MATTY Stevens’ late header clinched Forest Green a 2-1 home win against Rochdale and kept them 10 points clear at the top of League Two.
Rob Edwards’ side had to come from behind to extend their unbeaten run to 18 matches as James Ball gave Rochdale a shock lead after a goalless first period.
Jack Aitchison hauled Forest Green level deep in the second half and Stevens’ header four minutes from the end clinched them all three points.
The in-form striker was fresh from a double over Newport County AFC and moves level with Dom Telford in the race for the golden boot.
Tranmere stay second as Kane Hemmings’ double helped them to a 3-0 home win against Swindon.
Hemmings struck in either half with his early opener and 72nd-minute penalty sandwiching Paul Glatzel’s effort just before the hour-mark.
How things stand after that!#EFL | #SkyBetLeagueTwo pic.twitter.com/CkMJjHub34
— Sky Bet League Two (@SkyBetLeagueTwo) February 8, 2022
Northampton moved into third courtesy of their late win over County, leapfrogging Sutton after they drew 0-0 at home to Salford.
Mansfield made it nine wins in 10 league games with a 2-1 home victory against Colchester.
Rhys Oates’ sixth league goal of the season gave Mansfield a half-time lead and Jordan Bowery converted a last-minute penalty. Alan Judge’s added-time free-kick for the Essex side was mere consolation.
Cheick Diabate’s stoppage-time header clinched Exeter their fourth league win in five league games, 1-0 at St James Park against Leyton Orient.
It was a good night for the bottom two, with Scunthorpe and Oldham both securing wins as all seven clubs immediately above them lost.
Scunthorpe halted a run of seven straight league defeats with a 1-0 home win against fellow strugglers Walsall, courtesy of Jai Rowe’s first-half header and despite the 53rd-minute dismissal of Tom Pugh for his second yellow card.
Oldham made it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season under manager John Sheridan as they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 at Boundary Park.
Davis Keillor-Dunn’s first-half double put Oldham in control and although Sam Nicholson reduced the deficit for Rovers before the interval, the Latics held on.
Carlisle slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat, losing 3-1 at home to Port Vale.
David Worrall’s opener inside the first minute gave Port Vale a flying start and although Owen Windsor equalised for Carlisle, the visitors regained the lead through James Wilson and David Amoo’s late effort sealed victory.
Crawley maintained their climb up the table with an impressive 3-1 win at Harrogate.
French teenager Brahima Diarra cancelled out Aramide Oteh’s opener for Crawley early in the second period before late goals from Nicholas Tsaroulla and Tom Nichols secured the visitors maximum points in North Yorkshire.
Jamie Walker’s solitary second-half strike secured Bradford a 1-0 win at Stevenage and just their second victory in six league matches.
Hartlepool registered their first league win in five thanks to Luke Molyneux’s double in a 3-1 home win against Barrow.
John Rooney fired the visitors into a first-half lead, but Hartlepool hit back, with Molyneux’s brace and Omar Bogle putting them 3-1 up at the break.
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