A first-half goal from the captain, Billy Sharp, gave Sheffield United a 1-0 win against Huddersfield at Bramall Lane, putting his side level on points with a the top with Burnley, who have a game in hand. The Blades were on top from the start and took the lead on 15 minutes, Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye, back from the World Cup, playing an inch‑perfect pass through the defence for the skipper to dink over the onrushing Lee Nicholls. The away side began to show more promise after the interval, with Kaine Kesler-Hayden placing his effort from inside the box just wide. They brought on the striker Jordan Rhodes with time running out in an attempt to force an equaliser, but the hosts held out for a fifth league victory in six matches. “We had good preparation for today. Everything we’ve done the past few weeks was there in the first half,” said the Sheffield United manager, Paul Heckingbottom. “I fancied Iliman to get a goal today. I was delighted when he came off at half-time when Senegal were 2-0 down to England! The assist and finish was great, it was a really good goal. Everyone has contributed so far this season and I want that to continue.” Ched Evans scored twice as Preston beat their Lancashire rivals Blackburn 4-1 at Ewood Park. Ben Woodburn’s cool 17th-minute finish set the visitors on their way and Evans swept home from close range minutes after the restart to put Preston in control. Blackburn rallied and got back into the game through Bradley Dack in the 55th minute but Preston clinically put their hosts to the sword with two goals in the space of three second-half minutes through Evans’ powerful header and Ben Whiteman’s deflected 65th-minute drive. Teemu Pukki scored his eighth goal of the season to move Norwich up to fourth. The striker had not hit the net in his five previous matches, but scored inside the opening minute as Swansea paid the price for a lacklustre opening after a month’s inactivity. It was a fifth away victory of the season for Dean Smith’s side, while Swansea have now not won in six. Stoke and Cardiff showed no signs of rust from the World Cup break as they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw. Cardiff hit a sixth-minute opener through Ryan Wintle. Tyrese Campbell’s leveller moments later sparked the Potters into life and the Manchester City loanee Liam Delap completed the turnaround with less than 18 minutes on the clock. But Cardiff’s persistence in their pursuit of a second-half equaliser was rewarded when Callum Robinson saved a point. Kolo Touré had to settle for a point on his managerial debut as Wigan and Millwall played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Den. Will Keane put the Latics into the lead after 33 minutes when firing home from the centre of the box into an empty net, with Millwall goalkeeper George Long deceived by a series of deflected efforts. It did not take long, however, for the home side to respond as Zian Flemming smashed home a sensational volley. “It was a good game, we played against a really good side, it is always tough to come to Millwall and to try to get something out of the game,” said Touré afterwards. “We knew it was going to be tough, but I am very proud of my players, we played how we wanted to play, we created chances and we scored.” The substitute Matt Crooks scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner for Middlesbrough as 10-man Luton suffered a 2-1 defeat in Rob Edwards’ first game in charge. Edwards got off to the perfect start when Jordan Clark fired the Hatters in front before Chuba Akpom levelled. Crooks’ last-gasp winner came after Amari’i Bell was sent off, with the win extending Michael Carrick’s side’s unbeaten stretch to five games. Coventry’s impressive progress in the Championship before the World Cup break came to an abrupt halt on their return to action as they lost 1-0 at Reading. The visitors went behind 12 minutes into the second period, when Frenchman Amadou Mbengue was on hand to nod in his first Reading goal. Coventry had won seven of their nine matches before the Qatar break, including their last four without conceding a goal, to move from bottom of the Championship to mid-table. Bristol City moved above Rotherham with a 3-1 win at the New York Stadium. Wes Harding’s own goal was cancelled out by Chiedozie Ogbene, but the visitors retook the lead through Joe Williams, on the half-hour mark and Cameron Pring sealed victory in the second half. Blackpool ended a run of four defeats by holding Birmingham to a hard-fought 0-0 draw, but remain in the relegation zone in 23rd, one point away from safety. Tahith Chong went closest for Birmingham, who stay in 14th spot and have now lost just one of their last six matches.