Salford suffered a fourth consecutive League Two defeat after Brad Halliday’s late winner sealed a 2-1 victory for Bradford.

Halliday struck after Calum Kavanagh had cancelled out Callum Hendry’s opener for the hosts.

Bradford had started more brightly but it was the home side who broke the deadlock in the 18th minute.

Dan Chesters tried a shot that flew invitingly into the path of Hendry who had time to pick his spot with a firm half-volley past Sam Walker.

The game opened up with Jamie Walker and Andy Cook having chances for Bradford and Conor McAleny nearly extending Salford’s lead.

Cook wasted a good opportunity set up by Walker but Bradford levelled right on half-time. Richie Smallwood’s free-kick was nodded down by Matty Platt for Kavanagh to poke home.

Alex Cairns made an excellent save to deny Kavanagh a second early in the second half.

Salford survived again as Cairns saved from Bobby Pointon and Kavanagh’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Curtis Tilt.

Kavanagh went close again with a shot over the bar, but Bradford’s pressure paid off after 86 minutes with Halliday’s cross-shot into the bottom corner.

Grimsby virtually secured their Football League survival with an emphatic 3-0 win at play-off hopefuls Crewe thanks to goals from Toby Mullarkey, Curtis Thompson and Denver Hume.

The Mariners are six points clear of second-bottom Sutton, who only have two games to play, but hold a far superior goal difference than United.

Justin Obikwu wasted an early opening for the visitors when he was put clear in the box, but he took too much sizing up goal and Lewis Billington’s intervention steered the striker’s effort past the post.

Crewe goalkeeper Max Stryjek was at fault when Doug Tharme’s long-throw was headed on by Mullarkey with the keeper pushing the ball weakly into the air and then unable to prevent it creeping over the line in the 38th minute.

And the visitors doubled their lead from another set play just before the hour mark with Thompson volleying home Charles Vernam’s outswinging corner from the edge of the box.

Crewe’s response was tame, although Jake Eastwood needed to take evasive action to prevent Nevitt’s block on his clearance from crossing the line and then the Grimsby keeper did well to keep out an effort from Charlie Finney in the closing minutes.

But substitute Hume rounded off the Mariners’ afternoon when he finished off into the far corner after Donovan Wilson cut the ball across the box.

Wrexham completed back-to-back promotions in style with a 6-0 thumping of Forest Green.

Elliot Lee opened the scoring before Paul Mullin scored twice, either side of Ryan Inniss’ own goal, as Wrexham hit four before the break, with Ryan Barnett and Jack Marriott finding the net in the second half.

Results elsewhere meant the victory secured Wrexham’s place in League One next season, while defeat leaves bottom side Forest Green in grave danger of dropping out of the Football League.

A corner after 17 minutes led to Lee’s opener following a frantic goalmouth scramble after Mullin’s header was blocked.

It took last season’s National League champions just six minutes to double their lead.

Lee was again involved, releasing James McClean, who picked out Mullin at the back post to head in his 24th of the season.

Thoroughly dominant in the first half, Wrexham’s third came as defender Eoghan O’Connell tried his luck from distance. His shot took a cruel deflection off Inniss which left goalkeeper Vicente Reyes helpless.

There was still time for Mullin to hit Wrexham’s fourth before half-time.

A corner was only half-cleared to the unmarked striker on the edge of the area and his shot deflected into the goal.

Barnett got in on the act in the second half with a stunning volley from McClean’s cross to make it 5-0.

And Marriott completed the scoring six minutes from time as Wrexham and their Hollywood star owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds were able to celebrate another promotion.

Walsall’s Sky Bet League Two play-off hopes suffered a major blow as the 10-man Saddlers lost 3-1 at home to Notts County.

Macaulay Langstaff’s 26th league goal this season and Aaron Nemane’s stunner put County in control and although Mo Faal pulled one back despite Brandon Comley’s red card, Sam Austin sealed the three points for the visitors.

County led in the second minute, when Langstaff was given time to control and slot home Alassana Jatta’s pullback.

After Walsall’s Josh Gordon had an apparent equaliser ruled out for offside, County doubled their lead in the 28th minute as Nemane beat three men before lashing home from 15 yards.

Half-time Walsall sub Faal headed against the post within a minute of coming on but it looked game over for the hosts when Comley received a second booking for needlessly tripping Dan Crowley.

However, Walsall were the better side with 10 men and Kyle Cameron cleared off the line from Douglas James-Taylor before Faal swept home Liam Gordon’s pass in the 68th minute.

