Preston North End's march towards the Championship has shown no signs of slowing down as Simon Grayson's charges thrashed Bradford City 3-0 in this afternoon's League One clash at the Coral Windows Stadium.
Christopher Routis was shown a straight red on the quarter-hour mark, leaving the Bantams to play the rest of the game with 10 men.
The Bantams managed to keep Preston at bay in the first half, but the visitors were able to make their man advantage count after the restart.
Paul Gallagher, Daniel Johnson and Chris Humphrey scored to keep the Lilywhites eight points clear of third-placed MK Dons.
Meanwhile sixth-placed Chesterfield beat struggling Crewe Alexandra 1-0, with Tendayi Darikwa's first-half strike enabling the Spireites to maintain a four-point gap over Rochdale.
Rochdale's playoff hopes show no sign of fading, although they left it late to claim three points against Port Vale as Calvin Andrew's 95th-minute strike gave them a 1-0 win. Crucially, the Dale have a game in hand over Chesterfield.
Fleetwood Town remain outsiders for the top six thanks to an emphatic 4-0 win over all-but-relegated Yeovil Town, courtesy of a David Ball brace and strikes by Jamie Proctor and Ashley Hunter.
The result leaves the Cod Army in eighth place and four points off the playoffs with five games to go, while the Glovers sit bottom of the division, 13 points from safety with just five games left to play.
Notts County have secured a third consecutive draw after a 0-0 stalemate with Coventry City, a result that keeps the Magpies third from bottom and a point from safety.
Other teams at the wrong end of the division also managed to get promising results, as in-form Colchester United beat Barnsley 3-1 to find themselves two points from safety, while Crawley Town also secured a priceless three points in a 2-0 win against Oldham Athletic to rise out of the relegation zone up to 19th.
Leyton Orient left it late to draw 3-3 with Gillingham and stay out of the relegation zone on goal difference, while Peterborough United and Walsall played out a goalless draw.
Results in full: Bradford 0-3 Preston, Chesterfield 1-0 Crewe, Colchester 3-1 Barnsley, Crawley 2-0 Oldham, Fleetwood 4-0 Yeovil, Leyton Orient 3-3 Gillingham, Notts County 0-0 Coventry, Peterborough 0-0 Walsall, Rochdale 1-0 Port Vale
Giuseppe Labellarte
