EXETER were just seconds away from a victory that would have shot them back into the top two.

Stuart Fleetwood fired his third goal in two games and Paul Jones saved a penalty as Grecians looked like grabbing the points at Brentford.

But Billy Clarke's goal in the final minute of the 90 meant Paul Tisdale's side finished the day in fourth spot, still four points adrift of Brentford and two behind second-placed Wycombe.

Tisdale admitted: "I'm disappointed we didn't win. But a point against the leaders is a good result and there is plenty of football still to come."

On-loan Charlton striker Fleetwood also hit both goals in last weekend's 2-1 win over Dagenham.

And Tisdale added: "Stuart produced a very good finish, and showed why we signed him. He is a hard worker."

Frustrate

City survived an early battering with keeper Jones making two fine saves from Damian Spencer and David Hunt.

But Fleetwood fired City ahead on 38 minutes in virtually their first attack. Sub Ryan Harley set up the former Forest Green goal-machine and he cleverly drew keeper Ben Hamer before slotting home.

Matt Gill conceded a harsh-looking penalty four minutes after the restart when Clarke's shot struck his hand.

Keeper Jones capped his outstanding display by saving the on-loan Ipswich striker's penalty. City's confidence grew, and they played some stylish football to frustrate the leaders.

But with 90 minutes almost up, one last Brentford raid saw Clarke make up for his penalty miss by turning in Hunt's cross from close range.

ROCHDALE 1, PORT VALE 0

ROOKIE midfielder Will Buckley was Rochdale's hero as they moved back within two points of the automatic promotion spots.

The 19-year-old hit his 10th goal of the season nine minutes before half-time after Keith Hill's side had survived a shaky first half-hour at Spotland.

Boss Hill said: "Will is still a baby in his debut season so he has got a lot of learning still to do. But he'll be a really good player."

Dale - who missed out on promotion in the play-offs last term - are back within reach of both Wycombe and Bury with four games left to play, starting at Shrewsbury tomorrow.

Hill added: "It's important now that we get something from that game on Monday so we keep chasing those top three places because we don't want to have to go through what we did last season."

Vale's John McCombe hit the bar with a header early on.

Dale took charge after that and might have won by more but keeper Chris Martin twice denied Chris Dagnall late on.

Vale boss Dean Glover said: "Rochdale are flying at the moment and we've held our own. But we switched off for a minute and they cashed in with the goal."

WYCOMBE 1, GILLINGHAM 0

JOHN AKINDE fired his fifth goal in six games to hoist Wycombe back within two points of leaders Brentford.

But Peter Taylor's side owed their vital victory to a string of astonishing misses by Gillingham's 18-goal marksman Simeon Jackson -- including a 53rd-minute penalty which he skied over the bar.

Jackson's first blunder came just seconds before Akinde clinically finished Lee Sawyer's 41st-minute through-ball. Wycombe's Chris Zebroski hit a post before Jackson wasted three glorious opportunities - and then that spot-kick.

Referee Lee Mason waved away claims for a trip by Craig Woodman on Jackson, but finally pointed to the spot after taking advice from his linesman.

Boss Taylor declared: "It was never a penalty - but once the assistant got involved the referee had to back him."

Jackson blazed over - and the striker's dismal day was completed when he was booked for diving five minutes later.

Gillingham are still in a play-off spot but face a tough run-in with games against Chesterfield, Bury and Rochdale to come.

But Taylor added: "We'll be in a great position if we get something out of our trip to Exeter on Monday."

CHESTER 0, MACCLESFIELD 2

CHESTER stayed marooned in the bottom two after Macclesfield struck twice in the first half.

John Rooney drilled in a 20-yard stunner that big brother Wayne would have been proud of. And Gareth Evans crashed in a second off the bar.

Chester are a point behind Grimsby and four adrift of Bournemouth - who they face next weekend.

And boss Mark Wright was counting his blessings that other results had not twisted the knife on his side.

He said: "Grimsby and Bournemouth both losing means we have not lost touch.

