Andrew Moran capped a week to remember in his young career with a goal and an assist as Blackburn Rovers secured a fourth successive away victory in the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-0 win over Stoke City.
Scott Wharton's fourth-minute header from Moran's corner handed Rovers an early lead which they never relinquished, even if they did struggle to convert their dominance into goals until late in the game.
Brighton loanee Moran, who made his Republic of Ireland debut in the 1-1 draw against New Zealand on Tuesday night, got on the scoresheet himself in the 86th minute when Jack Bonham parried Jake Garrett's harmless effort directly into Moran’s path, with the 20-year-old making no mistake with the rebound.
The division's leading marksman Sammie Szmodics - who has to yet to make his Irish debut despite being called into a couple of squads - completed the scoring in stoppage time with his 11th goal of the campaign, raced through on goal and rounding Bonham to add the cherry on top of a fine display.
Another Republic of Ireland international, midfielder Mark Sykes, blasted a 67th-minute winner as Liam Manning's first home game as Bristol City head coach ended with a 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough.
The home side took a 37th-minute lead when young midfielder Taylor Gardner-Hickman cut in from the left following a Jason Knight assist and netted his first Robins goal with a superb curling right-footed effort that went in off the crossbar at Ashton Gate.
It was 2-0 in first-half injury time, Tommy Conway sending goalkeeper Seny Dieng the wrong way with a low spot-kick after Matty James had been brought down in the box by Dael Fry.
Boro were back in it after 50 minutes when a Matt Crooks shot came back off the crossbar and City defender Zak Vyner headed the rebound back past Max O’Leary for a bizarre own goal.
Two minutes later Crooks equalised with a low drive from an Emmanuel Latte Lath pass into the box, only for City to retake the lead through Sykes’ sweet volley from a narrow angle.
Both sides might have scored in a rousing finale, but Manning’s men held on for a hard-fought three points.
Finn Azaz, who is of Irish and Israeli descent and has been capped by the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, scored the second goal of the game as Plymouth got back to winning ways with a surprise 2-0 home victory over high-flying Sunderland.
A top-class strike from Morgan Whittaker and a superbly-crafted goal from fellow playmaker Azaz gave Argyle a two-goal buffer at half-time and Sunderland failed to get back in the game after the break.
Luke Cundle, who was pivotal in both goals, had sent the ball down the right channel for attacking midfielder Whittaker to run at the Sunderland defence.
The summer buy from Swansea cut inside and let fly with a thumping left-foot shot from outside the box that flew into the opposite top corner, giving Anthony Patterson – at full stretch in the Sunderland goal – little chance.
The Sunderland number one was again left clutching thin air when Argyle surged further ahead on another counter attack in the 40th minute.
Again central midfield ace Cundle was instrumental in the counter attack, this time sending Azaz down the left flank with a measured pass, enabling the attacking midfielder to cut into the penalty area and place a shot out of the reach of the diving Patterson.
Wayne Rooney registered his first win as Birmingham City boss at the sixth attempt thanks to a 2-1 comeback victory over bottom club Sheffield Wednesday.
George Byers' goal put the struggling Owls on course for only a second success of the season but the lead was quickly wiped out by Juninho Bacuna.
Substitute Jordan James grabbed the 81st-minute winner at St Andrew’s, to the relief of former England captain Rooney, who managed just a single point from his opening five fixtures.
Wednesday’s 13th defeat of a miserable campaign leaves them 10 points from safety.
Rooney’s former international team-mate Jamie Vardy scored twice as leaders Leicester returned to winning ways by beating Watford 2-0.
Substitute Vardy broke the deadlock in the 76th minute and then added a second from the penalty spot deep into added time after being brought down by Hornets goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, who was sent off for a second yellow card.
The veteran Foxes striker also missed an open goal from four yards as the hosts bounced back from 1-0 defeats to Leeds and Middlesbrough.
Fourth-placed Southampton had to settle for a 1-1 draw at lowly Huddersfield.
Ben Jackson salvaged a point for the Terriers with an 87th-minute equaliser after Adam Armstrong opened the scoring with his 10th goal this term.
In a dramatic late twist at Deepdale, Karlan Grant and Ike Ugbo each scored in stoppage time as Cardiff snatched a 2-1 victory over 10-man Preston.
Ugbo struck the winner nine minutes beyond the 90, three minutes after Grant cancelled out Milutin Osmajic’s opener. North End had Robbie Brady sent off shortly after taking the lead.
Elsewhere, Swansea and Hull drew 2-2, Coventry triumphed 3-0 at Millwall to register a first victory in seven outings, and second-bottom QPR’s winless run was stretched to 12 matches by a 1-0 loss at Norwich in a game that marked Adam Idah's 100th appearance for the Canaries.
In the evening game, West Brom inflicted only Ipswich's second defeat of the season – also stopping the Tractor Boys in a league match for the first time this term – as Darnell Furlong and Grady Diangana secured a 2-0 victory at the Hawthorns.
