Darren Moore said he has seen an improvement in his Port Vale side since he was appointed as manager a month ago after they collected a point from their goalless draw with Leyton Orient.
Funso Ojo and James Wilson both spurned good opportunities for the Valiants before a powerful drive by Alex Mighten was beaten away by O’s keeper Sol Brynn.
“I’ve seen an improvement again,” Moore said. “It’s our first clean sheet since December and we had chances and forced them into errors.
“A point should have been three points because we had opportunities, and on another night we might have shown more composure in the final third.
“I thought we forced Orient into some errors in terms of getting on the front foot and pressing high up the pitch and not allowing them to build because Richie (Wellens) has got them playing some good stuff here. They start games really, really well and we knew the first 30 minutes was really important.
“It was a rewarding point for the way they committed to the shape and stuck to their task. Credit to the boys for their commitment and endeavour, their concentration levels were better.
“The games when we haven’t come away with anything have been down to elementary mistakes and individual lapses of concentration.
“Credit to all the players, it was a valuable point tonight. For us to get ourselves up the league, it has to be a joint effort and the players have to keep performing at the level they can. It can’t be individual moments, it’s got to be a group effort.
“They are an honest group and they really care. We are happy to take the point and the clean sheet.”
Richie Wellens admitted that his Orient side were way below par.
“I think we huffed and puffed second half and we made a few chances but it was the poorest we’ve played for a long, long time,” he said.
“Credit to Port Vale because they’re fighting for their lives and they created some good opportunities first half and could have been a couple of goals up.
“We’re the home side so there is an onus on us to pass the ball and move it quickly but there was too many sideways and backward passes. It felt like that little spark had gone and it was a disappointing night and it was a really flat performance.
“Tiredness can’t be an excuse and with young players when that spark goes you need to refresh things but all over the pitch it was difficult and not a great spectacle.
“We’re not being overworked defensively but there’s no competition for some players and it felt like we went into lethargic mode knowing they can’t be dropped.”
Charlie Adam was pleased to watch Fleetwood cut the gap to six points from safety after a goalless draw with Bristol Rovers.
Fleetwood dominated spells across the game without finding a breakthrough, while Gavin Kilkenny came closest for the Cod Army when he smashed the crossbar from the edge of the box.
Jayden Stockley’s flicked effort got scooped off the line by Rovers’ Elkan Baggott when the ball looked to be trickling over.
Danny Mayor was denied a first-half goal after Promise Omochere showed his strength to square to his midfield partner, who was denied by a desperate block from Luca Hoole.
Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, the Fleetwood manager said: “I’m really disappointed from the first 45 minutes, in terms I felt that we never really got going in that first half.
“In reality I felt that we showed there was no real intensity for when we went to press the game and put pressure on Bristol Rovers.
“We felt like we were off it a little bit at stages. In the second half, the boys were much, much better. On another night I felt we could have nicked it and get all three points.
“Overall, I am really happy with a point at home. More importantly we’ve closed the gap. That’s what we’ll continue to do between now and the end of the season.”
For Rovers, all eyes fell on Antony Evans late on in the first half. He spun in behind the Fleetwood defence, but was denied one-on-one by Jay Lynch.
Scott Sinclair was smartly stopped by Lynch again, who got down well to his right to palm an effort wide.
In the closing stages, an Evans free-kick almost fortuitously rolled in, but flicked the outside of the post.
Rovers boss Matt Taylor said: “Chances at both ends tonight. We created the better chances, the cleaner chances against a Fleetwood team who are going well at home.
“I thought our keeper and our young backline stood up to the pressure they gave us too.
“Hopefully, we’re moving in the right direction. We’ve worked hard with our defensive units and our mindset to keep the ball out of our net and not be as leaky as we have been. I thought we showed that tonight.
“The clean sheet is massive tonight. I was so pleased how our defenders worked tonight. Very rarely have we failed to score in a game and very rarely have we not created chances.
“It wasn’t our night tonight. I can’t ask for much more. Post, blocks, saves. If the team’s going to be short of anything, let it be at the top end and not defensively at the other end.”
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley hailed a job well done by his side after their 1-0 victory at Northampton on Tuesday.
A cagey first half at Sixfields yielded little in the way of clear-cut chances but Blackpool took control after the break, with Matt Pennington making the crucial breakthrough.
