Danny Cowley was pleased with Colchester’s second-half performance after his side battled to back to draw 1-1 with visitors Bradford in Sky Bet League Two.

Tom Hopper earned the hosts a point in the 59th minute when he controlled Tom Dallison’s pass before lashing a superb shot past Sam Walker and inside the far post.

Andy Cook had earlier given Bradford a 35th-minute lead when he lashed home a first-time shot off the far post, after Ash Taylor’s ball into the area had been helped towards him by Bobby Pointon.

Colchester boss Cowley said: “I was pleased with all of the things that require no talent – the effort, the attitude, the fight, the willingness to put the body on the line and that always gives you a foundation to go from.

“In the first half we didn’t show anywhere near enough courage in possession and this is something that we have to keep working at.

“But in the second half, we did that and we looked a much better team.

“I just asked the boys ‘which half was the most enjoyable?’ They all said the second half.

“We played against a big, strong, direct team full of experienced players who want to load the box at every opportunity with balls and players and you have to stand up.

“Belief doesn’t come overnight; confidence is a fragile commodity and you have to work really hard with the players so that they feel good and when they feel good, they play good.”

Bradford’s winless run in League Two was extended to five matches with the draw and manager Graham Alexander was frustrated they were unable to claim victory.

The Bantams were the better side in the first half, with Cook and Harry Chapman both going close before half-time.

Alexander said: “We let them off the hook.

“We’re not clinical enough in the final third, for the amount of play we have in there and the amount of pressure we create and the numbers we get in there.

“We don’t leave anyone isolated, we get in there in good numbers and we have good coverage of the pitch and the box.

“We’re not finding those final game-winning moments or game-enhancing moments.

“Because it’s 1-0, we’re giving the opposition the opportunity to change and it just takes one moment to get them back into the game.

“I thought we dominated the first 35 minutes. We had the opportunities and took one and we should score more, from that whole period.

“At half-time. we were comfortable in our performance and we just had to repeat it again and we couldn’t quite manage it.

“The opposition came out determined to try and turn the tide around.”

David Artell reckons Grimsby cost themselves in the crucial moments during a pulsating 5-5 Sky Bet League Two thriller with Notts County at Blundell Park.

January signing Harry Wood came off the bench to snatch a point for the home side with virtually his first touch after signing on loan from Championship neighbours Hull.

Danny Rose, Abo Eisa (2) and Harry Clifton were also on target for Grimsby as County netted through David McGoldrick (2), Macaulay Langstaff and Aaron Nemane (2).

Artell said: “It was a basketball match on a football pitch. That’s probably a good description for it.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half, but the ironic thing was that it was still an improvement on Walsall because we were still level at half-time.

“They were level because they were clinical with their chances. We had dominated, so I asked them to go and dominate it again.

“It didn’t quite work out like that [in the second half], but I thought that we showed unbelievable character and desire when we went behind for the first time.

“We also showed some good quality moments.

“I thought it was a good game and not just because it was five all, but we just didn’t help ourselves in the crucial moments.”

Rose put Grimsby ahead from the penalty spot with seven minutes on the clock and Eisa – the player fouled in the build-up – made it 2-0 eight minutes later when adding the finishing touch from a half-cleared corner.

County fought back in the run-up to the break as McGoldrick and Langstaff netted in almost identical fashion from Jodi Jones deliveries.

Nemane twice restored parity for County after Clifton and Eisa netted and there was even more to come at either end with Grimsby substitute Wood cancelling out a late strike from McGoldrick.

Jim O’Brien, who took interim charge for the first time after former County manager Luke Williams left to take the Swansea job, said: “It was disappointing.

“There was a range of emotions throughout the game. We started a bit anxious and they kind of stuck it on us a little bit.

“It took us too long to settle into the game, but we have got quality on the pitch and we created a lot of chances.

“I’m disappointed with the feeling at the end. There wasn’t too much control from us throughout the game.

“It was a typical League Two clash, but I was pleased with our application, so it was pleasing from that point of view.”

Stockport boss Dave Challinor cannot wait to get some of his injured players back after their hard-fought 3-1 win against Walsall.

