COLCHESTER United remain eight points above the League Two relegation zone following another day of drama at the wrong end of the table.

With the U's not playing until Monday when they host leaders Forest Green Rovers in A Game for Ukraine, it was a chance for those teams around them to gain ground.

However, second from bottom Oldham Athletic missed the chance to close the points gap on the U's.

The Latics were beaten 2-0 at home by second-placed Exeter City, thanks to goals from Kyle Taylor and former U's striker Jevani Brown.

 

Exeter ran out winners at Boundary Park, despite Nigel Atangana's stoppage-time dismissal for the visitors.

The Grecians have now closes the gap on leaders Forest Green to five points, having both played the same number of games.

Oldham's Sam Hart had a penalty saved by Cameron Dawson as the hosts suffered a fourth straight loss and remain three points from safety.

There was more misery for bottom club Scunthorpe United.

They were thrashed 5-1 at Salford City with Brandon Thomas-Asante scoring a hat-trick.

Matt Smith's opener and a stunner from Stephen Kelly completed the scoring as the Ammies recorded their biggest win of the season to leave Scunthorpe ten points from safety, in League Two.

 

Joe Nuttall, who netted against Colchester last weekend, scored a consolation for Scunthorpe on the hour.

Barrow are fourth from bottom and six points above the drop zone after they lost their derby 2-1 at home to Carlisle United.

A fifth win in six games under Paul Simpson further eased the visitors' relegation fears and they are now 12 points above the drop zone.

Jordan Gibson and Kristian Dennis scored Carlisle's goals, while Barrow skipper Ollie Banks scored for the hosts in front of 4, 658 - Barrow's biggest league attendance since 1969.

 

Stevenage, who have just appointed Steve Evans as their new manager following the dismissal of former U's advisor Paul Tisdale, did not play.

Boro', who are three points above the drop zone, saw their game at Mansfield Town postponed owing to a number of Covid cases in their squad.

Leyton Orient fought back from a goal down to end a 16-match winless run with a 3-1 victory over Rochdale at Brisbane Road.

Alex Newby gave Rochdale the lead but Paul Smyth equalised just before the break and Ruel Sotiriou put them ahead, after half-time.

Substitute Harry Smith wrapped up Orient's win late on to give new boss Richie Wellens victory, in first home game in charge.

Orient are now nine points above the relegation zone, level on points with Rochdale.

On-loan Middlesbrough striker Calum Kavanagh's first senior goal earned Harrogate a stoppage-time draw against Walsall.

Substitute Kavanagh, 18, headed in during the fourth of five added-on minutes to cancel out Conor Wilkinson's fifth goal in six games for the Saddlers.

Play-off chasing Port Vale made it three League Two wins on the bounce with a 2-1 victory at Bradford City.

Ben Garrity and James Wilson were on target to leave Vale within two points of the top seven, despite substitute Charles Vernam's consolation for the hosts.

Tom Nichols and substitute Isaac Hutchinson struck late goals to end Crawley Town's run of three straight defeats with a home win over League Two play-off hopefuls Swindon.

Josh Davison cancelled out Kwesi Appiah's opener for Crawley shortly after the break.

But Swindon's play-off hopes were dented when Nichols and Hutchinson both found the net to silence 1,000 travelling fans.

Bristol Rovers followed up their midweek win over Colchester with another 1-0 victory, this time at fellow promotion hopefuls Northampton Town.

Harry Anderson's first-minute goal proved to be the difference at Sixfields.

Sutton United slipped to ninth after being pegged back in a 1-1 draw with promotion-chasing Tranmere Rovers.

Defender Ben Goodliffe opened the scoring for the hosts after just 15 minutes with his first goal since October.

But Josh Hawkes hit his fifth of the season to ensure Micky Mellon's side went three games without defeat.