Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill was left with mixed emotions after an opening-day 0-0 draw against Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium.The Shrews boss believed his new-look team deserved to win the game against the Shrimps but was happy to avoid a repeat of last season’s poor start.He said: “A point is better than this time last year and the performance was a lot better too. I think we d...Full Story »

Bradford manager Mark Hughes fears Emmanuel Osadebe’s season could be ‘cut short’ after he suffered a suspected broken leg on his debut in a 0-0 draw with Doncaster.Play was stopped for eight minutes before the winger was stretchered off. Doncaster’s Liam Ravenhill was booked for the foul that caused the early injury and was substituted straight away by manager Gary McShe...Full Story »

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna felt his side deserved to win the opening game of the Sky Bet League One season against Bolton at Portman Road.Bolton began the game well and deservedly went ahead through Aaron Morley’s penalty after Leif Davis tripped Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley in the box.Ipswich responded through Lee Evans following a clever low corner from Conor Chaplin, and the hosts we...Full Story »

Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher admitted the 1-0 home win over Barnsley was the “best way to start the season”.Aston Villa attacking midfielder Finn Azaz, who has joined Argyle on a season-long loan, scored the 45th-minute winner with a superb first-time sidefoot strike into the top corner.Schumacher said:: “It’s three points on the board and a clean sheet so we’ve ...Full Story »

Colchester boss Wayne Brown heavily criticised referee Martin Woods after his side’s last-gasp defeat to Northampton, describing his performance as “one of the worst I have witnessed”.Sam Hoskins gave Northampton a 27th-minute lead at Sixfields but a contentious penalty, converted by Freddie Sears, levelled things up shortly before half-time.Another debatable spot-kick, this ti...Full Story »

Jubilant Harrogate boss Simon Weaver hailed his new-look team following a thumping 3-0 opening-day victory over Swindon.Weaver included seven summer signings in his starting XI, including on-loan Huddersfield midfielder Matty Daly, who marked his debut with a spectacular strike in between efforts from Alex Pattison and Jack Muldoon.The visitors, meanwhile, saw their impressive record of winning ...Full Story »

Mark Kennedy was pleased to pick up a point in his first game as Lincoln boss after the Imps came from behind to earn a draw against newly-promoted Exeter.Sam Nombe fired the visitors ahead following an excellent start by Matt Taylor’s side, but Tom Hopper levelled matters just after the break with a deft header.Both sides pushed for a winner late on, but a draw was probably a fair result....Full Story »

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 »