Henderson had seen a spot-kick saved in the 0-0 draw at leaders Bristol City on Tuesday night and was this time denied by Potters goalkeeper Carlo Nash, after referee Rob Styles had harshly penalised captain Andy Griffin.

Watford had earlier been were reduced to 10 men at Vicarage Road, captain John Eustace shown a red card against his old club for a clumsy challenge on Richard Cresswell.

Stoke moved ahead of Bristol City on goal difference, after Gary Johnson's side slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Plymouth.

Rory Fallon (49, 59) struck twice to give Argyle a two-goal lead. Lee Trundle converted a 74th-minute penalty to pull a goal back - but despite some late pressure, the visitors held on.

Steve Howard scored a second-half hat-trick to help relegation strugglers Leicester claim a 4-1 win over 10-man West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Tony Mowbray's side took the lead through Robert Koren in the 22nd minute, but the game turned after Luke Moore was shown a red card in the 35th minute for violent conduct.

Gareth McAuley equalised three minutes later, and Howard put the Foxes ahead with a 59th-minute penalty before he netted again in the 79th and 86th minutes.

Ipswich boosted their hopes of making the play-offs with a 2-0 win over Charlton, who slipped to ninth, after goals from Owen Garvan (20) and Danny Haynes (53).

Hull's play-off challenge remained on track as they thumped lacklustre Southampton 5-0 at the KC Stadium.

Fraizer Campbell broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, but the Tigers had to wait until the 55th for the second from Henrik Pedersen.

The floodgates then opened - and Michael Turner (57), Dean Marney (68) and Bryan Hughes (90) were all able to get on the scoresheet.

Tom Soares (46) and James Scowcroft (83) both netted to give Crystal Palace a 2-0 win over Barnsley which left them a point outside the play-off zone.

Wolves kept their play-off dreams alive with a 3-1 win over fellow hopefuls Burnley at Turf Moor.

Seyi Olofinjana (14), Michael Gray (16) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (56) had given Mick McCarthy's side a three-goal cushion - before Ade Akinbiyi's 76th-minute consolation strike.

Cardiff striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was sent of, but Paul Parry's 11th-minute strike ensured his side left struggling Colchester with a point after the home side failed to add to Johnnie Jackson's 76th-minute equaliser.

QPR claimed a 3-1 win over Scunthorpe at Loftus Road - leaving the visitors six points adrift of safety.

Grant McCann gave the Iron the lead in the eighth minute. But Martin Rowlands equalised from the penalty spot, before Patrick Agyemang (79) and Rowan Vine (90) made the points safe.

Billy Sharp (52) and Matthew Kilgallon (56) gave Sheffield United a 2-0 win over Norwich at Bramall Lane.

Coventry's relegation battle with Sheffield Wednesday finished 0-0 - while in the day's early kick-off, the Lancashire derby between Blackpool and Preston, also finished goalless.