Championship: Managerless Southampton win while Norwich halt losing streak
Southampton earned a much-needed win to move them away from the relegation zone, but Sheffield Wednesday fell just short of three points.
Southampton held on to earn a 2-1 win over QPR in their first match since Will Still's sacking on Sunday.
Led by interim boss Tonda Eckert, the Saints had to hold on to clinch all three points, claiming their first win since September.
QPR failed to take their chances in the first half and were punished for that by Jay Robinson in the 55th minute as he brilliantly finished off a swift counter-attack against the run of play.
Leo Scienza got their second 14 minutes later; his driving run from the halfway line went unchallenged, and he bent a stunning strike past Paul Nardi.
Rumarn Burrell snatched a goal back in the 73rd minute, taking advantage when Gavin Bazunu wandered off his line to head in at the near post, but QPR could not find a late second.
Elsewhere, Norwich City ended their six-match losing streak by fighting back to earn a draw at struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
Barry Bannan put the Owls in front with just four minutes played, opening the scoring with a spectacular strike, but Mathias Kvistgaarden's second goal for Norwich cancelled that out.
It leaves Wednesday bottom of the table on -4 points, with the Canaries also sitting in the relegation zone.
At the other end of the table, Preston North End earned a 2-1 victory over Swansea City to climb up to fourth place.
Thierry Small broke the deadlock just eight minutes in, striking a stunning volley into the back of the net.
Though Swansea threatened an equaliser, Milutin Osmajic got the second goal of the match, hammering in from very close range, and the visitors could not salvage a late point despite Eom Ji-Sung pulling them back into the game 80 minutes in.
And in the other match, Wrexham extended their unbeaten streak in the Championship to four games after playing out an entertaining 0-0 draw with Portsmouth.
Kieffer Moore and Lewis O'Brien both went close for Wrexham, while Josh Murphy and Ibane Bowat missed chances for Portsmouth, who at least ended their three-game losing streak.
Data Debrief: Away day joy for Saints
Ahead of this match, no team had lost more away games since the start of last season than Southampton's 18 (level with Watford), but they came away from Loftus Road triumphant.
They have now won five games on the bounce against QPR for the first time in the Football League.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday have now lost nine points from winning positions in the Championship this season, and are winless in nine home league games (D3 L6).
The pressure stays on Norwich's Liam Manning, though, and he is winless in eight league meetings with Wednesday (D4 L4), the most times he has faced a side without victory in the Football League.
