Reeco Hackett cuts inside and has an ambitious pop from range with his left foot for Lincoln but it fizzes harmlessly wide of the near post.

A first effort of the afternoon for Walsall's top goalscorer Daniel Kanu. The Charlton loanee chases down a long ball into the channel and tries to loft it over Cambridge keeper Jake Eastwood but can't find an accurate finish and it hits the side-netting.

Following Monday's defeat at Grimsby Michael Appleton makes two changes for the home side.

Seventeen-year-old Isaac England comes in alongside striker George Lloyd, who's both goals this league season came in the same game v Gillingham.

Only five subs on the home bench sums up the busy festive period.

For Bristol Rovers Steve Evans makes four changes since their latest defeat to Barnet.

Defenders Jack Senior, Tom Lockyer and Kacper Lopata join Shaw Forde in returning after his one game suspension.No Josh McEachran in the match day squad today.

Cambridge boss Neil Harris has made four changes from the 1-0 win at Chesterfield.

Dom Ball, Sullay Kaikai, Ben Knight and Zeno Ibsen Rossi come in for James Gibbons, George Hoddle and Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, who all drop to the bench, but Adam Mayor is unavailable.

Mat Sadler also makes four changes from the 2-1 home defeat to Oldham as Charlie Lakin, Jamie Jellis, Jid Okeke and Rico Browne all start.

Priestley Farquharson is out injured after coming off in the first half on Monday, while Brandon Comley, Courtney Clarke and Vincent Harper are among the subs.

Doncaster make two changes from the side that suffered defeat at Stockport with George Broadbent and Glenn Middleton returning to the starting XI.

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher has rung the changes after his side's defeat against Mansfield last time out.

Tyler Miller starts in goal with Teddy Sharman-Lowe dropping to the bench. Joel Randall and Eoin Toal miss out with Chris Forino coming in. There's also starts for Marcus Forss and Mason Burstow while Amario Cozier-Duberry and Josh Sheehan are named among the substitutes.

Michael Skubala has re-shuffled slightly this afternoon with three changes from the Imps side that won 2-0 at Barnsley on Monday night.

Ryley Towler, Reeco Hackett and Freddie Draper start with Dom Jefferies, Jack Moylan and Justin Obikwu all dropping to the bench.

Huddersfield boss Lee Grant has made two changes from the 2-0 win over Northampton as Lydnen Gooch and Marcus Harness come in for Joe Low - who misses out with injury - and David Kasumu, who is among the subs.

Overindulged over Christmas? Sore heads after last night? Had a quiet one in? Whatever your situation, what better way to spend your day than watching 24 games unfold across League One and League Two.

We're getting under way around the country for our New Year's Day bonanza. Strap in...

With all 48 teams in League One and League Two in action on New Year's Day, we're sure plenty of you will have a thing or two to get off your chest about the team you follow.

Whether it's the race for promotion, a play-off scrap, a relegation battle or today's games, let us know your thoughts.

You can get in touch easily by tapping the Get Involved button on this page!

Image source, Shutterstock

With a full 12-match schedule today there are plenty of story lines to be played out across the 10 unfeatured matches in League Two too.

Can Bromley keep up their impressive table-topping run at home to Newport? The Welsh visitors sit second bottom, making this the game with the biggest gap in league standings across League Two today.

Today sees the first Football League meeting between Barnet and Crawley since the 2017-18 League Two season when the Red Devils won both matches. Twelfth hosts 20th in this one.

Barrow have failed to win any of their 10 Football League games against Salford, nor any of their past five New Year’s Day games. Each of the last three matches between the pair at Holker Street have been draws.

Colchester have won four of their last six league games against MK Dons, keeping a clean sheet in all of them, including in both League Two games last season.

Crewe have lost two of their past four home League games against Cheltenham, as 13th plays 18th at Gresty Road.

