Newcastle continued to lead the way after a 3-1 win over struggling Peterborough at St James' Park.

Jonas Gutierrez fired the Magpies in front after 15 minutes, with Andy Carroll adding a second three minutes later.

A 52nd-minute curler from Danny Simpson effectively ended the match as a contest, although Dean Keates got the visitors on the scoresheet 11 minutes from time.

Defeat sent Peterborough to the bottom of the standings.

West Brom remain two points off the summit after their 2-1 victory at Leicester.

Two goals in three minutes from Graham Dorrans and Gonzalo Jara gave Albion a half-time lead, with Bruno Berner replying for the Foxes in the last minute.

Earlier, third-placed Cardiff were beaten 3-2 by Swansea as Darren Pratley grabbed a brace to earn his side the local bragging rights in South Wales.

Nathan Dyer headed the hosts into an early lead and Pratley appeared to settle matters when he struck with only 16 minutes on the clock.

But Cardiff turned the game on its head just after the half-hour mark with two goals in three minutes courtesy of Jay Bothroyd and Mark Hudson.

Pratley's second eventually settled matters after 61 minutes.

Cardiff remain third but now have QPR and Blackpool breathing down their necks.

QPR won 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday courtesy of Kaspars Gorkss' strike eight minutes from time.

The visitors had taken the lead after 10 minutes at Hillsborough through Jay Simpson but Jermaine Johnson looked to have snatched a point for Wednesday until Gorkss popped up with the winner.

Blackpool are fifth, level on points with Cardiff, QPR and sixth-placed Leicester, after notching a 4-1 success over 10-man Scunthorpe with all the goals coming in the second half.

The Iron went ahead six minutes after the interval through Paul Hayes but Ian Evatt and Charlie Adam turned the match in Blackpool's favour.

Keeper Joe Murphy was then given his marching orders for Scunthorpe, with further goals from Ben Burgess and Alex Baptiste adding some gloss to the scoreline.

Meanwhile Ipswich were unable to add to last weekend's success over Derby with another three-point haul as they played out a 1-1 draw at Reading.

Jonathan Stead's ninth-minute opener fuelled hopes the Tractor Boys could grab a second win of the season but Simon Church secured a welcome point for Reading, although both teams remain in the bottom three.

Elsewhere Plymouth Argyle moved out of the drop zone with a 2-1 win over Doncaster, courtesy of goals from Alan Judge and Rory Fallon.

Dean Shiels found the target for the visitors, who also had Martin Woods sent off.

A last-minute strike from Danny Haynes snatched a 1-1 draw for Bristol City at Nottingham Forest, who had gone ahead five minutes earlier through Wes Morgan.

A Darren Ambrose goal was enough to see Crystal Palace past Middlesbrough, while Heidar Helguson and Tom Cleverley were on the scoresheet in Watford's 2-0 win over Preston.