McKenna silences the Pompey chimes

The Portsmouth promotion juggernaut met a red light at Deepdale when an 89th-minute equaliser by Paul McKenna earned Preston North End a 1-1 draw. Harry Redknapp's side led after just five minutes when Steve Stone and Paul Merson set up a simple chance for Yacubu Ayegbini. They were on the back foot for much of the game thereafter, though Paul Merson lobbed narrowly over on the break. McKenna's late strike made it a costly miss.

Below Pompey, the struggle secure a play-off place inspired Wolves and Nottingham Forest to substantial wins. Sixth-placed Wolves hammered hapless Gillingham 6-0, all the goals coming in the first 48 minutes. Nathan Blake, who scored a hat-trick at Gillingham earlier in the season, scored after 16 minutes after a neat one-two with Paul Butler, six minutes later Colin Cameron made it 2-0 and the Gills collapsed as Mark Kennedy and Kenny Miller scored two each.

Nottingham Forest, fifth, kept pace with a 4-0 thrashing of Norwich City. Darren Huckerby's fifth goal in six games started the rout and Marlon Harewood's 19th of the season made it 2-0 midway through the first half. In the second, Gareth Williams and Jim Brennan finished the job.

Fourth-placed Reading had a hard-earned 1-0 win at Bradford City, their 11th success away from home this season. It was 0-0 when the Royals had Nathan Tyson sent off three minutes before the break. Nicky Forster's 66th-minute goal rewarded the efforts of the 10 men.

But it was a bad day for the sides chasing the play-off pack. Ipswich were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton's relegation fighters at Portman Road. Brighton, without the injured Bobby Zamora, led 2-1 but Martijn Reuser's fierce 30-yard shot earned a late point for Joe Royle's side.

Like Brighton, two other sides involved in the relegation debate, Grimsby Town and Stoke City, also had something to celebrate from away days. The Mariners earned a point from their 1-1 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor while Tony Pulis's Potters did even better at Watford. Peter Hoekstra scored from the penalty spot after Micah Hyde handled and four minutes into the second half lashed a drive into the top right-hand corner. Heidar Helguson pulled one back but Stoke held on to win 2-1, the three points lifting them out of the bottom three.

But Sheffield Wednesday are further adrift after a 3-0 reverse at Millwall. The Lions, with six defeats in eight games, had slipped to the fringes of the relegation zone but two Steven Reid goals in the final four minutes of the first half stunned the Owls. Paul Ifill added the third nine minutes into the second half.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace scored either side of the dismissals of Carl Robinson and Martin O'Connor as visitors Walsall were reduced to nine men and lost 2-0, while Rotherham United beat Wimbledon 2-1 at Millmoor.

Wigan, the Second Division leaders, won 1-0 at Queen's Park Rangers and Crewe went second after a 4-0 win at Luton. At the top of the Third Hartlepool surprisingly lost 1-0 at Bristol Rovers and Bournemouth moved back into the promotion frame after a 1-1 draw with Torquay and Scunthorpe's 1-0 home defeat by Darlington.