Reading twice battled back from behind to boost their survival bid with a 2-2 draw at promotion-chasing Peterborough.

Femi Azeez was the star man for Ruben Selles’ strugglers as he laid on Sam Smith’s first equaliser and then struck the second himself late on.

League One top scorers Posh hit the front six minutes before half-time when Josh Knight claimed his first goal of the campaign by heading in a Joel Randall corner.

Posh had two big penalty appeals ignored by referee David Rock in the first half and then saw a second goal from Hector Kyprianou disallowed for offside just before the hour.

There was soon further dismay for the home side as Reading levelled when substitute Smith squeezed the ball in off the post after being picked out by Azeez’s 63rd-minute cutback.

Only the frame of the goal prevented the Royals from completing a rapid turnaround as Azeez thundered a long-range blast against a post moments later.

Posh regained the initiative as leading scorer Ephron Mason-Clark rifled a low shot past David Button after Harrison Burrows laid the ball perfectly into his path in the 69th minute.

But it was not enough to secure success as Reading refused to roll over – and they got their reward in the 85th minute when Azeez fired home on the half-volley after Harvey Knibbs steered a Clinton Mola cross to him.

Jayden Stockley earned Fleetwood a point in a 1-1 draw at home to fellow strugglers Carlisle.

There was little between Sky Bet League One’s 22nd and 23rd-placed teams and the result does little to help either side’s chances of avoiding a relegation battle in the second half of the season.

The visitors took the lead after 27 minutes through Owen Moxon. When Alfie McAlmont’s shot was blocked by a defender, the ball fell kindly for Moxon and his sweetly-struck shot flew past Jay Lynch in the Fleetwood goal.

The Cod Army drew level 10 minutes before half time. Phoenix Patterson and Josh Earl moved the ball neatly down the left and the former put in a teasing low cross. That gave Stockley the simplest of finishes, forcing the ball over the line at close range.

With both sides struggling for goals it was little surprise that chances were otherwise few and far between.

Carlisle were handed two excellent opportunities early in the second half but failed to capitalise.

Sean Maguire nicked the ball off the toe of defender Harrison Holgate before pulling it back to Ryan Edmondson but the former Fleetwood striker was denied by a save from Lynch.

Moments later, Edmondson robbed Lynch after a heavy touch from the keeper but his lob over the retreating Lynch was inches wide of the near post.

Lynch again rescued his side with a save from substitute Jordan Gibson eight minutes from time and with neither side able to muster a winner it ended all square.

Curtis Nelson’s first-half header proved to be the only goal as Derby ran out worthy winners at Wigan in League One.

Young England goalkeeper Sam Tickle had already made a stunning save to deny James Collins when the Rams scored what proved to be the winner in the 19th minute.

Stephen Humphrys gave the ball away inside the Wigan box as he tried to clear his lines, and Tom Barkhuizen’s cross was nodded home by the unmarked Nelson.

Derby thought they had doubled their advantage shortly after when Craig Forsyth’s shot flew into the roof of the net, only for the official to award a free-kick for a foul on Baba Adeeko.

Tickle made another couple of saves either side of the break to deny Collins and Barkhuizen, who also fired into the side-netting.

Wigan’s only response was a volley from Humphrys that was met at point-blank range by Joe Wildsmith.

Not even a cameo off the bench from Callum McManaman could tip the balance back Wigan’s way, with the much-travelled forward firing into the side-netting from a tight angle.

Ciaron Brown headed a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Oxford came from behind at half-time to beat Cambridge 2-1 at the Kassam Stadium.

Jordan Cousins fired Cambridge ahead in the 30th minute, prodding the ball in at the back post when Oxford failed to deal with a corner.

Tyler Goodrham levelled with a superb solo effort nine minutes after the break, cutting in from the left touchline and firing past Jack Stevens into the far corner from 22 yards.

In the fifth minute of added time, defender Brown headed home after Stevens could only push out Cameron Brannagan’s 20-yard drive.

James Brophy should have doubled Cambridge’s lead soon after Cousins’ opener, only to head Danny Andrew’s cross past the post.

Oxford keeper James Beadle then saved at full stretch from Sullay Kaikai.

The home team responded, with Stevens saving from Goodrham and Stan Mills.

