Peterborough leapfrogged Oxford in the League One play-off race after thumping their fellow promotion contenders 3-0.

Posh’s first-half dominance was rewarded with two goals from Hector Kyprianou and Ricky-Jade Jones, with substitute Ryan De Havilland adding a third late on.

Kyprianou had the simple task of breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute after Harrison Burrows cut the ball back into his path following an Archie Collins blast being parried by goalkeeper James Beadle.

The advantage doubled 10 minutes later when Jones sped onto a fine Ephron Mason-Clark pass, skipped round Beadle and finished into a gaping net.

Fine Beadle stops from Joel Randall and Jones then followed as Darren Ferguson’s men dominated the opening 45 minutes.

Oxford were livelier in the second period as Billy Bodin demanded a penalty for a shove after firing a Josh Murphy cross wide just after the hour but only received a caution from referee James Linington for his appeal.

Marcus McGuane then tested Posh keeper Nicholas Bilokapic from long range before the home side went back on the attack with Beadle denying Kwame Poku and Mason-Clark.

But the hosts struck again in the second minute of stoppage time when substitute David Ajiboye picked out fellow replacement De Havilland to finish.

Gassan Ahadme scored two late goals to earn new Cambridge head coach Neil Harris a point in his first game in charge after a dramatic 2-2 draw against Charlton at The Valley.

There was a distinct lack of drama in a drab opening 45 minutes in which neither side managed to create a chance of note.

But Charlton looked to be heading for maximum points as they went 2-0 ahead before the hour mark.

First substitute Daniel Kanu’s cross deflected off Jubril Okedina for Alfie May to strike his 19th goal of the campaign, 15 of those in League One.

Wolves loanee Chem Campbell headed past U’s keeper Jack Stevens from Corey Blackett-Taylor’s cross.

Cambridge, on a run of three straight league losses, were given hope of a comeback when Ahadme was left unmarked to head home from a corner in the 87th minute.

And the Ipswich loanee then kept his cool to convert from the penalty spot in the sixth minute of added time after referee Thomas Kirk ruled that Tayo Edun’s foul on Jack Lankester was inside the box.

Wigan and Lincoln cancelled each other out in a Sky Bet League One clash at the DW Stadium that was devoid of almost any goalmouth action or excitement.

Jonny Smith, making his first league start for Wigan, almost fluked a goal early on when his inswinging corner from the right caught out Lincoln goalkeeper Lukas Jensen.

At the other end, Sam Tickle made a simple save from Ethan Hamilton’s long-range effort as both defences dominated.

Wigan had a scare when skipper Callum Lang went down clutching his knee after a block tackle, but he was able to continue after treatment.

A swift break from Wigan saw Stephen Humphrys ride a foul and play the ball across to Lang, who teed up Smith whose shot was high and wide.

Lincoln threatened at the start of the second half when, after a scramble in the home box, the ball was flicked behind for a corner as TJ Eyoma tried to prod the ball home.

Wigan thought they had found a winner with five minutes to go when Jordan Jones’ cross was spilled by Jensen and substitute Chris Sze fired home from close range. But the referee whistled for a foul on the goalkeeper, much to Wigan’s anger with Callum McManaman booked for his protests.

Northampton made it four wins in five league games with an impressive 3-0 victory over struggling Fleetwood.

Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins were on target in the first half at Sixfields and the former struck again late on as the Cobblers moved 12th in League One.

Both goalkeepers were tested early on as Jay Lynch saved from Hoskins before Max Thompson kept out Fleetwood’s Jack Marriott.

Lynch used his body well to block Pinnock’s shot and Hoskins fired into the side-netting before two quickfire goals put Northampton in the driving seat.

Pinnock broke the deadlock after 27 minutes when he controlled Marc Leonard’s pass and drilled into the bottom corner and Hoskins made no mistake from 12 yards after Shaun McWilliams was tripped in the box four minutes later.

Lynch denied Hoskins a third goal before half-time and he was also at full stretch to keep out McWilliams at the start of the second half.

