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Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

Sports Mole picks out its strongest XI, best goal and biggest numpty from yesterday's midweek fixtures in the Championship.

Eleven of gameweek 28's fixtures took place in the Championship yesterday, with 31 goals and three red cards served up on a dramatic Tuesday night.

At the summit, league leaders Leicester seem unstoppable at the moment after notching their eighth consecutive league win at Birmingham City.

They remain eight points clear of Queens Park Rangers, who overcame Bolton Wanderers at home, while Burnley dropped further behind with a goalless draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Derby County are now just a point adrift of the Clarets in fourth after they snatched all three points in the dying moments, completing a spectacular comeback from 2-0 down and breaking Yeovil Town's hearts.

That defeat left Yeovil dead last in the table because Barnsley earned a point against Blackburn Rovers to eek up to 23rd place.

Below, Sports Mole picks out its best XI from Tuesday's matches as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal (apologies to Nottingham Forest and Watford, who don't play their midweek match until tomorrow).

Tomasz Kuszczak (Brighton)
Brighton became just the second team to keep a clean sheet at Turf Moor and Kuszczak made six saves to prevent Burnley's deadly duo of Sam Vokes and Danny Ings finding the net.

Luke Ayling (Yeovil)
When Craig Bryson found the net in the dying moments, Yeovil must have felt sick after they had taken a surprising 2-0 lead at the iPro Stadium. Ayling had put in a good shift and made plenty of tackles before the late heartbreak.
Alex Pearce (Reading)
The Royals bounced back from their defeat at Ipswich Town on Saturday with a rousing 5-1 victory over ailing Blackpool. Pearce was a rock at the back and also laid on one goal.
Leon Barnett (Wigan Athletic)
It was a bore draw at the Riverside as Wigan held Middlesbrough. Barnett won most aerial duals he had as the Latics gained a point from a tough away trip.
Stephen Warnock (Leeds United)
Leeds's stagnant run of form continued as they drew 1-1 with Ipswich. Brian McDermott's side are now six without a win in the league but did end a run of four straight defeats. Warnock was a regular outlet down the left and also whipped in some dangerous crosses that his teammates failed to get on the end of.

Tom Cairney (Blackburn)
The creative midfielder scored Rovers' first yesterday at Oakwell with a dipping volley from outside the area.
Eunan O'Kane (Bournemouth)
The Cherries ended a run of four winless league games by downing Huddersfield and O'Kane was the heart of a solid team performance.
Matty James (Leicester)
Can anyone stop the Foxes at the moment? Yesterday James was everywhere in midfield and barely put a foot wrong.
Mark Duffy (Doncaster Rovers)
Donny picked up three important points by convincingly coming past 10-man Charlton. Duffy was a regular threat and sealed the points with a long-range strike into the corner.

Adam Le Fondre (Reading)
Le Fondre picked up his second hat-trick in three games for Reading. Yes, his goals typified his poaching nature but he still took his chances when they came.
Rudy Gestede (Blackburn)
Gestede is enjoying a run in the Blackburn team and yesterday won a header to set up Cairney's goal and then scored himself to put Blackburn in front.

Numpty of the Week

Tommy Spurr: Gestede's strike looked to have put Blackburn in control but then Spurr needlessly fouled Liam Lawrence when challenging for a high ball in the area to gift lowly Barnsley a penalty and point.

Goal of the Week

Steven Davies (Blackpool) vs. Reading: It was nothing more than a consolation strike but you can't ignore Davies's rocket from at least 30 yards that flew into the corner.

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Written by
Pascal Lemesre
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Leicester's David Nugent celebrates a goal against Wycombe on August 6, 2013
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Championship Team of the Week
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds31199362194366
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd31206543222164
3Burnley31161323792861
4Sunderland311611447281959
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom311114641281347
6Blackburn RoversBlackburn31136123531445
7Middlesbrough301281049391044
8Norwich CityNorwich311110105043743
9Bristol City31101293836242
10Watford31126134244-242
11Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds31119114448-442
12Coventry CityCoventry31118124140141
13Queens Park RangersQPR311011103540-541
14Millwall301010103027340
15Preston North EndPreston3081393338-537
16Swansea CitySwansea31107143342-937
17Oxford UnitedOxford Utd31910123445-1137
18Stoke CityStoke30711122837-932
19Cardiff CityCardiff30710133351-1831
20Portsmouth3179153754-1730
21Hull City3078153140-929
22Derby CountyDerby3177173342-928
23Luton TownLuton3076173049-1927
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth30510152963-3425


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