Bottom four are slipping adrift in relegation fight
A GAP is forming at the bottom of League One as Burton Albion continue to leave the relegation battle behind.
Wigan Athletic’s 2-0 win at home to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday lifted them four points ahead of the drop zone with four games to play.
Joe Dodoo scored a fortunate first-half opener for Wigan and they made sure of victory with a 72nd-minute penalty from Lee Evans.
AFC Wimbledon are a further point ahead of Wigan and looking in good shape with five games left after an emphatic 4-1 home win over Swindon Town which sent their visitors to the bottom of the table.
Joe Pigott’s penalty, a header from Will Nightingale and a closerange strike from Ayoub Assal had the Dons 3-0 up by half-time and Pigott scored another before Tyler Smith’s late consolation for Swindon.
Bristol Rovers are second bottom and also looking in dire trouble after losing 1-0 at home to Lincoln City.
Lincoln had already scored the only goal, after 16 minutes, through Anthony Scully, before a melee involving most of the players saw Rovers’ Matt Upson sent off for wrestling with Brennan Johnson.
Rochdale lifted themselves off the bottom with their second successive win, 3-1 at home to Accrington Stanley to follow beating Swindon in midweek.
Jimmy Keohane put them ahead but it was 1-1 at half-time after Ben Barclay equalised.
Second-half goals from Jake Beesley and former Brewer Conor Shaughnessy wrapped up the win and Rochdale, with five games to play, have given themselves a chance.
Northampton Town complete the bottom four after losing 3-1 away to Peterborough United on Friday night.
All of the relegation candidates are in action, none playing each other, in a full League One programme tomorrow night.
At the top, leaders Hull City responded to second-placed Peterborough’s win by beating Fleetwood Town 2-1 at home.
They trailed to a Kyle Vassell goal at half-time but turned it round through Josh Magennis and Keane Lewis-potter.
Blackpool strengthened their play-off spot by beating thirdplaced Sunderland 1-0 thanks to a Luke Garbutt goal after 58 minutes.
Oxford United’s 3-2 win at home to Gillingham lifted them into the play-off places.
They had gone 2-0 down in the 72nd minute but Sam Winnall and Sam Long brought them level and Long added a stoppage-time winner.
Portsmouth dropped out of the play-off places by losing 1-0 away to MK Dons, former Brewer Scott Fraser’s first-half penalty separating the sides.
Doncaster Rovers ended their poor run with a 2-0 win away to Shrewsbury Town, Fejiri Okenabirhie and Taylor Richards scoring.
Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town drew 0-0.