Charlie Adam felt Fleetwood deserved their point after Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu’s late finish earned a dramatic 1-1 draw at home to Reading.

Deep in added time, the Fleetwood skipper popped up at the back stick to cancel out Lewis Wing’s stunning opener.

The home side may have felt aggrieved earlier when Promise Omochere’s chance seemed to have crossed the line, but neither the referee nor the assistant indicated it should be a goal.

Fleetwood manager Adam said: “A fully deserved point tonight. On the best chances of the game, I felt we had enough to win the match.

“We felt the goal was over the line. But we didn’t let our heads drop. We obviously conceded the goal, but we battled on and fully deserved that 90th-minute equaliser.

“I thought we dominated the game, I thought we had the best chances, I thought we passed the ball well but when we got in the final third in the first half, we never, our opportunities and selections were not what we wanted.

“The lads have given me everything since I’ve come in and they’ve given me everything tonight.

“We deserved that. We deserved that draw, but there are still areas we need to work on. Areas we need to get better on, and I’ll take that, the endeavour we had and the hunger we had for 96 minutes.”

Reading had chances in the first half to open the scoring. Femi Azeez was sent down the right flank after 30 minutes but the winger’s cross was too vicious for Harvey Knibbs who headed over from underneath the crossbar.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan also wasted a great one-on-one opportunity when he was snuffed out by Fleetwood’s Jay Lynch.

Reading boss Ruben Selles said: “We didn’t start well – the first 35 minutes we didn’t control the game the way that we wanted. They were on top of the game.

“After half-time, we controlled the game and had chances, two one-versus-ones with the goalkeeper where we needed to put the ball in the net. At the end, we concede a goal we should never concede. Frustrated at the end and we need to perform better.

“We need to know that it is difficult to go away from home and win points – we know it. Today we had it. A lot happened in the second action, a bad clearance and a bad recovery.

“They are disappointed because I think we have more to offer and for more minutes. We need to be more robust. We come from a very dark place and have some good performances; we don’t need to forget that, and we need to keep pushing. Games are close until you get the second one, so we need to keep growing.”

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor saw a change in formation pay off spectacularly as his side came from two goals down to defeat play-off-chasing Stevenage 3-2 in a thriller at the Lamex Stadium.

The Pirates began the game playing 3-4-3 but found themselves in deep trouble before Taylor replaced defender Elkan Baggott with winger Scott Sinclair after 28 minutes.

With four at the back, Rovers came surging back against a side pushing for the play-offs in League One, with a wonderful strike from captain Antony Evans completing a memorable turnaround.

Taylor said: “It could have been [anyone to come off], but when you change from a back three to a back four you take off one of your centre-halves.

“James Wilson’s, similar to Scotty’s, experience shone as the game went on and Tristan [Crama] has got good legs as well.

“I hope he [Baggott] understands it, I don’t think he’ll like it – nobody likes being dragged – but it was very much needs must in that moment.

“We made changes, personnel and formation-wise, that seemed to settle them a little bit and gave us a better out in terms of the game, and then we started to play.

“Once we started to play, we needed a little bit more to believe in and LT’s [Luke Thomas] moment was a big moment for us because that gave us more belief and more feeling that we were in the game, and then two quality goals.”

Stevenage led 2-0 after 24 minutes through Kane Hemmings’ close-range finish and Jake Forster-Caskey, but Bristol Rovers had a lifeline when Thomas bent a superb effort into the bottom corner.

Evans then set up Chris Martin for the equaliser before smashing in what turned out to be the winner from 25 yards, before Kamil Conteh was sent off in stoppage time for the Pirates.

Stevenage boss Steve Evans said: “We just got a little bit complacent – well, a lot complacent.

“They get the goal completely against the run of play to bring themselves back into the game, we started on the front foot, I think we were very comfortable at half-time.

“I think we were comfortable at the start of the second half, there’s no issues in the game.

“I think there’s a big decision in the game – their boy Evans, who’s a really good player, scores a great goal and makes one, he should be off.

“He’s committed a number of fouls, but one in particular on the edge of their box.

“They get the [second] goal because we let a really good striker get across us and score a goal and the third goal was a great strike, but it’s fair to say in the second half we were way off the pace.”

Boss Richie Wellens likened Ruel Sotiriou to former Manchester United super-sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Leyton Orient’s thrilling 4-3 win over Northampton.

The Os had suffered their first defeat in nine matches against Barnsley on Saturday but immediately returned to winning ways in this absorbing encounter.

