Leaders Swansea were held to a 2-2 draw by Bristol Rovers at the Liberty Stadium.
Rickie Lambert had put Rovers ahead in the 14th minute with a 18-yard strike and Craig Disley doubled the advantage in the 36th minute.
But Roberto Martinez's side refused to throw in the towel and striker Jason Scotland pulled a goal back in the 50th minute.
The Trinidad and Tobago international grabbed his second of the game in the 84th minute and almost won the game in the second minute of injury time but saw his shot saved by Steve Phillips.
Goals from Danny Livesey and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson gave Carlisle a 2-0 win over Northampton which helped consolidate their position in the second automatic promotion place.
Livesey put the Cumbrians ahead five minutes after the break at Brunton Park when he headed Simon Hackney's corner past goalkeeper Mark Bunn from close range.
Bridge-Wilkinson then made the points safe six minutes from time when he latched on to Danny Graham's pass and finished well from just inside the penalty area.
Third-placed Doncaster's 1-1 draw with Oldham meant that Carlisle now have a five-point cushion on their promotion rivals.
Doncaster had been 1-0 up after Paul Heffernan scored in the 37th minute with a clever finish from just inside the penalty area.
But Oldham equalised seven minutes after half-time when Jason Jarrett found space on the edge of the area and directed his shot into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Nottingham Forest's chances of promotion are now likely to be through the play-offs after they were held to a 0-0 draw at the City Ground by Brighton.
The result left Forest 11 points behind Carlisle while Brighton move into the play-off zone at the expense of Tranmere who suffered a 2-1 defeat to relegation candidates Bournemouth.
The Wirral side got off to the worse possible start when defender Ian Goodison put through his own net after just 38 seconds of the match.
Cherries striker Jo Kuffour doubled his side's advantage with a neat close-range finish. Antony Kay pulled one back for Ronnie Moore's side three minutes from time but it was too little too late for Rovers.
Simon Francis' superb long-range strike in the 18th minute gave Southend a 1-0 win over Swindon to keep his side in the play-off places.
At the bottom end of the table Gillingham's hopes of survival were dealt a massive blow after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Port Vale.
Marc Richards scrambled home Vale's opening goal from a corner in the 19th minute before the Gills were handed an opportunity to equalise after George Pilkington fouled Simeon Jackson inside the penalty area.
Jackson took the resulting spot-kick but goalkeeper Joe Anyon guessed correctly and saved. Vale midfielder Danny Whitaker rubbed salt in the wound when he smashed home his side's second from 25 yards in the 53rd minute.
The visitors pulled one back through Leroy Griffiths in the 78th minute but were unable to find an equaliser.
Paul Connor (47) gave Cheltenham a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient which moved them eight points clear of the drop zone.
Ian Roper scored in the last minute of injury time to give Walsall a point against Crewe who had broken the deadlock in the 61st minute with a 20-yard strike from Nicky Maynard.
Millwall moved a point closer to safety after a 0-0 draw with struggling Luton at the Den while goals from James Brown (28) and Joel Porter (67) gave Hartlepool a 2-0 home win over Yeovil.
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