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Rotherham remain in second place despite being bested by Reading in their promotion clash at the Madejski Stadium. A goal immediately after the half time break from new signing Harper gave Reading the upper hand and Martin Butler’s(pictured) 80th minute effort secured the three points for the home side and moved them above Walsall and Wigan into third place.
Walsall came unstuck at play-off contenders Notts County who netted a goal in each half through Farrell and Allsopp. Wigan could find no way through a Swindon defence that had previously conceded fifty league goals as the men from Wiltshire returned home with a valuable point in their quest to avoid relegation.
Stoke took advantage of the slip ups of the teams above them to close the gap between themselves and an automatic promotion spot to a mere five point with a 3 goal win over Colchester. A Skelton penalty gave Colchester the lead as early as the fourth minute. Peter Thorne struck a ninth minute equaliser for the home side and then fired them into a 40th minute lead. Graham Kavanagh wrapped up the points for Stoke with a goal two minutes from time.
At the foot of the table Oxford put a dent in Bristol City’s play-off hopes when they held them to a goalless draw on a day when many of the leading teams seemed to have mislaid their shooting boots. Second bottom Swansea came a cropper against a revitalised Bury side at Gigg Lane. Two goals from Reid and a late strike from Connell helped the Shakers to a comprehensive victory.
John Beck’s arrival at Cambridge had the desired effect as the home side saw off the challenge of Oldham by two goals to nil thanks to efforts from Guttridge and on loan striker Omar Riza. In the relegation clash at Kenilworth Road neither Luton nor Bristol Rovers could find a way to break the deadlock as both sides had to settle for a point.
Elsewhere a solitary Steven Brooker goal for Port Vale at Wycombe was enough to secure the points for the away side and move them outside the drop zone. The mid-table clash between Bournemouth and Brentford was settled in favour of the Cherries by the 36th minute by which time Fletcher and Elliot had put them two goals ahead. In Friday night’s fixture Wrexham enjoyed a three-goal romp at the expense of Northampton.
