Lee Bell saluted the resilience of his players as Crewe grabbed a stoppage-time winner following a lacklustre display in a 3-2 victory against Doncaster.

The high-flying Railwaymen played second fiddle to Grant McCann’s Rovers for long periods and were pegged back by Joe Ironside’s second-half header after having come from behind to lead at the break through goals from defenders Luke Offord and Connor O’Riordan.

Just as the visitors looked to have earned a point their strong second-half showing deserved, giant centre-half O’Riordan grabbed his second goal of the game when he fired in from close range.

“We showed tremendous resilience and we battled throughout the game,” said Bell. “I am always confident we can get something from games like that and the lads can come up with something. They work so hard and wins like that are so important to get when you’re not quite at your best.

“That was Luke’s first goal in the league this season, while in training I call Connor ‘Tore Andre Flo’ as he always scores goals. The main thing though is not who scored but that we got a win when the performance was below par.

“Doncaster are a very aggressive team and we didn’t spot at first that they were nullifying us man for man all over the pitch. But we overcame that and showed great resilience to get the win. We’re heading in the right direction and we’ve got to keep going if we want to do something this season.”

Crewe’s win was their fifth in their last six outings, but they fell behind early on when West Brom loan striker Mo Faal took Ironside’s pass and blasted a fierce low shot past keeper Harvey Davies.

Bell’s men levelled when Offord played a one-two with Aaron Rowe to surge clear in the box and drive an effort out of the reach of Jones (29). O’Riordan took his first from a difficult angle after taking advantage of a ricochet off a Rovers defender after Mickey Demetriou had delivered a long throw just before the break (44).

Ironside had Rovers back on terms after the interval (57) with a powerful glancing header, from James Maxwell’s cross, arrowing into the top corner as the visitors dominated much of the second half  during which efforts from Ben Close and substitute Tommy Rowe almost secured the lead.

But Crewe had struck in stoppage time to win their last home game against rivals Notts County and they repeated the feat when Rio Adebisi crossed to the near post and O’Riordan evaded a defender to tuck home a close-range finish (90+2).

Doncaster boss Grant McCann admitted that while losing late on was a blow, he was delighted with his side’s performance.

“If we keep playing like that then we will get our just rewards. We just came off it a bit at the end and got punished. But we know that we’re a match for any team in this division,” said McCann.

“We have our moments away from home where things are not going our way. But I don’t think Crewe tested Louis Jones at all in the second half, but the one chance they had they scored from it.

“We had numerous opportunities and created so many chances in the second half that I thought we were going to win the game. But from what we were like down at AFC Wimbledon a fortnight ago, when we were powderpuff, that was chalk and cheese. I said to the boys after ‘if we are going to get beat that is the way to get beat’.”

Tranmere boss Nigel Adkins feels his side have found some belief after they extended their unbeaten League Two run to three games with a convincing 3-1 home victory over Gillingham.

Rob Apter bagged a brace either side of Connor Jennings scoring before Connor Mahoney grabbed a consolation in the dying minutes.

The victory means Adkins’ side have taken seven points from their last three matches and have moved two points clear of the relegation zone.

Adkins said: “As a team together, everyone achieves more and the lads and the fans were brilliant today.

“The whole team worked their socks off and Gillingham are a good footballing side and we knew they’d have good possession of the football.

“I must give great credit to the fans, too, who got behind the team when they needed it and were patient as well when the opposition had the ball.

“It was a joy to watch the players play with freedom and the expression on their faces when they got the ball.

“Everyone has worked really hard behind the scenes through the course of the week to put ourselves in a good position to win a game of football.

“People have got smiles on their faces and are enjoying playing as part of a team again.

“There’s a belief now and a confidence that belief can grow with everyone putting in a shift together.”

Gillingham manager Stephen Clemence has overseen two defeats in his three league games in charge of the club.

He said: “Obviously I’m very disappointed.

“I’m still learning a lot about everybody here and about the players, the way things are and what’s gone on in the past.

“I didn’t like what I saw from the team today and we’ve got to improve and we will do, I have no doubt about that.

