And with that, we’ll leave you to enjoy your Saturday night. Cheers for reading.
And our non-league games:
- Barrow 2-2 Leyton Orient
- Macclesfield 1-0 Ebbsfleet United
- Torquay United 0-2 Dover Athletic
- Curzon Ashton 1-2 Harrogate Town
- Hackney Wick 1-2 Clapton
League Two full-time scores
(Take our word for it that the Cambridge v Wycombe game is done now, with that final score)
League One full-time scores
Shrewsbury’s unbeaten record is still intact: they’ve finished 1-1 at Walsall, but Wigan’s win at Scunthorpe means the gap is down to just two points at the top of League One.
GOAL FOR NOTTS COUNTY
Big, big, big equaliser for Kevin Nolan’s men. They’re level in the 96th minute, a Robert Milsom header saving a point for Notts against Forest Green Rovers, who have been hanging on for a little while. Exeter will still usurp them at the top of League Two, but that’s something at least.
Ooooh: injury-time could be interesting at Glanford Park, as Scunthorpe have pulled one back against Wigan through Funso Ojo. Remember Wigan are down to ten men....
Late goal for Harrogate Town in the National League North: Mitchell Curry nets to give them a 2-1 lead over Curzon Ashton, meaning they will extend their lead at the top of the table over Salford City, who are losing 3-2 to Leamington.
JOY OF SIX! Bristol Rovers have moved into humiliation territory at Northampton: Dominic Telford makes it 6-0 there. Seriously, Jimmy: get in the car, pick up a bottle of wine on the way home, watch a romantic comedy and rip into them on Monday.
A fourth for Bradford: Paul Taylor makes it MK Dons 1-4 Bradford. They’ll be weeping the streets of Milton Keynes tonight. Which presumably they are every night, but that’s not the point.
In League Two, looks like Exeter are going top: they’re winning 1-0 at Carlisle, and they should leapfrog Notts County, still losing 1-0 to Forest Green Rovers.
OH NO JIMMY. Officially a rout for Bristol Rovers at Northampton: it’s 5-0 now, as Liam Sercombe bags another for the Gas. If I was JFH, I’d walk out and not return until Monday. Everyone knows the worst bit about your parents telling you off isn’t the telling off, but the wait beforehand. Make them sweat.
So much experience in that half-hearted double high-five, back-pat and little sprint on to the pitchhttps://t.co/Fp0FoAV302
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) October 7, 2017
Notts still losing 1-0 there, by the way.
Ho! Ten men winning ahoy! Nick Powell has scored for Wigan against Scunthorpe. They lead 2-0 despite having a man sent off earlier in the day.
Another for Bradford in Milton Keynes: Charlie Wyke has his second, and City lead the Dons 3-1.
Woe upon woe upon woe upon woe: it’s Northampton 0-4 Bristol Rovers. Rory Gaffney with the strike, and Jimmy is going for a long walk.
Woe upon woe upon woe for Northampton: not only are they 3-0 down to Bristol Rovers, but now Alex Revell has been sent off. Some serious JFH boots to bottoms need to be applied soon.
I thought Ferg Snr had retired in part to spend more time with his wife? Have a weekend off, big man. At least he’s seen a goal: Macc are winning 1-0.
Sir Alex Ferguson supporting #nonleagueday2017 by watching Macclesfield Town v Ebbsfleet United.
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewinESPN) October 7, 2017
Credit (Sean Bones) pic.twitter.com/omX5Ve9yQB
Sean O’Keefe, supporter of the now rampant Doncaster, is back: “I moved away from Doncaster at the end of the 1990s, just before the start of a decade that would see the Rovers enjoy unprecedented success. I wonder if the absence of my depressing presence on the Popside terrace might’ve had something to do with it. I’m beginning to think that I’m the worst thing to happen to Doncaster since Margaret Thatcher pursued a vicious policy of neoliberalism that destroyed that proud town’s traditional industries. I shall henceforth be quiet and never offer an opinion on Doncaster Rovers again.”
Additional woe for Torquay: the side at the bottom of the National League with just one win all season look like they’re going to maintain that record, as Ryan Bird scores to make it 2-0 to Dover.
And Ben Whiteman completes a ten-minute hat-trick! Doncaster are flying now, a penalty giving them a 4-1 lead over Southend.