But just a minute later Austin’s shot crept in despite goalkeeper Owen Evans getting two hands to it, to leave Walsall three points off seventh.

Doncaster moved their unlikely play-off push into overdrive with an eighth consecutive win as they triumphed 4-0 against Accrington.

Goals from Hakeeb Adelakun, Joe Ironside, James Maxwell and Owen Bailey saw Rovers extend their best winning run for 77 years and move within a point of League Two’s top seven, despite facing relegation danger at the start of February.

Adelakun fired Doncaster ahead on five minutes after racing onto a ball over the top from Joseph Olowu.

Ironside doubled the advantage on 21 minutes when he met Adelakun’s low centre with a first-time strike from 10 yards.

Accrington struggled for opportunities with only Alex Henderson testing Rovers keeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala in the first half.

Doncaster always had the edge and saw their lead extended on 60 minutes when Zain Westbrooke squared the ball to Maxwell to finish calmly from 12 yards.

And the icing was put on the cake when Bailey’s deft flick from a Luke Molyneux pass netted Rovers’ fourth on 71 minutes.

Rob Apter scored twice to earn Tranmere a 2-1 comeback victory at Newport that extends the Welsh side’s losing run to six games.

Will Evans headed in his 25th goal of the season to put the hosts ahead after 20 minutes at Rodney Parade.

But Blackpool loanee Apter then took centre stage for Tranmere.

The 20-year-old was given far too much time and space to control Lee O’Connor’s pass from the right flank and advance towards goal before firing into the bottom corner to level in the 25th minute.

Apter then raced onto a high ball over the top before placing his shot between the legs of teenage debutant Nelson Sanca and past goalkeeper Nick Townsend nine minutes before the break.

Luke Jephcott wasted a chance to level before the break when he fired over at the far post.

Newport substitute Kiban Rai and defender Kyle Jameson also went close to an equaliser after the interval, but Tranmere held on to secure a first win in five games.

Stockport sealed promotion to League One with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Morecambe at Edgeley Park.

Last season’s play-off final losers secured elevation with three games remaining with goals from Isaac Olaofe and Fraser Horsfall earning them the three points.

Dave Challinor’s side enjoyed a fine start as they went ahead after just seven minutes when Olaofe volleyed home Kyle Wootton’s cross-field header from close range after a mistake from Nelson Khumbeni.

The home side continued to dominate with Oloafe denied a quickfire second by an excellent block from Farrend Rawson and Antoni Sarcevic seeing a shot well blocked by Jacob Bedeau.

Stockport’s dominance was rewarded with a second goal four minutes into first-half stoppage time as Horsfall steamed in at the far post to head home Sarcevic’s left-wing corner.

County maintained their pressure after the break with Callum Camps forcing a smart low save from Archie Mair and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans seeing a shot from the edge of the box deflected wide by Yann Songo’o’s excellent defensive block.

Morecambe’s first effort of note came from a late Joel Senior shot that flew wide as the Hatters held on comfortably.

The first EFL promotion places could be confirmed this Saturday, with Portsmouth, Stockport and Wrexham all looking for the results to rubber-stamp their elevation.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what is required in each division.

Championship

Rotherham are down and nothing else will be decided this weekend at either end of the table, though Southampton will secure a play-off place unless they lose and Coventry and Preston both win.

League One

Portsmouth will be confirmed as a Championship team for next season if they beat third-placed Bolton.

Should Pompey drop points, they can still be promoted on Saturday if they at least match the results of both second-placed Derby and fourth-placed Peterborough, who face Leyton Orient and Oxford respectively.

At the bottom, Carlisle are already relegated and the other three places will remain in contest at least until midweek, though Fleetwood could end Saturday nine points adrift of safety with only nine to play for.

League Two

Stockport need only a point against Morecambe to secure their promotion.

Wrexham could join them with victory over bottom club Forest Green, if MK Dons do not beat Mansfield in the battle of fourth against third – that would also send Stockport up even if they lose. The top three are already secure in the play-offs as a minimum and could be joined by MK Dons.

Relegation issues will not be confirmed, but Forest Green could be left six points adrift with two games remaining.

Nigel Clough said Mansfield’s hard-earned 1-0 home win over bottom club Forest Green was one of the most important results of their season as they leapt back into the top three.

Tom Nichols’ 20th-minute header earned stuttering Stags a first win in four games to reignite their promotion dream, despite their injury problems, and wiped away memories of Saturday’s home hammering by Crawley.

