Championship roundup: Pukki keeps Norwich top as Bournemouth hit five | Football

Teemu Pukki’s 50th goal on his 100th appearance gave Championship leaders Norwich a 2-1 win at Blackburn.

The Finn was the difference between the sides, firing Norwich ahead with a clinical finish midway through a first half which they dominated, and in which he also struck the woodwork. Rovers deservedly levelled through a special Harvey Elliott goal shortly after the restart before Pukki restored Norwich’s advantage in the 65th minute.

It was harsh on Blackburn, who were in the middle of an onslaught on the Norwich goal, and also struck the woodwork before and after the equaliser. Pukki’s winner maintained Norwich’s three-point cushion at the summit.

Bournemouth remained three points behind Norwich as they thrashed Huddersfield 5-0. Dominic Solanke’s double and a David Brooks effort had the hosts 3-0 up after just 21 minutes. Junior Stanislas scored a superb individual effort in the 67th minute before substitute Sam Surridge added a fifth.

Troy Deeney scored an 85th-minute penalty to earn Watford a 1-0 win at Birmingham. The Hornets looked to be extending their winless away run to six games but Kristian Pedersen was shown a second yellow card as he gave away a penalty, and lifelong Blues fan Deeney stepped up to convert.

Reading left it even later to win at QPR, with Michael Olise marking his 19th birthday with an 89th-minute strike in a 1-0 win, while Brentford moved up into the play-off places with a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest. Henrik Dalsgaard’s first goal of the season and late efforts from Josh Da Silva and Ivan Toney – his 15th strike of the campaign – saw off Forest, who replied through Joe Worrall deep into stoppage time.

Derby remained in the bottom three but moved level on points with rivals Forest as Wayne Rooney extended his unbeaten run as caretaker manager with a 0-0 draw with Stoke. Tony Pulis, meanwhile, is still searching for his first win as Sheffield Wednesday manager after Barnsley came from behind to win 2-1 against the league’s bottom club at Hillsborough.

Coventry captain Liam Kelly scored two first-half goals before being forced off through injury as his side extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a 2-1 win at Wycombe.

Middlesbrough returned to winning ways by brushing aside Millwall 3-0, with all the goals coming in the first 20 minutes. James Collins scored a hat-trick as Luton moved into the top half with a 3-0 win over Preston, while goals from Matt Crooks and Michael Smith secured Rotherham a 2-0 victory over Bristol City.

In the day’s early kick-off, Jamal Lowe scored twice as Swansea secured the south Wales derby bragging rights with a 2-0 win at Cardiff.