Craig Short experienced a wave of emotion as he witnessed his Oxford side record a 3-2 away win at Leyton Orient.

Appointed on an interim basis after boss Liam Manning resigned earlier in the week before joining Bristol City, he saw the U’s take a three-goal lead with a double from Ruben Rodrigues and a goal by Billy Bodin before a Fin Stevens own goal and a strike by leading scorer Ruel Sotiriou gave Orient a lifeline.

“It was a fantastic game for the neutral but awful emotionally for us in the dugout,” Short admitted. “You always feel like that but for them to score so soon after we got the third goal put them on the front foot.

“I said to the lads after the game if you’re playing against a football-playing side it can be more predictable but because they were so for direct and overloaded the box it created problems and that’s the way it happens sometime.

“But we managed it fairly well and the subs made a difference for us.

“Just because we started well the first then minutes you can’t expect to come away from home and win the game. They came back and we weathered the storm in the first half and then got the two goals and the third in the second half which we needed.

“It wasn’t pretty but Orient have had one defeat in nine so it’s a scalp for us away from home.”

Asked about his prospects of keeping the job on a permanent basis, he responded: “Personally I’m just getting on with it. I’ve enjoyed the responsibility and am lucky to have great people around me who care about the club.”

O’s boss Richie Wellens said: “For the first 50 minutes it was very reminiscent of the Portsmouth league game where we played well in parts but conceded just before half-time.

“We just didn’t affect the game and looked like we were a team feeling sorry for ourselves. I am proud we responded when we were 3-0 down. We got a response straight away but I am disappointed we didn’t stick to the game plan so it was frustrating.

“We thought they had certain weaknesses where we could play forward and dominate them physically and when we had patches where we stuck to that it caused problems.

“We found ourselves 2-0 down but it was only because of our own mistakes and they could have had a couple more but I never felt like they would cause us problems or cut us open on the counter-attack.

“We showed a little bit of lack of experience but I was proud of the players and we have still got a lot of improvement in us.”

Deflated boss Andy Crosby criticised Port Vale’s naivety after Olamide Shodipo’s last-gasp equaliser for Lincoln saw his side’s winless run stretch to nine Sky Bet League One games with a 1-1 draw.

The Valiants looked set to land an elusive win after Ben Garrity’s first-half effort, but substitute Shodipo slid in late on to steal a share of the spoils at Sincil Bank.

Both sides ended with 10 men after Oliver Arblaster and Paudie O’Connor both saw red in an eventful second half.

“It feels like a defeat,” said Crosby. “It was naive defending at a crucial moment trying to win a ball you can’t win.

“The one clear-cut chance they have in the game and they score.

“It’s very raw and it’s tough to take at this moment in time.

“We lose a player in the second half and that’s naivety again. You’re on a yellow card and you give the referee a decision to make.

“The referee then evens the game up and we go 10-v-10 and they were in the ascendency then.

“A little lapse of concentration and we conceded late on. It’s frustrating.

“For all our good play we still missed chances. We’ve got to become more ruthless.

“This game is unforgiving, just like life sometimes. When you’ve got a team on the rack like then then you’ve got to score and take the game away from them.

“We’re 16 games in and we’re a really nice team to look at and from box to box but we lack that clinical edge. They’re got to find it themselves and we’ve got to find it collectively.”

The Imps recovered from a slow start, which frustrated the home fans, to seal a late point.

Interim boss Tom Shaw said: “It wasn’t a good start, but good sides and good players come through that and we’ve shown that with how strongly we’ve finished in the end.

“I thought we were outstanding with the ball 10-v-10. I thought we were bold with every tactical change we made.

“We’ve had 70 per cent of the ball in the second half and nine opportunities. It felt like we had an extra man.

“We were really pleased with how the lads went about it. There are two ways to try and chase it; you can either lump it into the box or play with more control. We challenged them to do that and they did.

“If the fans were frustrated then that’s something we’re trying to improve and evolve. But we don’t have the profile of a number nine so we have to try and find other ways to get into the box.

