Championship Betting Review - 22 January 2006
Sheffield United cut Reading's lead at the top of the
Championship to just seven points with a convincing 3-1 win
against relegation-threatened Brighton & Hove Albion. The Blades
were 1/2 good things to win their twelfth match of the season
before kick-off.
Despite Reading being four points and 25 points clear of Crystal
Palace the bookmakers found it difficult to separate them. Andy
Johnson opened the scoring for Palace with a 78 minute penalty,
but James Harper earned the Royals a draw with a goal just two
minutes later.
Third placed Leeds United were victorious in their Yorkshire
derby against Sheffield Wednesday. Two from former Owls striker
Richard Cresswell eased Leeds to a comfortable 8/11 home victory.
Fourth in the table Watford looked set to slip further behind
Leeds until a 90 minute winner earned them a 3-2 away victory at
Norwich City at odds of 2/1.
Cardiff City stayed within touching distance of the play-offs
with a 2-1 win at Leicester. Cameron Jerome, 5/1 to finish the
season as the Championship's top goalscorer, took his tally to
13 goals while a Jason Koumas free kick ensured an away win at
odds of 7/4.
Wolves lost ground on the play-off pack with a goalless draw at
bottom-but-one side Millwall, their 13 draw out of the 30
matches played this season, something which will have been
picked up on by shrewd punters who backed the 9/4 draw odds.
Former Cardiff City striker Alan Lee, netted both goals for new
club Ipswich Town and earned the Tractor Boys an unlikely 5/2
win against Southampton.
Two first half goals did Plymouth Argyle's relegation battle the
power of good, earning a 15/8 victory at bottom club Crewe
Alexandra.
The stand-out match of the day was Coventry City's 6-1
demolition of vs Derby County which put the Sky Blues nine
points clear of the drop zone but edged the Rams further into
trouble. It was 2/1 shots Derby who found an opening goal in the
first minute, but six goals in reply made the 5/4 appear the
safest bet of the day.