No complaints for Newcastle boss Hughton

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton admitted his Championship leaders could have no complaints after they were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

Hughton's side are unbeaten in 10 matches and eight points clear at the top of the table, but they were forced to settle for a point by managerless Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Luke Varney put Wednesday ahead in the 14th minute but Kevin Nolan equalised five minutes later before Shola Ameobi struck for the visitors in the 22nd minute.

Wednesday, now third bottom of the English second tier after 10 games without a win, refused to surrender and were rewarded in the 59th minute when James O'Connor fired home from six yards despite a foul on Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper.

"We have no given right to win any game and we faced a spirited Sheffield Wednesday side," Hughton said.

"We didn't start the game well and gave away a poor goal. I think it's disappointing, whenever you lead in a game, if you don't go on and finish the job off."

With Newcastle frustrated, Albion moved a little closer to first place by brushing aside bottom of the table Peterborough at the Hawthorns.

Roberto Di Matteo's team, who have a game in hand on Newcastle, moved in front in the 61st minute through Luke Moore.

An own goal from Peterborough defender Ryan Bennett six minutes later secured Albion's first win in four matches.

Nottingham Forest remain third, two points behind Albion, after a 0-0 draw at Watford.

Forest were under pressure for long periods and only escaped with a point, which extended their unbeaten run to 15 matches and preserved the country's last undefeated away record, when referee Andy D'Urso ruled that Nicky Shorey had not intentionally handled Henri Lansbury's injury-time shot.

Watford boss Malky Mackay said: "I think myself, the fourth official, their bench, 15,000 people and the boy himself (Shorey) - who admitted it to one of the players afterwards - saw the hand go from down by his side to up and stopped the ball going into an empty net.

"I've seen it six times on the video but the first reaction is always the one that you look at to start with and it was amazement."

Leicester moved into fourth place with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United while Cardiff's promotion hopes suffered a blow as they were beaten 1-0 at home by struggling Plymouth.

The Pilgrims had failed to score in their last five league matches but Gary Sawyer's 84th-minute strike deflected off Mark Hudson to stun the 24,000 crowd - - Cardiff's biggest Boxing Day attendance for 39 years.

Cardiff's south Wales rivals Swansea are in sixth after a 1-1 draw at Reading.

Ipswich manager Roy Keane accused Crystal Palace's players of getting Jon Stead sent off during his side's stormy 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.

Stead received a straight red card for a 39th minute challenge on Palace forward Freddie Sears and Keane was incensed at the way the Eagles' players reacted by crowding around referee Paul Taylor immediately after the mis-timed tackle.

"Other players, other managers, trying to get players sent off. It's ridiculous. That's the horrible side of football," Keane said.

"It's up to the official but officials are put under pressure in different ways when players are sprinting up to the referee trying to get a fellow pro sent off.

"They're all supposed to be in a union together, they'll no doubt be at a dinner together at the end of the season."

Elsewhere, play-off hopefuls QPR secured a 2-1 success against Bristol City, Coventry beat Doncaster 1-0 and Middlesbrough routed Scunthorpe 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium.

LONDON, Sunday, AFP