The visitors then defended well and limited Northampton to very few opportunities as they moved to within one point of the play-off places.
“I thought we played well and we looked like a good team,” said Critchley. “We played with belief and a bit of arrogance.
“They changed their shape and they changed their team and paid us a bit of respect but we had good control of the game and we said at half-time to be patient and keep doing the right things.
“If we kept passing it, they’ll tire, and to score from a set-piece was really nice because that’s something we have worked on and it’s something we highlighted that we needed to improve.
“Their goalkeeper made an unbelievable save from Marvin Ekpiteta in the first half but we felt the ball crossed the line, so to score from another set-piece in the second half was pleasing.
“After we scored, without the ball, we looked really assured and it was a composed and controlled performance.
“We’ve only lost one in six and that’s now three consecutive clean sheets so we’re in good form and we feel we’re building momentum.
“Tonight’s gone, we have eight games to go this season and now we’re focused on Wigan on Saturday.”
Northampton boss Jon Brady was not too downhearted despite his side’s toothless performance.
He said: “In my opinion it shows how far we’ve come because we feel a little bit disappointed and the fans are a little bit disappointed and we’re playing against Blackpool.
“They were tipped for automatic promotion this season and they are a team going for the play-offs and they have some very good players, but possession-wise I felt we went toe-to-toe with them.
“We couldn’t find the solutions in attack because they dropped back into shape in the second half and they were very hard to break down. They are a very good side and have destroyed a lot of good teams recently.
“I thought there were spells where we played well but they score a goal from a set-piece, a scrappy goal, and that’s disappointing because we should defend that better and it’s the key moment in the game.”
Birthday boy Josh Dacres-Cogley scored as Bolton revved up their automatic promotion push in Sky Bet League One with a 5-0 demolition of Oxford.
Dacres-Cogley, who turned 28 on Tuesday, was gifted his 27th-minute goal as goalkeeper Jamie Cummings and Greg Leigh collided attempting to deal with skipper Ricardo Santos’s long ball.
Wanderers, back to winning ways after two successive away draws – were already 1-0 ahead.
Nathaniel Ogbeta produced a superb finish in the 19th minute from George Thomason’s assist to register his first goal since a debut strike at Carlisle.
Cameron Brannagan’s free-kick into the side-netting was Oxford’s only response in the opening half.
In front of the Sky TV cameras, things went from bad to worse for Des Buckingham’s side in a 10-minute spell after the break.
Both Thomason and Aaron Collins claimed Bolton’s third goal after 59 minutes, though, the former was credited with the goal after his shot took a deflection in off luckless Leigh.
Wanderers’ fourth scorer was definitely Collins, who finished off a sweeping move six minutes later.
Josh Sheehan then wrapped up a statement victory with a superb left-foot finish as Bolton cemented third spot.
Robert Lewandowski scored a crucial late goal as a nervy Barcelona edged into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Napoli.
Lewandowski’s 83rd-minute effort finally finished off the Italians at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium with Barca progressing 4-2 on aggregate.
Barca had stormed ahead with goals in quick succession from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo but Napoli hit back through Amir Rrahmani and were threatening an equaliser before Lewandowski had the last word.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen had the first chance of what proved an open game but failed to trouble Marc-Andre Ter Stegen before Lopez dragged a shot wide at the other end.
That proved a sighter for Lopez, who opened the scoring after 15 minutes following a flowing Barca move.
Cancelo was involved on the left before Raphinha reached the byline and pulled the ball back invitingly in front of goal. Lewandowski cleverly left the ball for the inrushing Lopez and he sidefooted firmly home.
Barca doubled their lead just two minutes later after Lamine Yamal controlled a high ball on the edge of his own box and launched a rapid counter-attack.
He broke deep into Napoli territory and then released Raphinha, who cut inside on to his right foot and thumped a shot against the post. As the ball rebounded, Cancelo was on hand to tuck away.
It seemed the Catalan giants were cruising but Napoli served warning they were not out of the contest as Osimhen tested Ter Stegen, although he was given offside.
The Italian side grabbed a goal back after 30 minutes as Matteo Politano pulled the ball back across the area and Rrahmani met it with a nice left-foot finish.
