Will Lankshear scored a fine second-half double on his debut as Middlesbrough fought back to kick off their Championship bid with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, ending newly promoted Lincoln’s remarkable nine-month unbeaten run.
The Imps – playing their first second-tier match in 65 years – made a strong start and opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Adam Reach. But the former Tottenham forward Lankshear marked his first league appearance since his move to the Riverside by equalising just after the hour and then stabbing in a stoppage-time winner.
It was a devastating end for spirited Lincoln as a run of 29 games undefeated in all competitions since early December was brought to a halt in their first league match since their new joint head coach partnership of Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw stepped up to take over after the departure of manager Michael Skubala to Bristol City in May.
West Brom opened their season with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Norwich. The Baggies were under the cosh for long periods at Carrow Road but stood firm before scoring twice late on through Aune Heggebø – who appeared to use his hand – and Jimmy-Jay Morgan to secure an unlikely victory.
Norwich substitute Mathias Kvistgaarden reduced the arrears in the 90th minute but it was too little, too late for a home side who will wonder how they failed to take all three points, let alone one.
Ilias Chair scored twice as QPR came from behind to beat Portsmouth 3-1 and claim their first win at Fratton Park in 26 years. Pompey dominated the opening half an hour and took the lead through Terry Devlin’s long-range screamer. But Rangers scored three times in 15 minutes before half-time to earn a first win away to Pompey since May 2000.
Josh Coburn struck a double as Millwall kicked off their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The home side went a man down after 36 minutes when midfielder Adam Randell was shown a second yellow card for a foul to prevent a counterattack.
Five minutes later Coburn converted a low Ryan Leonard cross from the right with a near-post volley. Coburn then doubled the advantage after 50 minutes, taking advantage of wretched defending to net unchallenged with a downward header from 10 yards.
The result meant that Michael Skubala’s reign as City manager has begun with two home defeats, after the shock Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two Walsall, and without his side scoring a goal.
Steven Schumacher celebrated Bolton’s first Championship win for seven years after surviving a late scare against Preston. Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale put Bolton in command with first half goals but Preston substitute Jusef Erabi ensured a nervy ending by pulling a goal back in the 86th minute. Liam Lindsay passed up a chance to equalise heading over in added time to leave Schumacher a relieved man.
“That’s what this division is all about,” he said. “From being in control of the game we’re happy they missed a sitter at the end not to take away our three points. It’s going to be an exciting ride so strap in. This was a big occasion for us. It was our first game back at this level for such a long time. There was so much riding on it.”
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Tyreece Campbell’s impressive start to the new season continued as his 80th-minute goal earned Charlton a 2-1 victory over Derby at The Valley. It capped off a week to forget for the Rams after Saudi government official Turki Alalshikh’s takeover collapsed on Monday.
Sammie Szmodics, who had also struck in the EFL Cup loss to Lincoln, had put Derby into a lead at the halfway point. But Lloyd Jones, who signed a new two-year contract on Friday, headed the Addicks level before Campbell produced an excellent finish to seal maximum points for Nathan Jones’s side.
Adam Idah snatched the winner with his first touch of the game as Swansea bravely battled back from a goal down to beat Stoke 2-1. The Republic of Ireland international had been on the pitch for barely 60 seconds when he scored in the 66th minute as the Swans claimed their first win at the bet365 Stadium for over five years.
Defeat was a bitter bill to swallow for the Potters, especially after Eric Bocat had fired them into a 10th-minute lead. Joseph Opoku hit a 23rd-minute equaliser for the Swans, powering in with a sweet right-foot shot after some poor defending.