Soccer-Mitrovic puts Newcastle back on top

LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Newcastle United's Aleksandar Mitrovic escaped a red card and then scored the winner as they returned to the top of England's second-tier Championship with a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The home fans felt Serbia international Mitrovic should not have been on the pitch when he found the net having earlier avoided a second booking for a clumsy challenge on the keeper. Mitrovic made the most of his luck and slotted home on 44 minutes to put Rafa Benitez's side one point ahead of second-placed Brighton & Hove Albion. Chris Hughton's side had briefly replaced them at the top earlier in the day after Tomer Hemed scored twice in their 4-1 destruction of Burton Albion. Below them, Huddersfield Town posted a fifth straight victory in all competitions with a 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers to leapfrog Reading, who drew 0-0 with Barnsley. Derby County, trailing 3-0 at the break to Bristol City, recorded the day's best comeback after a Darren Bent double and a goal from Tom Ince evened things up, while Cardiff City dented Leeds United's promotion hopes with a surprise 2-0 win at Elland Road. Former European Cup winners Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa both lost, 5-1 to Norwich City and 1-0 to Ipswich Town respectively. (Reporting by Neil Robinson; Editing by Toby Davis)