Leyton Orient missed the chance to move top of the League One table after Peterborough United struck twice in the dying minutes to consign Russell Slade's to a 2-1 defeat at Brisbane Road.

David Mooney - starting his match in two months due to a foot injury - had looked set to mark his return to first-team action in heroic style by firing a 70th-minute winner and help Orient leapfrog Brentford at the summit.

However, Britt Assombalonga nodded home the equaliser on 88 minutes, before Tommy Rowe smashed home the winner from the edge of the area shortly after to heap misery on the Londoners and propel Posh back into the playoff places in the process.

Slade's charges remain third in the standings behind the Bees and Wolverhampton Wanderers, neither of whom played after their fixtures with Crawley Town and Stevenage were postponed.

Preston North End continued their ascent up the table after a 2-1 win away to Tranmere Rovers saw Simon Grayson's troops move within five points of Orient in the standings.

Joe Garner struck twice in either half after Ash Taylor had initially levelled to give the Lilywhites victory and boost their morale ahead of a push to break into the automatic promotion places.

Walsall dropped out of the top six after the 10-man Saddlers slumped to a 3-0 defeat to MK Dons at the Bescot Stadium.

Izale McLeod fired the Dons ahead on the half-hour mark, before Andrew Butler's red card for a foul in the area allowed Ben Reeves the opportunity to double the advantage shortly before the interval.

McLeod struck once more on 70 minutes to seal the victory for Karl Robinson's men keep alive their slim hopes of earning a playoff spot.

Elsewhere, Bradford City recovered from a two-goal deficit to earn a point in the 3-3 draw with Crewe Alexandra in the afternoon's most entertaining clash.

Uche Ikpeazu had fired the visitors into a two-goal lead with strikes in either half, before a quick-fire double from James Hanson and Gary Jones helped restore parity for the Bantams on the hour mark.

The pendulum swung the way of the Alex once more when Mathias Pogba re-established his team's lead, only for Jones to strike again in the final six minutes to earn a point for Phil Parkinson's charges.

At the other end of the division, Sheffield United climbed out of the relegation zone with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town at Brammal Lane.

First-half goals from Ryan Flynn and Steven Scougall proved sufficient for Nigel Clough's men to leapfrog Bristol City in the standings, who were held to a 1-1 draw away to Oldham Athletic.

Danny Philliskirk opened the scoring after just five minutes of play at Boundary Park, but the advantage was negated shortly after by Aden Flint who earned a point for the Robins in their relegation battle.

Results in full: Bradford City 3-3 Crewe Alexandra, Carlisle United 1-2 Gillingham, Leyton Orient 1-2 Peterborough United, Notts County 3-0 Coventry City, Oldham Athletic 1-1 Bristol City, Port Vale 2-3 Swindon Town, Sheffield United 2-0 Shrewsbury Town, Tranmere Rovers 1-2 Preston North End, Walsall 0-3 MK Dons