Rotherham Suffer Shock Defeat, And The Rest Of The Day's Action

LEADERS Rotherham suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at struggling Torquay to leave Swansea, who won on Friday night, just three points behind with two games in hand. Brian Healy opened the scoring for the home side after 12 minutes, before Steve Thompson levelled things up just before half-time. Tom Stocco's 49th minute goal left the visitors pointless and under real threat at the top.

Third-placed Darlington must have thought they were set for victory at Leyton Orient when Marco Gabbiadini scored a minute after half-time, but Barry Hearn's side battled back to grab an unexpected 2-1 victory through goals by Matthew Lockwood (64) and Steve Watts (90).

Peterborough, in fourth at the beginning of the day, couldn't take advantage, though, as local rivals Lincoln grabbed a 2-2 draw with Lee Thorpe scoring in the 90th minute. Earlier the home side had gone two-up after 15 minutes via goals by David Farrell and Andy Clarke, before Paul Miller gave the visitors hope.

It was a similar story at Hull where Gary Jones' last minute goal secured a 2-2 draw for Rochdale. In the first half Jones had cancelled out Jamie Wood's opener, before Wood looked to have earned the home side all three points with a strike with less than ten minutes to go - but Jones had the last say.

Brighton also scored in the last minute, but Gary Hart's effort was the winner as the south-coast side beat Southend 1-0. Sixth met seventh at Underhill, and rather unsurprisingly Barnet and Hartlepool could not be separated with the score ending 1-1. But it is the Bees who will be the most relieved as Ken Charley salvaged a point with an injury-time strike after James Coppinger had put the visitors ahead with barely quarter of an hour remaining.

Elsewhere, Macclesfield's hopes of securing a play-off place suffered a blow at Mansfield where they lost 1-0. Chris Greenacre scored the only goal of the game just before the hour. Cheltenham also enjoyed home success as they thrashed Halifax 3-0. Neil Grayson (45), Russell Milton (59), and Chris Freestone (79) were the men on the scoresheet.

At the bottom, a 1-1 draw between York and bottom-placed Carlisle did neither side any favours, with Barry Conlon scoring a late equaliser after Stephen Halliday had put the visitors, chasing only their sixth league win of the season, ahead with an hour gone. It was a similar story at the Deva Stadium where the only sides ahead of Carlisle in the league, Chester and Shrewsbury, drew 0-0.

And in the day's other game Exeter and Plymouth drew 1-1, with Frankie Bennett putting the home side ahead before Craig Taylor completed the scoring on the hour.