Saturday 10 December 2016 18:37, UK
Leaders Scunthorpe slipped to their third defeat of the season, losing 3-2 to Rochdale at Spotland.
However, the margin should have been wider after the dominant hosts raced into a deserving three-goal lead.
Rochdale went ahead four minutes before the break, as Joe Thompson side-footed home Ian Henderson's cross.
Steve Davis fed Oliver Rathbone who made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second half, while Calvin Andrews added a third goal on 75, following a second assist of the afternoon from Henderson.
But back came the league leaders to score twice in the space of four minutes. First, Tom Hopper netted from close range before Neil Bishop finished off a Josh Morris free-kick six minutes from time.
Despite the defeat, Scunthorpe remain top of the table after 21 games.
Sheffield United grabbed four second-half goals to beat Swindon Town 4-0 at Bramall Lane. Mark Duffy scored twice, with other goals coming from Paul Coutts and Caolan Lavery.
Duffy opened the floodgates on 52 minutes, courtesy of a mistake by keeper Lawrence Vigouroux, with the scorer providing the assist for Coutts to blast the second goal just two minutes later.
Duffy made it 3-0 from Billy Sharp's cross on the hour before Lavery added a fourth from close range in the 77th minute.
The win takes the Blades second in the table, although Bolton could overtake them on Monday with a victory over Gillingham at home.
Meanwhile, there was a seven-goal thriller at London Road where Peterborough United beat Chesterfield 5-2.
Posh needed less than 50 seconds to open the scoring with Tom Nichols firing home from close range, as he latched on to a loose ball after the visiting defence had failed to deal with Paul Taylor's cross.
But the Spireites were level midway through the first half thanks to a well-struck shot from Ched Evans, which took a minor deflection.
And Liam O'Neil (25) smashed the visitors in front with an excellent strike from around 30 yards.
However, on the stroke of half-time, Gwion Edwards curled home United's second goal from just outside the box.
The hosts regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Taylor found the top left corner from just outside the box.
And it was Taylor who supplied Nichols to smack home his second goal of the afternoon from 20 yards, to give Peterborough a two-goal cushion. Michael Bostwick completed the scoring eight minutes from time.
It was another dismal day for Bury, who suffered an 11th straight league defeat, losing 4-2 at Bristol Rovers.
Yet it was the visitors who went ahead on 25 minutes as Scott Burgess located the bottom left-hand corner of the net from outside the area.
However, Rovers were level seven minutes later as Rory Gaffney netted from close range.
Two minutes into first-half injury time Charlie Colkett supplied Matty Taylor who put the hosts ahead from inside the six-yard box.
Ollie Clarke made it 3-1, George Miller pulled a goal back for the Shakers but Peter Hartley grabbed a fourth on 82.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men, two minutes from time, when Neil Danns was sent-off for violent conduct.
There were a welcome three points for Shrewsbury Town, who won 1-0 at play-off contenders Millwall.
The only goal arrived as early as the 17th minute when Louis Dodds tapped the visitors, ahead against the run of play, after good work by Ivan Toney.
That was the way it stayed despite the Lions dominating the remainder of the match.
The Shrews still prop up the table, although the bottom five clubs are separated by just two points.
Another club inside the relegation zone, Oldham, claimed a grateful point in a 1-1 draw at Oxford United.
Cameron Burgess stabbed home the opener from close range after 10 minutes before Rob Hall's firm strike on 54 brought Oxford level.
The Latics somehow managed to survive the final 32 minutes with 10 men after Ousmane Fane collected a second yellow card.
Despite Oxford's dominance - the hosts had 23 shots to just three by the visitors - they had to settle for a point.
Fleetwood boosted their play-off hopes with a 2-1 win over Walsall.
Ashley Hunter fired the hosts ahead on 42, before Bobby Grant's low strike made it 2-0 midway through the second half.
The Saddlers reduced the arrears 14 minutes from time as George Dobson netted from outside the box.
There were five goals as Northampton won 3-2 at Port Vale who suffered only their second home defeat of the season.
The Cobblers went ahead midway through the first half with Gabriel Zakuani heading home Matthew Taylor's cross.
Ryan Taylor equalised from a tight angle before Sam Hoskins fired Northampton back in front 12 minutes from time.
Paul Anderson gave the visitors a two-goal cushion from six yards in the final minute, before Rigino Cicilia headed Vale's second in injury time from Ryan Taylor's cross.
Lowly Coventry City lost 3-1 at Southend United who needed just six minutes to open the scoring when, from Jason Demetriou's assist, Anthony Wordsworth netted with a rising shot.
The hosts made certain of the points with a brace of goals in five minutes. Anton Ferdinand's close-range header made it 2-0 on 64 minutes, while Stephen McLaughlin added a third as he found the top left corner of the net from outside the box.
Daniel Agyei snatched a late consolation for the Sky Blues.
No goals at Bradford City where visiting Charlton Athletic had Patrick Bauer sent-off in the final minute after receiving a second yellow card.
In the lunchtime kick-off, MK Dons claimed their first home win since early March, beating AFC Wimbledon 1-0.
The decisive moment arrived in the 63rd minute when Dannie Bulman fouled Dean Lewington, and Dean Bowditch converted from the spot.
The game was the first at home for new manager Robbie Neilson who joined the struggling club from Hearts last week.
