AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson says his side are focusing only on themselves after claiming a “deserved” win over high-flying Barrow to remain firmly in the mix for the play-off places in League Two.

The Dons sent second-placed Mansfield home pointless two weeks ago and were also too strong for the Bluebirds, who arrived at Plough Lane third in the table, as first-half goals from Ronan Curtis and Omar Bugiel earned a 2-0 victory.

Only a late winner for Harrogate prevented Wimbledon from rising into the top seven while Barrow, who had Jamie Proctor sent off late on, dropped to fourth, one point behind Crewe.

Jackson said: “I think it was a deserved win, I thought we played really well.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves, obviously, but we just want to stay in and amongst it, which is what we’re doing.

“We’ve managed to find a bit of consistency with our form and our results, and I think if we concentrate on the performance levels then points will follow.

“Obviously, we’re still picking them up against good teams – we beat Mansfield here last time out and they’d only lost twice. Barrow, I think, had only lost five games all season.

“These are good results against good teams and we just want to find that consistency because before you know it we’re on the bus to Accrington on Monday and that ain’t one of the easier places to go.”

Wimbledon were ahead after 16 minutes when Paul Farman’s clearance ahead of Josh Kelly ran for Curtis, who controlled before thumping the ball past the stranded goalkeeper from 25 yards.

The lead was doubled 10 minutes later when Bugiel headed in Armani Little’s cross, with Dons goalkeeper Alex Bass making a good save to deny David Worrall early in the second half.

Farman prevented Kelly from opening his Wimbledon account after breaking through one-on-one before Proctor saw red for allegedly kicking out at Kofi Balmer.

Barrow boss Pete Wild said of the dismissal: “The fourth official is saying that as he hit the floor he kicked out.

“We’ve obviously just seen that, he clearly hasn’t kicked out, but we just need to be clear from the officials what they are saying that is for before we start analysing what we’ll do.

“I’m frustrated with how we started, you can’t start football matches like that and expect to win them, especially away from home.

“We talked about Wimbledon’s tenacity, how they’ve been playing lately and how they’ve been going about their business, and we didn’t stand up to that challenge.

“It’s easy to play when you’re 2-0 down and from 30 minutes onwards we’ve dominated the game, but for having all that domination, how many times have we made their keeper work?”

Phil Parkinson admitted it was tough to take after Wrexham suffered their third consecutive league defeat.

Andy Cook scored Bradford’s late winner just minutes after his penalty had been saved by Arthur Okonkwo.

But manager Parkinson felt his team had done more than enough to take the points as their promotion hopes took another hit.

He said: “It hurts. We dominated the game, particularly in the first half when we were excellent.

“We set out to do everything we wanted to against a 3-4-3 system, moved the ball well, got in some good positions and just couldn’t find the moment.

“The way we played probably justified us coming in one or two ahead. That was probably as good a first-half performance as we’ve put in for a while.

“We know we’re in a period where it’s not going our way but the lads have given us absolutely everything today.

“We just couldn’t find the moment to unlock the door. But it was certainly not through lack of effort.

“We were very much on the front foot all over the pitch but football is about putting the ball in the back of the net. It’s very rare for us at home.

“When you’ve had a few defeats and things are going against you, that can happen.

“We deserved to win the game but one big moment proved decisive.”

Cook claimed his 14th goal of the season, heading home from close range after Okonkwo had blocked his initial effort.

It was a first win in nine league games for the Bantams – and second at the Racecourse Ground for manager Graham Alexander, who had beaten Wrexham with MK Dons on the opening day of the season.

Alexander said: “I can’t speak highly enough about my players.

“Wrexham are always going to have moments in games because they’ve got an array of talent and their belief is massive from their two-and-a-half year run.

“I feel defensively we’ve been really strong, really disciplined and structured. It’s just taking the moments in front of goal that has let us down.

“That’s the whole team, not just the forwards, it’s midfielders getting in there, defenders from set-pieces and things like that.

“We all have to take responsibility for those opportunities. If we had done that, I think we would have won many more games which we deserve.

“We are where we are. We’ve won a big fixture today for us and hopefully it will give the players and supporters the belief that there’s still something there worth fighting for.

“There was a freshness about us because we knew we had to work exceptionally hard. They are a very good team with an unbelievable home record.”

Accrington boss John Coleman admitted he is ‘getting sick of football’ after the 2-1 defeat at MK Dons.

Jack Payne, on loan from Charlton, whipped a delightful free-kick into the top corner to cancel out Jack Nolan’s opener for Stanley with 19 minutes remaining.

Left wing-back Joe Tomlinson was the Dons hero in stoppage time, firing home a deflected effort in the third minute of added time to send the home faithful wild.

But Coleman did not mince his words when discussing the performance of the match officials.