"But we should have gone out and shown more energy than we did in the first half, and then possibly it would have been a different story.

"We weren't at the races in the first period, we were flat, and we didn't really start until the second half. Certainly in the second period we came at them a little more, but the damage had been done in the first half."

Rooney fired his opener after just eight minutes and Evans ended the game as a contest with less than half-hour gone.

Silkmen boss Keith Alexander said: "Rooney took his goal very well and he certainly has potential, but first he's got to establish himself in our team."

BARNET 1, BOURNEMOUTH 0

GOLDEN OLDIE striker Paul Furlong scored his 200th career goal to nick victory for Barnet.

The former Chelsea hitman, 40, nodded in Kenny Gillet's deep cross five minutes after the interval to make it three wins in a row for Ian Hendon's side.

It was his fifth goal in four games - but how the teams went into the break level was a mystery as Bournemouth bossed the opening 45 minutes.

Lee Bradbury headed against the bar before Brett Pitman forced a stunning save from Bees keeper Jake Cole.

And, from the resulting corner, Jason Pearce saw his far-post header nodded off the line by Neal Bishop.

Barnet were much better after the break but Bournemouth knew it wasn't their day when Jeff Goulding's effort looped over Cole only for Joe Devera to clear off the line.

CHESTERFIELD 0, DARLINGTON 0

CHESTERFIELD'S play-off drive ran into a Darlington road-block - but Lee Richardson's side still moved into the top seven for the first time this season.

The home side dominated, even though they lost centre- back Aaron Downes - who lasted just 25 minutes of his 150th league start before going off with a knee injury.

Darlo also lost Adam Griffin to injury in the 35th minute. But his replacement Josh Gray also pulled up with a hamstring problem six minutes later.

Franz Burgmeier went on - and almost scored with his first touch when his 25-yarder was tipped over by Tommy Lee.

Keeper Lee made another diving save to deny Pawel Abbott in the 50th minute.

And Chesterfield nearly nicked it on 81 minutes when Scott Boden's header crashed against a post.

DAG & RED 3, ALDERSHOT 1

DAGENHAM bounced back from an early sucker-punch to fire three past shaky Aldershot.

Danny Hylton fired a 30-yard stunner to grab the visitors a shock seventh-minute lead. But Paul Benson nodded his 18th goal of the season after Matt Ritchie's shot hit a post six minutes before the break.

Sam Saunders made it 2-1 with a 62nd-minute penalty after Scott Davies handballed. And Ritchie netted Daggers' third four minutes later.

LINCOLN 0, LUTON 0

MICK HARFORD'S Wembley heroes were robbed of all three points by the woodwork.

Keith Pilkington crashed a header against the bar three minutes after the restart for the Johnstone's Paint Trophy winners.

And rock-bottom Hatters were denied again when Lincoln keeper Rob Burch kept out Tom Craddock's injury-time shot after he was sent racing clear.

Lincoln's best effort came just before the break when Lee Beevers' header was cleared off the line.

ROTHERHAM 2, NOTTS CO 1

REUBEN REID was among the goals again for Rotherham in a scrappy end-of-season affair.

The in-form striker fired his 19th of the season to put his side two-up with 20 minutes left.

Mark Hudson had grabbed the Millers' opener a minute before half-time after latching on to a Micky Cummins pass.

County hit the bar through Myles Weston but had to wait until the 75th minute before Jonathan Forte gave them a lifeline.

GRIMSBY 0, ACC STANLEY 1

MICHAEL SYMES scored his first Accrington goal to end Stanley's dire week on a high.

The on-loan Shrewsbury striker grabbed the winner 19 minutes from time as John Coleman's side shrugged off the betting scandal that has left a cloud hanging over the Crown Ground.

Stanley keeper Kenny Arthur denied Nick Hegarty and Barry Conlon after the break before Symes headed in Chris Turner's cross to leave Grimsby still just a point above the drop zone.

This article has 0 comments