The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsA new season in League One and relegated Wigan suffered defeat at the hands of Coventry, whilst title favourites Sheffield United were pummelled 4-0 at Gillingham in a day of shocks in the league. Here is your League One Review:
Burton 2-1 Scunthorpe
After securing promotion from League Two a few months ago, things almost got off to a nightmare start for Burton when Phil Edwards hit his own post when attempting to turn the ball behind. The Brewers took full advantage of a defensive error when Stuart Beavon robbed Stephen Dawson of the ball and scored Burton’s first of the afternoon. Luke Daniels blatantly elbowed Mark Duffy in the face following a clash between the two, which resulted in the Scunthorpe keeper being shown a straight red card and a penalty awarded. Lucas Akins stepped up to extend the Brewers lead. Charlie Goode managed to pull one back for the visitors in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to earn a point.
Chesterfield 3-1 Barnsley
Some nervy defending from The Spirites resulted in them going a goal behind just four minutes into the match, as Connor Wilkinson took full advantage to give The Tykes the lead. Jay O’Shea drew Chesterfield level early on in the second half, before new signing Sylvan Ebanks-Blake put the home side ahead on his debut 20 minutes from time. Dean Saunders’ side ensured they wouldn’t let this lead slip when they added a third just a minute later. Ebanks-Blake laid the ball off for Sam Morsy, who curled his effort into the far corner to win the three points.
Colchester 2-2 Blackpool
Blackpool had an excellent chance to take the lead early on, but debutant Jack Redshaw missed an absolute sitter from six yards out. Other debutant Mark Cullen got the first of his debut goals to give the visitors the lead, helping a cross into the net, but the hosts drew level four minutes later when Alex Gilbey converted his half-volley from twenty yards out. New signing Cullen scored his second with a low finish from twenty yards before Dean Ambrose arrived at the back post to ensure that the points were shared at The Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Coventry 2-0 Wigan
Wigan didn’t adjust to life in League One too well on the first day of the season as they fell to defeat at Coventry. New signing Adam Armstrong latched onto Jim O’Brien’s through ball to give the home side the lead after fifteen minutes. The afternoon got worse for Gary Caldwell’s side in the second period as Adam Armstrong added his second sixty-two minutes into the contest. This time the Sky Blues capitalised on some poor defending and crossed to Armstrong, who got the slightest of touches to double Coventry’s advantage and give them an opening day win.
Crewe 0-0 Port Vale
This was the only goalless draw of the opening day of League One, and it was Port Vale who came the closer to nicking all three points. A wonderful solo effort from Uche Ikpeazu, which saw him cut back inside and fire the ball into the back of the net, was ruled out by the assistant, who spotted the ball go out of play in the build-up to the goal.
Doncaster 1-1 Bury
This game was looking to be heading for a goalless draw at the Keepmoat Stadium, but the game saw two goals in three stoppage time minutes. Following an injury which resulted in Bury kicking the ball out of play, Harry Forrester attempted to return the ball to keeper, but instead ended up lobbing him and giving Doncaster the lead, leading to an on-picth brawl in the third minute of added time. After speaking to both benches, referee Eddie Ilderton sportingly allowed Leon Clarke to score his debut goal without challenge from Donny.
Fleetwood 1-1 Southend
Southend marked their return to League One with a draw at Highbury with Fleetwood. The Cod Army took the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when debutant Declan McManus began his Fleetwood career with a bang, connecting perfectly with a strike from twenty-five yards out, giving Graham Alexander’s side the lead at half-time. However, six minutes from time, newly promoted Southend hit back as David Worrall’s dink found its way into the back of the net to earn Phil Brown’s men a point on the opening day.
Gillingham 4-0 Sheffield United
Promotion favourites Sheffield United couldn’t have got their campaign off to a worse start as they were on the receiving end of a towelling at the Priestfield Stadium. The first goal was a scrappy one as Emmanuel Osadebe was originally given the goal after bundling the ball over the line eight minutes in, but Luke James has recently been on Twitter to claim the goal as his own. Defender Deji Oshilaja doubled The Gills’ lead just before half-time, toe-poking the ball into the net. John Egan secured the victory with a bullet header before Bradley Dack rounded things off with a superb goal in added time to complete a nightmare start for Nigel Adkins.
Rochdale 2-0 Peterborough
Two play-off hopefuls went head-to-head in this one, and it was Rochdale who took the three points. Dale took the lead sixteen minutes in when a deflected pass made its way into the path of Callum Camps, who prodded the ball home. The home side’s lead was doubled in the second half when Reuben Noble-Lazarus drove the ball into the far corner to hand Rochdale all three points.
Shrewsbury 1-2 Millwall
Two divisions sepearated these two prior to this season, and they met on the opening day of the season at the New Meadow. Salop took the lead when James Collins arrived at the back post to get on the end of a Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro cross ten minutes into the second half. The Lions’ fightback started four minutes later when Fred Onyedinma’s cross seemed to miss everybody, apart from Steve Morrison, who was at the far post to draw Millwall level. The goalscorer then won the visitors a penalty eight minutes later, which Lee Grogory stepped up to give Millwall their first away win since February.
Swindon 4-1 Bradford
Bradford got off to a dream start, and scored just four minutes into the match when Josh Morris scored with a thunderbolt from just outside the box. The Bantams had the chance to make it 0-2, but Billy Clarke couldn’t convert from the penalty spot. Swindon then came back after half-time when Nathan Byrne completed a sixteen-minute hat-trick. Byrne drew Swindon level with an wonderful effort with the outside of his boot six minutes into the second half. He scored his second nine minutes later with a calm finish, and his third came with a marvellous individual effort to put Swindon 3-1 up. Jonathan Obika rounded off the victory two minutes later.
Walsall 1-1 Oldham
Two sides that finished next to each other in the table last season met here, and it was Walsall that took the lead early on when Romaine Sawyers thumped an effort into the top right corner eight minutes into the encounter. The Saddlers were desperate to hang on for all three points, but Oldham had other ideas and equalised seven minutes from time. Jake Cassidy provided a perfect cross for Jonathan Forte, who made no mistake with the volley.
