Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson paid tribute to Steven Fletcher for the “immense” impact he has had after the veteran striker’s goal earned a 1-0 win over Notts County.

Former Scotland international Fletcher’s first-half finish proved decisive at the Racecourse Ground as the Dragons moved back into the top three, with David McGoldrick’s second-half strike for the Magpies contentiously being disallowed for handball.

Parkinson revealed he had doubts over Fletcher featuring in this match after falling ill following the midweek win over Sutton, but the 36-year-old’s training displays saw him start as the Wrexham boss lauded his contribution.

He said: “He’s been immense for us. He had a bit of a virus after the game Tuesday and he came in to see the doctor on Thursday, and I was a bit concerned about playing him, but then he trained yesterday and looked so sharp that it made our mind up with the way he trained.

“You don’t play at the level he has without being the consummate professional and that’s what he is.

“He looks after himself, he trains well, he does all his extra work and he’s enjoying playing and that’s great. He’s got a great enthusiasm to play and I love that. It’s great to see and it’s a great example for our younger players.

“It was a hard game, Notts are a good side, we know that, there’s always an edge between the two teams, and I thought it was a really good game and a great advert for the division.”

Fletcher’s goal ensured the Dragons claimed the season double over the side they battled for the National League title against in thrilling fashion last term.

Magpies boss Stuart Maynard was left frustrated after the officials ruled McGoldrick’s second-half finish for suspected handball, when replays appeared to show the ball struck his stomach area, and he felt it cost them at least a point.

Maynard said: “I thought the first half, we were outstanding as a group of players, to come here, Wrexham, and dominate the game totally.

“I think their goalie probably ends up man of the match just on his first-half performance alone, but the real frustration is we probably deserve a point minimum.

“It’s frustrating. We’ve watched the video back on Didzy’s (McGoldrick’s) goal, and it’s a clear goal. We’ve scored a legitimate goal that should have stood and it’s frustrating because we go away with nothing.

“It hits his chest around his stomach area as clean as you can see, so I don’t see where he sees the handball from.

“You look at the reaction, in football always look at the reaction of the opposition players, they’re going back to the halfway line. All their players already thinking the goal’s been given. That’s how you judge it a lot of the time and that’s how you should as a referee.

“We’re proud of the performance, it’s frustrating to not get something from the game though.”

Tranmere manager Nigel Adkins could barely contain his delight after seeing his side beat top-of-the-table Stockport 4-0 at Prenton Park.

A brace from Jordan Turnbull and strikes from Tom Davies and Connor Jennings were the difference as Rovers inflicted back-to back defeats on Sky Bet League Two leaders County.

The home side opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Davies found himself in the right spot to force the ball home after a free-kick from Brad Walker.

The Hatters were not without chances of their own and could have pulled level through Will Collar and Odin Bailey.

But Tranmere doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Turnbull fired the ball into the net after Stockport failed to clear the danger from a free-kick.

The points were wrapped up in the 63rd minute when Turnbull headed home his second and Rovers’ third from a perfectly-placed Walker cross, before Connor Jennings completed the rout with five minutes left.

Adkins said: “The fans were great and they’re leaving with smiles on their faces today, and let’s face it, they certainly had something to smile about.

“I told the players today about what it means to represent Tranmere Rovers, people want to come and see you work hard and we’ve certainly worked hard today.

“We started the game really well after the disappointment of losing on Tuesday night to Morecambe and the players have responded so well.

“We just beat the league leaders convincingly and we’re so exciting to watch and that makes me so happy.

“Great credit to the players and the staff for the way they’ve responded to two challenging results in games we should have won, the mentality to work for their teammates and the staff, themselves and the Tranmere family.

“We’ve got a team that is prepared to work and graft for each other and I’m excited by what I’ve seen today.”

Stockport boss Dave Challinor said: “We spoke after the defeat to Crewe on Tuesday about doing the basics and once again we’ve not done that.

“Let’s be clear, our relative success so far this season in terms of where we sit in the table has been based on stability, but we’ve not had a clean sheet in the last seven games and one in the last nine.

