West Brom blast their way back to the top of the Championship

Round-up: Baggies too strong for Bristol City as Forest move up to fourth with QPR win

West Bromwich Albion’s Hal Robson-Kanu  shoots towards the goal during the  Championship match against Bristol City at The Hawthorns. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire
West Bromwich Albion’s Hal Robson-Kanu shoots towards the goal during the Championship match against Bristol City at The Hawthorns. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire

West Brom moved back to the top of the Championship with a 4-1 victory over Bristol City at The Hawthorns.

Grady Diangana was the key man for Slaven Bilic's side, setting up Kieran Gibbs to open the scoring on 10 minutes with a smart backheel and then being brought down on the edge of the area five minutes from half-time.

Matheus Pereira took full advantage of the dangerous position to curl a left-footed free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.

Famara Diedhiou pulled a goal back for the visitors 10 minutes from time after West Brom failed to clear a corner, but Hal Robson-Kanu made it 3-1 just two minutes later and substitute Charlie Austin completed the scoring in the 87th minute.

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Nottingham Forest moved up to fourth in the table with a 4-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, who had Lee Wallace sent off early in the second half.

Tobias Figueiredo headed Forest in front after 15 minutes and the home side had a mountain to climb when Wallace was shown a straight red card for bringing down Joe Lolley.

It took until the 82nd minute for Lewis Grabban to double his side's lead and further late goals from Joao Carvalho and Alfa Semedo completed a miserable evening for QPR.

At the other end of the table, Middlesbrough moved out of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over bottom side Barnsley at the Riverside.

Ashley Fletcher scored the only goal of the game for Jonathan Woodgate's side to leave Barnsley eight points adrift of safety.

Bradley Dack's 11th-minute goal was enough for Blackburn to get the better of Brentford at Ewood Park, while Hull thrashed Preston 4-0 at the Kcom Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring on the half hour and the home side put the result beyond doubt with two goals in three minutes at the start of the second half.

Josh Magennis made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on 48 minutes after Ryan Ledson had brought down Josh Bowler and Kamil Grosicki put the finishing touches to a sharp passing move just three minutes later.

Bowen grabbed his second of the night and 14th of the season on 77 minutes to complete the rout.

Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham had to settle for a point apiece at Hillsborough, where Kadeem Harris struck in the 81st minute to cancel out Alvaro Gimenez's opener for the visitors early in the second half.