Well ladies and gentlemen, League Two is definitely back, and week one’s games were characteristically eventful, with sleeping giants waking up, and dragons being slain. Now the first week nerves are out of the way, will week two be just as chaotic, or will we see the return of nice, predictable scorelines? Given this is League Two, the latter seems unlikely…
Saturday 5th August was actually relatively expected when you dissect it. Wrexham fans realised how hard League Two can be after their 3-5 defeat to MK Dons, something other League Two fans have been warning them about since May. Bradford lost to Crawley, Stockport lost on opening day for the fifth successive season. So far, so standard. Forest Green Rovers were also the only relegated team to lose, which wasn’t a great surprise given their early relegation and Salford’s form at the end of 22/23. The surprises came from teams that were expected to start the season strong. Doncaster Rovers exemplify this, losing at home to Harrogate. The biggest shock arguably, came with Sutton’s decimation of newly promoted Notts County, which puts them top of the league going into week two, which I don’t think was on anyone’s League Two bingo card this week. Will they be able to maintain this newfound form against Barrow this weekend? How will midweek Carabao Cup games affect preparation for the weekend?
As always we’ll chat about all things League Two, and this weekend’s highs and lows on The Real EFL League Two Podcast next week. Click here to listen to this week’s episode where Liam and Hannah cover the opening weekend, console each other over their first week losses, and discuss the latest League Two goings on.
Sticking with an alphabetical approach to the games in an attempt to find some order in the chaos, let’s see what we can expect from week two.
AFC Wimbledon vs Wrexham – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
After last weekend’s false start, Wrexham will be looking for three points at AFC Wimbledon, who will also be looking for their first win of the season against one of the league favourites. Wrexham will still be without Mullin, but new signing James McLean will be eligible to play after he signed after the cut-off for Saturday. With Wrexham taking on Wigan Athletic mid-week, their first two competitive games this season take place against teams with significant experience at League One and above, which was perhaps not the start to the season they would have liked, and they’ll be keen to reset on Saturday, and will be confident in their draw with Wigan (defeating them on penalties).
After their goalless draw with Grimsby (the only one of the weekend) Wimbledon’s Ali Al-Hamadi will be looking to make an impression after missing a penalty on Saturday, as will loanee Joe Lewis, who made fourteen clearances against Grimsby, amongst the highest in the league, and ex-Stockport colleague Ryan Johnson who won two headers from back-to-back corners.
Head-to-head record:
AFC Wimbledon 1 – Draws 1 – Wrexham 2
23/24 Form:
AFC Wimbledon D
Last game: Grimsby Town 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon
Wrexham L
Last game: Wrexham 3 (Mendy 42’, Davies 82’, Forde 90’) – 5 Milton Keynes Dons (O’Connell 6’ og, Eisa 10’, Leko 51’ 64’, Harvie 90’)
Barrow vs Sutton United – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Barrow and Sutton meet this weekend in one of the few ties that sees two teams clash that both won last weekend. Omari Patrick shone for Sutton on his debut, scoring two (Patrick signed from newly promoted Carlisle United at the weekend) in their 5-1 defeat of newcomers Notts County, whose goalkeeper Aidan Stone was sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity in the 15th minute. Harry Smith and Harry Beautyman both scored (the latter a penalty) in Sutton’s midweek draw with Cambridge United, with Sutton eventually winning on penalties.
An exuberant Pete Wild celebrated Barrow’s 2-1 win over Tranmere last week in typical Pete Wild style, with an opening weekend result reminiscent of their win over Stockport last July. Barrow made the most of their 36% share of possession across the 90 minutes with Niall Canavan’s 19′ opener described as a ‘freak goal’ by the BBC and Kian Spence’s goal on his debut appearance, against a very competitive Tranmere side who were arguably the stronger of the two sides in the first half. After a loss to Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup mid week they’ll be looking to get back on track this weekend.
Head-to-head record:
Barrow 4 – Draws 5 – Sutton United 3
23/24 Form:
Barrow W
Last game: Tranmere Rovers 1 (Hawkes 63’ pen) – 2 Barrow (Canavan 19’, Spence 71’)
Sutton W
Last game: Sutton United 5 (Kizzi 2’, Patrick 23’ 50’, Beautyman 63’, Smith 78’) – 1 Notts County (McGoldrick 69’)
Bradford City vs Colchester United – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
After Bradford’s away loss at promotion favourites Crawley last weekend, and Daniel Oyegoke’s debut red card, The Bantams will be keen to get their season underway with a home win in front of what is routinely the biggest attendance in the league, after a midweek tie in front of 2,368 at Accrington Stanley in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw before The Bantams won on penalties. In his post-match interview on Saturday manager Mark Hughes expressed frustration at the number of yellow cards that were awarded (Oyegoke’s dismissal was for a second yellow before half time) and routine mistakes that they will look to reverse this weekend.