“It was one of the most important results of the season, especially with seven defenders out at the start of the game,” said Clough.

“To keep a clean sheet with two centre forwards in the back four was a tremendous effort by everybody.

“Saturday was a one-off and bad timing to have it at this particular stage of the season, but everybody was back on it tonight. The intensity was magnificent.

“It was a reaction to Saturday when we were all hurting after the game.”

Rovers defended well but Nichols broke the deadlock when he was picked out at the back post by Hiram Boateng’s cross and managed to loop a header over goalkeeper Vicente Reyes.

For much of the game it was all Mansfield, but home keeper Christy Pym did have to claw a Charlie McCann free-kick from under his crossbar just before half-time and just before the end made a great double save to deny Emmanuel Osadebe and Kyle McAllister after a Rovers break.

“You’re always worried at 1-0 and Christy Pym has had to come up with two magnificent saves,” said Clough.

“I think it’s the most difficult thing for a goalie when you have had nothing or very little to do for 88 minutes.”

Rovers boss Steve Cotterill was delighted with his side’s showing, despite a fifth defeat in six outings.

“I thought we were excellent tonight against a team that are probably going to be up there and get promoted,” he said.

“We definitely played well enough to get at the minimum a draw tonight.

“The season has been tough. But, given the start with this group of lads, I think they’ve come a long way in a short space of time and were excellent tonight.

“We wouldn’t have been able to come here and do this tonight a couple months ago when we got beaten 4-0 at home by them.

“There was no chance of that happening tonight.”

On the goal, Cotterill added: “I think Vinny was done by the flight of the ball. I don’t know if the wind has played a little part in that, slowed it up in the air and he’s not quite taken it.

“But at the end of the day Vinnie’s been magnificent for us and he’s won us games this season, and between now and the end of the season he’ll do the same again.”

Newport manager Graham Coughlan admitted after a “car-crash” defeat to Accrington that his side have run out of steam.

Bryn Morris scored a stunning long-range opener but Alex Henderson headed in Jack Nolan’s cross on 22 minutes and Tommy Leigh netted Stanley’s second goal just 20 seconds after half-time.

Joe Pritchard wrapped up the three points with a tap-in on a miserable night for County, who saw a goal from substitute Luke Jephcott ruled out for offside late on before Adam Lewis was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for a full-blooded tackle on Dan Martin that led to a touchline fracas.

“Some of the things that we are doing is car-crash material,” said Coughlan, who has now overseen five successive defeats in League Two – the Exiles’ worst run for seven years.

“Some of the players are showing their levels, and that’s the disappointing thing.

“We have taken them to a level and to where we wanted to get them but some of them just can’t maintain it and stay at that level.

“We have three games left and we have to limp over the finish line, which is killing me. All the hard work we have put in and we are getting displays like that and players playing the way that they are playing.

“At the end of the season we will sit down and have a conversation with a number of them and see where we go because you can’t perform the way that they are performing and expect to be rewarded.

“Thank God we have got to 55 points because this lot have run out of steam and run out of ideas, physically and mentally.”

John Doolan paid tribute to his players’ character and intensity after Accrington’s fightback.

“I thought we started well, even though we gifted them a goal. We got the equaliser, which was a great goal, and then we took control,” said Doolan, who celebrated a second win in his seventh game since replacing John Coleman in the Accrington hotseat last month.

“Tommy Leigh and Shaun Whalley had chances and we could have gone in ahead. Thankfully we got two good goals after the break, and we could have had more goals.

“The lads responded well. We’ve got some character in this team and the spirit is fantastic.

“I’ve asked the lads not to come off it and they didn’t. This is the intensity I want. Everyone put a shift in.

“We’re not going to come off it; we want to finish the season strong to go into pre-season and next year.”

Grant McCann admitted for the first time that Doncaster are play-off contenders in League Two after his side continued their incredible run with a seventh straight victory.

Goals from Joe Ironside and Hakeeb Adelakun saw Rovers through to a 2-1 win over Walsall, who found a late consolation through Isaac Hutchinson.

A run of just one defeat in 14 has helped transform Doncaster, who have surged away from relegation danger to four points off the play-off places in that period.

McCann continues to insist his players are taking it one game at a time but conceded they had put themselves in the mix for an unlikely top-seven finish.