Des Buckingham’s side pressed hard for a winner and it took two fine saves from Stevens to deny Brannagan, before he was eventually beaten with just seconds remaining.

League One promotion chasers Bolton left it late to beat 10-man Lincoln 1-0.

The battling Imps had looked set to hold on for a hard-earned point after Danny Mandriou, who had scored three times in his past five league outings heading into the game, was sent off for the second time this season in the second half at Sincil Bank.

But defender Eoin Toal popped up with his second goal in three games to finally break the hosts’ resistance in the 89th minute.

Ian Evatt’s side dominated possession without creating too many clear-cut chances.

Lukas Jensen tipped Dion Charles’ volley past the post in what was the best effort of the game.

Mandriou saw red for a rash, late challenge on Aaron Morley with 18 minutes to go.

Late on, Kyle Dempsey was frustrated by Jensen as Bolton pushed for a winner.

And the man advantage eventually told when Toal nodded home Josh Sheehan’s delivery at the end.

Jamie Reid scored his 14th League One goal of the season as a dominant Stevenage strengthened their position in the play-off spots with a 3-0 victory over Northampton.

Reid opened the scoring after only two minutes, before Jordan Roberts doubled the lead late in the first half and Elliott List added the gloss to a strong performance after the break.

The Hertfordshire side were dominant throughout the first period and took their early lead when List pounced on a poor Northampton clearance to slide Reid in and he slotted home.

Stevenage managed to get a second three minutes before the break when Roberts’ cross caught out goalkeeper Max Thompson.

Northampton failed to muster a shot on target throughout the game, and List added a third in the 67th minute by racing on to Finley Burns pass and tucking his shot into the far corner.

List had an opportunity to add another after Thompson managed to stop Reid and on the rebound List beat Northampton’s goalkeeper but could not find a way past the recovering defender.

Luke Thomas netted with 90 seconds remaining as Bristol Rovers inflicted a first away defeat of the season on League One leaders Portsmouth 2-1.

A flowing move deep into injury time saw Pirates left wingback Harvey Vale roll the ball across goal after good work in midfield from Grant Ward, with Thomas arriving at the back post to score his third league goal of the season and cap a pulsating Boxing Day contest at the Memorial Stadium.

Substitute winger Paddy Lane had scored in the 76th minute, after running on to meet a Marlon Pack through-ball, to level for the visitors and make a score-draw look likely, until Thomas’ late intervention.

Lane’s goal levelled the game after Antony Evans had earlier curled home sublimely from the edge of the box on 66 minutes with a free-kick that left Pompey goalkeeper Will Norris rooted, after Joe Morrell had scythed down Rovers’ Aaron Collins.

Substitutes Kusini Yengi and Christian Saydee were unable to take advantage of late opportunities that fell Portsmouth’s way, while Tristan Crama also hit the crossbar with a second-half volley on 56 minutes.

George Lloyd’s first Cheltenham brace lifted them off the bottom of the League One table with a 2-0 home victory over Shrewsbury.

The striker nodded in Liam Sercombe’s free-kick from the right in the 34th minute to put the improving Robins on course for their fifth win in 12 games under boss Darrell Clarke.

And Lloyd touched in Tom Bradbury’s downward header from Sean Long’s corner to seal the points five minutes from the end.

Sercombe tested Marko Marosi with a powerful drive in the ninth minute, but chances were at a premium in a cagey first half.

A low shot from Shrews midfielder Carl Winchester was well blocked by Lewis Freestone and Winchester blasted one wide against his old club before Lloyd’s opener.

Taylor Perry fizzed a shot wide early in the second half for the visitors, before Cheltenham nearly doubled their lead in the 63rd minute.

Lloyd set up ex-Shrews striker Rob Street, who saw his effort cleared off the line by Jordan Shipley.

Ben Williams had a free-kick touched over the bar by Marosi and another set-piece from the left wing-back crashed against the bar in the 81st minute, before Lloyd had the final say.

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens believes his team deserved their 1-0 slender success over Charlton.

Orient recorded only their second win in their last 10 league matches to avenge an opening-day-of-the-season loss at Charlton and they had central defender Omar Beckles to thank for their victory.

