Roundup of the opening month of the 2024-25 League Two season.
Last season’s losing play-off challengers, Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers and MK Dons began this season looking to challenge once again for promotion.
Chesterfield meanwhile returned to the fourth-tier after six seasons in the National League, whilst Bromley made their EFL bow for the first time in their history.
Cheltenham, Fleetwood, Port Vale and Doncaster all returned to the division following relegation from League One.
Now here is a roundup of the opening four matchweeks of the new season.
Week One
Luke Molyneux’s brace plus goals from Jordan Gibson and Billy Sharp put Doncaster top with a 4-1 home win over Accrington Stanley.
Goals from Tim Dieng, Jacob Wakeling, Jack Nolan and Jonny Williams saw Gillingham beat Carlisle 4-1 at home to sit second in the table.
James Ball, Jake Reeves and Matty Stevens fired AFC Wimbledon ahead from 2-0 down to Ben Goodlife’s brace in a dramatic 4-2 victory over Colchester, which was capped by Omar Bugiel in the second half.
Michael Cheek’s strike and Kamarl Grant’s header saw Bromley win on their EFL debut away at Harrogate.
Ben Garrity’s brace saw Port Vale win 2-0 away at Salford City to go fifth in the table.
A brace from Joel Colwill and Liam Dulson’s effort saw Cheltenham beat Newport County 3-2 at Whaddon Road, despite Courtney Baker-Richardson’s penalty and Oliver Greaves’ strike.
Alex Pattison’s long-range goal coupled with a fifth-minute own-goal from Sam Sherring saw Bradford win 2-1 at MK Dons.
Elsewhere, Theo Vassell struck a 22nd minute winner on debut for Barrow in a 1-0 home win over Crewe Alexandra.
Mark Helm netted a 18th minute strike to seal a 1-0 home win for Fleetwood Town over Grimsby.
Walsall saw off Morecambe through Taylor Allen’s 20th minute winner.
Will Wright’s long-range strike rescued Swindon a 1-1 draw at EFL returnees, Chesterfield who had led through Armando Dobra’s first-half goal.
Tranmere held Notts County to a quiet goalless draw at Prenton Park.
Week Two
Allen’s second goal of the league campaign saw Walsall go top with a 4-0 win at Swindon, with Josh Gordon, Jamille Matt and Albert Adomah also on the scoresheet.
George Lapslie’s late volley saw Gillingham edge past Morecambe to go second with an away win.
Cheek and Corey Whitely fired Bromley up to third with a 2-0 home win over London rivals, AFC Wimbledon in their first fourth-tier match at Hayes Lane.
James Berry’s brace plus goals from Will Grigg, Tom Naylor and Dobra saw Chesterfield thrash rock-bottom Crewe Alexandra to go fourth in the table.
Port Vale found themselves held by a resilient Tranmere in a goalless draw.
Comeback goals from Alassana Jatta and Jodi Jones saw Notts County snatch a 2-2 draw at home to sixth-placed Fleetwood Town, after Ryan Graydon and Brendan Wiredu had put the visitors in front.
Bradford held Salford to a goalless draw at Valley Parade as the Bantams rounded out the top seven.
Elsewhere, second-half goals from Bobby Kamwa, Kai Whitmore and Matt Baker saw Newport come from behind to win 3-1 at home to initial league leaders – Doncaster.
Late goals from Arthur Read and Jack Payne saw Colchester clinch a home win over MK Dons.
Jordan Davies’ brace plus Charles Vernam’s free-kick saw Grimsby beat Cheltenham in a 3-2 thriller at Blundell Park, despite Luke Young and Matty Taylor scoring for the visitors.
Sam Folarin’s injury-time strike rescued Harrogate a 3-3 draw at Accrington, having twice led through goals from James Daly and Ellis Taylor before Jimmy Knowles and Kelsey Mooney’s efforts following Tyler Walton’s initial equaliser.