“I hope the supporters can see how well we executed that in the second half.

“We finished the game strong and ran out of time to win it.”

Falkirk consolidated their place at the top of cinch League One with a 2-1 win over bottom club Edinburgh City.

Innes Murray had given the visitors an unexpected lead in the ninth minute.

Aidan Nesbitt, though, hauled the Bairns level just before half-time and Ross Maciver struck in the 66th minute to complete the turnaround.

Second-placed Hamilton kept up the pressure with a 5-0 win over Stirling at New Douglas Park, where Kevin O’Hara scored a hat-trick.

O’Hara opened the scoring in the 14th minute, with Euan Henderson doubling the lead ahead of half-time.

It was 3-0 when O’Hara struck again just before the hour, with Henderson then getting his second before O’Hara completed his treble with 12 minutes left.

Stirling finished with 10 men after a late red card for substitute Dale Hilson.

In-form Cove Rangers sit fourth after Rumarn Burrell’s early goal gave them a 1-0 win at Kelty Hearts, which was a fourth straight league victory.

Montrose were held to a 1-1 draw at home by strugglers Annan.

Tommy Goss put the visitors ahead from a first-half penalty, but Kerr Waddell had the Gable Endies level with 20 minutes left.

Alloa beat Queen of the South 1-0 with a goal from Alistair Roy just after the hour.

In League Two, Joe McKee’s late goal gave leaders Peterhead a 3-2 win over Stranraer.

Second-placed Dumbarton won 1-0 at East Fife with an early strike from Kalvin Orsi.

Matthew Aitken struck twice in the space of three minutes midway through the second half as Stenhousemuir battled to a 3-2 win over Spartans at Ochilview Park.

Elgin City climbed off the bottom with a 2-0 win over Bonnyrigg Rose, with goals either side of half-time from Rory MacEwan and Connal Ewan.

Clyde dropped to the foot of the table after a 1-1 draw at Forfar.

Connor Young put the Bully Wee ahead in the 71st minute which looked enough for a crucial win, only for Stuart Morrison to score an 89th-minute equaliser.

Jamie Reid scored the only goal of the game but Stevenage’s 1-0 win at Wycombe was overshadowed by serious injuries to two home players.

An aerial challenge between Boro captain Carl Piergianni and Wycombe forward Brandon Hanlan resulted in the latter being stretchered off with a shoulder injury.

The delay saw 14 minutes of additional time in the first half, during which Wanderers hit the crossbar after a Luke Leahy free-kick was flicked towards his own goal by Piergianni.

Max Stryjek was then forced into a low save from an Alex MacDonald effort before Kane Hemmings’ low cross was stabbed home by Reid in the final minute of stoppage time for his 13th of the season and fourth in as many games.

Wycombe huffed and puffed to find an equaliser as Tjay De Barr headed wide while David Wheeler smashed the bar with a first-time drive.

And with 10 minutes to go, the game entered another lengthy stoppage as Leahy received medical assistance before going off on a stretcher.

Stevenage saw out the remainder of the game to stay in the play-off places as Wycombe dropped to 12th.

Conor McGrandles scored a stoppage-time equaliser to earn Charlton a 2-2 draw at League One leaders Portsmouth in a pulsating game at Fratton Park.

Abu Kamara put Pompey ahead at the break and, after Alfie May levelled in the 71st minute, Colby Bishop quickly restored the lead from the spot.

But McGrandles struck in the third minute of added time to earn the Addicks a point.

Pompey’s early bombardment bore little fruit, with just an Alex Robertson effort to show for it.

Charlton grew more into the game and could have gone ahead with efforts from Miles Leaburn and May.

But in the 32nd minute Kamara fired beyond Ashley Maynard-Brewer from 20 yards to put Pompey ahead after a half-cleared corner.

Pompey were close to a second in the 57th minute when a Bishop header was pushed brilliantly over the crossbar by Maynard-Brewer.

Kamara and Bishop both hit the bar before Charlton equalised when May drove a shot between Will Norris’ legs.

