Gab Sutton’s EFL Tips

Huddersfield began with a comprehensive 2-0 opening day victory at Peterborough, who had reached the Play-Offs at this level in the previous two seasons.

Natives could have been forgiven for fearing a slow start, with so many moving parts of their squad in the summer suggesting it could take some time for new boss Michael Duff to settle on his best XI.

Instead, the indications suggest Duff has hit the ground running, already getting the best out of wing-back Lasse Sorensen and midfielder Antony Evans, recruited from Lincoln and Bristol Rovers respectively.

Stevenage were deserved opening day winners against Shrewsbury, and could defy their doubters again this season, but the Terriers should have the edge.

Gillingham showed their ruthless streak when putting away fellow promotion aspirants Carlisle 4-1 on the opening day.

It wasn’t a 4-1 game on the balance of play, but the Gills were deadly in the final third – and that’s not something we’ve said very often in recent years.

In fact, new boss Mark Bonner won promotion from this level with a Cambridge side that edged out even games through a creative, quality #10 and incisive final third play, and he may have a similar template at Priestfield.

Morecambe, however, look in for a struggle, after following another summer of off-field uncertainty with 1-0 and 3-0 defeats to Walsall and Huddersfield respectively.

Luke Molyneux has begun his 2024-25 campaign in sizzling form, with three goals in his first two games for Doncaster, in league and cup.

The wide forward was Donny’s statement signing of 2022, but his initial output was poor, under Gary McSheffrey and Danny Schofield the following season.

It’s been a different story under Grant McCann, however, with the left-footer grabbing 10 goals and eight assists in League Two, en route to a Play-Off Semi-Final defeat to Crewe, before starting this season on fire.

With that in mind, the 26-year-old looks great value to add to his tally at Newport.

Back in the third tier for the first time since 2002-03, Mansfield returned with a statement victory, winning 2-1 at a Barnsley side that had reached the Play-Offs at this level in the previous two seasons.

It was a dominant start, too, from Nigel Clough’s side, who drew two ahead from goals from Stephen Quinn and Lee Gregory, before showing a different side to their game, digging in for all three points.

Both teams have threats, and it should play out into an entertaining encounter at Field Mill.

It took Bristol Rovers until injury-time to find their opening day winner against Northampton, a Bryant Bilongo header, but they had been by far the better side all game.

With defender Clinton Mola having a great relationship with Bilongo down the left, in Matt Taylor’s 3-4-1-2, Isaac Hutchinson bringing the individual wizardry in the #10 role and Promise Omochere providing pace, power and a penchant for snapshots up top, Rovers have the means to threaten.

Rotherham were hoping to put last season’s embarrassing nature of relegation to bed when they appointed Steve Evans, but the Millers looked undercooked in pre-season and fell to a 1-0 loss at Exeter on opening day.