Wellens, back in the technical area after serving a three-match ban, watched Orient take the lead on three separate occasions through Ollie O’Neill, Shaq Forde and Sotiriou only for Marc Leonard, Kieron Bowie and Tyreece Simpson to cancel out each goal.

But the defining strike came from substitute Sotiriou, who took his league tally for the season into double figures with his second of the night and the winner deep into added time.

“I love Ruel Sotirou when he comes on as a sub and whilst he doesn’t like it, he really does remind me of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when he comes off the bench,” said Wellens. “He smells areas and he’s a brilliant sub.

“It was a brilliant night and a brilliant performance – full of young, exciting, talented players, full of energy, and it would have been a travesty had we not won it.

“Northampton can be a threat as we saw but we dominated the game. We had 19 shots and they had three and every one of theirs went in.

“At times we ran Northampton ragged. Our rotations were fantastic. We got our full-backs to push on and they changed to a (midfield) diamond but we kept going and for me I thought we were really dominant throughout.

“We’ve played Northampton several times in my tenure and every game has been tough. For me their team is a symbol which represents their manager, Jon Brady. Loads of energy and never give up.”

Brady was frustrated after his side’s repeated fightbacks came to nothing.

“I’m more disappointed to concede the number of goals we did after we fought hard to come back the way we did. To come away with nothing is disappointing,” he said.

“We were really stretched today so to show the character and spirit the way we did and not give up and keep coming back was a really strong part of our game today but we needed to see it out.

“We have a lot of inconsistencies with injuries but it is what it is. To score three goals away from home and come away with nothing is really hard to take.

“I thought first half we looked jaded but second half we came out after just scoring before half-time but I expected us to close it out. I expect us to be better than that.

“We could have won 4-3 at the end and another occasion Mitch Pinnock scores and that breaks them, but unfortunately we were the ones today who felt that sucker punch.”

Manager Ian Evatt admitted Bolton’s return to winning ways was not easy on the eye but described the 2-1 Sky Bet League One victory over Wycombe as “huge.”

Captain Gethin Jones headed the Trotters into a 32nd-minute lead and substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s added-time goal sealed a first win in four games in all competitions.

Luke Leahy’s penalty consolation for Wycombe came just before the final whistle.

Evatt whose side sit third but have games in hand on leaders Portsmouth and second-placed Derby, said: “It is a huge win but every one is a huge win now.

“It is not always going to be amazing, beautiful, and aesthetically pleasing. You have to find different ways to win matches.

“The team stood up to be counted and that point last Saturday (a 1-1 draw with 10 men at Northampton) looks a very good one.

“We have backed it up now and we have 16 more huge games to go. We are in a very strong position.

“If we take care of our own business no one can stop us and touch us, which is what we want.

“So, I am delighted to win. We did the hard yards really well.

He continued: “Wycombe have only lost once since Boxing Day and they are on a good run of form.

“They have reverted to type a little bit and ask you lots of questions. But we stood up to be counted, magnificently at times.

“In the first half we rode our luck and looked a bit fearful. But the second half was much better.

“We created one of two good opportunities and defended the box a lot better until the last kick of the game.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield said: “We are frustrated not to take anything from the game because we created some good chances.

“We came up against a very good opponent and Ian Evatt has put a strong squad together. You can see with the amount of changes they can make and still be as strong as they are.

“But I am proud of the performance we put in. We came to go toe to toe and we did that.

“We just lacked a cutting edge in last third of the pitch. But we shouldn’t be negative on a night when we have played like we have.

“I am proud of the way the boys kept going. We rightfully got a goal because we had worked hard. It is nothing less than we deserved.

“It is just a shame it didn’t come five minutes earlier because had it done so we might have been able to get an equaliser.”

Nathan Jones praised his Charlton players after they fought back to claim a 1-1 draw at home to Lincoln.

The Addicks are only one place above the relegation zone with Port Vale and Cheltenham, the two clubs immediately below them, both with matches in hand.

It needed a smart finish by Freddie Ladapo from the edge of the penalty area in the 73rd minute, just moments after he was brought on, to cancel out Reeco Hackett’s goal in the first half.

Charlton have not won a match since November 28 – an unwanted run of 14 league matches and 16 in total.

Next up are the top three of Bolton, Derby and Portsmouth.

It was a first point for Jones since he was appointed boss on February 4.

“It’s a young group but everything I asked for they responded,” said the Welshman. “It’s only a start and a point but I saw a lot I was pleased with.