3-0 now. Oh Jimmy. Harrison gets another for Bristol Rovers against Northampton. Yikes.
Not starting brilliantly for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Northampton: his lads are now 0-2 down to Bristol Rovers, Ellis Harrison bagging the second for the Gas.
Ecstasy for Donny! Ben Whiteman has his second, and they’re now 3-1 up over Southend. Our gloomy correspondent from a few minutes ago clearly inspired them.
“Just to note that Pascal Chimbonda is making his debut for Washington against Penrith in the Ebac Northern League today,” writes John Davis. “Sadly, his team are one-nil up at half-time.” That last note leads us to believe that you’re a...Wigan fan?
And news gets better for Doncaster: they’re 2-1 up over Southend, Ben Whiteman slotting home a rebound after the stalwart’s stalwart, James Coppinger, hit the post.
Wigan are closing in on Shrewsbury - who are still being held by Walsall - as they’ve just taken the lead against Scunthorpe. Dan Burn, who I saw have a pretty decent game for Fulham against Arsenal a few years ago, is the man with the goal.
An email, as second-halves begin across the land, from Sean O’Keefe: “Doncaster Rovers secured promotion back at the start of April with a single goal victory over Mansfield. On that day they were top of League Two, buoyed by putting five past Grimsby in their previous game and were sitting six points clear of Plymouth. They wouldn’t win again, surrendering their grip on the title to Plymouth on the last day of the season. In the 17 league games they’ve played since that victory, they’ve won two. Doncaster are surely heading for an immediate return to the basement if they keep Darren Ferguson.”
Donny are currently drawing 1-1 with Southend, a goal in first-half injury time from John Marquis saving Ferg Jnr from cracking out the hairdryer (junior too, I’d imagine) at the break.
Half-times in our five Non-League Day matches:
- Barrow 2-2 Leyton Orient
- Macclesfield Town 1-0 Ebbsfleet
- Torquay United 0-1 Dover Athletic
- Curzon Ashton 1-1 Harrogate
- Hackney Wick 0-1 Clapton
League Two half-time scores
League One half-time scores
Half-time whistles going all over the shop. We’ll have some scores for you soon enough.
Bit of hope for MK Dons: Ethan Ebanks-Landell has pulled one back for them against Bradford. It’s 1-2, but remember MK are down to ten men.
Woe for Leyton Orient, hope and joy smashed into pieces like a ship crashing against the rocks in turbulent seas: Barrow have equalised through Jordan White.
More emotions at Sixfields: the bloke who came on for Billy Bodin, Tom Nichols, has just missed a penalty, saved by Cobblers keeper Matt Ingram. Still Northampton 0-1 Bristol Rovers.
Rollercoaster of emotions for Billy Bodin: he gives Bristol Rovers a 1-0 lead over Northampton, but pulls his hamstring in the process. Ach.
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Meanwhile: Jesus Christ...
La situation en Catalogne nous fait imaginer que le prochain Clasico Barça/Real sera légèrement différent.. ⚽️🇪🇸#Canalbis/@collectifHOTU pic.twitter.com/2klbu3AEcs
— CANAL+ (@canalplus) October 6, 2017
That snood seems to have done Harry Kewell some good: his Crawley Town side are 1-0 up over Morecambe thanks to a Billy Clifford goal, and now the hosts have been reduced to ten men, after Kevin Ellison was dismissed for reasons not 100% clear. The Sky ticker simply says ‘foul play’.
Updated
The joy is back for Leyton Orient! Craig Clay has scored for them to put the side most in need of some good news 2-1 up over Barrow.
Record breaking...
9 - Oxford's Jack Payne has made nine league assists this term; the most of any player in the top four English tiers in 2017/18. Craft.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 7, 2017
GOAL! Notts County 0-1 Forest Green
A shock on the cards at Meadow Lane? All has been peachy for Kevin Nolan of late, but bottom leads top as Omar Bugiel bags to give Forest Green Rovers the lead.
And as I press save, Barrow are level: Bedsente Gomis makes it Barrow 1-1 Leyton Orient.
Look at this! Leyton Orient are ahead! They have collected but a single point in the last six games, haven’t won in a month but now they’ve taken the lead against Barrow through David Mooney.
