Newz Forum: SOCCER: Coca-Cola Championship results 06/11/04

Leaders Wigan crashed to their first league defeat of the season as visitors Plymouth enjoyed a 2-0 victory in the Coca-Cola Championship.

And despite a fantastic start to the campaign which had seen them six points clear at the summit before the game, the Latics fans were more than willing to vent their anger at the result. A Paul Wotton free-kick five minutes before half-time put the West Country outfit ahead and Wigan's misery was complete when Stevie Crawford latched onto Ian Breckin's sloppy back pass to put the result beyond doubt.


Second-placed Ipswich took advantage of Wigan's defeat with a 2-0 win away at Burnley. Darren Bent was the hero once again, scoring a brace at Turf Moor. Just 15 minutes into the game he raced onto a long pass and slotted the ball home coolly, and he doubled the lead with a sublime long-range strike to wrap up the points midway through the second half.


David Healy enjoyed a thrilling return to former club Preston, scoring two in Leeds' 4-2 triumph at Deepdale. Veteran Brian Deane got the ball rolling after 13 minutes before Healy put Leeds two ahead, before adding insult to injury with a Leeds third, popping up behind the defence to steer the ball home. Richard Cresswell pulled one back for the home team and grabbed a second after Simon Walton had effectively crushed Preston's hopes of a comeback.


Reading bounced back from last week's defeat by Coventry with a slender 1-0 win at home to Stoke, when Dave Kitson notched his 11th goal of the campaign to hand the Royals three points.

Rock-bottom Rotherham picked up their seventh point of the season in a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff. It looked bleak for the Yorkshiremen when Joe Ledley and Paul Parry put the visitors 2-0 up. But United, who have let vital leads slip in recent weeks, turned the tables when Paul McLaren pulled a goal back before Michael Proctor stunned Cardiff with a late leveller.


Managerless Wolves recorded a vital victory against Nottingham Forest in what had been prematurely dubbed a relegation six-pointer. Wolves emerged 2-1 winners at Molineux thanks to Mikkel Bischoff's first-half winner. The home side took the lead via the penalty spot when Kevin Cooper kept his composure from 12 yards following a foul on Carl Cort. And after David Johnson equalised for Joe Kinnear's side quickly, on-loan Manchester City defender Bischoff restored the advantage and Wolves held on throughout the second half.


Marlon Harewood was the hero at Upton Park as his second strike of the day secured a last-gasp 2-1 win for West Ham against fellow Londoners QPR. Harewood's first came from the penalty spot in the first half but his services were required again when Kevin McLeod equalised for Rangers after 72 minutes. But the striker did not disappoint, sending a shot beyond QPR 'keeper Chris Day with just six minutes to go.


Brighton were on the receiving end of a 3-1 home defeat by Crewe with Dean Ashton (two) and Mark Rivers on the scoresheet.


Elsewhere, Watford and Derby drew 2-2 at Vicarage Road in an entertaining clash. Heidar Helguson put Watford ahead before Ian Taylor equalised on the hour. And the home team were shocked when substitute Paul Peschisolido scored his 100th senior career goal to put the Rams in front. However, Brynjar Gunnarsson popped up to salvage a point for the Hornets.


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