GOAL: Stoke 3-1 Rotherhampublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Lee Peltier (47 mins)
A lifeline for the away side?!
Lee Peltier, on as a half-time sub, pokes home from close range from a corner.
Summary
Watford score four first-half goals as they thrash QPR
Stoke put four past Rotherham, Plymouth beat Huddersfield
Also wins for Blackburn, Millwall & Norwich
League One - Barnsley thrash Port Vale 7-0, Devante Cole hat-trick
League Two - EFL newcomers Wrexham & Notts County both thrashed
Colchester v Swindon postponed because of waterlogged pitch
GOAL: Stoke 3-1 Rotherhampublished at 16:15 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
League One latestpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
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Matt Taylor's tenure at Shrewsbury begins today and Ryan Bowman has put the hosts 1-0 ahead against Cheltenham five minutes after the interval.
Postpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Middlesbrough 0-0 Millwall
We are back under way at the Riverside and Millwall have had their best chance of the match straight out of the gate.
Boro lose possession and the ball is squared to the Lions defender Joe Bryan, who bazookas a shot on goal.
But his effort is... way off.
GOAL: Bristol City 1-0 Prestonpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Sam Bell (48 mins)
Image source, PA MediaIdeal restart for Bristol City as Sam Bell gets them the breakthrough and gives them the lead.
Harry Cornick's long throw drops into the penalty area, hits the post and falls into the path of Bell who taps it into the net.
Sam Bell scored the last goal of the season for the Robins at the end of the last campaign and also got the winner for them last time they played Preston.
Postpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Watford 4-0 QPR
As expected, Gareth Ainsworth has made a couple of changes at half-time with his forwards.
Charlie Kelman and Paul Smyth are taken off, with Sinclair Armstrong and Stephen Duke-McKenna coming on in their place.
Postpublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Stoke 3-0 Rotherham
In amongst all the madness before half-time we forgot to inform you that Stoke had made it 3-0 at home to Rotherham.
Portuguese debutant Andre Vidigal scored two in first-half stoppage time.
Some start to the season for the Potters and less so for me, who missed that third goal...
Image source, Getty ImagesSecond halfpublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
We're starting to get back under way around the country.
These longer halves are going to take some getting used to, and on that...
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 16:03 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Use #bbcefl, text 81111 (UK only - standard message rates apply) or WhatsApp on 03301231826
Image source, Getty ImagesSam, Wigston: Ainsworth out, Ainsworth out, Ainsworth out, Ainsworth out!!!!
Anon: What is going on at QPR!? The lack of stability of the last few seasons with managers being fired at the first sign of trouble has ruined us. The players have lost their passion. No manager wants to touch us and now we have a good League One manager in charge who said he was terrified about the season. At least he can look after us in League One next season.
David in Bristol: As a Bristol City fan it's every fan's nightmare to have this happen on the opening day of the season after looking forward to it for so long. I do feel for the QPR fans. I've had a few giggles too though.
David Ljunggren: QPR used the summer break to address the many issues they had last season, I see…
Huddersfield deservedly levelpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Plymouth 1-1 Huddersfield
Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport at Home Park
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt's a subdued Home Park at half-time, but it is no more than Huddersfield deserve.
Having come out superbly Argyle have started to look more and more nervous, and Neil Warnock's side have found their feet.
The Terriers will have a strong wind at their backs in the second half - a half which may be a long one for Argyle if they continue to play as they are.
League Two half-time headlinespublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
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Image source, Rex Features- It’s been a spectacular return to the EFL for Wrexham and Notts County. But not in a good way.
- Wrexham were 2-0 down inside 10 minutes at home to MK Dons but Jacob Mendy halved the deficit just before half-time.
- The Magpies have seen keeper Aiden Stone sent-off for a foul outside the box and went 2-0 down after 23 minutes at Sutton.
- Will Wright’s goal has Crawley 1-0 ahead against Bradford while Newport, tipped to struggle along with Crawley, are 1-0 down at Accrington through Jack Dolan.
