Championship roundup: Plymouth rock leaders Sunderland in five-goal thriller

A dramatic stoppage-time winner from captain Joe Edwards ended Sunderland’s unbeaten Championship start and gave Wayne Rooney his first victory as Plymouth manager. Man-of-the-match Edwards was first to react when Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson brilliantly saved Kornel Szucs’ thunderous effort in the third minute of added time, letting fly with an equally venomous strike to make it 3-2.
A Daniel Ballard own goal and Ryan Hardie’s penalty had seen Plymouth come back from behind after Patrick Roberts’ first-half penalty, with Romaine Mundle equalising late on for Sunderland before Edwards had the final say against the leaders.
While third-placed Burnley ended Leeds’ unbeaten start to the season via a stunning first-half breakaway goal from Luca Koleosho, Blackburn in second beat Bristol City 3-0 in a dominant display at Ewood Park. Yuki Ohashi scored twice more – making it five goals in five games since signing from Sanfrecce Hiroshima – following Lewis Travis’s opener.
Watford and Coventry drew 1-1 in an entertaining game at Vicarage Road. It was an awful start for the home side, who for the third game in a row fell behind after less than four minutes when Ellis Simms directed a header off a post and into the net. Tom Dele-Bashiru equalised on 67 minutes from close range.
Oxford manager Des Buckingham hailed his players after they saw off Stoke 1-0 thanks to Idris El Mizouni’s strike shortly after half-time. It has been a perfect start to life at the Kassam Stadium since the U’s returned to the Championship, as they have now won all three home games so far this term. “I hope our fans realise that a lot of really hard work has gone in this victory again today,” said Buckingham. “We’re putting together a way we want to play: collectively we’ve been impressive again.”
Kenzo Goudmijn’s first-half goal earned Derby a ninth straight home league win as they overcame bottom side Cardiff 1-0 at Pride Park. Goudmijn scored the game’s only goal after 28 minutes with a first-time finish from Callum Elder’s low ball into the box to settle the contest after Rams goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom had made a string of fine saves in the first half. Victory extends Derby’s fine run at home, while Cardiff have failed to win any of their opening five games.
Mads Frokjaer-Jensen’s beautifully cushioned volley earned Preston a 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough. The Danish midfielder pounced two minutes before half-time to cancel out Tommy Conway’s opening goal for Boro in the 16th minute. Chances after the restart were few and far between and neither team could find the vital breakthrough and had to settle for a point.
Swansea edged out Norwich 1-0 to secure their first league victory in three matches. Amankwah Forson’s fourth-minute own goal was all that separated the sides in a game between two teams still in early-season transition.
Two goals in stoppage time made for an incredible finale as Sheffield Wednesday drew 1-1 with QPR at Hillsborough. Owls captain Barry Bannan thought he had given his side victory with a superb finish but substitute Alfie Lloyd scrambled in an equaliser with the last kick of the game.
And Luton manager Rob Edwards felt his team were dragged into a battle while trying to see out their 1-0 victory at Millwall as their winless run finally came to an end. Luton had not tasted victory since they beat Bournemouth in the Premier League on 9 April, a run that took in 11 games and their relegation, but Teden Mengi’s early strike set them on the way. They struggled in the closing stages, however, and were indebted to two big saves from goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski. “In the end, they sort of wore us down and there were a lot of long free-kicks and long throws,” said Edwards. “It just became a real battle. But we showed some character, some fight.”