Top two Brentford and Wycombe drew 3-3 at Griffin Park while third-placed Rotherham lost 2-1 to Rochdale.
Those results gave the chasing pack the perfect chance to close the gap on automatic promotion but, of those now occupying the play-off places, only Exeter collected three points.
At the bottom of the table, the ‘six-pointer’ of the day between Chester and Grimsby ended 1-1 while stranded Luton lost 2-1 at Aldershot.
Brentford 3-3 Wycombe
Wycombe could not gain any ground on Brentford as their table-topping clash saw six goals and a sending off.
Brentford took an early lead when 18-year-old Jordan Rhodes fired in before John Akinde made things level when he stabbed into the net. However, the score didn’t stay level for long as Brentford’s David Hunt scored a stunning 35-yard free kick.
Five minutes before the break, Wycombe made it level again when John Mousingo finished before Wycombe took the advantage into the break when Akinde scored his second of the afternoon.
After the interval, Wycombe’s task of holding onto the lead was made all the more harder when Tommy Doherty was dismissed following a high challenge on David Hunt
And they were made to pay with nine minutes to go as Sam Williams made things all square with a powerful shot.
Chester 1-1 Grimsby
Chester and Grimsby shared the points in their relegation battle as Nick Hegarty and Ryan Lowe were on the scoresheet.
Following their 5-0 thrashing of Lincoln last week, Hegarty gave Grimsby the lead on 20 minutes when he finished following Joe Widdowson’s delivery.
Chester fought back and after Kevin Roberts had wasted two chances early in the second half, Lowe shot high into the net to bring things level after 56 minutes.
Chester were the better side in the second half, and they had chances to grab a winner however a late header by Laurence Wilson went over the crossbar.
Rochdale 1-2 Rotherham
Goals from Reuben Reid and Ryan Taylor allowed Rotherham to extend their unbeaten run to five matches with victory over Rochdale.
The deadlock was broken four minutes into the second period, Dale Tonge sent in a cross which in turn found Reid who fired in his 12th goal of the season.
And 20 minutes later Taylor doubled The Millers' lead when he picked up a ball from Michael Cummins and fired into the top corner.
Rochdale gave themselves a chance to take a point when Adam Le Fondre pulled one back on 74 minutes following a cross from Nicky Adams, however they couldn’t find an equaliser.
Exeter 1-0 Bradford
A spectacular 35-yard effort from Dean Moxey was the difference as Exeter continue their push for a play-off spot with victory over rivals.
Steve Basham had an early chance for Exeter, but it was Moxey who gave The Grecians the lead after 19 minutes.
Bradford fought gamely and had chances to pull level as they controlled the second half, however Exeter held on for their third win in five fixtures.
Gillingham 2 -2 Shrewsbury
A goal in stoppage time from Grant Holt saw Gillingham let slip a two goal advantage to share the points with Shrewsbury.
Holt got his second of the afternoon in the 90th minute with a headed effort following a Chris Humphrey cross.
And 11 minutes earlier, Shrewsbury had given themselves a as a penalty was awarded after a foul by Barry Fuller on Moses Ashikodi which Holt converted.
Earlier, Gillingham took the lead when Curtis Weston fired into the top corner from 25 yards after only three minutes before five minutes into the second half Weston turned provider as he found Nicky Southall to double The Gills' advantage.
Macclesfield 0-2 Bournemouth
Macclesfield slipped to a fourth defeat in a row at Bournemouth as Lee Bradbury scored two at Moss Rose.
However, Macclesfield may have had other things concerning them with manager Keith Alexander taken to hospital for a precautionary brain scan just before the match.
The deadlock was broken five minutes into the second half when a ball from Brett Pitman saw Bradbury volley into the net.
And with 20 minutes to go, Bradbury doubled his side advantage. Jeff Goulding found the experienced striker and he placed the ball into the net.
Morecambe 2-1 Barnet
A mad five-minute period in the first half saw Morecambe come out the victors as goals from David Artell and Wayne Curtis gave the home side three points.
Morecambe’s first came from Artell who headed in a Michael Twiss corner before John O’Flynn made things level for Barnet, who slipped to their first defeat in four with this result.
However, Morecambe didn’t allow the visitors to stay level for long as four minutes as Curtis grabbed the home team’s second from just inside the area.
Chesterfield 1-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham and Redbridge stole a point with a late equaliser as Sam Saunders headed home a 93rd-minute goal.
Saunders rose to meet a corner from Matt Ritchie and cancelled out an earlier effort by Chesterfield’s Martin Gritton with 13 minutes remaining.
Girtton had picked up the up the ball just inside the penalty box and fired a shot past Daggers goalkeeper Tony Roberts to give them the advantage before Saunders' late intervention.
Notts County 1-1 Accrington Stanley
Strikes from James Ryan and Delroy Facey assured that Notts County and Accrington shared the spoils at Meadow Lane.
Midfielder Ryan met a ball and fired into the bottom left hand corner on 17 minutes to give Stanley the advantage.
Stanley led until 18 minutes from time when a ball from Myles Weston allowed Facey to rise above the rest and head County level.
Port Vale 3-1 Darlington
Port Vale came from behind as strikes from Louis Dodds, Robert Taylor and Marc Richards consigned Darlington to a third defeat in three games.
Darlington took the lead on 26 minutes when a ball from Steven Foster found Danny Carlton to fire in his second goal since signing on loan from Carlisle.
But The Potters fought back, and after a chance for Marc Richards, Louis Dodds fired in during first-half injury time to leave it level.
And five minutes into the second half, Taylor gave Vale the lead when he put the ball into the bottom right corner before Richards gave Vale breathing space with a close range finish.
Aldershot 2-1 Luton
Kirk Hudson scored a stunning volley three minutes into the second half to give Aldershot a first win in four and as good as consign Luton to relegation.
Hudson’s volley followed up an earlier penalty from Shots’ Scott Davies after John Grant was fouled by Sol Davis.
And while The Hatters’ Tom Craddock smashed in a drive from eight yards ten minutes before half time, it wasn’t enough to gain Luton a point.