Championship round-up: Mackay hails young side after Den win

Neil Warnock, the QPR manager, praised his team's hard-working performance after they won 2-0 at Leicester on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the Championship. Jamie Mackie, a £145,000 close-season buy from Plymouth, struck twice as Rangers moved five points clear at the top of the table, as Cardiff lost.

Warnock said: "It's all credit to the players, they've stuck at it and restricted a good team, who I know haven't had a good start but they have got some quality players who will be very close to the play-offs.

"It's pleasing we restricted them like we did, I can't remember them having a real chance apart from a couple of shots from outside the box."

The result sees Leicester drop back into the bottom three with just one win all season. Manager Paulo Sousa said: "We recovered well after their first goal and became more positive but they battled stronger than us and that is why we lost the game."

Watford stunned Millwall 6-1 at the New Den to move up to fifth. John Eustace, Jordon Mutch, the in-form Marvin Sordell, Adrian Mariappa, Danny Graham and Martin Taylor scored for the Hornets with Liam Trotter replying for the home side.

Watford manager Malky Mackay said: "It's down to team spirit – we are a young squad and maybe that helps us. We have a sense of togetherness." Opposite number Kenny Jackett had no complaints and said: "Watford were better in every department. We need to get a better game plan and react accordingly."

Newly-promoted Norwich are fourth after a 1-0 win at Preston thanks to Grant Holt but manager Paul Lambert warned his players not to get ahead of themselves. He said: "That is one thing you need to get out of your head – we have come a long way in a short space of time. When you create a monster people want to feed it all the time and we are new to the league, but I thought today we were brilliant.

"I thought we deserved to win the game, we made chances, a great desire, a great hunger and enthusiasm for it, and we had an absolutely brilliant crowd at our backs. I am delighted for the lads, absolutely delighted for them."

Goals by Scott Sinclair and Stephen Dobbie gave Swansea a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe as they moved into sixth. Barry Robson, Leroy Lita and David Wheater scored as Middlesbrough beat Reading 3-1, for whom Jimmy Kebe scored, Ched Evans' free-kick gave Sheffield United victory over Portsmouth, who remain rooted to the of the table, while Burnley were held 0-0 by Crystal Palace.