In the earliest of the games, commencing at 12:45 GMT, Newport County claimed a huge victory in their survival bid, defeating play-off chasing Swindon Town 2-1 in South Wales. 

Swindon were off to a bad start straight from the off when Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was sent for an early shower after a quarter of an hour, with the visitors able to hold off into the break despite the numerical disadvantage. 

Cameron Norman put Newport ahead minutes later and Calum Kavanagh put the contest beyond reasonable doubt, proving to be an inspired substitute. 

Tomi Adeloye scored what proved to be a consolation goal late on, as it wasn’t enough to revitalise Swindon who slipped out of the play-offs. Newport move up to 19th and clear of the bottom three.

  • Bradford City 1-1 Mansfield Town

Two teams who are tussling for a spot in the top-seven, Bradford City and Mansfield Town shared the spoils at Valley Parade. 

The Bantams began lively in the opening stages and were well worth their first half lead as they netted on the half hour mark, when Andy Cook sent the 18,000 Bradford fans into raptures.

Mansfield up their tempo in the second period and this proved dividends as they nicked a point in the final minute. Alfie Kilgour turned home Elliott Hewitt’s assist as the shares were spoiled. 

Carlisle United couldn’t make their dominance count as Harrogate Town stunned Brunton Park with a 1-0 win. 

The first half was dominated by the hosts, who were unable to take any chances whilst enforcing Harrogate to defend heavily. 

Harrogate continued to be placed on the back foot with the hosts reclaiming their dominance, but they still couldn’t make it count and without a shot on target and one of their minimal attacks in the game, they managed to notch up a goal.  Paul Huntington’s own-goal moved Harrogate three points above the drop-zone. 

  • Colchester United 1-1 Barrow

In a largely uneventful contest in Essex, Colchester United and Barrow shared the points in a clash between two sides fighting at different ends of the table.

Barrow looked to be posing the biggest threat in the opening half, but neither side were able to calve out any goal-scoring opportunities.

The second half seemed to be going in the same way until Barrow drew first blood just before the hour mark, when Ben Whitfield managed to finish past Kieran O'Hara. Colchester probed and eventually levelled proceedings when Kwesi Appiah turned home to put the game back to square one.

A dreadful Crewe Alexandra side  succumbed to a remarkable Grimsby performance, with the Cleethorpes-based outfit trouncing on the hosts at Gresty Road.

John McAtee opened the scoring inside the opening three minutes as George Lloyd played through the tricky wide-man who made no mistake in-front of goal.

McAtee and Lloyd linked up for the second as the first goalscorer played in the latter who dispatched.

The rout was complete 10 minutes from time when Thomas Dickson-Peters proved to be a menace after being introduced to the fray from the bench, and he rounded off the scoring.

Hartlepool United chalked up a monumental win at play-off chasing Doncaster Rovers, keeping their heads just above the chasing pack in the bottom three.

A club with plenty of off-field problems, Donny were slow to get going and despite being the more potent threat going forward, were unable to make any chances they had count, leaving Jakub Stolarczyk relatively unphased.

Hartlepool soaked up the pressure, mustering half-chances of their own but with the Pools first shot on target, they managed to make it prove dividends. Daniel Dodds' goal deep into the closing stages of the game secured the visitors a crucial three points. 

Two sides who are scrapping for their Football League status, it was Neil Harris' Gillingham who boosted their survival credentials, defeating Crawley Town by a solitary goal at Priestfield.

Another one sided affair in terms of stats in the game, the Gills were well worth their victory as they remain in the drop-zone, but move to within a point of survival and their opponents. 

Shaun Williams' strike at the start of the second period handed Gillingham an important and well-merited victory as a revitalised Gills side can only look up.

Table-toppers Leyton Orient returned to winning ways following a barren run of form, defeating London-rivals AFC Wimbledon 1-0 to increase their cushion at the summit to four points.

The O's had to wait patiently against a Wimbledon side that were tough to crack, with both sides cancelling each-other out. 

Orient eventually broke the Dons' resistance, netting with 20 minutes left on the clock. George Moncur diverted past Nikola Tzanev, who proved to be the busiest shot-stopper throughout, to secure Leyton Orient a vital victory.

  • Northampton Town 0-0 Walsall

A rather even contest throughout, both sides cancelled each-other out through the afternoon and the game remained goalless.

Neither side threatened each-others goal much throughout the contest as the game played out to be a bore draw.

Both sides are on a poor run of form, Northampton remain in touching distance of Carlisle in the automatic promotion places, whereas the Saddlers are slipping away from the play-offs, but nevertheless it was a vital point at one of the league's stronger sides.

Salford City tightened their grip of a play-off spot and continue to push for automatic promotion in League Two, succumbing bottom-side Rochdale, who have now lost four games on the bounce and their Football League status is hanging by a thread.

Matt Smith gave the hosts an early breakthrough, latching onto Elliott Watt's pass to open the scoring. 

Before being replaced, Conor McAleny doubled Salford's advantage, with Matt Smith turning provider for McAleny to fire home. Scott Quigley's spot-kick reduced the arrears but it wasn't enough to hand Rochdale any points, as their survival bid has been cut adrift to five points.

Stockport County moved into the League Two play-off places, triumphing against a Tranmere Rovers side who had seemed to turn a corner following a positive seven days.

Kyle Knoyle turned home Chris Hussey's in-swinging ball to give County the lead before Tranmere drew level minutes before the break as Kane Hemmings dispatched from the penalty spot.

The scoring wasn't over in the opening period, as Kyle Wootton netted in first-half stoppage time to give Stockport the lead going into the break.

Will Collar gave Stockport a two-goal advantage going into the final few minutes and despite Tranmere pulling one back through Kieron Morris, it wasn't enough to spark a comeback as the Hatters chalked up a huge three points.

  • Sutton United 0-0 Stevenage

A resilient Sutton United kept their play-off hope intact, holding second-placed Stevenage to a draw in South London.

Boro arguably shaded the contest as a whole away from home, but were limited to many goal-scoring chances by a defensively astute Sutton.

The U's remain in mid-table and only a handful of points outside the play-offs, with Stevenage remaining in the top two and results going in their favour elsewhere meant that they continued to hold a comfortable grip in the automatic promotion places.