Burnley Held to a Goalless Draw by Preston North End in Lancashire Derby
Burnley were unable to move into second place in the Championship after a goalless draw with Preston North End in a local derby at Deepdale. Scott Parker’s team could have overtaken Sheffield United, who are currently in second place, with a win, but they remain two points behind the Blades and four points adrift of league leaders Leeds United, both of whom have a game in hand.
The Clarets have now kept a clean sheet in their last 11 league games, an impressive run of 1,090 minutes without conceding a goal. Meanwhile, Preston sit in 14th place with 41 points.
The game saw a flashpoint in the second half when Milutin Osmajic appeared to say something to Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri, which visibly upset the latter. Mejbri was later substituted, and the incident was reported to the match officials.
Bristol City Held to a Draw by Cardiff City
In another Championship match, play-off chasing Bristol City dropped points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cardiff City. Bristol captain Jason Knight headed home from Yu Hirakawa’s free-kick to give the Robins the lead on the hour mark, but Cian Ashford set up Yousef Salech for a late equalizer in the 90th minute, ensuring the points were shared.
Bristol City missed the opportunity to enter the play-off places and remain seventh, one point behind sixth-placed West Brom. Cardiff City, on the other hand, are 20th, three points clear of the relegation zone.
– Bristol City captain Jason Knight scored the opening goal
– Yousef Salech scored a late equalizer for Cardiff City
– Bristol City remain seventh, one point behind sixth-placed West Brom
– Cardiff City are 20th, three points clear of the relegation zone
Portsmouth Climb Further Away from Relegation Zone
In another Championship match, Portsmouth pulled further away from the drop zone after they beat Oxford United 2-0. Goals from Andre Dozzell and Mark O’Mahony secured the three points for Portsmouth, who are now 18th with 36 points, just two points behind 16th-placed Oxford.
1. Andre Dozzell scored for Portsmouth
2. Mark O’Mahony also found the net for Portsmouth
3. Portsmouth are now 18th, two points behind 16th-placed Oxford
In conclusion, the Championship action this weekend saw Burnley held to a goalless draw by Preston North End, while Bristol City and Cardiff City shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Meanwhile, Portsmouth secured a vital 2-0 victory over Oxford United to move further away from the relegation zone.
Remember, the key to success in the Championship is consistency, and the teams that can maintain their form throughout the season will be the ones that ultimately achieve their goals, whether that’s promotion, a play-off spot, or survival.
