Jack Muldoon’s second-half penalty got Harrogate Town off to the perfect start as they triumphed 1-0 in the Yorkshire derby at Doncaster Rovers.

Muldoon confidently fired home in the 66th minute after Joseph Olowu was adjudged to have brought down Abraham Odoh in the box.

Harrogate had the better chances throughout against a Doncaster side of which plenty is expected this season.

Goalkeeper Ian Lawlor came to Rovers’ rescue on several occasions, starting early with fine saves from Muldoon and Sam Folarin.

Luke Molyneux went close for Doncaster as he lifted a shot over the on-rushing Mark Oxley only for it to drop narrowly wide.

Lawlor punched an in-swinging corner out from under his bar before batting away a follow-up from Dean Cornelius.

Doncaster almost went ahead seven minutes into the second half but Matty Foulds produced a brilliant block on the line to keep out a Jon Taylor strike.

After Harrogate took the lead, Doncaster were spurred into life and Oxley saved brilliantly from an Owen Bailey header, although that was the closest they came to an equaliser.

Crewe fought back from two goals down to frustrate promotion hopefuls Mansfield who, down to 10 men, had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Gresty Road.

Stags defender Calum MacDonald’s 59th-minute sending off slowed down Mansfield’s momentum after two first-half strikes from Davis Keillor-Dunn had put them in charge.

Mickey Demetriou hit back for Crewe before the break, and immediately after MacDonald’s dismissal Rio Adebisi levelled the game.

Keillor-Dunn drove a powerful low shot past Alex keeper Harvey Davies from the edge of the box to open the scoring in the 22ns minute.

He then doubled the lead soon after, showing a deft touch to take Stephen Quinn’s pass before firing into the corner past Davies.

Davies kept out efforts from Keillor-Dunn and Lucas Akins as the visitors piled on the pressure.

But Crewe halted the advance and cut the deficit in the 32nd minute when veteran debutant Demetriou reacted quickest at a corner to hook a close-range finish past Christy Pym.

Davies was well positioned to beat away an angled drive from Rhys Oates, but Mansfield were fortunate when Chris Long’s effort beat Pym but came back off the bar just before the break.

Keillor-Dunn, chasing his hat-trick, skewed a shot against the outside of the post soon after the restart as Mansfield looked to restore their two-goal lead.

However, MacDonald was handed a straight red card just before the hour for clattering into Long near to the halfway line, and Crewe were level immediately after.

The resulting free-kick went out wide from where it was driven across the box by Jack Powell for Adebisi to glance a header into the far corner.

Crewe frontman Shilow Tracey wasted a great shooting chance when he blazed over wildly and, despite their numerical disadvantage, Mansfield still posed a threat with Akins and Oates going close.

Accrington got off to a winning start back in League Two with a 3-0 victory over Newport.

The Exiles started well, with Seb Palmer-Houlden blasting over in the third minute while Jack Nolan’s 22-yard strike for Stanley was pushed over the bar by keeper Nick Townsend.

Stanley, relegated last season, opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Tommy Leigh’s through ball split the Newport defence and found Nolan who rounded Townsend and slotted home.

Kelvin Mellor’s strike for Accrington was narrowly over the bar while, at the other end, Brad Hills hooked a Ryan Delaney header off the line in the eighth minute of first-half added time.

Stanley came close to a second after 50 minutes but Townsend superbly kept out a Lewis Shipley header.

Newport then upped the pace with Adam Lewis and Will Evans coming close to an equaliser.

The Reds made it safe in the 80th minute when substitute Seb Quirk’s ball into the area was headed home by fellow substitute Shaun Whalley.

They added a third in the fourth minute of added time when a cross by Hills was forced home from close range by Korede Adedoyin.

Notts County suffered a chastening return to the EFL with a 5-1 drubbing at Sutton.

The visitors conceded twice and had goalkeeper Aidan Stone sent off inside the first quarter of the game.

Sutton struck the first goal of the League Two season as Joe Kizzi headed in former Magpie Rob Milsom’s corner at the far post, and County’s afternoon got worse as Scott Kashket pounced on a poor back pass and was brought down by Stone, who was immediately sent off by referee Sam Purkiss.

Milsom’s free-kick went just wide, but substitute goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was soon picking the ball out of his net as Omari Patrick rifled a shot home from Josh Coley’s pass.

U’s might have had a third when Kashket’s looping header hit the bar.

