewood Park on Tuesday night, but Jordan Rhodes equalised for Rovers just before half-time against the run of play.

And substitutes Fabio Nunes and Nuno Gomes then combined for the late winner, the veteran former Portugal striker with the finish to secure victory.

Second-placed Blackpool hammered Middlesbrough at Bloomfield Road as Nathan Delfouneso scored his first two goals for the club on his home debut.

Delfouneso put the hosts in front after 10 minutes and it was 2-0 by the interval, Thomas Ince setting up the on-loan Aston Villa striker for his second of the night.

Josh McEachran crossed for Andre Amougou to pull one back right on half-time but Delfouneso turned provider for Ince to make it 3-1 soon after.

The striker then had a third goal disallowed in the closing stages before Elliott Grandin pulled rank to convert a late penalty.

Brighton won 1-0 at Watford to remain third as Craig Mackail-Smith won and converted a penalty early in the second half for his sixth goal in four games.

Hull, in fourth, also kept pace with the leading group with a 3-2 win away to derby rivals Leeds.

The home side took the lead through Luciano Becchio's disputed eighth-minute penalty after Hull full-back Joe Dudgeon was adjudged to have fouled El-Hadji Diouf.

But Ahmed Elmohamady equalised before setting up Hull's second for Abdoulaye Faye just before the half-hour mark, the defender heading his third goal in successive games.

The Egyptian was again the provider as Robert Koren killed the game off in the 76th minute.

Cardiff also remain just a point behind the leaders in a closely-matched top five after a 2-0 win at struggling Millwall.

Peter Whittingham's free-kick was disallowed for an infringement in the box but the midfielder was not to be denied and opened the scoring in the 53rd minute.

Craig Noone, having missed a good chance and set up Whittingham's opener, then got on the scoresheet in the 55th minute with a good curling finish.

Ten-man Nottingham Forest battled for a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.

Palace midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi headed his second goal in successive games early in the second half and Forest had Adlene Guedioura sent off with 27 minutes to go following a clash with Mile Jedinak.

But Dexter Blackstock grabbed a dramatic equaliser nine minutes from time to take Forest's points tally into double figures.

There were 2-1 wins for Birmingham at home to Bolton - Leroy Lita and Marlon King scoring either side of a spectacular goal from Bolton's Chris Eagles - and Bristol City away to Peterborough. Sam Baldock continued his prolific start since joining City with a quickfire second-half brace before Lee Tomlin won and converted a last-minute penalty for Posh.

Jamie Ward's double inspired Derby to a 3-2 win over Charlton at Pride Park. Craig Bryson was also on target, but the Rams had to hang on after Danny Green and Yann Kermorgant struck within a three-minute period to put the game back in the balance.