A first threat from Bromley comes via Ben Thompson but his shot is saved by Ben Amos.

Shrewsbury need to respond and they do.

John Marquis is chosen by George Lloyd to provide the equaliser but the forward can only send it straight into the gloves of Imps keeper George Wickens.

Image source, Rex Features

A busy opening 15 minutes in the third tier!

Stockport are behind at home to Rotherham - looking for a fourth straight win, Mallik Wilks with the opener.

Tyreece Campbell has given Charlton the lead against second-bottom Cambridge - and that leapfrogs Nathan Jones' side into fourth in the live table.

Not the start Bolton were after, the Trotters are behind at Oakwell, Jon Russell scoring for Barnsley.

Burton are making things interesting at the bottom, they lead Huddersfield 1-0 through Rumam Burrell. That goal, coupled with a Caleb Watts strike for Exeter at Bristol Rovers, puts the Gas in the bottom four.

It's scrappy - lots of free-kicks.

The news of Accrington being 1-0 up will surely have quietened a few down.

Mark Boyd
Former Carlisle player on BBC Radio Cumbria Sport

The game is starting to settle down now after 15 minutes of end-to-end action. There is a little bit of needle in this one.

Everyone in Vale Park thinks Lorent Tolaj has doubled their lead and so does the Swiss striker but our attention is drawn to an offside flag.

Still a great start for the home side though.

Northampton have had a positive start so far.

Aaron McGowan supplies a cross for an awaiting Dara Costelloe to nod into goal but the forward's header lifts too high.

Bromley's Michael Cheek gets himself involved with Port Vale defender Nathan Smith and collects a caution for his troubles.

A dart forward by Carlisle's Sean Fusire from his own half.

The Sheffield Wednesday loanee goes down in the box and the sold-out away end scream for a penalty.

Referee Ben Toner turns away.

Mark Hone
Former Lincoln City defender on BBC Radio Lincolnshire

I have to say Shrewsbury are not at it.

I am a little bit annoyed because as it stands you are going down and you're not showing fight.

Their body language is terrible.

Phil Sproson
Former Port Vale captain on BBC Radio Stoke

Bromley will aim to settle down, be solid at the back and quieten the crowd.

I'm sure that Port Vale will respect them because they have not come here to lay down.

Aaron Pierre is in the Salop starting line-up today to make his 150th appearance for the club.

But will he be marking a joyous occasion with the dismay of relegation?

He'll have to put in a good performance today to be in with a chance of avoiding it.

Port Vale have made one change from the side which won at Walsall last weekend.

Jack Shorrock starts in place of Kyle John who is out of the matchday squad.

Bromley captain Byron Webster is back in place of Deji Elerewe for their only change.

Morecambe have made the one change for this one with Paul Lewis out and captain Yann Songo'o returning to the side.

Carlisle have brought in Cameron Harper and Matt Dennis for Archie Davies and Josh Vela.

Well, the early games certainly gave us plenty of thrills, spills and drama.

The late starters have got a lot to live up to.

Off we go...

Whatever happens come 3 May, Walsall would have spent over half the season at the top of League Two this 2024-2025 campaign.

The Saddlers' 23-game stint out front came to an end last weekend, and today is the first chance to see how they respond to that. Mat Sadler's side are at Barrow this afternoon.

The race for the final play-off place is heating up, too. Crewe lost ground on Thursday, but Salford put themselves in the mix with a win at Notts County on Friday.

Dave Artell's Grimsby currently occupy seventh, and can distance themselves from the chasing pack at Harrogate today. Snapping at their heels are Colchester and their March manager of the month Danny Cowley. The Essex side are in Wales looking for all three points against Newport.

At the bottom, as the sides in 23rd (Morecambe) and 24th (Carlisle) do battle, the sides immediately above them will be facing off too. Tranmere's visit to Accrington provides both the opportunity to take a big leap away from danger at the foot of the EFL.

Make sure you're up to speed with all those permutations, here.

Elsewhere? Gareth Ainsworth seeks his first win as Gillingham boss at home to MK Dons, and Chesterfield will look for three points to maintain their faint play-off hopes against Fleetwood.

Image source, Rex Features

The fixture calendar has a habit of conjuring up these do-or-die fixtures towards the end of a season and while for those neutrals watching it may be intriguing, you get the feeling this is not going to be a fun afternoon for those with affiliations to either Morecambe or Carlisle United.

While the Shrimps' struggles could have been predicted, you'll probably excuse us for being a little puzzled as to why the Cumbrians find themselves on the edge of losing their EFL status for a second time.

Morecambe's ongoing financial issues left them signing 15 players in one day barely a month before the start of the season and further problems meant they were unable to strengthen until the very end of the January transfer window.

It is perhaps then quite a job Derek Adams has done to keep them in the frame with two wins from their past three games.

Lack of finance may be the problem for Morecambe but maybe too much of it has been Carlisle's undoing given the backing they have had from their American owner Tom Piatak.

Well-backed after relegation from League One they are on their third head coach of the season and Mark Hughes was appointed in February straight after his predecessor Mike Williamson had been allowed to sign 11 new players in the transfer window.

Hughes has overseen three wins from his 13 games in charge but, already eight points from safety, defeat today would surely mean National League football at Brunton Park next season.