Colchester’s game against Swindon was postponed twenty-minutes before kick off due to a waterlogged pitch, reportedly due to the covers being removed at 4am, so their season didn’t start until their game against Cardiff City on Wednesday night. In other Colchester news they also announced the signing of forward Joe Taylor from Luton Town on a season long loan this weekend.
Head-to-head record:
Bradford City 3 – Draws 6 – Colchester United 5
23/24 Form:
Bradford City L
Last game: Crawley Town 1 (Wright 14’) – 0 Bradford
Colchester United n/a
Last game: n/a
Gillingham vs Accrington Stanley – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
The new look Gillingham host Accrington for their first home game of the season, in the other tie that pairs two teams on three points. Gillingham go into this game on a high after their 1-0 win over Stockport County, after substitute Robbie McKenzie scored from close range in the 86th minute. Gillingham’s away loss streak from last season ended on the last day of the season with their 1-0 win over Salford, and they’ve clearly continued that trend into 23/24. Gillingham’s 2023 squad investment was evident, especially in defence where Shadrach Ogie did well to hold off a dominant Stockport performance in the second half on his debut. Marquee signing Jonny Williams was solid in midfield, but The Gills’ fans will be looking for more from him in the coming weeks and months. Gillingham also impressed midweek against Southampton, winning 3-1 with two goals from McKenzie and another from new signing Ashley Nadesan.
Accrington comfortably beat Newport 3-0 in their first game back in League Two, although Newport manager Graham Coughlan claimed they were ‘soft’ goals, and down to defensive errors. Midweek they drew with Bradford in the first round of the Carabao Cup, before losing on penalties. Gillingham will represent much more of a challenge – at the other end of the predicted table to Newport, they will be much stronger defensively, but The Gills will need to resist the temptation to revert to their 2023 playing style and sit back and play for a draw, as they continue to be light up front.
Head-to-head record:
Gillingham 8 – Draws 4 – Accrington Stanley 4
23/24 Form:
Gillingham W
Last game: Stockport County 0 – 1 Gillingham (McKenzie 86’)
Accrington Stanley W
Last game: Accrington Stanley 3 (Nolan 24’, Whalley 80’, Adedoyin 90’) – 0 Newport County
Harrogate Town vs Forest Green Rovers – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Following one of the more surprising results from Saturday, Harrogate go into their second game of the season with three points in the bank via a Jack Muldoon penalty after new signing Abraham Odoh was brought down in the box by Joseph Olowu. Their impressive performance on Saturday was followed up on Tuesday night with a win over League One newcomers Carlisle United. At the time of writing Luke Armstrong is still a Harrogate player, after making himself unavailable for selection ahead of Saturday’s tie as Simon Weaver continues to consider offers for him from League Two and higher.
Forest Green Rovers, by contrast, lost their season opener to Salford City, failing to convert multiple opportunities, and with Salford’s opener down to FGR not dealing adequately with a set piece, followed by a late goal from The Ammies. They also suffered a defeat to Portsmouth on Tuesday night, losing 3-1. Both sides will be looking for a definitive win this weekend, with Harrogate, who many tipped for relegation this season, keen to capitalise on FGR’s shaky start, the only relegated team that didn’t win on the opening weekend.
Head-to-head record:
Harrogate Town 1 – Draws 0 – Forest Green Rovers 3
23/24 Form:
Harrogate Town W
Last game: Doncaster Rovers 0 – 1 Harrogate Town (Muldoon 65’ pen)
Forest Green Rovers L
Last game: Forest Green Rovers 0 – 2 Salford City (McAleny 52’, Smith 90’)
Milton Keynes Dons vs Tranmere Rovers – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
MK Dons go into this weekend on a high after their 5-3 win over newly promoted Wrexham, a result that the bookies were offering 4:1 odds on before the game, although their midweek loss to Wycombe Wanderers will have taken the shine off somewhat. Graham Alexander’s side are still looking to strengthen their ranks though, and are reportedly interested in signing Luke Armstrong from Harrogate. Jonathan Leko impressed with a confident performance and contributed two of the five goals, whilst Mo Eisa’s goal at 10-minutes saw him weave through six defenders converging on him simultaneously to slot MK Dons’ second goal past Ben Foster. MK Dons showed quality throughout, and demonstrated why so many have tipped them for an early return to League One.