“Sometimes you have to protect the players in terms of what you say, but that’s an embarrassing performance defensively.

“If things don’t get better for Tuesday night away at Gillingham then it’s going to be a tough night for us. I could lie and paper over the cracks, but that’s not the way I am.

“We’ve got to be miles better than that and if we’re not then it’s going to be a tough night for us and that’s as simple as it is.”

Danny Cowley felt his Colchester side lacked bravery after they conceded late to draw 1-1 with 10-man Accrington Stanley.

The U’s had led from the 40th minute thanks to Noah Chilvers’ fine 25-yard low strike after Riley Harbottle had initially brought the ball forward into his path.

Accrington were then reduced to 10 men in the first minute of the second half when Brad Hills was sent off for lashing out at Tom Hopper near the halfway line.

However, the visitors claimed a point with an 80th-minute equaliser after Harbottle diverted Kelvin Mellor’s cross into his own net.

Colchester boss Cowley said: “Sometimes, the biggest mistake you can make in football is trying not to make a mistake.

“We played with too much fear and, for us, it’s always to find the second goal in these moments.

“We were 1-0 up and were in total control of the game and the opponent goes down to 10 men. Once they go down to 10 men, you just need to find your rhythm with the ball and you need to be brave enough and we weren’t.

“We got what we deserved and we conceded a goal against a team that didn’t have a shot on target.

“It’s our job to try to change the mentality of the group and that’s what we’re working hard to do.

“The hardest to affect in terms of players is probably never technical, tactical – it’s always the mentality. We didn’t show up when the team needed us and that was the truth.”

Colchester were the better team in the first half, with Harbottle, Hopper and John Akinde all going close before the break.

However, Accrington showed character to claim a point, despite Hills’ red card, and that spirit was praised by boss John Coleman.

He said: “We were poor in the first half, I thought it was a poor game. We didn’t offer anything going forward in the first half or nowhere near as much as we should have done.

“It was a controversial goal that they’ve scored. Play is allowed to go on and the referee has obviously missed it.

“The big turning point is the sending-off. I was speaking to John Akinde when he came off and he said it was a yellow at the very, very worst. That’s not me saying that, that’s their centre-forward and he was closer than me, but that’s football.

“It wouldn’t be the first time this season that we get a harsh decision against us and it definitely won’t be the last, so you’ve just got to get on with it.

“I thought we showed terrific spirit and nullified their chances and our keeper has barely made a save.”

Newport manager Graham Coughlan hailed a “huge” three points for his side as they bounced back from defeat in midweek to beat Gillingham 1-0 at Rodney Parade.

Notts County ended the Exiles’ seven-match unbeaten run last Tuesday with a 3-1 win in Newport and Coughlan was delighted with his players’ reaction.

After a forgettable first half, Will Evans produced a stunning volley from Harry Charsley’s cross just after the hour-mark to beat fellow play-off hopefuls Gillingham.

“It was vitally important that we responded to Tuesday night’s game, we didn’t do ourselves justice against Notts County and were poor all-round,” said Coughlan.

“It was a big three points for players, staff and fans. It’s very difficult to ask players to play 43 games, as we have so far already in February, so I could understand it being dead and flat from both teams.

“We ask the same boys to keep going time and time again, but I said at half-time that if it was dour, make sure we came out with something. We came out with the victory and three points, and that’s huge.”

Coughlan praised the home fans for helping his side close out the game.

“I was shouting at the crowd today to give us a little bit of energy and a lift for the last 10 to 15 minutes because you could see that we needed it,” he said.

“They were brilliant and got us over the line, they cheered every clearance, started banging the drum and singing their songs. That energised us, so I have to praise the fans for what they did.”

Gills boss Stephen Clemence admitted that Evans’ goal was good enough to win any game.

“I never felt in trouble. I thought it had 0-0 written all over it,” he said. “But, to be fair to the lad, it’s a great finish.

