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Sports Mole's Championship Team of the Week

Sports Mole picks out its best Championship XI from Gameweek 40, as well as highlighting the biggest numpty and best goal.

This weekend's combination of results in the Championship meant that Leicester City's promotion to the Premier League was confirmed.

The Foxes have returned to the top flight after a 10-year absence with six games to spare thanks to victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, before both Queens Park Rangers and Derby County dropped points on Saturday.

Burnley remain the clear favourites to join Leicester in getting promoted automatically as they snatched a late equaliser against Watford to edge 10 points clear in the top two.

At the other end of the table, all three of the clubs currently in the drop zone - Yeovil Town, Millwall and Barnsley - picked up points.

Here, Sports Mole selects its best XI, highlights the biggest numpty and chooses its favourite goal from Saturday's full, 12-game schedule.

Adam Bogdan (Bolton Wanderers)
A second week in a row here for Bogdan, who made several saves to keep out Huddersfield Town before Wanderers stole the points in injury time at the John Smith's Stadium.

Chris Baird (Burnley)
Recent signing Baird has been filling in for injured regular Kieran Trippier and on Saturday laid on the equaliser at Vicarage Road as well as making a goal-saving clearance.
Kenneth Omerou (Middlesbrough)
Boro closed in on the top half of the table by squeezing past high-flying Derby, and Chelsea loanee Omerou was a force in the air, dealing well with big Rams striker Chris Martin.
Tommy Elphick (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth are the one side emerging from the pack who might just make a late charge for the playoff places. The Cherries have won seven of their last nine games and on Saturday triumphed over QPR to ensure that Leicester were promoted. Elphick opened the scoring with a bullet header at Dean Court.
Tom Kennedy (Barnsley)
Barnsley remain in the bottom three after earning a draw against playoff-chasing Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The Tykes are just two points adrift of safety though and Kennedy put in a tough-tackling display at Oakwell.

Lee Martin (Millwall)
Martin made just his 11th league start of the season for the Lions as they earned three massive points in their bid to beat the drop at Nottingham Forest. The former Manchester United man scored the vital second with a superb low finish from 18 yards.
Danny Williams (Reading)
Reading are now the clear favourites to clinch the sixth and final playoff spot after overcoming Charlton Athletic. The Royals needed just one goal and what a strike it was from Williams, who dipped a shot across goal and into the far corner.
Nathaniel Chalobah (Middlesbrough)
Another Boro player, and another Chelsea loanee. Chalobah scored the only goal at the Riverside with an excellent solo strike.
Anthony Knockaert (Leicester)
Team consistency has been the main reason for Leicester's dominance this season, but they also have flair and quality. Knockaert showcased these attributes with the match-winning free kick against Wednesday.

Federico Macheda (Birmingham City)
Macheda returned to haunt former loan club Doncaster Rovers on Saturday when he scored a brace for Birmingham at the Keepmoat. The first was a crisp low finish after winning the ball back before he settled the match with a flicked header.
Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers)
Blackburn's chances of reaching the playoffs are still alive after they saw off fellow hopefuls Ipswich Town at Ewood Park. Gestede cleverly laid on the first for Jordan Rhodes with a neat flick before sealing the win with a powerful low header.

Numpty of the Week

Jean-Yves M'voto: M'voto may have defended well against the Brighton attack, but he wasted a gilt-edged chance to win Barnsley the game when he somehow headed wide from just a few yards out.

Goal of the Week

Joe Mason (Bolton) vs. Huddersfield: There were plenty of great strikes this weekend and although Troy Deeney and Elliot Grandin's efforts might have been more spectacular, we're picking out Mason's sublime finish. The Cardiff City loanee struck a corner first time on the volley to win the match for Bolton in stoppage time.

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Written by
Pascal Lemesre
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Barnsley's Chris O'Grady in action against Wigan on August 3, 2013
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Championship Team of the Week
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham24175242172556
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe26166452282454
3Wrexham26156538201851
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield25146539211848
5Barnsley2612684036442
6Stockport CountyStockport26118740281241
7Reading2512584036441
8Leyton Orient25115932221038
9Bolton WanderersBolton26115103941-238
10Charlton AthleticCharlton2510783126537
11Mansfield TownMansfield2411493228437
12Lincoln CityLincoln269892930-135
13Rotherham UnitedRotherham259792826234
14Exeter CityExeter2695122933-432
15Blackpool2571083437-331
16Stevenage248791922-331
17Wigan AthleticWigan2586112426-230
18Bristol Rovers2584132539-1428
19Peterborough UnitedPeterborough2676134247-527
20Northampton TownNorthampton2668122440-1626
21Crawley TownCrawley2456132544-1921
22Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2555152645-1920
23Burton Albion2639142340-1718
24Cambridge UnitedCambridge2546152445-2118


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