Dion Dublin was sent off as Leicester and West Ham finished goalless.
Dion Dublin endured a miserable start to the new season after being sent off after just 18 minutes of the 0-0 draw between promotion hopefuls Leicester and West Ham.Both sides had chances to win an entertaining clash at the Walkers Stadium with Lilian Nalis hitting the bar for the hosts early on and Marlon Harewood spurning a good second half opportunity for The Hammers.
Leicester's David Connolly also went close on a couple of occasions against his former club, but honours ultimately ended even.
Ipswich opened their campaign with a win, but were forced to come from behind at Portman Road against Gillingham.
Paul Smith put the Gills ahead on 24 minutes but, after Richard Naylor had equalised, teenager Dean Bowditch pounced just a minute after the restart for what proved to be the decisive goal.
Nottingham Forest claimed a point from their trip to Wigan, but the Paul Jewell's outfit will be wondering how they did not take maximum points.
Wigan deservedly moved ahead seven minutes before the break when Lee McCulloch fired home at the second attempt and the hosts should have increased their lead.
They were left to rue their profligacy when Forest levelled with a controversial goal from Gareth Taylor who deflected home an Andy Impey effort on 55 minutes with The Latics claiming offside.
Steve Cotterill started his tenure as Burnley boss with a 1-1 home draw against Sheffield United.
The Clarets were leading through Micah Hyde's early effort but Andy Gray cancelled it out on 52 minutes.
Reading made a winning start but were pushed all the way by Championship new-boys Brighton.
The visitors made the best possible start when Maheta Molango, making his Brighton debut, netted after just 19 seconds.
Steve Coppell's men were on terms almost instantly when Dave Kitson replied and James Harper ensured they went in ahead at the break.
Nicky Forster opened up a two-goal cushion just before the hour mark, but Reading were forced to hang on in the closing stages after Jake Robinson notched Brigton's second just four minutes later.
Michael Higdon rescued a point for Crewe with a late leveller against Cardiff in a 2-2 draw at Gresty Road.
Dean Ashton fired Crewe ahead from the penalty spot after just five minutes, but goals from John Robinson and Alan Lee had given the Welsh outfit the lead.
Preston claimed all three points from their home clash with Watford, David Healy dispatching a penalty 13 minutes from time to seal the win.
Richard Cresswell had opened the scoring for Preston after 34 minutes, but Paul Devlin tied things up just two minutes after the interval.
QPR opened with a 1-1 against Rotherham, Paul Shaw cancelling out Gareth Ainsworth's opener with both goals coming inside the first 15 minutes at Loftus Road.
Fellow new-boys Plymouth also begun with a draw, a dour goalless stalemate against Millwall with neither side mustering a shot on target until midway through the second half at Home Park.
Click on link for match report
Burnley v Sheff Utd
Coventry v Sunderland
Crewe v Cardiff
Ipswich v Gillingham
Leeds v Derby
Leicester v West Ham
Plymouth v Millwall
Preston v Watford
QPR v Rotherham
Reading v Brighton
Wigan v Nottingham Forest
Click on fixture for full match summary
Burnley v Sheffield United
Coventry City v Sunderland
Crewe Alexandra v Cardiff City
Ipswich Town v Gillingham
Leeds United v Derby County
Leicester City v West Ham United
Plymouth Argyle v Millwall
Preston North End v Watford
Queens Park Rangers v Rotherham United
Reading v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wigan Athletic v Nottingham Forest
