EFL League Two PREVIEW 19 Sep 2026: York City's charge into League Two hits its first proper test at Chesterfield

Twelve fixtures make up League Two's Saturday, and our model has an opinion on all of them: three clear favourites, a lean towards the home side in most of what's left, and one match it genuinely cannot separate. That match is Chesterfield against York City. York arrive off the back of a National League title won with a club-record points total, and Chesterfield's own recent history is the same shape, promoted as champions themselves in 2023/24. Manager Scott Lindsey has called the step up to League Two an eye-opener for his newly promoted squad, while Chesterfield go into the game unbeaten in three since a shaky start to their own season. Our model gives Chesterfield's home advantage only the barest edge over York's better away chance, which is as close as the day gets.

At the other end of the certainty scale sit three home sides the model backs strongly: Crewe Alexandra, Walsall and Grimsby Town. Crewe host a Shrewsbury Town side that has lost three straight away games. Walsall's Jon Brady is sticking with a 3-5-2 he says suits his squad better than the alternatives, with Max Watters and Jasper Moon nearing full fitness for the visit of Port Vale, who are still chasing their first away points of the season after ending their own winless run against Exeter City last time out. Grimsby, unbeaten across their last ten league matches, welcome a struggling Crawley Town managed by Colin Kazim-Richards; former Mariner Danilo Orsi, who has scored against Grimsby before and netted in Crawley's League Two play-off final win, will be one to watch off the Crawley bench or in behind.

Barnet and Fleetwood Town both arrive unbeaten in the league, which the model reads as a competitive edge for the home side rather than a foregone conclusion. Barnet's win over Accrington Stanley last weekend was settled by a second-half Charlie Lakin brace, with Tottenham loanee Damola Ajayi making an instant impact off the bench, while Fleetwood come into the weekend still buzzing from knocking Sheffield United out of the Carabao Cup in midweek, a result that sets up a fourth-round tie against Arsenal. New Fleetwood boss Matt Lawlor wants that momentum carried into the league; his side drew at Newport County last time out.

Rochdale host Oldham Athletic in a Greater Manchester meeting between two clubs only recently restored to the Football League. Ed Francis is back for Rochdale after a one-match suspension, and manager Ian Watson said simply that "the boys are excited" for the occasion. There are old ties on show too: Kane Taylor and Luke Hannant, teammates at Oldham last season, are reunited at Rochdale, while Ryan Delaney returns to the Crown Oil Arena, the ground where he made more than fifty appearances before his move across the divide. Oldham arrive on the back of consecutive defeats, including their first home loss of the season, against Newport's opponents earlier in the day, Accrington Stanley, whose manager John Doolan has talked up his side's record at the Wham Stadium and the goalscoring options he can call from the bench against Newport.

The rest of the card: Colchester United host Cheltenham Town in a fixture Danny Cowley says has changed almost beyond recognition since the sides last met in May, with only five or six survivors from either starting eleven still involved. Gillingham take on Bristol Rovers, who arrive off a midweek win at Shrewsbury but without Josh McEachran, Promise Omochere and Macauley Southam-Hales; Gareth Ainsworth expects one or two Gillingham players back into his matchday squad, with others facing surgery that could end their seasons. Exeter City, winless in four, host a Tranmere Rovers side that lost at Gillingham last time out. Northampton Town, who have managed only one win in eight matches across all competitions, welcome Rotherham United, themselves winless in three since letting a lead slip in a 3-3 draw with Salford City; Owen Dale and Kamarai Swyer are pushing for recalls in Northampton's attack. Salford, who have endured a run of home defeats, close the day's card against Swindon Town.