Hopes of a County comeback in the second half lasted only five minutes as Coley’s superb cross was powered home by Patrick’s header at the far post, and as Sutton continued to boss the game Craig Eastmond’s low shot hit a post.

Jack Rose made one good save from Macaulay Langstaff, but the punishment for County was relentless as Harry Beautyman made it 4-0 from Aiden O’Brien’s pass.

County pulled one back when David McGoldrick scored from Langstaff’s pass, but any prospect of a nervy end for Sutton fans was ended by Harry Smith’s header from Kizzi’s cross.

Ten-man Bradford suffered a blow in their opening match of the new season as a first-half strike from Will Wright condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at Crawley.

City, who were beaten in the League Two play-off semi-finals last season, have now won only one of eight visits to Broadfield Stadium after failing to recover from Wright’s early effort and the 41st-minute dismissal of Dan Oyegoke.

Crawley boss Scott Lindsey went into the curtain raiser scoffing at predictions making his side relegation favourites and insisting his new-look squad gives him what he needs to achieve his goals this season.

And the Reds, unbeaten in their last eight home games under Lindsey, made a great start when debutant defender Wright gave them the lead in the 14th minute.

The former Gillingham man struck with a free-kick from 25 yards, the ball beating the outstretched left hand of keeper Harry Lewis into the bottom corner.

Crawley threatened again midway through the half when Kellan Gordon saw a deflected shot go over after a move involving Danilo Orsi and Dom Telford.

Reds keeper Corey Addai saved shots from Jamie Walker and captain Richie Smallwood before Bradford were reduced to 10 men just before the break when Oyegoke picked up his second booking for a foul on Orsi.

The Bantams had a lucky escape on the stroke of half-time when a fierce shot from Orsi rebounded off the crossbar.

Bradford keeper Lewis did well to keep out a goalbound shot from substitute Klaidi Lolos as Crawley looked more threatening after the interval.

City rarely looked like rescuing a point, although Addai saved a Liam Ridehalgh header in stoppage time.

Grimsby and AFC Wimbledon shared the points in their Sky Bet League Two curtain-raiser at Blundell Park.

Mariners goalkeeper Jake Eastwood was the hero as he saved a second-half penalty from Ali Al-Hamadi on debut to earn his side a point.

The Dons’ best chances aside from the penalty came in quick succession around the 34th minute as Ryan Johnson won two headers from back-to-back corners.

Despite Grimsby’s bright start to the second half, the visitors were gifted a golden opportunity to go ahead in the 59th minute as Harry Clifton brought down Al-Hamadi in the box.

He stepped up to take the penalty, which was saved well by Eastwood down to his left, with a double save made in the end by the Grimsby stopper to deny Al-Hamadi on the follow-up.

Buoyed by the penalty save, the hosts went down the other end a few minutes later with defender Harvey Rodgers having a shot from outside the area saved by the visiting goalkeeper Alex Bass.

Abo Eisa went close to scoring the only goal but his long-range effort was tipped onto a post by Bass.

Last season’s League Two playoff semi-finalists Salford made a winning start to the campaign as they beat recently relegated Forest Green 2-0 at The Bolt New Lawn.

A Conor McAleny strike and late substitute Matt Smith’s header were enough for all three points against opponents who had not lost an opening-day game since 2016.

Rovers should have taken the lead through Tyrese Omotoye, but his header from a Charlie McCann cross went over the top on 12 minutes.

Matty Stevens was next to come close and he connected with a Callum Jones corner, but the forward was denied by the crossbar and City scrambled to safety.

McAleny took full advantage of a set-piece not dealt with by Forest Green as he fired home right-footed from six yards out after the break.

Callum Hendry passed up a huge opportunity to make it two after Dom Bernard’s clearance could only find the City number nine but he blazed over.

Experienced forward Smith doubled Salford’s tally late in the day after he nodded home Luke Bolton’s cross.

Substitute Robbie McKenzie fired home late on to hand Gillingham a hard-earned 1-0 victory at Stockport in League Two.

McKenzie hammered home from close range in the 86th minute after a cross from Cheye Alexander was not cleared to settle the opening day clash.

The Gills almost struck after 25 minutes when Tom Nichols darted in to meet Dom Jefferies’ cross, only to volley inches past the upright.

That appeared to spark the hosts into life and new boy Louie Barry saw an effort deflected narrowly wide.

As half-time approached Stockport went close when Macauley Southam-Hales’ bullet header was superbly beaten back by Gills goalkeeper Jake Turner.

