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Bournemouth cemented their place at the top of League Two and Dagenham produced a dramatic fightback to secure a 2-2 draw at Macclesfield.

Bournemouth survived an early second-half scare to secure a 3-1 home victory over Grimsby.

Goals from Alan Connell, an own goal from Paul Linwood and a spectacular late bicycle kick by Brett Pitman saw Eddie Howe's side grab another deserved win.

After a scrappy opening 20 minutes when neither side could find any fluency, the game sprung to life thanks to a moment of magic just before the half-hour mark.

Connell, chasing a first league goal since April 2008, cut into the Grimsby area before curling an fine shot into the top right-hand corner.

A second followed for Bournemouth just seven minutes later, Pitman racing to the by-line before pulling back a cross which was turned into his own net by Linwood.

Grimsby, poor in the first period, surprisingly got back into the game after the interval, with Linwood converting into the same net which he had earlier scored with a looping header.

The goal brought a spell of concerted Grimsby pressure, but the last word went to the impressive Pitman as he notched an unforgettable strike.

At Moss Rose, Dagenham were down to 10 men and trailing by two goals but got back into the game in the 78th minute when Wesley Thomas played a neat one-two with Paul Benson before slotting home from 10 yards.

And in the second minute of injury time, Ross Draper put his hands up to block John Nurse's shot and skipper Mark Arber thumped home the resulting penalty.

Dagenham right-back Abu Ogogo (pictured) was earlier sent off for a thigh-high challenge on Hamza Bencherif, who had to limp out of the game five minutes later.

Macc made their advantage tell in the 28th minute when Stuart Thurgood was adjudged to have pulled back Matthew Tipton, allowing the striker to notch his fourth of the season from the spot.

The home side then took control with Ricky Sappleton twice hitting the post and Emile Sinclair and Colin Daniel also finding the woodwork. They seemed to have sealed the game on 65 minutes when Tipton sent though Sappleton for his fourth goal of the season but it was not to be, and to add to their woes Tipton was sent off late on.

Rochdale stay third after losing 2-1 at home to Accrington Stanley, while Notts County and Rotherham are level on points just behind them after County defeated Crewe 2-0 and Rotherham lost 2-1 at Bury.

Ismail Yakubu's second-half header set Barnet on course for a 3-0 win against struggling Darlington while Bradford rallied to end their two-match losing run with a 1-0 win over Hereford at Valley Parade - despite going down to 10 men.

Chesterfield got back to winning ways with a thrilling 5-2 victory over Burton Albion while Shrewsbury did likewise to leapfrog 10-man Aldershot with a 3-1 success at New Meadow.

Northampton were 4-2 winners at Morecambe while the matches between Lincoln and Torquay and Port Vale and Cheltenham were drawn.

PA Sport