Royle’s Tractor Boys put paid to Potters and keep chasing pack in tow

IPSWICH opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship yesterday as both Wigan and Reading were defeated. Joe Royle’s side grabbed a vital home victory over Stoke, emerging 1-0 winners thanks to Shefki Kuqi’s winner.

Kuqi got his 11th goal of the season after a well-executed exchange with Ian Westlake, receiving the ball before poking past Ed de Goey.

Wigan’s recent enigmatic form continued as they lost 1-0 at Burnley after Graham Branch’s first-half winner.

And third-placed Reading took a 3-0 beating away to clinical Preston at Deepdale, with Eddie Lewis and Patrick Agyemang the stars.

Agyemang rose highest to head home Lewis’ free-kick after 17 minutes and Andy Hughes netted an own goal soon after. Lewis, an America international, was the beneficiary as Agyemang turned provider in the second half for Preston’s third.

Sunderland moved into second place with a 2-1 win against hapless Nottingham Forest thanks to Marcus Stewart’s winner. After a goalless first half, Stephen Elliott scored after the break, capitalising on David Johnson’s glaring miss in the first half.

Andy Reid equalised after confusion in the Black Cats’ penalty area, but Sunderland’s influential Julio Arca stole the ball in injury time and fed Stewart who clinched a vital win.

West Ham stole a point from downtrodden Rotherham thanks to two controversial penalties which allowed them to draw 2-2. Andy Monkhouse set Martin Butler through in the first half and the veteran striker kept his cool to bury the ball beyond the on-rushing Stephen Bywater.

Martin McIntosh further stung the visitors seven minutes before the break. But the Hammers pulled a goal back in fortuitous circumstances in the second half when Marlon Harewood’s over-zealous fall inside the box won the Londoners a penalty, which Teddy Sheringham converted on 71 minutes.

Harewood scored West Ham’s second penalty to level the scores, after Sheringham earned yet another hotly-disputed spot-kick.

Leeds continued their good Christmas form with a 2-1 win at home to Plymouth. A Peter Gilbert own goal put the Yorkshire club ahead and Leeds looked set for a 1-0 victory until a late flurry which saw David Healy make it 2-0 before Stevie Crawford’s consolation, both in injury time.

A Barry Hayles hat-trick inspired Millwall to a 3-0 away win at Derby. Hayles scored his 100th professional career goal after 18 minutes and grabbed two more as Derby pressed forward.

Coventry goalkeeper Luke Steele had a nightmare afternoon as his side lost 3-1 at Gillingham. Darren Byfield opened the scoring for the Gills when Steele allowed his soft long-range shot to squeeze into the net after 15 minutes. Dele Adebola headed Coventry level before half-time but Steele was again at fault in the second half when he failed to reach Nicky Southall’s high corner and Mamady Sidibe pounced to restore the lead for Stan Ternent’s side, before Ian Cox got in on the act to make it 3-1.

Crewe left QPR with a welcome 2-1 victory, with Richard Walker and Mark Rivers scoring for the Alex and Danny Shittu scoring for the home side. Keith Gillespie’s red card in the first half left Leicester with a mountain to climb at Sheffield United - and they eventually lost 2-0 thanks to goals from Andy Gray and Alan Quinn.

Watford and Cardiff played out a goalless draw while Wolves drew their fourth match in succession at home to Brighton. Gary Hart put the visitors ahead at Molineux before Kenny Miller’s equaliser before half-time.