Championship roundup: Tella's treble fires Burnley closer to promotion
Nathan Tella hit a hat-trick as Championship leaders Burnley stepped up their march towards the Premier League with a 3-1 win at Hull on Wednesday.
Tella put Vincent Kompany's side in front just before half-time and the in-form youngster netted again in the second half following good work from Ian Maatsen.
The on-loan Southampton midfielder capped a superb individual performance when he punished poor Hull defending with his 17th league goal this season.
Burnley are 13 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United and 19 ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough with nine games left.
The Clarets are odds-on to return to the top flight after last season's relegation.
Burnley boss Kompany can also look forward to an emotional return to his former club Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
Sheffield United are in pole position to seal the second automatic promotion place after a 2-1 win at Sunderland.
Paul Heckingbottom's team fell behind when Edouard Michut scored his first goal in English football after 30 minutes.
But James McAtee levelled late in the first half and Tommy Doyle's free-kick bounced straight in just after the hour.
Carlton Morris' 16th goal of the season earned Luton a 1-0 win against Bristol City at Kenilworth Road that left them in fourth place.
Ryan Hedges' late strike gave fifth-placed Blackburn a 2-1 over Reading at Ewood Park.
Ben Brereton Diaz's 13th goal of the campaign put Blackburn ahead in the second minute.
Reading's Cesare Casadei bagged his first senior goal in the 68th minute, but Hedges struck with a smart finish eight minutes from time.
West Brom's play-off ambitions were dented in a 1-1 draw at lowly Cardiff.
Daryl Dike celebrated his return to the United States squad with the 17th-minute opener, but Sory Kaba headed Cardiff's second-half equaliser.
Grant Hanley's own goal helped Huddersfield earn a 1-1 draw against seventh-placed Norwich as Neil Warnock's men moved off the bottom of the table.
In Tuesday's action, Stoke's Ki-Jana Hoever dented Middlesbrough's promotion push with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium.
Hoever, on loan from Wolves, struck on the stroke of half-time to deny Michael Carrick's team after Chuba Akpom put Middlesbrough ahead with his 23rd league goal this season.
Millwall bolstered their bid for a play-off place with a 2-1 win against Swansea at The Den.
Tom Bradshaw netted when he turned in Charlie Cresswell's shot and Andreas Voglsammer doubled Millwall's lead, with Ryan Manning's reply not enough for the struggling visitors.
Blackpool crushed QPR 6-1 at Bloomfield Road to win for just the second time in 21 league games.