Leyton Orient played for 70 minutes with 10 men, but saw off Peterborough to keep their hopes of automatic promotion alive. Matt Lockwood gave the 4/5 O's the lead from the penalty spot after 15 minutes before Paul Connor saw red on 21. Orient went further ahead after 70 minutes through Wayne Corden before Lloyd Opara pulled one back for Posh five minutes before the end.
Grimsby's hopes of automatic promotion were dented as they could only manage a 12/5 draw at Macclesfield. Gary Jones gave the Mariners the lead after 40 minutes but Marcus Richardson equalised three minutes later for the Silkmen.
Rushden & Diamonds became the first team in League Two to have their relegation confirmed as they lost 2-0 at Boston. Lawrie Dudfield broke the deadlock with a minute to go and Danny Thomas secured victory for the 6/5 Pilgrims a minute later.
Torquay boosted their chances of escaping the drop with an unlikely victory at Carlisle, denying the Cumbrians the chance to clinch the League Two title. Kevin Hill gave Ian Atkins' side an eighth minute lead and Jo Kuffour doubled the 5/1 Seagulls' lead on 41. Zigor Aranalde pulled one back for Carlisle three minutes after the break but Torquay held out to win.
Oxford slipped into the bottom two following a draw at Wrexham. Matt Crowell gave the Dragons the lead after 28 minutes but Tcham N'Toya equalised from the penalty spot on 64 to set up a 5/2 draw.
Cheltenham guaranteed themselves a place in the play-offs following a 2-0 victory over Notts County. Steve Guinan gave the 8/15 Robins the lead after three minutes and Ashley Vincent rounded off the win with a second on 82.
Lincoln edged closer to a fourth successive play-off spot with 1-0 victory at Shrewsbury. Defender Gareth McAuley scored the decisive goal for the 9/5 Imps after 62 minutes.
Darlington kept their outside chance of a play-off spot alive by beating faltering Wycombe. David Duke got the winner for the 23/10 Quakers five minutes into the second half.
Rochdale preserved their League Two status and ended Bristol Rovers' hopes for a play-off berth in the process. Rickie Lambert scored from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time and Ernie Cooksey sealed a 7/4 home win in stoppage time.
Bury's third goalless draw in four matches edged them ever closer to survival with opponents Mansfield doing well to earn a point. Draw hunters will have picked up on the 11/5 available on the match ending all square.
A goalless draw at Underhill keeps both Barnet and Stockport in danger of relegation with 23/10 available before kick-off.
2005/06 Cup Progress FA Cup First Round vs Brentford (h) - lost 1-0. Carling Cup First Round vs Bradford City (h) - lost 5-0. Football League Trophy Northern Section Secon Round vs Tranmere Rovers (a) - lost 3-2.
Top Goal Scorer 2005/06: Rickie Lambert (striker) - 22 goals.
Players In Adam Rundle (Mansfield Town - Free).
Players Out Paul Tait (Boston United - Free), Tony Gallimore (Northwich Victoria - Free), Gareth Griffiths (Northwich Victoria - Free), Neil Brisco (Released), Blair Sturrock (Released), Scott Warner (Released), Ben Kitchen (Released), Lee Cartwright (Released).
Rochdale have been an inconsistent side over the last few seasons in League Two. One season they look as though they could make an impact in the play offs and the next they are languishing in mid table. Last season was the latter even with Rickie Lambert's 22 goal haul.
The former Blackpool, Macclesfield Town and Stockport County striker gave manager Steve Parkin some good news by stating he was ready to commit his long term future to the Spotland club.
Manager Steve Parkin claimed that the club's player budget "is like feeding a family of five for a week on a tenner" and admitting defeat in his attempts to sign his pre season transfer targets. He has been able to sign Mansfield Town winger Adam Rundle but has been forced to rely on trialists to make up the numbers.
Rochdale are often stereotyped as potential strugglers in the basement division but this season the pessimists have a real case to argue. Much of the last four seasons have been spent in the lower reaches of the table while a win in their 44th match last season escalated Dale to a fourteenth placed finish14th last season. This result went some way to masking a shocking run of just four wins in 27 matches stretching back to November 2005.
Parkin has shipped out several older members of the squad including defensive duo Tony Gallimore and Gareth Griffiths - combined age of 70 - to Conference outfit Northwich Victoria and released 34 year old midfielder Lee Cartwright.
Verdict Rickie Lambert's decision to remain at the club is positive news for Rochdale but a lack of real transfer activity and a dire run of form indicates they could be in genuine danger of falling into one of the two available relegation spots. Speculative punters may want to get on to the 8/1 available.
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