Cardiff draw secures Championship title

Cardiff clinched the npower Championship title when they drew 1-1 against Burnley at Turf Moor this afternoon.

Malkay Mackay’s side only needed a point to be crowned champions in the early kick-off after already ensuring their promotion in midweek. They looked all but set to claim the title with a win when Craig Conway’s first half goal gave them control of the match when he fired into the top right hand corner in the 27th minute.

However, David Edgar's 90th-minute equaliser, a close-range header past David Marshall, stopped Cardiff from claiming the prize with their 11th away win of the season.

Watford claimed a 4-0 win over Blackburn to keep the hunt for the second automatic promotion spot alive as the victory means Hull cannot be promoted today.

Troy Deeney scored twice against struggling Rovers before Almen Abdi and Matthew Briggs sealed a comfortable win which leaves the Hornets four points adrift of second-placed Hull.

The result also means Blackburn are just two points and two places above the relegation zone and in the thick of a fight for survival.

Huddersfield gave their hopes of staying in the Championship a huge shot in the arm as they were inspired to a 3-0 win over Millwall thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s timely double.

Beckford, on loan from Leicester, stepped off the substitutes’ bench to fire two goals in Huddersfield’s win at Wolves last Saturday and followed up with another brace in today’s lunch-time kick-off as Huddersfield hauled themselves out of the bottom three.

Beckford, making his 250th league appearance, struck a goal in each half to sandwich James Vaughan’s neat finish early in the second period as the Terriers moved three points clear of the drop zone.

Elsewhere, Brighton consolidated their play-off place with a 6-1 thumping of Blackpool. Ashley Barnes scored a late brace after Will Buckley, Matthew Upson, Andrea Orlandi and David Lopez had all got on the scoresheet for Gus Poyet’s side, with Blackpool’s only respite Dean Hammond’s 53rd-minute own goal.

Leicester lost momentum in their promotion push as they slipped out of the top six with a 2-2 draw against play-off rivals Crystal Palace.

Andy King cancelled out Danny Gabbidon’s first-half strike before Palace took the lead again in the 67th minute through Stephen Dobbie. However, Chris Wood equalised five minutes later to share the points.

That result meant Bolton leapfrogged Leicester into the final play-off place thanks to their 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.

Chris Eagles put the Trotters ahead five minutes into the second half before Kieron Dyer’s header levelled the score soon after. It was not long before Bolton were back in front, though, when Marvin Sordell converted from the spot following Jonathan Woodgate’s foul on Lee Chung-yong. Woodgate was later sent-off.

Wolves slipped into the bottom three to take Huddersfield’s place after their 2-1 defeat at Charlton. Jonathan Obika’s 90th-minute goal earned the home side the win after Dorian Dervite’s earlier goal was cancelled out by Kevin Doyle’s header.

Peterborough remain above the relegation zone on goal difference alone after they were beaten 3-1 by Derby. Craig Bryson, Chris Martin and Richard Keogh all scored for the Rams, with Grant McCann’s 64th-minute penalty the visitors’ only consolation.

Derby goalkeeper Frank Fielding was sent-off for the foul which led to the spot-kick but Posh could make no further inroads against the 10 men.

Elsewhere, Hayden Mullins’ 71st-minute goal for Birmingham was enough to end new Leeds boss Brian McDermott’s two-game winning run at his new club as they were beaten 1-0 at St Andrew’s and Barnsley remain in the bottom three after they drew 0-0 against Nottingham Forest.

Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich drew 1-1 in the other game, Leroy Lita cancelling out Jay Tabb’s early goal for Ipswich.