“The boy delivered a sidewinder volley from the edge of the box, and it went in the top corner. If you get beaten by a goal like that, sometimes you just have to accept it.

“We had a moment ourselves where Timothee Dieng had a great effort, and their keeper made a great save.

“It was a very tight game between two teams with similar shapes,” added Clemence. “They’ve been in good form, and we knew we’d have to be up for the fight.

“They’re a very physical team and I thought we dealt with that well.

“But we just had one moment in the second half where they got the better of us and, unfortunately, we have to go home with no points.

“It’s very difficult to take, but we’ve got two home games coming up now and we have to get ready for them.”

Bradford continued their push up towards the League Two play-off places as they won for the third successive game with a 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Sutton.

Calum Kavanagh scored the only goal of the game to leave Steve Morison’s visitors still without a win from his nine games in charge.

Andy Cook had two good chances to put Bradford in front in the first half but was unable to take either of them.

He fired over the bar after being set up by Brad Halliday’s run into the box before the veteran striker was denied with a header from Clarke Oduor’s cross as Sutton keeper Dean Bouzanis blocked from close range.

Ben Goodliffe headed wide from a corner as Sutton started to come into the match and former Bradford striker Lee Angol curled a free-kick past the post.

Bradford keeper Sam Walker twice saved from Harry Smith before the home side got the breakthrough in the 54th minute.

Oduor played Kavanagh clear and the striker beat Bouzanis with a confident finish.

Smith headed over as Sutton went in search of an equaliser but Bradford threatened a second as Bouzanis saved from Halliday.

Sutton had a final chance in stoppage time but Olly Sanderson was thwarted by Walker’s sprawling block as Bradford held on for a win that leaves them just two points off the play-off spots.

Stephen Wearne scored twice on his full league debut for MK Dons inside the first eight minutes to secure a 2-1 victory at struggling Swindon.

Wearne opened the scoring with just four minutes on the clock after some calamitous Swindon defending.

Goalkeeper Jack Bycroft and Conor McCarthy left the ball for each other, allowing Kyran Lofthouse to nip in and tee up Wearne for a simple finish.

It was 2-0 four minutes later as Wearne swept home at the far post following a brilliant centre across the six-yard box.

The Dons pushed for a third goal and Daniel Kemp forced a good save out of Bycroft nine minutes into the second half with a stinging 25-yard shot.

Charlie Austin finished emphatically with one minute remaining to give Swindon hope of a late comeback, but the visitors were able to see out the win.

The victory lifts MK Dons up to fifth in the Sky Bet League One table, seven points off leaders Stockport, while Swindon languish in 18th place after a run of four games without a win.

AFC Wimbledon missed the opportunity to climb into the League Two play-off spots after being pegged back by fellow top-seven hopefuls Morecambe in a 1-1 draw at Plough Lane.

After a turgid opening, the game sprung into life in a frantic second period which saw Omar Bugiel’s opener for the home side cancelled out by Chris Stokes.

Wimbledon dominated the first half but the best opportunity fell to marauding Morecambe defender David Tutonda, who found himself free at the far post but blazed Joel Senior’s low cross over the bar.

The Dons came out firing in the second half and their pressure told in the 50th minute when Bugiel fired home from close range after Josh Kelly flicked on Ronan Curtis’ cross.

Bugiel soon spurned a golden chance to double the lead and was left to rue the missed opportunity when Stokes poked home the visitors’ equaliser in the 74th minute to steal a point.
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Both sides remain a point outside the play-off places, with Wimbledon in eighth and Morecambe 10th.

Mansfield missed the chance to go top of Sky Bet League Two as Emmanuel Adegboyega scored on his Football League debut to earn Walsall a 2-1 win.

The Stags should have been out of sight by half-time with Will Swan the chief culprit.

He steered Lucas Akins’ pass wide when clean through, was foiled by a fine Jackson Smith save as he tried to sweep home Stephen Quinn’s low cross and curled another big chance wide from 15 yards.

