Shane Duffy has a night to forget with two own goals and red card

Championship round-up: Blackburn continue poor start as Newcastle get their first win

Shane Duffy of Blackburn was out of luck on Wednesday night at Cardiff City. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Shane Duffy of Blackburn was out of luck on Wednesday night at Cardiff City. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Shane Duffy had a night to forget in Cardiff as he scored two more own-goals before being sent off in a 2-1 loss that continued Blackburn's wretched start under Owen Coyle.

The Republic of Ireland international defender found the net at the wrong end at Wigan on Saturday and his luckless season continued in South Wales with a pair of own goals inside the opening 20 minutes.

Duffy, who has this week rejected a new contract with Rovers, saw the ball ricochet off him after Declan John’s shot hit the post and he doubled the Bluebirds’ advantage by directing Peter Whittingham’s free-kick beyond Jason Steele with his head.

Blackburn’s winless start in the league would extend to three games despite Danny Graham reducing the arrears late on and Duffy’s dire evening was rounded off with a second caution in stoppage time for kicking the ball away.

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Championship favourites Newcastle got their first points of the season with a 4-1 win over Reading in front of 48,000 at St James' Park.

Summer signings Isaac Hayden, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle all scored for Rafael Benitez's side, who had lost both of their opening two fixtures in the second tier.

The Royals had gone into the break on level terms when Garath McCleary scored from the spot, yet Ritchie restored the lead with a penalty of his own and Gayle, who had a goal ruled out for handball early in the first half, made it 3-1 from a free-kick before tapping in another from close range.

The only 100 per cent record in the division was ended after QPR lost 3-2 at Barnsley.

A win would have sent Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s side to the top of the table, yet they trailed at the break to Marley Watkins’ fourth-minute header.

Rangers would turn the game on its head thanks to two penalties, one converted by Tjaronn Chery, the other by Sebastian Polter, but Conor Hourihane levelled with a free-kick and Josh Scowen claimed an 89th-minute winner against a visiting side that finished with 10 men due to Grant Hall’s dismissal.