In added time, Stockport’s Ryan Rydel volleyed just over the crossbar.

Stockport debutant Nick Powell forced Turner into a fine stop soon after the restart and Antoni Sarcevic then fired a 20-yard strike just past a post.

With 11 minutes left Stockport’s Kyle Knoyle crashed an angled shot against the crossbar.

At the other end, Ben Hinchliffe brilliantly saved Scott Malone’s side-footed shot, before McKenzie went on to snatch the three points for the Gills with time running out.

Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and fellow Hollywood star Hugh Jackman watched Wrexham’s long-awaited English Football League return end in a 5-3 home humbling at the hands of MK Dons.

Saturday’s encounter was an emotional occasion in north Wales as a sell-out crowd watched their side play their first Sky Bet League Two game since 2008.

But Wrexham returned with a bump in front of ambitious owners Reynolds and McElhenney, with the dominant Dons becoming the first side to win at the SToK Racecourse since November 2021.

These sides were two divisions apart just three months ago and the visitors quickly showed their quality, taking a two-goal lead just 10 minutes into Graham Alexander’s first game in charge.

Ben Foster could not prevent Eoghan O’Connell’s own goal or Mohamed Eisa’s excellent solo effort, with Jacob Mendy reducing the deficit just before half-time as Wrexham celebrated a first EFL goal in 5,572 days.

But the start of what manager Phil Parkinson called a “new era” proved a chastening one, with Jonathan Leko drilling home from distance and then beating Foster again as the Dons pulled further ahead.

Wrexham grabbed one back through hometown hero Jordan Davies, before the Dons’ Daniel Harvie and home substitute Anthony Forde completed the scoring in stoppage time.

The hosts were without injured star striker Paul Mullin and new signing James McClean at the Racecourse, where Parkinson’s men looked nervy and went behind in the sixth minute.

O’Connell headed Ethan Robson’s free-kick into his own goal, with MJ Williams soon seeing a shot hit the post before the Dons’ second arrived in the 10th minute.

Eisa showed excellent skill and perseverance before eventually prodding underneath Foster to stun the Racecourse faithful and delight the 1,115 away fans.

Ryan Barnett had cut in to flash a strike over at the other end shortly before, but Wrexham struggled to deal with the two-goal gut punch and created little in the way of clear-cut chances.

Foster did well to stop a Leko effort from the edge of the box as MK Dons pushed for a third, only for Wrexham to reduce the deficit in the 42nd minute.

Billy Waters saw his effort denied by Dons goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, with Mendy firing home the rebound and restoring hope.

Wrexham looked to kick on when the second half got under way, only to fall further behind to a thumping 51st minute Leko strike as referee Tom Reeves allowed play to continue despite Andy Cannon being left in a heap.

Parkinson made a triple change but his side were soon further behind, with impressive Leko beating the offside trap and then Foster to net his second of the afternoon in the 64th minute.

Substitute Ollie Palmer saw an effort smothered and fellow introduction Davies flashed narrowly over as Wrexham looked to pull one back, with the latter finally burying home a stunner in the 82nd minute.

Wrexham pushed for more and Forde curled home brilliantly in stoppage time, although Harvie had just extended the visitors’ lead as the Dons ran out deserved winners.

Barrow began the new Sky Bet League Two season in style with an impressive 2-1 win over Tranmere at Prenton Park.

A freak goal from Niall Canavan and a wonder strike from Kian Spence were the difference as Pete Wild’s side got off to the ideal start in treacherous conditions on Merseyside.

Tranmere looked more threatening in an end-to-end first half as Josh Hawkes forced Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman into action with a fierce shot from the edge of the box after just eight minutes.

But it was the visitors who took the lead after 19 minutes when Spence’s speculative effort was unwittingly deflected home by Canavan in front of a delirious travelling support.

The home side should have been level in the 24th minute when the ever-dangerous Hawkes pounced on a poor backpass only to be denied by Farman, who came out to narrow the angle.

With half an hour remaining, though, Rovers were handed a lifeline when Harvey Saunders was upended in the box and Hawkes stepped up to calmly convert the penalty.

However, with the home side looking the more likely to go on and take all three points, Spence blasted Barrow back into the lead in the 70th minute with a stunning effort from the edge of the area.

Colchester’s opening game of the new League Two season against Swindon has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

The match was called off less than 30 minutes before the scheduled 3pm kick-off following a pitch inspection at the JobServe Community Stadium, with the region having been hit by heavy rain.