Quinn also spurned a free header, while the Stags were convinced Aden Flint’s hooked far-post effort had crossed the line but their appeals fell on deaf ears.

Walsall went ahead after 47 minutes as Jamille Matt nodded in Isaac Hutchinson’s teasing cross, but Mansfield levelled within three minutes as Hiram Boateng freed Quinn to rifle beneath Smith.

However, Norwich loanee Adegboyega flashed home a near-post header from Hutchinson’s 65th-minute corner to put Walsall back ahead.

Smith produced a stunning late save to preserve the points, adjusting in mid-air to thwart Akins’ instinctive flick and keep Mansfield off the top despite leaders Stockport losing 4-0 at Tranmere.

Promotion-chasers Crewe were frustrated by Harrogate’s defensive resolve as they were held to a goalless draw at Gresty Road.

The Yorkshire side put in a determined rearguard display after their midweek 9-2 mauling at the hands of Mansfield and limited the Railwaymen to a handful of chances.

Matty Daly wasted an early opening to put the visitors ahead when he dragged an effort past the far post.

Crewe lost skipper Luke Offord to a first-half injury and found the going tough.

Youngster Matus Holicek lifted a header over after chasing a bouncing through ball but Harrogate negotiated the first half in such solid fashion that keeper James Belshaw only had to field a succession of crosses.

After the break, the game opened up and Courtney-Baker-Richardson went close with a powerful header which just cleared Belshaw’s bar before Josh Austerfield drove a deflected effort past the post.

Baker-Richardson then thumped a header against the bar and substitute Shilow Tracey was thwarted by Belshaw who dashed off his line to palm the forward’s effort over.

Crewe stepped up the pressure but couldn’t make it count with Rio Adebisi lifting a shot over.

Harrogate emerged from their defensive shell and Josh March, at full stretch, was unable to get a touch to Jeremy Sivi’s dangerous delivery across the home box.

Charlie Kirk’s late blast was deflected over as Harrogate hung on for a point.

A goal in each half from Danilo Orsi and Klaidi Lolos gave Crawley their first league win in five games as relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers went down to a 2-0 defeat at the Broadfield Stadium.

The Red Devils broke the deadlock six minutes before the break when striker Orsi scored his 16th goal of the season with a neat flick from close range after an assist by Nick Tsaroulla.

Crawley threatened again five minutes later when Ronan Darcy took aim just outside the area and his effort was parried by keeper Vicente Reyes.

Rovers boss Steve Cotterill brought on Max Oyedele and Harvey Bunker for the second half and a pass by the former led to Charlie McCann having a low shot saved by keeper Corey Addai.

Addai was forced into action again when he saved another low effort from Dominic Thompson as Rovers enjoyed more of the ball.

Rovers threatened again through Oyedele, whose shot was parried by Addai, but substitute Lolos sealed Crawley’s victory three minutes from time when he fired home from close range after a cross by Kellan Gordon.

Lolos almost added another when his shot came back off the post before Christian Doidge had a header saved at the other end.

Doncaster moved further away from danger in Sky Bet League Two with a resounding 5-1 win over relegation-threatened Grimsby at Blundell Park.

Goals from Luke Molyneux and Joe Ironside put Doncaster in control before an own goal from Niall Maher and strikes from Matthew Craig and Kyle Hurst rubber-stamped victory.

Grimsby captain Danny Rose was on target from the penalty spot.

Doncaster enjoyed a perfect start and found themselves 2-0 up with eight minutes on the clock when Molyneux curled into the top corner before Ironside pounced inside the Grimsby area after being picked out by Hakeeb Adelakun.

Grimsby were handed a lifeline in the 19th minute when Molyneux fouled Charles Vernam and Rose sent the resulting penalty kick straight down the middle.

Doncaster restored their two-goal cushion in the 51st minute as Maher turned into his own net from a Jamie Sterry cross, while Craig added gloss to the scoreline with a tidy left-footed finish in the 72nd minute.

And there was still time for Kyle to mark his cameo with a fifth goal.

