Derby swept to the top of the Championship after coming from behind twice to beat 10-man Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 at the iPro Stadium on Saturday.

Steve McClaren’s team knew Middlesbrough’s 1-0 defeat against Leeds earlier in the day had presented them with an opportunity to steal a march on their promotion rivals.

But the Rams initially made hard work of it as Lewis McGugan bagged his first goal for Wednesday in the 20th minute.

Jake Buxton headed the hosts level in the 47th minute, only for Will Keane to fire the Owls back in front in the 55th minute.

Derby showed their character to recover from that blow as Buxton equalised again in the 68th minute with another header before Darren Bent converted a penalty after Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood was sent off in the 75th minute for a professional foul.

“We said to the players at half-time that this could be a very big three points if we comeback and I think in the end we wore Wednesday down with constant pressure and the tempo of our football,” McClaren said.

“But we have to eradicate mistakes otherwise conceding nine goals in the next four games will get us nowhere.”

Derby’s win moved them two points ahead of second placed Middlesbrough, who slipped to their first defeat in 10 league matches.

Aitor Karanka’s team were beaten at home for the first time since August as Alex Mowatt struck in the third minute for fast-improving Leeds.

“Today is the kind of day you cannot explain. We are frustrated because we have done everything to win this game and we haven’t won it,” Karanka said.

“I can’t say anything bad about my players because they have done their best.

“The best thing is to play again on Tuesday against Bolton. This team always reacts very well after a defeat.”

– Lost ground –

Third-placed Bournemouth also lost ground in the promotion race with a 3-1 defeat at play-off contenders Brentford.

The Bees took an early lead through Jonathan Douglas and although Marc Pugh hit back for the visitors, Alex Pritchard’s free-kick on the stroke of half-time put Brentford back in front and Chris Long added a late third.

Ipswich, in fourth place, slipped up as Reading won 1-0 at Portman Road thanks to Jamie Mackie’s 14th minute goal.

Norwich gave their promotion hopes a boost and dented Watford’s as Lewis Grabban’s double, his first from the penalty spot, sandwiched Cameron Jerome’s emphatic finish in a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road.

Wolves kept pace with the play-off chasers as two goals from Benik Afobe and efforts from Nouha Dicko, Dave Edwards and Bakary Sako completed a 5-0 rout against Rotherham at Molineux, while Nottingham Forest crushed Bolton 4-1.

Brighton’s Joao Teixeira and Inigo Calderon both struck twice in a 4-3 win over Birmingham that boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation.

Millwall remain third bottom after a 0-0 draw against Fulham at The Den.

Huddersfield’s home game against Cardiff ended goalless, while Blackburn were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom of the table Blackpool at Ewood Park.