Updated at 20.16

ROBBIE BRADY made his first league start in almost a year in the Championship today.

The 29-year-old started at left-back and completed 90 minutes, featuring from the outset for the first time since Burnley’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea on 31 January.

The Dubliner could not prevent a loss for Bournemouth, however, as Scott Parker’s side were beaten 2-0 by Blackburn.

Mark Travers also featured while Ireland U21 international Gavin Kilkenny was an unused sub, and for the visitors, Darragh Lenihan captained the side and helped a three-man backline earn a clean sheet.

Elsewhere, Callum Robinson’s first club goal for over three months helped a Covid-19-hit West Brom to a hugely deserved 1-0 win against struggling Reading at The Hawthorns.

Robinson, whose last Baggies goal was on 18 August, netted just after the hour after the home side missed a hatful of chances – with the former Preston forward the most guilty party.

A second successive victory for Valerien Ismael’s outfit lifted West Brom to within three points of second-placed Bournemouth and extended the only unbeaten home record in the Sky Bet Championship to 11 matches.

Robinson met Grant’s cross with a deft flick that went in off the underside of the bar.

The game also saw Brighton loanee Jayson Molumby complete 90 minutes for the Baggies.

Ireland U21 international Mark McGuinness’ stoppage-time goal rescued a point for comeback kings Cardiff in a 2-2 draw at St Andrew’s.

Steve Morison’s side have made a habit of coming from behind to gain a result this term and they were at it again when McGuiness rose to head home from a corner in stoppage time to stun the home fans amongst a seasonal high crowd of 17,840.

Birmingham had built up a two-goal buffer by half-time, with Troy Deeney’s second goal in as many games putting Lee Bowyer’s side in front after 29 minutes.

And when Ivan Sunjic ended a 17-month goal drought to double the hosts’ lead in the opening minute of first-half stoppage-time, it looked like the points would be staying in Birmingham.

But Kieffer Moore took his name to the top of Cardiff’s goalscoring charts to reduce the deficit in the 66th minute and missed a good chance to level, before McGuinness’s late intervention restored parity and a deserved draw for the visitors.

Irish strikers also featured on opposite sides, with James Collins and Scott Hogan lining out for Cardiff and Birmingham respectively

Sean Maguire and Alan Browne both started in Preston’s win today, with the latter on target, while Greg Cunningham and Joe Rafferty were unused subs.

Ryan Lowe’s first game in charge of the club ended in a 2-1 victory as Daniel Johnson scored a late winner to sink struggling Barnsley.

The home side took to the field to rapturous applause, with the appointment of manager Lowe – taking charge of his first game – galvanising fans.

But it was the captains not the managers who ended up writing the headlines, with firstly Browne for Preston and then Cauley Woodrow for Barnsley getting on the scoresheet, before Johnson grabbed the winner.

In League One, Marcus Harness continued his fine form, as the Irish-eligible winger scored his 10th goal in all competitions for Portsmouth.

Gavin Bazunu, Shaun Williams and Ronan Curtis also started in the 2-0 win over Morecambe that left them in eighth place.

24-year-old Irish midfielder Mark Sykes scored his sixth goal of the season, as a 2-1 win over MK Dons left Oxford United fourth in the table.

Warren O’Hora and Troy Parrott both played for the hosts, with the latter registering an assist for their only goal of the game.

In Scotland, Joe Shaughnessy’s late equaliser earned St Mirren a 1-1 draw to deny Hibernian caretaker manager David Gray victory in his first match in charge.

Gray was handed the reins after former Easter Road boss Jack Ross was dismissed in the wake of Wednesday night’s defeat to Livingston.

Hibs had looked on course for just their second win in 10 league games at St Mirren thanks to Josh Campbell’s second-half strike.

However, Shaughnessy’s goal salvaged a point for the hosts, although Jim Goodwin’s men are still winless in nine games.

Jamie McGrath, Alan Power and Charles Dunne also started for the hosts, while Connor Ronan came off the bench.

Meanwhile, in the second tier, Monaghan native Mark Connolly was on target.

Queen of the South moved off the bottom of the Scottish Championship table despite conceding a late goal to draw 3-3 at fellow strugglers Dunfermline.

The visitors needed just three minutes to take the lead as Alex Cooper converted a cut-back in the box to score his first goal for the club.

Dunfermline were level in the 21st minute, with Kai Kennedy firing in a free-kick off the right-hand post, before Queens struck three minutes into the second half.

Lee Connelly scored a stunner, smashing an effort into the top corner from 25 yards for his eighth goal of the campaign.

Dunfermline equalised again shortly after when  Connolly headed in Kennedy’s free-kick, but Queens went ahead again in the 65th minute as Innes Cameron headed in a Max Johnston corner.

The visitors looked to be heading for all three points, for the first time in nine league games, until Lewis McCann headed in Kennedy’s corner with two minutes remaining.

Additional reporting by Press Association