Leicester stayed three points clear at the top of the Championship as they ended a three-game losing run with a 1-0 victory at Sunderland on a night when the top three sides won.
The Foxes retained their advantage over Ipswich, who needed a late Leif Davis goal to come from behind and beat Bristol City 3-2, while third-placed Leeds kept pace with a 1-0 win over Stoke.
Jamie Vardy’s 13th goal of the season came in the 13th minute and did the trick for Leicester, with their goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen, making a fine save to deny Trai Hume an equaliser as Sunderland fell to a fifth straight defeat.
The Leicester manager, Enzo Maresca, said of Vardy: “We know very well that Jamie is so important for us. He has been so important this season and he will be important for the end of the season. He has experience, but also he has done in his life and is doing the most important thing in football, that is scoring goals.”
Ipswich stayed in touch but only after a frantic second half at Portman Road. Anis Mehmeti put the Robins in front, and although Ali al-Hamadi equalised, City were back in front through Tommy Conway’s header in the 77th minute. Conor Chaplin headed Ipswich level with 10 minutes to go before Davis got the winner.
Dan James’ first-half goal ensured Leeds remain only two points off second place. James had already missed a couple of decent chances before breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute. Stoke had chances to level but finished the night with 10 men as the substitute Ben Pearson was shown a second yellow card in the 86th minute.
Stoke’s defeat saw Sheffield Wednesday move level on points with them near the foot of the table, with the Owls now in the relegation zone only on goal difference after a 1-0 victory over Plymouth made it four wins in succession. Djeidi Gassama got the all-important goal on the hour mark, turning in Ike Ugbo’s cross.
Wednesday’s win saw the gap to rock-bottom Rotherham grow to 19 points as they were thrashed 5-0 by Coventry, who sit three points off the playoff places. Ellis Simms scored a first-half hat-trick at the CBS Arena, with Joel Latibeaudiere also on target as Coventry led 4-0 by half-time. Fábio Tavares finished things off in stoppage time.
Birmingham secured an important point in their fight against the drop with a 1-1 draw at playoff contenders Hull, leaving Blues one point clear of the bottom three. Ozan Tufan headed Hull in front in the first half but the Tigers failed to press home their advantage and Lukas Jutkiewicz levelled in the 82nd minute.
Blackburn sit two points clear of the drop zone after Sammie Szmodics salvaged a point from a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Millwall at Ewood Park. Szmodics pounced on a defensive error to fire home just past the hour mark, 10 minutes after Michael Obafemi had lashed the Lions in front.