Allsopp strikes twice as Hull go clear at top
HULL came out on top in the Third Division summit meeting as a brace by Danny Allsopp helped them to a 4-2 win over Oxford.
All six goals in front of a 21,491 crowd at the KC Stadium came in the second half, with Peter Taylor's men scoring three in eight minutes to put themselves in the driving seat.
Ben Burgess rifled in their first (58 minutes) before a quickfire double from Allsopp (63 and 66).
Steve Basham gave Oxford a glimmer of hope in the 77th minute but Andy Crosby's own goal three minutes later made the result safe. Matthew Bound pulled another goal back for Oxford in the last minute.
The result put the Tigers a point clear at the top.
Doncaster leapfrogged Oxford and moved up one place to second as they flew out of the blocks to win 2-0 at struggling Southend.
Leo Fortune-West headed in the first after three minutes before Michael McIndoe turned in Gregg Blundell's cross with only seven minutes onthe clock.
Fourth-placed Mansfield slid to a 3-1 defeat at Leyton Orient.
The Stags fell behind in the sixth minute as Gary Alexander scored, but defender Jake Buxton equalised. However, two goals in the final 20 minutes from Tom Newey (70) and Alexander (82) gave the Os victory.
Carlisle cut the gap to second- bottom Darlington to four points as they beat fifth-placed Yeovil 2-0.
The Cumbrians have now won four of their last six League games after winning just one all season before that and player-manager Paul Simpson led by example by scoring the opener (21). Substitute Craig Farrell doubled the hosts' lead on 75 minutes.
Darlington, whose chairman George Reynolds resigned this week, snatched a point at fifth-bottom Kidderminster as David McGurk's last-minute header levelled Adam Murray's seventh-minute effort.
Torquay moved level on points with seventh-placed Lincoln as they overcame the Red Imps 3-1.
Paul Mayo equalised Jason Fowler's 10th-minute strike for the Gulls but the Devon side stormed back in front with goals from Kevin Hill (56) and Jo Kuffour (89).
Northampton warmed up for their FA Cup encounter with Manchester United on Sunday with a 2-1 home win over York.
Richard Walker (20) and a Jonathan Parkin own goal (45) gave the Cobblers a two-goal advantage before Lee Bullock netted a last-minute consolation for York, who host Town on Sunday.
Swansea were held goalless at home to Cheltenham.
