League Two's sixth matchday was played in full on Saturday 12 September: twelve games, all reviewed here, from York City's four-goal afternoon to a six-goal draw in Rotherham that could not settle on a winner.
York City scored four, Grimsby Town finally stopped drawing, and League Two closed matchday six with nine clubs sitting inside two points of the top. Thirty-one goals went in across the twelve games, four players were sent off, and only two away sides left with three points. The division has spent six games refusing to separate, and Saturday did nothing to change its mind. Barnet lead it now, by a single goal of difference, and they only took it over on the day.
Eight points now cover all twenty-four clubs, from Barnet on twelve to Crawley Town and Rochdale on four. Five sides are still unbeaten: Barnet, Walsall, Grimsby, Fleetwood Town and Crewe Alexandra, and four of those five have drawn four of their six games. Home advantage did the heavy lifting, with six of the eight decisive matches won by the side that did not travel, and Cheltenham Town and Chesterfield the only visitors to win. Four draws, four dismissals, and a table that reads like a queue rather than a league.
Full time
Grimsby Town2-0Bristol Rovers
The Mariners finally take the win
Grimsby had drawn four league games in a row and were starting to look like a side allergic to endings. Blundell Park, 6,945 of them, watched that habit break by the 40th minute. Charles Vernam gave the afternoon its first warning, cutting in from the left and curling towards the far post from outside the box, and the goal that followed came from a mistake rather than a flourish. Riley Harbottle underweighted a headed pass back to Brad Young on 22 minutes, captain Kieran Green read it before anyone else did, and Grimsby led. Geza David Turi supplied the flourish on 40 minutes, striking from distance into the top right corner of Young's net, with Vernam credited for the assist.
Bristol Rovers arrived on the back of four straight league wins and left having been, in their manager's words, "second best all over the pitch today". Their afternoon got measurably worse on 75 minutes when Tommy Leigh was shown a straight red for an off-ball altercation with Mark Shelton. Turi should have finished the argument shortly afterwards, missing from point-blank range. He did not need to. A man down and two behind, Rovers managed no reply. Artell's verdict was that his side "dominated the game", which is not the sort of thing Grimsby managers usually get to say about a fixture against the division's form team. The Mariners are sixth on ten points, still unbeaten, and have scored nine and conceded six in six games. Rovers went into the round top of the division and came out of it second, which tells you how tight this is: four wins from six, and now only level on points with Barnet.
Alex Newby is having the sort of September that gets a player watched. His brace at the LNER Community Stadium took him to six for the season and York City to a twelfth consecutive home league win, a record built on repetition rather than luck. The first was a first-time strike from 25 yards that flew in inside Connor Ripley's right-hand post, after Stephan Negru headed clear Alex Hunt's corner. Ollie Banks found almost exactly the same part of the net on 24 minutes, his effort helped past Ripley by a deflection.
Swindon's afternoon turned from bad to indefensible on 67 minutes. Banks was floored by an Anthony Munda challenge, got up to complain about it, and was shoved forcibly back to the ground by Mitch Clark, who went off for it. Newby added the third from 15 yards after exchanging passes with Hunt, and Ollie Pearce tapped in Joe Felix's low cross from the right with eight minutes left. York are third on eleven points. Swindon, who had won two of their previous three, are ninth with a goal difference of minus two.
Goal timeline unavailable: the archived report and event log disagree on the opening goal time.
These clubs had never met in a league fixture before, which seems a waste given how well they got on. Salford led after nine minutes through Ryan Graydon's far-post volley from Molyneux's delivery, and doubled it on 31 when Joe Powell, who left Rotherham in the summer, unleashed a strike from distance into the top corner of the goal he used to defend the other end of. The AESSEAL New York Stadium, 7,528 strong, had two minutes to absorb that before the game turned over completely.
Brandon Cover stroked in his first Rotherham goal on 33 from Austerfield's pass, Will Aimson tripped Ossama Ashley in the box two minutes later, and Paul Mullin kept his nerve from the spot. Ashley put the Millers ahead himself on 55 with a fierce low drive. Salford lost Abraham Odoh to a second booking on 69 and then, five minutes later, won a penalty of their own when Aimson was brought down at the other end, the same defender who had conceded one. Macaulay Langstaff scored it for his first Salford goal. Ten men, level, and Rotherham's Alex Bruce left saying his team "looked a good team", which is the sort of compliment that arrives with a bill attached.
Barnet went in a goal down at the Hive in front of 1,900 and needed 57 minutes to work out what to do about it. Accrington had the better of the first half: Shaun Whalley forced a fine save from Matthew Cox in the 13th minute, Devon Matthews headed the resulting corner wide, and Charlie Caton lobbed Cox on 27 to put the visitors in front. Barnet's answer came through Charlie Lakin, twice. Damola Ajayi found Adam Senior, Senior cut inside and squared, and Lakin fired the first home. Fifteen minutes later he pounced on a moment of hesitancy and beat Louie Moulden again.