Remarkably this will be just the third League meeting between Fleetwood and Grimsby, with both sides winning their home match during last season’s League Two campaign.

Harrogate have won just one of their 10 League games against Tranmere, though that win came in this exact fixture last season, which finished 3-2 to Town.

Accrington Stanley have lost just two of their last seven away league games against Notts County, though have lost on both of their past two visits to Meadow Lane in 2023 and 2024.

Oldham are unbeaten across their past nine league games against Chesterfield, keeping three clean sheets in succession in this fixture. The visitors sit seventh places above 14th placed Athletic though.

Probably the worst winless run in today's games is saved until last. Swindon have won just one of their past 17 league games against Gillingham, the outlier coming in a 3-1 home victory in February 2017.

Image source, Shutterstock

Bristol Rovers fans are desperate for new year, new us, after losing 30 games in 2025 - the worst of all EFL sides.

More recently, the Gas have only earnt one point and scored just six in their previous 13 games, also conceding 33 in the same period.

Rovers have also lost their past two New Year’s Day fixtures and will be looking to avoid losing three in succession for just the second time in the EFL, after a three-match run between 1988 and 1991.

The good news for manager Steve Evans is that after failing to win any of their six away league games against Shrewsbury between 2005 and 2017 without scoring, Bristol Rovers have since lost just one of their past six.

Michael Appleton’s Shrewsbury are also on their own poor run, having not won in their past seven games to tumble down the table (D3, L4).

Both sides teeter on the edge of the relegation zone, with Shrewsbury a point and a place above Rovers. Defeat today could see one of the two teams below leapfrog them and confine them to the relegation spots.

Image source, Getty Images

Walsall were knocked off the top of League Two on Monday night when they suffered a first defeat in seven league games, at home to Oldham who struck a last-gasp winner.

The Saddlers had won four of the previous six (D2) and - similarly to last season - had been setting the pace.

But now they become the chasers again and sit third ahead of today’s trip to Cambridge, two points behind leaders Bromley and only trailing second-placed Swindon on goals scored.

The U’s are knocking on the door of the play-off spots in their quest to bounce straight back to League One and are one place behind Chesterfield in seventh, who they also only trail on goals scored.

Neil Harris’ side are on an excellent nine-game unbeaten run (W4, D5) and have only lost once at home in the league so far this season, which came almost four months ago against Oldham back on 6 September.

Image source, Shutterstock

Let's take a look at what else is going on today in League One on this fine New Year's Day...

League leaders Cardiff will be looking to extend their lead at the summit when they travel to Wycombe. The Bluebirds have won seven of their past eight league games.

Bradford make the journey to Mansfield with both sides having a third win on the spin in their sights. The Bantams sit in third, a point off second-placed Lincoln who play Huddersfield.

Play-off hopefuls Stockport make the trip to Northampton. County have the best away record in League One so far this season notching up 20 points from 10 games.

Stevenage, who sit a point adrift the play-off spots, welcome Plymouth to the Lamex Stadium. Boro will be looking to find consistency after no wins in their past three outings.

Luton could make it three wins on the bounce if they pick up three points at Exeter. Jack Wilshere's side are a point behind Stevenage in eighth and will have their sights on breaking into the promotion places. Will it be a happy birthday for the Hatters boss who turns 34 today?

Rotherham's alarming league form continued when they suffered a 4-0 defeat at Blackpool on Monday. It's now no league wins in eight for the Millers who have lost their past five and sit two points from safety in the relegation zone. They host a Peterborough side who are undefeated in their past five league outings.

Bottom club and managerless Port Vale welcome a Blackpool side to Vale Park who have not tasted defeat in five games, winning their past three. Meanwhile it's now no wins in the past 12 games for the Valiants with their last one coming way back in September.

Image source, Getty Images

Lincoln City have been League One regulars since winning two promotions in three years between 2016 and 2019 to make the climb from the National League.

But could this be the season the Imps finally make the next jump and secure second tier football for the first time since 1961?