“We’ve put ourselves in the picture, haven’t we,” he said. “That is a testament to the staff and players and all the hard work that has gone into it, and our fans backing us all the way, all season.

“We just want to finish strong. No one is getting ahead of themselves. We’re looking forward to Accrington coming here on Saturday.

“We’ve got to get the rest and the recovery right for the players to make sure we can go again with the same sort of energy to try to win the game.”

Doncaster’s performance was not as strong as they had been previously in the run – but that only made the win more pleasing for McCann.

He said: “That was probably the most satisfying win of it all just because I know we didn’t play to where we can and we still got the win.

“Walsall were the only team to beat us in the 14 games and, while we didn’t use that as motivation, it felt a strong win for us because we know how good they can be.”

Walsall head coach Mat Sadler admitted feeling frustrated that defensive lapses had cost his side after they had made a promising start to the game.

“I thought in the first half that we were really good and got into some really good positions but on the night that final execution wasn’t there to take the chance when it came,” he said.

“It looked like we’d scored with the first corner of the game and we controlled the game, certainly in the first half.

“We got done with a ball that we’d spoken about before the game which is frustrating.

“I think it was one of the harsh realities that you have to defend those situations if you’re going to win away.

“There were lots of really pleasing aspects but the goal affected us in the second half and we couldn’t get going again as we had.

“Being front and centre under the lights teaches you that you have to be ready for whatever happens.”

Harrogate boss Simon Weaver admitted that the quality of midfielder George Thomson’s 15th goal of the season left everyone at the EnviroVent Stadium rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

Thomson slammed a 25-yard howitzer into the roof of the Grimsby net to secure a 1-0 win on 49 minutes and keep the Sulphurites in play-off contention.

Weaver said: “I think everyone in the ground was shocked because he didn’t even have a proper celebration with the staff, players or fans, but it was another brilliant strike and I’m so glad for him.

“He’s an integral part of the team on and off the pitch and he lives his life in such a dedicated and professional manner.”

The victory moved Harrogate to within four points of the top seven with three fixtures left to play.

It was also the club’s third straight home win, with Weaver adding: “We just want to have something to play for for as long as possible. We’ve reduced the gap to four points again, which makes it interesting for a number of teams and you can never say never.

“We will keep fighting on and another home win gives us confidence. We want people buying season tickets, getting behind us and believing in what we’re building, so gaining some momentum at home can only help with that and I was really pleased with a lot of the performance.

“It was gritty and we kept a clean sheet in a horrific wind. We dealt with that in the first half and had to be streetwise before placing more emphasis on getting on the ball a bit more and causing them more problems in the second. It was a good, controlled performance.”

Grimsby boss David Artell bemoaned that the nature of his side’s second-half performance “bordered on insanity”.

He said: “Ultimately, we lost to a 25-yard strike but, in the second half, we also kept doing the same thing, which bordered on insanity at times.

“They scored a goal, then sat in and made themselves hard to break down, which is what we have become good at, too.

“But what we still need to work on and develop for next season is, when teams are doing that to you, you don’t just try and whack the ball in behind them. You have to try and draw them out.

“We had some good chances in the second half but I think it just came from hope, rather than being purposefully creative.”

Crewe boss Lee Bell hailed a “really big win” after his side picked up three points with a narrow 1-0 victory over Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium to move a step closer to sealing a League Two play-off spot.

Elliott Nevitt’s goal 20 minutes from time gave the Alex the victory which virtually ended any lingering hopes Morecambe had of sealing a top-seven place.

Bell said: “It was a really big win for us after a bad run of results.

“Morecambe are a really good team and I like the way they play so to get the win in really difficult conditions that made it hard for both teams to play their normal games was great and with other results going our way it was a good night.

“It was another good night for Elliott Nevitt who has been outstanding all season and I can’t speak highly enough of him but all the lads have worked so hard and deserve to be where they are.”

The only disappointment for Crewe was that they ended the game with 10 men as Lewis Leigh was given a straight red card for a wild tackle on Joel Senior in the final minute.

Nevitt scored the only goal of the game with 20 minutes to go when he slid home a loose ball at the far post after a left-wing shot was blocked.

It was a rare moment of threat in the game which was dominated by a swirling wind.

Morecambe manager Ged Brannan admitted that his side would have to win all their three remaining games to have any chance of sealing a play-off spot.

He said: “I thought we played well in the first half and created a few chances but couldn’t get the breakthrough we needed with the wind.

“It was really hard for us to get out of our own half in the second period and that was disappointing. They scored with their only real chance of the game and we couldn’t get the chance we needed to level things.

