Steve Evans hailed the quality shown by Stevenage in their 2-1 win at Tranmere in Sky Bet League Two.Jordan Roberts smashed home from close range with six minutes to go to seal victory for the visitors at Prenton Park.Stevenage had been pegged back just after half-time when Kane Hemmings cancelled out Jake Reeves’ opener.It was a deserved victory after the Hertfordshire club bossed the fir...Full Story »

Sutton boss Matt Gray hailed his side’s “unbelievable character” after their opening day 1-1 draw with Newport.Lebanese striker Omar Bugiel fired the home side into a welcome 24th-minute with a clinical close-range strike, but debutant Omar Bogle equalised for the visitors with a 38th-minute header from a Mickey Demetriou long throw.“I’ve learned today that we&rsquo...Full Story »

Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth refused to get carried away after a 3-0 win over Burton started their League One campaign in fine style.Goals from David Wheeler, Anis Mehmeti and a stunning Josh Scowen half-volley gave last year’s play-off finalists the perfect start to their season.The first goal came inside 10 minutes, with Scowen’s ball in behind the Burton defence met by Wheeler wh...Full Story »

Newly-promoted Exeter were forced to settle for a point at Lincoln after the hosts came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw.Sam Nombe’s first-half strike was cancelled out by Tom Hopper early in the second half.The visitors began strongly and were rewarded for their efforts after 14 minutes. Nombe latched onto Jevani Brown’s through ball and outpaced Lincoln’s two centre-backs to ca...Full Story »

Mansfield manager Nigel Clough was frustrated by the way his side performed in their 2-0 loss at Salford on the opening day of the new League Two season.Two first-half strikes put the game firmly in Salford’s favour against last season’s beaten play-off finalists, but Clough believes that both were ‘schoolboy’ goals to concede.“The result was extremely poor; our per...Full Story »

New AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson credited a positive off-season atmosphere at Plough Lane as his side claimed their first league victory since December with a confident 2-0 win over Gillingham.Ethan Chislett’s stunning opener and a second-half header from the outstanding Jack Currie ensured that the Dons triumphed in this fixture between two relegated sides to claim three points f...Full Story »

Grant McCann hailed the response of his Peterborough side as they hit back from two goals down to win 3-2 at Cheltenham.Posh trailed 2-0 at the break, but half-time substitute Jack Marriott pulled one back and fellow frontman Jonson Clarke-Harris scored twice to complete the turnaround.“The first half was probably the poorest I’ve seen since I joined the club,” ex-Robins midfie...Full Story »

Darrell Clarke hailed his Port Vale players’ mental strength after they came from behind to beat Fleetwood 2-1 in Sky Bet League One.The Valiants, who came up via the play-offs last term, fell behind to Dan Batty’s sixth-minute goal.However, centre-backs Connor Hall and Nathan Smith combined for an equaliser on the half-hour mark, before Hall netted a minute later to give the hosts a...Full Story »

Cardiff manager Steve Morison praised “football geek” Romaine Sawyers after the midfielder’s debut winner sealed a 1-0 victory over Norwich.Sawyers’ 25-yard strike got Cardiff off to a winning Sky Bet Championship start, with the midfielder having arrived from West Brom earlier this month.Morison said: “Romaine might not like it, but he is a bit of a football geek. ...Full Story »

Accrington manager John Coleman praised the “courage and character” of his side as they quickly responded to falling behind in stoppage time to draw 2-2 with Charlton.The League One clash was level at 1-1 heading into six minutes of added time, after Stanley’s Sean McConville cancelled out Scott Fraser’s first-half opener.Charlton thought they had won it when Miles Leabur...Full Story »

Robbie Neilson admitted Hearts were caught cold in the first half before they eventually kicked off their cinch Premiership campaign with a 2-1 win at home to Ross County.The Tynecastle side were on the back foot before the break as the Staggies, who have had four competitive games in the Premier Sports Cup over the past few weeks, took the game to the Jambos and hit the woodwork twice.Neilson&r...Full Story »

Paul Hurst insisted a contentious penalty award changed the game after Grimsby were beaten 2-0 by Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road.Grimsby, back in the Football League after a season’s absence, had battled well in the first half but George Moncur converted a penalty for a handball offence three minutes after the interval and Tom James doubled the O’s lead with a wonder-strike from 30 y...Full Story »

Birmingham boss John Eustace was impressed by his side’s defensive display in the opening day 0-0 draw at Luton.The former QPR assistant was only appointed earlier this month following the departure of Lee Bowyer, and he saw his side hold the Hatters to a stalemate at Kenilworth Road.Experienced goalkeeper John Ruddy producing a fine display on his debut against a team who finished in the ...Full Story »

Swansea boss Russell Martin was not surprised by Harry Darling’s wonder goal which earned a 1-1 draw with Rotherham.Centre-half Darling celebrated his Swans debut with a 25-yard scorcher that found the top corner and cancelled out Chiedozie Ogbene’s early opener.Both sides had chances to win it in the second half, with Michael Obafemi missing an open goal for Swansea while Ogbene and...Full Story »

Crewe manager Alex Morris said his side’s 2-1 victory against Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena was vital in giving the club ‘lift off’ in League Two.Relegated at the end of last season following a miserable campaign in League One, Morris said it was important the club rediscover what it means to win games.Dan Agyei headed them in front after 14 minutes and Lachlan Brook put them...Full Story »

Head coach Shota Arveladze insists new-look Hull remain a work in progress, despite a 2-1 victory at home to Bristol City on the opening day of the season.Jean Michael Seri’s deflected goal in stoppage time sent supporters home optimistic for the future under ambitious new owner Acun Ilicali.But Arveladze said: “We will have more days like these, but there will also be ups and downs....Full Story »

Cambridge started their League One season with a 1-0 win over highly-fancied MK Dons.The visitors almost made an ideal start inside the first minute, with Matt Smith’s effort from the edge of the box coming back off the bar.Instead it was Cambridge who took the lead after 17 minutes through a terrific goal by Harvey Knibbs.He slalomed into the box before cutting inside and firing low past ...Full Story »

Danny Johnson’s hat-trick got Paul Hartley’s reign as Hartlepool manager off to a nightmare start as Walsall dished out a 4-0 hammering.After Brandon Comley’s deflected opener, Johnson, on loan from Mansfield until January, stole the show with a dream debut.Pools keeper Ben Killip foiled Taylor Allen early on but could do nothing when Comley’s strike from 18 yards took a ...Full Story »

Stockport’s first game back in the Football League after an 11-year absence ended in a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Barrow despite a second-half fightback.Pete Wild’s first game in charge of the visitors produced a perfect outcome after they had raced into a 3-0 interval lead.Barrow got their third season back in the EFL off to a dream start after only six minutes when Josh Gordon rif...Full Story »

Edinburgh won the battle of the newly-promoted sides with a 2-0 win at Kelty Hearts on the opening day of cinch League One season.John Robertson put the visitors ahead in the 34th minute but they had to wait until stoppage time to secure the points through Ouzy See.Clyde were a goal down inside the first minute through Lee Connelly but hit back to beat Queen of the South 4-1.Oliver McDonald equa...Full Story »