Leeds back on top of Championship, Rooney scores for Derby

Leeds beat Millwall 3-2 at Elland Road to return to the top of English Championship.

LONDON (AFP) - Leeds returned to the top of English football s second-tier after coming back to two goals down to win a dramatic match with Millwall 3-2 at Elland Road as Wayne Rooney scored his first goal for Derby County.

Leeds appeared destined for a fourth straight defeat in all competitions when visitors Millwall led 2-0 at the interval.

But Marcelo Bielsa s side hit back after the break with three goals in 15 minutes, Patrick Bamford s double bookending an effort by Pablo Hernandez.

Bielsa, however, refused to credit his half-time team talk for Leeds  revival.

"It s not what I said which provoked the change," insisted the veteran Argentinian manager.

"Maybe the match looked like it was strange, but it s a copy of all our matches. A lot of chances to make three goals, the opponent s goals were similar to what we normally concede."

Shaun Hutchinson s header had given Millwall an early before Jed Wallace s penalty doubled their advantage following Ezgjan Alioski s challenge on Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

But then came Leeds  fightback, with Bielsa s men leapfrogging West Brom into top spot after the Baggies slipped to a 2-1 defeat by Cardiff.

Callum Paterson scored for Cardiff early in the second half before the experienced Charlie Austin equalised with a penalty following a foul by Jazz Richards on Filip Krovinovic.

Lee Tomlin s free-kick, however, restored Cardiff s lead and extended West Brom s winless league run to seven matches.

Only the leading two clubs at the end of the regular season are guaranteed a place in the lucrative Premier League next term, with the third promotion place decided by play-off matches involving the next four teams in the table.

Rooney opened the scoring for Derby but it was not enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat by basement club Luton Town.

The Manchester United great, also England s record goalscorer, broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute yet the Hatters still won for the first time since December 7.

Elsewhere, third-placed Nottingham Forest closed the gap on West Brom to two points as Joe Lolley s first-half goal secured a 1-0 win at Brentford, who remain fifth.

Bristol City made it three straight victories courtesy of Jamie Paterson s second-half goal in a 1-0 win at Reading.

Jamal Lowe s last-minute header saw Wigan to a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday and there was similarly late drama as Steve Mounie s stoppage-time header ensured Huddersfield beat Hull by the same score.