Fleetwood rarely threatened in the second half and their misery was compounded in stoppage time thanks to a rasping finish from Pinnock.

Taylor Perry’s first-half strike made it eight league games without a win for Wycombe as Shrewsbury came away from Adams Park with a 1-0 win.

Matt Bloomfield’s side started off the better and nearly took the lead on 21 minutes when Luke Leahy saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Marko Marosi, before David Wheeler fired wide six minutes later.

For large parts of the contest, Wycombe dominated possession and bossed the ball with Shrewsbury having little to no attacking threat.

Yet it was the visitors who took the lead five minutes before the break.

Perry, who was making his first appearance since returning from injury, picked up the ball from range and smashed a terrific drive beyond Max Stryjek for his third goal of the season.

Wanderers pushed on in the final 15 minutes as Kieran Sadlier, on his first league start for the club, Sam Vokes and Garath McCleary all went close, but Marosi was on hand to deny the chasing Chairboys.

Barnsley’s push for the League One play-offs received a boost when they came from behind to win 3-1 at relegation-threatened Reading.

Harvey Knibbs gave Reading the lead early on through a close-range header but Herbie Kane levelled approaching half-time from a penalty.

Devante Cole, Barnsley’s top scorer, fired home a superb long-range strike in the 80th minute and Max Watters settled the issue seven minutes later.

It was the hosts who made the better start, going in front in the fourth minute following an intricate free-kick move involving three players.

Lewis Wing clipped the ball into the Barnsley area, centre-back Tyler Bindon nodded it on and Knibbs headed in for his ninth goal of the season in all competitions.

During the first half, play was twice interrupted briefly by tennis balls being thrown on to the pitch by home fans – their latest protest against club owner Dai Yongge.

Barnsley improved after their sluggish start and were rewarded six minutes before the break when Bindon was adjudged to have handled Sam Smith’s attempted clearing header and Kane coolly slotted home from the spot.

Sam Cosgrove forced a smart save from David Button after the interval.

But the home keeper could do nothing about Cole’s powerful drive – his 12th goal of the season – nor Watters’ tap-in from a cross from fellow substitute Fabio Jalo.

Jordan Rhodes scored twice as Blackpool earned a well-deserved 3-0 victory against struggling Carlisle.

Blackpool dominated throughout, and the result merited their impressive performance as they move within three points of the play-off places.

The Seasiders went ahead through Andy Lyons (22), who chipped Tomas Holy after the Carlisle goalkeeper fumbled a cross.

Blackpool were in the ascendancy and pushed for another goal as Kenny Dougall saw a good effort blocked and Jake Beesley glanced one just past the post.

Lyons was denied his second by a fine save from Holy and CJ Hamilton hit the side netting with Blackpool keeping up the pressure into the second half.

Rhodes doubled the lead on 67 minutes, using his predatory instincts to react sharply after Holy saved from Beesley.

Carlisle, down in 22nd, searched for a route back into the game. Alfie McDermott and Jordan Gibson had chances but failed to take them as Blackpool preserved their clean sheet.

The outstanding Rhodes put the icing on the cake in stoppage time, finishing clinically to claim his 13th of the season.

Stevenage showed their resilience to come from behind and secure a 2-1 win at Burton to continue their League One promotion push.

Steve Evans’ side maintained their unbeaten streak, stretching back to October, as Kane Hemmings and Jamie Reid cancelled out Deji Oshilaja’s early Burton opener and extended Albion’s winless run to six games.

In difficult, blustery conditions at the Pirelli Stadium Oshilaja gave Albion a quickfire start, firing home the rebound after Taye Ashby-Hammond had saved Joe Powell’s penalty, awarded when Ryan Sweeney was sent tumbling by Boro skipper Carl Piergianni as the visitors failed to clear their lines.

Stevenage probably mastered the windy conditions better in the first half and were rewarded in added time when Piergianni’s cross was helped on by Luther Wildin for Hemmings to tap home from close range against his former club.

