Blues remain outside top half even after fifth win in six!

Last updated : 28 February 2009 By Shrimpers24

MK Dons 2 Leicester City 2

Max-Alain Gradel's free-kick seven minutes into injury time ensured Leicester maintained their 12 point lead over MK Dons at the top of the table.

Leicester were the quickest out of the blocks and took the lead when Matt Fryatt slipped the ball under the advancing Willy Gueret for his 27th goal of the campaign.

Roberto Di Matteo's men bossed the game following the goal and equalised when Peter Leven crashed home a 30-yard effort and the midfielder grabbed his tenth of the campaign following a move involving three dummies in the 63rd minute.

But Ivorian Gradel had the last word when he rifled home a free kick to ensure the game finished all square.

Peterborough United 1 Southend United 2

Peterborough's push for an automatic promotion spot was halted as Southend came from behind to pick up the three points at London Road.

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Millwall 2 Oldham Athletic 3

Chris Taylor scored two minutes into stoppage time as Oldham kept alive their hopes of automatic promotion at fellow high-flyers Millwall.

Deane Smalley got Oldham off to a stunning start when he scrambled home a scruffy opener on four minutes and Kevin Maher's free-kick was nodded in by Lee Hughes to put the visitors two goals to the good inside ten minutes.

Millwall came into the second half looking for a quick response and got one back through Neil Harris' penalty after David Martin was brought down by Neal Eardley.

The comeback seemed to be complete when Ashley Grimes found the far corner after cutting in from the left hand side, but Oldham were not to be denied and Taylor's late header gave the visitors maximum points.

Leeds United 3 Scunthorpe United 2

Jermaine Beckford scored twice on his return from suspension to help Leeds leapfrog Scunthorpe into the play-off places.

Beckford continued his formidable recent scoring record, grabbing his 11th goal in ten games, to bundle Leeds into the lead from Jonathan Howson's cross.

Within five minutes the lead was doubled when Bradley Johnson's deflected shot beat Joe Murphy, but Gary Hooper pulled one back soon after, as he capitalised on a mix up between Ben Parker and goalkeeper Casper Ankergren.

Hooper punished Leeds' brittle defence again soon after, his seventh double of a successful season, to equalise only for Beckford to pop up again to hand Leeds back the initiative, before Howson was sent off ten minutes from time.

Stockport County 1 Huddersfield Town 1

A stoppage time own goal from Nathan Clarke kept Stockport on the fringes of the play-off picture as they gained a point against Huddersfield.

Michael Collins has proved Huddersfield's goal saviour on a few occasions this season and he tucked away Lukas Jutkiewicz's cross for his eighth goal of the campaign.

But Stockport continued to press forward in search of an equaliser and duly gained a point in stoppage time when Clarke put through his own net from inside the six-yard box.

Tranmere Rovers 1 Swindon Town 0

Tranmere extended their unbeaten home record to 11 games as they held on to beat Swindon despite being down to ten men.

The game had been fairly even in the opening period but swung the way of the home side when Anthony Kay opened the scoring two minutes after the interval.

Swindon's hopes were boosted just before the hour when Tranmere defender Ian Goodison was given a straight red card for a professional foul on Simon Cox, but Hal Robson-Kanu wasted one of the better chances of earning them a point.

Walsall 2 Yeovil Town 0

Walsall recovered from a lacklustre first half performance to keep alive their slim play-off hopes with a home victory over Yeovil.

Yeovil, under player-boss Terry Skiverton, had slightly shaded an open first half but they were dealt a sucker punch just after the restart when Troy Deeney capitalised on lucky bounce to fire home his eighth goal of the season.

Despite Walsall's explosive start to the second period it was Yeovil who continued to dominate, but the wind was knocked out of them when Ashley Nicholls nodded in Sofiene Zaaboub's cross with 20 minutes remaining.

Colchester United 1 Hartlepool United 1

Colchester's inability to take their chances cost them more points in their search for promotion as they were held by a battling Hartlepool.