Pompey regained the lead with a 76th-minute penalty after Maynard-Brewer clattered into Paddy Lane and Bishop scored the spot-kick.

But Charlton refused to lay down and McGrandles headed home to salvage a point.

Reading’s woeful away form continued after Jason Sraha snatched a late winner for Shrewsbury in a dramatic 3-2 victory.

The Royals opened the scoring in the 12th minute.

David Button’s goal-kick was brought down by Sam Smith inside the area and he powered it into the back of the net off a post.

Reading doubled their advantage inside 15 minutes as Andy Yiadom stood up a floated cross into the box. Goalkeeper Marko Marosi attempted to catch, but Dominic Ballard won the aerial duel and headed it home.

Shrewsbury pulled a goal back in the 33rd minute. Max Mata dispossessed a defender and the New Zealand international laid the ball off to Tom Bayliss, who converted from a tight angle.

The Shrews, in time added on, grabbed an equaliser through a corner routine which concluded with Chey Dunkley bundling home inside the box.

But with virtually the last kick of the game, Sraha stabbed home to win it for Matt Taylor’s side.

Oxford secured their sixth away win in Sky Bet League One as a 3-2 triumph at Leyton Orient gave interim manager Craig Short the perfect start.

A brace from Ruben Rodrigues and one from Billy Bodin proved decisive, with the hosts replying with a Fin Stevens own goal and a strike from Ruel Sotiriou.

A howler by Sol Brynn presented the visitors – who saw boss Liam Manning take over at Bristol City this week – with the opening goal. The goalkeeper’s intended clearance was directed straight to Rodrigues, who drove the ball into an empty net.

Then in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Rodrigues struck a post but the ball fell to Bodin, who headed the ball into the net from 15 yards out with Brynn stranded.

Within two minutes of the start of the second half, Oxford extended their advantage when Orient failed to clear a corner and Rodrigues scored from close range in the 47th minute before the home side began their revival a minute later.

A teasing Tom James cross was turned into his own net by Stevens and then, in the 64th minute, Sotiriou volleyed home a header by Aaron Drinan before Dan Happe was denied an equaliser when his header struck a post.

Despite coming under sustained pressure, the U’s held out to maintain their automatic promotion quest.

Wigan were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Cheltenham after Stephen Humphrys missed a second-half penalty.

Latics led through Lewis Freestone’s early own goal, but Liam Sercombe levelled for the home side from the spot before half-time.

Humphrys had the chance to win it for Wigan in the 64th minute, but his weak spot-kick was comfortably gathered by Luke Southwood.

Wigan started well, with Freestone turning Jordan Jones’ low cross into his own net in the sixth minute after good work from Humphrys.

It was nearly 2-0 when Martial Godo hit the post in the 12th minute, but Cheltenham then rallied.

Curtis Davies shot just wide and Curtis Thompson lifted an effort over the bar.

Will Goodwin was tripped in the box by Baba Adeeko and Sercombe converted from the penalty spot for his second of the campaign in the 32nd minute.

Cheltenham made the stronger start to the second half, with Goodwin hitting the post after Davies’ flick-on from Southwood’s free-kick.

Wigan missed from the spot and Cheltenham held on for a deserved point, with Davies forcing a diving save from Sam Tickle in the 71st minute.

Ten-man Bristol Rovers earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at Carlisle to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches.

Sam Lavelle’s own goal before half-time proved to be the difference as managerless Rovers rose to 10th place in the League One table and Carlisle dropped to 22nd.

The Cumbrians looked threatening in the first half, with Jack Armer almost getting a toe on the end of Luke Plange’s low cross and Jordan Gibson dragging a shot wide.

But it was the Pirates who took the lead in the 38th minute, when the returning Jack Hunt’s cross took a wicked deflection off opposition defender Lavelle and looped into the net.

Carlisle pushed for an equaliser after the break, with Dylan McGeouch’s effort saved by Matthew Cox and substitute Sean Maguire’s flick-on from Owen Moxon’s low corner going over the crossbar.

