Fleetwood were left hanging onto their League One status by a thread after missing two penalties in a 4-1 drubbing at Peterborough.

Promise Omochere and Bosun Lawal both fluffed their lines from the spot when being denied by Posh keeper Jed Steer before an avalanche of late goals secured Posh’s play-off place and left the Cod Army six points from safety with just two games to play.

Lawal fired Fleetwood into a shock lead after just 13 seconds and then earned the ninth-minute penalty that Omochere saw saved by Steer.

Posh striker Malik Mothersille tapped in his first English Football League goal from David Ajiboye’s cross to bring the hosts level in the 17th minute.

But Charlie Adam’s men had another golden opportunity to boost their survival hopes when Omochere was brought down by Josh Knight for another spot-kick with 15 minutes to go, only for Lawal to see his effort saved by Steer.

Posh then struck three times late on to wrap up a win that maintained their outside chance of automatic promotion with Archie Collins coolly slotting them ahead in a one-on-one situation in the 81st minute.

Substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris then finished the job by bagging a quickfire brace in the fifth and sixth minutes of stoppage time.

Port Vale are right up against it as they battle to avoid relegation from League One following a 2-1 defeat to Wycombe at Vale Park.

Ethan Chislett cancelled out David Wheeler’s opener for the visitors before Nigel Lonwijk scored a late winner, leaving Darren Moore’s side three points from safety with two games of the season left.

Dale Taylor could have opened the scoring for Wycombe after just 40 seconds when he pounced on a defensive error and slid the ball wide from the edge of the area.

Wanderers were ahead just three minutes later, however, when Wheeler was in the right place to blast the ball home after Connor Ripley denied Sam Vokes.

The home side responded well after the early setback and would have been level in the ninth minute had Franco Ravizzoli not made a great save to push Chislett’s effort over the bar.

It was Vale who started brightest after the break and were level just two minutes into the second half when Chislett found himself in space before slotting the ball past Ravizzoli.

The closing stages saw Vale going all out for the win with Jensen Weir coming close on a couple of occasions before Lonwijk sealed victory for Wanderers with only four minutes remaining.

Paris Maghoma rescued a point but a 2-2 Sky Bet League One draw with Shrewsbury dented Bolton’s hopes of automatic promotion.

The third tier’s lowest scorers twice shocked their hosts by taking the lead.

But facing a first home defeat to their visitors for 34 years, Bolton salvaged a draw when Maghoma fired home his ninth goal of the campaign after 71 minutes.

However, Ian Evatt’s side still trail second-placed Derby by three points, with both teams having two further games to play.

Shrewsbury survived an early scare when Mal Benning deflected a Cameron Jerome effort against his own post.

Shrews goalkeeper Marko Marosi – in excellent form throughout – twice denied Aaron Collins before Tom Bloxham’s surging run and excellent delivery set up Daniel Udoh’s 21st-minute opener.

Veteran Jerome equalised after 41 minutes with his first Bolton league goal and first since scoring for Luton in October 2022.

But Jordan Shipley’s stunning left-footed effort from Elliott Bennett’s corner, two minutes later, restored Town’s lead.

In the second half, Bolton battered away in vain until Maghoma’s goal salvaged a draw.

Lincoln kept alive their League One play-off hopes with a crucial 1-0 victory over sixth-placed Oxford at the Kassam Stadium.

Danny Mandroiu hit the winner from the penalty two minutes into the second half after Ruben Rodrigues fouled Ben House.

They held out despite having substitute Dylan Duffy sent off for a second yellow card seven minutes from the end.

It was a must-win game for the Imps after their home defeat by Wigan at the weekend and they started the better.

Paudie O’Connor forced goalkeeper Jamie Cumming into a save with a far-post header at a corner and Freddie Draper headed wide from close in.

The visitors suffered a blow when Reeco Hackett had to go off with an arm injury after what looked an innocuous challenge.

As the half wore on Oxford settled and keeper Lukas Jensen twice saved from Tyler Goodrham and Mark Harris also went close twice as the U’s turned up the heat.