“I felt in the first half that we were fully in control and then we conceded a goal that came from basic errors that shouldn’t have happened.

“Then we had a mad start to the second half where they score a second and then a third and the game is all but done.

“Every goal could have been avoided and we should have done better for all of them. We might have had a lot of the ball in the first half but we didn’t create enough.

“Just because we did well last week at Salford that doesn’t mean that every week is going to be the same and there’s no way we can dominate every game.

“But when you are in difficult moments what I do expect is that we get through those periods and not concede and if we have to get men behind the ball and defend solidly then that’s what we have to do.”

Joint-interim boss Ben Davies reckons speculation around who the next Grimsby manager might be affected his men during their hard-fought 1-1 draw against rock-bottom Sutton.

Rekeil Pyke opened the scoring for managerless Grimsby before Harry Smith levelled deep into first-half stoppage time.

Sutton had the better chances to snatch the points at Blundell Park and ease their relegation fears. However, the visitors had to settle for a share of the spoils to make it four League Two games unbeaten.

Davies said: “It was frustrating. At times, we were too flat and there wasn’t enough energy. It was a disappointing performance. But in terms of where we are, we are five unbeaten [in all competitions].

“I don’t know what will happen moving forward, whether we are close to appointing someone or not, but hand on heart, for the last couple of days, all the speculation has affected the players a little bit, for the first time.

“Either way, we were miles off what we wanted. There are big moments in matches and conceding before half-time was rubbish from our side of things.

“In the second half, again, they do what they do, and I thought we got sucked into it. We didn’t do enough to break them down. We didn’t play with any real energy and the game fizzled out.”

Sutton manager Matt Gray added: “It was a tough game against a team in form.

“Grimsby have been on a good run. This is always a tough place to come with a big and noisy crowd.

“I wasn’t overly pleased at the start, but our response to get the equaliser and with our second-half performance, I was pleased with that.

“For weeks now I’ve been pleased with our character and with our togetherness to stay in games and roll our sleeves up. We have done that again and it was good timing with the goal.”

Arthur Gnahoua and Donovan Wilson took aim for Grimsby in the early stages as Sutton goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis denied both players shortly before he pulled up with an injury scare that ended his game on 15 minutes.

His replacement, Steve Arnold, soon had to pick the ball out of the net when Pyke slotted home at the second attempt from a Toby Mullarkey cross.

Aiden O’Brien went close with an audacious volley after 37 minutes before Smith went one better with the Sutton equaliser as he powered the ball low into the net from 25 yards just before half-time.

Sutton defender Ben Goodliffe glanced just wide from a set-piece upon the restart and both teams pushed for a winner – with Smith denied only by a point-blank save from Grimsby’s Harvey Cartwright.

Stockport manager Dave Challinor admitted his side got what they deserved as their 12-game winning streak came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at struggling Newport.

A 13th win on the bounce would have broken the record for consecutive victories in the fourth tier set by Luton Town in 2002.

But goals from Bryn Morris and Shane McLoughlin either side of half-time put the home side in charge and Isaac Olaofe’s stoppage-time consolation was too little too late for the League Two leaders.

“It’s disappointing; we got from the game what we deserved to get from the game because we weren’t good enough and we didn’t compete how I’d expect us to compete,” said Challinor.

“Credit to Newport, they deserved to win, but it was no shock. The players knew what to expect, they just didn’t cope with it. Technically we were terrible.”

Challinor rejected the suggestion that his players had been affected by pre-match talk of the record.

“There was no pressure,” he said. “Records are great but, ultimately, they mean nothing.

“If we’d won 15 in a row and not got promoted that record is irrelevant. Who’s bothered? The fans aren’t, I’m not and the players’ aren’t.

“All the 12 wins have done is earn us 36 points. It’s about getting to 90 points as quickly as possible – if we get somewhere near that, we’ve got a chance.”

Challinor felt his side should have had a penalty for a foul on Olaofe at 1-0, but he refused to blame referee Darren Drysdale for the defeat.

