EFL League Two PREVIEW 29 Aug 2026: Gillingham and Northampton both looking for a first goal, and Walsall have yet to concede one

Two fixtures start the day at 12:30 BST and a third at 13:00. Barnet host Cheltenham Town on the back of a 3-1 win at Shrewsbury Town through Jake Reeves, Charlie Lakin and Tom Knowles, a third straight win in all competitions, against a Steve Cotterill side beaten 2-1 at Swindon Town. Port Vale against Crewe Alexandra is the local derby, and Jon Brady's Vale come into it with their own supporters unhappy: the side was booed off last Saturday, two league games into the season, with the summer's business and the omissions of Ryan Croasdale and Kyle John both drawing criticism. Crewe arrive from a 1-0 win over Northampton Town through Josh March. Rotherham United against Chesterfield has been brought forward to a 13:00 kick-off on the advice of South Yorkshire Police; Alex Bruce's Rotherham are winless, having led for twenty minutes against York City before Alex Newby's equaliser, while Chesterfield won at Salford City through an early Lee Bonis goal and are waiting on George McEachran.

Gillingham against Northampton Town at 15:00 is a meeting of two sides who have not yet scored: Gareth Ainsworth's Gillingham are without a goal in three matches and Chris Hogg's Northampton in four. Gillingham drew 0-0 at Fleetwood Town in a match where Ronan Hale and Will Goodwin both hit the post and the defence conceded no shot on target, but they lost Kadeem Harris for the season to a serious injury in it. Walsall against Accrington Stanley is the other side of the same coin: Lee Grant's team have still not conceded in normal time this season, went out of the EFL Cup only 6-5 on penalties to Leyton Orient after a goalless 120 minutes, and drew 0-0 at home with Grimsby Town before that. John Doolan's Accrington lost 2-0 at Exeter City last time out. Alex Pattison remains out for Walsall, with Roman Dixon possibly back.

Grimsby Town host Fleetwood Town with a run of their own to protect, having opened with a 1-0 win over Exeter City and that goalless draw at Walsall; Fleetwood arrive unbeaten in four with four consecutive clean sheets and a 4-0 EFL Cup win at Shrewsbury in which Ched Evans scored twice. Shrewsbury themselves meet Salford City three days after that defeat, having signed a midfielder on loan from Leicester City as a ninth summer addition. Colchester United against Rochdale pits a side chasing back-to-back league wins — they beat Oldham Athletic 2-1 with a stoppage-time own goal against ten men — against Ian Watson's newly promoted Rochdale, who have lost three straight league matches since a cup win over Tranmere Rovers. Danny Cowley could hand Kane Taylor a full league debut and has Bryant Bilongo back from suspension.

The rest of the 15:00 card. Crawley Town host Bristol Rovers, and Inigo Calderon has been candid about his away form — "the players know that. They are clever enough to see the away form is not the same and that we have to change something" — while waiting on Chris Martin and describing Gatlin O'Donkor as "getting better and better"; Rovers won 5-3 at home to Newport County last time, Crawley 2-1 at Rochdale. Newport County meet Tranmere Rovers, Oldham Athletic host Swindon Town after losing at Colchester, and York City, back in the Football League as National League champions, complete their August at home to a relegated Exeter City side who won 2-0 against Accrington last weekend. Alex Newby, who scored against Rotherham, leads York's scoring.