Due to the weather it was a much reduced Championship fixture list with Doncaster, Hull, Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Portsmouth all unable to host a match due to pitch and safety concerns.

This did not stop this weekend being action packed with each fixture averaging three goals per game.

Those that battled the sub zero temperatures included Swansea who made the trip to East Anglia and were able to beat Ipswich courtesy of a Craig Beattie brace that will heap more pressure on Roy Keane as the Tractor Boys extended their losing streak to five games.

Second placed Cardiff scored late to deny Preston a shock victory; however the draw will be seen as an opportunity lost to close the gap on leaders QPR who were not in action.

Around the play off places Coventry and Leeds took advantage of half the league not playing by putting points on the board with Leeds creeping into the play off places after looking to be heading for defeat before a late double from Luciano Bechhio cancelled out Neil Danns opener.

Whilst in the midlands Derby were shocked as Norwich made a blistering start to go two goals up after just fifteen minutes and the Rams were only able to get one goal back meaning they dropped out of play off places as Norwich surged to fourth.

The takeover talk at Watford seemed to buoy confidence as the Hornets took advantage of the condensed Championship table with a late winner in an action packed 3-2 victory that moved the club five places to tenth.

Finally in the late kick off Steve Morison scored twice to help Millwall thump Scunthorpe by three goals to nil.