The League Two leaders opened the scoring with Akil Wright’s fine strike in first-half stoppage time. And, though they were pegged back by Douglas James-Taylor’s header moments later, they dominated the second half and won thanks to Isaac Olaofe’s goal and a penalty from Paddy Madden late on.

Having ended their brief blip of three games without a win, Challinor admits he is desperate to see the treatment room start to empty.

“You look at where we are and we’ve lost one in 18 or 19 games,” he said. “So that’s still a really good run and we are where we are and we have to make sure we stay in the top places come the end of the season.

“The big thing we have this year is the experience of last season, what that felt like, and if we look at where we are we’re in a worse position than last year because we’ve got 10 players in the treatment room and we can’t wait to get those players back. Once we get them back we feel we’re in a really strong position.

“We knew it would be tough today and I thought in the first half we were a little bit edgy, a bit safe and we didn’t create a massive amount.

“But I think in the second half, after going through the trauma of scoring then conceding within a minute just before half-time, I thought we started the second half really well.

“We got ourselves in front and that gave us the impetus to go and win the game so it’s a brilliant three points, a big three points for us.”

Walsall head coach Mat Sadler refused to be too downbeat after the loss, insisting that only fine margins proved their undoing against the league leaders.

“Goals change football matches, don’t they?” he said.

“I think we were just on the other side of a couple of key moments in the game. A lot of the time those moments decide a game and I think that was two really good teams in this division.

“There was a spell in the first 20 minutes when we were working out their formation and how to go about affecting them and once we did that we felt really comfortable. Their first goal was against the run of play, and we obviously responded quickly.

“There were times when they showed what good footballers they are. But then we fall the other side of those key moments in the game. It was a fantastic goal for their first one. Those key moments were what won the game so it’s hard to be too disappointed.

“The set-play for their second was one we should do better on, and probably something we didn’t work on was their right back (Wright) putting in a hell of a strike from 25 yards for the first.

“That’s football sometimes, though. I’ve still got belief in the guys, in the group, I thought the supporters reaction shows what they saw in us; we came out on the wrong side today so we look forward to putting that right in the next one.”

Phil Parkinson praised James McClean’s infectious desire to win as he set up both second-half goals in Wrexham’s 2-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon.

The former Republic of Ireland international delivered a corner for Steven Fletcher to net the opener before putting in a dangerous cross which Paul Mullin met as the Dragons moved up to second in League Two.

And Parkinson praised the summer signing’s impact around the squad as the Dragons responded after a below-par first half to get the vital opener which set them up for victory.

Parkinson said: “He’s a very good player, I think his career tells everything you need to know, but the biggest thing with James is his mentality and his desire to win and be at his best every week and that can be infectious around the group.

“I thought we lacked urgency first half, it was almost a feeling of this will just take care of itself, when everybody knows in football you’ve got to make it happen as a team.

“Second half I thought we responded really well. Sometimes when you’re not at your fluid best, a set play changes the dynamic of the game and it’s an outstanding delivery from James and Fletch has finished it brilliantly.

“I had a chat at half-time that we needed to up our game in certain areas and when we did that, I thought we looked like the team that was going to go and win the game.”

Dons boss Johnnie Jackson felt his side paid the price for switching off in two key moments and for not taking the chances they carved out.

He said: “That little period there has cost us the game, it’s really frustrating because I think it was a really good performance from the team.

“We dominated the first half completely (and) the majority of the second half.

“They’ve had their moments and got the goals in that period and we switched off for the two goals.

“One’s a set play, one we don’t deal with a cross into our box which we knew would be their threats, so it’s frustrating, but we’ve had enough chances at the other end to arguably win and certainly not lose.

“Both boxes have been the difference. I think from box to box we was by far the better team, but it reads 2-0 to them so it’s a frustrating day.

“We have to take those opportunities, we spoke about it all this week in preparation that we don’t necessarily get loads of those chances here and you’re going to have to suffer at times and be under the cosh, but I don’t think we was really.”

Stephen Clemence felt his Gillingham side had got “quite a few monkeys off our back” after coming from behind to win for the first time this season – 2-1 at Accrington.