Tranmere Rovers lost to Barrow despite looking the stronger team across both halves, and at 1-1 looked the more likely to take all three points. However, midweek saw them draw 2-2 with Barnsley in normal time, before winning on penalties. MK Dons are undoubtedly stiffer competition than Barrow but arguably not too far off Barnsley, and it looks like The Rovers are very much rising to the level needed to be competitive in League Two this season.
Head-to-head record:
Milton Keynes Dons 8 – Draws 2 – Tranmere Rovers 5
23/24 Form:
Milton Keynes Dons W
Last game: Wrexham 3 (Mendy 42’, Davies 82’, Forde 90’) – 5 Milton Keynes Dons (O’Connell 6’ og, Eisa 10’, Leko 51’ 64’, Harvie 90’)
Tranmere Rovers L
Last game: Tranmere Rovers 1 (Hawkes 63’ pen) – 2 Barrow (Canavan 19’, Spence 71’)
Mansfield Town vs Morecambe – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
With Nigel Clough claiming that Mansfield were ‘an improving’ side before their meeting with Crewe on Saturday, they failed to capitalise on a two-goal advantage, and had to settle for a draw. Two first half goals came from fan favourite Davis Keillor-Dunn before newcomer Calum MacDonald was awarded the second ‘red card debut’ of the day award in the 59th minute, with Crewe levelling immediately after. Mansfield were resilient in their continued attempts on goal though, and Keillor-Dunn came close to a hat trick, but they ultimately had to take the one point home. They go into this weekend confident from their 2-0 win over Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
Morecambe come into this weekend confident after their opening weekend win over Walsall, after an injury time goal from Farrend Rawson took them to 2-1, and a first win in League Two for the newly relegated side. Arguably though, the scoreline flattered them, with Walsall stronger in the second half, and Mansfield will be tougher opposition. However, The Shrimps did well against Rotherham United on Tuesday night, drawing after 90-minutes before losing 4-2 on penalties.
Head-to-head record:
Mansfield Town 10 – Draws 3 – Morecambe 4
23/24 Form:
Mansfield Town D
Last game: Crewe Alexandra 2 (Demetriou 32’, Adebisi 60’) – 2 Mansfield Town (Keillor-Dunn 22’, 26’)
Morecambe W
Last game: Morecambe 2 (Majore 25’, Rawson 90’) – 1 Walsall (Johnson ’38)
Newport County vs Doncaster Rovers – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Both sides are going into this weekend with a loss on opening day, and although Newport’s was more dramatic, it was at least predicted, with the Welsh side tipped by many to struggle this season. By contrast, Doncaster were expected to have a stronger season than last year, with heavy investment in the transfer window and the arrival of Grant McCann. McCann has reportedly warned players he won’t tolerate another slow start, which will either see a reinvigorated team facing Newport, or a downtrodden one. McCann was particularly critical of their first half performance, describing it as ‘poor’ to The Doncaster Free Press. McCann’s starting lineup featured six new players, plus goalkeeper Ian Lawlor’s first start since his return to The Rovers. McCann failed to make any substitutions until they went 1-0 down, but has said that he won’t give players the benefit of the doubt in the future, and will make first half changes if he needs to, although in the programme he asked Donny fans for patience.
Head-to-head record:
Newport County 1 – Draws 1 – Doncaster Rovers 2
23/24 Form:
Newport County L
Last game: Accrington Stanley 3 (Nolan 24’, Whalley 80’, Adedoyin 90’) – 0 Newport County
Doncaster Rovers L
Last game: Doncaster Rovers 0 – 1 Harrogate Town (Muldoon 65’ pen)
Notts County vs Grimsby Town – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Notts manager Luke Williams said after the defeat on Saturday that he was delighted with the result on the grounds that he thought they should have lost 10-0. That disappointment was compounded by their defeat to Lincoln in the Carabao Cup, which he described as ‘terrible’ and leaving him ‘under a cloud’. In both fixtures Notts County dominated possession, with 66% and 70% respectively, but failed to convert opportunities, and are missing first choice goalkeeper Aiden Stone after he was sent off on Saturday. However, with David McGoldrick scoring on his return debut on Saturday and leading goalscorer Macauley Langstaff now committed to County until 26-27, there are glimmers of hope, and it may be that they need a few more games to settle in to League Two.
