Championship action on Saturday afternoon…16/02/2019

Misfiring Aston Villa had Conor Hourihane and Glenn Whelan in their starting eleven as they went down to a two nil home defeat by visitors West Bromwich Albion for whom Wes Hoolihan was an unused substitute in their Championship clash on Saturday afternoon. Ireland assistant manager Terry Connor was in attendance at Villa Park. Ireland manager Mick McCarthy returned to Portman Road this afternoon and saw his former club Ipswich Town include Alan Judge and Will Keane in their starting eleven for the visit of Stoke City and James McClean. The ‘Derryman’ put the visitors in front on forty two minutes but former England underage international Keane, whose paperwork surrounding his imminent switch to represent Ireland is in motion, levelled the scores in added time. Alan Browne and Sean Maguire started for Preston North End who were held to a scoreless draw by visitors Nottingham Forest and Daryl Murphy at Deepdale. Rotherham United included international long shots Richie Towell and Anthony Forde in their starting eleven for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday and Keiren Westwood in the early kick-off. Towell scored the second  for the hosts in a two all draw with the ‘Owls’ equaliser coming with the last kick of the match after ten minutes of added time.   Meanwhile the other ‘Steel City’ side Sheffield United included John Egan, Enda Stevens and loanee Scott Hogan in their starting eleven with David McGoldrick an unused substitute as they crushed visitors Reading by four goals to nil at Bramall Lane.