Division Two

What's going on?

 Opening shots:

As ever, the first day of the season managed to throw up some misleading results and a few scrappy goals. The scrappiest goal of all came at the Abbey Stadium where Bury got off to a winning start. A free-kick was pumped into the box from the right and, as the header came in, the keeper appeared to have saved it. Somehow though he collided with his own defender and a Bury forward - and all three landed on the floor with the ball finishing stationary on the goalline. In battling his way through, Paul Barnes knocked another Cambridge defender into the pile-up before diving over the top of them and nodding it over the line in front of the away fans. Possibly the most misleading result came at Boundary Park where Oldham turned over Port Vale 4-1. Carlo Corazzin bundled in a goal on his debut for the Latics, while another debutant, Michael Twiss, scored the visitors' only goal. Meanwhile, the other Latics, Wigan, were lucky to escape from Swansea with a 0-0 draw after Price fired wildly over - wasting the best chance of the game. Relegated Swindon also drew a blank at home to Colchester, for whom Lomano Tresor Lua-Lua who was unlucky not to get off to a goalscoring start. After picking up the ball on the left-hand touchline, he switched direction and cut inside past two helpless Swindon defenders before unleashing a fierce effort from the edge of the 'D' which rebounded to safety off the far post.

The third relegated side, Walsall, had to come from behind to start their campaign with a win. Ex-Saddlers striker Mark Robins gave Rotherham a first-half lead, scoring a penalty at the second attempt, and he doubled the home side's lead with a deft chip over the advancing keeper after being sent clear by Leo Fortune-West. Suddenly Walsall came to life and the battling qualities they picked up in the higher division were apparent as newboy Brett Angell struck twice to help them to an emphatic 3-2 victory. Rotherham were the only promoted side to get off to a losing start as Andy Clarke slotted away the day's most simple goal as Peterborough won 1-0 at Oxford. All the hype at Northampton was about the signing of Marco Gabbiadini but it was his strike partner Jamie Forrester who hit a stunning 20-yard volley to salvage a point against Bournemouth. Two of the pre-season favourites met at the New Den as Millwall took on Reading. A Tim Cahill double strike ensured the home side came out on top. Another of the favourites, Bristol City, travelled to the Racecourse and came away with a 2-0 victory. After Wrexham had an early 'goal' disallowed, Tony Thorpe set his side on their way after a defensive mix-up and, moments after he should have been sent off, he played a part in Paul Holland's clincher. Stoke only managed a 0-0 draw at home to Wycombe, Notts County picked up a 1-0 win at Luton and Brentford held Bristol Rovers, who had Jamie Cureton on the scoresheet, to a 1-1 at the Memorial Ground. Will these results mean anything come May?

Daniel Jennings