Steve Smith reviews the weekend's action
DANIEL Nardiello scored a brace as Bury beat Burton 3-1 to replace the Brewers at the summit of League 2. Substitute Nardiello had put the hosts in front before veteran striker Ryan Lowe added a second. An over-hit back-pass from Shane Cansdell-Sherriff wrong-footed keeper Jon McLaughlin and Nardiello pounced to put the Shakers three up before Jacob Blyth scored a consolation for the visitors.
Accrington held off a late Northampton fight-back to win 5-4 as John Coleman was victorious in a remarkable first game back in charge. Stanley took the lead early on through Rob Atkinson before Marc Richards levelled for the Cobblers. Another goal from Atkinson, and a brace from John O’Sullivan then put the visitors 4-1 up. Substitute Mark Toney then pulled one back for the hosts before Sean Maguire scored Stanley’s fifth. In a late fightback Toney then struck again before Dean Carter finished neatly, but it was too little, too late for the hosts.
Southend United dramatically won 3-2 against struggling York City at Bootham Crescent. Myles Weston put the visitors in front from the penalty spot before Russ Penn equalized for the Minstermen on the edge of half-time. Southend restored their advantage after fifty-two minutes through Kevan Hurst and then doubled their advantage when Jack Payne added a third, before Dave Winfield scored a late consolation.
Keith Curle's first game in charge Carlisle United ended in a slender 3-2 defeat at Mansfield. The Cumbrians had been three down at half-time after a goal from Lee Beevers and a brace from Rakish Bingham. After the break Carlisle fought back with goals from David Amoo and Kyle Dempsey, but they could not find the all-important equalizing goal.
Jordan Moore-Taylor scored a superb header to secure a 2-1 win for Exeter against Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park. Graham Cummins headed home for the visitors before Danny Holmes' deflected shot found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to pull Rovers level after twenty-five minutes. Moore-Taylor then scored a winner with a superb diving header after sixty-nine minutes.
Portsmouth defender Johnny Ertl scored his first goal since last September to earn his side a point against Wycombe after Sam Wood’s opener.
Cheltenham teenager Joe Hanks cancelled out Jamie Cureton’s opening goal to rescue a point for his side against Dagenham.
Adebayo Akinfenwa scored as Wimbledon moved within a point of the play-off places after seeing off early season high-flyers Morecambe, 1-0.
Mark Cullen scored for Luton Town with nine minutes to go to see off the ten-men of Cambridge United, who had debutant, Tom Naylor, dismissed on 53 minutes.
Plymouth bounced back from successive defeats to beat struggling Hartlepool 2-0, with Marvin Morgan and Nathan Thomas scoring the goals.
Elsewhere there were goalless draws between Oxford United and Stevenage as well as Shrewsbury and Newport.