Leeds United beat Newcastle United by two goals to one on Tuesday to end their poor run of form and put pressure on former Owls boss Steve Bruce.
Raphinha gave the Whites the lead on 17 minutes receiving the ball just inside the Newcastle box following a swift counterattack by Leeds, the Brazilian took one touch before whipping the ball into the bottom corner.
Newcastle equalised just 12 minutes into the second half with their first big chance of the game which Leeds gifted to them by giving the ball away cheaply inside their own half.
The loose ball dropped to Jonjo Shelvey who laid the ball into Callum Wilson first time who played through Miguel Almiron on goal, whose shot was nearly stopped by Illan Meslier.
However it took just four minutes for the Whites to go back in front at St. James’ Park with Raphinha turning provider to lift the ball in behind for Jack Harrison to control and strike into the back of the net from a tight angle.
Meslier did have one big save to make before the end of the game, acrobatically turning over Shelvey’s header from a Ryan Fraser corner.
The result means that Leeds United, who sit in 12th place, now move seven points clear of the Magpies.
Bradford City also brought three points back to West Yorkshire with them after beating Southend United 1-3 on Tuesday night.
Gareth Evans opened the scoring for the Bantams midway through the first half when he was on hand to turn in a rebound following Callum Cooke’s stumbling effort as he burst through on goal.
The hosts were back level just eight minutes later after Elvis Bwomono capitalised on a defensive mistake to slam the ball in off the post.
Danny Rowe put the Bantams back into the lead in the second half after he and Cooke broke forward into the box before Cooke squared the ball to the forward for an easy finish.
The game was sealed with just over 15 minutes left to play when Evans was picked out by Cooke following a lung bursting run from midfield; the scorer of the first ended the scoring by placing his shot under the ‘keeper into the back of the net.
Rowe nearly scored an unbelievable just before he grabbed his first, moving the ball onto his right foot before releasing a piledriver which crashed off the top of the bar, then moments later having pop-shot from thirty yards that was superbly saved by Mark Oxley.
The result means that Bradford City move eight points clear of Southend United.
Also in League Two, ten-man Harrogate Town lost 3-2 to Tranmere Rovers despite taking the lead at Prenton Park.
After a lively start it was Joshua McPake who gave the Sulphurites the lead, running in behind to finish past the goalkeeper from a very tight angle.
James Vaughan was given the chance to equalise from the spot ten minutes before half time when Warren Burrell was adjudged to have clipped Emmanuel Monthe in box.
Vaughan slammed the ball down the middle making the score 1-1 at half time.
Rovers came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half, with Kaiyne Woolery having time and space inside the Harrogate penalty area to turn his shot into the goal following a Tranmere corner.
Things got worse for the Sulphurites just two minutes later after a corner from the other side eventually fell to Vaughan who added his second of the game.
Hope seemed lost when Connor Hall received a second yellow card for a lunge on Woolery midway through the second half.
But Josh March did add a consolation goal three minutes later, flicking on a wide free-kick which went over everyone into the top corner.
The result means that Harrogate Town drop to 20th place in the table.
In the Championship, Huddersfield Town narrowly lost 2-1 to Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Tuesday night.
Famara Diedhiou opened the scoring midway through the first half after Alfie Mawson’s pass managed to go through several players into the striker before he rounded the onrushing Ryan Schofield and placed the ball into the empty net.
Diedhiou doubled his tally three minutes later after he was picked out by a neat pass from Kasey Palmer which put him one-on-one with Schofield again but instead of rounding the ‘keeper, he slotted the ball into the corner before Schofield could react.
Great footwork from Rolando Aarons 14 minutes after half time helped Huddersfield get back into the game, with his low cross being kept alive by a backheel from Isaac Mbenza with went straight to Juninho Bacuna seven yards out who scored to give the visitors some hope.
Lewis O’Brien nearly gave the Terriers an early lead when he weaved his way through the Robins defence before placing his shot onto the outside of the post.
First half substitute Jack Hunt’s first meaningful act was to head an Alex Vallejo volley off the line following Terriers corner at the end of the half.
Fraizer Campbell really should have equalised for Huddersfield but his effort trickled wide following a Harry Toffolo cross.
Toffolo then set up a strike from 30 yards from Vallejo which struck the underside of the bar before bouncing to safety.
Proof that it was not going to be Huddersfield’s night occurred when Bacuna hit a superb strike from 25 yards that was sneaking just under the bar before a fingertip from Daniel Bentley touched it over.
Town who were unlucky to not collect all three points left Ashton Gate with none and now sit 14th in the table with most sides around them having a game inhand.
Hull City were unable to repeat their hammering of Accrington Stanley at the KCOM Stadium the previous week and lost 2-0 at the Wham Stadium.
Dion Charles scored the opening goal of the game five minutes after half time, drilling the ball past George Long following a neat through ball from teammate Tariq Uwakwe.
Matt Butcher doubled Accrington’s lead halfway through the second half, hammering a left-footed strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.
Josh Magennis did have the ball in the back of the net for the Tigers in the first half, stooping low to head in a Callum Elder cross, but he was adjudged to have been offside by the linesman.
Keane Lewis-Potter nearly scored one of the goals of the season after he went alone after collecting the ball inside his own half, beating several players for pace but unable to beat Nathan Baxter in the Stanley goal.
Sean McConville nearly added a third late on with his long-ranger taking a huge, looping deflection before hitting the bar.
The result means that Hull City lose top spot, dropping to second place in the league.
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