Forest Green extend lead at top of League Two to five points

FOREST Green came from a goal down to beat Salford City 3-1 and move five points clear at the top of the Sky Bet League Two table.

Brandon Thomas-Asante put the visitors in front before goals from Nicky Cadden, Kane Wilson and Jack Aitchison handed the home side three points.

Port Vale are now their closest challengers following a 3-0 win over Colchester at Vale Park.

James Gibbons and James Wilson had the home side two up after 16 minutes, and Aaron Martin rounded things off with a third on the hourmark.

Harrogate suffered a setback as they conceded three goals in eight second-half minutes to Hartlepool, who come from two goals behind to win 3-2 at Victoria Park.

A George Thomson effort and a Neil Byrne own goal in the first half put the visitors in command at the break. But two goals in two minutes from avid Ferguson and Mark Cullen early in the second half brought Pools level before a Matty Daly strike after 59 minutes completed the turnaround as Harrogate dropped to fifth.

Northampton moved up to third with a 2-0 win over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.

Kion Etete put the Cobblers in front with a first-time finish, and Sam Hoskins scored from the penalty spot after Paul Lewis was brought down in the penalty area.

Mansfield’s terrible run of form continued after they surrendered the lead lead to lose 2-1 at Exeter, who sit fourth.

Oli Hawkins put the visitors in front just after half-time, but a Timothee Dieng equaliser and Matt Jay winner after 83 minutes made it 12 league games without a win for Nigel Clough’s men.

Bradford gained their first win in four league games with a 3-1 win over in-form

Caolan Lavery, Levi Sutton and Theo Robinson all scored their first goals of the league campaign to put the visitors 3-0 up and a late consolation from Swindon’s Jack Payne could not stop Derek Adams’ men heading back up north with all three points.

A stoppage-time winner from Aaron Morley earned Rochdale a thrilling 3-2 home win against Sutton. Dale took a two-goal lead through Alex Newby and Liam Kelly, either side of Richie Bennett’s red card for Sutton, but the 10 men thought they had snatched a point when Isaac Olaofe and Alistair Smith levelled things up late on, only for Morley to strike at the death.

Elsewhere, bottom side Scunthorpe clinched their first win in nine league games and their first since August with a 2-1 win over Crawley. A stoppage-time equaliser from Josh Gordon earned a 2-2 draw against Walsall.

Swindon.