Saturday 6 August 2016 21:52, UK
Grimsby made a winning return to The Sky Bet EFL as they beat Morecambe 2-0 on the opening day of the Sky Bet League Two season.
The Mariners, promoted from non-league football for the first time since 2010 in May, finished the game with 10-men after Josh Gowling was sent off with 19 minutes left.
But an early lead through Kayden Jackson's sixth-minute strike and a second from Ben Davies' free-kick in the 63rd minute proved enough to begin with three points.
Fellow promoted side Cheltenham secured an opening-day point thanks to Billy Waters' 76th-minute effort in a 1-1 draw at home to Leyton Orient, who had gone ahead via Gavin Massey's third-minute goal.
Doncaster, who were relegated from League One last season, were beaten 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at Accrington. John Marquis' penalty was saved early on for the Dons and then they went behind through Romuald Boco's goal, but they swiftly levelled through Tommy Rowe.
Matty Pearson restored Accrington's lead just prior to the half-hour mark before Andy Williams seemingly grabbed a point for the visitors in the 82nd minute but Sean McConville wrapped up all-three points in stoppage time.
It was a happier afternoon for two other teams who dropped out of the second tier last season, with in Gary Bowyer winning in first game in charge of Blackpool over Exeter 2-0. Kyle Vassell and a Troy Brown own goal did the business, while Crewe won 2-1 at Stevenage thanks to goals from Ryan Lowe and Alex Kiwomya.
Colchester, the fourth side to have come down, drew 1-1 at Hartlepool after Tom Eastman's opener for the Essex-based side was cancelled out by Billy Paynter's penalty.
Plymouth, beaten in last term's League Two play-off final, suffered a 3-0 home defeat to 10-man Luton, for whom Danny Hylton, Jack Marriott and Jonathan Smith scored. Dan Potts was sent off in the 89th minute.
There was late drama at Newport as the Welsh side were condemned to a 3-2 defeat by a strike from Mansfield's Kevan Hurst. The hosts had earlier twice equalised, with goals from Jack Compton and Joss Labadie replying to efforts from Matt Green and Danny Rose.
Yeovil and 10-man Crawley also made winning starts to the season, with the former seeing-off Notts County 2-0 through Kevin Dawson and Otis Khan, and the latter sneaking a 1-0 win over Wycombe thanks to a Jimmy Smith strike. Crawley had Andre Blackman dismissed late on.
Carlisle hung on for a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth after taking the lead through Reggie Lambe and then having Jamie Devitt sent off in the 28th minute, with Carl Baker's leveller just before half-time all the home side could muster.
And the scoreline was the same in Cambridge's home clash with Barnet, Piero Mingoia notching the opener for the home side and Alex Nicholls hitting back.