The home side had been struggling for goals of late, netting only once in their last four fixtures, but Scott Vernon headed them ahead on the stroke of half time from Anthony Wordsworth's cross.

Hartlepool were always likely to struggle for goals as they were without top scorers Joel Porter and James Brown, but defender Michael Nelson led by example to pull them level 20 minutes from time.

Carlisle United 1 Bristol Rovers 1

It was honours even at Carlisle as Bristol Rovers recovered from falling behind early on to gain a point in the mid-table clash.

Graham Kavanagh got Carlisle off to a blistering start as his long-range strike found the top corner inside the opening four minutes.

However, Bristol Rovers responded when Ryan Green's cross was turned in by Jeff Hughes and despite the home side finishing the game the stronger, they were kept at bay by Steve Phillips.

Cheltenham Town 0 Northampton Town 1

A solitary goal in first half stoppage time by Jason Crowe lengthened the gap between Northampton and the relegation places while leaving Cheltenham further adrift at the foot of the table.

Northampton had marginally dominated the opening period against the league's bottom side but it took them until just before the interval to get their noses in front when Crowe clinically finished from inside the area.

Substitute Ashley Vincent came close to finding an equaliser after the break, while Chris Dunn also kept out David Bird's free-kick.

Hereford United 2 Leyton Orient 1

Geraint Williams suffered his first defeat as Leyton Orient boss as the visitors' strong efforts to avoid relegation were dealt a blow at Hereford.

Williams was yet to see his side concede in three games since taking over at the London club, but Febian Brandy's third goal in four since arriving on loan from Manchester United gave the home side the lead inside five minutes.

And Hereford doubled their advantage soon after as Stephen Guinan grabbed his 11th of the season from the penalty spot after Brandy was unfairly challenged by Alton Thelwell.

Tamika Mkandawire scrambled the ball home a minute before the break to keep Orient in contention but despite dominating possession after the interval, Peter Gulacsi in the home goal stood firm.

Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Crewe Alexandra 4

Crewe made it 12 points from 12 in their quest to avoid relegation as they produced a dominant display to see off a toothless Brighton.

The visitors came into the game on the back of three straight wins and Billy Jones put them on their way towards another from the penalty spot after Craig Davies was adjudged to have handled in the box.

Brighton had lost six of their last eight games at home and this record seemed set to extend when Steve Schumacher doubled Crewe's advantage before Jones finished off the home side with his second.

There was still time for Gylfi Sigurdsson to add insult to injury by grabbing a fourth a minute from time.

Coca-Cola Football League One

Latest match Saturday,
28th February 2009
PldHomeAwayOverallPtsEP
WDLFAWDLFAWDLFA
1Leicester City 34115130101061341821112642874+36
2Milton Keynes Dons 329252917103335191958643662+28
3Peterborough United 341043321875528261798604460+16
4Oldham Athletic 349623116665232715127544357+11
5Millwall 32944221773523211679453855+7
6Leeds United 3311243519619182117313534054+13
7Scunthorpe United 328332818828282916511564753+9
8Stockport County 3476527217452317141010503852+12
9Tranmere Rovers 3311433117438142115711453852+7
10Huddersfield Town 338542419547192813911434748-4
11Walsall 339162623467212313713474646+1
12Colchester United 336481818735272613713454446+1
13Southend United 339251913458203413713394746-8
14Bristol Rovers 3273529194762425111011534443+9
15Hartlepool United 34674342843101426101014485440-6
16Northampton Town 326642316349192791013424337-1
17Carlisle United 3373628233410142810716425137-9
18Yeovil Town 333751721639142691014314737-16
19Crewe Alexandra 3272623253212213610418446134-17
20Swindon Town 325472629286192471213455333-8
21Leyton Orient 33348122055814218916264133-15
22Brighton & Hove Albion 323592033465151771114355032-15
23Hereford United 316462115221110328617314730-16
24Cheltenham Town 324492435121213375621377221-35