Bromley surged to the summit of the League Two table as Michael Cheek bagged a hat-trick in a convincing win over Crawley Town, while promotion rivals Walsall dropped points at home to Oldham Athletic.
The Ravens now sit two points clear at the summit, ahead of Walsall and Swindon Town, the latter beating Cheltenham Town to stay in the hunt.
Elsewhere, Newport County claimed their first home victory since March to climb off the bottom, with Harrogate Town dropping to last place after a defeat at Accrington Stanley.
Here is a full round-up of Monday’s League Two action.
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Crawley Town 1-3 Bromley
Michael Cheek hit a superb hat-trick as Bromley outclassed struggling Crawley with a ninth win in 10 games.
The Red Devils have now gone eight league games without a victory, equalling their longest winless run under boss Scott Lindsey in either of his spells in charge.
Bromley took an early grip on the game and Cheek put his side ahead in front of 1,000 travelling fans when he headed a cross from Idris Odutayo into the top corner.
Crawley levelled when defender Charlie Barker got ahead of his man and headed in Dion Pereira’s corner.
However, Cheek then drilled home from close range after a shot from Odutayo had ricocheted into his path.
Cheek’s hat trick was completed when he coolly netted from 12 yards after being set up by Ben Krauhaus.
(Steven Paston/PA)
Newport County 2-0 Crewe Alexandra
Newport earned a first home win in 289 days as they beat Crewe Alexandra 2-0 to move off the bottom of the League Two table.
The Welsh side had not picked up three points at their Rodney Parade home since last season – way back on March 15 – and it was a first victory for manager Christian Fuchs at the eighth attempt.
Courtney Baker-Richardson broke the deadlock when he bundled in the rebound after Crewe goalkeeper Sam Waller had saved his initial header from a Sammy Braybrooke corner.
Braybrooke then settled any nerves with a controlled drive into the bottom of Waller’s net from the edge of the box to wrap the game up.
Walsall 1-2 Oldham Athletic
Walsall were knocked off their perch as Oldham snatched a 2-1 victory in the dying seconds, ending the hosts’ eight-match unbeaten run in the process.
Latics broke the deadlock from a corner, Joe Garner heading home from 10 yards.
The Saddlers levelled after Jamille Matt played the ball out to Daniel Kanu on the left of the area and he drilled his shot beyond Mathew Hudson.
However, the visitors snatched victory in the last of the six minutes added on when a corner was headed in at the near post by substitute Kian Harratt.
Tranmere Rovers 1-3 Barrow
Barrow secured their first League Two win since October with a 3-1 victory over Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, ending a nine-game winless run.
Ben Jackson opened the scoring for the visitors, firing home from 10 yards after a neat pass from Isaac Fletcher.
Barrow doubled their advantage when Charlie Raglan nodded into an empty net after Joe Murphy failed to deal with a Jackson corner.
Fletcher made it three after reacting quickest to nod home after Murphy could only parry Josh Gordon’s fierce shot.
Rovers pulled a goal back just after the interval, with Patrick Brough capitalising on an error from goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom to score from eight yards.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men when captain Niall Canavan was sent off for a second booking.
(Cody Froggatt/PA)
Bristol Rovers 0-2 Barnet
Steve Evans’ agonising wait for his first win as relegation-threatened Bristol Rovers manager continued as they lost 2-0 to Barnet.
Rovers’ fears of the drop deepened when the Bees took control of a scrappy contest, Adam Senior knocking the ball in from close-range following a goalmouth scramble after Mark Shelton’s free-kick was headed onto the crossbar.
Ryan Glover doubled the advantage when he thumped in a loose ball as the home side failed to clear their lines following a corner.
Evans, who has seen Rovers gain just one point from three games since he succeeded Darrell Clarke, looked crestfallen at full-time, which left the hosts a point off bottom spot and was greeted by boos from some home supporters after a seventh successive home league defeat.
Cheltenham Town 0-2 Swindon Town
Swindon Town sealed a 2-0 West Country derby win at Cheltenham Town.
The Robins Cheltenham had secured bragging rights at the County Ground three weeks ago thanks to Ethon Archer’s stunning strike, but Ian Holloway’s men exacted revenge in front of 1,054 travelling fans.
The deadlock was broken when Finley Munroe’s corner was punched by goalkeeper Joe Day to Joel McGregor, whose header crashed against the underside of the bar.
Aaron Drinan reacted quickest to nod in the rebound from close range for his 18th goal of the season.
Swindon made sure of the points when substitute Filozofe Mabete tucked Munroe’s corner from the left in at the far post.
Chesterfield 0-1 Cambridge United
Cambridge United extended their unbeaten league run to nine games with a 1-0 victory at promotion rivals Chesterfield.
The only goal came when James Brophy caught Chesterfield on the break and slipped a great ball to Shane McLoughlin, whose deft chip beat goalkeeper Zach Hemming.
Cambridge are now level with their opponents, having ended Spireites’ three-match winning run.
MK Dons 1-1 Notts County
MK Dons and Notts County played out a 1-1 draw at Stadium MK.
The Magpies took the lead when, on a break forward, Nick Tsaroulla teed up Tom Iorpenda, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Callum Paterson hauled the visitors level by drilling home the rebound after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s effort was saved by Kelle Roos, denying County the chance to leapfrog the Dons in the League Two table.
Grimsby Town 1-0 Shrewsbury Town
Grimsby Town’s winless league run ended at nine games as they beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 at Blundell Park.
It seemed as though the hosts were heading towards consecutive goalless draws at home and an extension of their winless league run before Justin Amaluzor fired in from just inside the box in the 83rd minute.
Accrington Stanley 1-0 Harrogate Town
Harrogate slipped to the bottom of League Two after they extended their winless run to 13 games with a 1-0 loss at Accrington.
The deadlock was broken from the penalty spot as referee Declan Bourne adjudged Warren Burrell had clipped Shaun Whalley and the winger dusted himself down to send James Belshaw the wrong way.
It got worse for Town when defender Jacob Slater was shown a straight red for a high boot on Isaac Sinclair after 59 minutes, with manager Simon Weaver also booked in the aftermath.
Gillingham 1-1 Colchester United
Colchester United secured a 1-1 draw against Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium.
The hosts went ahead when Robbie McKenzie side-footed a fine shot past goalkeeper Matt Macey after Aaron Rowe had done well to advance forward and pick out his team-mate.
However, Colchester equalised through Arthur Read’s late penalty after Andy Smith had fouled Jack Tucker in the box.
After the final whistle, a huge altercation involving both sets of players and coaching staff erupted on the touchline, as tempers flared.
Salford City 0-0 Fleetwood Town
Salford City and Fleetwood Town closed 2025 with a goalless draw at the Peninsula Stadium.
It was perhaps a fair reflection of the match with neither team able to capitalise on their chances.
The nearest Fleetwood came to scoring in the first half came late on. Midfielder Jordan Davies tried his luck from distance, his shot forcing an excellent tip-over from Matty Young.
The hosts should have taken the lead midway through the half, however. A ball into the box came Ade Oluwo’s way, but Cod Army goalkeeper Jay Lynch somehow saved his close-range header.
In the closing stages, Lynch’s point-blank save from Fabio Borini’s header and a goal-line clearance by Toby Mullarkey preserved a point for Fleetwood.
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