DERBY DELIGHT

Rickie Lambert struck a hat-trick as Southampton charged on at the top of the npower Championship standings after seeing off 10-man Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at St Mary's.

Southampton made it 20 successive home wins thanks to a second-half treble from the division's top scorer Lambert, who opened the scoring in the 49th minute before taking his league tally to the season to 12 with penalties in the 58th and 69th minutes.

Brighton played over half an hour with a man less after defender Mauricio Taricco was shown a straight red card for dissent in the aftermath of the first penalty decision.

HAPPY TRIPS HOME

The victory sees Nigel Adkins' side remain five points clear of second-placed West Ham United, who fought back from a half-time deficit to defeat struggling Coventry City 2-1.

Hosts Coventry, looking for only a second win in 11 league games, took a 33rd minute lead through Clive Platt but two goals in six second half minutes from Carlton Cole and Frederic Piquionne earned West Ham the points. Third-placed Middlesbrough lost ground on the leading pair after they were held 2-2 at home by Blackpool.

That result allowed fourth-placed Cardiff City to close the gap on Boro to one point after they claimed a 2-1 win at Reading, Peter Whittingham opening the scoring in the second minute and Mark Hudson adding a second 20 minutes from time before Reading pulled a goal back through Jimmy Kebe.

In the day's early kick-off, a late double from Robert Snodgrass earned Leeds United a 2-1 comeback win over Burnley at Turf Moor. Burnley had taken a 10th minute lead through a Jay Rodriguez header but Snodgrass struck in the 76th and 89th minutes to help Leeds claim the win and move into the top five.

Hull City enjoyed the ideal start under new caretaker manager Nick Barmby as they picked up a 2-0 away win over Derby County. Both goals came in the opening 23 minutes with Matt Fryatt and Cameron Stewart the men on target.

ELSEWHERE IN THE DIVISION

Marcus Tudgay scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Nottingham Forest a 3-2 home victory over Ipswich Town. Ipswich had twice led through goals from Danny Collins, but Forest hit back with strikes from Robbie Findley, Joel Lynch and Tudgay - the last two goals coming in the final six minutes.

Improving Watford picked up their third win in four matches after seeing off Portsmouth 2-0 following first half goals from Michael Kightly and Marvin Sordell, while Birmingham City and Peterborough United played out a 1-1 draw, with Marlon King's first half effort being cancelled out by Grant McCann's free-kick on the hour.

Doncaster Rovers remain rooted to the foot of the table after going down 2-0 at Barnsley, for whom Craig Davies netted both goals.

QUICK LINKS: RESULTS | TABLES | LINE-UPS | STATS | FIXTURES