A Colchester statement read: “Referee Anthony Backhouse deemed the pitch unplayable due to the surface being waterlogged, despite the best efforts of the U’s groundstaff to get the game on, following a pitch inspection at 2:30pm.

“A new date will be confirmed in due course for the U’s match against Swindon Town.”

Injured Wrexham striker Paul Mullin is to convalesce at the home of the club’s co-owner Rob McElhenney for a “couple of weeks” before being able to leave the United States.

Mullin suffered a punctured lung on July 26 after colliding with Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop on the Welsh club’s US tour.

The 28-year-old was taken to UC San Diego Health Hospital before being discharged soon after, but the nature of the injury means that Mullin is unable to fly home for some time yet.

No timeframe has been put on Mullin’s return to action, but he will definitely miss the opening weeks of Wrexham’s return to the English Football League, which starts at home to MK Dons on Saturday.

“This Paul thing is devastating to the club but, again, it’s a contact sport and these things happen,” McElhenney said in an interview with S4C.

“He’s OK. I just texted with him this morning. He’s in San Diego and he’s going to come over and stay with us for a couple of weeks until he can leave and head back to Wales.”

As well as beating a youthful United side, Wrexham played Chelsea and the second teams of MLS clubs LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union on a four-match tour.

The Sky Bet League Two club – owned by It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia creator McElhenney and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds – drew huge media attention and big crowds following the Stateside success of the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ docuseries last year.

“It’s truly a dream come true,” McElhenney said of Wrexham playing in his home city of Philadelphia as he looked forward to the Red Dragons’ return to the EFL following a 15-year absence.

“I’m so excited (by the new season). It’s almost entirely the squad from last year.

“It’s a lot of the team that won last year and the chemistry is through the roof and (manager) Phil (Parkinson) truly believes we have the chance to get promoted again.”

Hannah Dingley has missed out on being Forest Green’s head coach for the new season, with the club announcing David Horseman has been appointed to the full-time role.

Dingley became the first woman to take charge of an English Football League club when handed the job on a caretaker basis at the start of July following the departure of Duncan Ferguson on the back of relegation to Sky Bet League Two.

However, after Dingley had overseen Rovers’ opening pre-season fixture against non-league Melksham Town and a trip to Ireland, the Gloucestershire club have confirmed Horseman as the new boss following his stint in charge of Southampton’s Under-23 side.

Horseman worked alongside Ruben Selles when he took charge of Southampton’s first team in the Premier League last season.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince said on the club’s official website: “We are delighted to have David join as our head coach.

“He brings a wealth of experience and a modern approach to the game which matches our own – and he very much stood out from over 100 applicants for the role.

“I’m grateful to Hannah for holding the fort for the club while we went through the complete recruitment process and although she did not get the top job this time, it’s undoubtedly been a valuable experience and a big step on her career path.”

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Horseman also had spells coaching at Bristol City and Watford. He will be assisted at Forest Green by Louis Carey, who had been part of the youth set-up at Southampton.

“I’m extremely excited and grateful that Dale, (vice-chairman) Asif Rehmanwala and (director of football) Allan (Steele) have given me the opportunity to lead a team which has such strong values both on and off the pitch,” said Horseman.

“Louis and I have been lucky to be involved for a long time in professional football and study from some elite coaches which we will bring some ideas with us.

“The supporters can look forward to seeing a team with energy and aggression and one that they can be proud of.”

Forest Green confirmed Dingley would remain in charge for the back-to-back home games on Tuesday and Wednesday night against Coventry and Everton Under-21s respectively.

Horseman and Carey will then begin their new roles on Thursday ahead of travelling to Plymouth for a behind-closed-doors friendly on Saturday.

Hannah Dingley's appointment by Forest Green Rovers has been applauded by Ellen White and Demi Stokes, with the England greats hopeful it leads to further chances for female coaches.

The League Two club promoted Dingley from her role as academy boss to caretaker head coach earlier this month, following Duncan Ferguson's dismissal.

In taking the reins at The New Lawn, Dingley has become the first woman to lead a men's senior team in English football's top four divisions.

Speaking at the launch of Pixel FC, a collective of dedicated women's football creators helping to close the visibility gap within women's football, both White and Stokes hailed the decision to appoint her.

"I think it's really exciting," White said. "It's something that everyone's been speaking about before, but I'm really excited to see a female in the men's game being a manager.

"It's really inspiring and hopefully, she does amazingly. I'm really excited to see, hopefully, more opportunities now available for women in the men's game."

