The Championship's Boxing Day fixtures delivered significant twists in the promotion race, with league leaders Coventry City strengthening their position while challengers Middlesbrough stumbled.
Coventry Capitalise as Boro Stutter
Coventry City secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Swansea City at the CBS Arena to open up an eight-point gap at the summit. The decisive moment came in the first half from Ephron Mason-Clark, whose clinical finish proved enough for the Sky Blues despite late pressure from the visitors.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough missed a vital opportunity to keep pace after being held to a 0-0 draw by a resolute Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside Stadium. Boro dominated possession but could not break down a disciplined Rovers defence, dealing a blow to their automatic promotion ambitions.
Mixed Fortunes for Promotion Hopefuls
In other key matches, the clash between two top-ten sides, Stoke City and Preston North End, ended in a gritty 0-0 draw at the bet365 Stadium. The result leaves Stoke just outside the play-off places.
There was a major shock at the King Power Stadium where Watford came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1. Mattie Pollock scored the winner in the second half to cap a resilient performance and continue the Hornets' climb up the table.
At The Den, promotion hopefuls Millwall and Ipswich Town cancelled each other out in a 0-0 stalemate. Ipswich threw on late substitutes in search of a winner, but Millwall's defence stood firm to earn a point.
Drama at Both Ends of the Table
The fight against relegation saw Oxford United secure a vital three points with a dramatic 2-1 win over Southampton, thanks to a late winner from Stanley Mills. The result moves Oxford out of the bottom three.
At the foot of the table, Sheffield Wednesday twice led against Hull City at Hillsborough but were pegged back each time in a 2-2 draw. A late strike from Matt Crooks ensured a share of the spoils, but the result keeps Wednesday at the bottom.
The early kick-off saw Birmingham City and Derby County play out a fiery 1-1 draw at St. Andrews, a match where both teams finished with ten men. Derby's Patrick Agyemang opened the scoring before Jack Robinson equalised for the Blues.