The match seemed to be heading for a stalemate when Beckles turned a cross from substitute Dan Agyei into the net from close range with 10 minutes to go to give the home side all three points.

“I think Charlton started the game really well and they have clever players up the top end of the pitch with Blackett-Taylor and May,” Wellens said.

“The first half was a little bit edgy with neither team showing the intensity and they can be a threat on the counter attack but our energy and pressing in the second half was excellent, particularly from our front four players and I thought we probably deserved the win.

“We knew would have to defend at times. They are a very good team playing forward and we tried to negate them having the majority of possession deeper. In terms of defending our box we were very good from Omar Beckles and Dan Happe.

“I’m very consistent in my way of thinking. I’ve always said this is progress we need to make. The last 170 minutes football following Bolton, and again this afternoon against Charlton, we’ve been excellent and will keep improving. Both of those are massive clubs and we need to keep learning.”

For his part, visiting boss Michael Appleton was feeling down on his luck.

He felt George Dobson should have been awarded a penalty and thinks his players are being too nice.

“If we get what we deserve today then we would have had a blatant penalty,” he said.

“It is what it is and it’s just not going for us as Dobson was literally dragged to the ground.

“I can guarantee if that’s up the other end then it’s a penalty. They would have surrounded the referee and I think we’re just too nice a group at times and we don’t have enough players with that ruthless streak in them to do what we need.

“It was frustrating and disappointing. I think when you get these type of games, where we looked a little bit nervous, the first thing you want to do is keep a clean sheet and that is something we’ve struggled to do that this season which has made it doubly difficult.

“If I’m honest I don’t feel we were under pressure, but they had a 10-minute spell and we can’t step away from the game losing with the opposition only having that short period. Ultimately you have to come through that and make sure the opposition don’t score.

“Overall though I just think we’ve showed a really lack of quality on the last few games in that final third.”

Leyton Orient gained bragging rights in their London derby with near-neighbours Charlton thanks to a goal from Omar Beckles.

The central defender met a cross on 80 minutes from substitute Dan Agyei – who had only been the field for two minutes when he sent a ball into the box – to earn a 1-0 win.

Neither side had anything to show for their intense energy in the first half with a lack of true quality proving their shortcoming.

Orient keeper Sol Brynn kept his side on level terms before the break when he was at full-stretch to keep out efforts from Corey Blackett-Taylor and Chem Campbell, after Watford loan striker Shaq Forde had spurned a good opportunity in the third minute for the home side when he blazed over the bar following a Theo Archibald corner.

Orient improved after the interval and were rewarded with Beckles’ defining goal, although they were indebted to Brynn’s fine late save from Blackett-Taylor that protected their win.

The victory exacted revenge for the O’s defeat by the same scoreline in the opening match of the season at The Valley.

Bristol Rovers paid the price for their naivety according to manager Matt Taylor after they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Sky Bet League One play-off contenders Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

John Marquis had equalised for Rovers after Ollie Norburn’s stunning opener. But second-half goals from Jake Beesley and Jordan Rhodes were enough to see Blackpool to three comfortable points.

Taylor felt it was only too obvious where the difference in the sides lay.

He said: “We were pleased to be level at half-time, but their second goal was a goal out of nothing. We showed a bit of inexperience and naivety. We didn’t quite do the basics.

“It’s happened far too often this season. We need to cut basic errors out if you want to be challenging in the top half of this league table. The basics is to defend your goal.

“It’s about a reaction to try and get back in the game, sometimes staying level for a bit longer is needed. The second goal was a real killer.

“We got into some dangerous positions, but didn’t work their keeper enough. They went a bit deeper as the game went on, but we weren’t able to force the issue enough.

“Apart from Luke Thomas, who was industrious all afternoon and a threat, we didn’t quite have it in us to beat an opposition player.”

Blackpool now sit four points adrift of the play-off places, with Norburn giving them the lead after 21 minutes with a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner.

Rovers responded when Marquis tapped home from close range, but Blackpool continued to press, Karamoko Dembele hitting the crossbar from a free-kick.

He then set up Beesley to restore the Blackpool lead a minute into the second half, with Rhodes notching his 15th of the season eight minutes from time to make the game safe, much to the satisfaction of Neil Critchley.

