Championship roundup: Stoke go top, Norwich hit five and Wrexham hold Wolves

Wilmot grabs winner to seal 2-1 comeback at Portsmouth

Norwich hammer Bristol City 5-0 at Ashton Gate

Jack McGlynn and Ben Wilmot scored as Stoke hit back to beat Portsmouth 2-1 and maintain their impressive Championship form.

Tyrese Shade put Portsmouth in front after six minutes with a lovely bending finish, but Stoke turned a tame first half around to make it five away wins in a row.

McGlynn capitalised on goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid’s failure to hold on to a cross before Wilmot headed home a rebound.

The result meant Stoke took top spot from Middlesbrough for at least a couple of hours, with Boro away at Watford in a 3pm kick-off. Stoke could also be displaced by Birmingham or Swansea.

Lewis O’Brien’s first goal of the season earned Wrexham a 1-1 draw and prevented Wolves going top. Wolves have never won at Cae Ras but Adam Armstrong’s strike after 25 minutes suggested they might register a history-making victory. Instead, O’Brien equalised for Phil Parkinson’s side two minutes later though the visitors still extended their unbeaten run to six matches.

Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were in attendance for only this seventh league meeting between the sides in 102 years and first since 1988. Parkinson said: “It’s always very uplifting for the people who work at the club, the staff and the players when Rob and Ryan come over. It is good to see their connection with the club, how much they care and their understanding of when people need a lift and bit of support. The crowd too is uplifted with the owners being in town.”

Bristol City fans turned on Michael Skubala as Norwich made it nine goals in successive away victories with a 5-0 win at Ashton Gate. Norwich took a 22nd-minute lead when Paris Maghoma picked up the ball 40 yards out and ran forward unchallenged before placing a low shot past Brad Collins from the left side of the box.

It was 2-0 in the 53rd minute, Jason Knight’s mistimed header inside his own penalty area directing the ball to Harry Darling who coolly nodded it over Collins’ despairing dive. Three minutes later Maghoma turned provider, pulling a low cross back for Andre Brooks to fire home a third. There were still 20 minutes left when substitute Jovon Makama turned in an Anthony Musaba cross.

Mathias Kvistgaarden added the fifth with an 80th-minute penalty after being pulled down by Lisav Eissat as home fans chanted ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ in the direction of Skubala, whose team have already suffered five home league defeats this season.

Philippe Clement, the Norwich manager, said: “We are growing by the week. I am seeing boys becoming men, with clear signs of evolution from so many of our young players. That’s what we need if we are to get to where we want to be. We want to play attacking football, with goals coming from all over the pitch, not just from our attacking players. I am proud of the intensity, the discipline and the quality on the ball we are displaying. The players are hungry and full of desire.”

In the afternoon kick-offs, Middlesbrough, the previous leaders, are at struggling Watford, while Birmingham and Swansea, level in the playoff zone on 26 points, meet at St Andrew’s.

On Friday night, Derby’s manager, John Eustace, handed all the praise to his group of players after they came from behind to earn their first home victory of the season with a 3-1 win against Bolton.

Derby were heading for a third straight defeat when Rúben Rodrigues notched his second goal of the season to give the Bolton a half-time lead. The home fans booed the players off and then back on to the field after the break, which clearly had an effect when Ryan Nyambe equalised with his first goal in more than 300 career appearances just 39 seconds after the break. Jack Robinson put the hosts in front three minutes later before Rhian Brewster sealed a first win since September with his first of the season in stoppage time.

Eustace says a half-time team talk between the players helped shift the tide in the second period. He said: “It’s not about me, it’s about the group of players and I’m so pleased for them. The players have worked their socks off without any reward and then last two games we let ourselves down … Things haven’t been ideal but the way the group spoke was very pleasing for me.”