Aleksandar Mitrovic hit a hat-trick as Fulham claimed a 3-0 win over West Brom at Craven Cottage in a game that ended with both teams reduced to 10 men.
The result means Fulham opened up a four-point gap to third-placed Albion, who were forced to count the cost of a contentious penalty decision and a mistake by Robert Snodgrass that gifted the Cottagers a two-goal half-time lead.
The visitors were also unhappy with the decision to send off wing-back Darnell Furlong in the 70th minute, with Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo also collecting a red card in the 85th minute.
Mitrovic took full advantage of the chances that came his way, wrapping up his second treble of the season in the 82nd minute as he scored for the fourth successive match.
Fourth-placed Coventry beat Hull 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Matt Godden, and Huddersfield climbed to fifth after Jonathan Hogg's late header sank Millwall 1-0.
There was a remarkable game at the Bet365 Stadium as Stoke let a 3-0 lead slip in a 3-3 draw with managerless Cardiff.
Jacob Brown put the hosts ahead after 10 minutes and Steven Fletcher grabbed a goal in each half to put them in control.
But three goals in five minutes hauled Cardiff level. Rubin Colwill pulled one back in the 66th minute, Mark Harris added a second and Kieffer Moore struck a minute later to complete the fightback.
Bristol City won their first home game since 26 January.
Andi Weimann's double was enough to give them a 2-1 victory and all three points against lowly Barnsley, who opened the scoring through Leya Iseka.
First-half goals from Jake Bidwell, Joel Piroe and Olivier Ntcham handed Swansea a 3-0 win over Peterborough.
Ben Brereton Diaz scored twice in the first 20 minutes as Blackburn beat bottom side Derby 2-1, Curtis Davies grabbing the Rams' consolation a minute from full-time. Festy Ebosele came off the bench for Derby with 14 minutes to play.
Emil Riis celebrated his new contract at Preston with both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Luton.
Two goals in three second-half minutes from Marc Roberts and Republic of Ireland striker Scott Hogan gave Birmingham a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough, and Keshi Anderson's late goal secured a 1-0 victory for Blackpool at Sheffield United.
