Macclesfield drop down to third after being held at Boston, with Jason 'not a pineapple head' Lee scoring a late equaliser for the Pilgrims.
The trio are three points ahead of the teams in the play-off positions, with Rushden and Diamonds fourth after their single goal win over the Cods.
Shrewsbury pulled themselves off the bottom spot with a 2-0 win over Northampton, while Rochdale pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph at Wycombe.
Chester are now the bottom club, after drawing with Bury. Southend and Notts County are level with them, on two points apiece.
Full results:
Boston 1 Macclesfield 1
Bury 1 Chester 1
Darlington 0 Bristol R 1
Leyton Orient 0 Oxford 0
Mansfield 2 Kidderminster 1
Notts Co 1 Yeovil 2
Rushden 1 Grimsby 0
Scunthorpe 3 Lincoln 2
Shrewsbury 2 Northampton 0
Southend 0 Cambridge 0
Swansea 1 Cheltenham 1
Wycombe 0 Rochdale 3