Brighton & Hove Albion leapfrogged Newcastle at the top of the Championship with a comfortable 3-0 victory over 10-man Queens Park Rangers at the Amex Stadium on Tuesday.
A fine early goal from Sam Baldock put the Seagulls on their way to a fourth successive win before a Glenn Murray penalty and an Anthony Knockaert strike extended Albion's unbeaten run to 17 games.
Baldock put the hosts in front after only 11 minutes, finishing emphatically with his left foot into the top corner from 20 yards.
Brighton took a firm grip of the game eight minutes after the interval when top scorer Murray doubled their lead from the penalty spot with his 15th goal of the season.
Rangers were reduced to 10 men on 56 minutes when Nedum Onuoha received a straight red card from referee Keith Stroud for bringing down the on-rushing Baldock on the edge of the area.
French winger Knockaert made it 3-0 in the 69th minute with a low left-footed strike.
Darren Bent's second-half penalty helped Derby County maintain touch with the playoff places following a 1-0 victory over Birmingham City.
he former Aston Villa and Sunderland striker netted the decisive spot-kick in the 64th minute after Blues defender Michael Morrison was adjudged to have fouled Richard Keogh following a corner.
The win was County's eighth from their last nine league matches as they moved up to seventh and just a point behind Sheffield Wednesday, who occupy the final playoff spot.