WATFORD reaffirmed their automatic Championship promotion hopes by hitting back from two goals down to condemn Leeds to a second successive league defeat and close the gap on overnight leaders Derby.

Billy Sharp struck an early opener for Leeds on his return to the side and Rudy Austin added a second, but Troy Deeney reduced the deficit shortly before the interval and Matej Vydra fired his ninth and 10th goals of the season as Watford won 3-2 to climb within three points of Derby.

Steve McClaren’s side went behind to first-half goals from Nikolay Bodurov and Cauley Woodrow at Fulham and never recovered, while Middlesbrough lost by the same 2-0 scoreline at Sheffield Wednesday.

Bradley Johnson fired another fine goal as Norwich moved just three points away from the summit by claiming derby honours at Carrow Road.

Johnson and Lewis Grabban netted in a richly deserved 2-0 victory over Ipswich, a sixth successive win for Norwich as they took full advantage of the defeats suffered by the top two on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest are still unbeaten under manager Dougie Freedman after a 3-0 win at Reading, where second- half goals from Ben Osborn, Matty Fryatt and Gary Gardner clinched a third straight league win.

Huddersfield manager Chris Powell made an unhappy first return to former club Charlton, where goals from Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Tony Watt, who struck twice, secured the home side a comfortable 3-0 win.

Brentford defender James Tarkowski’s own goal was enough to seal victory for Birmingham at St Andrew's.

Bakary Sako struck for Wolves who maintained their play-off chase with a 1-0 win at Cardiff and Zach Clough’s strike clinched Bolton a 1-0 home win against Brighton.

Kari Arnason headed an 85th-minute winner for Rotherham in their 2-1 home win to Millwall, while Wigan clinched their first league win in 11 games in a 3-1 success at bottom club Blackpool.