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After eight hours of company, it's probably time to go our separate ways for now...

A day of Championship football very much in keeping with Boxing Day itself.

A bit sluggish to get going and for long periods not much happened, but as soon as the lights went on, it burst into life with Wrexham and Sheffield United providing the party spectacle.

Now while players of all 72 EFL clubs recover and lick their wounds, we will head off to enjoy the weekend.

Thanks for your company today, we'll do it all again in a few days.

We'll be in place for the 6pm kick-off as Coventry take on Ipswich to get manic Monday evening under way.

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Time to take a breath over the weekend but the Championship clubs are back in action on Monday evening:

• Coventry v Ipswich (18:00 GMT)
• Leicester v Derby
• Middlesbrough v Hull
• Millwall v Bristol City
• Norwich v Watford
• Oxford v Swansea
• Portsmouth v Charlton
• Sheffield Wednesday v Blackburn
• Stoke v Sheffield United
• West Brom v QPR
• Wrexham v Preston
• Birmingham v Southampton (20:15 GMT)

Image source, BBC Sport

That thriller between Wrexham and Sheffield United concludes the packed Boxing Day action in the Championship.

The north Wales outfit jump two places to 13th and within five points of the play-offs.

The Blades slip below Blackburn on goal difference into 19th, when for long periods it looked like they would climb up to 15th.

But it's the usual pattern after matchday 23 with Coventry leading the way and stretching their advantage.

Despite only winning two of their last five, the Sky Blues remain eight points ahead of Middlesbrough, with no side looking like breaking out of the logjam between third and 20th.

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough lost ground to leaders Coventry as they were held by Blackburn and manager Kim Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees:

"I think as a game in total, it's very disappointing. I think you can see a group of players that work very hard.

"We talked about this after the game of handling the expectations of sometimes not having your best day and to try and handle those things when it's not going your way.

"I think there's so much determination and much willingness to do good, to do right, to do everything for your team-mates, the fans, and I think today that became a little bit of a problem because we started to force things because we wanted it so bad.

"That opened us up for counters and that opened up a lot of technical errors.

"I'm a bit disappointed with myself in handling that part of the game, in helping the players live up to expectations when we don't have the best of days. We didn't deserve more than a point."

Southampton

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert gave a frank assessment of his side's late defeat at struggling Oxford United.

He told BBC Radio Solent: "Disappointing because we wanted to start well a block of four games [in the space of nine days].

"We lost the calmness a little bit which is something you need in games like that, it continued in the second half, it was very back and forth and was a very open game.

"We are now halfway through the season and have nowhere near the amount of points that we need to play for something.

"The positive thing is that we play again in a few days - we need to make sure we start the second half of the season well."

Oxford United

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Oxford United interim boss Craig Short has spoken to BBC Radio Oxford following his side's late victory at home against Southampton in his first game back in temporary charge.

Short said: "I said to the players after the game that you're not going to get results in this league without crucial saves and last minute blocks.

"You can't play against these top sides without hanging in there, if you concede from a set piece like we did then you have to just hold out of the next few minutes and get to half time.

"The substitutes made a really good impact as well, the best form of defence is attack so let's have a go we thought.

"The fans were great but I said we have to get them going, it was really encouraging, but now we have some tough games to come and a really busy period."

Hull City

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic was unimpressed with his team's performance after they were held to a 2-2 draw at rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday and missed an opportunity to make up ground on the top two.

The Tigers fell behind twice at Hillsborough but responded through goals from Mohamed Belloumi and Matt Crooks to claim a point.

However, Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside: "We played like it was Christmas today, not yesterday.

"We were very very poor in the first half, no control and very low energy. We made bad decisions in possession, but started to play after we conceded.

"In the second half, we controlled much more and we had good possession. We created more. Their second goal was clearly offside; the referee was poor but my team was also poor - I cannot complain so much.

"I'm very disappointed. We can't change anything; we did everything in preparation.

"Psychologically, I knew it would be difficult because everyone was counting on three points."

Charlton Athletic

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Charlton Athletic assistant manager Curtis Fleming was on post-match media duties after head coach Nathan Jones watched the defeat to Norwich from the stands following a third booking of the season in their victory against Oxford United last Saturday.

Fleming told BBC Radio London: "I thought it was disappointing. We always talk about being the best version of ourselves, I didn't think we were at them today.

"I thought it was a real opportunity to go and get a result away from home, coming off a good result at home, and I don't think we were anywhere near where we could have been or should have been today.

"It's not a disappointing result, it's a disappointing performance, and for us to be competitive in this league we have to be the best version of ourselves every Saturday for 90 minutes."

Norwich City

Philippe Clement praised his defence after Norwich registered their first clean sheet in four months to overcome Charlton 1-0 and climb to within a point of safety.

Jovon Makama's second-half strike was enough to earn the Canaries - who lost their first seven home games of the season - a third straight win at Carrow Road.

Clement told BBC Radio Norfolk: "It could have been better if we'd have scored a second or a third goal, and the team really deserved that for the performance they gave.