But City also looked dangerous and Draper squandered another good opportunity from eight yards.

The U’s were caught cold at the start of the second half when they conceded the spot-kick, hammered home by Mandroiu to Cumming’s left.

Cameron Brannagan added an extra dimension for United when he came off the bench and he cut in from the left to hammer a fierce drive that Jensen did well to save.

But Lincoln defended resolutely for a victory that keeps their season going.

Chris Martin scored his 16th League One goal of the season as Bristol Rovers claimed a late 1-0 victory over Cambridge at the Memorial Stadium.

The Rovers striker fired low into the goal after 87 minutes as he converted Luke Thomas’ cross, with the Pirates scoring at home for the first time in five games.

That goal made up for Martin’s earlier gilt-edged miss – the 35-year-old former Norwich and Derby forward was unable to convert a 33nd-minute penalty.

U’s goalkeeper Will Mannion dived to his left to stop the striker’s low, poorly-placed shot, after Paul Digby had been penalised for a foul on Scott Sinclair, as the Rovers winger attacked following Luke Thomas winning the ball just outside the Cambridge area.

The visitors threatened throughout via set-pieces, as Digby and Macauley Bonne both headed first-half corners over the crossbar.

And Mamadou Jobe went even closer when his 60th-minute header crashed off the woodwork as the defender met a Danny Andrew free-kick.

Luca Hoole cleared Liam Bennett’s shot off the line in the last minute of stoppage time to preserve Rovers’ result, after another Cambridge corner.

Portsmouth have another chance to clinch promotion, with two league titles and two relegations also at stake in Tuesday’s EFL action.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the issues that could be decided in the bottom two tiers.

Portsmouth need only a point to rubber-stamp their promotion and can also clinch the title by beating Barnsley.

Should the Tykes win, they would be secure in the play-offs – as would Peterborough with at least a point.

Posh play Fleetwood, who will be relegated if they fail to match Burton’s result. The Brewers take on fellow strugglers Cheltenham, whose game in hand will extend their fight until at least Saturday regardless of Tuesday’s outcome.

Stockport sealed promotion on Saturday and will be crowned champions if they win on Tuesday at Notts County.

Mansfield will clinch the remaining automatic promotion place if they beat Accrington. A draw would leave them six points clear of MK Dons with only six to play for and a goal difference superior by 28.

Victory for Colchester, one place above the drop zone, over Grimsby would see Forest Green relegated from the EFL without playing. Any other result would seal Grimsby’s survival and leave the bottom three – completed by Sutton – fighting to avoid the two relegation places.

Boss Matt Taylor was delighted to see Bristol Rovers click into gear as they brushed Cheltenham aside with a comfortable 3-1 win to end their seven-game wait for a goal.

Scott Sinclair opened the scoring in the first half and Brandon Aguilera and Elkan Baggott added two more after the break before Liam Sercombe’s stoppage-time consolation for the relegation-threatened hosts.

Rovers skipper Antony Evans also saw a first-half penalty saved, with Rovers in total control.

“Everyone will talk about the goals, but I thought we looked solid as a team,” Taylor said.

“We looked like a proper team and we should’ve been more than one ahead at half-time and that’s no disrespect to Cheltenham.

“We know we look good as a team on paper, but we’ve never had everyone available, all of the time.

“We controlled things and started the game well, but needed something to show for it and Scotty was cool and calm for the opener.  His legs were a constant threat to their back line.”

Former Chelsea and Man City star Sinclair opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing neatly past Luke Southwood and inside the bottom left corner after being played in by Luke Thomas.

Evans was brought down in the box by Southwood 10 minutes before half-time, but the goalkeeper redeemed himself by diving to his left to keep out the spot-kick.

Cheltenham, managed by ex-Rovers boss Darrell Clarke, made two changes at half-time, but they were not able to find a way back into the game and it was 2-0 in the 56th minute.

Thomas found substitute Aguilera and he rolled a shot into the bottom right corner.

