Top three all win to move away from Black Cats

Portsmouth maintained their three-point lead in the League One table on Saturday as the top three all won with Sunderland kicking their heels.

The Black Cats were without a game after their clash with Blackpool was postponed due to international call-ups.

In their absence, Pompey defeated AFC Wimbledon 2-1, taking a two-goal first-half lead through Tom Naylor and Gareth Evans and then holding on after James Hanson pulled one back in the 63rd minute.

Portsmouth retained their place ahead of Peterborough United, who were 2-0 winners against Scunthorpe thanks to a second-half brace from Matt Godden against his former club.

Mamadou Thiam’s spectacular goal was the pick as Barnsley defeated Luton Town 3-2 to stay in third place.

Brad Potts and Cameron McGeehan put the Tykes two up inside half an hour before James Collins pulled one back from the penalty spot in firsthalf stoppage time.

Thiam restored Barnsley’s two-goal cushion with 11 minutes left, curling in a longrange effort, and Collins’ second of the afternoon made it a tense finish but Barnsley held on.

Doncaster took advantage of Sunderland’s inaction during the international break by beating Rochdale 3-2 at Spotland to climb into fourth.

Ali Crawford put Rovers ahead in the 20th minute and, after John Marquis hit the post at the end of the first half, Andy Butler scored the second shortly after the restart.

Ian Henderson pulled one back from the penalty spot to give Dale hope but Jermaine Anderson’s third restored the two-goal lead before Kgosi Ntlhe closed the gap again with eight minutes to go.

Accrington continued their fine start to life in League One and moved into the playoff places after beating Bradford 3-1.

Billy Kee converted from the spot shortly before the break after Ryan McGowan’s handball and Offrande Zanzala used his pace to double the lead.

Eoin Doyle halved the deficit in the 62nd minute but only four minutes later Sean McConville grabbed Accrington’s third.

In the game between the bottom two teams, Oxford United overtook Plymouth thanks to a 2-0 victory at the Kassam Stadium.