No half measures as Lita has Southgate's Boro bubbling

Round-up

(AP)

Middlesbrough maintained their strong start in the Championship with a 2-0 defeat of Doncaster Rovers at the Riverside.

The only side in the division yet to concede a goal, Boro led from the 17th minute after Marvin Emnes suffered a head injury in a collision with Rovers goalkeeper Neil Sullivan, who was booked. Substitute Tuncay Sanli, who might still leave the relegated side, exacted further retribution when, with his first touch, he fired in from Leroy Lita's knock-down. Lita added the second after 71 minutes.

"We still need to tighten up, stay focused and work hard," Boro manager Gareth Southgate admitted. "That said, it is nice to be sat on the top with 10 points and be talking about the need to improve."

Unbeaten sides Preston North End, Sheffield United and Leicester City all kept pace as they disposed of Peterborough United, Reading and Barnsley respectively. Preston beat promoted Posh 2-0, goals by Neil Mellor and Billy Jones, but lost midfielder Barry Nicholson to a broken leg. Meanwhile, the Blades trailed at Reading when Matt Mills scored the Royals' first goal of the season, but Stephen Quinn's tap-in, an error by goalkeeper Adam Frederici letting Jamie Ward's shot slip through his fingers, and David Cotterill's late goal saw the visitors win 3-1. Matt Fryatt's third goal of the season saw Leicester beat bottom side the Tykes 1-0.

"A great ball in from Richie Wellens," Fryatt said, "he showed great vision. All I had to do was make sure I controlled the ball and hit it right."

Swansea City's luck changed as they won 1-0 at Coventry City. Sammy Clingan missed a penalty for the Sky Blues before Ashley Williams scored Swans' winner after Nathan Dyer's shot rebounded off the bar.

Roy Keane's Ipswich Town still seek their first win of the season after they lost 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion, Youssouf Mulumbu, a long-rage effort, and Robert Koren scoring.

But there was a first win for Sheffield Wednesday, who rattled in four without reply against Scunthorpe United at Hillsborough. Richard Wood scrambled in the first, Jermaine Jackson made it 2-0, and a Marcus Tudgay header and Darren Potter's half- volley completed the rout.

Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 at Loftus Road, Forest's David McGoldrick equalising Mikele Leigertwood's opener. Unbeaten yet without a win, Blackpool drew for the fourth time this season, 2-2 at Watford, whose Tommy Smith, wanted by Reading, scored one and made the other. "I can't see them hanging on to him," Pool manager Ian Holloway said, "he's Premiership standard." Derby County came from behind at Pride Park, goals by Jake Buxton and Miles Addison earning a 2-1 win over Plymouth.

Four straight wins saw Charlton Athletic and Leeds United set the pace in League One while Paul Lambert's tenure as Norwich City manager got off to a flying start when the Canaries beat Wycombe 5-2. Goals aplenty in League Two as well, Notts County deposed Dagenham & Redbridge as leaders thanks to a 3-0 win, while Bradford City's Justin Richards scored twice in a 5-4 win at Cheltenham.