Sam Vokes earned Burnley a point with a late equaliser in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Watford at Vicarage Road.
The Burnley striker, on as a 79th-minute substitute, struck three minutes into stoppage time as Sean Dyche enjoyed a happy return to Vicarage Road.
The former Hornets boss enjoyed the perfect start as his side took the lead after just 39 seconds thanks to Charlie Austin, who went on to make it 28 for the season from the penalty spot after Troy Deeney had equalised.
But Fernando Forestier levelled again at the end of a crazy first half hour and then fired Watford ahead after the break.
However, Vokes had the final say with his dramatic leveller as Burnley snatched an unlikely point.
Austin's early opener came when Ross Wallace's initial shot was blocked, the ball falling perfectly for the striker to tuck in the rebound.
The lead lasted only five minutes, however, before Ikechi Anya fed Deeney, who curled in a fine equaliser from the edge of the area.
Austin struck again in the 24th minute after Marco Cassetti had tripped former Hornets loanee Alex Kacaniklic and Austin crashed his penalty down the middle and into the roof of the net.
But once again Burnley let their lead slip within five minutes, this time with centre-half Fitz Hall the unlikely creator. His clever pass played in Forestieri, who jinked inside Jason Shackell in the area before rifling his angled shot past Grant.
Deeney had his chances after the break to put the home side in front, the striker inches from prodding Nathaniel Chalobah's low cross into an open goal, before his header was saved by Grant.
But Forestieri found a way through in the 72nd minute when he curled in a cross from Cristian Battochio.
That looked like being enough to ensure Watford leapfrogged Hull into the automatic promotion places, until Vokes latched on to Austian's header in injury time and slotted in the equaliser.
With league leaders Gillingham not in action, Micky Adams' side had a chance to move to within five points of the top of the npower League Two table.
But they did not have things all their own way at Vale Park, with Pope's hat-trick only just proving enough to secure the win.
Pope, who has now scored 30 goals this season but had failed to find the back of the net in almost 16 hours of football, opened the scoring with a first-half header.
But Cheltenham fought back and were 2-1 ahead less than 10 minutes after the interval as Kaid Mohamed and Paul Benson struck for the visitors.
Pope then struck twice, with a smart volley and a chip over Cheltenham goalkeeper Scott Brown, to grab the points for second-placed Vale.
The result left Cheltenham fifth in the table and Rotherham took advantage of their defeat to move within a point of Mark Yates' side with a 1-0 win at home to Wimbledon.
Rotherham had the better of the play but had to wait until the 76th minute for Alex Revell to score the only goal of the game.
Aldershot moved off the foot of the table after drawing 1-1 at Rochdale, with York taking their place.
George Donnelly gave Rochdale the lead before Adam Mekki levelled from close range to earn Aldershot a share of the spoils and move within two points of safety.
Phil Brown's first match in charge of Southend looked set to be a memorable occasion for the former Preston boss until Bradford hit back to earn a 2-2 draw at Valley Parade.
Gavin Tomlin and Britt Assombalonga scored within a minute to give Brown's side a 2-0 lead after 11 minutes but Capital One Cup finalists Bradford came back into the game with Zavon Hines scoring early in the second half and James Hanson heading the hosts level late on.
A last-minute Lee Molyneux goal gave Accrington a crucial 1-0 win at Wycombe to move Leam Richardson's side five points clear of the drop zone.
Strugglers Barnet secured a point with a goalless draw at home to Dagenham although Edgar Davids' side finished with 10 men after substitute Kyle De Silva was sent off late on.
Oxford and Morecambe also shared a point as an injury-time Jack Redshaw goal earned the visitors a 1-1 draw at the Kassam Stadium following Alfie Potter's opener for United.