The Gills made it three wins on the bounce and closed in on the play-off places with the victory.

Accrington teenager Alex Henderson opened the scoring in the 50th minute on his first Sky Bet League Two start, heading home Jack Nolan’s free-kick.

Gillingham equalised after 62 minutes when Connor Mahoney’s corner was headed back across at the far post by Ollie Hawkins and Conor Masterson headed home.

Joe Pritchard hit a post for Stanley before Gillingham scored the winner in the 75th minute when Tom Nichols set up substitute Macauley Bonne and he rifled the ball into the roof of the net.

Clemence said: “I’m delighted with the win in a tight game.

“I was disappointed to concede the goal just after half-time but I still believed the boys would come back into it and it’s something we haven’t done this season – to come back and equalise – and then it’s nice when you make substitutions and they help the team.

“I think it’s the first time we have scored two goals away from home this season and come from behind, so we’ve got quite a few monkeys off our back and it will give us confidence going forward.

“It’s nice to put a little run together. The challenge is to have a better second half of the season than first and we’ve made a good start.

“I’m happy with three wins on the spin, to come from behind, we scored two goals away from home for the first time in I don’t know how long, and I’m happy the subs have come on and made a difference.

“We’ve had a sickness bug in the camp and we’ve shown strength and character.”

Stanley have dropped to mid-table, four points off the top seven.

Manager John Coleman said: “Every time you lead and you lose you are disappointed, especially to concede from a set-piece. We know our roles and we have gone to sleep and been punished for the first.

“It was who was going to get the next goal. We hit the post – I still don’t know how that hasn’t gone in – and had a couple of chances.

“That’s been our luck this season, a couple of bounces go their way and they score, but we’ve got to defend it better.

“We haven’t attacked anywhere near like we can. We can play better than that. We didn’t have the same spark we normally have. I don’t think either side deserved to win the game and we certainly didn’t deserve to lose it.”

January signing Harry Wood marked his Grimsby debut with a dramatic last-gasp equaliser to snatch a 5-5 draw from their thriller with Notts County.

County were behind on three separate occasions and looked to have won it when veteran David McGoldrick struck his second goal – but Wood had other ideas with the final say.

Grimsby captain Danny Rose, Abo Eisa (2) and Harry Clifton were also on target as Macaulay Langstaff and Aaron Nemane (2) scored for County.

Rose put Grimsby ahead from the penalty spot with seven minutes on the clock and Eisa – the player fouled in the build-up – made it 2-0 eight minutes later when adding the finishing touch from a half-cleared corner.

County fought back in the run-up to the break as McGoldrick and Langstaff netted in almost identical fashion from Jodi Jones deliveries.

Nemane twice restored parity for County after Clifton and Eisa netted and there was even more to come at either end with Grimsby substitute Wood cancelling out a late strike from McGoldrick.

MK Dons returned to winning ways in dramatic fashion with a last-gasp goal snatching a 2-1 victory at Tranmere.

They took the lead after nine minutes when Alex Gilbey was allowed to run at the Rovers defence before unleashing a fierce drive from 25 yards.

Rovers were level just three minutes later when Kieron Morris’s effort from the edge of the box deflected past the helpless Michael Kelly in the visitors’ goal.

MK Dons continued to look threatening on the break and were almost back in front before half-time, with Joe Tomlinson and Gilbey both denied by Rovers goalkeeper Luke McGee.

After the break, both sides went in search of a winner with Jordan Turnbull and Connor Jennings each having shots blocked and Jack Payne firing over at the other end.

But it was substitute Ellis Harrison who popped up with almost the last kick of the game to prod the ball home from a corner to snatch victory for the Dons.

A late goal from substitute Kelly N’Mai gave struggling Salford their first win in 12 Sky Bet League Two games as they secured a deserved 1-0 victory at Crawley.

The Red Devils were far from their best in manager Scott Lindsey’s 50th league match in charge and Salford should have been in control by the break.

The visitors started on the front foot and Conor McAleny had a close range shot saved by goalkeeper Corey Addai, who earlier twice parried efforts from Luke Bolton.

