Brentford have moved to the top of the League One table for the first time this season by registering a 3-1 victory over MK Dons at Griffin Park.
The Bees, who trailed Leyton Orient and Wolverhampton Wanderers by a point prior to kickoff, capitalised on the 1-1 draw between the former joint-leaders to move to the summit of England's third tier.
Mark Warburton's men were given the ideal start through Clayton Donaldson, who fired the hosts into a second-mintute lead.
Brentford doubled and trebled their advantage within 13 minutes of the second half, with Marcelo Trotta bagging the second before Sam Saunders netted the third.
Lee Hodson reduced the three-goal deficit on 73 minutes, but it proved little more than a consolation as the London-based outfit ascended top of the table at the expense of Orient and Wolves, who cancelled each other out in an entertaining clash at Molineux.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell fired the hosts into a fourth-minute lead, but Russell Slade's men drew level on the hour mark through Mathieu Baudry.
The visitors pressed for a winner in the closing stages in a bid to retain their place at the top of the standings, but Kenny Jackett's charges held out for a point.
The duo sit just four points ahead of Preston North End in fourth, who recorded a narrow 1-0 victory away to Shrewsbury Town.
Ryan Woods's 80th-minute own goal proved sufficient for the Lilywhites as Simon Grayson's men end the calendar year in contention for an automatic promotion spot into the Championship.
In contrast, Peterborough United's grip on a playoff place grows more tenuous by the gameweek as 10-man Posh slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Carlisle United at Brunton Park.
Darren Ferguson's men, who went down 4-2 to Coventry City on Boxing Day, were given an uphill task to bounce back from the loss to the Sky Blues after Hogan Ephraim was red-carded on 52 minutes for a challenge on Liam Noble.
Nevertheless, the visitors took a 61st-minute lead through Lee Tomlin, but a quick-fire brace from David Amoo shortly after put Carlisle in the driving seat.
Grant McCann missed a penalty four minutes from time to salvage a point for Peterborough, who now sit just three points ahead of seventh-placed Port Vale.
Elsewhere, Notts County remain rooted to the foot of the table after going down 1-0 Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium.
Mark Connolly's 54th-minute strike proved sufficient for John Gregory's men, with Alan Sheehan later receiving a second yellow card for the visitors to compound their woes in their fight for survival.
County's precarious position increased significantly, with fellow strugglers Crewe Alexandra and Bristol City both recording victories to end the calendar year on a high.
Crewe hit two goals in the final 17 minutes through Chuks Aneke and Tom Hitchcock to secure a 2-1 victory away to Colchester United, while City demolished Stevenage 4-1.
Greg Cunningham and Sam Baldock fired the Robins into a 2-0 half-time lead, before a brace from Jay Emmanuel-Thomas secured the points for Steve Cotterill's side.
Results in full: Bradford City 1-1 Swindown Town, Brentford 3-1 MK Dons, Bristol City 4-1 Stevenage, Carlisle United 2-1 Peterborough United, Colchester United 1-2 Crewe Alexandra, Coventry City 1-1 Oldham Athletic, Crawley Town 1-0 Notts County, Gillingham 2-2 Walsall, Port Vale 2-0 Rotherham United, Sheffield United 3-1 Tranmere Rovers, Shrewsbury Town 0-1 Preston North End, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Leyton Orient
Shane Callaghan
