League One Monday round-up: Cardiff City deny Lincoln City the chance to go level on points at the top

Cardiff City secured a comeback victory against Stevenage to deny Lincoln City the chance to make up ground on the League One leaders.

The Imps defeated Barnsley on Monday night to keep the pressure on the Bluebirds in the title fight, but they still remain three points off top spot.

Wins for Bradford City, Stockport County and Huddersfield Town strengthened their respective promotion bids as Blackpool and Luton Town enjoyed thumping victories.

Here is a full round-up of Monday’s League One action.

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Cardiff City 2-1 Stevenage

Yousef Salech’s 11th league goal of the season ensured that Cardiff completed the double over Stevenage with a 2-1 win at Cardiff City Stadium.

Phoenix Patterson gave the visitors the lead with a superb strike from the edge of the area in the 57th minute.

The Boro held the lead for seven minutes before Callum Robinson levelled the scores at the second attempt from six yards out.

Salech then grabbed the winner to round off a great first half of the season for the Bluebirds.

Barnsley 0-2 Lincoln City

Lincoln cemented their place in the League One automatic promotion places thanks to a wonder goal from Adam Reach in a 2-0 win away at Barnsley.

The Imps started the brighter of the two teams and took a deserved lead as Tom Hamer headed in from an Ivan Varfolomeev free-kick.

Reach sealed the win for the visitors with a thunderous volley from 20 yards, which cannoned in off the crossbar and past Murphy Cooper in the home goal.

The result leaves the hosts just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Stockport County 4-2 Doncaster Rovers

Stockport sealed a 4-2 win against lowly Doncaster Rovers as they strengthened their grip on a play-off spot.

Luke Molyneux opened the scoring for the visitors as he latched on to a terrific, raking pass from Jay McGrath and finished with aplomb.

The hosts were quickly offered a route back into the game when Jack Senior fouled Kyle Wootton inside the area to concede a penalty. Skipper Oliver Norwood then stepped up and fired home to level the scores.

The tables were then turned on the hour mark when Kyle Wootton fired home from close range after visiting goalkeeper Ian Lawlor made a terrific save to keep out Jack Diamond’s initial attempt.

But Rovers fought back and after Jordan Gibson saw a shot come back off a post, skipper Owen Bailey made it 2-2 with a brilliant side-footed effort straight from a corner.

There was more drama to come though, as Wootton scored his second and the hosts’ third when he connected with Ethan Pye’s excellent cross into the box and headed past a rooted Lawlor.

There was still time for a late fourth, with Senior credited with an own goal as Rovers fell to a fifth straight loss.

AFC Wimbledon 0-1 Exeter City

Jayden Wareham’s header earned relegation-threatened Exeter City a 1-0 win at AFC Wimbledon and extended the home side’s winless run to nine games.

Wareham rose highest to nod Ilmari Niskanen’s superb cross into the bottom-right corner to score his seventh league goal of the season in the 37th minute.

The defeat leaves Johnnie Jackson’s side without a league win since a 2-1 triumph over Plymouth Argyle in October.

Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers

Plymouth substitute striker Bim Pepple headed a last-minute leveller as Argyle drew 1-1 with Wycombe Wanderers.

The visitors deservedly took the lead when Dan Casey headed in at the far post from skipper Jack Grimmer’s deep cross.

However, Pepple rose first to meet Matty Sorinola’s corner in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time at Home Park.

Bradford City 1-0 Port Vale

Managerless Port Vale slipped to a 1-0 defeat against high-flying Bradford at Valley Parade.

First-team coach Jamie Smith took charge of League One’s bottom club following the departure of manager Darren Moore on Sunday.

The Bantams went in front when Tyreik Wright’s corner was worked to Jenson Metcalfe and he bent a 20-yard shot into the top corner.

His goal made it consecutive wins over the Festive period for Bradford to stay third behind Cardiff and Lincoln in the promotion race.

Burton Albion 0-2 Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic ended their three-game winless run with a 2-0 victory at Burton Albion.

The Latics hit the front when Joe Hungbo slung over a deep cross to pick out Harrison Bettoni and the young striker’s header had too much on it for Brad Collins.

Dara Costelloe latched onto a pass from Fraser Murray and fired home to seal victory for the visitors.

Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Mansfield Town

Mansfield Town ended Bolton Wanderers’ 17-match unbeaten home run with a 1-0 victory at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Rhys Oates scored the only goal with a close-range finish after keeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe flapped at Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s corner.

Mansfield’s backs-to-the-wall win was their second straight triumph on the road and their first at Bolton since 1987.

Luton Town 3-0 Leyton Orient

Luton produced a dominant first-half performance as they made it back-to-back victories over the Christmas period with a 3-0 success over Leyton Orient at Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters went ahead when Mads Andersen found Gideon Kodua, who spun away from his man and rifled into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Town moved 2-0 in front as Nahki Wells was clipped in the area by Jack Simpson for a penalty that Jordan Clark coolly converted.

And Luton added a third when Kodua’s cross was flicked on by Wells and an unmarked Shayden Morris tapped in at the back post.

Huddersfield Town 2-0 Northampton Town

Huddersfield made it three straight league wins for the first time since December last year and moved into the top six with a 2-0 victory over Northampton Town.

Joe Low broke the deadlock after staying in the box after a set piece and nodding home Lasse Sorensen’s cross from the right.

The hosts counter-attacked through substitute Dion Charles, who squared for Bojan Radulovic to score the second and wrap up the contest.

Blackpool 4-0 Rotherham United

Blackpool made it five games unbeaten in the league with a 4-0 victory over 10-man Rotherham United at Bloomfield Road.

Josh Bowler opened the scoring with his attempt from the edge of the box sneaking past Cameron Dawson.

Danny Imray doubled the lead as the wing-back fired a shot across the face of goal. Matters became worse for the Millers with Jamal Baptiste being handed a straight red card.

Ashley Fletcher quickly made the most of the man advantage as he added his 14th goal of the campaign in all competitions, before Tom Bloxham rounded things off in stoppage time.

Peterborough United 1-1 Reading

Peterborough United stretched their unbeaten run to five games with a 1-1 draw against Reading.

Daniel Kyerewaa put the Royals in front after bundling home a corner, which was won after Posh goalkeeper Alex Bass made a mess of clearing a simple backpass.

Super substitute Gustav Lindgren hit a late leveller as he tapped home Peter Kioso’s perfect cross.

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