League Two fixtures: Sutton United visit Forest Green, Hartlepool host Crawley

Sutton United are replacing their 3G surface at Gander Green Lane with a grass pitch to meet EFL regulations

Sutton United will begin life in the Football League with a trip to Forest Green on League Two's opening weekend.

National League champions Sutton, promoted to the EFL for the first time in their 123-year history, will visit The New Lawn on Saturday, 7 August.

United's first EFL game at their Gander Green Lane home will see Salford City the visitors seven days later.

Hartlepool United, promoted via the play-offs, return to the league with a home game against Crawley Town.

Bradford City visit Exeter, while Joey Barton's relegated Bristol Rovers go to Mansfield and last season's losing play-off finalists Newport County travel to Oldham on the opening day.

It is not yet known how many fans will be able to attend the opening fixtures due to Covid-19 restrictions but EFL play-off games did welcome back a limited number of supporters in May.

• Club-by-club 2021-22 League Two fixture list

• Championship: Relegated West Brom start at Bournemouth

• League One: Sheff Wed meet Charlton on opening day

First round of fixtures in full

Carlisle United v Colchester United

Exeter City v Bradford City

Forest Green Rovers v Sutton United

Harrogate Town v Rochdale

Hartlepool United v Crawley Town

Mansfield Town v Bristol Rovers

Northampton Town v Port Vale

Oldham Athletic v Newport County

Salford City v Leyton Orient

Scunthorpe United v Swindon Town

Stevenage v Barrow

Tranmere Rovers v Walsall

Stiff start for Sutton

Sutton face a testing start against beaten play-off semi-finalists Forest Green and then Salford, who finished eighth last term, before hosting fellow promoted side Hartlepool on Tuesday, 17 August.

The Yellows are spending more than £500,000 to replace their artificial 3G pitch with a grass surface to meet EFL regulations, similar to Harrogate Town when they were promoted last year.

The club's most famous days have previously come in the FA Cup, shocking then top-flight Coventry City in 1989, before a memorable run to the fifth round in 2017, beating Leeds on the way before losing to Arsenal.

Hartlepool, meanwhile, are back in the EFL after four seasons in the National League and they follow up their opener against Crawley with a trip west to play Barrow on Saturday, 14 August.

Elsewhere on the opening day, Kenny Jackett's first game as Leyton Orient boss will be away at Salford, while former Portsmouth and West Ham man Matthew Taylor's maiden match in management at Walsall is a trip to Tranmere Rovers.

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