SkyBet League Two: Matchday Two's Ups and Downs

Updated on 8:34am GMT 14 August 2018

The opening day of the Football League saw several ups and downs, and within League Two that was no different. Be that the 6-0 win for Crewe Alexandra over Morecambe or Port Vale’s 3-0 win over Cambridge United. Favourites were defeated whilst others looked commanding. But how did they follow this up? Below we review some of the best results from matchday two.

The Title Race

Lincoln City 4-1 Swindon Town

Akinde (10′minutes pen), – Doughty (44′minutes pen)
Bostwick (29′minutes),
Toffolo (79′minutes),
Green (82′minutes)

Lincoln City underlined their intent for the season as they produced an impressive attacking display to overcome Swindon and claim a second successive League Two win 4-1 . City came out of the blocks quickly and their intent was soon rewarded as after 10 minutes Harry Anderson was bundled over by Keshi Anderson in the area. Summer signing and our pick for the League Two Golden Boot, John Akinde, produced the coolest of penalties to open his account for his new club.

The Imps were not prepared to settle for that though as their first half positivity continued and when Bruno Andrade’s corner triggered a scramble, the ball was stabbed home by Michael Bostwick to double their lead. Swindon fought back as half-time approached and pulled a goal back a minute before the interval with the second spot kick of the half. Matt Taylor’s drive struck Scott Wharton on the arm and, although the decision appeared to be a little harsh, it allowed Michael Doughty to score from the spot.

Matt Green came off the bench and made his presence felt as he set up Harry Toffolo to make it 3-1 after 79 minutes and then got in on the act in the 83rd minute when he fired home the fourth goal to wrap up the points. Lincoln were tipped to be one of the title favourites at the start of the campaign, and back to back wins certainly underlines that prediction.

Cambridge United 3-2 Notts County

Azeez (46′minutes, 61′minutes), – Boldewijn (29′minutes),
Corr (90’+1minutes) – Duffy (78′minutes)

Our pick for the League Two title, Notts County, have not quite had the start to the season they would have been hoping for. After being held to a 0-0 draw on the opening day of the campaign, they travelled to a Cambridge United who were looking to boiunce back themselves after they suffered a heavy opening day defeat. After a thrilling game, Barry Corr scored in stoppage time as Cambridge United left it late to beat their visitors.

It could have been so different as the winner came just seconds after Kane Hemmings missed a glorious chance to win the game for the visitors, but the hosts countered and substitute Corr nodded George Maris’ corner in off the underside of the bar to secure victory for the U’s.

Notts County started the game well and they held a lead going in to half-time courtesy of Enzio Boldewijn’s sensational strike from distance after he ran inside and thundered an effort into the top corner. However, a second half brace from Ade Azeez’s turned the game on its head.

Having not scored for the club all last season, Azeez equalised seconds into the second half when Shaun Brisley and Ross Fitzsimons left Harry Darling’s long clearance for one another and he stole in to guide the ball home. Just after the hour Azeez was slipped through on the right and saw his initial shot blocked before powering the rebound beyond Fitzsimons. Richard Duffy headed a corner in from close range to equalise for the visitors 12 minutes from the end before the grandstand finale.

Colchester United 2-0 Port Vale

Senior (8′minutes),
Jackson (23′minutes)

It proved to be a fairly routine victory for Colchester United this weekend as two first-half goals helped the hosts hand Port Vale their first defeat of the League Two season. Both of these sides had a solid opening day as Colchester held Notts County to a 0-0 draw away from home whilst Port Vale were dominant in their clash with Cambridge United.

The results on the opening day has raised the expectations of both of these clubs but it was Colchester who went ahead in the eighth minute through Courtney Senior, who collected possession midway inside the Vale half and exchanged passes with Brennan Dickenson before slotting low past Scott Brown.

U’s goalkeeper Dillon Barnes saved Tom Pope’s header at his near post before Ryan Jackson doubled Colchester’s lead midway through the first half when he fired past Brown from 12 yards, following Sammie Szmodics’ superb back-heel. Colchester continued to press in the second half but Frank Nouble fired three good opportunities over in the space of five minutes as the hosts failed to extend their lead.

Best of the Rest

Crawley Town 1-3 Stevenage

Palmer (53′minutes) – Reid (48′minutes),
– Revell (88′minutes, 90’+5minutes)

Stevenage left it late but they were able to claim all three points from a difficult trip to Crawley thanks to veteran striker Alex Revell’s brace in the final few minutes. Revell headed home at the far post to put Boro ahead on 88 minutes, then cashed in on a defensive error to complete the scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

After an uneventful first half, Boro broke the deadlock three minutes after the break when substitute Alex Reid rose unchallenged to head home a cross from Luther Wildin from 10 yards. The hosts hit back to equalise just five minutes later when striker Ollie Palmer headed his second in successive games after a cross by Filipe Morais, only for Revell to deny them a point.

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