Championship round-up: Alex Neil slams players as sixth defeat in seven games piles pressure on Norwich boss after Barnsley loss
ALEX NEIL slammed his NORWICH players after BARNSLEY's 2-1 win piled pressure back on the beleaguered boss.
Tom Bradshaw put them ahead with a clever finish from Josh Scowen's cross.
And skipper Conor Hourihane fired home a superb second before the break.
Reading 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1
Norwich got on the front foot after the interval and Nelson Oliveira reduced the deficit with a low 25-yard shot.
But Tykes held on and secured a first home league win since 27 August by inflicting a sixth defeat in seven games for the Canaries, who now sit eighth.
Neil moaned: "Physically we just didn't compete in the first half.
"There was a bit of role reversal in the second half and to be fair, we dominated. But it still wasn't enough - it's as simple as that.
"It's quite sad that we've given ourselves too much to do, it's hard to accept, but we've got another game on Tuesday so at least we've got that chance to respond quickly."
Neil blasted his players at half-time when two goals behind, but that rollicking clearly didn't have the desired effect.
"There were words said at half-time. I told the players that they'd let themselves down.
"There were long faces in there, but it just wasn't good enough. I know that.
"It's one step forward and two steps back at the moment."
Tammy Abraham netted his tenth of the season - but a Frank Fielding blunder helped promotion-chasers HUDDERSFIELD march one.
The Terriers' unlikely challenge had faltered in recent weeks, with David Wagner's side having gone five games without a win.
But they are back on track after Nahki Wells profited from BRISTOL CITY keeper Fielding's howler.
Fielding failed top control a backpass on 58 minutes, with a heavy touch with this right foot allowing Wells to tap into an empty net.
Elias Kachunga nodded the hosts ahead early on from a Tommy Smith cross, before Abraham punished Town's failuire to clear a set-piece with the leveller.
The win keeps Huddersfield in the play-off spots, two points clear of seventh-placed Birmingham but nine back from Brighton in the second automatic promotion spots.
BRENTFORD ended a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win at home to BURTON thanks to Scott Hogan's double, either side of Jamie Ward's equaliser.
At the bottom, ROTHERHAM claimed only their second win of the season thanks to Isaiah Brown's solitary strike at home to QPR.
Callum Robinson's late strike gave PRESTON and 3-2 win over BLACKBURN in the late game.
Fellow former Aston Villa man Daniel Johnson netted a double for Simon Grayson's side, while Danny Graham did the same for Rovers.