QPR see lead cut

The Republic of Ireland's Wes Hoolahan missed a penalty for Norwich at Loftus Road as QPR saw their lead at the top of the npower Championship cut to four points.

QPR manager Neil Warnock had gone into the match having guided his side to wins over Crystal Palace and Doncaster and a draw against Millwall, but the Londoners could have lost all three points had Hoolahan not missed a first half spot-kick.

The Norwich midfielder placed his 12-yard drive wide after Clint Hill had brought down Grant Holt in the box.

QPR, unbeaten in 11 matches, pushed for a goal that would have seen them pick up their ninth win of the campaign but were forced to settle for a draw.

Cardiff increased the pressure on the leaders with a second-half comeback that came courtesy of a Peter Whittingham double in a 3-2 win over Bristol City.

Keith Millen’s side had stormed into a 2-0 lead thank to goals from Steve Caulker and Jon Stead before Jay Bothroyd pulled one back for the home side.

Whittingham then bagged his first two goals of the season to cement the Bluebirds’ position in second and condemn rock bottom Bristol to their third straight defeat.

Scott Sinclair’s ninth goal in eight games gave Brendan Rogers a happy return to the Madejski stadium as the Swansea boss celebrated a 1-0 win over former club Reading.

The striker latched on to David Cotterill’s pass before driving past Adam Federici to move the Swans up four places to fourth.

Watford dropped to fifth after becoming the latest team to fall victim to Portsmouth’s upsurge in form.

Malky Mackay’s side raced into a 2-1 lead after Andrew Taylor and Stephen McGinn responded to Hayden Mullins’ 30-yard screamer for Pompey.

The hosts, who have now taken 10 points from their last four games, then levelled through Dave Kitson before Michael Brown hit the winner with 10 minutes left.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s first game as Leicester manager ended with a 1-1 draw against Hull.

Former Foxes boss Nigel Pearson had seen his Hull side go behind thanks to Andy King’s third-minute strike but Robert Koren restored parity for the Tigers to leave Leicester in the relegation zone.

Coventry ripped up the form book at Portman Road where they ran out 2-1 winners against high-flying Ipswich

Clive Platt’s 20th minute strike put Coventry ahead before Lukas Jutkiewicz’s penalty doubled the visitors’ advantage.

Jason Scotland pulled one back for Ipswich but they could not find an equaliser and drop to sixth.

Mark Yeates’ goal deep into injury time denied Brian Laws’ Burnley victory in a six-goal thriller at Sheffield United.

Dean Marney and former Sheffield Wednesday player Chris Eagles put Burnley 2-0 up before the Blades hit back through Daniel Bogdanovic and Matthew Lowton.

The Clarets thought they had snatched victory when Jay Rodriguez side-footed a 12-yard shot past Steve Simonsen but the travelling fans were silenced in the fourth minute of injury time when Yeates scored from 12 yards to make it 3-3.

Billy Sharp scored twice against his former club as Doncaster came from behind to overpower Scunthorpe 3-1 at Glanford Park.

Martyn Woolford headed the hosts in front but Sharp produced a clinical finish to draw Rovers level.

Sharp then fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot and James O’Connor headed home a third for Doncaster with minutes remaining.

Barnsley ended their run of four matches without a win by beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Oakwell.

Nathan Doyle, Jacob Butterfield and former Forest player Andy Gray scored for the Tykes while Lewis McGugan scored the visitors’ only goal of the game.

Crystal Palace’s poor form continued at Selhurst Park where they lost 1-0 to Millwall in the south London derby.

Theo Robinson rounded the goalkeeper to seal the win for Millwall in the second half while Claude Davis was sent off for the home side at the death.

Dean Moxey, Alberto Bueno and Robbie Savage were all on target as Derby extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 3-0 win at Pride Park over Preston, who had Keith Treacy sent off in the closing minutes