A NUMBER of Norwich City’s players currently out on loan enjoyed a fruitful Easter weekend by featuring twice for their respective clubs across the Football League.

In the Championship, Leon Barnett played both games for leaders Cardiff City as they bounced back from Friday’s 2-1 defeat at Peterborough United with a 3-0 victory against Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

The win at the Cardiff City Stadium means Malky Mackay’s side are now eleven points clear of third place in the Championship promotion race with just seven games to go.

Chris Martin, meanwhile, played the full 90 minutes in each game for Derby County as they enjoyed a successful weekend by seeing off Bristol City and Leeds United.

The 3-0 win against the Robins was followed with an impressive 2-1 triumph at Elland Road in their televised meeting on Monday – a result that cost Leeds boss Neil Warnock his job.

Martin was involved in County’s first goal as he won the penalty from which Paul Coutts eventually stabbed home after Conor Sammon had missed the initial spot-kick.

Elliott Ward was in action for Derby’s Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest as they held onto their place in the play-off positions with draws against Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley.

The 28-year-old played the full 90 in both as injury-time equalisers in each game meant Billy Davies’ men picked up valuable points for their promotion chase.

Firstly, former Canary loanee Henri Lansbury scored late to earn a 2-2 draw at the City Ground on Saturday, before Lewis McGugan performed last-ditch heroics from the spot to grab a share of the spoils at Turf Moor in a game that finished 1-1.

James Vaughan couldn’t prevent Huddersfield Town losing out by a single goal in their Yorkshire derby against Hull City on Saturday, and will hope he and his team-mates can make amends when they visit Bolton Wanderers this evening (8pm).

The forward had scored in his previous three matches, taking his tally to nine for the season from 30 games for the struggling Terriers.

In League One, Korey Smith had a busy weekend as he played 90 minutes in each of Oldham Athletic’s 1-1 draws with Swindon Town and Colchester United.

The two results kept the Latics just out of the relegation places on goal difference, although they do have two games in hand on most of their rivals.

Declan Rudd was between the sticks for Preston North End as they drew 1-1 with Portsmouth on Friday before falling to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra on Monday.

Elsewhere, Tom Adeyemi featured for Brentford in their 2-1 win against Notts County on Friday, but remained an unused substitute for Uwe Rosler’s men in their 2-0 loss at MK Dons yesterday.

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