Barnsley boss Neill Collins praised his side’s reaction from their weekend mauling as they came from a goal down to beat Carlisle 3-2.

Question marks were raised about the Tykes’ promotion credentials after they were hammered 5-1 by Lincoln on Saturday.

But, despite falling behind to Luke Armstrong’s early goal, they equalled a club record of 10 successive away games unbeaten in the same season.

Goals from captain Jordan Williams, John McAtee and Jonathan Russell put them in command and they held on for all three points after Daniel Butterworth pulled one back for League One’s bottom club Carlisle.

And Collins said: “That’s a huge win and in some respects our biggest win of the season.

“We are on a great run, but despite all of the positives, one performance gets questions asked and I thought the players answered them well.

“It’s fantastic to get a big record like that at a club like Barnsley who have had a lot of good teams over the years.

“One mistake and it was a goal and in the back of the net, but after that we were really good.

“We could have been ahead at half-time but we came out and continued and really could have had more.

“There was another mistake at the end and that made it a bit more interesting than I would have liked.”

Williams produced a fine 20-yard strike to level in the 33rd minute.

Collins added: “It was fantastic. Jordan has been an excellent captain and got a great goal. For large parts his performance was excellent.”

Paul Simpson’s Carlisle have lost 11 of their last 12 as relegation straight back to League Two creeps ever closer.

They are now 16 points adrift of safety and Simpson said: “You have to be brutally honest, they were the better team.

“When you look at the levels, you’ve got a team who have been in the Championship and fighting for promotion and we’re where we are because that’s where we deserve to be.

“That’s clear to see in terms of the technical ability of them and the care they took on the passing.

“We had opportunities where we got into the final third, but we don’t take enough care on it.

“The disappointing thing is we work day in and day out on passing and possession drills. We get in good areas, but can’t do it.

“I’ve said to the players that it’s an education. We’re seeing and we’re suffering because we’re coming up against teams who are physically stronger and that’s not a case of just working on it in the gym, they’re psychologically made up better than us.

“That’s something we’ve got to change because we’re aspiring to be like that as a football club.

“We want to improve and be able to compete at this level, but currently we’re a long way off it.”

Derby head coach Paul Warne admitted his team might have got lucky after they beat 10-man Reading 2-1 at Pride Park.

Dwight Gayle scored for the third game running, although there was an offside question mark hanging over his strike which put the Rams ahead.

Gayle pounced in the 53rd minute when he fired home from Joe Ward’s free-kick, only for Sam Smith to head in Andy Yiadom’s cross to equalise three minutes later.

But Yiadom was shown a second yellow in the 59th minute for a foul on Conor Hourihane, who restored Derby’s lead from the penalty spot.

Warne said: “I thought first half we were really good, we played well and generally we controlled the game.

“We started the second half OK and got a goal that does look a bit dubious if I’m honest. I’m not going to say it was six yards onside, it looked on the edge of being close, so we rode our luck there, although I don’t think we’ve had much luck at Pride Park this year.

“But to concede straight after, we missed a couple of opportunities in the middle of the park to tackle and don’t stop the cross.

“Our intention was to take Sonny (Bradley) off early, he didn’t feel well before the game and was sick when he came off, so I’ll forgive him for not winning his header.

“It was nice we won a penalty with a ball in behind. The captain took it, I won’t lie I was a little bit nervous. When I took him off he said ‘did you have any doubts’ and I said ‘I’ve got to be honest I had a little bit of doubt!'”

Reading manager Ruben Selles said: “I look at the replay and I make my own opinion. When I say we will fight against everything and everyone, we need to play harder, we are going to do it as this team has been doing, fighting against absolutely everything that has been thrown against us.

“Today is another example of how competitive we can be and more than that I don’t know what to say.

“I think the decisions are clear, I don’t even need to say, the pictures talk by themselves. I think Derby is a really good team. We were competitive but I think the decisions were not on our side.”

Michael Skubala hailed his “ruthless” Lincoln side after they thrashed Cambridge 6-0 to extend their unbeaten Sky Bet League One run to 12 matches.

Braces apiece from Jack Moylan – his second in two games – and Joe Taylor, plus further strikes from subs TJ Eyoma and Dylan Duffy saw the Imps close to within three points of the play-off places.