Michael Skubala's side are unbeaten in their past six games, winning five of those (D1), and currently occupy the second automatic promotion spot.

They welcome a Huddersfield team in strong form themselves, picking up three straight wins over the Christmas period to see the Terriers back up to fifth and in play-off contention - and perhaps with another few positive results, pushing for the top two.

Huddersfield fell short of winning promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking last season, but the expectation will be that Lee Grant needs to get his side up.

This promises to be an enticing game between two sides with the same lofty ambitions.

Image source, Shutterstock

Second from bottom Doncaster go into today's game on the back of suffering five defeats in a row. Grant McCann's side, who are four points adrift of safety, suffered a 4-2 defeat at Stockport on Monday in their last outing.

Rovers have lost four of their past five league games against Bolton, however their recent record on this date is good having won their past five league games played on New Year’s Day.

Bolton sit just in the play-off places in sixth despite their form dipping of late. Steven Schumacher's side lost ground after their 1-0 home defeat against Mansfield on Monday so will be hoping to get back on track against the League One strugglers.

The Trotters have lost their past seven away league games played on New Year’s Day. Their last away victory on 1 January was in 2001.

Image source, Opta/Shutterstock

Bromley are sitting top of the League Two tree after Walsall's slip up last time out.

The Saddlers have since dropped down to third with Swindon now ahead of them after their win at Cheltenham on Monday.

Cambridge, who are unbeaten in their past nine league games, sit in eighth. They join that group of tightly packed sides, with seven points separating eight teams.

Harrogate prop up the rest of the table, swapping places with Newport after the Welsh outfit picked up just their fourth win of the season in their last outing.

We'll probably be seeing changes once again come full-time as this league continues to intrigue.

Image source, Opta/Shutterstock

There's plenty of scope for change in League One today.

Lincoln and Bradford will both be hoping to end the day in the second automatic promotion spot, while leaders Cardiff will hope to consolidate their position at the top.

A cluster of five teams are within just three points of each other in the play-off scrap.

Similarly at the other end of the table, just four points separate Barnsley in 15th from Rotherham in 22nd.

How the table looks in a few hours is anyone's guess.

Image source, Getty Images

Here's a look at what's coming up in League Two:

• Barnet v Crawley
• Barrow v Salford
• Bromley v Newport
• Cambridge v Walsall
• Colchester v MK Dons
• Crewe v Cheltenham
• Fleetwood v Grimsby
• Harrogate v Tranmere
• Notts County v Accrington
• Oldham v Chesterfield
• Shrewsbury v Bristol Rovers
• Swindon v Gillingham

Image source, Getty Images

And here’s the bumper schedule for League One this afternoon:

• Doncaster v Bolton
• Exeter v Luton
• Leyton Orient v AFC Wimbledon
• Lincoln v Huddersfield
• Mansfield v Bradford
• Northampton v Stockport
• Port Vale v Blackpool
• Reading v Burton Albion
• Rotherham v Peterborough
• Stevenage v Plymouth
• Wigan v Barnsley
• Wycombe v Cardiff

Image source, Getty Images

If you're wondering what to look out for this afternoon, we've got you covered.

From Huddersfield's recent winning run to Bromley's rise and relegation rivals going head-to-head, take a look at the EFL's key talking points for our New Year's Day bonanza here.

Image source, Shutterstock

Good afternoon and Happy New Year to you all!

And what a way to start 2026 with all 48 teams across League One and League Two in action at exactly the same time this afternoon - at 15:00 GMT to be precise.

It’s the time of year when all the resolutions and cliches are rolled out, but one thing we hope doesn’t change is the chaotic, entertaining and unpredictable nature of the EFL.

Things are pretty tight in the promotion, play-off and relegation battles at the halfway stage of the campaign in the third and fourth tier.

There will be many more twists to come between now and May, starting with today.

So, let’s get going...