“We should have had a penalty – the foul on ‘Tanto’ was a nailed-on penalty,” added the Hatters boss. “If they’re honest about what they’ve seen, we’ll get an apology over that one, but I don’t think we deserved anything from the game.

“It would have given us a lifeline and could have changed the momentum, but we didn’t get the decision and we move on.”

Exiles manager Graham Coughlan was pleased with the three points that lift his side to 16th – seven points clear of the bottom two – and he demanded more of the same from his players.

“I’ve said to the lads, you can see why I get frustrated, annoyed and angry because they are capable of that, it’s just getting that consistency and keeping those standards,” said the Irishman.

“It’s a great victory but, as I said after beating Gillingham and drawing with MK Dons, we want to be a consistent team, not one that delivers twice a month.

“It’s about building and kicking on, let’s not get carried away and too excited about the victory, let’s string a few together and then I might crack a smile.”

Barrow assistant manager Adam Temple was delighted after they won 4-1 at 10-man Colchester to extend their unbeaten league run to a club-record nine games.

Colchester netted in the 20th minute through Cameron McGeehan, who scored after goalkeeper Paul Farman had spilled Jayden Fevrier’s effort.

Barrow boss Pete Wild was dismissed by referee Declan Bourne just after the half-time whistle, having protested after Robbie Gotts needed to be taken off on a stretcher following a head injury.

But Barrow equalised in the 52nd minute when Colchester defender Will Greenidge put through his own net, after Dom Telford’s effort hit the crossbar.

Fevrier was sent off for a second caution in the 84th minute after a foul on Elliot Newby before George Ray put Barrow ahead two minutes later from close range, after Niall Canavan headed down a Newby corner.

Ray converted a third from close range in the third minute of stoppage time from Kian Spence’s pass before Zach Mitchell diverted Spence’s cross into his own net a minute later.

Temple said: “To win any time is good but to win from behind in the circumstances and the character that the boys showed, it was really good.

“I’m not going to go into what happened at half-time but it was out of order and it caused a reaction on the back of that.

“There was a lot of emotion at half-time naturally and the boys showed the character that they show day in, day out.

“There was frustration at half-time not only because of what had gone on but also because we ourselves knew we hadn’t really got going.

“Our character showed in the second half.

“They played some good stuff in the first half that impacted us and their threats were coming to life, so we knew we had to be more of ourselves and they did it.

“I thought we were the team that was pushing in the second half.”

Colchester boss Matthew Etherington said: “It was a disappointing afternoon but in terms of the performance, there was plenty to like out there.

“I’m finding it hard to be positive after we’ve lost 4-1 but just watching stuff back, there was some good stuff by us.

“At 1-0 and at 1-1 we had really good chances to win the game.

“It’s never a sending off – I’ve watched it back and they seemed to be dictated to by their (Barrow) staff at half-time and then that carried on in the second half, which is disappointing.

“We created lots of good chances against a Barrow team who are sitting in the play-offs at the minute, some of the stuff was good.

“Defending set pieces is an area where we need to get better in and their first two goals fell to their players at the right time whereas a couple didn’t fall to us but that’s football.”

Mike Williamson described his side’s reaction as “phenomenal” after MK Dons came from behind to beat Salford.

The Dons took the lead in the first half thanks to Max Dean, but Salford turned the game on its head with a goal from Kelly Nmai and Ryan Watson’s penalty.

But MK Dons staged an incredible second-half comeback as Joe Tomlinson netted a brace before substitute Ellis Harrison fired home a fourth late on.

Dons head coach Williamson said: “I think the spirit the boys came out with in the second half, they were frustrated at half-time to say the least but the whole focus was on what we can control.

“In the first 15-20 minutes we controlled the game, scored the goal but then we came away from it a little bit and allowed the frustration to set in.

“They deserve massive credit, the reaction was phenomenal.

“Football is a simple game that can be complicated at times but when you’ve got that endeavour, desire, intensity and energy then it’s really hard for things not to drop for you.

“We’ve got to keep focusing on trying to shape everyone’s energy, intentions and preparation like they did second half.”

MK Dons needed big characters to step up after half-time and Tomlinson was the man to drag them back into the game with two stunning strikes.