- Mansfield lead 2-1 at Crewe thanks to Davis Keillor-Dunn’s quickfire double while Barrow lead 1-0 at Tranmere and Walsall’s Danny Johnson has cancelled-out Adam Major’s opener for Morecambe.
- Stockport County v Gillingham; Doncaster Rovers v Harrogate Town; Forest Green Rovers v Salford City and Grimsby Town v AFC Wimbledon remain goalless.
League One half-time headlinespublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
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- Blackpool are enjoying life in League One so far after dropping into League One - they are 2-0 up on Burton Albion.
- Cambridge United have a 2-0 lead over last season's fellow relegation strugglers Oxford United
- Exeter City scored two goals inside the first five minutes and are 2-0 up on Wycombe Wanderers.
- An own goal put Barnsley 2-0 up on Port Vale just before the break.
- Carlisle United are the only side from the newly promoted pack to score a goal so far, they are all square with Fleetwood Town 1-1.
- Elsewhere, relegated Reading and favoured Portsmouth are both losing their games 1-0.
Championship half-time headlinespublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Image source, Getty Images- Watford took the lead after just 30 seconds against QPR through Tom Dele-Bashiru and it's 4-0 to the dominant Hornets at the break.
- Blackburn weathered an early storm from West Brom and then bagged two goals in three minutes to take total control.
- Promoted Plymouth were a goal to the good against Huddersfield thanks to Morgan Whittaker's early strike but Michal Helik levelled just before the break.
- Goals from Ki-Jana Hoever and Andre Vidigal have Stoke 3-0 up at home to Rotherham and Hull City are level at 1-1 at Norwich.
- Siriki Dembele has a debut goal for Birmingham and they're 1-0 up at Swansea.
GOAL: Plymouth 1-1 Huddersfieldpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Michal Helik (45+6 mins)
Image source, Rex FeaturesDecent time to equalise!
Michal Helik scores on the rebound after Sorba Thomas' effort comes back off the post.
GOAL: Stoke 2-0 Rotherhampublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Andre Vidigal (45+3 mins)
Image source, PA MediaThe home side double their money just before the break!
Andre Vidigal has a debut goal from close range after Ben Wilmot headed a corner back across goal.
GOAL: Norwich 1-1 Hull Citypublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Jonathan Rowe (45+3 mins)
Image source, PA MediaIt had been coming!
Jonathan Rowe drifts inside and smashes an unstoppable shot home with his left foot for the Canaries.
His first goal in professional football. A decent time to get it.
GOAL: Swansea 0-1 Birminghampublished at 15:49 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Siriki Dembele (45 mins)
Image source, Getty ImagesBirmingham have the opener right on the strike of half-time.
Bit of drama as Swansea are the ones who think they've taken the lead, but Jamie Patterson's goal was ruled out for offside.
Straight away Birmingham race down the other end and Siriki Dembele slots the ball away for the opener on his debut.
League One latestpublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
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Just before the interval Ephron Mason-Clark has put Peterborough ahead with a looping header at Reading, who were relegated from the Championship last season.
GOAL: Watford 4-0 QPRpublished at 15:45 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Vakoun Bayo (41 mins)
Image source, PA MediaThis is getting embarrassing for QPR now...
Francisco Sierralta plays a shot across the face of goal only for Vakoun Bayo at the back post to put it past Begovic for the fourth time.
Half-time can't come soon enough for QPR. Or full-time for that matter.
Postpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Norwich 0-1 Hull City
More Norwich pressure but still no goal.
Matt Ingram makes a super save to keep out Josh Sargent's effort.
DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 5 August 2023
Middlesbrough 0-0 Millwall
Boro's Hayden Hackney pokes the ball into the back of the net at the near post but he is denied.
The linesman's flag is up as the ball had already slid out of play before it was crossed into the box.
It remains goalless.