Aleksandar Mitrovic maintained his stunning scoring streak with a hat-trick as Fulham claimed a 3-0 Championship victory over West Brom at Craven Cottage in a game that ended with both teams reduced to 10 men.
Mitrovic's opening goal meant it was a great start to Saturday for Sporting Life followers, delivering a 7/4 winner as first scorer.
The result means Fulham opened up a four-point gap to third-placed Albion, while Valerian Ismael’s side were forced to count the cost of a contentious penalty decision and a mistake by Robert Snodgrass that gifted the Cottagers a two-goal half-time lead.
The visitors were also unhappy with the decision to send off wing-back Darnell Furlong in the 70th minute, with Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo also collecting a red card in the 85th minute.
Mitrovic took full advantage of the chances that came his way, rapping up his second treble of the season in the 82nd minute as he scored for the fourth-successive match.
The striker has now scored eight goals during those last four games and his second treble of the season takes his tally so far this campaign to 18 league goals.
Championship round-up
Fourth-placed Coventry beat Hull 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Matt Godden, and Huddersfield climbed to fifth after Jonathan Hogg’s late header sank Millwall 1-0.
There was a remarkable game at the Bet365 Stadium as Stoke let a 3-0 lead slip in a 3-3 draw with managerless Cardiff.
Jacob Brown put the hosts ahead after 10 minutes and Steven Fletcher grabbed a goal in each half to put them in control.
But three goals in five minutes hauled Cardiff level. Rubin Colwill pulled one back in the 66th minute, Mark Harris added a second and Kieffer Moore struck a minute later to complete the fightback.
Bristol City won their first home game since January 26.
Andi Weimann’s double was enough to give them a 2-1 victory and all three points against lowly Barnsley, who opened the scoring through Leya Iseka.
First-half goals from Jake Bidwell, Joel Piroe and Olivier Ntcham handed Swansea a 3-0 win over Peterborough.
Ben Brereton Diaz scored twice in the first 20 minutes as Blackburn beat bottom side Derby 2-1, Curtis Davies grabbing the Rams’ consolation a minute from full-time.
Emil Riis celebrated his new contract at Preston with both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Luton.
Two goals in three second-half minutes from Marc Roberts and Scott Hogan gave Birmingham a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough, and Keshi Anderson’s late goal secured a 1-0 victory for Blackpool at Sheffield United.