Lincoln held by Notts County while Mansfield see off Macclesfield
Saturday 2 February 2019 18:19, UK
Lincoln striker John Akinde missed a late penalty as the Sky Bet League Two table-toppers drew 1-1 with basement boys Notts County at Meadow Lane.
Akinde sent his spot-kick wide in the 86th minute after Bruno Andrade, who had equalised in first-half stoppage time, was fouled in the box by Sam Stubbs.
Andrade's earlier effort, a fine strike past Ryan Schofield from 25 yards out, cancelled out Jon Stead's second-minute penalty.
While County - put up for sale last weekend by owner Alan Hardy - are now seven points adrift of safety at the bottom, Lincoln's lead over second-placed Mansfield has reduced to two points, with the Imps having a game in hand.
Mansfield beat second-bottom Macclesfield 3-1 at home. Jorge Grant put the hosts ahead in the eighth minute, and after Callum Evans' reply in the 42nd, Krystian Pearce and Tyler Walker got on the scoresheet in the second half.
Sol Campbell's Macclesfield are five points better off than Notts County and two behind 22nd-placed Morecambe, having played a game more than both of those sides.
Bury are four points behind Mansfield in third following their 1-1 draw with Crawley at Gigg Lane. An acrobatic finish from Nicky Maynard with seven minutes of normal time remaining looked set to hand the Shakers all three points before Ollie Palmer brought things level four minutes later.
MK Dons boss Paul Tisdale endured a disappointing return to his previous club Exeter as the Grecians ran out 3-1 winners, with Nicky Law scoring twice. It brought seventh-placed Exeter level on points with their sixth-spotted opponents.
Eighth-placed Colchester scored three times after the break and had a penalty saved as they thrashed Northampton 4-0 at the PTS Academy Stadium.
Stevenage, who are ninth, beat Yeovil 1-0 at home, with substitute Alex Revell netting in the 72nd minute, and Grimsby defeated Newport 3-0 at Blundell Park.
Inclement weather left Saturday's schedule of matches reduced, with five games having been postponed.
