The League 2 season continued with the latest round of games played on Good Friday.
Confirmation of Doncaster’s title success is on hold as is Plymouth and Portsmouth’s secured, but likely, promotion.
Leyton Orient are all but down – Newport and Hartlepool are battling to ensure they don’t join them.
Here’s a round up of the League 2 action from the other games.
Results
Friday 14th April 2017 – LEAGUE TWO
Portsmouth 1-1 Plymouth Argyle 14:30
Blackpool 0-0 Accrington Stanley 15:00
Colchester United 1-1 Doncaster Rovers 15:00
Crawley Town 0-0 Cheltenham Town 15:00
Crewe Alexandra 2-2 Notts County 15:00
Exeter City 2-1 Barnet 15:00
Grimsby Town 2-1 Cambridge United 15:00
Hartlepool United 1-1 Carlisle United 15:00
Luton Town 2-2 Leyton Orient 15:00
Newport County 1-0 Yeovil Town 15:00
Stevenage 0-1 Morecambe 15:00
Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 Mansfield Town 15:00
The action was kicked off a little earlier on Good Friday with promotion rivals Portsmouth and Plymouth involved in a live Sky Sports game. Both are a step closer to finishing in the top-three but Pompey were unable to bridge the four point gap between themselves and the Pilgrims but Paul Cook’s side are eight points clear of Luton, fourth.
Blackpool missed the chance to move above Carlisle, seventh, into the final play-off place when held to a 0-0 draw by in-form Accrington. A missed penalty means Pools remain two points behind the Cumbrians.
Had Colchester managed to hold onto the lead over title-chasing Doncaster they would have moved into the top-seven. Donny’s 1-1 draw at the Weston Homes Community Stadium prevented this – the U’s, ninth, are two points behind the play-offs.
Crawley, who had lost their previous two games, and Cheltenham – now three without defeat – played out a 0-0 draw.
A run of defeats was ended when Crewe twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Notts County at Gresty Road. The Magpies, who had won their previous four, are now five without defeat.
Exeter strengthened their play-off position as two goals in the opening six minutes played a big part in seeing them to a 2-1 win over Barnet – who have lost three in a row – at St James Park. The Grecians, fifth, hold a four point advantage over seventh-placed Blackpool.
Russell Slade made a winning return as Grimsby boss, overseeing a 2-1 victory over play-off chasing Cambridge. The U’s, 11th, would have moved into the top-seven on goal difference with a victory.
A point apiece for Hartlepool and Carlisle didn’t do too much to help their battles against relegation and for promotion, respectively. However, a 1-1 draw did mean Poolie stay a point above Newport, outside the bottom two, whereas the Cumbrians held onto the final play-off spot, seventh.
Luton’s 2-2 draw with bottom-side Leyton Orient prevented Plymouth, second, from securing automatic promotion but made the Hatters’ slim hopes of finishing in the top-three slimmer. Orient, who had come from behind to lead, staved off relegation from the Football League… until Easter Monday least.
Despite a third straight win for second-bottom Newport this 1-0 victory over Yeovil at Rodney Parade moved the Exiles to within a point of Hartlepool – potentially Football League safety.
Stevenage slipped to a second successive defeat when beaten 1-0 by Morecambe. Boro still hold a four point lead over Blackpool, seventh, with the Shrimps easing their relegation fears with a first win in 10.
The Wycombe play-off hopes were dealt a blow whilst Mansfield boosted their own chances with a 1-0 win at Adams Park. The Chairboys, 13th, are now four points off the top-seven whereas the Stags, 10th, moved to within two of Carlisle, seventh.
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