Grimsby Town head into Saturday after a goalless draw with AFC Wimbledon last week, and a midweek loss to Mansfield in the League Cup. With eleven new signings over the summer combined with investment off the pitch, they see themselves as outside contenders for promotion. 23/24 is reminiscent of their 21/22 National League promotion campaign that saw them ascend to League Two, once again facing Notts County, Wrexham, and Stockport County.
Head-to-head record:
Notts County 4 – Draws 3 – Grimsby Town 8
23/24 Form:
Notts County L
Last game: Sutton United 5 (Kizzi 2’, Patrick 23’ 50’, Beautyman 63’, Smith 78’) – 1 Notts County (McGoldrick 69’)
Grimsby Town D
Last game: Grimsby Town 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon
Salford City vs Crawley Town – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Salford City have started their season exactly as they planned, seeing off Forest Green Rovers in the season opener, followed by Championship side Preston North End in the League Cup. The Ammies won on penalties, banishing memories of their last penalty contest, against Stockport County in the 22/23 playoff semi-final. Newcomer Connor McLennan, who signed in the summer from Aberdeen scored two, joining Conor McAleny and Matt Smith’s goals from Saturday. With assist-master Elliot Watt in hospital, this is not even a Salford side at full strength, but of all the teams who finished strongly last season they’ve had the best start to the season, and a loss to Crawley would be surprising.
Crawley opened their season with a 1-0 win over Bradford City, in one of the biggest shocks of the weekend, despite Bradford’s poor record against Crawley. They lost 2-1 to Exeter City midweek after going 1-0 up after 15′ after a substitution due to injury left Exeter with 10 men, with the equalizer not coming until the 73rd minute. In the Bradford game, Crawley’s winner came from a free kick from debutant Will Wright. Goalkeeper Corey Addai won a place in the League Two ‘Team of the Week’ based on his performance, a dramatic reversal of last season.
Head-to-head record:
Salford City 1 – Draws 3 – Crawley Town 4
23/24 Form:
Salford City W
Last game: Forest Green Rovers 0 – 2 Salford City (McAleny 52’, Smith 90’)
Crawley Town: W
Last game: Crawley Town 1 (Wright 14’) – 0 Bradford
Swindon Town vs Crewe Alexandra – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Mickey Demetriou, who joined Crewe from Newport over the summer scored The Railwaymen’s first goal of the season on Saturday, as they clawed back a two-goal deficit against Mansfield to share the points, with an assist from one of Crewe’s other debutants, ex-Crawley midfielder Jack Powell, to Rio Adebisi for their second. Crewe will go into this tie still on a high for their midweek win over Sunderland in the cup, with keeper Harvey Davies saving Pierre Ekwah’s kick.
Whilst Swindon didn’t manage a game last weekend due to Colchester’s waterlogged pitch, they did well in the League Cup midweek, drawing 1-1 with Peterborough before ultimately losing 4-1 on penalties. They’ve also continued to invest heavily in new players, including Tariq Uwakwe from Crewe, Benn Ward from Burnley, and Brooklyn Genesini from Bournemouth.
Head-to-head record:
Swindon Town 10 – Draws 2 – Crewe Alexandra 8
23/24 Form:
Swindon Town n/a
Last game: n/a
Crewe Alexandra D
Last game: Crewe Alexandra 2 (Demetriou 32’, Adebisi 60’) – 2 Mansfield Town (Keillor-Dunn 22’, 26’)
Walsall vs Stockport County – 3pm, Saturday 12th August 2023
Danny Johnson scored on his return debut as Walsall lost to Morecambe after a last-minute goal, in a similar manner to this weekend’s opposition. Like Walsall, Stockport also lost in the Carabao Cup midweek. Walsall to Blackburn Rovers, Stockport to Sheffield Wednesday (on penalties, after a 97′ equaliser from The Owls). Callum Camps was injured in Stockport’s last-minute defeat by a much strengthened Gillingham side, prompting the recall of youngster Cody Johnson from Rochdale. New loan signing Louie Barry also went off injured but will be available for this weekend. Will Collar also made his return on Tuesday night, with the Stockport side playing much better than during the season opener. However, with the head-to-head record being what it is, Stockport won’t be taking anything for granted going into Saturday.
Head-to-head record:
Walsall 4 – Draws 2 – Stockport County 1
23/24 Form:
Walsall L
Last game: Morecambe 2 (Majore 25’, Rawson 90’) – 1 Walsall (Johnson ’38)
Stockport County L
Last game: Stockport County 0 – 1 Gillingham (McKenzie 86’)
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