Crawley continued to live dangerously and Bolton saw his lob come back off the bar before he blazed a great chance over and Ryan Watson was also wasteful in front of goal.

The Red Devils came to life just after the half hour mark when Adam Campbell shot wide from Liam Kelly’s pass.

Will Wright was later inches away from steering in a Kelly free-kick at the far post, before McAleny was off target on the hour when he dragged his shot wide after being set up by Junior Luamba.

Bolton looked a likely scorer again in the 77th minute but Addai saved with his legs.

N’Mai won it 10 minutes from time with a low shot after Addai had parried a shot from Callum Hendry.

Top scorer Danilo Orsi dragged a shot disappointingly wide two minutes from time as Crawley were punished for a flat display.

Substitute Macauley Bonne fired the winner as Gillingham closed in on the play-off places with a 2-1 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Accrington.

Teenager Alex Henderson gave Stanley a first-half lead but two goals after the break sealed Gills the three points.

The first half was largely forgettable. The best chance fell to Accrington, with Gillingham goalkeeper Jake Turner pushing out Ben Woods’ long-range effort and Josh Woods sending the follow-up into Turner’s arms.

The home side opened the scoring after 50 minutes when a Jack Nolan free-kick found Henderson, on his full League debut, and he headed home his second goal in as many games.

Gillingham’s equaliser came in the 62nd minute when Connor Mahoney’s corner was headed back across at the far post and Conor Masterson nodded in from almost on the goal-line.

Gills scored the winner after 75 minutes with former Stanley player Mahoney involved again. He sent in a cross which Tom Nichols played into the path of substitute Bonne and he rifled the ball into the roof of the net.

Harrogate made it back-to-back Sky Bet League Two wins with a 2-0 victory over struggling Forest Green.

Goals from Jack Muldoon and Abraham Odoh gave the visitors all three points against 10-man Rovers.

Defeat left Troy Deeney winless in six matches as Forest Green boss and his side dropped to the bottom of League Two.

A mix-up between debutant goalkeeper Tommy Simkin and defender Dom Bernard gave Harrogate a free-kick 20 yards out but George Thomson’s strike deflected narrowly wide in the first half.

Alex Rodriguez was then sent off after being given a second yellow card for a late challenge on the dangerous Odoh just after the half-time break.

Minutes later Odoh drilled a low delivery across the six-yard box and it was diverted into the net by forward Muldoon six yards from goal.

Matty Stevens was denied a superb solo goal at point-blank range by former Rovers goalkeeper James Belshaw.

Town winger Odoh then doubled the Harrogate lead when Matty Daly’s cross-field pass found the winger before he side-footed past Simkin into the far corner.

Second-half goals from Isaac Olaofe and Paddy Madden ensured Stockport stay top of the table thanks to a 3-1 victory at home to Walsall.

The injury-hit league leaders led through Akil Wright’s long-range effort in first-half stoppage time before Douglas James-Taylor’s goal pegged them back instantly.

But Olaofe hit his 15th of the season and substitute Madden fired in a late penalty to give the hosts the three points.

Stockport’s Odin Bailey had the first clear chance of the game, a header from Wright’s ball in, forcing Walsall keeper Jackson Smith into a brilliant reaction tip-over.

The visitors struggled to create much in the first half, though Liam Gordon should have done far better with his 43rd-minute chance. Tom Knowles’ cross picked him out eight yards from goal but his header cleared the bar.

An injury to an assistant referee prompted five minutes of stoppage time, during which a goal apiece came in quick succession.

Wright’s sweetly-struck low drive from 25 yards put County ahead but Walsall hit back immediately. Knowles sent a corner into the box and James-Taylor met it perfectly, giving Ben Hinchcliffe no chance with his powerful header.

Ten minutes into the second half County’s Callum Camps’ free-kick crashed against the bar and Olaofe was first to react, heading in at close range.

Stockport sealed victory 15 minutes from time. Connor Evans was brought down by Gordon in the box for a clear penalty and Madden – who’d only been on the pitch for two minutes – drilled the spot-kick into the roof of the net.

Harry Beautyman scored twice as Sutton United claimed a 2-2 draw against promotion-chasing Barrow to move off the bottom of Sky Bet League Two in Steve Morison’s first match in charge.

