The fourth-placed Royals, seeking a win to boost their hopes of automatic promotion, saw their eight-match winning run end with a goalless draw at Elland Road.

Leeds' Bradley Johnson came closest to settling a game of few chances when he hit the bar in the second half - but the West Yorkshire side surrendered their top-six place.

Nottingham Forest moved above them, with a 3-2 win over east Midlands rivals Leicester improving their hopes of making the end-of-season play-offs.

After a high-octane start which saw two goals in the space of five first-half minutes from Forest's Marcus Tudgay and Leicester's Matt Oakley, the match appeared to be petering out as players wilted in the scorching spring sunshine.

Robert Earnshaw then pounced to put the hosts back in front with less than 20 minutes left, only for substitute Darius Vassell to level 60 seconds later for Sven-Goran Eriksson's men.

However, goalkeeper Chris Weale allowed Paul McKenna's weak shot to squirm through his hands to seal a 3-2 win for the home side.

At the other end, Scunthorpe remain three points adrift of safety after a 1-1 draw with Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.

The visitors fell behind in the fifth minute when in-form striker Marlon King rifled a shot past Joe Murphy and into the corner to take his goal tally for the season to 13 - and six in his last four games.

Scunthorpe equalised seven minutes before the break when Ramon Nunez, who had extended his loan deal from Leeds earlier in the week, latched on to a through-ball and fired in from outside the box, the Honduran midfielder netting again after his winner against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Neither side was able to find another goal after the break, meaning Alan Knill's team stay in 22nd place in the table.

Palace maintained their three-point cushion over the Iron with three games to play after they drew 0-0 at Doncaster.

The South Yorkshire side, in 20th, are two points above the Eagles, for whom Neil Danns went closest when he hit the post.