Cox had to be alert again in the 65th minute, making a superb save down to his right to turn Plange’s header around the post.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men 17 minutes from time as Tristan Crama pulled back Terry Ablade to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Further good saves from Cox denied the subsequent free-kick from Moxon and a shot from Plange, and the visitors held on for victory.

Northampton ended their six-game winless run by beating Burton 2-0 at Sixfields in League One.

After a tight first half, the Cobblers dominated the second and came away with all three points thanks to goals from Marc Leonard and Sam Hoskins.

Joe Powell curled an early free-kick over the angle of post and crossbar as Burton made a bright start before the home side grew into the game and enjoyed a good spell of their own.

But goalmouth action was at a premium in the first half as both sides lacked quality and creativity in the final third, with neither goalkeeper forced to make a save of note.

Northampton broke the deadline nine minutes into the second half when Leonard picked out the top corner with a terrific strike from long range.

Burton goalkeeper Max Crocombe kept out Mitch Pinnock’s header from a fast counter-attack and he was also alert when denying Leonard on two separate occasions.

But the Cobblers did eventually wrap up all three points when Hoskins showed excellent composure in a crowded penalty box to find the bottom corner 12 minutes from time.

Derby ended Barnsley’s unbeaten away run in League One as James Collins scored twice in a 3-0 win.

Collins fired in a first-half penalty and struck again after Craig Forsyth scored to condemn Barnsley to their first defeat on the road this season.

Derby started strongly with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing causing problems on the left although Joe Wildsmith had to turn behind an Adam Phillips free-kick in the 21st minute.

But Derby went ahead in the 35th minute when Jordan Williams pushed over Collins to concede a penalty which the striker confidently converted.

Derby were worth their lead and they extended it in the 48th minute with Forsyth ghosting in to score with a low finish after a long free-kick was flicked on.

A repeat of that move brought Derby a third in the 63rd minute with Forsyth again getting in on the left to fire in a shot which Ben Killip saved but Collins bundled in the rebound.

Tom Barkhuizen fired over and Louie Sibley rattled the bar as Derby enjoyed a comprehensive victory.

One-time Bloomfield Road youngster George Thomason scored a spectacular 74th-minute winner to earn in-form Bolton a 1-0 Skybet League One win over Blackpool in front of 24,238 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

And Wanderers’ sixth successive win in all competitions was extra special for boss Ian Evatt who spent seven years as a player with the Seasiders, helping them into the Premier League.

Now, Evatt, who picked up a late booking, has sights set on taking the Trotters into the Championship.

But the home side were second best for large parts of the opening half. Karamoko Dembele curled a shot against a post after only three minutes as Neil Critchley’s team relished its task of trying to take down Bolton’s winning run.

However, the Trotters grew into the contest and Randell Williams hit the woodwork with a free-kick before forcing Dan Grimshaw into an unconvincing save.

Bolton, who had not previously beaten Blackpool in the league since 2014, remained in the ascendancy with Grimshaw twice denying top scorer Dion Charles.

CJ Hamilton squandered a great chance for the visitors after 69 minutes via James Husband’s cross before Thomason broke the deadlock with a rising left-

foot drive from 20 yards.

Olamide Shadipo’s dramatic last-gasp equaliser secured Lincoln a point from a 1-1 draw in a game which saw both sides finish with 10 men as Port Vale’s winless run in Sky Bet League One stretched to nine games.

Inspired Lukas Jensen produced a string of fine saves to keep the Imps in the game.

First he got the finest touch to divert Tottenham loanee Alfie Devine’s diving header onto a post inside the first 10 minutes.

Alistair Smith squandered a great chance for the hosts when he fired over from Dylan Duffy’s cross.

Danish stopper Jensen made another super save when he kept out Uche Ikpeazu’s effort with his feet.

But there was nothing he could do in the 35th minute when Ben Garrity turned out Ethan Chislett’s cross.