"In the second half we knew there would be more space and we could open up them more, but it's been a very good day - not only winning, but also a first clean sheet since August.

"It's very important, but we get a clean sheet because we defended really well as a team. It's not that Vladan Kovacevic had to make really amazing saves or you can have several chances against and you can have a clean sheet with luck.

"That was totally not the case, the team did a very good defensive job against a team who's really dangerous in a specific way with their long balls, their fight, their duels, diagonals and set pieces.

"So keeping them away from our goal was also a really important part of winning today."

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom boss Ryan Mason lamented a lack of finishing at crucial moments for the Baggies defeat against Bristol City.

Mason also felt Robins goalscorer Anis Mehmeti should have been red-carded for a challenge on Callum Styles that either was not seen by the officials, or was not deemed dangerous.

He told BBC Radio WM: "To concede the [first] goal, it's clearly offside. It completely changes the energy. It disrupts us and that's a big challenge to overcome.

"We have a massive opportunity very soon after, a two-on-one against their keeper, and we don't take it and then a clear red card, five yards from the referee, that he chose not to send the player off for a really dangerous elbow that's probably broken Cal's [Callum Styles] nose.

"It was a poor challenge, really poor, dangerous, reckless. We had a player sent off last week for not touching the opposition, and it wasn't rescinded either.

"So that seems to be the way at the minute, those types of things. It seems ok to make these decisions against us and we'll probably get our 10th email in a couple of days saying there were a couple of massive mistakes again.

"The players responded? Yes. Did we create opportunities? Yes. Did we have loads of penalty box action? There were opportunities but we need to take them."

Bristol City

Bristol City moved back into the top six with victory at West Brom - their third successive Boxing Day win - and head coach Gerhard Struber told BBC Radio Bristol:

"I would say this was, again, a big fighting victory, how we invested and tried to bring everything out to pick up points here.

"As we know from the last few weeks they give nothing away points-wise and we know we have to come today [be] on our ball for energy, but also efficiency.

"In both directions, the boys were really committed, in all directions against the ball. We were also in on-the-ball moments, especially in the first half, really efficient but also really creative."

"I think this [efficiency] is something where we're growing at the moment and now the key word is consistency."

Coventry City

Coventry boss Frank Lampard was delighted his side were able to dig out a win despite not being at their best against Swansea.

Lampard told BBC CWR: "Over the course of the season, there are so many games you play. We had a hot patch earlier in the season where everything you hit goes in.

"Today we had a couple of chances first half that didn't go in, Ephron gets a great goal.

"We have chances in the second half to make it feel more secure and it doesn't quite drop for us, so try to keep clean sheets, try to do other parts of our game.

"We weren't as good today off the ball as we normally are. First half was more passive, less urgent, and that had to be said at half-time because they [Swansea] can play and we gave them the feeling that they can play, look up and find passes through us.

"We addressed that. They are a good team, they gave us a tough game and I am really pleased with the result."

Watford

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Watford came from behind to pick up a rare away victory at Leicester City this afternoon.

After the match, boss Javi Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio: "We know the quality of their team and the individuals well. We were aware about the way to prepare knowing we needed to defend well but also show our quality - and we did.

"We conceded an early goal; they scored with their first opportunity but we kept believing in our plan and in the end we got what we wanted. I am really happy for the players and the supporters.

"It is always difficult to play away but all the members of the team are improving. We are growing as a team.

"Many people speak about solidarity and helping each other and we have to show that on the pitch.

"Today we showed a good face and the spirit we need. It means we could show our quality."

Leicester City

Under-pressure Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes said there is no "hiding" after his side let a goal lead slip to lose at home to Watford.

He told BBC Radio Leicester: "It is difficult to swallow. We asked the players to show a reaction, we spoke at half-time that we had to keep pushing.

"We did not play a good second half, we need to be accountable. There is no hiding. We did not push enough in the second half.

"There is no excuse. We need to do better. The players have more quality than what they are showing.

"I know, since I came here, there are some things that we need to change. Unfortunately many of those are not quick fixes. We need to do the right thing. There has been some emotional hits that are costing us.

"We need to play better to get the results we are looking for. I thought we started the game well today.

"We need to give something back to the fans. It’s about winning and finding a reaction. It’s important we react in the next game."

They just won 5-3, Nic, having been 3-1 down...

We will be bringing you reaction from the games earlier in the day shortly, but just as means of a recap, here is how it all ended over the course of the afternoon...

• Birmingham 1-1 Derby
• Millwall 0-0 Ipswich
• Coventry 1-0 Swansea
• Leicester 1-2 Watford
• Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn
• Norwich 1-0 Charlton
• Oxford 2-1 Southampton
• Portsmouth 1-1 QPR
• Sheffield Wed 2-2 Hull
• Stoke 0-0 Preston
• West Brom 1-2 Bristol City
• Wrexham 5-3 Sheff Utd

Aled Williams was among those privileged to watch all that at the Stok Cae Ras this evening.

You can read his report from a bonkers match here.