They then threatened an equaliser before the break as Giovanni Di Lorenzo got forward but Ter Stegen tipped over his dipping header.
Napoli pushed again after the break and wanted a penalty after Osimhen went down following a challenge from Pau Cubarsi but nothing was given.
Barca were forced to defend deep and struggled to get out of their half until Raphinha forced Alex Meret to save from a free-kick after 67 minutes.
Yamal then turned the ball into the net after a Lewandowski header was saved but it was ruled out for offside.
Ilkay Gundogan had a shot on the turn saved by Meret as Barca began to regain control but they were almost caught out when Jesper Lindstrom planted a header narrowly wide for Napoli.
Lewandowski claimed Barca’s decisive third goal seven minutes from time with a close-range finish after neat interplay between Gundogan and Sergi Roberto.
Napoli were not quite done as substitute Mathias Olivera rattled the woodwork and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sent a ferocious drive inches wide, but Barca had done enough.
Relegation-threatened Port Vale picked up a point in an uninspiring goalless draw at Leyton Orient whose play-off hopes received a massive dent.
Although the home side were on the front foot for the majority of the first half, they were unable to get past keeper Connor Ripley.
It was the visitors who spurned the best two chances of a drab and goalless first half.
From a set-piece, Funso Ojo cleared the crossbar with a close-range header and then James Wilson blazed over when he met a superb cross from one-time Orient forward Gavin Massey.
Four minutes after the break, Orient keeper Sol Brynn protected his clean sheet when he beat out a fierce shot from Alex Mighten.
Orient’s best chance fell to substitute Ruel Sotiriou when he latched onto a through ball with 12 minutes remaining and raced clear of the opposition defence before delivering a powerful shot that crashed against the bar before rebounding to safety.
The Valiants have now played 13 matches without tasting victory while Orient failed to find the net for the third successive match.
Jack Moylan and Joe Taylor both scored twice as rampant Lincoln stretched their unbeaten Sky Bet League One run to 12 matches as they thrashed Cambridge 6-0 at the LNER Stadium.
Irishman Moylan netted two brilliant goals in Saturday’s 5-1 mauling of Barnsley and scored twice in the opening half hour, before Taylor grabbed his own brace, while substitutes TJ Eyoma and Dylan Duffy also got in on the act.
Moylan fired City into the lead after just three minutes. Sean Roughan’s cross into the box fell to Lasse Sorensen initially, but the ball eventually found its way to Moylan who smashed a shot high into the roof of the net.
Jack Stevens made a flying save to deny Sorensen after he latched on to a terrific Danny Mandroiu pass, who then himself stabbed the corner wide.
Moylan doubled the lead after 25 minutes, confidently slotting a low shot past Stevens after a delightful Ethan Erhahon pass.
Stevens superbly denied Sorensen again in first-half stoppage-time, but it took the Imps just three minutes of the second half to go 3-0 up.
Mandroiu’s sublime ball across Cambridge’s area found an unmarked Taylor, who had the easy job of steering the ball into the net.
James Brophy brought a good save out of Lukas Jensen, before lobbing another effort just over, while Ryan Bennett headed narrowly wide from a corner as Cambridge enjoyed their best spell of the match.
Lincoln, though, added a fourth after 75 minutes when Moylan’s brilliant through ball set up Taylor, who dinked a shot over Stevens and into the net.
Eyoma then fired home after Teddy Bishop’s shot was initially blocked before Duffy rammed a shot through Stevens’ legs to complete the rout.
England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has prioritised his health over the prospect of facing France after self-reporting symptoms of concussion.
Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth revealed Feyi-Waboso has been ruled out of the climax to the Guinness Six Nations in Lyon after he became “groggy” in the wake of Saturday’s 23-22 victory over Ireland.
Although the 21-year-old Exeter University medical student finished the match, it was only afterwards that he felt the effects of a possible concussion that cannot be traced to any one incident on the field.
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It means England’s breakout star of the Six Nations will be unable to take part in the bid to snatch Ireland’s title a week after setting Twickenham alight with a dynamic display on his first start.
“Manny felt a bit groggy so he is unfortunately ruled out of the game, but we don’t take any risks with that sort of stuff,” Wigglesworth said.
“He’s obviously gutted but being the smart lad he is, he reported his symptoms. He did the right thing.”
