Soccer-Newcastle return to Championship summit after controversial victory

Newcastle returned to the top of the Championship and moved a step closer to an immediate return to the Premier League with a controversial 1-0 victory against Burton Albion on Wednesday.

Newcastle thought they had opened the scoring when Matt Ritchie converted a penalty but referee Keith Stroud blew his whistle having spotted an apparent encroachment before the spot kick was taken.

In bizarre circumstances, however, he disallowed the goal rather than order a re-take -- much to the bewilderment of Newcastle and manager Rafa Benitez.

Ritchie finally did open the scoring with a thumping strike in the 68th minute which means, with six games remaining, Newcastle have 84 points -- one more than second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion.

Huddersfield Town climbed to third, nine points behind Brighton, with a comfortable 3-0 win against Norwich City thanks to goals from Elias Kachunga, Aaron Mooy and Nahki Wells.

Reading are a point adrift in fourth while Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday sit fifth and sixth with 69 and 66 points respectively. (Reporting By Tom Hayward, editing by Neil Robinson)

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)