Williamson added: “Joe is an unbelievable lad. He gives everything, he wants to cover every blade of grass and look at every area of improvement.

“He’s a real consummate pro and he deserves his reward.”

With just eight points from a possible 27 picked up at home this season, Salford have the third-worst home record in League Two behind Forest Green and Harrogate – both on seven.

Ammies head coach Neil Wood said: “Really frustrating and poor goals to give away. There’s no excuse for that.

“We came up against a good side going forward and the last thing you need to do is give them help in doing that. We did that really well for all their goals.

“It’s frustrating and they’ve got good players that put chances away.

“I’ve seen in a lot of games this season that there’s a lot of strong squads out there and they’re able to change things from the bench. We’ve not really had that.

“We’ve had a tough season through injuries, it’s not ideal. That was the only team we could have fielded, so whether you’re playing really well or bad you’re playing at the moment.

“We’ve got a young and very inexperienced bench and it’s really tough games to bring them into, throwing them in the deep end with not much experience.”

Michael Flynn said everyone at Swindon needed the lift provided by their 2-1 win over Mansfield.

Jake Young’s dramatic brace at the County Ground ended Mansfield’s unbeaten start to the season.

Swindon had previously gone six games without a win in the league and eight in all competitions, including a 7-4 FA Cup shock against non-league Aldershot.

Boss Flynn said: “Today was good for everyone, I think that I needed it, the staff needed it, the players needed it, and most importantly the fans needed it.

“It is a bit corny but that one was for them, because they have stuck with us through the last month.

“We should have won a lot more games in that month, today was a far more solid performance throughout the duration of the game and the players deserve the credit for that.

“The players have been working hard, they are as fed up as I am and the supporters are, they have got pride in playing for Swindon Town.

“Talk is cheap and I can tell you until I am blue in the face, but they have gone and proved today that they care.”

Swindon carved out the first big chance as Dan Kemp clipped a cross to Remeao Hutton on the edge of the area. He looked to volley home first time but Christy Pym got across his line to make the save.

Town then took the lead after 37 minutes when Kemp clipped a free-kick into the path of Young, whose volley span away from Pym and into the back of the net.

The Stags almost levelled before the break as Rhys Oates broke into space down the left and picked out Aaron Lewis, but his first-time effort was well saved by Murphy Mahoney.

Mansfield were then level four minutes after the break as half-time substitute Lucas Akins raced in behind and finished low into the corner.

Deep into stoppage time, Young won it for Swindon after he tapped home from close range after Charlie Austin’s header had come back off the crossbar.

Stags manager Nigel Clough said: “It is a very disappointing way to lose an unbeaten run of 17 games which is quite remarkable at any standard.

“But to give it away in the 93rd minute having had enough chances in the second half to win the game… sometimes you have to take the draw, especially as the away side. We just didn’t deal with the ball and the last few minutes.

“Aaron Lewis had good situations all day and could have had a hat-trick easily, he hit the target but not with enough conviction really.

“After the goal we should not lose the game. If you can win it, brilliant, but if you can’t you take the 1-1.

“We try to instil in players that you don’t lose but you could almost see it coming, we had enough chances to go two or three ahead.”

Grimsby Town and Sutton shared the points following a 1-1 draw in their League Two relegation showdown at Blundell Park.

Rekeil Pyke grabbed Grimsby’s opener after 20 minutes, with Sutton’s Harry Smith also on target in the first half.

Arthur Gnahoua and Donovan Wilson took aim for Grimsby in the early stages as Sutton goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis denied both players shortly before he pulled up with an injury scare that ended his game in the 15th minute.

His replacement, Steve Arnold, soon had to pick the ball out of the net when Pyke slotted home at the second attempt from a Toby Mullarkey cross.

Aiden O’Brien went close with an audacious volley after 37 minutes before Smith went one better with the Sutton equaliser as he powered the ball low into the net from 25 yards five minutes into first-half stoppage time.

Sutton defender Ben Goodliffe glanced just wide from a set-piece upon the restart and both teams pushed for a winner – with Smith denied only by a point-blank save from Grimsby’s Harvey Cartwright.

