Round-up: Bury rise again as Morrell strikes

Six of League Two's top seven at start of play met each other yesterday and when the dust settled leaders Brentford kept their grip on pole position with a 1-1 draw with Gillingham, who slipped out of the top three, while Rochdale clung on to the third automatic promotion place. But Bury were the big winners of the day, beating Bournemouth 1-0, Andy Morrell on target, to go second.

At Griffin Park, Simeon Jackson's 59th-minute penalty earned the Gills their draw, David Hunt having put the Bees ahead four minutes before the break. Wycombe also dropped a place despite the point they earned from the 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury at Adams Park.

The Shrews had gone to Wycombe hoping the division's leading scorer, Grant Holt, would fire them but it was the Chairboys' Gary Holt who curled in an exquisite shot just before the half-hour. But with 15 minutes remaining, Ben Davies' header earned the Shrews a point. Meanwhile, Rochdale led Exeter City twice but had to settle for the 2-2 draw thanks to Marcus Stewart's brace for the Grecians.

At the bottom, Luton Town, whose 30-point penalty virtually condemned them to Conference football from the start, continued their valiant fight and won 2-1 at Morecambe, Chris Martin and Kevin Gallen scoring. Chester City or Grimsby Town look the likeliest to accompany the Hatters, if they drop out of the league.

Chester drew 0-0 with Bradford City and are three points behind the Mariners, who beat Aldershot 1-0 thanks to Barry Conlon's 82nd-minute penalty, his 12th goal of the season. Elsewhere in League Two, Jack Lester scored twice as Chesterfield defeated Port Vale 2-1.

In League One, third-placed Millwall stayed five points outside the automatic promotion places thanks to Jason Price's injury-time winner at Crewe Alexandra. It was the Lions' sixth consecutive away win.

Scunthorpe United got their business completed rather more briskly, Gary Hooper scoring twice in the first hour to set up a 3-0 win over visitors Colchester United to retain their play-off place. Two sides hoping to usurp them fared badly. Tranmere Rovers drew 0-0 at Brighton while Oldham Athletic led at Leyton Orient but Scott McGleish's penalty and a late strike by Jason Demetriou saw the Os win 2-1.