Division Two automatic promotion hopefuls Reading and Brighton were both held at home as the promotion race took another twist.

Alan Pardew's leaders twice led through Jon Mackie (8) and Phil Parkinson (45) but were pegged back by Lee Duxbury (31) and Allan Smart (75).

The Royals remain two points clear at the top after Peter Taylor's Seagulls threw away a two-goal lead against struggling Notts County.

The home side looked firmly on course for victory after Bobby Zamora's fifth-minute strike and Danny Webb's header just after the break.

But after Zamora was forced to leave the field with a possible broken collar bone, Danny Allsopp (70) and Marcel Cas (85) grabbed an unlikely point for the Magpies who moved out of the bottom four.

In the chasing pack, Stoke and Huddersfield took advantage with home wins. The Potters remain fourth after a 1-0 victory over Chesterfield Arnar Gunnlaugsson's 25-yard rocket in the 22nd minute the only goal of the game while Lou Macari's Terriers keep up the pressure in fifth with a Leon Knight brace (27 and 32) in the 2-0 triumph over Northampton.

With Cardiff not in action Bristol City moved back into the top six with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth, their first win in six games.

Mickey Evans (33 pen), Lee Peacock (43) and Tony Thorpe (90) scored for the Robins and Kieran McAnespie's strike (90) proved scant consolation for the Cherries.

Tranmere kept their faint hopes of a play-off spot alive with a 2-1 win at Wigan.

Andy Liddell gave the home side the lead in the 20th minute but things soon turned sour for Paul Jewell's men with Sean Thornton levelling four minutes later then Lee McCulloch seeing red for a two-footed lunge.

Stuart Barlow grabbed the winner against his old club five minutes from time.

QPR edged out Peterborough 1-0 at Loftus Road with Andy Thomson's 34rd-minute penalty proving the only goal of the game, while Wycombe played out a goalless draw with Colchester.

Crisis club Bury remain in the bottom four after being held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Port Vale at Gigg Lane.

Jon Newby looked to have given the Shakers the points 20 minutes from time eight minutes after Steve Rowland had seen red for the Valiants but Marc Bridge-Wilkinson grabbed the equaliser (79).