Harrogate’s run of four successive away league wins came to an end at the Broadfield Stadium where a second half header from Klaidi Lolos gave Crawley a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Jack Muldoon got the final touch in first half stoppage time to pull Harrogate level after skipper Ben Gladwin had fired the Reds ahead.

Scott Lindsey went into the clash praising his young Crawley team for doing
“ fantastically well” so far, but appealed to fans to realise they are “learning on the job.”

Crawley keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond, making only his third league appearance, blocked a goal-bound shot from Muldoon before the hosts broke the deadlock mid-way through the first half.

Gladwin was on target from 30 yards, his fierce drive finding the bottom corner to the right of keeper Jonathan Mitchell.

Harrogate had a let off just two minutes later when a header by top-scorer Orsi came back off the post.

The visitors levelled in the sixth minute of added on time at the end of the first period when, from a corner by Matty Foulds, defender Anthony O’Connor rose unchallenged at the back post and his header was steered into the net by Muldoon.

Kayne Ramsay blazed a good chance over for Harrogate shortly after the break and Crawley later had penalty appeals waved away after Ramsay challenged Nick Tsaroulla as he darted into the area.

Harrogate keeper Mitchell parried a shot from Tsaroulla before Lolos struck to give the Reds victory on 72 minutes with his fourth goal of the season, heading in after Mitchell fail to claim a Liam Kelly corner.

Crawley almost increased their lead in the last minute when Orsi’s header was tipped over by Mitchell.

Barrow secured a 4-1 win at 10-man Colchester to extend their unbeaten league run to a club-record nine games.

Colchester went ahead in the 20th minute through Cameron McGeehan, who netted from close range after goalkeeper Paul Farman had spilled Jayden Fevrier’s effort.

Barrow were denied a penalty when Robbie Gotts tumbled in the area much to the frustration of Barrow boss Pete Wild, who was dismissed by referee Declan Bourne just after the half-time whistle.

Barrow equalised in the 52nd minute when Dominic Telford’s effort hit the crossbar, struck Colchester defender Will Greenidge and went in.

Fevrier was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 84th minute after a foul on Elliot Newby before George Ray put Barrow ahead two minutes later from close range, after Colchester had failed to clear a Newby corner.

Ray converted a third from close range in the third minute of stoppage time.

And Zach Mitchell diverted Kian Spence’s cross into his own net a minute later, as Barrow sealed victory.

Connor O’Riordan grabbed a stoppage-time winner as Crewe edged Doncaster 3-2 in an end-to-end contest.

Joe Ironside’s second-half header appeared to have earned Grant McCann’s side a share of the spoils at Gresty Road before O’Riordan grabbed his second of the game as the high-flying Railwaymen made it five wins from their last six outings.

James Maxwell headed over a great early chance for Rovers from a Zain Westbrooke ball across the box.

Mo Faal caused Crewe problems with his direct running and it was the big striker who handed Rovers a 16th-minute lead. A neat passing move ended with Ironside playing the ball to Faal who blasted past Harvey Davies.

Rovers keeper then Louis Jones preserved the lead by pushing away Aaron Rowe’s angled drive.

But Jones was unable to keep out Luke Offord’s 29th-minute leveller with the Crewe skipper sent clear inside the box from Rowe’s pass and then hitting a fierce effort through the keeper’s hands.

Shilow Tracey’s rising drive from 20-yard was kept out by Jones, and Mickey Demetriou headed a set-piece just wide as Crewe started to threaten.

And the hosts were ahead just before the break (44) when O’Riordan made the most of a ricochet off a Doncaster defender from Demetriou’s long throw and drove the ball in from a  tight angle.

Ironside levelled after the break (57), with the frontman’s glancing header finding the top corner after Maxwell hit a cross over from the left flank.

Ben Close narrowly missed the bottom corner with a volley, but a last-ditch touch diverted Courtney Baker-Richardson’s effort for Crewe around the post in the closing minutes before O’Riordan fired in from close range (90+2) after Rio Adebisi hit a cross to the near post.