Former Cheltenham loanee Baggott headed the third from Harvey Vale’s corner in the 76th minute.

Sercombe was set up by fellow ex-Rovers player Matty Taylor in the 94th minute, but it was too little, too late for Cheltenham.

Clarke admitted his team are majorly struggling for confidence, with four games left to save their season, starting at one of the teams they can catch – Burton – on Tuesday night.

“I am searching for answers with the group and we have some walking wounded and players putting their bodies on the line,” he said.

“I get the frustration and disappointment from my supporters, who have been great. We just have to keep going.

“We have to make sure we don’t feel sorry for ourselves because unbelievably it’s still in our hands, with four games to go.

“We have to keep going and make sure we are ready to go Tuesday.

“While we still have a chance, we’ll go there and try to win the game.”

Neil Critchley stressed his Blackpool side need to be perfect to sneak into the play-off spots after a 1-0 victory at relegated Carlisle.

Karamoko Dembele scored the only goal of the game after just 22 seconds to keep Blackpool in the hunt for an unlikely play-off spot.

The Seasiders are three points off the top-six pace, having played a game more than incumbents Oxford.

And boss Critchley said: “I thought we were good first half. We got off to a great start, it was a fantastic goal. It was a brilliant break and well taken.

“We were saying we had to score again and we had the opportunities to score again.

“We had a few moments in the second half. It was the same pattern as the last few games and the longer it’s 1-0 you are susceptible to conceding.

“It was a tough game due to the conditions. At this stage we’ll take a 1-0 win.

“We thought we could hurt them in transition moments and we did that. Shayne (Lavery) had a lovely touch and Kade’s broke forward into space. It was a great start and settled us down.

“Sometimes scoring so early can give you a false sense of security in the game.

“We were in control, but our decision making and quality let us down. We have to improve that side of our game.”

Carlisle are already relegated, but fought hard to try and salvage a point.

And boss Paul Simpson said: “It was a horrific start to the game, conceding after 22 seconds, a goal like that.

“It was a tough, tough first half. The conditions were really tricky.

“Credit to the players, they stuck at it and hung in there in the first half when we were struggling against the wind.

“We just tried to contain it with the way they were playing. We had a real good go second half.

“There was some fantastic defending on the line from their lad to deny Luke Armstrong on the line.

“Apart from that we haven’t created a lot. It’s a frustrating game. Another game where we have conceded and lost by a single goal.

“I’m really disappointed. We had a lot that went against us with injuries and knocks in the game.

“There’s lot of disappointment, but we have to give credit to the players at how they stuck at it despite the quality not being there.”

John Mousinho was pleased with Portsmouth’s 1-1 draw at Bolton despite the leaders’ bid for promotion and the Sky Bet League One title put on hold.

Abu Kamara’s seventh-minute goal put the visitors in front, but Aaron Collins’ fifth goal in three games after 36 minutes ensured Pompey need a point against Barnsley at Fratton Park on Tuesday to reach the Championship.

“It keeps Bolton at arm’s length which was an important thing for us to do,” said manager Mousinho.

“We came here for the win and during the game we made substitutions to try and win it. I think though on balance, Bolton probably deserved to win it.

“I was displeased how we reacted to going a goal up. I thought we were poor.

“We made some poor decisions, slashed at a few clearances and didn’t do enough to track runners.

“It took Bolton equalising for us to click back into gear and decide we wanted to play and be more recognisable.

“We regrouped at half-time and it was a much better performance in the second half. Hopefully, now we can get the job done on Tuesday.

“There was talk in the week whether it was better to go and do it at Fratton. But we were desperate to try and get the job done here.

“Obviously we couldn’t, but going back to Fratton with the opportunity to do it in front of the long-suffering home fans and needing a point will be a fantastic occasion.”

Bolton have three games remaining, but need a slip up by Derby in order to gain automatic promotion.

Collins’ header from Nat Ogbeta’s cross after 36 minutes was his seventh since joining the club.

