With 46 games on tap this season, the English Championship kicked it up a notch this past week, reaching the frenetic pace it is both reviled and respected for.
All 24 teams played twice with the midweek completing round 12 and the weekend playing out week 13. As always the form book was mostly thrown out the window as parity reared it's head. winning teams lost, losing teams won and once the dust had settled only two teams have completed back to back wins - Crystal Palace, and waitforit, Nottingham Forest.
Palace saw off Bristol City on Tuesday followed by a crucial away win at Ipswich. Both games saw 1-0 wins with Glenn Murray converting a penalty at Selhurst Park while Patrick McCarthy scored the winner at Portman Road. The results continue an excellent unbeaten streak of form that has yielded three straight wins and four wins in five games. They are now up to fourth in the table with 23 points, one behind Boro and West Ham and four behind leaders Southampton.
Nottingham Forest are a different creature altogether. Under new manager Steve Cotteril their last two games have been revelation. Once stuck in the relegation zone after just one win in eight, they have emerged from their atrophy to move up the table, rejuventated under new direction from the top. On Tuesday, previously unbeaten Boro were beaten convincingly at home, 2-0 with Marcus Tudgay and Lewis McGugan scoring 10 minutes before, and after half time respectively. Saturday saw Blackpool dispatched, in their turn, at Bloomfield Road with Wes Morgan and Radoslaw Majewski scoring either side of a solitary Kevin Phillips strike. Forest had picked up six from six and risen to 19th, three spots and four points above the relegation zone.
While the season is long and both teams may yet turn ugly for both sides, there is little denying that the Championship season is better with both a competitive Palace and Forest.
In other results, Southampton remained unbeaten over the pair of games with four points, beating West Ham in midweek before claiming a point at Reading. The Flemish influence was palpable in both games with Dutch Jos Hooiveld notching the winner on Tuesday before Belgian Steve De Ridder scored the late leveller on Saturday. They remain on top, three points clear. Of note is the form of Birmingham City who seem to be mixing their European adventure with excellent league results. After their 2-0 win at Bristol City on Sunday, they have won three games in a row and are unbeaten in four. With three games in hand on everyone else, they are posied to improve on their 14th spot and haul of 17 points.
Five of the top six won on the weekend as the promotion spots are rounded out by Leeds and Derby. With Forest's ascent, Watford, Doncaster and Bristol City are in the bottom three. Watford have lost four on the trot now while Bristol have lost five in row. Rickie Lambert is joined by Ross McCormack at the top of the scoring charts with nine goals apiece.
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