Carlisle United's survival gap TEN points as Exeter City win

Exeter City's 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers increased the Blues' survival gap to further on Tuesday night.

Sonny Cox's first-half goal was enough to take the previously fifth-bottom Grecians onto 30 points.

They moved up to 19th in the process, ahead of 20th-placed Shrewsbury Town on goal difference.

United are on 20 points with 18 games to go and facing an increasingly difficult task to salvage their third-tier status.

The second-bottom Blues were hoping for favours from other sides to keep some of their closest rivals in realistic touch.

But 12th-placed Bristol Rovers failed to get the upper hand on Gary Caldwell's Grecians at the Memorial Stadium.

Cox fired home the rebound after Jack Aitchison had seen a shot saved in the 12th minute.

It earned a third win in seven league games for Exeter.

Two sides in the drop zone had mixed fortunes on Tuesday night, meanwhile.

Third-bottom Cheltenham Town remain three points above United after going down 1-0 at Bolton Wanderers.

Third-bottom Cheltenham lost 1-0 against Carlisle's next opponents Bolton (Image: PA)

Victor Adeboyajo's first-half goal was enough for the home side who visit Brunton Park this weekend. The result took Bolton third.

But fourth-bottom Reading shocked promotion-chasing Derby County to boost give their own survival hopes.

A second-half strike by Paul Mukairu was enough for a 1-0 home win for the Royals, who remain 21st but six points above Carlisle, and a further four from the safety line.

Reading celebrate Paul Mukairu's winner against Derby (Image: PA)

Elsewhere in the division, Charlton Athletic remain among the strugglers after losing 3-2 at home to Northampton Town.

An injury-time goal from Louis Appere earned a dramatic win for the Cobblers, who had led twice through Tyreece Simpson and Sam Hoskins with those goals cancelled out by Aaron McGowan's own-goal and a Tennai Watson strike.

The Addicks - who announced after the game that manager Michael Appleton has left the club - are one of five teams on 30 points, another being Wycombe Wanderers who suffered a late defeat at Wigan Athletic.

The Latics claimed a 1-0 win through Charlie Hughes' goal in the 20th minute of added time, in a game held up for a long second-half spell because of an injury to referee Adam Herczeg.

In the promotion race, meanwhile, Barnsley claimed a 1-0 win at Oxford United thanks to Sam Long's own goal.