England have chosen not to replace Feyi-Waboso in their 36-man training squad, with Elliot Daly likely to take his place on the wing against France.
Cardiff-born Feyi-Waboso was persuaded to pledge his national allegiance to England by Steve Borthwick in January and both player and coach have been rewarded by his dynamic displays, two of them coming off the bench.
“It had been building for Manny. You have to integrate these players carefully and I think Steve did that well in how he exposed him to Test rugby so he was ready to fly,” Wigglesworth said.
“He played really well, got his hands on the ball and did what we asked him to do and brought his talents.
“It’s very disappointing for him as I know how desperate he was to play again and how much he enjoyed his first start.”
England picked themselves up off the canvas after a disappointing defeat by Scotland in round three to end Ireland’s Grand Slam defence when Marcus Smith kicked a last-gasp drop-goal.
Steve Borthwick’s side had been irked by the avalanche of predictions that they would be routed by the favourites, whose former number eight Jamie Heaslip even said their only chance was if Ireland had one or two players sent off.
England back row Ben Earl stated after the win that “apparently we’re the worst England team ever. We’ve done pretty well for that accolade”, but Wigglesworth admits that defiant rage will only take a team so far.
“Every week is different and as a player, a coaching staff and a team, you use different things and you will tap into different emotions,” he said.
“We want to be obsessed with getting better, we want to keep moving on. What is called a disaster, for us is a learning experience so at the end we are moving the dial in the right direction.
“There are emotional buttons the players want to press themselves but at the core is trying to move our game on, trying to get better, having real clarity on what we are going after so we get better.”
Barnsley got back to winning ways as they held on for a 3-2 victory at League One bottom club Carlisle.
Neill Collins’ promotion-chasing side were hammered 5-1 by Lincoln on Saturday and it looked like they may have been suffering a hangover when Carlisle took an early lead through Luke Armstrong.
But Jordan Williams, John McAtee and Jonathan Russell all scored for the visitors before Daniel Butterworth set up a tense finish.
Armstrong started the scoring when he grabbed his second goal in as many games in the 10th minute.
Captain Williams produced a fine 20-yard strike to level in the 33rd minute.
McAtee rattled the crossbar minutes later before Sam Cosgrove forced Carlisle goalkeeper Harry Lewis into a good stop to tip his powerful strike over.
After the break, McAtee poked home the second after Cosgrove dinked the ball over Lewis.
Towering Russell got the third when he nodded home Corey O’Keeffe’s cross at the back post with 14 minutes left.
Butterworth pulled one back with three minutes to go but Barnsley held on for the points as Paul Simpson’s strugglers lost for the 11th time in their last 12 league outings.
Dwight Gayle scored his third goal in as many games to help Derby beat Reading 2-1.
Sam Smith cancelled out Gayle’s opener but Royals skipper Andy Yiadom was sent off before a Conor Hourihane penalty clinched victory.
Derby started strongly and it needed a great save from Joel Pereira to keep out a Joe Ward free-kick in the 11th minute.
Reading grew into the game but Derby twice went close with Pereira making another fine stop to deny Tom Barkhuizen in the 31st minute before Eiran Cashin headed a free-kick against a post two minutes later.
The game burst into life early in the second half with both sides trading goals before Reading were reduced to 10 men.
Gayle latched onto Ward’s pass to put Derby ahead in the 53rd minute, only for Smith to head in Yiadom’s cross three minutes later.
Yiadom was shown a second yellow card in the 59th minute for a foul on Hourihane, who restored Derby’s lead from the spot in the 70th minute after Pereira caught Gayle.
Riley McGree returned to haunt his old loan club Birmingham with a stunning goal as Middlesbrough won 1-0 at St. Andrew’s.
Attacking midfielder McGree, 25, put Boro ahead in the 17th minute after a mistake by Alex Pritchard in a game of few clear-cut chances.
The result heaps pressure on City, who have now gone five games without a win and are only out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone by a point after their match in hand.
City have not won since manager Tony Mowbray – a much-loved former Middlesbrough player and manager – has been away from his daily duties for medical treatment.
Both sets of fans chanted his name but Birmingham looked in need of the 60-year-old’s guidance as Boro made it three wins in a row.
