Pelly wellies one in as Hatters march on

PELLY RUDDOCK’S long-range strike early in the second half earned Luton a new club record of 20 league games unbeaten with a 2-1 win at Fleetwood.

An equally impressive first-half free-kick from George Moncur (below) set the Hatters up for the day, while Paddy Madden scored an injury-time consolation.

Second-placed Barnsley remain six points behind after they beat Wycombe 2-1 at Oakwell – where there was a lengthy spell of stoppage time following an injury to the Chairboys’ Luke Bolton.

Cauley Woodrow’s penalty put the hosts in front and he grabbed his second just after the hour. Joe Jacobson pulled a goal back for Wycombe from the penalty spot.

In the day’s early kick-off, Portsmouth saw their hopes of making up ground in the promotion race dented as Simon Cox’s hat-trick helped Southend battle back to earn a 3-3 draw.

Bryn Morris, Ben Close and Oliver Hawkins put Pompey 3-0 up inside 31 minutes, with Cox’s goal before the break seemingly a mere consolation. But the winger set up a tense finale when he converted a penalty with 12 minutes left and then curled in a late equaliser.

Blackpool put their off-field problems behind them as they battled to a goalless draw at fifthplaced Charlton.

Gillingham ended a four-match winless run with a 1-0 home win over Scunthorpe.

Mark Byrne’s goal on the half-hour proved enough for all three points to lift the Gills out of the relegation zone.

Coventry beat Walsall 3-0 at the Ricoh Arena. Amadou Bakayoko and Jordy HiwulaMayifuila scored against their former club, both goals coming in the space of six first-half minutes. Bright Enobakhare added a late third from the spot.

Ivan Toney scored a late goal as Peterborough won 1-0 at Oxford.

Relegation battlers Shrewsbury were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Burton. Tyrese Campbell gave the Shrews an early lead but David Templeton headed in a swift equaliser.

Second-bottom Bradford drew 0-0 at home against Plymouth.