Reid fired home what proved to be the winner six minutes after the break, converting his spot-kick following Kwadwo Baah’s challenge on Jake Forster-Caskey just inside the box, to move Boro level on points with second-placed Bolton.

Jack Hunt spared new Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor’s blushes with a second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw with bottom-of-the-table Cheltenham Town at the Memorial Stadium.

Striker Will Goodwin put the Robins in command on 28 minutes, coolly slotting in from 10 yards out after a counter-attack led by George Lloyd to record his fifth goal this season.

Lacklustre Rovers were booed off at half-time by their own supporters but raised their game after the break and Chris Martin blasted a good chance over as the hosts signaled their attacking intent.

Right-back Hunt, making his 500th senior appearance, showed Martin how it should be done when he equalised on 50 minutes, acrobatically poking a bouncing ball beyond Luke Southwood after good work by Luke Thomas.

Cheltenham’s ex-Rovers boss Darrell Clarke’s side defended resolutely as the hosts pressed for a winner to ensure Taylor’s first home game in charge since succeeding Joey Barton ended in frustration.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho was delighted with his side’s performance after they beat Northampton 3-0 to go back to the top of League One.

Pompey took full advantage of former leaders Bolton’s FA Cup commitments as Sean Raggett headed them into an early lead before Paddy Lane added a goal either side of half-time.

The commanding display wrapped up back-to-back victories following a first defeat of the season against Blackpool last weekend.

“I thought we were excellent from start to finish,” said Mousinho. “Coming off a really professional performance in the week, I thought it was more of the same in the first half.

“We were brave on the ball and we earned the right to play some really good football in the second half. It was a pleasure to watch.

“My only criticism was that we didn’t put the game further out of reach because we had chances and we had opportunities but we didn’t take them.

“I know I sound greedy but you have to be greedy in football and we’ve been there before. We have led 3-0 away from home and suffered a nervy finish so that was the only thing that could have been better.

“It was a really good afternoon and it’s so important to win these games, especially considering what happened this time last week against Blackpool.

“This was a big test because you saw what Northampton did to Blackpool on Tuesday – they won the game and they thoroughly deserved it.

“We knew they would be a good side, they have momentum and they have plenty of good players so to do what we did, in the style we did, was really pleasing.”

Northampton had won their last three games but they were off the pace against Pompey.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady said: “I felt we gifted them all three goals to be honest. The first one, the corner, we’re too loose and not aggressive enough and that’s not us.

“The second one comes from a goal-kick, which is really soft, and the third goal is another poor one so we didn’t do the basics right today.

“We tried to step on and at least in the first half we probed and looked dangerous, Sam (Hoskins) and Kieron (Bowie) went close with a few efforts, and our intention wasn’t to sit back or sit deep.

“We wanted to have a go but Portsmouth are very good side and they’re top for a reason. They haven’t lost an away game since March but unfortunately we didn’t do the basics right and we gave away soft goals.

“If you do that, you’ll find yourselves in a lot of trouble and we suffered today.”

Portsmouth returned to the top of League One with dominant 3-0 win over Northampton at Sixfields.

The visitors were never in any danger once Sean Raggett headed them into an early lead, and Paddy Lane’s brace either side of half-time ensured they would go back above Bolton.

Will Norris made a couple of routine saves from Mitch Pinnock and Sam Hoskins in the early stages before Pompey struck in the 11th minute when Raggett headed in a Jack Sparkes corner.

That settled the visitors and they should have added another when Kusini Yengi struck the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

But it was not long until a second did arrive as Lane lifted over goalkeeper Max Thompson in the 26th minute after being sent through by Christian Saydee.

Northampton’s best chance of the first half was headed wide by Kieron Bowie and they fell further behind soon after half-time when Lane converted Alex Robertson’s cross.

The result was not in doubt and Portsmouth coasted through the rest of the game without any problems.

Reading manager Ruben Selles admitted his side could still do better after their 5-1 thrashing of Carlisle lifted them off the bottom of League One.

