Round-up: Miller puts Cardiff in contention

 

Geoff Brown
Sunday 06 November 2011 01:00 GMT
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Powerful shots by Kenny Miller and Peter Whittingham at last broke Crystal Palace's resistance to earn Cardiff City a 2-0 victory, which briefly lifted the Bluebirds to third in the Championship.

Palace's defence had not conceded in the six previous matches, over nine hours of football, and held firm until the 69th minute when Kevin McNaughton's pass from the right by-line was knocked down for Miller to fire in.

"That's why Kenny was Europe's fifth highest scorer last year," Cardiff's manager Malky Mackay said of the strike. Eleven minutes later McNaughton was fouled and Whittingham, whose earlier shot had cannoned back off the bar, drove in the free-kick.

Middlesbrough reclaimed third spot after beating Watford 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

Blackpool followed their 5-0 win at Leeds with a more prosaic 1-0 defeat of Millwall at Bloomfield Road, evergreen striker Kevin Phillips on target.

At the bottom, Derek McInnes's steadying arrival at Bristol City continued with a 3-1 defeat of Burnley, the Robins' first home win this season. "Seven points from tough games against Barnsley, West Ham and Burnley is a great return," McInnes admitted.

Dean Saunders had had a similar effect at Doncaster Rovers, but it waned. Signing El Hadji Diouf has reinvigorated Rovers, the controversial Senegal striker scoring twice in their 3-2 win at inconsistent Ipswich Town. "I've not said anything to [Diouf] apart from go out there and play your football," Saunders said, "and he won the game for us."

Scions of famous managers put on a feast at London Road where Nigel Clough's Derby County sped into a 2-0 lead only for Darren Ferguson's Peterborough United to recover to win 3-2. "It's always exciting down here for the fans but we obviously have to stop falling behind in games," Ferguson said.

League One

Second-placed Huddersfield Town were held to a 1-1 draw by Walsall, the Terriers' 42nd match without defeat. Leaders Charlton Athletic thrashed Preston North End 5-2 at the Valley.

League Two

Leaders Southend beat Oxford 2-1 to open up a two-point lead over Crawley who were held 1-1 at Hereford. Lawrie Sanchez, the Barnet manager, faced AFC Wimbledon, the phoenix club of the team with which he made his name as a player, and came away with a point from a 1-1 draw.

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