League Two Wrap: Chesterfield stay top despite loss, Exeter up to third

Chesterfield retained their place at the top of League Two despite letting a three-goal lead slip in their 4-3 defeat to Morecambe.

Paul Cook’s side went into the weekend four points ahead of Fleetwood Town at the top of the table and things were going very well for them in the first half as two goals from Owen Doyle and a single Gary McSheffrey strike gave them a 3-0 lead.

Two minutes after the break Morecambe, who had drawn their two previous matches, pulled one back through Kevin Ellison, before Mark Hughes brought the deficit down to one in the 62nd minute.

Jack Sampson levelled the score with 19 minutes remaining and Padraig Amond got the hosts’ winner in the 86th minute, moving Morecambe into the play-off places.

Fleetwood made the most of Chesterfield’s slip up as they moved to within one point of the league leaders thanks to a 3-1 win at Bristol Rovers.

Jamille Matt fired them into a 64th-minute lead as he converted Antoni Sarcevic’s cross but John-Joe O’Toole equalised for the host
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a few moments later.

Matt got his second in the 88th minute and Jon Parkin wrapped up the win in stoppage time, moving Fleetwood on to 21 points.

Exeter City leapt into the top three thanks to a 3-1 triumph over Plymouth Argyle, but they too needed late goals to pick up the three points.

Arron Davies initially gave them the lead early in the second half, but Luke Young hit back as the visitors looked set to steal a point.

The hosts had other things in mind, however. Alan Gow struck in the 83rd minute before Scott Bennett got the clincher at the start of added time.

Rochdale’s run of four consecutive league wins came to an end at Portsmouth, a result which sees the visitors drop out of the play-off places.

Jed Wallace gave Portsmouth a first-half lead and Bondz N’Gala added two of his own in the second period to end a run of two defeats.

Towards the bottom of the table, York City managed an important 3-0 over fellow strugglers Torquay United, while Hartlepool United impressively won 4-1 at play-off challengers Mansfield Town.

Northampton Town managed only their second league win of the season as they beat AFC Wimbledon 2-0 away from home, and Scunthorpe United moved above the latter thanks to their 2-0 victory over Cheltenham Town.

A 2-1 away win against Wycombe Wanderers saw Burton end a run of five games without a victory, but Bury would have no such luck and their winless run now stands at six after a 0-0 draw with Newport County.

Southend United stay around the middle of the table after their 2-0 triumph over Oxford United, a first win since August 17, while Accrington Stanley are six points adrift at the bottom of the table following Friday’s 2-1 defeat to Dagenham and Redbridge.