Latics pick off the Cherries

 Mark Allott's ninth goal of the season secured a 1-0 victory for Latics over Bournemouth at Boundary Park. A spirited start from The Latics saw Scott McNiven's shot deflected wide, and Mark Allott looking particularly threatening. On 27 minutes, top-scorer Allott's hard work paid off with the conversion of his ninth goal of the season. Paul Vickers fed Andrew Holt down the left flank, and Holt's fine ball into the middle found Allott to poke the ball beyond Mark Ovendale in The Cherries' goal. The Cherries battled back but could muster produce efforts from long range, with James Hayter and Scott Mean failing to trouble Gary Kelly in the home net. However Mark Stein was denied an opening on 36 minutes only by a last-ditch challenge. On 42 minutes, Andy Ritchie's men went closest to adding to the advantage, with John Sheridan's free-kick flicked on by Holt, however Shaun Garnett failed to capitalise from close in. Into the second-half, chances became fewer and farther between, with Latics boasting only Lee Duxbury's header wide from McNiven's cross, and a late Allott effort which came to nothing. The result sees Latics remain 15th in the table, and in good heart for Friday's short trip to unbeaten Wigan.

But a brace from Simon Haworth after 70 and 88 minutes took the Latics' winning sequence to 24 games and ended United's run of seven home games without defeat.

Preston stayed hot on Wigan's heels with a 4-0 win at Cardiff - to take their tally to 14 goals without reply in their last four meetings.

Graham Alexander opened the scoring on five minutes and wrapped it up with a penalty on the 83rd minute.

In between Robert Edwards (46) and Kurt Nogan (63) made it a bright start to the new Millennium for David Moyes' men.

Jason Roberts' 16th goal of the season gave Bristol Rovers a 1-0 win over Cambridge, who have not won away since last April.

Roberts' 71st minute strike gave the Pirates a fourth win out of five and keeps them in third place.

Notts County jumped into sixth spot with a 2-0 triumph over promotion rivals Burnley, who have won only once in 13 attempts at Meadow Lane.

Goals from Brett Angell in the 14th and 62nd minutes left Burnley with just two points from their last five games on the road.

Gillingham must have fancied their chances of an eighth straight home win when they led Reading through Nicky Southall's 20th-minute goal at the Priestfield Stadium.

But in a gripping last three minutes Mark Nicholls registered Reading's first goal in 385 minutes football, Andy Thomson restored the Gills' lead before Reading salvaged a point as Martin Williams made it 2-2 in injury time.

Stoke maintained their impressive away form with their seventh win on the road in the last 10 games, thanks to Peter Thorne's 70th minute effort which gave them a 1-0 success over Brentford at Griffin Park.

Chesterfield's miserable season continued with a 3-0 defeat at Wycombe.

Sean Devine netted the first two in the 40th and 59th minutes and Danny Bulman finished the visitors off with a last-minute effort.

Shaun Taylor's 70th minute goal gave Bristol City victory at Wrexham and left the Welshman still looking for their first league victory in 16 games since August.

Bournemouth had an unhappy away day at Oldham with only one win when they went down 1-0, sunk by Mark Allott's 27th minute goal, his ninth of the season.

Luton whacked Scunthorpe 4-1 in their first meeting for 35 years, the out of form Iron in melt down after three goals in four first half minutes.

Stuart Douglas, in the 35th minute, Phil Gray on 36 minutes and Matthew Spring three minutes later virtually ended the contest and even when Lee Hodges pulled one back after 78 minutes, Spring popped up with his second within a minute, to leave Scunthorpe with just one win in their last nine games.

There was some relief for both sides in the 1-1 draw between Blackpool and Colchester.

Blackpool ended a five-match losing streak and Colchester, without an away win since the opening day of the season, took a rare point.

Blackpool's Junior Bent opened the scoring on 21 minutes before Karl Duguid levelled seven minutes into the second half.