Carlisle United 1 Tranmere Rovers 2

Attendance 6,093

Ronnie Moore, the Tranmere Rovers manager, launched a spirited defence of John Ward, his Carlisle United counterpart, after the Brunton Park faithful vented their fury at this defeat for their team. Another stumbling display resulted in Ward’s men falling to mid-table as Ian Moore and Ryan Shotton scored for Tranmere. “John Ward’s got a bit of stick, yet it’s only the first or second time in a year that Carlisle have been out of the top six,” Moore said. “Get off his back and give him a chance.” Ward said: “We lost without a bit of that dignity and fight which we needed to show.”

Colchester United 0 Bristol Rovers 1

Attendance 4,811

Rickie Lambert’s goal for Bristol Rovers at Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium meant that managerless Colchester have yet to win at their new home, where Lambert scored his ninth league goal of the season. “Rickie’s at the top of his game and his work ethic is terrific,” Paul Trollope, the Rovers manager, said. Kit Symons, the Colchester caretaker manager, said that his chances of being appointed on a full-time basis have been dealt a blow. “I’m a realist, but I’ll be cracking on until I’ve been told any different,” he said.

Crewe Alexandra 1 Northampton Town 3

Attendance 3,977

Stuart Gray, the Northampton Town manager, was pleased by the way his team dominated proceedings at Gresty Road to chalk up their second league win of the season. Tom Pope had cancelled out Danny Jackman’s first-half opener, but Adebayo Akinfenwa scored his seventh goal of the season from the spot before Abdul Osman wrapped things up. “We controlled the game for 80 minutes and I was always confident that we would go on to win,” Gray said. Steve Holland, the Crewe coach, said: “The manner that we conceded the goals was very poor.”

Hereford United 0 Walsall 0

Attendance 3,900

Jimmy Mullen, the Walsall manager, said he was relieved to have left Edgar Street with a point. Mullen’s men had won their previous three matches, but only a goalline clearance by Paul Boertien stopped bottom-of-the-table Hereford snatching a victory. “We have won three on the trot and have come away and kept a clean sheet,” Mullen said. Graham Turner, the Hereford manager, believed that his team did enough to claim a much-needed win. “I thought we had enough of the play in the second half to have taken the three points,” he said.

Huddersfield Town 2 Leicester City 3

Attendance 16,212

After a last-gasp victory that left his team three points clear at the top of the table, Nigel Pearson, the Leicester City manager, said there was “a long way to go” in the promotion race. Matty Fryatt struck two second-half goals to put Leicester in control but Huddersfield fought back to draw level, only for Lloyd Dyer’s late goal to give the visiting team their fourth successive league success. Pearson said: “We’re in a good run of form but complacency is not something we can allow to set in.” Stan Ternent, the Huddersfield manager, said: “We are still getting to know each other.”

Leyton Orient 2 Scunthorpe United 2

Attendance 4,244

Scunthorpe United missed out on a seventh successive league win when Leyton Orient came from two down to secure a draw at Brisbane Road. Izzy Iriekpen and Paul Hayes put the visiting team ahead, but the match changed with the sending-off of Joe Murphy, the Scunthorpe goalkeeper, after which Adam Boyd and Stephen Purches scored to gain a point. Nigel Adkins, the Scunthorpe manager, said: “We should have had two clear penalties. One was the most blatant penalty you have ever seen on Paul Hayes.” Martin Ling, the Orient manager, said: “It is a decent point.”

Millwall 0 MK Dons 4

Attendance 9,871

Milton Keynes Dons recorded an emphatic victory that brought Millwall’s five-game winning run to an abrupt halt. The home team did not look like adding a sixth once Sean O’Hanlon had fired Milton Keynes in front on nine minutes. Sam Baldock added a second on the stroke of half-time and an own goal by Paul Robinson and another goal by Baldock in the final minute finished the rout. Roberto Di Matteo, the manager, said: “It was a great team performance.” Kenny Jackett, the Millwall manager, said: “They were four very poor goals.”

Peterborough United 2 Leeds United 0

Attendance 13,191

Second-half goals for Peterborough United by George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith put Leeds United to the sword in the teams’ first meeting in the Football League. Boyd broke the deadlock from close range and became provider when Mackail-Smith was on hand to secure victory in stoppage time. The result brought Leeds’s six-match winning run to an end and Darren Ferguson, the Peterborough manager, said: “This is the certainly the best day since I have been here.” Gary McAllister, the Leeds manager, said: “The best team won on the day.”

Yeovil Town 1 Southend United 2

Attendance 4,008

Russell Slade, the Yeovil Town manager, could not hide his anger after two of his players were sent off in stoppage time. Danny Schofield had been booked but was shown a straight red after a tackle on the touchline and he was followed by Gary Roberts, who argued about the decision. Slade hit out at Keith Hill, the referee, saying: “I asked the referee to look at the video and he said he did not need to. That was arrogant.” Steve Tilson, the Southend United manager, agreed that Schofield should not have gone. “I thought he won the ball,” he said.