An own goal from Carlisle skipper Sam Lavelle had given Reading the lead and although Luke Plange quickly levelled, a double from Harvey Knibbs gave the hosts a healthy 3-1 lead at the break.

Carlisle improved in the second half but fine finishes from Lewis Wing and Femi Azeez late on sealed Reading’s second league win in succession.

“The result was good and to score that amount of goals is always difficult in football matches,” Selles said.

“But I still think that we can do better. I still think that the worst part of our games is that, after we score the first goal, then we need to control things more.

“Yet we are in a much better position than we were a month ago. Those moments in which we have conceded, we didn’t do that today or last weekend [in the 2-1 win at Wycombe].

“As a collective, the team looks like we are all learning to manage those moments. We have the potential to score goals and compete against any team in League One.

“In the end, it was a pleasure to have a calm last part of the game.

“We knew that when the other team was trying to chase, we knew that we would be able to find the spaces to counter-attack.”

Carlisle are now without a win in four league games.

“My impression from watching back the first-half goals, we just haven’t done the real basic things properly,” manager Paul Simpson said.

“We were trying to be clever in midfield instead of just turning Reading around.

“We were not clearing our lines, we were missing tackles, we were not communicating.

“I don’t think that you need to be a really good footballer to do all those things better than we did tonight. And we just got punished for it.

“I thought that we started the game brightly. It looked as though it was a game in which we had an opportunity to get something out of. But we allowed it to run away from us.

“I thought that we started the second half brightly as well. To be fair, though, their fourth goal [by Wing] was a really good strike.

“But their fifth goal was really simple. A straight run down the middle and we allowed it to happen.

“So it all ends up being a massive disappointment for us. But we’ve just got to move on.

“Defensively, in the first half, it worried me. Without a doubt. There was just too many simple mistakes, you just can’t do those things.”

Neill Collins acknowledged the bizarre nature of his Barnsley side’s late winner after Sam Cosgrove snatched a 1-0 victory for the Tykes in second-half stoppage-time.

Cosgrove capitalised on a costly mistake from Wycombe goalkeeper Max Stryjek to net his first goal for the Reds.

Wycombe player Harry Boyes was shown a second yellow for dissent amidst protests following the goal.

Collins said: “I’ve just watched it (the incident) back there. Make of it what you want; for me the contact is nowhere near enough to go down. The keeper drops the ball, if he holds onto the ball we’re not even talking about it.

“He certainly doesn’t drop the ball because of Sam (Cosgrove)’s contact. He drops the ball because he falls to the floor and Sam finishes it off like a good striker should.

“I don’t want the bizarre circumstances of the goal to take away from the fact that we deservedly won three points. We did everything but put the ball in the net in the second half and eventually got the reward.”

On the performance of Cosgrove, Collins said: “That’s two games in a row now that Sam has come on and really given us the impetus to just raise our levels and he’ll probably have a couple of opportunities he’d like back, but again he definitely helped the momentum come in our favour.

“I think Sam would be the first to admit that the first month or two wasn’t his best. He was carrying a couple of niggly injuries.

“I’ve seen a distinct change the last couple of weeks and I see a player that’s going to really help us push on.”

Wycombe manager Matt Bloomfield said: “We’ve conceded a goal tonight that I’ve never seen in my time in football; the circumstances surrounding it.

“Our players put so much into that performance coming off the back of a disappointing result at the weekend. It actually looked like it was going to be us that was going to go and nick it at the end.

“We rode a storm midway through the second half, but we made some changes and it looked like it might be us that would come away with three points.”

On the dismissal of Boyes, Bloomfield said: “I couldn’t go and speak (to the referee) at the full-time whistle. I thought the most important thing at that point was to go applaud our supporters who make their way all the up here on a Tuesday night.

“We’ve seen it a multitude of times where strikers run into goalkeepers, that’s usually what happens and it’s usually given as a foul.

“To finish the game like that is really disappointing.”

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens believed that his side warranted the three points after their 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

Rovers took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time through Grant Ward, and Wellens was not happy with how his side defended the set-piece.