“At the moment everything is going in against us – it’s a great strike (by Hackett) but if they keep that level of energy and aggression then we will be very hard to play against and we will win games.

“This won’t just change overnight. We will turn into the team we want to be. I’ve been in football 33 years and the one thing about this group is they are honest.

“Freddie hadn’t scored in five games that he started but we pulled him and said we would try something different.

“He’s a nine and Alfie May is the 10. He has had to take a lot of battering for not a lot of reward – sometimes when you come on it changes the dynamic and there is a bit more space. He was excellent.”

Lincoln were hunting a third straight victory but had to settle instead for extending their unbeaten run to six matches.

“When you look across the two halves, we were better in the first and then in the second they came out and threw everything at us,” said Imps head coach Michael Skubala.

“In the end it was a really good away point, with the way we stood up to their attacks and the noise in the stadium.

“We knew they were going to put it on us and we had to deal with that. I felt we did well in the last 20 minutes to hold out for a point.

“We hit the post (through Danny Mandroiu) before it became 1-1 but I think a point’s fair across the two halves. The backline stood up to it and Lukas Jensen was immense too.

“We’re unbeaten in six, still picking up points and we had to be careful with Ben House and Freddie Draper tonight for instance, and play a few players slightly out of position but hopefully we’ll start to get bodies back.

“Conor McGrandles will be back available on Saturday as he couldn’t play against his parent club tonight.”

Derby assistant manager Richie Barker was delighted with the way the Rams executed their game plan in Tuesday night’s 3-0 League One victory at Exeter to boost their promotion hopes.

The home side saw more of the ball – they enjoyed 70 per cent possession – but the ruthless Rams were clinical with their chances and won the game with goals from Max Bird, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Tom Barkhuizen.

“I am pleased for our fans, given the long journey and to take something back is pleasing,” Barker said. “It is nice to get the clean sheet and it doesn’t do the goal difference any harm either.

“We were patient out of possession and I am sure – if you look at the stats – it will look like they have dominated the game.

“They are obviously a very good technical side and very well coached. We came with a plan to ensure we only pressed certain passes and we did it really well.

“There is a lot of work that goes on to ensure we give them the correct information. No two games are the same and we will have a totally different game on Saturday than tonight.

“We have to make sure the players are best prepared we we can. That is why we do the work we do and sometimes you have to sacrifice your principles in terms of letting certain teams have it and pressing certain passes.

“The lads took the information on really well.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell rued the mistakes that led to Derby’s goals and said: “I think they punished us for every mistake we made.

“In those big moments, against the big teams, we have to be more ruthless when we lose the ball.

“We have to foul and we have to penetrate the (defensive) line more. I thought we played well in two thirds of the pitch.
They sat back and allowed us to have the ball.

“We have to recognise that having the ball is not enough and we have to penetrate and we have to create better moments from having the ball.

“I think it is a lesson that we have to take. I don’t think it’s a disaster to lose to a team that is second in the league, but there are definitely moments where we can improve and we have to learn that very quickly.

“I thought we played well in possession in two thirds of the pitch, but we could have created more.

“There are details within the game that I feel we can improve. There are details that we did very well and the biggest lesson for me is that against these teams with physicality, speed, power and quality, they punish you for any mistake you make and we have to take that on the chin.”

Oxford head coach Des Buckingham was delighted with his team’s second-half performance as they beat Wigan 4-2 at the Kassam Stadium for their first win in six games.

He praised 20-year-old Tyler Goodrham who provided the icing on the cake with the fourth goal as the U’s moved back into the top six.

United’s other goals came from Josh Murphy, Cameron Brannagan and Ruben Rodrigues, with Brannagan also seeing a long-range shot smash against the bar.

Buckingham said: “We weren’t at our best in the first half.

“The pleasing thing for me was our response in the second half – and we’ve had players come on who have had a massive impact.

“You have to remember that when players have been out for a while it takes them time to get their match fitness and match sharpness back.

“But we have given them valuable game time now.

“At half-time we spoke about making sure we move the ball quicker and it was trying to give them clarity – simplifying things rather than complicating them.

“With players coming back we now have a lot more options and hopefully with four games unbeaten we can make this a bit of a run.

“Tyler Goodrham’s a wonderful young man who has grown massively.

“It’s a pleasure to watch him and to have a player here who is so bright and so mature for his age.”

Wigan had led through Jordan Jones’s 41st-minute shot, but their level dropped in the second half and Thelo Aasgaard’s second goal for the Latics late on proved not enough.

