Championship leaders Wolves dropped points in a 2-2 draw away to Millwall on Tuesday, as Bristol City capitalised on Cardiff City's loss at home to Fulham.
Derby County missed out on the same opportunity as they were held 0-0 at Hull, while fellow promotion hopefuls Leeds United avoided an upset at Burton Albion by coming from behind to win 2-1.
There was a routine 3-0 triumph for Sheffield United at home to Sunderland, and Tony Pulis watched his new Middlesbrough side record a 2-0 victory at home to Bolton Wanderers prior to taking charge at the Riverside Stadium.
Birmingham City, though, lost at home to Norwich City to remain rooted to the foot of the table.
LEADERS FRUSTRATED AT THE DEN
Nuno Espirito Santo's frontrunners Wolves recovered from conceding to a Lee Gregory header in the 13th minute to lead in the second half away to Millwall.
Diogo Jota met Helder Costa's cross to equalise in first-half injury time and the Portuguese was the provider again when the visitors moved ahead in the 56th minute, Romain Saiss the man on target with a shot that goalkeeper Jordan Archer might have kept out.
Millwall were not to be denied, though, Jake Cooper heading home from close range after good work from Shaun Hutchinson to keep the ball in play.
The result leaves Wolves eight points clear at the top of the table.
CARDIFF SLIP UP AGAIN
Cardiff lost for the first time in six matches away to Bolton last time out and more disappointment followed as Fulham won 4-2 in Wales.
Kenneth Zohore got one back for the hosts after Tim Ream and Floyd Ayite struck in the first and second half respectively for Fulham.
Ryan Sessegnon made it 3-1 with 12 minutes to go, and Callum Paterson's injury time goal could not spark a Cardiff escape act.
Instead it was Stefan Johansen who scored a breakaway goal to cap off an eye-catching result for Slavisa Jokanovic's mid-table side.
BRISTOL CITY BACK WITH A BANG
Lee Johnson's giantkillers, who knocked Manchester United out of the EFL Cup last week, were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at QPR last time out.
They responded by seeing off Reading 2-0 at Ashton Gate, where a Jamie Paterson strike and Lloyd Kelly's goal in added time did the damage.
The Robins joined Cardiff on 47 points as a consequence but moved above the Bluebirds and into second courtesy of their superior goal difference.
RAMS, TIGERS FIRE BLANKS
Hull failed to score for the first time at home this season but it was Derby who were arguably more frustrated by the outcome at the KCOM Stadium, as Gary Rowett's in-form Rams failed to make it five victories in succession to slip to fourth, two points back from Cardiff and Bristol City.
Hot on their heels are Leeds and Sheffield United, while elsewhere on Tuesday there were two more 0-0 draws, between Barnsley and Preston and Ipswich and QPR.
Finally, Sheffield Wednesday thumped fellow mid-table side Nottingham Forest 3-0 away from home.
