Burton handed the chasing pack a glimmer of light with a 2-1 home defeat to Salisbury, while Torquay thrashed Barrow 4-1.
Burton Albion 1 Salisbury 2
First-half goals from Charlie Griffin and Charles Ademeno condemned leaders Burton to their third defeat on the trot.
The Whites broke the deadlock ten minutes before the break when Griffin headed in Sean Clohessy’s cross.
And things got worse for the leaders in the 44th minute when Ademeno took advantage of woeful defending to head Salisbury’s second.
Brewers sub Lee Morris set-up a nervy finish when he reduced the lead on 82 from Shaun Harrad’s cross but City held out for a deserved win.
Cambridge United 4 Northwich 1
Scott Rendell struck a first-half double to set Cambridge on their way to a third successive win and crank up the pressure on leaders Burton.
The U’s went in front in the 24th minute when Chris Holroyd fired in his sixth goal of the season from the edge of the box after good work from captain Paul Carden.
It was two five minutes later when Scott Rendell slammed home from close range but Vics got a goal back on 35 when on-loan Carlisle midfielder Luke Joyce curled home a free-kick from the edge of the box.
But Cambridge restored their two goal cushion two minutes later when Rendell bundled home Holroyd’s cross and fit-again winger Andy Parkinson added a fourth ten minutes from time with his first of the season.
Torquay 4 Barrow 1
Substitute Matt Green put the seal on Torquay’s comfortable win over Barrow with an 88th minute strike at Plainmoor.
The Gulls raced out of the blocks and went in front in the fourth minute when Tyrone Thompson set-up midfielder partner Nicky Wroe to fire beyond the reach of Tim Deasy.
The lead lasted just eight minutes though as Jason Walker crossed to Paul Brown to slam home from the edge of the box.
But Elliot Benyon restored the lead six minutes before the break with a smart finish from Danny Stevens cross.
Sills headed in Benyon’s cross from six yards for their third and Green sealed the rout on 88 from Kevin Nicholson’s cross before Walker was sent off in the dying minutes for lashing out at Mark Ellis.
Crawley Town 0 Rushden & Diamonds 0
Crawley’s play-off hopes were hit as Rushden put the shutters up to frustrate the Red Devils.
The Diamonds were first to threaten with Lee Tomlin testing Simon Rayner in the home goal before Dale Roberts was called into action to keep out Michael Malcolm’s fierce shot.
Roberts also saved from Jon Shaw at the start of the second period while the lively Tomlin was again denied by Rayner at the death as Diamonds almost stole an unlikely win.
Lewes 0 Kidderminster 1
Justin Richards put another nail in managerless Lewes’ relegation coffin with a first-half winner at The Dripping Pan.
Harriers grabbed the lead in the 19th minute when Matthew Barnes-Homer found Richards in the box and he converted from close range.
Russ Penn was denied a second by a stunning stop from Rikki Banks before the break and the hosts plight was summed up by the fact that they failed to register a single shot on target in the entire match.
Oxford United 4 Grays Athletic 1
Oxford’s promotion push is back on track after a comfortable victory over Grays but the game was marred by a sickening injury to Blues keeper Rob Beckwith.
Kevin Sandwith opened the scoring for Oxford after just seven minutes before James Constable made it two midway through the half and Stuart Elliott was red carded for Grays.
But Beckwith had to be stretchered off after 40 minutes after a collision with Lewis Haldane’s knee – causing a 30 minute delay.
Constable and Adam Chapman rubbed salt into the wounds for The U’s while Tony Dinning got a consolation for Athletic.
Mansfield 3 Forest Green 0
Forest Green’s relegation woes increased as they lost a bad-tempered game at Field Mill.
Mark Stallard opened the scoring after just ten minutes for Mansfield when he headed home Ryan Williams’s cross before Andy Mangan was red carded for Rovers after using foul and abusive language.
Robert Duffy all but put the result beyond Jim Harvey’s men in the 51st minute when he stroked home a penalty after Scott Garner was fouled by Lee Ayres.
Matt Somner ensured that both teams finished with ten men in the 74th minute when he was red carded for a second yellow card offence before Garner made it three with 12 minutes remaining.
Woking 1 Wrexham 1
Woking dented Wrexham’s play-off push as they came from behind to pick up a share of the points at Broadfield Stadium.
Defender Wes Baynes broke the deadlock for The Red Dragons on 11 minutes when he rifled home a 25-yard thunderbolt past a hapless Danny Knowles.
Debutant Matt Jansen could have got on the scoresheet as the half drew to a close but failed to hit the target.
And Dean Saunders’s men were made to pay for their missed efforts when Rob Elvins fired home Joe Anderson’s cross.
Kettering 0 Eastbourne Borough 1
Nathan Crabb netted the only goal of the game as Eastbourne Borough produced a smash and grab raid at Kettering.
Crabb scored with Eastbourne’s only shot on target during the game, rifling home from inside the box.
Brett Solkhon squandered Kettering’s best chance of the match when his effort was saved by Boro keeper Lee Hook.
Altrincham 4 Weymouth 0
Altrincham plunged crisis-club Weymouth deeper into trouble as they ran riot at Moss Lane.
Graham Heathcote’s men took the lead after just 97 seconds as defender Michael Welch nodded home striker Colin Little’s pinpoint cross.
And Little was soon on the scoresheet himself as he blasted keeper Stuart Coburn’s long ball over the top into the back of the net on seven minutes.
Little was again involved as he cross for Dale Johnson to wrap up the points after just 14 minutes as he turned the ball into the net from close range before Joe O’Neill made it four on 53 minutes.