Joey Barton's upbeat Fleetwood message ahead of Portsmouth clash while Sunderland aiming for League One title

The Cod Army bolstered their League One play-off aspirations by ending Peterborough’s red-hot form with a 2-1 win at Highbury Stadium.

Callum Connolly and Wes Burns netted for the hosts, with Fratton youth product Dan Butler on target for the Posh.

Fleetwood, who moved up to eighth in the table, host Kenny Jackett’s men on Saturday and Barton believes there are some ‘incredible days ahead’.

The Cod Army manager told his club’s website: ‘I think performances like that, playing in the manner we did, using the game intelligence at times that we did, really, really good times for our football club and absolutely delighted with every single person within that dressing room.

‘For the first time in a long time here, I really think the fans are starting to believe in this group of players. If we’re going to be successful we need everybody in Fleetwood, not just one or two, we need these lads’ support and if they turn up and support this team, I think there are some incredible days ahead.

‘We want to give them days like Saturday. We’ve got another tough fixture coming against one of the good sides in the division, one of the top sides in the division, a powerhouse of a team in Portsmouth.’

Phil Parkinson reckons the third-tier crown can still be Sunderland’s as they battled to a 1-0 win at Oxford.

John Mousinho’s third-minute own goal proved the difference at the Kassam Stadium.

The fifth-placed Black Cats are six points behind leaders Rotherham and Parkinson isn’t ruling out a title charge.

He told Chronicle Live: ‘We have to have our eyes on that top spot.

‘We have to keep on looking above us and keep on churning out the results.

‘We have had a great week, and now we have a few days to recharge the batteries and I feel we need that after three tough games but we will be ready for next Saturday.’

Second-placed Coventry are now level on points with pace-setter Rotherham.

The Sky Blues beat struggling Southend 2-0 at Roots Hall, while the Millers were held to a 2-2 home draw by lowly AFC Wimbledon.

Boss Mark Robins told Coventry Live: It’s a great result. The conditions weren’t great, but we got the job done.

‘We hit the post and bar three times and we were knocking on the door. The tempo wasn’t there so we needed to up the tempo but also try to carry on probing.

‘They got on top a little bit in some of the early exchanges of the second half but the changes made a difference by coming on and killing the game off.’

Ipswich ended a four-match winless run by defeating Burton 4-1 at Portman Road.

The Tractor Boys are one spot behind Pompey in seventh and Paul Lambert hasn’t ruled out automatic promotion.

He said: ‘We're only five points off first place. It's incredible how tight it is. We've got eight home games now. That's one ticked off. We're well in the mix that's for sure.

‘The crowd only want to see the team win. All I ask of the crowd is to come and enjoy themselves. As I said before, I wouldn't want to pay 20-odd quid and come to the ground and talk nonsense and criticise people.

‘Why would you want to do that? That's no good for the kids. Come and enjoy yourself and we'll try and give everything we possibly can.

‘You've a better chance when everybody relaxes and enjoys it.’

Other results

Accrington 4-3 Lincoln City, Bolton 0-2 Wycombe, Bristol Rovers 2-1 Blackpool, Gillingham 2-1 Doncaster, Rochdale P-P Tranmere.