Wigan boss Shaun Maloney was unhappy with his team’s mentality.

Maloney said: “We were very good up until they scored and the mentality dropped.

“I put myself in the group because it’s all of us – I’ll change that mentality.

“There were two sides to our performance – and one I didn’t like.

“What I didn’t see at half-time and in the second half was an understanding of why we had been so dominant.

“We can’t take things for granted. As soon as we start to think we’re better than we are, we get hurt. You saw that in the second half.

“I’ve got some really good lads in the dressing room and some young ones who are learning.

“They have to understand that football is hard.

“As soon as you think you’re doing OK, other teams will hurt you and that’s what happened tonight.

“What we did with the ball was as good as anything we’ve produced this season.

“But that second half wasn’t. We’ve had second halves like that and games like that because of where we are as a club.

“It’s on me to change the culture at the club.”

A pulsating second half at Brisbane Road saw Leyton Orient edge Northampton 4-3 thanks to a late brace from substitute Ruel Sotiriou.

Orient had led on three occasions only for the Cobblers to level but they had no answer to Sotiriou’s late strike deep into added time.

Ollie O’Neill notched his first goal since his January transfer from Fulham on 35 minutes only for Marc Leonard to restore parity in first-half added time.

In contrast to the first period, the second half proved a thriller.

Shaq Forde found the net on 58 minutes to restore the hosts’ advantage before Kieron Bowie equalised on 77 minutes in what had become an end-to-end encounter.

The introduction of leading scorer Sotiriou proved a master stroke. Within five minutes he had netted to record his 10th goal of the campaign but substitute Tyreece Simpson replied three minutes later.

But Sotiriou had the last word in the seventh and final minute of added time when the visitors failed to clear a corner and the Os man drove the ball powerfully into the net to settle the issue.

Herbie Kane netted a penalty at the death as Barnsley secured a late point in a 1-1 League One draw to Shrewsbury at the Croud Meadow.

The Shrews broke the deadlock in the seventh minute after Dan Udoh drove a dangerous ball into the heart of the box. The cross reached Nicky Cadden, who deflected into the back of his own net.

The Tykes had their first chance just before the 20-minute mark. John McAtee picked up a through ball on the edge of the box, but an acrobatic save by Marko Marosi kept out his curling effort.

Barnsley came close just past the 70th-minute mark when Cadden unleashed a wicked drive from just outside the box, but Marosi managed to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Tom Bayliss went on a surging run through the Barnsley defence with just under 15 minutes remaining, but his shot was parried out for a corner by Tykes goalkeeper Liam Roberts.

Shrewsbury substitute Taylor Perry conceded a penalty right at the death. Kane stepped up and converted it into the top-right corner to earn the away side a share of the spoils.

Captain Gethin Jones scored his first Sky Bet League One goal for almost a year to help promotion-chasing Bolton beat Wycombe 2-1.

The Australia international, recently returned from Asian Cup duties, netted a superb 32nd-minute header from Nat Ogbeta’s cross after the visitors had impressed early on.

Jones’ previous third tier goal had been another fine header on Valentine’s Day, 2023.

Bolton’s win was sealed by substitute Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in stoppage time, before Luke Leahy scored a penalty for the visitors.

Ian Evatt’s side also needed some vital interventions from goalkeeper Joel Coleman.

Coleman, handed a home league debut with Nathan Baxter injured, produced three first-half saves; the best of them denying Dale Taylor a fine solo goal.

Wycombe came close to a 70th minute equaliser but Taylor fired wide with just Coleman to beat and that was as close as the Chairboys came to rescuing a point.

Paris Maghoma almost doubled Bolton’s lead with a stinging drive before Bodvarsson made sure of the points from Kyle Dempsey’s assist in the first minute of time added on.

Coleman’s hopes of a clean sheet disappeared seven minutes later when Leahy converted his spot-kick, awarded after the goalkeeper had brought down substitute David Wheeler.

Freddie Ladapo’s second-half equaliser ensured that Nathan Jones picked up his first point since being appointed Charlton manager.

However, a 1-1 draw against Lincoln at The Valley stretched the relegation-threatened Addicks’ winless run in Sky Bet League One to 14 matches.

The first half lacked quality until Reeco Hackett struck in the 37th minute. The Imps winger was first to latch on to George Dobson’s clearing header and drove a low finish past Harry Isted at his near post.

