Victory puts Reading second

Last updated : 18 September 2004 By Rob Cooper
The Royals sit second in the league this evening, following their fifth successive home win.

The Madejski Stadium side are ahead of third placed Stoke City only on goal difference, but are just one point behind early season pace setters Wigan Athletic.

Meanwhile sorry Gillingham, Reading's opponents this afternoon, have sunk to nineteenth in the table. Andy Hessenthaler's side had topped the table in August after scoring six points out of nine from their first three games, but they now sit perilously close to the drop zone.

Cardiff, Nottingham Forest, and Rotherham currently make up the bottom three.

Yet it is Wigan Athletic who are grabbing all the headlines this evening. Paul Jewell's side recorded a phenomenal 4-0 win over Neil Warnock's highly-fancied Sheffield United at the JJB Stadium to go top of the table.

Stoke City, who led the way this morning, were surprisingly held to a goalless draw at home to Nottingham Forest.

Wolves this afternoon won for only the second time this season. Carl Cort and Dean Sturridge combined to score the goals that gave Dave Jones' side victory at Plymouth.

Yet Leicester, Wolves, Sheffield United and Millwall, supposedly the division's big boys, all remain in the bottom half of the table this evening.

Championship results (Sat 18th September):

Brighton & Hove Albion 2 QPR 2 - Att 6,612
Cardiff City 0 Derby County 2 - Att 12,008
Coventry City 0 Rotherham 0 - Att 13,834
Crewe 2 Leeds United 2 - Att 9,095
Leicester City 0 Burnley 0 - Att 22,495
Plymouth 1 Wolves 2 - Att 18,635
Reading 3 Gillingham 1 - Att 13,867
Stoke City 0 Nottingham Forest 0 - Att 21,115
Sunderland 3 Preston 1 - Att 24,264
West Ham United 1 Ipswich Town 1 - Att 28,812
Wigan Athletic 4 Sheffield United 0 - Att 10,682

Championship table:

Last game played on
Saturday 18th September 2004
PldHomeAwayOverallPtsGD
WDLFAWDLFAWDLFA
1Wigan Athletic 93201022209554019719+12
2Reading 95001141032460313818+5
3Stoke City 9410831212453110718+3
4Ipswich Town 94009312288522171117+6
5West Ham United 9311542116552211917+2
6Sunderland 932011510355423161014+6
7Queens Park Rangers 91124631187423121314-1
8Watford 7211732015241212513+7
9Plymouth Argyle 921266202664141212130
10Leeds United 821051122463329712+2
11Coventry City 92216411267333121112+1
12Derby County 82028920242404121112+1
13Leicester City 9122342115433388120
14Burnley 912164131112527511+2
15Wolverhampton Wanderers 904066212662521212110
16Sheffield United 9112332125832481111-3
17Millwall 6201321111231244100
18Preston North End 930172014511315121310-1
19Gillingham 920247113610315101710-7
20Brighton & Hove Albion 911347112472258148-6
21Crewe Alexandra 80226911271013413196-6
22Nottingham Forest 903147032470638146-6
23Cardiff City 910428022471266155-9
24Rotherham United 902215023150452104-8
COLOUR KEY:Promotion place(s)Transfer place(s)
Play-off place(s)Relegation place(s