Nigel Pearson had an immediate impact as Bristol City boss as he saw his new side beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at the Riverside.
The former Leicester and Southampton manager, who will officially take charge on Wednesday, watched from the stand as City ended a seven-game losing run with three goals in 16 first-half minutes.
Famara Diedhiou scored the first two, heading home Adam Nagy’s cross and firing home a shot from just inside the area, and then set up the third as he flicked on to send Nahki Wells racing clear of the Boro backline.
Dael Fry pulled a goal back for Middlesbrough with 10 minutes remaining.
Teemu Pukki scored twice to put Norwich 10 points clear at the top after a 3-1 win at Birmingham.
Pukki also missed a penalty before Ivan Sanchez’s equaliser, but the Finnish striker had the last laugh with his 17th goal of the season.
Oliver Skipp added a third after a breakaway with virtually the last kick of the match.
Goals from George Edmundson and Martyn Waghorn saw Derby ease to a 2-0 victory over 10-man Huddersfield.
The visitors had Jaden Brown sent off late on for a second yellow card after he brought down Jason Knight as they slipped to a seventh defeat from their last 10 Championship games.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Wycombe Wanderers and Reading
Basement side Wycombe boosted their survival bid with a 1-0 win over Reading.
Fred Onyedinma’s poacher’s effort earned Wanderers just their fifth win of the season and left them eight points from safety.
They lost Ryan Tafazolli to a red card, while Reading’s Lucas Joao and Wycombe’s Uche Ikpeazu both missed penalties.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Bristol City
Nottingham Forest put further distance between themselves and the drop zone courtesy of a 1-0 win at Rotherham.
Ryan Yates struck the decisive goal in the second half to seal victory.
A stoppage-time equaliser from George Evans cancelled out Elijah Adebayo’s opener as Millwall snatched a 1-1 draw at Luton.
