Stockport manager Dave Challinor hailed his side’s eight-game winning run as “an amazing achievement” after they fought hard for a 3-2 win over Grimsby in Sky Bet League Two.
Two goals inside the first 10 minutes from Louie Barry and Tanto Olaofe put them in control.
Olaofe missed a chance to make it three from the penalty spot and Grimsby grabbed a goal just before the break through Donovan Wilson.
The visitors equalised from Gavan Holohan’s spot-kick in the second period but another goal from Barry clinched three points for the Hatters.
“I’m always going to be critical where I need to be. I can’t ask for a better start, but the game should have been over at half-time,” said Challinor.
“I spoke about this last week, how missing a big chance is a mood killer, and that’s exactly what the second penalty was.
“That last 10 minutes, the decision for Tanto to take it and conceding, I was raging at half-time.
“The game should have been won, then it would have allowed us to do different things in the second half.
“In terms of positives, we made the changes and altered the system because we couldn’t deal with their runners and it paid off. The win is an amazing acheivement.
“The winning run is great, it puts us in a really good place going into Tuesday’s game.
“I trust the players have got to be able to play 55 games a season, they’re athletes and sometimes you can expect too little of them almost.
“We want to use the squad but not in a way that will harm momentum.”
Grimsby manager Paul Hurst was frustrated with some of the decisions from officials during the game but commended his team for how they got back into it.
“From our point of view, there was a bit extra there, a lot of character there, we had them on the ropes, especially in periods of that second half.
“I haven’t had a chance to look at all of the decisions in detail, but looking at some of the footage I thought some of those decisions were really poor today.
“I felt the home crowd influenced the decision for the first penalty, they were both at it pulling each other.
“The second goal was poor from our point of view in terms of positioning and then you feel like you’re going to be really up against it.
“I felt a lot of things went against us rather than for us, but at 2-0 down against the league leaders, who were flying so early in the game, I think you’ve got to give credit to our players for getting back into it.
“I don’t think we’ve got what we deserved today against what is obviously a top team.”
Sheffield United go top of Championship with draw despite Ahmedhodzic red
Sheffield United went top of the Championship following their 2-2 draw away to Coventry City despite twice surrendering the lead.
Chris Wilder's side are one point ahead of second-placed Sunderland ahead of Saturday's other matches although, after Tyrese Campbell put them one up after 13 minutes, they would have been hoping for a bigger lead.
Coventry forward Norman Bassette equalised nine minutes later, but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi had the visitors back in front on 34 minutes, having been set up by former Coventry man Gustavo Hamer.
Then came the game-defining incident, with Anel Ahmedhodzic sent off in the 44th minute after grabbing Bassette by his neck and throwing him to the ground. Tempers flared into half-time, but it was the home side who piled on the pressure in the second half.
The managerless Sky Blues got their reward 10 minutes from time through Bobby Thomas, meaning that they have now come back from losing positions to draw in back-to-back matches. They sit 16th in the table.
Elsewhere, Burnley went third after their second straight 1-0 victory as they beat Bristol City on the road. Jaidon Anthony scored the only goal of the game, although the home side created plenty of pressure and saw a penalty claim denied in the second half.
Scott Parker's side, nevertheless, kept their fourth clean sheet in five to get themselves back in the hunt for the top two.
Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City shared the points in a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough that does neither side many favours in their aim to climb clear of the relegation scrap.
Both goals came within two first-half minutes, with Ollie Tanner getting the visitors ahead from a Callum Robinson rebound in the 34th minute. The lead didn't last long though, with Di'Shon Bernard on hand to scramble home and restore parity almost straight away.
The result leaves Wednesday in 14th, four points above the bottom three, while Cardiff are 19th and just a point above third-bottom Luton Town.
Leicester City 1-2 Chelsea: Jackson and Fernandez mark a happy return for Maresca
Chelsea came through a nervy finish to beat Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Enzo Maresca guided Leicester to promotion last season before switching allegiance to Chelsea, who returned to winning ways after two successive draws in the Premier League.
Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez were on the scoresheet for the Blues as Jordan Ayew’s stoppage-time penalty proved only to be a consolation for the hosts.
The visitors dominated early on and Jackson’s brilliant outside-of-the-foot finish past Mads Hermansen gave them the lead in the 15th minute.
Jackson was involved in Chelsea’s second, too, as his header was saved by Hermansen, only for Fernandez to nod home the rebound in the 75th minute.
Ayew made no mistake from the spot to set up a grandstand finale, but third-place Chelsea held firm to move to within a point of Manchester City, prior to the reigning Premier League champions’ clash with Tottenham later on Saturday, while Leicester dropped down to 16th.
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