Wolves maintain lead at top

Wolves continued their blistering start to the Coca-Cola Championship season with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Molineux that kept them top of the table.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake put the home side ahead with a cool finish in the very first minute but a mistake by Neill Collins allowed Paul Ifill (32) to level against the run of play.

Andy Keogh’s header (58) restored Wanderers’ lead and they held on to make it five straight victories in the league and six unbeaten so far.

Birmingham are level with their midlands rivals on 16 points after an impressive 2-1 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

A Louis Carey own goal (eight) handed Blues the lead and Cameron Jerome (24) made it two as the visitors dominated from the outset, although Lee Trundle’s spectacular effort (79) gave the scoreline respectability.

Preston are third, two points off the pace, thanks to a 2-1 defeat of lowly Nottingham Forest at Deepdale.

Youl Mawene (50) headed North End ahead and Neil Mellor (59) added a second, but Forest were given hope when Mawene scored at the wrong end in the 67th minute.

Reading climbed to fourth with a 6-0 battering of Sheffield Wednesday.

Kevin Doyle tapped in (five) and then blasted into the top corner (nine) before Andre Bikey (30) all but sealed the points before half-time at the Madejski Stadium.

Noel Hunt (50 and 64) continued the rampage with Doyle (62) completing his hat-trick in between.

Cardiff are also in touch at the top after Peter Whittingham’s powerful 14th-minute strike from 10 gave them a 1-0 win at Barnsley.

Sheffield United and Coventry fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane.

Jay Tabb (30) fired the Sky Blues ahead but they spurned the chance for a second when Elliott Ward missed from the spot moments after the interval.

Sun Jihai, the defender who gave away the penalty, was sent off for a strong challenge minutes later but Billy Sharp (56) then scored an unexpected equaliser.

Stephen Pearson (63) scored for Derby and Ashley Williams (76) levelled for Swansea as the clubs drew by the same scoreline at Liberty Stadium.

Plymouth, who started the night bottom, surged up the table by claiming their first win of the season at Watford.

Karl Duguid (30) fired the struggling Pilgrims ahead from 20 yards and Luke Summerfield added a second from the penalty spot (72). John-Joe O’Toole (83) found the net for the Hornets but it was just a consolation in a 2-1 defeat for Adrian Boothroyd’s side.

A third-minute header from Andy Gray gave Charlton a 1-0 win at Doncaster.

Martin Paterson (60) and Graham Alexander (76), with a penalty, handed Burnley a 2-0 victory over Blackpool at Turf Moor.