Bolton recorded their first Championship win since March 2019 with a 2-1 victory over Preston at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale scored first-half goals in front of a sellout crowd of 26,262.
Bolton dominate on their return
Steven Schumacher's side, promoted via the League One playoff final last season, were predicted to struggle after seven years away from the second tier. However, they controlled the game against a Preston side playing their 12th successive Championship season.
Dalby, who scored 14 times in all competitions last season, opened the scoring early on. John McAtee's left-foot shot was weakly saved by Daniel Iversen, and Dalby side-footed home from 18 yards. Eleven minutes later, McAtee set up Gale, who cut in from the left and curled a right-foot shot beyond Iversen.
Late Preston pressure
Preston introduced substitutes Léo Leroy, Odel Offiah, and Jusef Erabi just after the hour mark. Erabi headed in Andrija Vukcevic's cross four minutes from time to halve the deficit. Liam Lindsay then missed a close-range header that would have equalised in the final moments.
Dalby missed a chance to settle the contest after 73 minutes, shooting softly at Iversen, but Preston's late pressure was not enough. Wanderers started their Championship campaign with a win.
Luton win thriller at Reading
In League One, substitute Gideon Kodua scored a stoppage-time winner as Luton came from behind to beat Reading 4-3. Jack Marriott scored a first-half hat-trick for Reading, but Luton's Kasey Palmer scored twice after the interval to make it 3-3, and Kodua grabbed the winner in the sixth minute of added time.
In other League One action, Conor Grant's late strike earned Notts County a 1-1 draw with Leicester at Meadow Lane. Jayden Joseph had put Leicester ahead just past the hour, but Grant slid home after Emile Acquah's header rebounded off a post.
League Two results
In League Two, Rochdale lost 3-0 at Newport County on their return to the Football League. Calum Kavanagh scored twice as Oldham beat Port Vale 2-0.
