A first-half goal from captain Billy Sharp gave Sheffield United a 1-0 win against Huddersfield in a lacklustre affair at Bramall Lane.
Sharp netted after 15 minutes to earn the Blades a fifth victory in six Sky Bet Championship matches.
The result lifts United level on points with leaders Burnley, who have a game in hand, while Huddersfield remain at the foot of the table.
Teemu Pukki scored his eighth goal of the season to move Norwich up to fourth place in the Championship, following a 1-0 win at Swansea.
The Finnish striker had not managed a goal in his five previous matches, but scored inside the opening minute as Swansea paid the price for a lacklustre opening after a month’s inactivity.
Pukki netted after just 58 seconds and although Swansea controlled most of the match thereafter, the home side lacked precision and a cutting edge to break down a well-organised Canaries defence.
Preston served Lancashire rivals Blackburn a harsh wake-up call and illustrated their own automatic promotion credentials with a 4-1 win at Ewood Park.
Ben Woodburn got North End up and running in snowy conditions and in-form Ched Evans swept in a second after Rovers were caught playing out from the back.
A neat finish from Bradley Dack reduced the deficit, but a superb header from Evans and a 20-yard drive from Ben Whiteman made sure of a thumping derby triumph for the visitors.
Substitute Matt Crooks scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner for Middlesbrough as 10-man Luton suffered a 2-1 Championship defeat in Rob Edwards’ first game in charge.
Edwards got off to the perfect start when Jordan Clark fired the Hatters in front at the Riverside before Chuba Akpom levelled for Boro.
But Crooks’ last-gasp winner came after Amari’i Bell was sent off, with the win extending Michael Carrick’s side’s unbeaten stretch to five games.
Bristol City kickstarted their season with a 3-1 victory at Rotherham.
The Robins had not won at Rotherham since 1995 but an own goal, plus strikes from Joe Williams and Cameron Pring bucked the trend and also ensured they leapfrogged Rotherham in the table.
Stoke and Cardiff showed no signs of rust from the Championship’s World Cup break as they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Bet365 Stadium.
The visiting Bluebirds notched an early opener when Ryan Wintle slotted home inside six minutes. Tyrese Campbell’s leveller moments later sparked the Potters into life and instigated a quickfire comeback.
Manchester City loanee Liam Delap completed the turnaround with less than 18 minutes on the clock in an action-packed start.
Cardiff’s persistence in their pursuit of a second-half equaliser was rewarded with Callum Robinson ensuring the match finished all square.
Kolo Toure had to settle for a point on his managerial debut as Wigan and Millwall played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at The Den.
Will Keane put the Latics into the lead after 33 minutes when firing home from the centre of the box into a virtually empty net, with Millwall goalkeeper George Long cruelly deceived by a series of deflected efforts.
It did not take long, however, for the home side to respond and Zian Flemming smashed home with a sensational volley after Tom Bradshaw’s clever chest down.
Coventry’s impressive progress prior to the World Cup break came to an abrupt halt on their return to action as they lost 1-0 at Reading.
The Sky Blues went behind 12 minutes into the second period, when Frenchman Amadou Mbengue was on hand to nod in his first Reading goal. And City, try as they did, were unable to force a fightback as the hosts held on with relative ease.
Meanwhile, Blackpool ended a run of four consecutive defeats by holding Birmingham to a hard-fought 0-0 draw at Bloomfield Road
Sky Bet League One
Ipswich returned to the Sky Bet League One summit for the first time since September after they edged out Peterborough and saw previous leaders Plymouth held at Cambridge.
A Conor Chaplin double helped Kieran McKenna’s side clinch a 2-1 win in an early kick-off at Portman Road.
Frankie Kent had found the net for out-of-form Posh but Chaplin struck early in the second half and it proved enough to put them back on top.
Plymouth knew victory away to struggling Cambridge later in the day would see them return to first position, but they struggled to break down the hosts and had goalkeeper Michael Cooper’s second-half heroics to thank for a 0-0 draw.
Sheffield Wednesday remain third after Callum Paterson’s stoppage-time effort secured a 1-1 draw at Exeter.
Jake Caprice fired the Grecians in front after 56 minutes at St James Park, but Paterson had the final say when he found the bottom corner with time running out.
Shrewsbury’s late show stunned Bolton with Chey Dunkley’s stoppage-time header earning the hosts a 3-2 win.
Dion Charles’ brace had visiting Wanderers on course for all three points after cancelling out Rob Street’s opener, but Christian Saydee levelled with 11 minutes left at Montgomery Waters Meadow to set up a grandstand finish.
Centre-back Dunkley ensured the Shrewsbury supporters’ went home happy and also atoned for giving away a penalty when he headed home late on to settle the five-goal thriller.
Victor Adeboyejo hit his 12th goal of the campaign to earn Burton a 1-1 draw at home to Derby.
James Collins’ header put the promotion-chasing Rams ahead at half-time, but Adeboyejo’s smart finish from Terry Taylor’s corner after 79 minutes ensured the spoils were shared between the local rivals.
Myles Peart-Harris’ late goal fired Forest Green to a 1-0 home win over Cheltenham.
The Brentford loanee headed home Harry Boyes’ free-kick with 15 minutes left to earn bragging rights in the Gloucestershire derby.
Joey Barton celebrated his 100th game in charge of Bristol Rovers with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Port Vale.
The clash looked to be heading for a goalless draw until Aaron Collins’ drilled in from outside the area with three minutes left.
Birthday boy Daniel Batty scored late on for Fleetwood to complete their turnaround at MK Dons.
Warren O’Hora put the home side in front early in the second half but Carl Johnston levelled before Batty found the top corner deep into stoppage-time to inspire a 2-1 victory.
Lincoln and Wycombe played out a stalemate at the LNER Stadium with the 0-0 draw maintaining the Imps’ unbeaten home record under boss Mark Kennedy this season.
Oxford’s home fixture with Barnsley was postponed on Saturday morning due to a frozen pitch to follow in the footsteps of Morecambe and Accrington, who saw their home matches with Charlton and Portsmouth, respectively, called off on Friday, with their pitches deemed unplayable.
Sky Bet League Two
Stevenage missed the chance to reduce leaders Leyton Orient’s lead at the top of Sky Bet League Two after a goalless draw at home to Mansfield.
Boro remain four points behind Richie Wellens’ men as a result, with Town 10 points further back in fifth.
Kyle Knoyle struck after 58 minutes for Doncaster to see them to a win 1-0 against Newport at Rodney Parade. They climb to 10th as a result.
Colchester remain in the relegation zone after a 1-0 defeat away at Sutton.
A Rob Milsom penalty deep into first-half stoppage time made sure of the victory for Matt Gray’s men, while Ossama Ashley was sent off for the Essex side.
A second half goal from Jake Burton was not enough to inspire Tranmere to a comeback win against Grimsby at Blundell Park.
Brendan Kiernan set the Mariners on their way after seven minutes and Niall Maher added a second after the break, before Burton’s consolation.
Elsewhere, Swindon and AFC Wimbledon played out a goalless draw at the County Ground.