Will Evans netted his 23rd goal of the season to earn Newport a 1-0 win over fellow play-off hopefuls Gillingham at Rodney Parade.

The victory moves Graham Coughlan’s men to within two points of the top seven.

Seb Palmer-Houlden should have given County an early breakthrough when he climbed high to meet an Adam Lewis cross in the 13th minute, but the Bristol City loanee planted his header wide of Jake Turner’s left-hand post.

The hosts instead had to wait until just after the hour to take the lead, but the goal was worth waiting for as Evans produced a superb volleyed finish to divert Harry Charsley’s cross in off the post.

The lively Palmer-Houlden could have doubled the Exiles’ lead two minutes later, but his shot was blocked by Conor Masterson.

Gillingham offered little in attack for much of the game, but goalkeeper Nick Townsend was required to make an impressive reflex save – down low to his left – to deny Timothee Dieng an equaliser 13 minutes from time.

Ten-man Accrington Stanley struck late on to snatch a 1-1 draw at Colchester.

The U’s went close to breaking the deadlock in the 12th minute when Riley Harbottle’s 25-yard effort was tipped over the bar by Accrington goalkeeper Radek Vitek.

And the hosts threatened again two minutes later through John Akinde, whose downward header from Alistair Smith’s looped ball into the box dropped inches wide.

Tom Hopper’s header then flew over from close range before Colchester finally made the breakthrough in the 40th minute when Noah Chilvers drilled a fine 25-yard low strike into the net after Harbottle had initially brought the ball forward into his path.

Accrington were reduced to 10 men less than a minute into the second half, with Brad Hills sent off for lashing out at Hopper near the halfway line.

However, the visitors recovered from the blow and substitute Leslie Adekoya curled a shot just wide before the visitors equalised in the 80th minute, when Harbottle could only divert Kelvin Mellor’s cross into his own net as the spoils were shared.

Karl Robinson’s unbeaten start to life as Salford boss continued with an entertaining 5-3 victory over Barrow.

The Ammies continued their resurgence as they made it eight league games without defeat – their best run since April 2022.

Callum Hendry handed the hosts the advantage in spectacular fashion, drilling a bouncing ball from range into the far corner.

Shortly before the interval, Cole Stockton levelled the proceedings when he guided a delightful curling effort beyond Alex Cairns.

Tyrell Warren completed the turnaround immediately after the restart when he nodded in Robbie Gotts’ enticing corner.

But another twist in the story followed, with Salford deservedly equalising through a smart Conor McAleny finish before the hour mark.

With the wind in their sails, Salford restored their advantage when Hendry struck his second of the afternoon via a deflection.

And there was still time for a late Matt Smith double as he notched his 20th and 21st league goals of the season.

Stockton added a late consolation, but his brace could not prevent Barrow from falling to a third successive defeat.

Steven Fletcher scored the only goal of the game as Wrexham earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over Notts County to move back into the top three in League Two.

Former Scotland striker Fletcher’s first-half finish proved decisive at the Racecourse Ground as the Dragons claimed the season double over the side they battled for the National League title last term.

Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo denied the visitors an early lead when he kept out Macauley Langstaff’s second-minute header from Dan Crowley’s cross.

That was during a bright start from the Magpies but Wrexham went ahead when veteran Fletcher hooked home in the 20th minute for his seventh goal of the season.

Okonkwo came to Wrexham’s aid again with a brilliant 24th-minute diving stop from David McGoldrick’s effort, while Jodi Jones’ ferocious shot landed wide as the visitors pushed for an equaliser.

The home side breathed another sigh of relief when Eoghan O’Connell’s headed clearance struck his own post before James Jones blasted over for Wrexham prior to half-time.

After the break, Will Boyle’s header struck the crossbar and Scott Robertson fired straight at Okonkwo on the turn as both sides continued to create chances.

James McClean also hit the bar as Wrexham sought a second, before McGoldrick’s 70th-minute strike was ruled out for handball as the Magpies tried in vain to find an equaliser which never came.