9th January 2000
9th January 2000 Jason Roberts took his season's tally to 18 with goals in the 12th and 46th minutes and although Steve McGavin pulled one back, third-placed Rovers went further in front through a Jamie Cureton penalty in the 59th minute.
Colchester scored three times in four minutes through McGavin's second and two from Karl Duguid to move 4-3 up.
Cureton then missed another penalty for Rovers and although Nathan Ellington did make it 4-4, Lua-Lua stole the points just before the end.
Elsewhere fourth-placed Millwall missed a chance to move closer to the leaders as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Wycombe.
Sean Devine gave Wanderers the lead in the 13th minute with his 18th goal of the season.
And although the Lions were glad of a Neil Harris leveller just before the break, they could not take advantage when Wycombe's Jason Cousins was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Mark Stein's 10th goal of the campaign put Bournemouth in front two minutes into the second half at home to Notts County but Gary Owers salvaged a 1-1 draw in the 70th minute.
Chesterfield ended a run of 23 games without a win when David Reeves' last-gasp effort gave them a 1-0 home victory over fading Brentford and lifted them off the foot of the table.
Kyle Lightbourne produced the 87th-minute winner for Stoke in a 2-1 win over Luton, who had Matthew Taylor sent off.
Paul Connor gave City the lead after 24 minutes before Matthew Spring equalised from the penalty spot after an hour.
Reading came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Blackpool, who had new manager Steve McMahon in charge for the first time.
Robert Matthews put the Seasiders in front but then had Barry Shuttleworth sent off for violent conduct and Dean Caskey's 66th-minute effort earned a share of the points.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD | |
| Wigan | 25 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 47 | 21 | 54 | 26 |
| Preston | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 42 | 19 | 52 | 23 |
| Bristol Rovers | 25 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 36 | 20 | 50 | 16 |
| Millwall | 26 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 41 | 28 | 47 | 13 |
| Stoke | 25 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 22 | 44 | 14 |
| Burnley | 24 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 33 | 21 | 43 | 12 |
| Notts County | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 38 | 27 | 43 | 11 |
| Gillingham | 23 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 42 | 28 | 42 | 14 |
| Brentford | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 36 | 34 | 37 | 2 |
| Bournemouth | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 36 | 37 | 35 | -1 |
| Wycombe | 25 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 0 |
| Luton | 25 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 31 | 34 | 33 | -3 |
| Bury | 23 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 37 | 31 | 31 | 6 |
| Oldham | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 26 | 29 | 31 | -3 |
| Bristol City | 25 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 28 | 29 | 30 | -1 |
| Colchester | 25 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 32 | 51 | 25 | -19 |
| Cardiff | 25 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 24 | 34 | 24 | -10 |
| Oxford Utd | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 33 | 24 | -10 |
| Scunthorpe | 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 40 | 24 | -16 |
| Wrexham | 24 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 36 | 22 | -15 |
| Reading | 24 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 28 | 43 | 21 | -15 |
| Blackpool | 25 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 24 | 43 | 18 | -19 |
| Chesterfield | 24 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 28 | 17 | -14 |
| Cambridge Utd | 24 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 30 | 41 | 16 | -11 |