Notts County boss Luke Williams branded his 10-man side’s performance “weak” and “pathetic” after their humbling League Two return ended 5-1 at Sutton.Goalkeeper Aidan Stone was sent off after just 15 minutes at Gander Green Lane.But Williams insisted that was no excuse for his team’s disappointing display.Joe Kizzi opened the scoring for the hosts inside two ...Full Story »

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson lamented his team’s wasteful finishing after they began the cinch Premiership season with a hard-fought goalless draw at Livingston.There was a distinct dearth of goalmouth action in both boxes, with the Dons unable to register a single shot on target.Duk lacked composure in both halves as he failed to test Lions goalkeeper Shamal George from promising positio...Full Story »

Tony Docherty insisted Dundee deserved to take all three points from a 1-1 cinch Premiership draw against Motherwell at Dens Park.The newly-promoted Dark Blues had to settle for a share of the spoils against the Steelmen on their return to the Scottish top flight.Motherwell debutant Theo Bair opened the scoring with a fine finish on the stroke of half-time with Lyall Cameron securing a draw for ...Full Story »

Stevenage manager Steve Evans felt his side were good value for all three points after they started the new Sky Bet League One season by beating Northampton 1-0.Boro’s first ever win at Sixfields came courtesy of Carl Piergianni’s 81st-minute close-range finish as Stevenage edged a tight game between two teams who are newly promoted into the division.A total of 22 minutes of stoppage...Full Story »

Alex Neil praised his “exciting” Stoke side as they demolished 10-man Rotherham with a 4-1 Championship win.Maritimo recruit Andre Vidigal was the highlight of the Potters’ six debutants as he capped an impressive display with a brace.“I thought we looked like an exciting team,” Neil said. “We wanted to start the season well because there’s been a lot of...Full Story »

Jack Iredale’s first ever Bolton goal in Wanderers’ 3-0 Sky Bet League One win over Lincoln was a touch of deja vu for manager Ian Evatt and his squad.Out of action with a knee injury since January 2, Iredale opened the Trotters’ goalscoring account after four minutes; his first since netting for previous club Cambridge 22 months ago.The versatile Australian’s header came...Full Story »

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins praised the finishing of hat-trick hero Devante Cole after Port Vale were thumped 7-0 in his first game in charge.Liam Kitching, Jon Russell and debutant Andrew Dallas also got on the scoresheet, with Vale defender Dan Jones turning into his own net before the break.Collins said: “The way he took his goals were clinical. For me Devante scored them when we ...Full Story »

Nigel Clough was pleased with Mansfield’s reaction to being reduced to 10 men in their 2-2 draw at Crewe and felt his side deserved to come away with a victory.Defender Calum MacDonald received what Clough thought was a “very harsh” straight red card for a challenge on Chris Long just before the hour mark, which halted the Stags in their stride after they commanded a two-goal l...Full Story »

Kidderminster earned a point at home to Woking in their first Vanarama National League match since 2016.Harriers won promotion last season in remarkable fashion following a run of nine successive wins and they marked their return to the higher level with a creditable goalless draw against a Woking side that finished fourth last term.The best chances of the first half at Aggborough came towards t...Full Story »

Southend put their off-field issues aside as they battled to a surprising 4-0 victory over 10-man Oldham.Shrimpers boss Kevin Maher was only able to register 15 players for their Vanarama National League opener due to a transfer embargo that has been in place since September due to money owed to HMRC.But they got off to a flying start when Callum Powell managed to squirm an effort in after Oldha...Full Story »

Barrow boss Pete Wild was full of praise for debutant Kian Spence after his stunning strike secured all three points from a 2-1 victory over Tranmere at Prenton Park.On a rain-soaked afternoon on Merseyside both teams played their part in a fascinating encounter which saw plenty of goalmouth action at both ends.Tranmere looked more threatening in the opening minutes as Josh Hawkes forced Barrow ...Full Story »

Lorent Tolaj scored a brace as Aldershot denied Oxford City a winning start to life in the National League with a comprehensive 5-2 opening-day victory at the EBB Stadium.Jack Barham broke the deadlock after 13 minutes from close range before Josh Parker equalised midway through the first half.The Shots re-took the lead through Haji Mnoga following a corner just after the half-hour mark before T...Full Story »

Gary Rowett is happy for Millwall to continue flying under the radar in their quest for a Championship play-off spot after starting the season with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.Romain Esse’s 79th-minute strike secured victory at the Riverside for the Lions, who missed out on a top-six place on the final day of last term after their capitulation in a home defeat to Blackburn.The Lions have ...Full Story »

Gillingham boss Neil Harris was delighted for his team’s travelling army of fans after substitute Robbie McKenzie’s late goal sealed a 1-0 opening day victory at Stockport.McKenzie pounced with just four minutes left of a clash between two of League Two’s most fancied sides for promotion.The late strike sent the Gills’ 800-strong away support wild ahead of a lengthy trip ...Full Story »

Matt Bloomfield admits his Wycombe players suffered a significant “reality check” after weeks of pre-season work went up in smoke against Exeter.Two goals in the first five minutes fired Gary Caldwell’s red-hot Grecians to a comfortable 3-0 opening day victory as Jack Aitchison, captain Will Aimson and James Scott all netted at Adams Park.Bloomfield says that left his players &...Full Story »

Dundee marked their return to the cinch Premiership by coming from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Motherwell at Dens Park.Theo Bair, who signed for the Steelmen earlier this week, enjoyed a dream debut as he opened the scoring at the end of the first half.The hosts drew level after the break through midfielder Lyall Cameron with both sides ultimately having to settle for a share of the spo...Full Story »

Substitute Joe Quigley scored a dramatic late winner to spare Chesterfield’s blushes as the Vanarama National League promotion hopefuls came from behind to beat Dorking 4-3.Paul Cook’s Spireites – who finished third last season – got their new campaign up and running as Ryan Colclough hammered home the opener in the 23rd minute.Yet semi-professional Dorking were soon leve...Full Story »

Harry Phipps scored with a last-gasp header to salvage Dagenham a point from a 1-1 draw at Altrincham in the Vanarama National League.Dagenham’s Myles Weston hit the goal frame in the 24th minute and Altrincham came close to opening the scoring deep into first-half stoppage time as Chris Conn-Clarke’s shot was deflected out for a corner.Conn-Clarke came knocking again in the last 20 ...Full Story »

A dramatic added-time equaliser from debutant Kusini Yengi saw Portsmouth grab a 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at Fratton Park.Luke Thomas had put Rovers ahead in the first half and it appeared they were heading for an opening day victory in League One before Yengi’s late strike.The enthusiastic welcome the players received was not matched by either side in the opening period, with const...Full Story »

Charlie Wyke scored a brace as Wigan edged a 2-1 League One win at promotion favourites Derby as the new season got under way.Wyke scored in each half, either side of Craig Forsyth’s equaliser for Derby early in the second half.The hosts created plenty of chances in the opening 30 minutes but Sam Tickle made good saves from James Collins and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.Sonny Bradley headed wide...Full Story »