GOAL! Walsall 1-1 Shrewsbury
And the unbeaten record looks safe again: Stefan Payne levels from the penalty spot, but word is there should have been a red card for deliberate handball, but the officials couldn’t work out the owner of said hand so cards were kept in pocket.
Bad to worse for MK Dons: Bradford are 2-0 up, the second goal coming courtesy of Charlie Wyke.
Goal in another of our Non-League games: Harrogate Town, top of the National League North, are ahead of Curzon Ashton, Joe Leesley scoring via a deflection.
It’s around this time of year that you see Facebook statuses saying ‘Is it bad I’ve already put the heating on lol’. Presumably it’s been whacked up to 11 in the Kewell house...
Harry Kewell not a tracksuit manager. Trainers, jeans, snood!
— Andy Bayes (@AndyBayes) October 7, 2017
GOAL! Walsall 1-0 Shrewsbury
The final unbeaten record in the Football League is under threat: Paul Hurst’s team are 1-0 down at Walsall, Daniel Agyei scoring a nice curling effort to break the deadlock there.
And bad news for both iterations of the old Wimbledon: AFC Wimbledon are a goal down to Oxford, with Wes Thomas scoring there.
And now MK Dons are a goal down: Romain Vincelot heads home as Bradford take a 1-0 lead. You have to walk through the lobby of a hotel to get to some bits of stadium:mk. Maybe they could dull the pain by hitting the minibar.
Red card at stadium:mk, the weirdest-named ground in the country. Aaron Tshibola has been sent off for MK Dons against Bradford. Weird old career for Tshibola: signed for a thick wedge by Aston Villa from Reading last summer, didn’t do much there, went on loan to Nottingham Forest in January but barely played there, and now he’s getting sent off in League One.
Updated
And we have a goal in one of our Non-League games: Dover have taken the lead over Torquay, the latter side stone bottom of the National League. It’s 1-0 to Dover as Paul Lewis bags.
Updated
And we’re away. Games kicking off up and down the land. Football!
Dover Athletic flew to that game against Torquay. Non-League teams! Taking the plane! What happened to uncomfortable five-hour journeys in a rickety coach, eh? Rickety coach not good enough for you Dover?
Worst flyer in squad award goes to @Jamie_Allen12 Hope he's flying on the pitch @TUFC1899 later ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/UdIGhgin6s
— Dover Athletic FC (@DoverAthletic) October 7, 2017
So, here are the Non-League Day games we’ll be following:
- Barrow v Leyton Orient
- Macclesfield v Ebbsfleet United
- Torquay United v Dover Athletic
- Curzon Ashton v Harrogate Town
- Hackney Wick v Clapton
The reviews are in for the early game and, erm, they’re not the best...
Barnet v Coventry.Most boring game I have ever watched on https://t.co/W9HDorDxIA could there be a MOM? Have seen Brid Town play better !
— Mike Ulyatt (@mikeulyatt1) October 7, 2017
It was 0-0, in case you hadn’t worked that out.
Preamble
So what do you do when there’s no ‘top level’ club football to keep track of? Well, you remember that there’s still loads of football elsewhere, and loads of football is, we believe, much better than no football. Much better. We’ll be concentrating on Leagues One and Two, plus a select few Non-League games, and really anything else you would like us to concentrate on.
So what are the games to keep an eye on? Well Shrewsbury can continue their frankly implausible start to the season away at Walsall, unbeaten as they are after struggling for most of last season. For background reading, Jeremy Alexander went to see manager Paul Hurst last week and discuss their wholesale changes over the summer.
Second-placed Wigan face Scunthorpe, themselves hovering on the edge of the playoff places, bottom of the table Plymouth go searching for a win against Fleetwood. Then in League Two the early kick-off sees a stirring Coventry visit Barnet, leaders Notts County face eco vegan lads Forest Green Rovers (who are bottom of the table, alas), while Luton could leapfrog Accrington into the automatic spots if they win the game between the two.
And then there’s a massive bunch of Non-League games. Loads of them, obviously, so it would make sense to pick a few - let’s say five - to follow closely. We’ll pick the five over the next hour before kick-off, but if anyone has any nominations, do send them to Nick.Miller@theGuardian.com.
And while we’re waiting for it all to start, have a look at this...
50 reasons why we love Non-League football 🔥 Happy #NonLeagueDay! pic.twitter.com/J1ayi3YCfR
— COPA90 (@COPA90) October 7, 2017
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