One Vision

Monday April 17 2006

Southend United came back from 2-0 down to draw a step closer to promotion and Milton Keynes Dons' revival continued to make the bottom of the table look even more interesting, as a dramatic late goal lifted them above their opponents Hartlepool United.

League One's top team went into their game with Barnsley knowing that a win, and losses for Brentford and Colchester United, would see them promoted. But Barnsley went in at half time 2-0 ahead following own goals from Lewis Hunt on 18 minutes and Kevin Maher in injury time. The Tykes conceded a Mark Gower goal on 53 minutes and Freddy Eastwood got his 23rd of the season to complete the comeback for The Shrimpers on 62 minutes.

Colchester United moved into second after a 1-0 win over Tranmere Rovers and Brentford were held to a draw at home to Blackpool. Stephen O'Leary was sent off for violent conduct for Rovers and The U's took advantage of their extra man with a second-half goal from Wayne Brown at Layer Road.

Brentford slipped down into third after a 1-1 draw with struggling Blackpool at Griffin Park. The Bees went ahead on 54 minutes through a Lloyd Owusu goal, but Peter Clarke equalised for the visitors on 89 minutes.

Nottingham Forest moved into the final play-off spot with their 2-1 win over Yeovil Town. Yeovil had taken a surprise early lead at The City Ground through Phil Jevons on nine minutes before Ian Breckin restored parity with his tenth of the season on 40 minutes. Nicky Southall fired Forest into the lead on 68 minutes.

Meanwhile at the bottom, Milton Keynes Dons were the big movers in jumping above their opponents, Hartlepool United, and Walsall to draw level with Swindon Town, who also won. The Dons took a deserved lead through Aaron Wilbraham on 25 minutes. Michael Proctor scored his first goal sinceOctober to give Pool hope on 50 minutes, but Scott Taylor's goal at the death gave the home side all three points at The National Hockey Stadium.

Scunthorpe United were defeated 2-1 by lowly Swindon Town at Glanford Park. The Irons took the lead through Billy Sharp's 22nd goal of the season on nine minutes, but Trevor Benjamin drew Town level with a penalty on 26 minutes, and Ricky Shakes lifted his side into the lead just before half time.

Bristol City beat Oldham Athletic 2-1 through an Alex Russell penalty on 57 minutes and a Steven Brooker goal on 76 minutes. Luke Beckett had given Oldham the lead in first-half injury time.

Doncaster Rovers beat Walsall 1-0 at Belle Vue through a James Coppinger goal on 43 minutes.

Gillingham beat Bradford City 2-1 through Tommy Black and Michael Flynn goals. Danny Cadamarteri pulled a consolation goal back for The Bantams on 75 minutes.

Port Vale and Bournemouth ground out a 0-0 stalemate. The point was more important for Bournemouth to ease them into the comfort of mid-table.

SATURDAY APRIL 15 2006

Brentford are clinging onto second place as they drew at Rotherham, andColchester and Huddersfield were held by Chesterfield and Bournemouth respectively. The three sides are attempting to join Southend, who are all-but up,and secure automatic promotion, but they each had to settle for a point on Saturday.

Brentford faced a trip to struggling Rotherham and they had to come from behind on two occasions. John Mullin fired The Millers ahead just before the break, but Lloyd Owusu restored parity on 68 minutes. The home side grabbed the lead barely 60 seconds later, as Paul Shaw fired home, but Brentford snatched a point thanks to Isaiah Rankin's late goal.

Colchester fought back from two goals down to snatch a point at Chesterfield. The home side held a two-goal lead on 18 minutes thanks to goals from Jamie O'Hara and Paul Hall. However, The U's are made of stern stuff and Mark Yeates and Chris Iwelumo netted to pinch a point for Phil Parkinson's men.

Huddersfield were also forced to come from a goal down to claim a point at Bournemouth. Steve Fletcher gave the South Coast club the lead on 34 minutes, but Gary Taylor-Fletcher levelled to keep The Terriers in the promotion hunt.

Barnsley boosted their play-off hopes and dealt a hammer blow to Oldham's when running out 3-0 winners at Boundary Park. A tense contest caught fire just after the break as Chris Shuker fired The Tykes ahead. A second came from Stephen McPhail just after the hour and Martin Devaney sealed the victory with a strike 11 minutes from time.

Bristol City have shown tremendous improvement in the second half of the season and they continue to hold outside play-off claims after getting the better of struggling Hartlepool. The Robins have probably left it too late to secure post-season football, but they overcame Pools. David Noble and Alex Russell scored to hand City a half-time cushion, but they were forced to hang on as Eifion Williams scored with seven minutes remaining for a Hartlepool side who remain in the drop zone.

Nottingham Forest have the bit between their teeth at present and they climbed to seventh in the table with a 1-0 win at Tranmere courtesy of an early strike from Grant Holt.

Bradford dented Doncaster's play-off hopes with a 2-1 win in a Yorkshire derby at Valley Parade. Lewis Emanuel knocked the stuffing out of Rovers with goals on 20 and 27 minutes and Ross McCormack's effort proved nothing more than a consolation.

MK Dons may be heading into League Two, but they gave their fans something to cheer as Clive Platt's goal gave them a 1-0 win at fellow strugglers Swindon. Walsall continue to struggle and they were held to a 1-1 draw by Port Vale. The Saddlers led on 50 minutes through James Constable, but were denied a win by Clayton Fortune's late effort.

Photo: Action Images

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