LEAGUE TWO
CAMBRIDGE 0 STEVENAGE 0
BOTH managers were happy with a point after Stevenage boss Darren Sarll admitted ‘two teams tried to neutralise each other’. Shaun Derry said: ‘They never looked like beating us.’
WYCOMBE 0 NOTTS CO 1
GARETH AINSWORTH admitted his Wycombe side ‘looked nervy’ as their play-off hopes suffered a potentially fatal blow. Shola Ameobi notched the only goal for Notts County, and Ainsworth added: ‘We have to step up.’
ACCRINGTON 1 GRIMSBY 1
ACCRINGTON manager John Coleman hailed his ‘great weapon’ as Shay McCartan struck a fifth free-kick in 10 games to rescue a point after Akwasu Asante’s opener.
MORECAMBE 1 MANSFIELD 3
DANNY ROSE scored twice to inflict a sixth successive defeat on Morecambe. Ben Whiteman also got on the Mansfield scoresheet, with Paul Mullin netting for the hosts. Visiting boss Steve Evans said: ‘We could have scored eight.’
BARNET 3 CHELTENHAM 1
BARNET recovered from Danny Wright’s opener to win for the first time under Kevin Nugent. Curtis Weston and John Akinde (two) scored for the hosts, and Nugent said: ‘It was a relief.’
PORTSMOUTH 2 NEWPORT 1
PORTSMOUTH boss Paul Cook says his side have ‘achieved nothing yet’ as they took a big stride towards automatic promotion.
Goals from Kyle Bennett and Kal Naismith (above) ensured Cook marked a century of games as Portsmouth’s boss as his side opened up a six-point lead in the race for a top-three finish.
Alex Samuel’s 76th-minute effort set up a nervy finish, and Cook added: ‘We are in a good position, but it’s not written yet. We can touch it, but we can’t take it yet.’
EXETER 3 YEOVIL 3
DAVID WHEELER, Reuben Reid and Troy Brown all scored in the final stages of Exeter’s incredible comeback. Francois Zoko, Shayon Harrison and Alex Lacey netted for stunned Yeovil.
BLACKPOOL 2 HARTLEPOOL 1
KYLE VASSELL came off the bench to score a late winner as Blackpool moved into the play-offs. ‘It was a very hard-fought victory,’ said home boss Gary Bowyer. Bright Osayi-Samuel cancelled out Lewis Alessandra’s goal for the visitors.
CRAWLEY 3 ORIENT 0
FIRST-HALF goals from James Collins, Joe McNerney and Enzio Boldewijn sent Orient closer to relegation. ‘We have been done by unbelievably bad goals,’ said boss Danny Webb.
CARLISLE 0 CREWE 2
CARLISLE’S promotion hopes were dealt another blow thanks to goals from Callum Cooke and Jordan Bowery, either side of Shaun Miller’s red card for the hosts. United boss Keith Curle said: ‘We need goals in our team.’
COLCHESTER 2 LUTON 1
A CHRIS PORTER brace saw off play-off rivals Luton, despite Isaac Vassell’s goal setting up a tense finish. Home boss John McGreal said of his side’s promotion chances: ‘We’re going to give it a right good go.’
WIMBLEDON 0 SOUTHEND 2
PHIL BROWN hailed goalscorer Nile Ranger as his Southend side consolidated their play-off place. ‘A fit Nile, and someone motivated by the challenge of playing every week, is grasping the nettle,’ said Brown, who also saw Simon Cox net.
SWINDON 1 MILLWALL 0
CONOR THOMAS scored in injury time as Swindon ended Millwall’s 16-match unbeaten run to boost their survival hopes. ‘To score so late and the full-time whistle to go immediately is a dream come true,’ said boss Luke Williams.
BURY 0 FLEETWOOD 0
KYLE DEMPSEY hit a post as frustrated Fleetwood dropped six points behind second-placed Bolton. ‘Sometimes it’s not helpful to look at the table,’ said visiting manager Uwe Rolser.
CHESTERFIELD 1 ROCHDALE 3
GARY CALDWELL questioned his Chesterfield team’s desire. Ian Henderson, Callum Camps and Jamie Allen put Rochdale in control, before Kristian Dennis replied and David Faupala was sent off. ‘I asked the players at half-time “do they really want to play?”,’ said Caldwell.
GILLINGHAM 0 PETERBOROUGH 1
JUNIOR MORIAS produced a brilliant 90th-minute winner, much to the delight of Peterborough boss Grant McCann. Morias’ long-range effort was his second goal in as many games as a sub, and McCann said: ‘He’s knocking at the door.’
NORTHAMPTON 0 OXFORD 0
SIMON EASTWOOD saved Matt Taylor’s penalty to earn Oxford a draw, but manager Michael Appleton still felt it was a case of two points dropped. ‘We were excellent going forward, but the final ball was missing,’ he said.
SHREWSBURY 0 BOLTON 2
SECOND-HALF goals from Mark Beevers and Adam Le Fondre wrapped up a fifth successive win for second-placed Bolton. Boss Phil Parkinson said: ‘You have to give the lads enormous credit.’
PORT VALE 0 MK DONS 0
PORT VALE had goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet to thank as they moved to within a point of safety. Mehmet made several good saves to keep out a dominant MK Dons side, and Vale manager Michael Brown said: ‘It’s certainly a point gained. Several lads ran through a wall for us.’