The Trotters could easily have become only the fifth side to beat Portsmouth this season.

Instead, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson missed an easy second-half chance, while substitute Dion Charles hit the post late on.

“It is frustrating but it hard to be too critical of the players,” said manager Ian Evatt.

“Portsmouth are top of the league for a reason and bar the first seven to 10 minutes where we conceded a poor goal in transition to their most dangerous player, I thought we dominated.

“We had opportunities to win, missed a couple of big opportunities and had 19 shots to their five.

“When you watch a game you get a feel for who is the most dominant team and then the data backs it up. That was the case.

“It was a good performance and we deserved more. Now we have to pick everyone up because we haven’t lost it.

“There can be turns left, right and centre. So, the most important for us is to win the game on Tuesday (at home to Shrewsbury) and get it back to a point (on Derby).

“But we have to pick the players up because they are disappointed. They know we should have won the game. But now is not the time to be feeling sorry for ourselves.”

Michael Skubala admitted his play-off chasing Lincoln side were “distraught” after losing 2-1 to Wigan.

The Imps had three goals disallowed as their impressive 16-game unbeaten run, which stretched back to New Year’s Day, was ended by Latics at Sincil Bank.

Jonny Smith opened the scoring before Daniel Mandroiu levelled the scoring.

But Charlie Hughes’ stoppage-time strike was a dagger into Imps’ hearts in their play-off chase.

They are now five points behind Oxford ahead of a massive clash at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night.

“We’re gutted,” said Skubala. “We’re gutted because we know we wanted to keep trying to win.

“We wanted to throw everything at them. We started really slowly. We got into the ascendancy but we couldn’t get that second goal.

“These lads give everything. There’s nothing prouder than this run. We’re creaking a little bit because we haven’t got the numbers really.

“We had somebody come and give us the Peterborough score, so we decided to give it everything. We were happy to risk it to try and get another goal.

“We’ve been hurt because we’re trying to risk it to try and win the game.

“We’re gutted. The lads are distraught, but there are nine points to play for so we’ll go to Oxford and give it everything.

“We didn’t start like ourselves. We were nervous, we were tentative. Last 20 minutes we were ourselves and aggressive.

“It was the first time I’ve seen some nerves in the group. But it’s new to us. It’s understandable.”

Latics secured a first win in five to throw a spanner in the works of Lincoln’s play-off bid, and boss Shaun Maloney said: “It was a brilliant performance, in different ways as well.

“The first 30 minutes was as high a level as we’ve shown in a game this season.

“The first goal that we scored was top class. When you watch that first goal and the talent in that move it was a real joy to watch.

“I’m trying to build this team back up. I’ve been really honest with the team. The level did drop at Blackpool, but after that we’ve been top class.

“When we had to put bodies on the line, they did it. They went to the death and there were a few players really having to dig deep there at the end.

“The first goal was started by Charlie and was an amazing start of play and with any sort of strike he’s so clean when he hits the ball.

“I really challenged the players. With the season, we’ve achieved what we will achieve, but you still want to win, so I’m really pleased.”

Port Vale manager Darren Moore has urged his relegation-threatened side to put their disappointment of surrendering a two-goal lead against Exeter into their next outing.

Ethan Chislett and Baylee Dipepa both got their names on the scoresheet to put the Valiants firmly in charge at half-time, but two goals for Millenic Alli and one each for Zak Jules and Luke Harris earned the Grecians a 4-2 victory.

Moore was appointed Vale manager in February with the aim of beating the drop from League One, but his team are now three points from safety with just three games remaining – starting with the visit of Wycombe on Tuesday.

“It’s about putting all that energy and anger into Tuesday,” he said.

“I think that’s the only way really because ultimately coming against and fighting against each other, that’s not the way.

“It’s a case of sticking together and making sure that we take an opportunity to put the wrongs of the second half – and I only talk about the last 40 minutes here – right on Tuesday.”

Vale’s final two fixtures see them travel to Bolton before playing host to Cambridge on the last day of the season.

