In the Championship – Leeds take the honours

Dean has scored over 220 goals in his career but this was his first hat trick for almost twelve years, since he hit three in Sheffield United’s 4-2 FA Cup replay win on the Turf in January 1993.

Defeat on Saturday would have seen the Yorkshire club in the bottom five of the league, I’m not so sure many people outside of Leeds would have been too disappointed with that.

QPR were not the only side in the top group to fail over the weekend, only Sunderland in the top six won and that victory ensured that Wigan would stay top. The goals have really dried up just now at the JJB and Whelan’s toy have picked up just one point from the last three games.

Saturday saw them held to a goalless draw by draw specialists Leicester and this opened the door for Ipswich to go top provided they won at Sunderland yesterday. That was never on the cards and the home side thoroughly deserved their 2-0 win.

Leading scorer Stephen Elliott got the first and 19-year-old Chris Brown, son of a former Sunderland player, came on and got the second, his first goal for the club.

That result saw the Mackems close the gap on the top three with third place Reading also losing. They went down to a Gareth Taylor goal at the City Ground, Taylor’s first goal since the second Saturday of the season back in August.

Glen came back from his latest hamstring injury, coming on as a second half substitute but there was to be no comeback from the Royals.

So defeats for Ipswich, Reading and QPR and it was no better for sixth place West Ham who were beaten 1-0 at Millwall where Danny Dichio scored the goal.
The Hammers had yet another two players making debuts – this time Mauricio Taricco and Darren Powell.

Danny Dichio - scored the winner against Pardew's West Ham

I wonder just how long it will be before the fans really start to turn on Pardew, he’s now made a total of twenty-five signings since taking over as manager just over a year ago. They are one place lower in the table than when he arrived.

With goalless draws all over the place it was the quietest week for goals in total despite Leeds getting six and another four coming Crewe’s way. Not as though it is too difficult to score against Gillingham after seeing the goal highlights of this one, only Crewe have conceded more goals.

The Gills are in serious trouble at the wrong end of the table and have won just once since that shock Turf Moor victory on Bank Holiday Monday. And to make matters worse their Chairman took it upon himself to go into the dressing room after to give them a piece of his mind.

I’m sure that’s just what they wanted – a visit from Paul Scally minutes after conceding four goals.

They are well clear of the bottom simply because Rotherham don’t win football matches. We still remain the last team to lose to them when we went down 3-0 at Millmoor on May Day.

It was another point though on Saturday – this time from a 0-0 draw at Watford – despite being just above us the Hornets are not the best of sides at home and have won there just twice this season.

I think it must be the Guild in Preston – there appears to be no other explanation for an away win. They come around about as often as the Guild, this was their first league win on the road since the Weary Whinger’s lot recorded a 2-1 win at West Ham back in January.

It wasn’t the best of games and I would suggest that the live TV coverage probably boosted the viewing figures for Children in Need as people gave up on it.

A run of five wins and a draw had lifted Derby up the league but it came to an end when Sheffield United took all three points at Pride Park with Alan Quinn scoring the only goal of the game.

Gary McSheffrey - back from Luton again and he scored Coventry's winner at Wolves

It was the same result at Molineux as Coventry picked up their second away win of the season. Gary McSheffrey, currently not on loan to Luton, was back in the side and scored the goal.

That result should end any hope that Stuart Gray had of becoming manager on a permanent basis. Favourites, along with Leicester, for promotion they still languish down in 18th place.

That leaves one more goalless draw – between Plymouth and Stoke. Both have led the table this season but both now are in the middle area of the table with the Clarets. Stoke’s problems are clear, as you would expect with the likes of Akinbiyi and Noel-Williams up front, with only Rotherham having scored less goals.

Apart from the two new signings at West Ham two of the newer managers in the league were also involved in bringing new players in. Preston completed the signing of Patrick Agyemang, yes they really did pay all that money for him, and are still looking to bring more in.

And Leicester manager Craig Levein has finally sussed out what Micky Adams didn’t, that goalkeeper Kevin Pressman will give goals away. The rather large former Sheffield Wednesday keeper has been replaced by Stuart Taylor who has arrived from Arsenal on loan.

There’s just one midweek fixture as Leeds take on Watford before an almost full fixture list next Saturday.