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MK Dons dropped vital points in their quest for automatic promotion from League One after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Crewe.

The hosts started strongly, Aaron Wilbraham putting them ahead on the quarter hour with a deflected effort for his 15th goal of season and Jason Puncheon doubling the lead four minutes later when keeper John Ruddy allowed the winger's shot to squirm beneath him.

But Crewe improved after the break and scored a swift double of their own with barely 10 minutes to go, Mark Carrington and then Gylfi Sigurdsson from the penalty spot on target to make it 2-2.

The result means that Roberto Di Matteo's side stay fourth, a point behind Millwall in third and six behind second-placed Peterborough, who have played a game more.

Joe Royle is still looking for his first win in his second stint as Oldham manager but saw his side steal a late point with a 1-1 draw at bottom club Cheltenham.

Substitute Danny Whitaker equalised for the Latics in injury time after on-loan midfielder Frankie Artus had marked his debut by opening the scoring with a neat left-foot finish after 31 minutes.

Swindon beat fellow strugglers Northampton 4-3 in a thriller at Sixfields to move above them in the table up to 15th, five points clear of the drop-zone.

The hosts took the lead in the third minute through Adebayo Akinfenwa, but Simon Cox (pictured right) equalised with a header from Anthony McNamee's cross in the 18th minute before notching a second on the half-hour.

Cox then turned provider five minutes before the break, flicking the ball on to Billy Paynter, who held his nerve to slot home the third.

Danny Jackman lobbed Phil Smith with 20 minutes to bring it back to 3-2, but Cox completed his hat-trick 10 minutes later, making it eight goals in five matches for the striker and 27 for the season.

Substitute Iketchi Anya set up a tense finale by making it 4-3 with three minutes to go, but the Robins held on for only their third away win of the season.

Hereford revived their hopes of survival, halting a sequence of five consecutive losses with a vital 2-1 victory at Carlisle to draw them to within eight points of safety.

The visitors also ended a four-game scoring drought when they took the lead after seven minutes, Steve Guinan striking smartly from 18 yards for his 12th goal of season.

Ben Smith then played a one-two with Guinan before tapping it home to make it 2-0 on 24 minutes.

Michael Bridges gave Carlisle hope by pulling one back on the stroke of half-time, but having spurned a host of chances, Greg Abbott's side only have themselves to blame as they hover three points above the relegation places with only one win in nine.

Sporting Life / Eurosport