“We have to keep going because just when we think that we’ve figured this game out and this industry out, it can just turn its head,” Moore said.

“And that’s the thing, when we all surmise how things are going to go, football has a knack of turning things on its head, which you saw today from the first half to the second half.

“It’s just a crazy game that we work in but, again, we have to apply ourselves really because we know what we have to do on Tuesday.”

Exeter remain in 12th place, on 58 points, despite extending their unbeaten run to eight matches.

Manager Gary Caldwell was delighted with the character shown by his side to turn the game round after the break.

“The less said about the first half, the better,” the Scot said.
“The second half was probably one of our best performances of the season, the way we understood how to win the game. And there was no change, we didn’t change anything tactically.

“We obviously made a couple of personnel changes and made more throughout the second half, and I thought all the finishers were outstanding.

“But second half, the way we attacked – the speed, the physicality – we could have scored more goals. I thought we were outstanding.”

Exeter last suffered defeat in early March and Caldwell was full of praise for his team’s form since then, winning five and drawing three.

“We’ve had options from the bench so when things aren’t quite going to plan, we have people who are ready and able to come on and make an impact on the game,” he said.

“In the first half of the season we didn’t have that often enough for a number of different reasons, but in the second half of the season we have.”

Head coach Martin Paterson praised Burton’s character after a 2-1 victory against Stevenage moved his team three points clear of the League One relegation zone.

Mark Helm and Tom Hamer scored either side of the break while Stevenage were forced to play with 10 men for 30 minutes after Dan Butler lashed out at Helm.

Kane Hemmings scored with two minutes left but ultimately the Brewers managed to put an end to their 10-game winless run and gain a slight advantage over 21st-placed Port Vale with a valiant victory.

Paterson said: “I am so pleased with the group because of the effort. It took humility and hard work and when the chances came from the back of that framework the freedom came.

“We have got character and we have been pushing really hard for a performance like that. We have been through a bit of a dip and we always knew we had the character to get out of that.

“There have been so many opportunities and heartbreaks along this road in terms of games but most importantly now we have put a small marker down is the players recover and live right.

“As a group we have been working on a lot of things to promote things in terms of confidence and awareness of taking a little bit more time.

“But that is what happens when you are in there and you are fighting every week for status. I don’t necessarily care about the name on the back, it is about working as a collective and we have to be unified now.”

As much as it was a galvanising victory for Burton, for Stevenage they have now seen any chance of promotion almost slip from their grasp as they sit six points away from the play-off spots with two games left.

Manager Steve Evans said: “It has been an incredible effort and we have come up a bit short over the season but we will try to go to Oxford and be competitive.

“I think a lot of people would take fifth from bottom, where the likes of Burton are, but it has been an incredible amount of hard work.

“I can only applaud them, I can’t do that today because we lacked a lot. But I am not a manager to throw them in the river because there has been some really bright days.

“We are asking a lot of the players to play at the highest they have played and there hasn’t been a game since I have been here that has not had something resting on it, including today.

“We have gone to the well but found it a bit dry over the past few weeks.”

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield was full of praise for Luke Leahy after his side returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at Shrewsbury.

The hosts went down to 10 men with just over 20 minutes remaining when Tom Flanagan made a dangerous challenge on Joe Low.

The Chairboys found the breakthrough through ex-Salopian captain Leahy in the 83rd minute after he stroked home a superbly-worked free-kick from the edge of the box.

Wycombe doubled their advantage in stoppage time after Garath McCleary teed up Richard Kone to tap home and leave Shrewsbury six points above the bottom four.

Bloomfield said: “It was a fairly scrappy game, the pitch was playing quite slow and it has been a long and emotional week for us.

“The sending-off happened and sparked the game into life a little bit.

“I thought we took the two goals extremely well and it’s very fitting for Luke – it was always going to happen.

“We made him captain today because he puts so much into our football club in terms of his performances and his personality and character.

“It was his 500th appearance on Wednesday evening and today it just felt right he led us out and he scored a goal as well. I know how fondly he remembers his time at Shrewsbury.