He said: “Where do you think MK will play that ref next week? Behind the front two? I’ve never seen a worse ref in my life, or a more one-sided ref, ever.

“To be honest, I’m getting sick of football, I really am, because it’s just not fair. I’ve just watched a game there that wasn’t played out according to the rules.

“You look at that incident where our lad [Jack Nolan] gets chopped down running away. He gets booked, I get booked, and their lad doesn’t.

“We had a free-kick on 92 minutes, header, comes off their lad for a corner. He doesn’t give a corner, he gives a goal kick. They get a corner and they score from it. That was the difference in the game.”

Coleman was clear in his assessment of the opposition, who sit sixth in the play-off positions.

He added: “You’d like to think MK Dons would learn a bit [from that match]. If they don’t realise how fortunate they were, they won’t improve.”

MK Dons manager Mike Williamson hailed ‘street footballer’ Payne after his superb equaliser set the hosts on their way to a dramatic win.

He said: “[Jack] Payne is a joy to work with. He’s what I call a street footballer. Wherever he is he’ll be doing the same thing and he loves it; it’s in his blood.

“He inspires and drives in his own way. We’re fortunate enough to have players to create moments like that which do change games.”

While Williamson admitted his side took a while to get up to speed, he was encouraged by their tireless work-rate.

He added: “I felt the game started in a strange manner. It was really slow and lethargic and it took us half an hour to get going.

“When the quality is not there, you’ve got to make sure the fight is and that you’re picking up second balls and you’re switched on. We didn’t do that so well in the first half but we did in the second.

“You can never question the character and the fight and the endeavour of the boys.”

Dave Challinor was delighted at how his table-topping Stockport adapted to their calculated game-plan during a 3-1 victory over Grimsby.

Goals from Antoni Sarcevic, Isaac Olaofe and Lewis Cass – on his Stockport debut – did the damage to keep the leaders four points clear at the top of Sky Bet League Two.

Grimsby winger Abo Eisa replied to those first-half strikes with a consolation upon the restart, but it proved too little, too late at Blundell Park.

David Artell’s strugglers have now failed to win in their last five matches.

Stockport manager Challinor said: “It was a brilliant start to the game for us to get into a winning position.

“We knew this would be a tough game as we have got three tough away games in these 14 days that won’t be season-defining, but are tough places to go.

“Coming here, we had to do what was needed and rolled our sleeves up.

“Some of the stuff we played in the first half (was pleasing), especially with David (Artell) coming in here and having a different way of playing.

“That suited what we wanted to do. We got on top of them and challenged them when the majority of their supporters weren’t agreeing with those principles.”

Sarcevic opened the scoring for Stockport in the eighth minute when he latched on to a loose pass from Harvey Cartwright before keeping his cool and slotting past the onrushing Grimsby goalkeeper.

It was 2-0 six minutes later when Olaofe finished off a sweeping breakaway move that involved Nick Powell and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.

Cass then nodded a third into the Grimsby net in the 28th minute when the on-loan defender was picked out by a Sarcevic cross.

Eisa offered Grimsby hope shortly after the restart when he netted from point-blank range from Charles Vernam’s initial shot but, while they pushed and probed for the remainder, struggling Grimsby were unable to make further inroads.

Stockport are now eight points above fourth-placed Barrow in their ongoing bid for promotion to League One.

Grimsby manager Artell added: “We shot ourselves in the foot twice – three times probably – against a good team who are top of the league.

“You knew then it was going to be a long afternoon.

“In the second half we showed more intent, with the ball and without the ball, and scored a good goal with much more impetus in our play.

“We had more initiative and work-rate, but the game is done by then with our own carelessness and not just with the first goal.

“It was a difficult afternoon and we have got a lot to learn, but that’s the way that I want us to play and we shouldn’t change making that first mistake.”

AFC Wimbledon kept up their push for a League Two play-off spot thanks to a dominant 2-0 victory over fellow promotion chasers Barrow at Plough Lane.

First-half goals from Ronan Curtis and Omar Bugiel lifted the Dons up to eighth in the table while the Bluebirds, who had Jamie Proctor sent off late on, dropped out of the automatic promotion places and down to fourth.

Wimbledon were ahead after 16 minutes when a headed clearance from Paul Farman went as far as Curtis, who controlled before lashing past the stranded Barrow goalkeeper from 25 yards.

The Dons doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Armani Little’s superb cross was headed in by Bugiel at the back post.

David Worrall almost pulled one back for Barrow seven minutes into the second half when his header from Elliot Newby’s cross had to be pushed behind by Wimbledon keeper Alex Bass.

Farman then made an excellent save from Josh Kelly after James Tilley played him clean through on goal before Proctor saw red with three minutes left for an off-the ball incident.

Salford extended their unbeaten run to six games under new boss Karl Robinson with a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Swindon.

