Championship round-up: Stephen Dobbie's strike fires up Swansea

Championship round-up: Stephen Dobbie’s strike fires up Swansea

Stephen Dobbie’s 76th-minute winner proved enough to send Swansea back into the automatic promotion places while Nottingham Forest suffered late woe on a dramatic night of action.

By Telegraph staff and agencies 11:38PM GMT 22 Feb 2011

Starting the evening in second place, Forest recovered from a poor start against rock-bottom Preston to snatch what they thought was a winner in stoppage-time – only for visiting striker Billy Jones to head home an even later leveller.

Forest’s 2-2 draw meant Dobbie’s strike which sunk Coventry at the Ricoh Arena was enough to send Swansea back into second, behind hi-fliers QPR. Forest were left to rue a dramatic finish at the City Ground. Paul Konchesky had hit a 54th-minute equaliser to Barry Nicholson’s early strike, then Chris Cohen fired home an injury-time free-kick – but there was still time for Preston to grab a point.

Cardiff City also leapfrogged Forest into third place as a goal in each half from Michael Chopra and Aaron Ramsey proved enough to see off Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Leicester City, who remain just outside the play-off zone.

Leeds also failed to make the most of their opportunity as they twice blew the lead against Barnsley at Elland Road and eventually had to settle for a point in an exciting 3-3 draw. Luciano Becchio and Max Gradel had cancelled out Jason Shackell’s early opener but Matthew Hill equalised for Barnsley early in the second half and Leeds had Bradley Johnson sent off on 52 for a second bookable offence.

Despite their disadvantage Leeds went back in front through Gradel’s second on 70 minutes, only for Mark Robins’s men to grab their leveller from a Kieran Trippier free-kick eight minutes from time.
Telegraph.feedsportal.com