STUART DRUMMOND'S late leveller left Exeter sweating on a last-day shootout to decide their promotion fate.

Third-placed Grecians go to Rotherham next weekend needing a win to be sure of a top-three finish - whatever rivals Wycombe and Bury do.

City boss Paul Tisdale said: "It is in our own hands and we know what we need to do.

"There is still a lot to play for and we are one game away from promotion now.

"I can't really complain. We always thought it would go to the last game - and that's how it has turned out.

"This was a very good game of football against good opposition and it is not the worst result in the world."

Morecambe came flying out of the traps and took a ninth-minute lead thanks to Drummond's glancing header.

Michael Twiss and David Artell wasted chances to double the lead before City finally fought back.

Dean Moxey rounded keeper Barry Roche to slot the 49th-minute equaliser.

And the home side took charge when Ryan Harley fired with a 20-yard cracker.

Shrimps were denied an equaliser when referee Gavin Ward controversially ruled out another Drummond strike for handball.

But the striker shrugged off that setback to rescue a point, pouncing from close range 11 minutes from time.

Morecambe boss Sammy McIlroy said: "We were punished for a mad five minutes.

But we showed great character to come back into it."

REMAINING GAME - EXETER: Sat v Rotherham (a). MORECAMBE: Sat v Bournemouth (h).

BOURNEMOUTH 2, GRIMSBY 1

STEVE FLETCHER completed Bournemouth's Great Escape with a late winner against nine-man Grimsby.

Cherries were docked 17 pooints at the start of the season - but this win took them out of reach of next-to-bottom Chester.

And Mike Newell's Grimsby can breathe slightly easier with a three-point cushion and a goal difference that is 19 better than Chester's going into their final game.

Striker Fletcher said: "It's my 100th league goal for Bournemouth and it's kept us in the League. I only came back here from Crawley in January and it seems to have been written in the stars."

Nathan Jarman put Mariners one-up on 40 minutes. But Liam Feeney levelled for the home side seconds after the interval and Fletcher struck 10 minutes from time.

Grimsby had Danny Boshell sent off for his second booking just before the break and Joe Widdowson, also for two yellows, three minutes from time.

Mariners boss Newell said: "I feel relief but it's nothing to celebrate.

"The game turned on the first sending off. The referee didn't handle the pressure. I don't think either player should have gone off."

PORT VALE 1, WYCOMBE 1

PETER TAYLOR warned his players not to push the panic button in their promotion chase.

Second-placed Wycombe need a point at home to Notts County next week to be sure of going up after they were held by struggling Vale.

Taylor said: "If someone had said we only needed a point from the final game of the season to go up, I'd have taken that at the start of the season.

"Port Vale played like it really meant something to them and they made it tough for us."

Defender Lee Collins broke the deadlock for Vale on the hour mark. But Lee Sawyer turned in Jon-Paul Pittman's cross to level with 10 minutes left.

Vale boss Dean Glover added: "We needed a bit more luck because we created enough."

NOTTS COUNTY 0, DAGENHAM 3

GOALS by Sam Saunders and Matt Ritchie clinched the win that kept Dagenham in a play-off spot.

Saunders cut in from the right for his fifth goal in as many games on 35 minutes.

Ritchie fired a 25-yarder on the stroke of half-time - then struck again two minutes from time.

A point will do Daggers at home to rivals Shrewsbury next week and boss John Still said: "We will stand up and be counted.

"This was a fantastic result for us. We scored three goals for the third game in a row - but what pleased me most was to keep a clean sheet.

County were booed off after their fifth straight defeat.

Magpies manager Ian McParland said: "We've been on holiday since we won at Bournemouth last month to be safe."

LUTON 1, ROCHDALE 1

ADAM RUNDLE'S equaliser guaranteed Rochdale the point they needed to make sure of a place in the play-offs.

The visitors were under pressure from relegated Luton for much of the first-half and went a goal down to Tom Craddock's 31st-minute penalty after Rory McArdle fouled Chris Martin.

Rochdale boss Keith Hill shook things up at half-time and was rewarded when sub Rundle levelled in the 56th minute.

