Championship round-up: Tyson waves Forest flag and riles the Rams

Four days after the sickening scenes of riot and mayhem inside and outside Upton Park, football again disgraced itself, but this time players rather than fans were culpable. At the end of a pulsating East Midlands derby in the Championship between Nottingham Forest and Derby County at the City Ground, which the hosts just shaded, 3-2, Forest striker Nathan Tyson grabbed a corner flag bearing the Forest emblem and waved it in celebration in front of the 4,376 travelling Derby fans. Rams players Dean Leacock and Gary Teale remonstrated with Tyson, and most of the rest of both squads rushed across to get involved in the pushing, shoving and shouting as stewards fought to keep supporters off the pitch.

"I didn't see what happened but it doesn't take the edge off the win at all," Forest manager Billy Davies insisted after victory over the club which sacked him. "We have beaten Derby for the first time in over six years and the fans should enjoy it, it was a wonderful performance and result." Before the fracas, Forest had sped into a 3-0 half-time lead, Radoslaw Majewski's first-minute piledriver, a Rob Hulse own goal and Tyson on target. The Rams replaced former Forest midfielder Kris Commons with Lee Croft at the break and soon took control. Wes Morgan put through his own net, and Jake Livermore made it 3-2 just after the hour, but Forest held on in a frantic finale.

Elsewhere, it was another Saturday that reiterated how close this season's title race is likely to be as Cardiff City's sparkling start to the season was halted at Doncaster Rovers, where Adam Lockwood's near-post header and a James Hayter strike saw Rovers win for the first time this season, 2-0. "I don't think we turned up in the first 20 minutes and you can't afford to do that to any team at this level," City manager Dave Jones said. "You have to start at full pelt. A few of my players didn't and a few never got going."

That meant the point earned by West Bromwich Albion from a tricky trip to Sheffield United took them to the top. Roman Bednar twice put West Brom ahead, but Ched Evans' glancing header and a David Cotterill penalty saw Blades draw 2-2. "I can't comment [on the penalty] too much, otherwise I'll get banned," Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo said, "but it's a very hostile place and the supporters make it difficult for referees." Enough said.

Another relegated side, Middlesbrough, sold striker Tuncay Sanli and defender Robert Huth to Stoke last week and promptly lost for the first time, 2-1 at Bristol City, Nicky Maynard scoring both Robins goals.

Marcus Tudgay made the first goal and scored two more as Sheffield Wednesday won 3-1 at Plymouth Argyle, and Noel Hunt also scored twice as Reading won by the same score at bottom club Barnsley, who sacked manager Simon Davey after the match.

Roy Keane's Ipswich Town were trailing 1-0 at home to Preston North End when the visitors' Callum Davidson handled in the area and was sent off. Jonathan Walters' penalty was saved but the rebound fell kindly and he lashed it in for a 1-1 draw. And an injury-time Alan Tate header saw Swansea City also draw 1-1 with visitors Watford, who led through Danny Graham. Draws had been a Blackpool speciality having finished level in their first four League games, but they emphatically broke the spell, Charlie Adam, from the penalty spot, Ben Burgess's header and a Gary Taylor-Fletcher strike accounting for Coventry City, 3-0. Jay Taarabt's early goal earned Queen's Park Rangers a first League win under Jim Magilton, 1-0 at Scunthorpe United.

In League One, Charlton and Leeds kept 100 per cent records, the former thanks to a 4-0 win at John Barnes' Tranmere , Lloyd Sam scoring twice. Leeds won 2-1 at Colchester. In League Two, John Nurse scored twice as Dagenham beat Lincoln 3-0 to go top.