Accrington's afternoon ended two minutes after that, Matthews collecting a second yellow for a two-footed challenge on Lakin. Brennan thought his side were "dominant"; Doolan felt Accrington "didn't hurt them in the right areas". Barnet are unbeaten after six and top of the division. Accrington are 21st on five points, and the thirteen goals they have conceded are the most in League Two.
Oldham had comfortably beaten Port Vale and Swindon in their previous home games, so Chesterfield's 2-1 win in front of 8,083 ended a perfect home start. It began from the penalty spot on 18 minutes, Louie Marsh's shot striking the hand of Gus Scott-Morriss. Mat Hudson saved Lee Bonis's kick from twelve yards and Bonis reacted quickest to turn in the rebound, which is the sort of goal that flatters nobody and counts the same.
Favour Fawunmi opened his Oldham account on 50 minutes with a free header from Jamie Robson's left-wing cross, and the equaliser lasted two minutes. Dilan Markanday finished from close range on 52 to restore the lead and give Paul Cook's side their first win in four. Oldham are fourteenth, with two defeats in their last three. Chesterfield are twelfth on eight points.
Charlie McCann now has six goals in seven games for Cheltenham and two of them arrived here.
Charlie McCann now has six goals in seven games for Cheltenham and two of them arrived here. Crawley led first, Dylan Morgan firing in the club's first home goal of the season on seven minutes from Danilo Orsi's lay-back, their fastest at the Broadfield Stadium for 17 months. Then McCann found the bottom corner on 32, and Andreas Weimann headed in Jordan Shipley's cross three minutes later. McCann struck again nine minutes after the interval from Weimann's assist. Osman Kamara hit the top of the bar for the hosts on the hour, and at the other end Freddy Willcox and Shipley were denied by the woodwork. Crawley have started a campaign with three successive home defeats for only the second time in 16 seasons in the Football League, and sit 23rd. Cheltenham are fourth.
Crewe have drawn four in a row and are still unbeaten, and they needed the third minute of stoppage time to keep both of those things true.
Crewe have drawn four in a row and are still unbeaten, and they needed the third minute of stoppage time to keep both of those things true. Harry Anderson headed Colchester in front on 27 minutes from Oscar Thorn's cross, in front of 4,561, and the U's spent the second half looking for a second: Jack Payne forced a low save from Tom Booth, Booth denied Ellis Iandolo and Moses Sesay, and Thorn struck a post. Then Colchester failed to clear their lines and Josh Stephenson lashed home left-footed from Lewis Billington's assist. "This always feels painful," said Danny Cowley, and he was not overstating it. His side are thirteenth.
Logan Dobbs scored his first senior league goal and did it as a centre-back arriving unmarked at the back post, heading in Ronan Hale's cross on 68 minutes of a game that had refused to produce one.
Logan Dobbs scored his first senior league goal and did it as a centre-back arriving unmarked at the back post, heading in Ronan Hale's cross on 68 minutes of a game that had refused to produce one. Both sides had chances in the opening minutes, Nick Freeman denied by Luke McGee and Dylan Jones's shot cleared off the line, and just after the half hour Ollie Wright gathered Nathan Smith's header from Tom Ince's corner. Hale settled it on 80, pouncing on a pass played back towards goal and applying the final touch, with McCleary credited for the assist. Gillingham have won back-to-back games and are eleventh. Darrell Clarke's verdict was blunt: "Not for me, the performance."
Newport put together six good first-half chances at Rodney Parade and converted one of them, which is a habit that will cost them more points than it won here.
Newport put together six good first-half chances at Rodney Parade and converted one of them, which is a habit that will cost them more points than it won here. Christian Doidge, the summer signing who had missed the previous two games with injury, slotted his first goal for the Exiles on 38 minutes from Jacob's assist at the end of a quick move from back to front. Aaron Loupalo-Bi levelled on 68, five minutes after coming on, against the manager he played under at Fulham last season. "The performance in the first half and from the start of the second half is something that we have got to build on," Hayden Mullins told BBC Radio Wales. Matt Lawlor was blunter about Fleetwood's opening 45 on BBC Radio Lancashire: "we were rubbish for the whole first half". Fleetwood have drawn four of six and are seventh, still unbeaten. Newport are nineteenth and unbeaten at home.
Port Vale's first win of the season came from the penalty spot on 70 minutes, and it was awarded by a fourth official.
Port Vale's first win of the season came from the penalty spot on 70 minutes, and it was awarded by a fourth official. Aaron Jackson had taken over from referee Leigh Doughty at half-time, and it was Jackson who pointed to the spot when Luca Woodhouse brought down Jordan Gabriel. George Byers chipped it down the middle. Little else was ever going to change the score: Reece Cole went close with a curled effort for Exeter, Jaheim Headley drilled narrowly off target, Kyle Dempsey's corner cannoned off the foot of the post, Jack Bycroft saved well from Dempsey, and Ben Waine's header was saved too. Cole sent a late free-kick over. Vale are 22nd on five points with three goals scored, the joint-fewest in the division, and now have a win to point at.
