Round-up: Ricardo Fuller strikes twice as Millwall thwart old boss

Watford buzz their way to the top, Nigel Adkins sadly proven right, Fulham continue resurgence and Sheffield United deny Evans deal

Ricardo Fuller (Getty Images)

Kenny Jackett should have expected it, after all he was the one who strengthened Millwall’s never-say-die attitude during six years as their manager. He and his Wolves side could do nothing as Ricardo Fuller scored twice in five minutes to complete the Lions’ remarkable comeback from 3-0 down after 64 minutes to grab a 3-3 draw at The Den and a vital Championship point.

But as Millwall hung on through more than nine minutes of added time, their glory came with an unwanted cherry on the top in the form of a red card for Shaun Williams for a professional foul on Lee Evans. Leading through a 23rd-minute goal from Danny Batth Wolves looked set to win after Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Bakaro Sako scored midway through the second half. Then Lee Gregory started the fightback.

Watford buzz to the top

No matter what name is on the manager’s door Watford just keep on winning. Slavisa Jokanovic was the happy recipient of the three points that took the Serb’s new side to the top of the Championship. Jokanovic said in a radio interview during the week: “The situation is a little bit strange. But it’s not the players’ fault.” They could not be faulted in their 3-0 win at Hillsborough.

Odion Ighalo, Almen Abdi and Matej Vydra condemned the hosts to a fifth successive game without a victory. Ighalo gave Watford the lead in the 24th minute from Vydra’s cross. Abdi doubled it in the 38th minute when he met a Fernando Forestieri pass and bent the ball in and Vydra made sure of the three points when he calmly chipped in the Hornets’ third.

Slavisa Jokanovic

Martin’s double take

Nigel Adkins is a firm admirer, describing Derby as the “best team in the league” in the pre-match build-up. They may not be the best but the Reading manager’s assessment looked pretty good as Derby ran out 3-0 winners on their visit to the Madejski Stadium and moved up to second in the Championship. They stretched their undefeated run in all competitions to 11 matches even though mid-table Reading dominated large periods of the game.

Steve McClaren, Derby’s head coach, told the club’s website: “It was far from comfortable, the first 20 minutes was like the Alamo. There were so many long balls and crosses we had a lot of defending to do. We had to get through that and survive that and we did.” Chris Martin put them ahead after 18 minutes and Jordon Ibe added a second before half-time. Martin scored his ninth goal of the season when he struck again in the 79th minute. Defeat left the the Royals without a win in five matches.

Jordan Ibe

Kavanagh lifts Fulham

What a transformation Kit Symons has brought to Fulham, who were stone bottom of the Championship when he took over from the strict German Felix Magath as caretaker. Much of their problem was conceding goals, but the former defender has taken good care of their back line.

They held off promotion-chasing Norwich and stole all three points with Sean Kavanagh’s low finish after 22 minutes, his first senior goal. The victory brought Fulham to within a point of the three sides above them as they moved a step closer to climbing out of the relegation zone. Symons suggested in the lead up to this game that his players had been unaffected by the club’s search for a new manager and in his programme notes he reaffirmed his desire to be given the job on a permanent basis. He could hardly be staking a better claim.

Blades deny Evans deal

Sheffield United have strongly denied offering a new contract to Ched Evans. Evans, 25, was released from prison on Friday after serving half of his five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel. It had been reported that the Wales striker had been offered a two-year contract worth more than £500,000. The club said the reports were “false and damaging to the club”.

Berahino priced up

West Bromwich Albion’s head coach, Alan Irvine, said offers of £15m would not be enough for Saido Berahino after Tottenham were linked with the England Under-21 striker. “What the right figure is I have absolutely no idea,” said Irvine. “But £15m doesn’t sound like a lot of money for a talented, young, English player with great potential who is playing really, really well... It would have to be higher than that.”