Hill said: "We didn't play well in the first-half and Luton had the lion's share of possession.

"We changed it around at the break and looked much more comfortable."

"It was the longest game of my short managerial career but we are pleased to come away with the point we needed."

GILLINGHAM 0, BURY 0

STUART LEWIS was denied his first Gills goal by the woodwork.

His 18-yard volley cannoned off the post with Bury keeper Wayne Brown well beaten.

Gills now have to slug it out at Rochdale next week - with the prospect of meeting them again in the play-off semi-finals.

But battling Bury were glad of a point to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top three.

Shakers' assistant boss Chris Brass admitted: "All we wanted was to take it to the final day - and we are still in there fighting. It's a credit to the boys."

Bury's physical approach, especially Efe Sodje and Ben Futcher at the back, cut little ice with Gills' boss Mark Stimson.

He moaned: "The referee was a bit lax letting them climb all over our players."

DARLINGTON 1, BRENTFORD 3

BILLY CLARKE'S two-goal show sealed the League Two title for Brentford.

More than 1,000 Bees fans celebrated and manager Andy Scott said: "Of course we deserve it - we've been the best side."

The win came after Darlington had Alan White sent off with just 79 SECONDS gone after an aerial clash which left Bees' Damian Spencer with a suspected fractured cheekbone.

Skipper Alan Bennett prodded his first of the season to give Brentford a 35th-minute lead.

Clarke headed No 2 on 43 minutes from David Hunt's free-kick. And the party really started when Clarke made it three with a 53rd-minute solo effort.

Pawel Abbott salvaged some pride for Darlo with a consolation goal six minutes later.

ALDERSHOT 2, CHESTER 2

MARK WRIGHT insists Chester will bounce back next season.

City are down barring a last-day miracle and boss Wright is already looking to the future.

The former England defender insisted: "If the chairman still wants me around I'll put a team together to compete for promotion.

"It's a sad day for the club, but with players on £45-a-week we just cannot compete."

Chester led inside a minute after Ricky Newman fouled Ryan Lowe. Lowe tapped in the rebound after Nikki Bull saved his penalty.

Aldershot hit back with goals by Kirk Hudson on 14 minutes and nine minutes after the break.

Lloyd Ellams scrambled a Chester equaliser - but it will not be enough to save them.

ACCRINGTON 1, CHESTERFIELD 0

LEE RICHARDSON was down after Chesterfield's seven-game winless run ended their play-off bid.

Rob Grant hit Stanley's 50th-minute winner while Spireites' 23-goal top-scorer Jack Lester was sent off for arguing 11 minutes from time.

Boss Richardson said: "We gave ourselves far too much to do in these last five or six games. We've come close again, but not close enough."

Accrington chief John Coleman said: "There wasn't much in it but what a great finish it was."

BRADFORD 3, ROTHERHAM 0

BRADFORD romped to their first win in 10 games - but it could be too late to save Stuart McCall.

Millers keeper Andy Warrington prevented a rout with four fantastic saves - but he was beaten by Peter Thorne twice and Steve Jones.

Bantams boss McCall will decide his future on Monday. He said: "We should have had more than we got - their keeper was outstanding."

Rotherham chief Mark Robins admitted: "We're looking forward to a nice break."

MACCLESFIELD 2, BARNET 1

TEENAGER Kristian Dennis came off the bench to seal Macc's first home win in two months.

The striker, 19, pounced eight minutes from time after Barnet's Albert Adamoah cancellled out Nat Brown's second-minute header.

Macc boss Keith Alexander said: "We've not given the fans too much to smile about so it's nice to finish off at home with a win.

Barnet boss Ian Hendon moaned: "Sloppy mistakes cost us the game."

SHREWSBURY 0, LINCOLN 0

PAUL SIMPSON urged his players to stand up and be counted to grab a play-off spot.

Eighth-placed Shrewsbury must win at rivals Dagenham next week and boss Simpson said: "Our players have to be brave enough to do it."

The home side wasted chances to kill off Lincoln as Grant Holt was twice denied by Rob Burch while Nick Chadwick headed just wide.

Lincoln keeper Burch added: "We defended well and stayed strong - which was good."

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