Soccer

Marcelo Bielsa creates new mark as Leeds continue unbeaten start

Championship review: Middlesbrough stay top, West Brom bag seven against QPR

Leeds United’s Kemar Roofe celebrates scoring his side’s second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match against Rotherham at Elland Road. Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA Wire

Sat Aug 18 2018 - 17:36

Marcelo Bielsa became the first Leeds manager to win his first four games in charge of the club as his side beat Yorkshire rivals Rotherham 2-0 at Elland Road.

Leeds’ third straight Championship win – they beat Bolton 2-1 in the Carabao Cup in midweek – maintained their 100 per cent start to the season and lifted them up to second in the table.

Luke Ayling’s header broke the deadlock early in the second half and Kemar Roofe struck his third of the season in fine style in the 72nd minute.

Ayling's first Leeds goal was awarded with the aid of goal-line technology after referee Robert Jones had initially awarded a goal kick.

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Middlesbrough stay top, having played a game more, after a 2-0 win at Bristol City as first-half goals from Martin Braithwaite and Britt Assombalonga secured them a third straight league win.

West Brom climbed up to third after thrashing Steve McClaren's QPR 7-1 at the Hawthorns.

QPR manager Steve McClaren looks dejected during the Sky Bet Championship match against West Brom at The Hawthorns. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Joel Lynch cancelled out Matt Phillips's opener for West Brom before the break, but Kieran Gibbs, Jay Rodriguez's penalty – after Josh Scowen's foul on Dwight Gayle – put the Baggies in control.

Rodriguez converted his second penalty after Matt Ingram’s foul on Gayle and Phillips grabbed his second before Hal Robson-Kanu completed the rout in stoppage time.

Aston Villa remain fourth after they were held 1-1 at 10-man Ipswich.

Jonathan Kodjia headed Villa into a first-half lead after Ipswich had hit the crossbar through Gwion Edwards's shot.

Trevor Chalobah equalised, but Ipswich were reduced to 10 men before the interval when midfielder Tayo Edun received his second yellow card.

Billy Sharp's stoppage-time header clinched Sheffield United a 2-1 home win against Norwich.

Republic of Ireland international John Egan headed his first goal for his new club and although Jordan Rhodes's second of the season hauled Norwich level, Sharp pounced in the third minute of time added on.

Bolton moved up to fifth place after a 1-0 win at bottom club Reading extended their unbeaten league start, with Yanic Wildschut firing the only goal early in the second half.

Nottingham Forest avoided their first defeat of the season thanks to Hillal Soudani's last-gasp equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Wigan.

Soudani followed up to convert a rebound after Lewis Grabban’s penalty had been saved in the first minute of time added on.

Forest's Matt Cash had cancelled out Nick Powell's second-minute header, but Wigan regained the lead through Will Grigg's penalty after he had been fouled by Ben Osborn.

Milwall’s Shaun Williams celebrates scoring his side’s second goal with Aiden O’Brien during the Sky Bet Championship match against Derby County at The Den. Photograph: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images

Bradley Dack's fourth goal of the season in all competitions secured Blackburn a 1-0 win at Hull and Derby slipped to their second defeat of the season, losing 2-1 at Millwall.

Millwall stormed into a 2-0 first-half lead through Lee Gregory and Dubliner Shaun Williams before Derby responded through David Nugent in the 73rd minute.

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