Wednesday 11 February 2015 00:22, UK
Bristol City extended their lead at the top of the Sky Bet League 1 table to four points after securing a 3-1 home win over Port Vale.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas opened the scoring at Ashton Gate before Joe Bryan and Matt Smith added further goals in the second half as the Robins notched their 11th home league win of the campaign. Port Vale's Mark Marshall scored a late consolation.
Second-placed Swindon lost ground on their promotion rivals as they slipped to back-to-back defeats on their travels as they were beaten 2-1 at Oldham.
Athletic climb back into the play-off places on the back of the result after striking twice in the space of a minute early in the first half through Mike Jones and Conor Wilkinson, with Massimo Luongo's 63rd-minute effort for Swindon proving to be a mere consolation.
Preston closed the gap on third-placed MK Dons, who lost at Bradford on Monday night, to three points with a 2-0 win at Chesterfield.
Joe Garner struck on the half-hour and headed a second in the 79th minute, while the Spireites played most of the game with 10 men after Sam Hird's third-minute dismissal for his foul on Garner.
Matty Done scored on his debut as Sheffield United reignited their play-off challenge with a 4-1 victory over strugglers Colchester.
Done, a deadline-day signing from Rochdale, was on target in the 37th minute after Jose Baxter had given the Blades an eighth-minute lead.
Jay McEveley added a third just before the hour mark and Baxter converted his second from the penalty spot after Sammie Szmodics had pulled one back for the visitors.
Walsall also boosted their chances of finishing in the top six in an eventful encounter with fellow promotion hopefuls Rochdale.
James O'Connor, Anthony Forde and Jordy Hiwula were all on target before half-time for the Saddlers, but they were forced to hang on after Peter Vincenti and Ashley Eastham pulled goals back after the break.
Scunthorpe were denied victory at Coventry as Marcus Tudgay's stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Gary McSheffrey's first-half strike against his former club.
Nicky Ajose scored his seventh goal in 11 appearances for Crewe, who secured their third league win in four games with a 1-0 home win against relegation rivals Yeovil.
Barnsley's troubles continued as they lost 2-1 to Fleetwood at Oakwell. Peter Ramage gave the Tykes an early lead but Fleetwood, up to ninth in the table, hit back through Conor McLaughlin's free-kick and Liam McAlinden before the break.
Peterborough crashed to a seventh home league defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to Gillingham, while bottom club Leyton Orient went down to a third straight defeat, 1-0 at home to Notts County.
Meanwhile, second-bottom Crawley had defender Joe Walsh sent off in the 67th minute for his foul on Richie Wellens in a 5-0 drubbing at home to Doncaster, with Andy Butler, Wellens, Nathan Tyson, Harry Forrester and Curtis Main on target for Rovers.