The Ammies had a good chance to maintain their strong momentum inside two minutes as Luke Garbutt swung in a cross from deep that was met by Matt Smith, but his header back across goal dropped wide of the far post.

Swindon also had a golden opportunity to score the opener as Zack Elbouzedi got to the byline and lifted a cross into Dawson Devoy and a stunning save was drawn out of Alex Cairns before Paul Glatzel was denied on the follow-up.

Swindon went agonisingly close when Glatzel’s strike flicked off Cairns and a defender just got back to clear off the line.

Substitute Charlie Austin laid the ball off delicately for George McEachran to charge into the box and slot his finish beyond the goalkeeper at the near post.

Callum Hendry then fired home from close range in stoppage time to earn Salford a point.

Jack Muldoon’s fourth goal in as many games secured a 1-0 stoppage-time victory for Harrogate over unlucky visitors Colchester.

The 34-year-old striker scrambled in a 92nd-minute winner to extend the in-form Sulphurites’ unbeaten league run to a sixth game, equalling their best sequence as an EFL outfit.

Earlier the visitors, who are showing significant signs of improvement under Danny Cowley, had dominated the first half when fierce long-range efforts from Cameron McGeehan and Noah Chilvers both required smart saves from James Belshaw, while Alistair Smith also headed wide from four yards with the goal at his mercy.

After the break, Harry Anderson curled just off target for the U’s and ex-Harrogate defender Connor Hall went close with a header, before the hosts finally got a foothold into the game with Abraham Odoh and Muldoon calling on-loan Crystal Palace keeper Owen Goodman into action.

Just as the contest looked to be heading towards a stalemate, Matty Daly’s shot was spilled by Goodman and Muldoon forced the ball over the line from a yard out.

Joe Tomlinson’s stoppage-time strike earned MK Dons a 2-1 comeback win at home to Accrington in a slow-burning League Two clash.

Accrington’s top scorer Jack Nolan rolled home his 10th of the season to put John Coleman’s men in front.

But Jack Payne’s delightful second-half free-kick brought Dons level and Tomlinson sent the home faithful wild with his stunning winner in the third minute of added-on time.

The visitors took an 11th-minute lead through Nolan, who worked his way inside and wrongfooted Dons goalkeeper Filip Marschall with a tame but accurate effort into the bottom corner.

MK Dons thought they had levelled through Dan Kemp on the stroke of half-time but Tomlinson’s drilled cross came from the wrong side of the byline.

With 19 minutes remaining, Payne whipped an unerring free-kick into the top-left corner from 25 yards, prompting a flurry of chances for the hosts.

Substitute striker Ellis Harrison found Radek Vitek’s gloves from two dangerous positions before match-winner Tomlinson fired into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

Wrexham suffered their third consecutive league defeat as Bradford snatched a 1-0 victory.

Bantams striker Andy Cook burst through and bundled the ball over the line at the second attempt – just minutes after he had seen a penalty saved by goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

It was Wrexham’s first league loss at home since the opening day – when Bradford manager Graham Alexander was in charge of the victorious visitors MK Dons.

And it ended a run of 51 successive league games when Wrexham have scored at the Racecourse Ground.

Bradford keeper Sam Walker saved Steven Fletcher’s header and dived to tip away a well-struck drive from Ryan Barnett.

Aaron Hayden headed wide from James McClean’s free-kick as Wrexham had most of the first half.

Elliot Lee glanced narrowly wide before Bradford were given a big chance on the break after Hayden brought down Cook. The striker’s penalty was a weak one and saved by Okonkwo.

But Cook had the last laugh to seal Bradford’s first league win in nine games.

Ged Brannan claimed his first home win as Morecambe manager as an early Ged Garner goal gave them a 1-0 victory over bottom-club Sutton.

Garner scored his third goal in two matches in the fourth minute when he slid home Joel Senior’s excellent right-wing cross to give the Shrimps their first home victory since October.

Charlie Brown had a golden chance to double the advantage on 15 minutes when played in on goal by Joe Adams but Dean Bouzanis spread himself well to make the save.

Brown continued to look the Shrimps’ biggest threat and curled an effort inches wide from the edge of the box.

Morecambe thought they had a second after 57 minutes when Gwion Edwards slotted home Joe Adams’s lay-off but the goal was chalked off for offside.

Edwards then saw a shot well blocked by Joe Kizzi before Sutton created their first clear opening on 70 minutes when the ball fell nicely for Craig Eastmond in the box but the midfielder could only shoot horribly over.

Omari Patrick and Charlie Lakin tested Archie Mair from distance but the Shrimps held on for a confidence-boosting clean sheet.

Newport blew Walsall away in the first half as a 3-0 win earned the in-form Exiles a fourth straight Sky Bet League Two victory.

The game was over after 38 minutes as Bryn Morris’s early effort, Will Evans’ 21st goal of the season and Harry Charsley’s header took County 11th, four points off the play-offs.

