Hughton keeps calm as Magpies surge clear

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton warned his side to keep their feet on the ground after the Magpies cemented their place at the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Watford.

Peter Lovenkrands and Fabrice Pancrate were on the scoresheet at St James' Park on Saturday as Newcastle opened up a four-point lead on second placed West Bromwich Albion and a 10-point gap to the play-off places.

Even though Newcastle played the final 41 minutes down to 10 men after midfielder Kevin Nolan was dismissed for a second booking, Hughton's team did enough to secure a sixth successive victory for the first time since 1996.

But Hughton has no intention of getting carried away with dreams of promotion back to the Premier League just yet.

"What we do know is we are going to have good days and bad days," Hughton said.

"So far we have shown a resilience to cope with the bad days and, at times, get something from them.

"If I look at what we have managed to achieve so far this season, we are always very keen to point that one out."

Roberto Di Matteo's West Brom had to settle for a point after a dramatic 2-2 draw at Derby, but Rams boss Nigel Clough felt the visitors should have left with nothing.

Clough was convinced West Brom striker Simon Cox was guilty of handball before Albion's 82nd minute equaliser after Paul Dickov's opener.

Albion then took the lead through Graham Dorrans before DJ Campbell's stoppage time leveller for Derby.

Clough said: "We all felt it was handball. When seven or eight players all immediately show they are convinced it's handball you know that's what's happened.

"In the dressing room they all confirmed it was handball. There are four officials out there and surely one should be in a position to see that."

Di Matteo added: "We knew we were going to be in for a tough time because they are a good side at home.

"I think that you take a point but we are disappointed because we were so close to getting all three points."

Nottingham Forest stormed into third place with a 5-1 rout of local rivals Leicester at the City Ground.

Forest striker Robert Earnshaw scored a hat-trick inside 49 minutes, while Paul Anderson and Dele Adebola also struck for the hosts either side of Leicester striker Martyn Waghorn's 64th minute penalty.

Gordon Strachan got his first win as Middlesbrough manager as his side moved up to sixth with a 5-1 demolition of QPR at Loftus Road.

Leroy Lita's brace and goals from Dave Kitson, Gary O'Neil and Mark Yeates did the damage for Middlesbrough, while Patrick Agyemang's strike was no consolation for the hosts.

"We've worked hard for that win. I believe that if you work hard you will eventually get something and it's finally paid off," Strachan said.

"Our target has been to get into the top six and if you can do that, you can then see if you can catch the big boys."

Elsewhere, Swansea were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom club Peterborough, who conceded two goals in the final six minutes to Lee Trundle, but still earned a point thanks to Aaron McLean's stoppage time equaliser.

Cardiff beat Preston 1-0, Barnsley won 2-1 at Blackpool - ending the hosts unbeaten home record, while Doncaster defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

Reading won 2-0 at struggling Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United won 1-0 at Plymouth and Bristol City shared a goalless draw with Ipswich.