Shrewsbury had lost back-to-back games without scoring, so Kian McMahon-Brown took eight minutes of his home debut to rifle one beyond Zach Jeacock.
Shrewsbury had lost back-to-back games without scoring, so Kian McMahon-Brown took eight minutes of his home debut to rifle one beyond Zach Jeacock. Kevin Berkoe doubled it on the stroke of half-time, poking in the rebound after Josh Davison's header was saved, and the second half belonged to Will Brook. The Shrewsbury keeper had already denied Harvey Saunders on the half hour and kept out Owen Dale's strike with ten minutes left. McMahon-Brown hit the post and was then denied at his near post by Jeacock. Gavin Cowan called it "brilliant to get three points". Northampton, whose three goals in six games is the joint-fewest in the division alongside Port Vale, are still waiting for an away win, and Chris Hogg said he was "very aware that's not good enough".
Walsall have now played out four goalless draws in eight games, and this was the most Walsall of them.
Walsall have now played out four goalless draws in eight games, and this was the most Walsall of them. Nils Ramming produced a smart double stop from Mason Hancock and Aaron Pressley on 25 minutes, James Connolly's header was scrambled off the line by Dan Moss seven minutes into the second half, and Lewis Simper's bicycle kick deep into added time flew straight into Ramming's gloves. Rochdale's best moments both belonged to Dajaune Brown, who hit the face of the bar on 29 minutes and forced a one-handed save from Jed Ward five minutes before the interval. The home side's afternoon was summed up when Harvey Gilmour's backpass went straight to Pressley, who took a heavy touch and let Kaiden Wilson clear. Walsall's manager said the club's "deficiencies currently are clear". They are fifth, unbeaten, and have scored eight goals in six games.
Snapshot: . P played · W won · D drawn · L lost · GF goals for · GA goals against · GD goal difference · Pts points.
League Two standings after this round
#
Club
P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Barnet
6
3
3
0
14
9
5
12
2
Bristol Rovers
6
4
0
2
12
8
4
12
3
York City
6
3
2
1
13
8
5
11
4
Cheltenham Town
6
3
2
1
13
10
3
11
5
Walsall
6
2
4
0
8
4
4
10
6
Grimsby Town
6
2
4
0
9
6
3
10
7
Fleetwood Town
6
2
4
0
7
4
3
10
8
Crewe Alexandra
6
2
4
0
6
4
2
10
9
Swindon Town
6
3
1
2
8
10
-2
10
10
Tranmere Rovers
6
2
3
1
9
7
2
9
11
Gillingham
6
2
3
1
8
6
2
9
12
Chesterfield
6
2
2
2
8
8
0
8
13
Colchester United
6
2
2
2
7
9
-2
8
14
Oldham Athletic
6
2
1
3
8
7
1
7
15
Salford City
6
2
1
3
7
9
-2
7
16
Rotherham United
6
1
3
2
9
10
-1
6
17
Northampton Town
6
1
3
2
3
5
-2
6
18
Shrewsbury Town
6
2
0
4
4
10
-6
6
19
Newport County
6
1
2
3
10
11
-1
5
20
Exeter City
6
1
2
3
4
5
-1
5
21
Accrington Stanley
6
1
2
3
10
13
-3
5
22
Port Vale
6
1
2
3
3
7
-4
5
23
Crawley Town
6
1
1
4
6
11
-5
4
24
Rochdale
6
1
1
4
5
10
-5
4
Twelve points at the top, four at the bottom, and every argument in between still open. Barnet lead on goal difference from Bristol Rovers, who have the only four-win record in the division and also two defeats. York and Cheltenham, on eleven, have each won three and lost one. Below them sit five clubs on ten points with wildly different methods: Walsall have conceded four and scored eight, Swindon have conceded ten and won three, Crewe have drawn four in a row, Fleetwood have drawn four of six, and Grimsby have just traded a run of draws for a win.
The bottom half is where the division's real problem lives. Northampton have scored three goals in six games, Port Vale three, Exeter four, Shrewsbury four, Rochdale five. Five of the bottom eight have a forward line producing less than a goal a game, and in a league this compressed, one reliable striker is worth more than any amount of defensive organisation. Crawley and Rochdale occupy the relegation places on four points, six points off the play-off positions. That is the whole story of League Two so far: nobody has gone anywhere, and everybody still could.
06 / KEEP READING
League Two upcoming fixtures: 19 September 2026
Grimsby are back at Blundell Park against Crawley on 19 September, while York travel to Chesterfield. The next round will test a division still separated by eight points from top to bottom.
League Two fixtures:
All kick-offs UK time. Schedule checked ; fixtures may change.