Ted Bishop put an early effort from a Lasse Sorensen shot wide, while Charlton struggled to fashion openings in a scrappy opening.

Tyreeq Bakinson produced a tame effort from Daniel Kanu’s lay-off inside the penalty area.

Lincoln’s Danny Mandroiu saw a 25-yard attempt crash back off the right upright in the 67th minute after Hackett nudged a short free-kick into his path.

Substitute Ladapo, on loan from Ipswich, had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes when he levelled, striking the ball beyond Lukas Jensen from the edge of the box.

Lincoln keeper Jensen made a vital late stop to deny Tayo Edun as the visitors extended their unbeaten run to six matches, with this their fourth draw in that sequence.

Bristol Rovers came back from two goals down to defeat play-off-chasing Stevenage 3-2 on their own patch, with a stunner from captain Antony Evans sealing the turnaround.

It allowed the mid-table Pirates to get back to winning ways after back-to-back losses, but the Boro have been replaced in the top six in League One by Oxford.

Stevenage were ahead after just six minutes when Dan Butler’s long throw caused havoc in the six-yard box, which led to Kane Hemmings prodding in.

The hosts appeared to be cruising in the 24th minute when Jake Forster-Caskey doubled their lead, but Bristol Rovers quickly pulled one back when Luke Thomas bent a superb effort into the bottom corner.

The Pirates then equalised just after the hour mark as Evans got in behind down the left and Chris Martin was there to turn in his low cross.

And a brilliant comeback was completed after 67 minutes when Evans smashed in a fantastic strike from 25 yards, although the visitors finished with 10 men after Kamil Conteh’s second booking in stoppage time.

Fleetwood scored a last-gasp equaliser to earn a 1-1 home draw with Reading.

Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu tapped home on the goal line deep in added time after the Royals had taken the lead through Lewis Wing’s stunning opener.

After 15 minutes, a Fleetwood ball into the box was nodded on by Jayden Stockley to Promise Omochere whose header was tipped over by Royals goalkeeper David Button.

Reading’s Femi Azeez was sent down the right flank after 30 minutes. The winger’s cross was too vicious for Harvey Knibbs who headed over from underneath the crossbar.

Fleetwood felt aggrieved after a deep ball to the back post was scrambled goalwards by Omochere. Button lifted the ball from under his body with Town claiming it had crossed the line. Neither the referee nor the assistant thought it was a goal.

Reading opened the scoring when Wing was set up 25 yards out, before curling into the top right corner.

With one more throw of the dice, Sarpong-Wiredu tapped home unmarked at the far post to nick a point for Fleetwood.

Derby boosted their League One promotion hopes with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Exeter.

The Rams created the first chance with James Collins firing straight at Vili Sinisalo from 10 yards, while Exeter’s Reece Cole was off target with a shot from distance before sending a free-kick straight at goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

Derby took the lead in the 24th minute. Ilmari Niskanen lost the ball to Max Bird, who drove forward before firing past Sinisalo from distance as his shot bounced over the goalkeeper’s arm and into the net.

Jack Aitchison fired against the base of the post for Exeter, but it was Derby that ended the first half on top with Bird twice forcing Sinisalo into saves with long-range shots.

The Rams doubled their lead after 52 minutes when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing burst onto a ball over the top and had too much pace for the Exeter defence as he slammed it past Sinisalo and into the bottom corner.

The Rams completed the scoring in the 62nd minute when Tom Barkhuizen received the ball wide on the left and cut infield before curling a delightful shot into the far corner.

Elliot Bonds’ double ensured Cheltenham gave their Sky Bet League One survival chances a lift with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Blackpool.

The midfielder scored the first brace of his career on his 100th Robins appearance, finding the net in each half.

Cheltenham were on top for much of the first half, with George Lloyd heading over from close range in the 27th minute.

And four minutes later, Sean Long’s corner from the right fell to Bonds after a scramble and he found the net with a low left-footed finish.

Daniel Grimshaw parried a powerful strike from Will Ferry over the bar before half-time.

The Blackpool goalkeeper also denied Lloyd, who was played in one-on-one by Bonds in the 54th minute.

Kylian Kouassi saw a close-range header caught by Luke Southwood at the other end for Blackpool’s first effort on goal.

Lloyd was then tripped in the box by Jordan Gabriel but Grimshaw dived low to his right to push away Aidan Keena’s well-struck spot-kick in the 75th minute.

Bonds then made sure of the points five minutes from the end, beating Grimshaw after a neat turn and finish.