“I thought we were ruthless from start to finish,” gushed Skubala. “I was very impressed and even at the end you could see how much these guys want to win.

“We’re a tough side to play against, we have a ruthless streak to us and the mentality of the group is fantastic at the moment.

“We talk about starting the game quickly, making sure we’re on the front foot and credit to the lads, they did that really well. I thought there were some brilliant performances out there to a man.

“We need to keep our feet on the ground, though. We haven’t cracked it. We have to do it game by game and go again. It’s going to be really tough game on Saturday against Bristol Rovers.

“But we’re putting a marker down and if anyone slips up, we’ll be there.”

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 the Irishman who smashed a shot high into the roof of the net.

Moylan doubled the lead after 25 minutes, confidently slotting a low shot past Jack Stevens after a delightful Ethan Erhahon pass.

It took the Imps just three minutes of the second half to go 3-0 up, with Danny Mandroiu’s sublime ball across United’s area finding an unmarked Taylor who had the easy job of steering the ball into the net.

City added a fourth after 75 minutes when Moylan’s brilliant through ball set up Taylor to dink 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.

It was a humbling experience for Cambridge boss Garry Monk in only his second match in charge.

“I am hugely frustrated, I did not expect that all,” admitted Monk. “I expected us to build off the back of an OK performance last Saturday.

“It was just self-inflicted – all those goals were very poor ones to concede. You can’t concede goals how we did tonight. You might see one or two of them conceded like that, but not four or five.

“We made far too many mistakes. We rather gifted them a lot of their goals and the performance has given me some food for thought.

“I need to think a bit more what we need to do away from home. Once a couple of the goals went in, we were a bit tepid after that. We were a yard or two off it.

“We played against a good side, but we made it easy for them.”

Exeter boss Gary Caldwell was delighted after his side secured a 3-0 victory over Shrewsbury to move 10 points clear of the League One relegation zone.

Shrewsbury were dealt a blow in the seventh minute when referee David Rock showed a red card to winger Jordan Shipley for a two-footed challenge on Ryan Woods.

And the Grecians took full advantage with Will Aimson, Luke Harris and Jack Aitchison all scoring before half-time to secure a first win in six games.

Grecians boss Caldwell said: “I was delighted. The red card changed the game, and it actually made it harder in some respects.

“In terms of how deep Shrewsbury then sat in, it could have potentially been a really long night.

“When we created opportunities, we were ruthless with our finishing, and our goals were fantastic.

“I thought, in the second half again, we could be a bit better in our final third play, take a bit more risk, and create more opportunities.

“The size of the game and where we both are in the league, I can’t be happier about what the players did and the result.

“When we went into tight areas and played intricate football in and around the box I thought we played we were very good.

“I just said to the players there is eight games to go they are all massive games and we want to win as many points as we can.”

Shrewsbury are three points worse off than Exeter following their third defeat in four outings.

Boss Paul Hurst was furious with the decision to send off Shipley.

“I can’t say what I really think,” Hurst said.

“I think we may as well stop playing football if that’s a red card.

“I am not saying it’s not a red card for Woods at all – but if anything, he is the one that ends up higher on Shipley.

“When the referee blew up, I thought he gave a free-kick to us. And my gut from the side is that honestly – and admittedly, I was a distance away – but it was Woods who was slightly late on it, and Shipley got there first.

“Then for the red card I was genuinely thinking it was for their player and for it to turn out for Jordan was baffling.

“It spoils the night for everyone and at 10 men we need to give it a go. But like I said they are good in possession and that is the type of team you don’t want to go down to 10 men to.”

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.”

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.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield saw his faith in Franco Ravizzoli repaid in his side’s 1-0 victory over Wigan in what turned out to be a tale of two goalkeepers.

A mid-table clash in Sky Bet League One was decided by an own goal from Sam Tickle, who has been enjoying a successful first season as Latics’ first choice.

His opposite number, Ravizzoli, then made sure the Chairboys won for the third time in four games with three fine saves in stoppage time.

The Argentinian was preferred to Max Stryjek despite his availability after suspension, and Bloomfield said: “I feel like my words to the players are ‘if you’re in possession (of your place) and you perform well, then you deserve to stay in’.