Newport led inside four minutes as one-time Walsall loanee Morris’s 20-yard strike took a nick amid a crowded goalmouth to wrong-foot Saddlers goalkeeper Owen Evans.

Josh Gordon steered over a great near-post chance to equalise before Newport added a second after 15 minutes when top-scorer Evans raced into the area to curl the ball into the top corner.

Walsall had chances to get back into it but Mo Faal blazed their best opening wildly wide when one-on-one with goalkeeper Nick Townsend.

Newport killed the contest before half-time as Adam Lewis’s long throw was flicked on and Charsley looped home a header.

The second half was a non-event but Walsall’s misery was completed four minutes from time when keeper Evans was sent off for handling outside his area.

Stockport sent out another message to their Sky Bet League Two promotion rivals with a routine 3-1 victory over Grimsby.

First-half goals from Antoni Sarcevic, Isaac Olaofe and Lewis Cass – on his Stockport debut – did the damage to keep the leaders four points clear at the top.

Grimsby winger Abo Eisa replied with a consolation.

Sarcevic opened the scoring for Stockport in the eighth minute when he latched on to a loose pass from Harvey Cartwright before keeping his cool and slotting past the onrushing Grimsby goalkeeper.

It was 2-0 six minutes later when Olaofe finished a sweeping breakaway move which also involved Nick Powell and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans.

Cass nodded a third into the Grimsby net in the 28th minute when the on-loan defender was picked out by a Sarcevic cross.

Eisa offered Grimsby hope shortly after the restart when he netted from point-blank range from Charles Vernam’s initial strike but, while they pushed and probed for the remainder, struggling Grimsby were unable to make any further inroads.

Mansfield stayed in the automatic promotion race with a 4-0 win over struggling Forest Green.

A double from Ollie Clarke, as well as goals from Tom Nichols and Will Swan, helped the Stags to victory despite a resurgent first-half performance by Steve Cotterill’s Rovers.

Mansfield took the lead after 11 minutes when Aden Flint cushioned a header into the path of the oncoming Clarke, who hammered home into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

The visitors were almost gifted a second from a loose back pass but Clarke and Swan were both denied by Luke Daniels.

Nichols made it two when he ran on to Swan’s pass before cutting inside and hammering an effort into the far corner after 69 minutes.

Swan then added a third after 78 minutes after Lucas Akins’ low cross found the forward six yards out and he turned home right-footed at the near post.

Clarke completed the rout when he added a fourth with a fine right-footed finish that found the top corner.

Rio Adebisi’s second-half goal was enough to get promotion-chasing Crewe back to winning ways as the Railwaymen edged out Crawley 1-0.

Following an evenly-matched first half, the home side pressed after the break and wing-back Adebisi made the decisive breakthrough just after the hour mark.

That ensured Lee Bell’s side picked up their first success in three games, and saw them move into the automatic promotion places in League Two.

Crawley threatened early on with a Liam Kelly free-kick that swerved over the top corner while Adam Campbell failed to make the most of a poor clearance by Mickey Demetriou, with the Crawley attacker pulling his effort straight at home keeper Harvey Davies.

But it was Crewe who went closest in the first period when Elliott Nevitt’s right-footed effort cannoned off the near post. The striker then failed to apply a touch at the far post to Aaron Rowe’s cross as the hosts went close again in first-half stoppage time.

After the restart Adebisi headed a cross on the bounce just over the far corner of Corey Addai’s goal.

But the 23-year-old made no mistake when he arrived in the box soon after to turn in Conor Thomas’ cross from the right and put Crewe ahead in the 61st minute.

Thomas then nearly went from provider to scorer when he headed substitute Courtney Baker-Richardson’s flick-on narrowly past the post.

Crawley substitute Ronan Darcy went close to finding the far corner with powerful 25-yard strike in the closing minutes, but Crewe held on for the points.

Doncaster eased their relegation fears after beating Tranmere 2-1 to claim their first win since New Year’s Day.

Goals from Joe Ironside and Hakeeb Adelakun saw Rovers put further daylight between themselves and the division’s bottom two after a run of only one win in 10 left them looking over their shoulders.

Josh Hawkes had equalised for Tranmere, who have now won just one of their last five in League Two.

Doncaster started the brighter and took the lead after 15 minutes when Ironside flicked in a header from an Adelakun cross.

Regan Hendry fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box as Tranmere pushed for an equaliser and Doncaster keeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala pushed away a shot from Connor Jennings.

The visitors were firmly on the front foot at the start of the second half and found the equaliser when substitute Hawkes cut inside and curled a shot into the far corner in the 60th minute.

But Doncaster were back in front five minutes later when Adelakun latched onto Owen Bailey’s lofted pass, rounded the keeper and slotted home.