Hearts head coach Frankie McAvoy praised his players after they overcame first-half rustiness to secure an impressive 2-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on the cinch Premiership’s opening day.In a close game that began after a short delay with a VAR power failure, Yutaro Oda eventually gave Hearts the lead with 15 minutes to go with a superb low strike and Lawrence Shankland ...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 »

Simon Weaver praised his “grown-up” Harrogate Town side as he refused to allow want-away striker Luke Armstrong’s future to overshadow their opening day win at Doncaster Rovers.Sought-after Armstrong asked not to be involved in the Yorkshire derby as he seeks to secure a move away.But Town pressed on without the forward and his stand-in Jack Muldoon scored a second-half penalty...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 »

Hull’s management were feeling hard done by after being sunk by last-gasp goal in a 2-1 opening-day defeat against Norwich at Carrow Road.Head coach Liam Rosenior was shown a red card by referee Keith Stroud for the angry protest which followed Adam Idah’s stoppage-time winner.That meant he was forced to miss the post-match press conference under new rules, with assistant head coach ...Full Story »

Jon Dahl Tomasson praised the ambition and attitude of his two young goalscorers after their first league goals for Blackburn secured a 2-1 win against West Brom.Rovers delivered what turned out to be the knockout punches in a clinical three-minute spell as Dilan Markanday’s tidy finish from a narrow angle set the hosts on their way in the 20th minute before they suffocated their opponents...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 »

Newly-promoted Carlisle started life back in Sky Bet League One with a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood at Brunton Park.Owen Moxon opened the scoring for the Cumbrians with a 30-yard free-kick, but it was cancelled out by Brendan Wiredu’s strike just before half-time.Carlisle captain Paul Huntington went close to opening the scoring in the 29th minute, but his header from Moxon’s floated f...Full Story »

Jack Muldoon’s second-half penalty got Harrogate Town off to the perfect start as they triumphed 1-0 in the Yorkshire derby at Doncaster Rovers.Muldoon confidently fired home in the 66th minute after Joseph Olowu was adjudged to have brought down Abraham Odoh in the box.Harrogate had the better chances throughout against a Doncaster side of which plenty is expected this season.Goalkeeper I...Full Story »