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Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

Sports Mole chooses its best Championship XI following the conclusion of the fourth round of fixtures this weekend.

Seven sides in the Championship still remain unbeaten after the fourth round of fixtures - Ipswich Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Charlton Athletic the teams quickest out of the blocks across the division.

It has also been an impressive start for new boys MK Dons, who collected another point at Reading on the weekend to remain in the lofty heights of fourth place.

Fellow promoted club Bristol City also managed to get off the mark, providing arguably the biggest surprise yet by claiming a 1-0 win away at heavily-backed Middlesbrough.

Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Leeds United and Derby County complete the list of sides still yet to taste defeat, although a fourth stalemate of the campaign for the Rams is hardly worth shouting about.

Here, Sports Mole looks back at who stood out to earn a place in our latest Team of the Week.


Ben Hamer (Bristol City)
The on-loan stopper made a number of saves to keep City in front at the Riverside, preventing Christian Stuani, Daniel Ayala and Grant Leadbitter from finding a way through and thus earning his side an impressive first three-point haul of the campaign.

Fabio Da Silva (Cardiff City)
Only handed his first appearance of the campaign due to an illness bug picked up by Scott Malone last time out, but he took his opportunity with both hands. Charged around for the whole time he was on the field, while even helping himself to an assist.
Michael Keane (Burnley)
A second goal of the season and, just as importantly as the centre-back is concerned, a first clean sheet. Burnley have been a little slow off the mark, but with the addition of £9m Andre Gray they now look set for a real promotion push.
Nedum Onuoha (Queens Park Rangers)
There was to be no dramatic comeback at Loftus Road this weekend, as QPR held off a stubborn Rotherham United to claim maximum points. Onuoha was at the heart of it all, winning 10 of his 12 aerial duals, successfully clearing the ball 10 times and producing six interceptions.
Joe Bryan (Bristol City)
Being a full-back is about more than just getting forward and bagging the occasional goal, of course, but there is no taking away this moment for the youngster. The 17-year-old scored the decisive strike against Boro, which has instantly seen Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion linked with a move.

Tjaronn Chery (Queens Park Rangers)
With speculation over the futures of Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips continuing to rumble on, R's supporters would have been delighted to see their summer signing get off the mark this weekend. Two goals, on top of a decent all-round display, provides much to be positive about at Loftus Road.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Charlton Athletic)
The Charlton midfielder really should have done better when played in one-on-one with an improved Allan McGregor, yet his moment did finally arrive seven minutes into added time. Having shown great composure and perfect timing, he deserved that late, late goal.
Tom Ince (Derby County)
Johnny Russell was on the scoresheet for the second game running, but it was Ince who helped pull the strings in arguably the weekend's most entertaining contest. A swerving shot that came crashing back off the post did not halt him, either, as he turned superbly on the edge of the box before picking out Russell to fire home.
Kazenga LuaLua (Brighton & Hove Albion)
For the third time already this season, LuaLua got his name on the scoresheet in a match that his side held on to win 1-0. The frustrating performances of old have been replaced by what appears to be far more consistency - certainly in front of goal!

Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff City)
The Newcastle United loanee certainly does not lack confidence, proclaiming that he will reach the 20-goal mark this term. He has been made to wait, but after being brought on against Wolverhampton Wanderers this weekend he dazzled by bagging the first of that pre-season target.
Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers)
If this was to be his QPR farewell, as appears to be increasingly likely with deadline day looming, then it is certainly a good way to go out. Another two goals, taking his season tally to four, shows that Austin is a man who simply loves finding the net.

Numpty of the Week

Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
A week after being dropped by manager Kenny Jackett, Ikeme was thrown straight back into the first-team fold following a horror display by Emiliano Martinez in midweek. Ikeme, perhaps trying too hard to command his box, charged out for a cross that he was never going to win, which allowed Kenwyne Jones to head Cardiff in front.

Goal of the Week

Marco Matias (Leeds United) vs. Sheffield Wednesday
A first goal in English football for the Portuguese forward - and what a goal it was! A sensational dipping volley in Saturday lunchtime's Yorkshire derby well and truly lit up this ferocious affair.


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Carl Ikeme of Wolverhampton Wanderers in action during the npower Championship match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barnsley at Molineux on August 21, 2012
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland86021661018
2Burnley85211441017
3West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom8512126616
4Leeds UnitedLeeds8431135815
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn8431149515
6Middlesbrough842295414
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd743093613
8Watford74121210213
9Hull City8332129312
10Norwich CityNorwich83321210212
11Swansea CitySwansea732285311
12Oxford UnitedOxford Utd83231210211
13Derby CountyDerby83051012-29
14Bristol City7232913-49
15Millwall8224121118
16Coventry CityCoventry8224911-28
17Plymouth ArgylePlymouth8224812-48
18Luton TownLuton8224813-58
19Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds7214914-57
20Queens Park RangersQPR8143914-57
21Stoke CityStoke7205411-76
22Preston North EndPreston7124412-85
23Portsmouth7043713-64
24Cardiff CityCardiff8116317-144


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