The top teams showed their dominance on a good day for the League One leaders.
Doncaster remain in first place with a convincing 3-0 victory over strugglers Hartlepool, but chasers Sheffield United kept up the pressure by winning 2-0 at Oldham.
New Swindon manager had a first game to remember as his side scored two goals in the final four minutes to overturn a 1-0 deficit at Coventry.
Bottom side Portsmouth were finally the winning team after 23 games without a win. Guy Whittingham's side survived a fightback from Crewe, running out 2-1 victors.
Jabo Ibehre scored a double to move Colchester out of the relegation zone and inflict a sixth straight defeat on Stevenage while Charlie MacDonald also helped himself to a brace in Leyton Orient's 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, who are slipping down the table.
Hotshot Will Grigg scored his sixth goal in four games to give Walsall the three points against Shrewsbury.
Results in full: Brentford 1-0 Scunthorpe, Bury 0-2 Crawley, Coventry 1-2 Swindon, Crewe 1-2 Portsmouth, Doncaster 3-0 Hartlepool, Leyton Orient 3-1 Bournemouth, MK Dons 1-1 Preston, Notts County 1-0 Carlisle, Oldham 0-2 Sheffield United, Stevenage 0-2 Colchester, Walsall 3-1 Shrewsbury, Yeovil 1-0 Tranmere
Grant Yardley