The Blackpool boss said: “I thought it was a positive performance. We started the game well and I thought we looked a good team.

“It was disappointing to be 1-1 at half-time.

“It was a fantastic first goal and how the goal came about was really pleasing. Ollie has shown that he can do it in training, so when he did line it up, we knew there was a chance. As soon as it left his foot it was like an arrow – a great strike.

“Up until the first goal, we were the team on the front foot playing in their half. We were disappointed to let an equaliser in, but the timing of the second and third goals were crucial. Bristol Rovers came into the game in the second half.

“It’s a good three points and a good start to the Christmas period. But we have to go to Burton now and get something.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield admits he is starting to sound like a broken record after his side once again failed to hold on for victory.

The Chairboys have now gone 10 games without a win in Sky Bet League One, but this was two points they allowed to slip through their fingers after failing to kill off a match they had dominated.

Vale had offered precious little before Ben Garitty’s 90th-minute header cancelled out Kieran Sadlier’s goal and the visitors were far happier with a point.

Bloomfield said: “Everyone is going to get sick of me, if they haven’t already, talking about stats and talking about performances (because) it’s about results.

“We are so, so close in every single game and we have to retain that belief because this cannot go on forever where you can keep being in games and keep getting in winning positions and it goes against you, or come out of games where the shots, the stats, everything is in your favour.

“We have to make sure those moments go in our favour to equal results.

“The way we counter-attacked, we could have had those moments and we didn’t, but we didn’t feel any threat at any point.

“It was a long ball just hooked into our box, we had enough bodies but we have to see those big moments out.”

Wycombe deservedly led after 51 minutes when Sadlier got on the end of Garath McCleary’s superb cross.

But the visitors snatched a draw late on when Garitty’s header from Baylee Dipepa’s cross was adjudged to have crossed the line before goalkeeper Max Stryjek got down to it.

Port Vale manager Andy Crosby said: “I think it’s a good point in the end.

“We came here after winning our last two games and we found it difficult to get territory in the first half because of the conditions.

“Obviously we were playing against the wind and they had us on the back foot and we had to defend our box.

“It was good that we got into half-time at 0-0 and we changed things a little bit.

“We want more end product, obviously, and in the first half the times we got into the final third our final ball let us down a little bit.

“Wycombe play a certain way and they probably deserved to be in front, but we kept going, we found a way, we made positive changes and we got the goal.”

Northampton boss Jon Brady hailed an “absolutely fabulous” win for his side after they climbed into the top 10 with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over promotion-chasing Oxford.

Kieron Bowie nodded the Cobblers ahead early in the second half before Cameron Brannagan hit back from the penalty spot, but substitute Tyreece Simpson’s header deep into stoppage time snatched a fifth win in seven games for Brady’s men.

“Absolutely fabulous,” said Brady. “I’m obviously really pleased with the result and the performance.

“I felt we dominated the first half and the stats suggested that. We had more of the ball and then we get the goal to go 1-0 up at the start of the second half.

“We were in total control and so nearly scored another with Marc Leonard’s chance after a sublime move but to give the penalty away was a bit sloppy and a bit silly.

“I thought we lost control after that and it became a basketball match for five or 10 minutes but we told the boys to push up quicker and go forward more and from that moment, once we did that, we got control and finished well.

“We changed shape because we wanted to go for the win and it paid off. The two boys come on up front and both played their part and I’m so pleased for Tyreece to get his goal and score the winner.”

Oxford have slipped down to fifth in League One following the loss, four points from the automatic promotion places.

“I thought we had done enough to get a result,” said U’s boss Des Buckingham. “We created a few chances in the first half and we should have scored at least a couple of goals.

“We go behind at the start of the second half but got ourselves back in it with the penalty, Stan (Mills) did extremely well to win it, and then it’s a kick in the teeth to concede in the last 30 seconds.

“We knew it would be tough and they are going well but you can’t give away so many opportunity for them to get the ball in the box because eventually one will go in.

“I understand the frustration of the supporters at the end of the game because I want to play football that entertains and we haven’t done that in the away games since I’ve been here.

“You can’t play into the hands of the opposition. We want to win every game but I don’t mind if we lose or draw as long as we’re playing our way.

