English Championship round-up: Cardiff sink sorry Huddersfield

Cardiff 3-1 Huddersfield

Cardiff made a successful return to the Championship on home soil with a win.

The Bluebirds won only five times at the Cardiff City Stadium last season in a short-lived spell in the Premier League, but they have found the Championship much more to their taste.

Peter Whittingham set them on their way with a wonderful long-range strike, and Kenwyne Jones scored either side of half-time to make it three goals in two games for the former Stoke and Sunderland striker.

Murray Wallace briefly gave Huddersfield hope when he made it 2-1 in first-half stoppage time, but caretaker-boss Mark Lillis could not oversee a second-half comeback for the Terriers.

Bournemouth 1-0 Brentford

Junior Stanislas marked his home debut with a goal after coming off the bench to earn Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth victory.

The former West Ham United midfielder replaced Marc Pugh in the 66th minute, and he tapped in a delightful Ryan Fraser cross just six minutes later.

Realising that Brentford were gaining the momentum, manager Howe rung the changes, giving a home debut to Stanislas.

And the manager’s faith in his replacements was rewarded with just six minutes left as the former West Ham midfielder fired home following fellow sub Fraser’s dangerous cross.

Alex Pritchard went close for Brentford with moments left on the clock, but Lee Camp made a smart save.

Birmingham 1-0 Brighton

Birmingham’s bargain basement side came up with the goods and a confident home win.

With seven of their new signings on view, the Blues carved out their first League home win since October as a result of a 49th minute goal from Wesley Thomas.

A long dropping cross from David Cotterill early in the second half found the unmarked Thomas, who headed home from close range for the 45th League goal of his career.

It was not such a happy day for Brighton boss Sami Hyypia, however, as the former Liverpool defender watched his side go down to their second successive 1-0 defeat.

Blackpool 1-2 Blackburn

Rudy Gestede scored twice to hand Blackburn their first win of the season.

After 26 minutes, Rovers’ Josh King sped forward and fed Jason Lowe inside the area. His cut-back found Tom Cairney, who fired straight at a defender, but Rudy Gestede was on hand to lash home the rebound from 12 yards.

With minutes remaining of the opening period, Grant Hanley twice went close to doubling Blackburn’s lead firstly with a wayward header, then blazing a Craig Conway corner over the bar.

If the opening period was slow to get going, the second was anything but, as Gary Bowyer’s men raced into a 2-0 lead.

Two minutes into the second half, Conway gathered the ball on the left flank and found Gestede with a wonderful delivery, and he nodded home unmarked from seven yards.

There seemed little way back for Blackpool, but within minutes they were back in the game courtesy of a dreadful error from keeper Paul Robinson.

Tomasz Cywka struck a tame effort towards goal from the edge of the area, but Robinson somehow allowed the ball to squirm under his body.

Norwich 3-0 Watford

Neil Adams finally recorded his first win as Norwich boss at the seventh attempt.

Watford’s Joel Ekstrand appeared to catch Nathan Redmond with a flying elbow after three minutes, and referee Paul Tierney decided it was worthy of a red card.

Norwich opened the scoring after 32 minutes when Bradley Johnson curled the ball over keeper Heurelho Gomes, who was well off his line, and into the back of the net.

After 59 minutes, summer signing Lewis Grabban sent a delightful chip over Gomes for his first Norwich goal, and Alexander Tettey then blasted home a low shot in City’s very next attack.

The game petered out to a quiet conclusion after that.

Charlton 2-1 Wigan

Franck Moussa came off the substitutes bench for Charlton to score a last-gasp winner.

The forward saw his deflected shot off Robert Kiernan beat the dive of Latics goalkeeper Scott Carson in the third minute of injury-time at the Valley.

Both sides had looked set to secure a share of the points for the second successive weekend before Moussa struck. Jordan Cousins fired the Addicks ahead, before Callum McManaman levelled for the visitors.

The hosts should have sealed maximum points in injury-time when Igor Vetokele skinned Spanish centre-back Ivan Ramis, but his shot was superbly saved by Carson before Moussa had the final say.

Fulham 0-1 Millwall

Fulham’s £11m summer signing Ross McCormack came on as a second half sub with the Cottagers losing to Millwall, but the Scot failed to help turn the game around.

The London derby victory was secured by Martyn Woolford’s 12th-minute tap-in, but Fulham will wonder how they are still pointless after two games in the second tier as they dominated the game.

Fulham boss Felix Magath put McCormack on the bench as he felt the former Leeds United striker was not fully fit.

But the Glaswegian almost created the equaliser within just two minutes of coming onto the pitch, with his pass giving Hugo Rodallega a chance, but goalkeeper David Forde saved the striker’s low shot.

Millwall now lie second in the table.

Bolton 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Britt Assombalonga bagged a brace as Nottingham Forest twice came from behind to claim

a point at the Macron Stadium.

Jay Spearing swung in a superbly floated free-kick, and Joe Mason rose highest to head home from six yards after four minutes.

Wanderers repelled the visitors until the 26th minute, when Chris Burke’s cross was headed down and across goal by Michail Antonio, and Assombalonga struck from eight yards.

Bolton’s David Wheater restored the home side’s lead two minutes later when the unmarked defender prodded the ball home from five yards out with keeper Karl Darlow flat-footed.

Forest restored parity eight minutes from the break when Spearing recklessly flew in to bring down Assombalonga.

The midfielder protested his innocence, but there were few complaints from his team mates, and Assombalonga thumped the spot kick through Bolton keeper Adam Bogdan’s legs to equalise.

But, after the flurry of first half excitement, there were no further goals, and Forest protected their unbeaten start.

Rotherham 1-0 Wolves

An inventive and brave goal from substitute Ryan Hall ensured that Rotherham United edged out fellow Championship newcomers Wolves.

The first ever second tier fixture at the New York Stadium started out as an open affair, but it took until the final 15 minutes for the decisive goal to arrive.

Wolves probably should have gone into the break in the lead after Nouha Dicko chipped a shot just wide of a post from around 25 yards out.

The second half began with neither side assuming control, but Paul Green set up a half chance for Alex Revell, before the striker was crowded out by the Wolves defence.

Rotherham had introduced Matt Derbyshire and Hall from the bench in an effort to notch their first points of the season, and the move paid off in the 75th minute.

Craig Morgan’s header from Ben Pringle’s corner was kept out well by Carl Ikeme, but the ball fell into the path of Hall, who unorthodoxly diverted it in.

Shef Wed 0-0 Derby

Sheffield Wednesday and Derby maintained their unbeaten starts to the season following an entertaining goalless draw.

Derby forward Simon Dawkins had the game’s first effort on target when his half-volley from just inside the 18-yard box flew straight at Owls goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

Rams keeper Lee Grant had to be alert at the other end to keep out Kieran Lee’s shot from the edge of the box.

Johnny Russell, a replacement for Dawkins, should have put last season’s playoff finalists ahead with 21 minutes remaining. The winger raced clear onto Craig Bryson’s through ball and hit a low left-footed shot across goal, but it was touched wide by the fingertips of Westwood.

Russell was through on goal again seven minutes later, but Westwood made another fine stop. The result means both sides have yet to concede a goal this season.