A late Garry O'Connor goal gave Birmingham a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace and send them top of the English Championship.

Birmingham dominated the match but had to wait until the fourth minute of injury time to break the deadlock at St Andrews.

The Scotland international latched on to a parried shot to shoot home from 12 yards and seal the win.

O'Connor rattled the frame of Julian Speroni's goal twice in the first half, firstly on 29 minutes and then after the Scot cut inside and shot from the left seven minutes later.

Blues went close through O'Connor again with three minutes left and the game looked set for stalemate until the striker scored to give Birmingham a two-point lead over midlands rivals Wolves, who were beaten 5-2 at Norwich.

Striker Leroy Lita hit a hat-trick to condemn Wanderers to a 5-2 defeat at Carrow Road.

The Canaries took the lead after 28 minutes after Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme fell into his net after coming to collect a cross.

On-loan Lita scored his first 11 minutes later when he broke free on the counter-attack to coolly slot past Ikeme.

Their lead was cut just two minutes later thanks to a Neil Collins header but Lita's second just before the hour gave the hosts a two-goal cushion again.

He completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later, heading home a Sammy Clingan cross, after a Sylvan Ebanks-Blake penalty had briefly reduced the arrears once again.

Lee Croft then tapped in to finish off Wolves, who also had Richard Stearman sent off.

Reading now sit two points behind Wolves in third after their 2-1 win over Doncaster at the Madejski Stadium.

Andre Bikey gave the hosts the lead when he headed home a Stephen Hunt corner after 18 minutes but Rovers hit back as Jos Van Nieuwstadt levelled the scores with 17 minutes left.

Their lead lasted barely a minute, however, as Kevin Doyle bagged his ninth of the season with a close-range header to give Steve Coppell's side the win.

Sheffield Wednesday failed to win their second South Yorkshire derby in three days, losing 2-1 at Barnsley.

Brian Laws took his side to Oakwell full of confidence after their win over Sheffield United on Sunday but it was Barnsley who drew first blood in an eventful first half.

Iain Hume struck with a half-volley from a Mark Devaney cross after four minutes before Tony McMahon was dismissed 30 minutes later for a two-footed lunge on the goalscorer.

The hosts doubled their lead when Jamal Campbell-Ryce converted a 66th-minute penalty after a foul by Mark Beevers.

Leon Clarke pulled one back from the spot with 20 minutes left but Barnsley held on.

Blackpool put their run of four straight draws behind them to beat Derby 3-2 at Bloomfield Road.

Alan Gow, Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Ben Burgess all bagged goals for the hosts while Mile Sterjovksi and Kris Commons struck for Paul Jewell's side.

Sheffield United missed several chances at home against Southampton and had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

Rock-bottom Nottingham Forest fought out a 1-1 draw with Ipswich at the City Ground.

Two late goals from Chris Eagles and Robbie Blake gave Burnley a 3-1 win at Coventry.

Gavin Williams and Lee Trundle gave Bristol City a 2-0 win at Charlton, while Plymouth beat Preston 1-0 thanks to a 17th-minute header from Rory Fallon.

Watford drew 2-2 with Cardiff at Vicarage Road and QPR drew 0-0 at Swansea in an ill-tempered match.