Wolves stretched their lead at the top of Nationwide League Division One to eight points with a regulation 2-0 win over mid-table Gillingham at Molineux today. Alex Rae put Dave Jones' men in front in the 26th minute, and Nathan Blake completed the scoring just before half-time.
West Brom moved to within two points of Manchester City - albeit having, like Wolves, played three matches more - when Daniele Dichio's 52nd-minute effort secured a 1-0 win away to Wimbledon. Millwall had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Barnsley at Oakwell where both teams finished with 10 men after the hosts' Isiah Rankin and the Lions' Matthew Lawrence were both sent off for violent conduct in the 90th minute.
Earlier a Christophe Kinet goal from open play in the 37th minute had put the visitors in front only for Chris Lumsdon to equalise from the penalty spot. Norwich also held their fellow promotion hopefuls Burnley to a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor. But they had to come from behind - via a Marc Libbra goal 10 minutes into the second half - after Gareth Taylor's goal had put the Clarets in front after only six minutes.
Trevor Francis' play-off contenders Crystal Palace caught a cold at Grimsby and finished up 5-2 losers. Goals on the stroke of half-time from Michael Boulding and Bradley Allen got the Mariners under way. Andrew Todd put them three up six minutes after the break, before a Curtis Fleming own goal in the 58th and a David Smith effort two minutes from time completed the quintet. Palace replied via Julian Gray just after the hour and Clinton Morrison 10 minutes from time - but that was nowhere near enough.
Preston joined the cluster just below the play-off zone thanks to a Darren Purse own goal at Deepdale which gave David Moyes' side a 1-0 win over Birmingham. Peter Crouch came up with a 66th-minute equaliser to earn his wages from troubled Portsmouth, who took a point in a 1-1 draw with Walsall at Fratton Park where Martin O'Connor had put the Saddlers in front just before the hour mark.
Watford suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to struggling Crewe, for whom Dean Ashton's 73rd-minute goal was decisive. Goals from Jack Lester (49) and Marlon Harewood (58) gave Nottingham Forest the points in a 2-1 win at Rotherham, for whom Mark Robins got the goal back from the penalty spot in the 67th minute.
Bradford's disappointing season continued in a 2-0 defeat at home to struggling Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls' goals were scored by David Johnson (27) and Shefki Kuqi (57).
Bottom-of-the-pile Stockport lost again, this time 3-0 to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane where they had the misfortune to concede an own goal via Colin Woodthorpe in the 51st minute and then to have Luke Beckett sent off for a second yellow card three minutes later. There was no way back from there, and Paul Peschisolido (55) and Peter Ndlovu (61) administered the extra misery.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