White and Stokes, both members of England's Euro 2022-winning squad, outlined their hopes that Dingley's appointment will normalise pathways for women in the men's game.

"I think it's just all about visibility and [being] given an opportunity, I think that's the main thing," White added. 

"There are so many opportunities in sport for women now and hopefully, we can continue to break down barriers.

"For it not to be something that's alien or something that's very minimal [would be great]. I think it should be something that's seen and heard and visible, and that's what I'm excited to see in the future."

Stokes echoed her former team-mate's sentiments, adding: "I love it. I think it's fantastic. I think that's what you want. It should be the norm. It shouldn't be, 'oh, a female has taken over a men's side'.

"It should just be, 'this is the new manager and she is a female'. I think, male or female, as long as you're good enough for the job, then it doesn't matter who you are."

Dingley took charge of her first game on July 5, a 1-1 friendly draw with Melksham Town, and could still be in charge for Rovers' League Two opener against Salford City next month.

Hannah Dingley insists her appointment as caretaker Forest Green head coach is no gimmick.

Dingley, the first woman to take charge of an English Football League club, oversaw her opening game on Wednesday as Forest Green began their pre-season campaign.

“It’s the first and it’s great, but I don’t want to be the only,” said Dingley, Rovers’ academy chief who has spent four years at the Gloucestershire club and was put in interim charge after Duncan Ferguson’s brief reign came to an end.

“It’s slightly disappointing that as the first academy manager – the only academy manager – because we need more females in these positions in clubs. If we can get more females in the boys’ system in academies this will happen more and more.

“This isn’t a gimmick. It’s about those players getting preparation and, if anything takes away from that, it’s probably the wrong thing to do in the first place.

“We just need more open-minded people to let these situations happen.”

Dingley – who declined to say whether she would apply for the job on a full-time basis – was welcomed by a posse of cameramen and photographers as she took her seat at the Oakfield Stadium against Melksham.

A group of female Rovers fans held up a placard with the words ‘Go Hannah Go!’ on it and the man on the microphone also recognised her presence, saying: “It would be remiss of me not to mention Hannah Dingley who is creating Football League history as manager of Forest Green.”

Dingley was soon in the technical area and looking at a first-day defeat when at own goal at the start of the second half gifted Melksham the lead.

But Callum Jones, on a season-long loan from Hull, equalised 10 minutes from time with a splendid free-kick to spare League Two Forest Green’s blushes against opponents four divisions beneath them.

“It’s a bit different to taking the Under-18s but it’s part of the role,” Dingley said at a packed post-match press conference.

“The important thing is role-modelling for other female coaches and young girls and growing up knowing that anything is possible if you work hard enough.

“It’s been a whirlwind and I haven’t taken a training session with the players yet. The players need to be the focus so we can make a positive start to the new League Two campaign.”

Confessing that her appointment on Tuesday had been a “stressful day”, Dingley said: “It’s a bit embarrassing as I was sleeping and my phone started pinging. I was thinking: ‘What’s going on here?’

“But I’m grateful for all the messages of support. (Luton manager) Rob Edwards who has been at the club was among those who reached out.

“I had no hesitation (stepping up) and I felt it was an opportunity I was ready to take. I haven’t just rocked up today and chose to coach a men’s team. I’ve coached men’s non-league football and in the academy.

“I’ve coached men for 20-odd years. This isn’t different to me and I’ve never had a problem with players. They just want good coaching and a good programme.

“This is going to sound a bit mean, but the players don’t have a choice. They are professional footballers at a professional club, and in a month’s time they are starting the League Two season. Their responsibility is to prepare properly for that.”

Chairman Dale Vince joined Dingley in front of the media and said he “felt like he was in an episode of Ted Lasso” – the sports comedy-drama series when an American football coach is hired to manage a British soccer team.

“This is the maddest press conference I’ve ever been at, it’s off the charts,” Vince said. “I knew it was a first in football but I didn’t think it would be such a big deal.

“When we made the decision – a club decision – it was based on merit. It was a very simple decision because Hannah was the most qualified person at the club.

“She got the job to lead our academy on merit. She’s done a great job and gets our values completely as a club.”

Asked whether Dingley could do the job on a permanent basis, Vince added: “The recruitment process will take several weeks.

“If Hannah wants to put her name into the hat she’s very welcome. She’s been here four years and you could argue she’s got an inside track, but it’s going to be a very thorough process.”