Saturday 4 February 2017 20:28, UK
Sheffield United returned to the top after thrashing AFC Wimbledon 4-0 at Bramall Lane as morning leaders Scunthorpe slumped to defeat at Southend.
The Blades, who had taken one point from their previous three games, needed just two minutes to go ahead through Billy Sharp and debutant James Hanson doubled their lead before the interval.
John Fleck and Caolan Lavery added further goals late on as United moved two points clear of Scunthorpe, who suffered only their fifth defeat of the season despite taking an early lead at Southend.
Murray Wallace's fifth-minute header briefly put the Iron on course for a fourth successive league win but Southend turned things around through goals from Marc-Antoine Fortune, Simon Cox and Ryan Leonard before Scunthorpe's misery was completed by Neal Bishop's late red card.
The good news for Scunthorpe was that, aside from Sheffield United and Southend, none of the other sides in the top eight at the start of the day managed to win.
Third-placed Bolton were held 1-1 at MK Dons, where Kieran Agard's second-half equaliser cancelled out Jay Spearing's opener to leave Bolton without a win in four, while Fleetwood in fourth also played out a 1-1 draw at Charlton.
Ricky Holmes' 37th-minute strike looked set to consign Fleetwood to a first league defeat in 13 matches but Amari'i Bell's dramatic stoppage-time equaliser saved the visitors. Charlton, unbeaten in six, finished the match with 10
men after seeing Nathan Byrne dismissed at the end.
Bradford, meanwhile, remain in fifth after a 2-2 home draw with Gillingham. Gillingham scored first and last through Josh Wright and Deji Oshilaja but Bradford netted twice in between through new signing Charlie Wyke and Tony McMahon to remain unbeaten at home.
Rochdale and Bristol Rovers, who began the weekend in sixth and eighth places respectively, played out a goalless draw at Spotland.
Peterborough moved above Rovers after earning a 3-0 win at Port Vale, with Marcus Maddison opening the scoring before Junior Morias struck a late brace.
Millwall also leap-frogged the Pirates after goals from Jake Cooper and Steve Morison gave them a 2-0 win at Coventry, who continue to prop up the table after suffering a fourth consecutive loss.
Oldham moved out of the bottom two, with Chesterfield replacing them, after beating the Spireites 1-0 courtesy of Peter Clarke's stoppage-time winner. That was despite the visitors playing the entire second half with a man less following Anthony Gerrard's sending off.
Oldham also climbed above Bury, who were beaten 2-1 at Shrewsbury. Goals from Tyler Roberts and Freddie Ladapo put Shrews in charge and Bury could only net a late consolation through Jacob Mellis.
Northampton missed a last-minute penalty through Marc Richards and they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Walsall. The Cobblers had taken a first-half lead through John-Joe O'Toole but Walsall struck twice in five second-half minutes through Matt Preston and Erhun Oztumer to take the spoils.