Dan Adu-Adjel struck a 35th minute winner for Carlisle at home to Barrow.
Week Three
Gillingham moved to top spot with a goalless draw away at Fleetwood Town.
Bradford climbed to second after Richard Smallwood’s penalty plus goals from Andy Cook and Bobby Pointon defeated Bromley 3-1 at Valley Parade, amidst a controversial red card for the visitors’ Ashley Charles for handball as the Ravens slipped to seventh.
Walsall slipped to third after they fell to a 1-0 loss at Tranmere, as Omari Patrick struck a 12-yard winner in the 13th minute.
Second-half goals from Ged Garner, Emile Acquah, Kian Spence and Dom Telford saw Barrow thump Port Vale to go fourth with a 4-0 win.
Baker-Richardson and Aaron Wildig struck in the second-half to complete a 3-1 home win for Newport over Accrington, having initially led through Sebastien Quirk’s own-goal before Shaun Walley equalised for the visitors.
Harry Clifton netted a 20th minute winner to send Doncaster up to sixth with a 1-0 win at home to rock-bottom Morecambe.
Elsewhere, Callum Hendry, Alex Gilbey and Joe Tomlinson fired MK Dons out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 win over Carlisle.
Crewe Alexandra consequently slipped to second-bottom following a goalless draw at home to Swindon.
Joe Piggott’s 67th minute winner saw AFC Wimbledon move up to eighth with a 1-0 win at Cheltenham.
Dan Crowley’s brace plus goals from Jatta and Jones saw Notts County thrash Grimsby 4-1 at Meadow Lane, despite Harvey Rodgers’ consolatory goal for the Mariners.
Folarin produced a 68th minute tap-in to snatch a 1-0 away victory for Harrogate at Colchester.
Kelly N’Mai produced a late equaliser to cancel out Berry’s opening goal as Salford fought back to draw 1-1 at Chesterfield, despite losing Curtis Tilt to a red card for a clash with Grigg.
Week Four
Robbie McKenzie’s headed eighth-minute winner saw Gillingham clinch a home win over Chesterfield to stay top.
Walsall moved up to second with a 2-1 victory at home to Cheltenham through Nathan Lowe’s header and Matt’s flicked finish, despite George Miller’s close-range consolatory finish for the visitors.
Barrow climbed to third with Neo Eccleston’s headed winner at Harrogate, which ended the Bluebirds’ 11-match winless away run.
Wildig’s ninth-minute winner saw Newport extend Morecambe’s pointless start to the season, with the Shrimps left at the foot of the table.
Molyneux’s brace plus a goal from Sharp saw Doncaster win 3-2 away at Port Vale, despite Ryan Croasdale’s equaliser and Ethan Chislett’s consolatory penalty for the hosts.
Josh Neufville’s 28th minute strike proved enough for AFC Wimbledon to beat Fleetwood, and move up into the play-off spots in sixth position.
David McGoldrick’s brace saw Notts County come from behind to beat Swindon 2-1 away and go seventh, having fell behind to Gavin Kilkenny’s 20-yard strike as the hosts slipped to second-bottom.
Elsewhere, late goals from Mickey Demetriou and Chris Long snatched a comeback 2-1 win for Crewe Alexandra away at Bromley, after Lewis Leigh had put the Ravens into a second-minute lead.
Danny Rose and Jason Dadi Svanthorsson found the net as Grimsby brought Bradford’s unbeaten start to an end with a 2-1 home win, despite Olly Sanderson’s late consolatory goal for the Bantams.
Patrick’s first-half brace saw Tranmere win 2-1 away at Carlisle United, despite Archie Davies’ equaliser for the Cumbrians.
Frankie Okoronkwo’s left-footed finish saw Salford scrape past MK Dons in a scrappy contest at Peninsula Stadium.
Goodlife’s late equaliser rescued Colchester a 1-1 draw at Accrington after Mooney’s clinical shot had put the Owd Reds into a 25th minute lead.
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