“We are all disappointed because the play-offs will be difficult to reach now but I can’t fault the lads because they have given their all.”

Dave Challinor wants his Stockport side to target the League Two title after they moved to the verge of promotion with a 2-1 victory at Colchester.

Paddy Madden netted the Hatters’ second-half winner after Cameron McGeehan had cancelled out Nick Powell’s opener for the leaders.

Stockport boss Challinor said: “I’m still going to be the boring fellow who’ll say ‘you’ve worked so hard to get to this situation’ and when we do get promoted, we want to go up as champions.

“That’s still an objective and we need two wins to be able to do that.

“So if we are going to enjoy it, let’s make sure we enjoy it properly and put everything we can into the next 10 days or however long it may be and have a proper celebration.

“Colchester are scrapping for their lives and we weren’t great.

“We knew it would be a physical battle with the front two.

“Am I surprised that they get chances from set-pieces and from putting the ball into the box? No absolutely not but we dug in.

“It is the sign of a good team that we can not play very well but still win.”

Stockport took a 31st-minute lead when Powell’s hopeful effort from nearly 25 yards inexplicably squirmed under goalkeeper Owen Goodman and in, from Antoni Sarcevic’s short corner.

But Colchester equalised in first-half stoppage-time through McGeehan, who side-footed home Arthur Read’s corner.

Stockport bagged their winner on the hour mark when Madden converted from two yards after Connor Lemonheigh-Evans had cut Ethan Bristow’s cross back into his path.

Colchester had a golden opportunity to equalise in the 67th minute but Hinchliffe saved McGeehan’s penalty, after Tom Hooper had been fouled by Ethan Pye in the area.

Colchester boss Danny Cowley said: “The ball hasn’t quite rolled for us tonight.

“We’ve taken the best team in the league by a significant distance all the way and given them a really good game and arguably been the better team in the second half.

“But you can’t legislate for the two moments that happened.

“They do happen – there’s no recriminations, there’s no individual blame, it’s always a collective effort.

“I was proud of the team today, I was proud of the response that we showed after Saturday (against Wrexham) when we were really disappointed with ourselves.

“We beat ourselves in the last half hour in that game but tonight we showed resilience and determination.

“It was a really difficult moment for the team after conceding the first goal and you can easily go under in that situation but we didn’t and we responded really well.

“I’m really disappointed that we haven’t taken any points.”

Wrexham must continue to look after their own business in their quest for League Two promotion after the 4-1 victory over Crawley, vowed Dragons assistant Steve Parkin.

Ryan Barnett’s maiden Wrexham goal put the hosts ahead and Paul Mullin swiftly doubled the advantage, before Andy Cannon’s strike’s and Mullin’s second as full-time approached were followed by Klaidi Lolos netting an injury time consolation.

Wrexham consolidated their top three place and victory on Saturday against Forest Green coupled with other favourable results will confirm back-to-back promotions and League One football next season, but Parkin vowed the Dragons must focus on themselves.

Parkin said: “We worked long and hard over the weekend about Crawley and how good they were away from home.

“We set our game plan to the lads that we thought would be enough to create chances and the lads stuck to it with the exception of the last goal so well.

“We thought we would create chances and opportunities on the break. When you do that you have to be clinical and put your chances away and it was a really clinical performance.

“This time of year we know and we’ve seen from results how difficult wins are to come by. More or less everybody has got something to play for, teams at the bottom and the teams trying to get in the play-offs, and the teams at the top.

“There’s going to be no let-up from them I’m sure to try and get promotion and we’ve just got to take care of our business and make sure we’re on it at the weekend.”

Crawley remain in the play-offs and boss Scott Lindsay insists the loss will not define the rest of their campaign as they seek a top-seven finish.

He said: “We’re disappointed with the outcome of the game but it’s not going to define what we’re going to do moving forward. We’re still in a really good position and we’ve got some really good games to come and we look forward to them.

“It’s a difficult place to come and the manner of the goals we conceded was disappointing but we wipe our mouth and move on and we’ve got to move on pretty quickly.

“It’s a tough place to come and we wanted to ask more questions of them. At least three of their goals were inside our six-yard box.

“You’ve got to sometimes give the opposition credit, we had a lot of possession, we got to the edge of the box and we huffed and puffed a little bit and we found it hard to break them down.

“It was a difficult night for us but we’re not going to let that define our season, because it won’t.”