13.02.2016 18:46 h

Hull down Blackburn to regain pole position

Hull's bid for a quick return to the Premier League gathered pace as they swept back to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win against Blackburn on Saturday.

Steve Bruce's side dominated at Ewood Park and eventually secured their seventh win in their last eight matches thanks to goals from Abel Hernandez and Mohamed Diame.

Diame found Hernandez who rounded Jason Steele before stroking home his 17th goal of the season.

Blackburn's new signing Elliott Ward had one cleared off the line moments later, but that would have been unfair overall and Hull put the result beyond doubt in the 63rd minute when Hernandez squared to give Diame his easiest finish of the season.

Hull's first success at Ewood Park since 1986 took them two points clear of Middlesbrough, who drop to second but could regain top spot with a win over Leeds on Monday.

Third placed Burnley's hopes of automatic promotion suffered a blow when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

Although Burnley extended their undefeated league run to eight matches, they still finished frustrated after missing a 59th-minute penalty, when Andre Gray's spot-kick was saved by home goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi.

Burnley are one point behind the top two and level on points with fourth placed Brighton, who defeated Bolton 3-2 at the Amex Stadium.

An early goal by Jamie Murphy gave Albion the lead but Emile Heskey levelled before Tomer Hemed restored the Seagulls' advantage.

Jay Spearing made it 2-2 shortly after the break but Brighton had the greater quality and Beram Kayal won it for the Seagulls.

Sheffield Wednesday cruised to a 4-0 victory over 10-man Brentford at Hillsborough.

An early red card for Brentford's Yoann Barbet opened the floodgates as goals from Fernando Forestieri, Gary Hooper, Kieran Lee and Lucas Joao moved the in-form Owls up to fifth place.

Derby started life under new head coach Darren Wassall with a 1-0 defeat against Milton Keynes Dons at the iPro Stadium.

The Rams, who sacked former Chelsea and Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement on Monday after less than a season in charge, were rocked when the visitors scored with a Jake Forster-Caskey free-kick eight minutes from full-time.

Derby remain without a league win in 2016 and drop down to sixth place.

Neil Warnock's survival mission at third-from-bottom Rotherham began with a 0-0 draw against Birmingham.

The 67-year-old was appointed as the Millers' new manager on Thursday after Neil Redfearn was sacked.

And Warnock watched as his new side put in a battling performance despite playing the last 12 minutes with 10 men following Richard Wood's red card and also having Joe Mattock dismissed in stoppage-time.

Elsewhere, Fulham won 3-1 at west London rivals QPR, Bristol City beat Ipswich 2-1 and Huddersfield beat Nottingham Forest 2-0.

Preston won 2-1 at Wolves and Charlton drew 0-0 with Cardiff.