A SECOND-HALF goal from Brian Howard moved Sheffield United into second place in the Championship with a vital victory away to promotion rivals Reading.

The Blades took the lead after the break when Matthew Kilgallon’s header came back off the bar and Howard shot home from the rebound.

The win moved the visitors into second place above Birmingham on goal difference.

Wolves re-established their five-point lead at the top with a clinical victory over Southampton at Molineux.

Mick McCarthy’s side made the perfect response after Monday’s defeat at secondplaced Birmingham, taking advantage of some shambolic defending to race into a 3-0 lead within the first 20 minutes.

Sam Vokes, only in the side because of injuries to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo, opened the scoring after just 39 seconds when he rose to head David Jones’ corner past a floundering Kelvin Davis.

The hosts doubled their lead with a similar move five minutes later, veteran ex- Sunderlland deffender Jody Craddock finding himself completely unmarked to nod home Jones’ cross for his first goal in two years.

And things got even worse for Mark Wotte’s side in the 18th minute when they gave away a penalty, Marek Saganowski clumsily tripping David Edwards and Jones lashed the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

The defeat leaves Southampton marooned in the bottom three, two points from safety with only four games left to play.