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Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

Sports Mole selects its best XI, biggest numpty and favourite goal from Saturday's Championship action.

It was a brilliant day for the top and bottom three in the Championship as all 24 sides played on a jam-packed Saturday.

League leaders Leicester City maintained their eight-point lead at the top by seeing off Ipswich Town 3-0, while Burnley and Derby County kept up the pressure with wins over Notttingham Forest and Bournemouth respectively.

Down the other end, Yeovil Town, Barnsley and Charlton Athletic all picked up much-needed wins.

Below, Sports Mole picks out its best XI as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and the best goal from Saturday's games.

Ali Al-Habsi (Wigan Athletic)
Wigan closed to within a point of the playoff places by snatching victory at Brighton & Hove Albion. The Latics were second-best for much of the game and had Al-Habsi to thank for several key saves.

Kieran Trippier (Burnley)
Another week, another appearance for Trippier at right-back. The Burnley man now has 13 assists this season, and his skill and cross for Vokes's second against Forest was delightful. The division's standout right-back this season.
Shane Duffy (Yeovil)
Bottom club Yeovil ended a run of five games without a win by edging out Doncaster Rovers at Huish Park, with Duffy a rock at the back.
Martin Cranie (Barnsley)
Like Duffy, Cranie was solid as the Tykes came past Millwall. He also provided the pass for Jim O'Brien to score the winning goal.
Stephen Warnock (Leeds United)
A dogged display from the experienced left-back as Leeds played out a goalless draw against Middlesbrough.

Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers)
Conway opened his account for Blackburn and what an important goal it was as Rovers won at Reading to reignite their playoff hopes.
Jay Spearing (Bolton Wanderers)
Bolton were in danger of being dragged towards the bottom three but ended a run of nine winless games with victory over Watford. Spearing was a composed figure in the middle and also provided an assist.
Johnnie Jackson (Charlton)
Jackson found the net in the dying moments for a crucial goal as the Addicks shocked promotion-chasing Queens Park Rangers.
Jeremy Helan (Sheffield Wednesday)
Helan's persistence resulted in the opening goal as the Owls produced an excellent away performance to beat Huddersfield Town and continue their charge away from the drop zone.

Lee Novak (Birmingham)
Novak scored a match-winning brace against Blackpool as the Blues, like Wednesday, ensured that the lowly sides winning didn't suck them towards the bottom three.
Sam Vokes (Burnley)
Vokes's strike partner Danny Ings has now gone three league games without a goal, but it hasn't hurt Burnley too much. Vokes provided two goals in the first half as Burnley swatted away fellow high-flyers Forest.

Numpty of the Week

Jay Tabb: A trip to Leicester was never going to be easy for Ipswich but they didn't help themselves by defending poorly and Tabb's weak back-pass gifted the opener to Jamie Vardy.

Goal of the Week

Chris Martin (Derby) vs. Bournemouth: Known for his persistence and tenacity in attack, Martin showed that he can take free kicks too by curling home an 85th-minute winner for Derby against Bournemouth.

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Burnley right-back Kieran Trippier looks on during a Championship match on August 3, 2013
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Championship Team of the Week
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester463141189414897
3Leeds UnitedLeeds462791081433890
4Southampton462691187632487
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
6Norwich CityNorwich4621101579641573
7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


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