Down the other end Connor Ripley pulled off a good stop to palm Duffy’s effort away from danger.

Teenager Oliver Arblaster was shown red early in the second half after a second booking offence for a reckless late challenge on Ethan Erhahon.

But the numbers were evened up when Paudie O’Connor was sent off eight minutes later for an off-the-ball scuffle with Ikpeazu.

Shadipo stole a share of the spoils as he slid in at the back post to poke Jack Vale’s ball home.

A dominant first-half performance saw Fleetwood stroll to a 3-0 Sky Bet League One win at home to struggling Exeter.

Ryan Broom, Brendan Wiredu and Phoenix Patterson gave the hosts a three-goal half-time lead and Exeter, without a league win since mid-September, never looked likely to turn their fortunes around.

Broom opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Danny Mayor split the defence with his through ball into Broom’s path and he coolly slipped the ball under Viljami Sinisalo.

The goalkeeper did well to keep his side in the game moments later, denying Promise Omochere at close range from Broom’s cross, and recovering well to parry Mayor’s follow-up effort.

He could do nothing to prevent the Cod Army’s second goal shortly after the half-hour mark, however. Patterson’s corner fell perfectly for Wiredu, who was unmarked just three yards out, and had a simple task to nod in number two.

Fleetwood felt they should have had a penalty when Exeter right-back Pierce Sweeney brought Patterson down minutes before the break. Referee Thomas Kirk awarded a free-kick a foot outside the corner of the penalty area.

Undeterred, Patterson sent a fine dead-ball effort over the wall and just inside the near post.

The Grecians showed signs of life early in the second half but Jay Lynch saved from Zak Jules, with Yanic Wildschut seeing his follow-up deflected wide while Ilmari Niskanen was off-target with his chance.

But any faint hopes of a comeback soon fizzled out and, with Fleetwood rarely troubled, they eased to victory.

Darren Ferguson hailed his “perfect” Peterborough players after a record-breaking 5-0 derby triumph over Cambridge.

The proud boss saw his side claim their biggest-ever success against their county rivals with a five-star showing.

Posh took charge with three goals in the space of six minutes late in the first half as Ephron Mason-Clark’s 34th and 37th-minute double was soon followed by a deflected Kwame Poku strike.

Any thoughts of a Cambridge comeback were dismissed when Poku pounced again early in the second period following an Archie Collins-led counter-attack before Liam Bennett headed a Joel Randall cross into his own net to pile on more misery for Mark Bonner’s men.

“That is as perfect as it is ever going to get,” admitted Ferguson. “There was not one bad performance from anyone in my team.

“The players stuck to the tactical plan to the ‘T’ so I’m absolutely delighted and all credit to them for that.

“Cambridge are a good team without the ball. They do not concede many goals and no-one has done that to them.

“The first goal was important and we’ve then gone bang, bang. We were so ruthless and from then on we’ve won really comfortably.

“I’ll be honest, I’ve been waiting for that sort of performance from the start of the season and we couldn’t have picked a better day to deliver it.

“It’s a record score in this fixture and it’s brilliant for everyone to achieve something like that. The fans will remember this one for a long time.

“But Mark has done a great job at Cambridge and today is not going to change that.”

Cambridge chief Mark Bonner was full of praise for his side’s conquerors as a promising start gave way to a hiding.

He said: “You could never have said after half-an-hour that the game would end up in the way it did, but Peterborough took it away from us.

“It was a really good game for the first 30 minutes. We started with a good press and intensity, but you can’t really talk about that when the game unravelled in front of our eyes as it did.

“It was done at half-time really. Peterborough had too much for us.

“If you evaluate the goals we conceded, it is just horrible, but the pressure they put on us and the way they use the ball is very good.

“They’re where they are for a reason and it hurts me, more than anyone, to say they’re miles ahead of us.

“They’re a really good side – the best we’ve played. We couldn’t match the technical and athletic quality Peterborough have to create chances.

“We know we’ll get slaughtered, but we’ll have to take it and get on with it.”