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.