The leaders raced to a two-goal lead inside 16 minutes through Darius Henderson and a Marlon King penalty awarded when Peter Gilbert was adjudged to have fouled Henderson.

Graham Kavanagh volleyed the visitors back into the game but their hopes of snatching a later equaliser were ended when Jermaine Johnson was sent off for a bad foul on Jordan Stewart.

With West Brom playing tomorrow, Charlton moved up to second with a fractious 2-0 win at Hull.

Both sides finished with 10 men when Ian Ashbee and Lloyd Sam were dismissed for violent conduct a minute before half-time.

Three minutes earlier, Luke Varney put the visitors ahead but it took until the 89th minute for them to wrap up the points when Chris Iwelumo scored.

Bristol City finally surrendered the only remaining unbeaten record in the division in a second-half collapse at Barnsley.

It was goalless until the 67th minute but Brian Howard, Dennis Souza and Martin Devaney sealed a 3-0 home win.

Sheffield United scored twice in the final five minutes to snatch a 3-3 draw against Cardiff in an incredible match at Bramall Lane.

The in-form James Beattie put the stuttering Blades ahead but they slumped to 3-1 behind after conceding goals to Joe Ledley, Robbie Fowler (penalty) and Gavin Rae.

But defenders Chris Armstrong and Chris Morgan rescued a point, the latter making amends for conceding Fowler's penalty.

Goal-shy Preston went goal crazy at Deepdale to thrash Southampton 5-1 and climb out of the drop zone.

With only one home goal all season in the league, North End doubled their tally when Karl Hawley drilled home.

Billy Jones' own goal sent Saints in level, but Darren Carter, Chris Sedgwick and Patrick Agyemang (two) completed the rout.

Norwich replaced Preston in the bottom three after a goalless draw at home to Scunthorpe.

Coventry got their promotion challenge back on track after coming from behind to beat Blackpool 3-1.

Andrew Morrell's opener was nullified by goals from Michael Doyle, Michael Mifsud and Robbie Simpson.

Kaspars Gorkss saw red late on for the visitors.

Ipswich led 2-0 after just nine minutes at Burnley but had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Sylvain Legwinski and Alan Lee gave the visitors a dream start but Kyle Lafferty and Andy Gray rescued a point.

Plymouth against Crystal Palace and Leicester v Wolves both finished goalless.

In League One, leaders Leyton Orient went down to a shock 3-1 defeat at Gillingham but their nearest rivals failed to take full advantage.

Second-placed Tranmere and third-placed Southend cut their lead from four to three points after 1-1 draws against Crewe and Bristol Rovers, respectively.

Carlisle and Hartlepool, fourth and fifth at the start of play, played out a 2-2 draw.

Leeds continued to take the division by storm thanks to a last-minute winner at Oldham.

Rock-bottom Bournemouth went down 2-0 at home to Brighton, but fellow strugglers Port Vale beat Cheltenham 3-0 and Millwall were 2-0 winners against Northampton.

Walsall won 3-2 at Doncaster, Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest drew 1-1, Swansea beat Swindon 2-1, while Yeovil v Luton finished goalless.