Bradford claimed a first win under new boss Graham Alexander, beating Accrington 1-0 to end a run of four consecutive league losses.

Tyler Smith scored a well-taken goal in the second half at Valley Parade – his sixth in six games.

The first half was a cagey affair with few incidents of note as the sides cancelled each other out.

The best moment fell for Accrington after 16 minutes when Korede Adedoyin got in behind marker Matty Platt but his shot was blocked at the near post by Harry Lewis.

Bradford got into some promising positions without threatening the Accrington goal.

Jamie Walker should have done better when Andy Cook chested Ciaran Kelly’s long pass into his path but fired well wide.

Centre-half Ash Taylor also should have hit the target with his header from Richie Smallwood’s free-kick early in the second half.

But Bradford broke the deadlock after 58 minutes when Kelly’s long pass picked out Smith to clip the ball over keeper Jon McCracken after Andy Cook had let the ball run through.

It was unlucky number 13 for Stockport as their record-equalling League Two run of victories came to an end with a 2-1 defeat by struggling Newport at Rodney Parade.

The leaders had won 12 in a row to match Luton’s fourth-tier record set in 2002, but they rarely looked like extending that sequence with a below-par performance in south Wales.

Midfielder Bryn Morris fired the home side in front in the fifth and final minute of first-half stoppage time after being picked out in space 20 yards from goal by Shane McLoughlin’s clever free-kick.

And wing-back McLoughlin settled any nerves amongst the home crowd with the crucial second goal, a cracking half-volley from the edge of the area midway through the second half.

Stockport pulled one back through Isaac Olaofe deep into stoppage time but it did not prevent their first league defeat since August 26.

The Exiles climb to 16th and move seven points clear of the bottom two thanks to a first home win in the league since October 3.

Forest Green remained in the League Two relegation zone after a 0-0 draw at Walsall.

A second successive draw left Rovers two points adrift of safety, while the hosts are only six points better off after their winless league run stretched to five games.

Forest Green looked dangerous early on as ex-Walsall striker Troy Deeney headed wide, Tyrese Omotoye was twice foiled by last-ditch defending and Owen Evans saved Harvey Bunker’s fierce 30-yarder.

Kyle McAllister went closest for the visitors with an improvised flick from Fankaty Dabo’s low cross that drifted just wide.

But the Saddlers also created decent chances via two Ronan Maher crosses but Freddie Draper headed wide and Tom Knowles steered just over from 15 yards.

Visiting goalkeeper James Belshaw made a superb point-blank save from a Draper header before Walsall had loud penalty appeals waved away for handball from Ryan Stirk’s blocked volley.

The second half was much quieter although Walsall fashioned the better chances.

Donervon Daniels glanced a near-post corner over and the Saddlers twice almost claimed the points in stoppage time.

But Danny Johnson’s 20-yarder was well saved by Belshaw and Isaac Hutchinson’s curler floated inches wide.

Paul Mullin’s hat-trick helped Wrexham return to League Two’s automatic promotion places in style by thrashing managerless Morecambe 6-0.

Joel Senior’s own-goal and Mullin’s first put the hosts 2-0 up early on and Jacob Mendy struck 10 minutes before half-time.

Mullin scored twice more after the break and James Jones completed the emphatic win against a side who saw manager Derek Adams leave for Ross County on Monday.

The Dragons took the lead inside five minutes when Senior put Mullin’s dangerous left-wing cross through his own net.

Andy Cannon crossed for Mullin two minutes later and his shot squirmed under Morecambe’s Adam Smith to double the advantage.

Farrend Rawson’s header could have halved the deficit but Arthur Okonkwo was alert.

Wrexham’s third came through Mendy’s fantastic solo effort, cutting in from the right to finish in style, while Elliot Lee later nodded wide and Cannon blazed over.

After half-time Michael Mellon went one-on-one but Okonkwo denied him, before Mullin lashed home his second from the edge of the box.

Mullin completed his hat-trick with a clinical finish as full-time approached, before Jones’s fierce stoppage-time strike completed the rout.