“Kone has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He hasn’t done that recently as much as I would of liked.

“It was a huge step up in terms of level and his performances have been very good.”

Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst was left annoyed by his side’s performance.

He said: “I can see and hear the fans’ anger a little bit in the game but at the end of the game I can’t stand here and say I don’t agree with them.

“It is hard to put into words in truth what we have witnessed. As the game goes on, it was a nothing performance and I am not going to stand here and defend it or lie about it.

“People that were here have certainly seen what they witnessed and it was a performance far from good enough.

“It is a silly and ridiculous challenge and it’s a sending-off.

“The only bit I can say, and it still doesn’t defend it in the slightest and I am really not tempting to, is these sort of situations can occur when free-kicks are not given.

“That one (Leahy goal) which I thought was the important one again, we don’t seem to be getting the rub of the green with any referring decisions.”

Derby head coach Paul Warne is taking nothing for granted despite another shift in his team’s favour in the race for automatic promotion.

A 3-0 home win over Leyton Orient coupled with Bolton’s draw with Portsmouth means the Rams have a four-point lead in second place, although the Lancashire club have a game in hand.

It was vital Derby took maximum points and in front of another 30,000-plus crowd they went ahead in the 10th minute when Kane Wilson pounced at the back post from a Nathaniel Mendez-Laing corner.

Another set-piece led to the second in the 18th minute, with Sonny Bradley volleying in a Louie Sibley corner from close range.

Orient were more of a threat in the second half but the best chances fell to Derby, with Mendez-Laing failing to convert in the 61st minute after racing clear.

Sibley also went close on two occasions before Bradley sealed a convincing victory with a back-post header from another corner.

Warne said: “The lads have done well, scored from three set-pieces and we probably could have scored from open play but it’s just about winning, so I’m happy.

“It’s been a good day but all it does is give us another opportunity. With two games left it’s in our hands again but we’ve got to try and back it up with two more wins to give us a real chance to go up.

“Obviously now it gives us a much better chance, but that’s all it is so we haven’t achieved anything, but it did feel like a good day. The lads performed well. I don’t think Joe (Wildsmith) had a shot (to save).

“Some days it’s difficult to score goals. Today I watched Leeds play, they couldn’t score, last night I watched Leicester and they couldn’t score. When you are at the top of the table it’s difficult to get over the line.”

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens said: “They ran all over us. They are a good team with loads of experience and they just overpowered us.

“The players have been unbelievable this year but they are probably on their last legs and we are asking too much of them with what we’ve got available. We just ran out of steam a little bit.

“The big one was the set plays. We started the game okay but after the set plays in a quick space of time it becomes very difficult.

“I think it’s something we need to improve on next year. We’ve done well but I think with set plays in this division if you can score a lot more than you concede you can get an extra 12 points.”

Stockport and Wrexham became the first two sides to be promoted in the EFL with victories on Saturday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what is required in each division.

Southampton secured a play-off place as Flynn Downes’ stoppage-time goal gave them a 3-2 victory over Watford – and they could still figure in the automatic promotion battle with games in hand as Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich all failed to win.

Rotherham are already relegated but the survival battle will go down to the wire with a tight battle at the bottom.

Portsmouth still need a point to clinch promotion to the Championship after drawing 1-1 at Bolton, while Derby ran out comfortable winners against Leyton Orient.

At the bottom, Carlisle are already relegated and the other three places will remain in contest at least until midweek.

Stockport confirmed promotion to League One with a 2-0 victory over Morecambe, while Wrexham‘s 6-0 thrashing of Forest Green secured back-to-back promotions for the Welsh side.

Mansfield came from behind to win 4-1 at MK Dons and they can claim the third automatic promotion spot if they beat Accrington on Tuesday.  The Dons confirmed their place in the play-offs despite the heavy defeat.

Relegation issues have not yet been decided but if Colchester beat Grimsby on Tuesday they will send Forest Green down. A point for the Mariners will secure their safety.