Leon Cort scored a second-half equaliser as Stoke drew 1-1 with Blackpool to move a point clear at the top of the Championship.

Blackpool striker Ben Burgess had opened the scoring in the 37th minute when Potters goalkeeper Carlo Nash was unable to stop his low shot from 20 yards out.

But Cort levelled two minutes after the half-time interval when he headed Paul Gallagher's corner past Paul Rachubka from close range.

The result moved Tony Pulis' side clear of second-placed Bristol City, who slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Cardiff at Ninian Park.

Roger Johnson gave Dave Jones' side the lead moments before the break although Dele Adebola pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 73rd minute.

The Bluebirds clinched the points with 10 minutes remaining when Marvin Elliott brought down Stephen McPhail inside the penalty area.

Peter Whittingham took the resulting spot-kick and saw his shot parried by Adriano Basso but was able to bundle home the rebound.

Watford closed the gap on the second automatic promotion spot after a battling 1-1 draw with 10-man Plymouth at Home Park.

The Pilgrims had taken the lead through Jermaine Easter in the 34th minute but Lee Williamson levelled three minutes later, while Peter Halmosi was sent off in the 68th minute for a second bookable offence.

Goals from Dean Marney (45) and Caleb Folan (76) saw Hull climb to third with a 2-0 win at Leicester.

Marney could even afford to miss a 65th-minute penalty as Hull's fifth victory from the last six matches moved them within two points of the automatic promotion places.

Sheffield Wednesday remain in the relegation zone after Matthew Lawrence netted a late equaliser to give play-off chasing Crystal Palace a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough.

Ben Sahar (18) had given the Owls the lead before Ben Watson equalised for the Eagles five minutes before the break.

Wade Small looked like he had given Wednesday the points when he netted in the 68th minute but Lawrence's header in the second minute of injury time secured a draw.

Andy Keogh scored in the sixth minute of added time to give Wolves a point in a 3-3 draw with QPR at Molineux.

Akos Buzsaky (28) put QPR ahead but Keogh (45) levelled before Dexter Blackstock (49) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (67) both converted from the penalty spot.

Mikele Leigertwood (79) looked like he had given Rangers the points but Keogh equalised with the last kick.

Coventry remain a point above the relegation places after they were held to a goalless draw away to fellow strugglers Southampton while Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp struck a 77th-minute winner against Barnsley at Oakwell.

Scunthorpe are six points adrift of safety after they were beaten by Ipswich.

Pablo Counago (19) and Luis Castro Sito (71) gave Jim Magilton's side a 2-0 lead while Ben May netted an injury-time consolation for the Iron. Counago and Jack Cork were both shown red cards in the 51st minute.

A Jamie Cureton hat-trick (36, 53, 87) helped Norwich thrash bottom side Colchester 5-1 at Carrow Road. Jon Otsemobor (6) and Dion Dublin (90) also both scored for the Canaries while Kevin Lisbie scored the visitors' only goal in the 41st minute.

In the day's early kick-off Tamas Priskin (5) and Chris Brown (54) gave Preston a 2-1 win over Burnley at Deepdale. James O'Connor had equalised for the Clarets in the 38th minute, who had Clarke Carlisle sent off in the dying stages.

Sporting Life / Eurosport