CHAMPIONS-ELECT Sheffield United moved another step closer to a return to the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win over Charlton.

Goals from Jack O'Connell and Daniel Lafferty saw the Blades come from behind - after Ricky Holmes' opener - to stretch their unbeaten run to nine games and extend their lead over third-placed Fleetwood to 10 points.

Bolton climbed into the top two as Filipe Morais' late goal secured a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Northampton.

Michael Smith's eighth goal of the season after 57 minutes threatened to give the Cobblers a fourth-successive victory before Adam Le Fondre converted from the penalty sport after Matt Taylor was adjudged to have handled David Wheater's header.

High-flying Fleetwood had to settle for a 0-0 draw with AFC Wimbledon as Uwe Rosler's Town side failed to score for only the third time this term.

Defender Curtis Nelson drove in a stoppage-time winner as Oxford came from behind to beat promotion-chasing Scunthorpe 2-1 at the Kassam Stadium.

Paddy Madden gave the Iron a 12th-minute lead but captain John Lundstram levelled matters before Nelson clinched the winner.

Striker Charlie Wyke scored two goals in the last five minutes as play-off contenders Bradford claimed a 2-1 comeback win over relegation-threatened Swindon, who went ahead through Nicky Ajose.

First-half goals from Ollie Clarke and Rory Gaffney were enough to earn Bristol Rovers a 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Chesterfield, who pulled a back a late goal through Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

Southend staged a stunning second-half fight-back to see off Walsall 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at Roots Hall.

The Shrimpers seemed to heading for defeat when their former midfielder Franck Moussa fired the Saddlers into a 2-0 lead, but goals from Nile Ranger, Anton Ferdinand and Simon Cox saw them collect maximum points to move into the play-off places.

Oldham were denied a valuable victory in their survival battle as they played out a 1-1 draw at Peterborough, where Lee Erwin's opener was cancelled out by Junior Morias' header to leave the visitors three points above the drop-zone.

Man of the match Nathaniel Mendez-Laing inspired Rochdale to end their 10-game winless run by beating 10-man Gillingham 4-1 at Spotland.

Mendez-Laing fired the hosts ahead before Josh Parker equalised but Ian Henderson and Callum Camps made it 3-1. The Gills lost Zesh Rehman to his second yellow card for a challenge on Mendez-Laing, while Peter Vincenti completed the scoring late on.

MK Dons ended a four-game winless run with a vital 1-0 win over Coventry thanks to Stuart O'Keefe's winner as Robbie Neilson's side opened up a six-point gap above the relegation places.

The clash between Millwall and Bury finished goalless, while relegation-threatened Port Vale claimed a much-needed 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Shrewsbury on Friday night.