It could even have been a winning start for the new Us manager, who was denied by an equaliser from Bluebirds captain Niall Canavan that left the hosts still six points adrift of safety.

Barrow went ahead after 35 minutes when Elliot Newby tricked his way to the byline down the left before his low ball across was turned in by the in-form Ben Whitfield.

Sutton threatened little in the first half, but they went in level at half-time with Beautyman scoring their first goal under Morison with a composed finish.

The midfielder had a second to complete the turnaround eight minutes into the second half when Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman was unable to keep out his header from Joe Kizzi’s inviting cross.

After substitute Emile Acquah had struck the bar for the Bluebirds, Canavan came to their rescue in the 73rd minute by scrambling in Whitfield’s corner.

Tom Hopper secured a point for Colchester as they drew 1-1 with Bradford in Danny Cowley’s first home game in charge of the Sky Bet League Two team.

Bradford went close on the half hour when Andy Cook’s diving header flew over the bar, from Harry Chapman’s fine cross.

Cook’s downward header at the far post from Richie Smallwood’s deep cross then dropped just wide of the target for the visitors.

However, Bradford took a 35th-minute lead when Cook lashed home a first-time shot with his right foot off the far post, after Ash Taylor’s ball into the area had been helped towards him by Bobby Pointon.

Harry Chapman almost made it 2-0 just after half-time when his shot landed on the roof of the net but Colchester levelled in the 59th minute when Hopper controlled Tom Dallison’s pass before lashing a superb shot past Sam Walker and inside the far post.

Both sides pushed for a winner after that and Walker brilliantly tipped over Arthur Read’s stoppage-time effort, as the points were shared.

Courtney Baker-Richardson’s backheeled finish secured Crewe a hard-fought 2-1 win over Swindon.

It was the Railwaymen’s third consecutive win, but the Robins’ sixth defeat in their last eight outings as the visitors succumbed despite skipper Charlie Austin cancelling out Elliott Nevitt’s opener for Crewe in the first half.

The out-of-form visitors were under pressure early on and Joe White, in the last game of his current loan spell from Newcastle, curled a deflected effort past the far post.

Crewe were soon ahead in spectacular fashion, with Nevitt connecting first time with a cross from Aaron Rowe to thrash an effort into the top corner in the 13th minute.

Rowe went close himself when he pulled a low shot past the post, but the Robins were level on the half-hour mark when Crewe failed to clear their lines after Tyrese Shade drove the ball across the hone box and veteran striker Austin was on hand to turn and fire the loose ball home.

Crewe’s Chris Long went close after the restart with a thundering drive from 25 yards just clearing the bar and substitute Baker-Richardson restored the Railwayman’s lead with a clever finish in the 71st minute.

After the ball was worked across the box, Conor Thomas’ effort was blocked before the ball fell for Baker-Richardson to backheel it into the net.

Home keeper Tom Booth preserved the lead with a good blocking save which thwarted Swindon substitute Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, who bounded clear inside the the box.

Wrexham climbed up to second in League Two following a 2-0 win against AFC Wimbledon.

Steven Fletcher and Paul Mullin struck after half-time to inflict defeat on the Dons, who dropped out of the play-off places.

Phil Parkinson’s side extended their winning run at home in the league to eight matches but they had to scrap to see off a visiting team who had plenty of chances to take the lead.

Aron Sasu’s low effort dragged wide early on, before the Dons midfielder struck the top of the crossbar on the quarter-hour mark.

Josh Davison nodded Jack Currie’s cross over, while the dangerous Sasu forced Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo into action after 20 minutes.

After the break, Davison missed a glorious chance to put the Dons ahead when he fired wide in a one-on-opportunity.

Wrexham burst into life moments later, with Alex Bass denying Elliot Lee before Fletcher’s shot clipped the bar.

Fletcher put the hosts ahead in the 61st minute when he met James McClean’s corner at the back post.

The Dragons doubled the lead eight minutes later when McClean’s cross was not cleared and Mullin was on hand to fire home.

Mullin should have had his second not long after but nodded straight at Bass.