Birmingham had the first chance when Pritchard attempted a 40-yard chip over goalkeeper Seny Dieng but his ambitious effort drifted wide.
Paddy McNair fired over a long-range rising effort for Middlesbrough after Emmanuel Latte Lath was denied from point-blank range by goalkeeper John Ruddy.
But a mistake by Pritchard led to Boro taking a 17th-minute lead.
The former Brentford and Sunderland midfielder’s pass was easily cut out by Luke Ayling. He found McGree, who lashed an unstoppable left-foot drive into the top corner of the net from 25 yards.
McGree, who spent 15 months on loan at Blues from October 2020 to the end of 2021, celebrated in understated fashion against his old club.
Things went from bad to worse for City two minutes later when centre-back Marc Roberts went off injured to be replaced by Cody Drameh.
Ayling tried to make it 2-0 after cutting inside and curling goalwards but his attempt was straight at Ruddy.
Pritchard sliced horribly wide on the angle as neither he nor Koji Miyoshi seemed to want to take responsibility to shoot.
If Birmingham’s struggles were not summed up by that lack of confidence, they were underlined when no one challenged Latte Lath from Lukas Engel’s throw-in and the striker fired just wide.
Matt Clarke sent a bullet header wide from a corner as the visitors continued to look the more dangerous side.
Birmingham replaced the out-of-sorts Miyoshi with Juninho Bacuna at half-time but they continued to look unconvincing.
There was a four-minute stoppage before the hour mark after referee Andy Davies went off injured, with fourth official Jeremy Simpson taking over the whistle.
The lively Latte Lath only just failed to get enough contact on an up-and-under, with the sliced effort flying over.
Kusini Yengi’s double saw Portsmouth take another step closer to the Championship with a 2-1 win against Burton.
The victory moved leaders Pompey five points clear of second-placed Derby and six in front of Bolton in third.
Although Pompey dominated most of the first half, Burton had opportunities without troubling Will Norris.
Albion had the first effort at goal, with Rekeem Harper rattling the Pompey bar in the first minute.
Pompey found life difficult in the final third, but had a superb chance after 37 minutes when Yengi somehow shot wide of an open goal from two yards.
But he made amends in added time, when after having been brought down in the area, got up to score the penalty.
Pompey kept the pressure on in the second half, and despite Abu Kamara blasting high over the bar in the 57th minute, Yengi scored his second six minutes later when he tapped in from a hard low Kamara cross.
Burton pulled one back after 80 minutes when captain John Brayford fired home.
An own goal by Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle decided a low-key encounter as Wycombe claimed a 1-0 win at Adams Park.
The game may not live long in the memory, but the Chairboys celebrated a third win in four games that moved them level on points with their visitors.
Wycombe were gifted the lead after 19 minutes when Josh Scowen’s mishit low cross from the right was fumbled into his own net by Tickle at his near post.
The Chairboys almost doubled their advantage in the second minute of the second half as Beryly Lubala headed a peach of a free-kick from Luke Leahy just wide.
Wigan improved and pressed hard for an equaliser, with Thelo Aasgaard and Charlie Kelman both sending presentable headed chances off-target.
The closest Latics came to snatching a point was in the first minute of stoppage time when Jordan Jones teed up Aasgaard, whose header was brilliantly saved by Franco Ravizzoli.
Fleetwood remain six points from safety after holding mid-table Bristol Rovers to a 0-0 draw at Highbury Stadium.
Danny Mayor should have put the hosts 1-0 up after Promise Omochere showed his strength to square to his midfield partner, who was denied by a desperate block from Luca Hoole.
With the best chance of the game, Antony Evans had a one-on-one opportunity to break the deadlock on the stroke of the break. The Gas midfielder could only hit straight at home goalkeeper Jay Lynch.
Scott Sinclair fired low three minutes into the second half, which was smartly stopped by Lynch as the away side pressed, while former Rovers man Ryan Broom acrobatically volleyed wide for Fleetwood.
Gavin Kilkenny rattled the woodwork on the hour when the ball fell kindly to the Bournemouth loanee from the edge of the box, with Jed Ward beaten all ends up.
Elkan Baggott scrambled a trickling effort off the line as Fleetwood dominated in second-half spells without breakthrough.
Rovers hit the post in the closing stages after a deflected Evans free-kick ricocheted wide.
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