“So I had an opportunity tonight to back up my words with my actions and I felt like it was the right thing to do.

“Franco was fantastic on Saturday at Reading, he really helped us get the victory and there was no way he deserved to be left out tonight.

“Maxie was fully respectful of that, he’s obviously been fantastic for us this season and last season as well, but as with anything in sport you respect when someone’s performed well.

“He’s backed him up well tonight and he’s really played his part, as have all the squad. I thought Franco was excellent.

“I have to be really pleased with the resilience – I think it was a very ‘Wycombe’ defensive display.”

The home side’s winner came after 19 minutes when Josh Scowen’s mishit low cross was fumbled into his own net by Tickle at his near post.

Wigan grew stronger the longer the match wore on but were frustrated three times at the death as Ravizzoli denied Thelo Aasgaard, Charlie Hughes and Jordan Jones.

Latics boss Shaun Maloney said: “Second half we did everything but score, I can’t fault the players in the second half.

“I’m sorry for the fans that I can’t give them at least something to head back with.

“I think they could see the players’ performance and the team’s performance, but the first half cost us.

“The second half was excellent, really good, that’s how I want a Wigan team to play.

“The first half was opposite: everything was slow, everything was comfortable.

“It was a big mistake from our goalkeeper but Sam’s been incredible this season. I’ve said this numerous times, so that’s just an incident that can happen.

“Our general play was really poor, I was really unhappy at half-time, but the players that came on were excellent.

“It’s difficult to sit there after the game with how we played second half and not win the game, but also understand it was the first half that cost us.”

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.”

Kusini Yengi’s brace kept Portsmouth five points clear at the top of League One with a 2-1 win over Burton.

Yengi scored the opener from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time after being brought down and then turned in Abu Kamara’s cross just after the hour, with Burton captain John Brayford pulling one back late on.

Derby kept pace as Dwight Gayle scored his third goal in as many games to help them to a 2-1 win over Reading.

That kept Derby second, one point above Bolton, who thrashed Oxford 5-0 with goals from Nathanael Ogbeta, Josh Dacres-Cogley, George Thomason, Aaron Collins and Josh Sheehan.

Barnsley moved up to fourth as they came from behind to beat bottom club Carlisle 3-2 with goals from Jordan Williams, John McAtee and Jon Russell, while Blackpool moved to within a point of the play-off places as Matt Pennington’s scruffy second-half goal beat Northampton 1-0.

Jack Moylan and Joe Taylor each scored twice as Lincoln stretched their unbeaten run to 12 matches with a 6-0 rout of Cambridge, and an own goal from Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle gave Wycombe a 1-0 win.

Exeter picked up their first win in five by beating 10-man Shrewsbury 3-0 while Fleetwood remain six points from safety after a 0-0 draw with Bristol Rovers, as do Port Vale after a goalless draw with play-off chasing Leyton Orient.

Wrexham missed the chance to move level on points at the top of League Two as they were held to a goalless draw at home to Harrogate on the night that leaders Mansfield were beaten 2-1 at Tranmere.

Tranmere took an early lead against Mansfield through Regan Hendry, and although Will Swan levelled for the Stags before half-time, Rob Apter’s strike just before the hour proved the winner.

Elliott Nevitt’s 15th goal of the season earned Crewe a 1-0 win over basement boys Sutton, moving them above MK Dons who sit fifth after losing 1-0 at relegation-threatened Grimsby, with Justin Obikwu getting the goal. Sixth-placed Barrow took a point from a 1-1 draw at Walsall.

Omar Bugiel’s brace fired AFC Wimbledon into the play-off places with a 2-0 win over Gillingham, Ade Adeyemo’s late winner saw Crawley come from behind to beat 10-man Notts County 2-1, while Forest Green moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at Bradford as Christian Doidge scored in the first and last minutes.

Late goals from Harry Charsley and Seb Palmer-Houlden saw Newport take the points from a 5-3 thriller against Morecambe while Accrington ended a run of fourth straight defeats as Alex Henderson’s late goal saw them win 2-1 at Swindon.

The match between Colchester and Doncaster was postponed.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.