Championship Round-Up

We knew the fixture list had not been kind to us in terms of our start to the season and that's reflected by the fact that the four sides we have played currently occupy 2nd, 6th, 7th and 8th. Our second successive away defeat yesterday leaves us in 11th spot in the table and probably not far from where we can probably expect to finish this season, but we shouldn't be beating ourselves up just yet.

Free-scoring Wolves now head the table after putting five past Forest, four of them before the interval. They will fill the Jimmy Seed stand in a fortnight and will be looking to repeat the win that they got last season. Sylvain Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo will need to be carefully marked by Hudson and Fortune or Linvoy Primus (if he's signed by then).

Preston are level on 10 points with Wolves and Birmingham who were held to a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road. Birmingham scored against the run of play in the first half but one time Charlton target Darryl Russell equalised in the second half. Birmingham ended the game strongly and Kevin Phillips missed a chance to maintain his goal-a-game start.

Bristol City are up to fourth on 8 points after a draw with QPR. They came back from a Dexter Blackstock goal but couldn't beat 10-man Rangers who had new cult-hero Emmanuel Ledesma sent off.

Burnley and Plymouth played out a goaless draw at Turf Moor which does neither side any favours as both occupy bottom-four places.

Doncaster Rovers consilodated their bright start to the season with their first win at home over Coventry City. The victory lifts them a point clear of the Addicks in tenth.

Reading were involved in another 4-2 ding-dong match in a week but this time emerged winners as they finally polished off a fragile Palace defence which was particularly vulnerable from set-pieces. Paddy McCarthy might feel relieved that he was subbed at half-time as couldn't be blamed for the three second have goals they conceded. Two weeks ago Neil Warnock was spouting off about how hard his team were going to be to beat this season. Maybe it was wishful thinking on his part as they languish second from bottom on two points.

Cardiff City got a creditable draw at Sheffield United to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. The Championship's biggest crowd of the day, 29,226, were there to see it. Sheffield rivals, Wednesday, got a an equally creditable draw at Swansea where they came back from a Ferrie Bodde goal (another Charlton-linked player) to equalise after 70 minutes.

Watford managed to squeak another home win in the late game by scoring two minutes from time to beat an unfortunate Ipswich by two goals to one.

In the only other game yesterday, poor old Derby County made it 36 games without a league win by going down 2-0 at Oakwell despite looking the better side. They are anchored to the bottom of the table and Paul Jewell looks like he could be the Championships' first managerial casualty. He already has some explaining to do to the Derby Board after he confirmed yesterday that he had picked his Captain for the game by pulling his name from a hat. Derby probably can't afford to sack Paul Jewell but they can't afford to get relegated either.

Elsewhere, Hull City's Premier League bubble was well and truly burst with a 5-0 hammering at home by unfashionable Wigan. Wigan at home is one of the games promoted clubs have to win if they hope to survive and the manner of their defeat is significant. Stoke City were also undone at Middlesborough where Amdy Faye's first half dismissal for a two-footed lunge changed the balance of the game in Boro's favour. Tottenham's point at Stamford Bridge from Darren bent's equaliser leaves the other promoted side, West Brom, bottom of the table. I think it might only be a matter of time before they are joined by Hull and Stoke.

Alan Curbishley will have enjoyed his red wine last night smug in the knowledge that West Ham's 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers moves them up to 4th and respresents their best start for 9 years. The fact that Curbs has only ever managed Charlton Athletic is really not a good enough excuse for wanting him sacked and some of West Ham's less thoughful supporters, as well as the media, should take note.