West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes his team may have taken a giant stride back towards the Barclays Premier League after their London derby triumph over Millwall.
Goals from Carlton Cole and Winston Reid secured a 2-1 victory at Upton Park on Sunday, and West Ham now have a four-point lead over second-placed Southampton, and a six-point cushion above Cardiff, who stand third.
Allardyce went so far as to acclaim it the greatest victory of his career, and it is now four npower Championship wins in five this year for West Ham after a dismal December.
The Hammers, relegated in May last year, were able to put their midweek 5-1 thrashing at Ipswich behind them to get the better of a Millwall side who briefly drew level midway through the second half when Liam Trotter scored.
The ninth-minute dismissal of captain Kevin Nolan for a two-footed lunge into a tackle on Jack Smith had complicated the Hammers’ task.
Allardyce, who questioned that red card, told West Ham TV: “That is probably the best win I’ve ever had as a manager, wherever I have been.
“Everybody did their job. In and out of possession, we were superb.
“As a manager, when you see your team go down to 10 men and you see that spirit and desire to commit everything that you’ve got for themselves and the fans, it is absolutely magnificent.”
The former Bolton and Newcastle manager said in his post-match press conference: “We managed the disappointment of Kevin going off, we didn’t sit back and we got our reward.
“It could be a defining moment. There’s a pressure in this fixture and you have to handle that.”
The lunchtime result looked even better by the evening, after promotion rivals Southampton and Birmingham played out a goalless draw in the snow at St Andrew’s.
Southampton manager Nigel Adkins was satisfied with the result but not with losing defender Danny Fox to a late red card, which his Birmingham counterpart Chris Hughton also agreed was a “harsh” verdict.
Fox, having been previously booked, was dismissed after a foul on Chris Burke in the 82nd minute.
Adkins said: “We have an issue in the game at this moment in time. It has been highlighted this season. The players do not know how to react.
“Whenever someone goes for a challenge everyone is up in arms. Is it a sending off? Is it a booking? Is it a perfectly good challenge?
“I think there needs to be some clarity coming out on this question.”
Neil Redfearn, in his first game as caretaker manager of Leeds, saw the Yorkshire side beat 10-man Bristol City 3-0 at Ashton Gate.
The home side finished with nine men after having James Wilson and Yannick Bolasie sent off, and goals from Robert Snodgrass, Ross McCormack and Luciano Becchio made it a day to remember for Redfearn.
But he played it cool when asked about the prospect of taking over permanently, saying: “I feel I am capable of doing the manager’s job and have the necessary experience in the game.
“But the decision will be made from above and I am not stupid – I realise some big names are being linked with the vacancy.”
Michael Chopra’s last-minute goal, his second in the game, earned Ipswich a 3-2 win at Coventry, while Matt Phillips scored twice as Blackpool came from behind to beat promotion rivals Cardiff 3-1.
Brighton edged Leicester 1-0, while Watford beat Barnsley 2-1 at Vicarage Road thanks to John Eustace’s double.
Barnsley boss Keith Hill said: “It was a bit like gardening. And I don’t like gardening so that sums it all for me.”
Burnley drew 1-1 with Peterborough at Turf Moor, while Middlesbrough drew 0-0 against Crystal Palace and the game between Doncaster and Reading and Portsmouth’s match against Hull were postponed due to frozen pitches.