Automatic promotion looking good for Newcastle & Brighton as rivals implode
The automatic promotion race has a very different complexion after Saturday’s results.
Top of the table Newcastle stay there after a ‘workmanlike’ 2-1 win over second bottom Wigan,
Meanwhile, it was a similar story on the south coast, as Chris Hughton’s players edged a 1-0 win over third bottom Blackburn.
Things got even better for the top two as Huddersfield made it consecutive defeats, following up their 4-0 defeat at Bristol City, with a one goal home defeat to Burton who were fourth bottom before today’s fixtures.
To make it even sweeter, former Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead was sent off for Huddersfield with 10 minutes remaining and then six minutes into injury time Nigel Clough’s boys scored a dramatic late winner.
All eyes then turned to the 5.30pm kick-off, with Leeds able to move into third and close the gap to Newcastle to nine points, eight to Brighton.
However, it was Reading with the 1-0 win and that lifts them to fourth and ahead of Leeds.
The headline news overall after Saturday’s results…automatic promotion is now Newcastle and Brighton’s to lose.
So this is how the table now looks:
Saturday’s results involving the top seven:
Barnsley 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1
Brighton 1 Blackburn 0
Huddersfield 0 Burton 1
Newcastle 2 Wigan 1
Rotherham 0 Fulham 1
Reading 1 Leeds 0
Newcastle v Wigan stats from BBC Sport:
Newcastle 2 Wigan 1
Goals:
Newcastle: Gayle 36, Ritchie 57
Wigan: Jacobs 50
Possession was Wigan 48% Newcastle 52%
Total shots were Wigan 6 Newcastle 18
Shots on target were Wigan 3 Newcastle 6
Corners were Wigan 4 Newcastle 6
Referee: David Coote
Newcastle United:
Darlow, Anita, Lascelles, Hanley, Dummett, Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran (Hayden 70), Diame (Atsu 63), Gayle (Perez 80)
Unused Subs:
Elliot, Gamez, Mbemba, Mitrovic
Crowd: 51,849 (1,200 Wigan)
(Read instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to the win HERE)
(Wigan boss ‘Football Gods were against us..’ Read HERE)
(To view the interactive player ratings and to add your own go HERE)
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