Orient did dominate possession and territory however, if unable to fashion chances, finishing the match with only two shots on target.

Their last-gasp equaliser was an own goal by Rovers defender Tristan Crama.

“The set-up is poor on our part. We shouldn’t be letting good players have a strike from the edge of the box but then we weren’t really in any danger,” said Wellens.

“I remember watching the second half and I don’t remember looking right, it was always in their half. Our football was smooth, that system really suited us but we just need to make more clever and unselfish runs to pick up space.

“Then apart from when we went to 1-1 and Browny (Jordan Brown) headed back and Marquis ran onto it we weren’t really in any danger.

“The performance was such that we deserved the three points.”

Andy Mangan, interim Bristol Rovers manager, explained that his side are being affected by the ongoing managerial situation following the sacking of Joey Barton.

Mangan said that he recognises that the players are not playing freely currently, after they took the lead through Ward but were unable to keep a second clean sheet in four league games.

“I’m gutted for the lads. We’ve dropped deeper and deeper and they keep getting balls in there and one has dropped for them. The goal should stand. The officials haven’t done anything wrong there,” he explained.

“The lads were nervy at that point (late in the game). They’re desperate to do well for the staff. But balls keep coming into the box and you have to see it out. In these winter months you’re going to see games like that.

“I can’t be any prouder of the players – they’re desperate for the staff to stay and they can’t give any more.

“I thought Leyton Orient were decent tonight. We’re not firing on all cylinders at the moment, which is completely understandable. They’re not playing free at the moment, with the situation going on at the moment.

“Everyone knows what’s happening at the club: are the staff going to stay or are they going to go? It’s a difficult situation.

“All I can say is that it’s been a wonderful experience and I’ve got nothing but thanks for the owners. All I can do is be thankful for the opportunity (to manage the club since Barton left).”

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho was thrilled with his side’s performance after they returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory at 10-man Burton.

Mousinho was looking for a response after Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat to Blackpool and he got it thanks to Colby Bishop’s first-half penalty and Alex Robertson’s second-half finish – his first senior goal.

“With the context of everything that has happened over the past few days, with the blow to morale that we took on Saturday, the question was asked after the game ‘is this just a blip?’” the former Brewers midfielder said.

“I asked them for a solid grown-up performance where they had to show a lot of mettle and they did that in pretty much everything they did barring a 10-minute spell.”

Bishop failed to appear for the second half after picking up an ankle injury late in the first half.

“That is probably the only negative to come out of the game. I saw it right in front of me, he just went over on his ankle.

“It has swollen up. He tried to play on but couldn’t put any weight on it. He turns over his ankle, there is nothing we can about it, the pitch is fine, it wasn’t a bad challenge, just bad luck.”

Mousinho was delighted with Manchester City loanee Robertson getting off the mark as well.

He said: “I thought he was our best player on Saturday, shining light in a poor performance, and our best player again tonight.

“The only criticism I’ve had of him is the final (end) product and he has put it together tonight.”

Burton boss Dino Maamria was pleased with his side’s effort but felt they contributed to their own downfall at two crucial moments.

“We shot ourselves in the foot twice,” he observed.

“It is very harsh. I thought for 37 minutes we were well on top of the game and asking them questions. Their keeper made an unbelievable save from KB [Kwadwo Baah].

“We make a bad, bad decision where we give them the easiest penalty ever and when you give a team like Portsmouth a leg up, when you don’t need to, it is always going to make it difficult.”

Despite a strong start to the second half, Maamria saw his side threaten without finding the crucial equaliser before Pompey picked the Brewers off when Mark Helm and Kwadwo Baah collided with each other.

“The second goal came after we started the second half on the front foot and we were parked in their last third. We couldn’t get that goal and they scored from a transition,” he said.

Steve Seddon’s late sending off for a second bookable offence added to Maamria’s frustrations despite a positive response to Saturday’s defeat at Peterborough.

He added: “At two-nil and with a sending off it is game over when you give those teams as easy goals as we have but I have no complaints about the performance because I thought that was excellent.”