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League 2 round-up: Doncaster close on automatic promotion, Plymouth keep up chase

John Marquis of Doncaster Rovers celebrates scoring his team's opener with team-mates during the Sky Bet League Two match at Portsmouth, 1 October 2016
Image: John Marquis (right) bagged a brace for Doncaster at Leyton Orient

Runaway leaders Doncaster moved a step closer to automatic promotion from Sky Bet League Two with a 4-1 win at stricken Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Rovers remain six points clear of Plymouth Argyle at the top of the table but they were made to work hard by the division's bottom side. Tommy Rowe put Doncaster ahead with a low effort on 36 minutes but Tom Parkes smashed in an equaliser before the break. However, John Marquis grabbed a brace after the interval and Mathieu Baudry added a late fourth.

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League Two clash between Leyton Orient and Doncaster Rovers

Plymouth kept tabs on the leaders with a 1-0 win over Morecambe. Graham Carey curled home the only goal of the game from outside the area after 17 minutes.

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Stevenage boosted their chances of going up with a 3-0 victory over promotion rivals Portsmouth. Pompey had won their last three games but it was the home side who made it nine wins from their last 11 outings thanks to first-half goals from Jack King and Matthew Godden.

Jobi McAnuff added a third early in the second half after David Forde parried Godden's effort.

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League Two clash between Stevenage and Portsmouth

Carlisle drew a blank for a fifth successive game as their promotion hopes faded further with a 2-0 defeat against Mansfield. Second-half efforts from Matt Green and Shaq Coulthirst left Carlisle with one point from five games and they have now failed to score in over 500 minutes.

Luton also failed to close the gap on the automatic spots as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Exeter. Danny Hylton cancelled out Jake Taylor's opener for the Grecians, who remain in the top seven.

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Blackpool are just a point outside the play-off places after a 3-1 win at struggling Newport. Bright Osayi-Samuel fired in off the bar after 16 minutes and Mark Cullen converted a second-half penalty after Osayi-Samuel was clipped in the box.

Alex Samuel pulled one back for Newport but defeat leaves them seven points adrift of safety, with Osayi-Samuel grabbing a late third on the break.

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Highlights of the Sky Bet League Two clash between Newport County and Blackpool

Cheltenham slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Cambridge in the week manager Gary Johnson underwent heart surgery. Medy Elito grabbed the only goal of the game after just two minutes.

Wycombe closed the gap on the play-off places with a 2-0 victory at Hartlepool. Adebayo Akinfenwa netted his 17th of the season to give the Chairboys a first-half lead and Paris Cowan-Hall made the points safe in stoppage time.

A Chris Dagnall brace gave Crewe a 2-0 win over Colchester. Grimsby were held to a 1-1 draw by Crawley. Dan Jones put the Mariners ahead but Rhys Murphy equalised and the hosts had to see the game out with 10 men after Danny Collins was sent off late on.

Accrington picked up a 1-1 draw at Yeovil despite Scott Brown receiving a straight red card after only 22 minutes. Omar Beckles gave Stanley an unlikely lead before half-time, but Yeovil's pressure eventually told when Francois Zoko netted after 74 minutes.

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