“If that happens, so be it, but to lose to two set-pieces and to play into their hands as we did in the last 10 minutes, it was frustrating.”

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho admitted the Sky Bet League One leaders were below their best after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home by lowly Fleetwood.

Colby Bishop’s penalty goal on his return from injury was not enough to earn Pompey all three points.

A visibly unhappy Mousinho said: “It was totally frustrating today.

“I thought we controlled the game in the first half and just about deserved to go in a goal up.

“We again didn’t have the quality in the final third to put the ball in the net and in the first 20 minutes of the second half we were awful.

“We were on the back foot, the passing was poor, the crossing was abysmal, and we got punished for it.

“We picked up a bit after the equalizer but looked vulnerable when they counter-attacked.

“It’s difficult to put a finger on anything in particular about what was wrong today. Although not an acceptable defence, it was like we were not playing a ‘Bolton’, and just took our foot off the pedal and switched off.

“We’re all better than that, and the players can perform a lot better. We now need to step up a gear on Boxing Day at Bristol Rovers.”

There was very little for the fans to cheer about in the opening 45 minutes, but it was in added time that Pompey took the lead.

They were lethargic from the start with very little imagination against a defensively minded Fleetwood.

Half chances from Abu Kamara, who hit a post in the 40th minute, were the best they could produce.

Then a handball in the box gave Bishop the chance to increase his goal tally for the season to 12, which he did comfortably.

Fleetwood came out with more urgency and unexpectedly equalised in the 61st minute.

A corner caused a scramble in Pompey’s six-yard box, and Josh Earl stabbed the ball home.

Chance after chance went begging for Pompey, but they just could not find the winner.

Fleetwood manager Lee Johnson said: “It was a really charismatic performance from the team. They followed the game plan to perfection really.

“We know how good Pompey are, but we have a lot of strength and athleticism, and put a real shift in.

“We felt there were a lot of poor refereeing decisions out there today.

“It was disappointing to go a goal down right on half-time, but everyone rallied round in the dressing room, and we responded well.

“We’ve got 13 players out, and the academy made eight players available for the squad, so it shows we have depth at the club and can compete on any given day.

“It was good to stem the flow of results we’ve had recently, especially against a team riding the wave at the top, and we could have gone on to win it near the end if we had made the right decision on the ball.”

Relieved Ian Evatt hailed the importance of getting over the line after sealing his 100th victory as Bolton boss against Leyton Orient.

Bolton were 3-0 up inside 10 minutes, but they were a couple of stoppage-time blocked shots from allowing Orient to claim the unlikeliest of points.

“It didn’t matter how we won, we had to win,” said Evatt, who had been marooned on 99 wins after back-to-back losses to Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers.

“All of a sudden, you lose two games and you are the worst team in the league and everything is chaos.

“But at the end of the season all you see is three points. That is all the matters.

Evatt added: “It is one of those games people can pick holes, but the win was the important thing.

“It is amazing how quickly you lose confidence from negative results and I felt there were some nerves in the second half.

“The first half we were scintillating at times and when Dion (Charles) missed his chance before half-time, no one could imagine the effect that could have on the game.

“In the second half we didn’t react to their changes. They went direct and aggressive, but the boys dug deep and found a way to win.”

Josh Dacres-Cogley put Bolton ahead after two minutes before Dion Charles seized on a Jordan Brown mistake to register his 16th goal of the campaign. The Northern Ireland international then played in George Thomason to score at the second attempt.

But goals inside five second-half minutes from Shaq Forde and Theo Archibald put the result in doubt until the final whistle.

“It is a tough place to come, it’s even tougher when you are 3-0 down after 10 minutes,” said Orient boss Richie Wellens.

“The first 10 minutes we were awful. Some of the young lads were like rabbits in the headlights. Then we recovered well.

“The last 25 minutes of the first half we were the better team. In the second half, it was all one-way traffic.

“If we get a goal with six or seven minutes left, I thought they were done. But credit them for holding on.

“We are a club that is trying to get to where Bolton are. Bolton should never be a League One club.

“But we can’t start like that. I would love to be their manager. With that squad, I win the league. But we are where we are.

“Our supporters need to be patient and go through the process. We have to respect they are a really good side with good players that have been built over two or three years.”