LEAGUE TWO
CARLISLE 2 STEVENAGE 1
CARLISLE boss Paul Simpson’s biggest wish is for the club to be in a stronger position next season after winning their last home game. ‘I want it to be better, I want the whole club to be better,’ he said.
Joe Riley and Lewis Alessandra did the damage at Brunton Park, while Luke Norris bagged a late penalty for Stevenage, whose boss Steve Evans said: ‘We have a long journey home.’
COLCHESTER 2 WALSALL 2
WALSALL manager Michael Flynn was disappointed his side could not hold on to beat Colchester. Freddie Sears gave the hosts the lead before Brendan Kiernan and George Miller put Walsall 2-1 up. However, Sears hit a second-half penalty to equalise. Flynn said: ‘We just switched off.’
CRAWLEY 0 LEYTON ORIENT 2
ACTING Crawley head coach Lewis Young said he could understand the support for the suspended John Yems from fans after a third straight defeat. ‘The club has been on an upward trend since John has come in,’ Young said. Goals from Theo Archibald and Aaron Drinan won it for Richie Wellens’s Orient.
FOREST GREEN 1 HARROGATE 3
ROB EDWARDS urged his Forest
Green players not to give up on the title despite losing top spot to Exeter. ‘We don’t want to go out with a whimper,’ the manager said. Harrogate scored through Jack Muldoon, Jack Diamond and Lloyd Kerry, while Rovers replied through Jamille Matt.
NORTHAMPTON 1 EXETER 1
MATT TAYLOR was delighted to see his Exeter go top of the table. Mitchell Pinnock had given the Cobblers the lead before Sam Nombe levelled. Taylor said: ‘We hadn’t even thought about the title until Tuesday but it has given us a new focus after getting promoted.’
ROCHDALE 3 BRISTOL ROVERS 4
ROVERS boss Joey Barton praised his ‘brave’ promotionchasing side. Aaron Collins’s hat-trick and a Sam Finley goal won it for the visitors, with Luke Charman (two) and Corey O’Keeffe scoring for Rochdale.
SCUNTHORPE 1 HARTLEPOOL 1
TENNIS balls and a bottle were thrown on to the pitch by Scunthorpe fans protesting at their club’s last home game as a Football League side. Police also had to prevent fans storming the pitch. Cameron Wilson gave Scunthorpe the lead before Nicky Featherstone levelled.
SUTTON 1 BRADFORD 4
DELIGHTED Bradford boss Mark Hughes said it was ‘great to see the progress’ in his side at Sutton. Charlie Vernam scored twice and Yann Songo’o and Andy Cook were also on the scoresheet for the visitors, while Alistair Smith had bagged the hosts’ equaliser.
SWINDON 2 BARROW 1
BEN GARNER said a play-off place would complete a fairytale year for his Swindon side. Louis Reed hit a late winner, two minutes after Barrow’s Matt Platt had cancelled out Josh Davison’s opener. Garner said: ‘It’s in our hands now and that’s a great position to be in.’
TRANMERE 2 OLDHAM 0
MICKY MELLON praised his Tranmere players for ‘fighting for the challenge’ after they took the promotion race to the final day. Rovers saw off the already-down Oldham with goals from Josh Hawkes and Kane Hemmings.