Promising stuff from Burton with a quick break down the left and a low cross into the middle where Julian Larsson is able to control, spin, and get in a shot which cannons back to him off a defender before he lashes the rebound high and wide of target from eight yards out.

Presentable early chance, despite the crowd around him.

I just have a feeling the clear skies and low sun over the Lamex Stadium might be a factor today.

Boro keeper Filip Marschall hasn't got a cap on (game's gone?) but he's shielding his eyes as he launches a long free-kick forward.

The shadows are long and sharp and heading directly for the goal he is defending in this first half.

Away we go in our opening four games of the day...

Wham over the PA system, Santa hats and tinsel earrings the order of the day in the stands, but who will be on the naughty or nice list at the end of the 90 minutes and in League Two, who will win the race to be Christmas No1?

Let's find out...

Image source, Opta

Alex Revell has made two changes to the Stevenage side which won 3-1 at Stockport last Saturday.

Saxon Earley and 17-year-old Ryan Doherty come in with Lewis Freestone and Dan Phillips missing out.

Gary Bowyer makes two changes to the Brewers XI that drew at home to Wycombe last time out.

George Evans and Dylan Williams both return from illness and replace the unwell Toby Sibbick and Sulyman Krubally who is on African Cup of Nations duty with Uganda.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

Wigan make just the one switch from their 1-1 draw to Huddersfield last time out as Dara Costelloe returns to the starting XI.

Luke Robinson is available from the bench

While for Blackpool, it's a different look to the backline as they make a triple change.

Jordan Brown and Oliver Casey return to the XI after missing out on the 2-2 draw against Lincoln, while captain James Husband is on for just his second start of the season as he continues his comeback from a hamstring injury.

Zac Ashworth and Lee Evans are on the bench but missing is Michael Ihiekwe.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

Martin Paterson has named an unchanged side with faith maintained in the XI which got past Grimsby 2-0 last Saturday.

Mat Sadler makes three changes from the disappointing draw with Shrewsbury with Vincent Harper, Courtney Clarke and Brandon Comley making way.

Charlie Lakin, Lewis Warrington and Jid Okeke are the new trio charged with helping Walsall maintain daylight between themselves and the rest of the division.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Opta

Two changes for Bromley with Andy Woodman tinkering with the side which beat Accrington 1-0 last weekend as Kyle Cameron and Marcus Ifill come in for Lakyie Samuel and Omar Sowumni.

For the Mariners Jackson Smith, signed on an emergency seven day loan from Barnsley replaces Christy Pym in the Grimsby goal.

Reece Stanton and Darragh Burns make way for Jamie Walker and Justin Amalzour as David Artell makes three changes from the side which lost to Notts County last weekend.

Image source, Opta

BBC Local Radio

Unfortunately EFL broadcasting rights mean we are unable to bring you live radio coverage of today's games on this page.

If, however, you live in the local area you may be able to find commentary of today's games the old fashioned way.

We'll be listening in on your behalf, though, and will bring you a flavour of the BBC Local Radio coverage right here on this page throughout the afternoon.

Image source, Shutterstock

A big one to get the League One day started.

Boro had scored one goal in five matches before last Saturday's fine 3-1 win at Stockport which took them above the Hatters into fifth.

A win here would Stevenage's first consecutive victories since 4 October and would return Alex Revell's side to the automatic promotion places.

No goals in three games and just one point has seen the Brewers slip to a point above the drop-zone and they could fall as many as four places today depending on their result and outcomes elsewhere.

Burton have only won two of the eight league games against Boro, but both came on the road, including a 1-0 success here last season.

If they are to do it again, they will have to breach the tightest home defence in the land - in eight home games Stevenage have conceded just three goals, the fewest of any side across England’s top four tiers alongside Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Four points from their past two league games sees daylight between Blackpool and rock bottom of the league - but though safety is within reach, it's not quite theirs yet.

A win today could earn them some relief of being a bottom four side but they've got beat a tough Wigan Athletic side to do so.

The Latics are on a seven game undefeated streak in League One and though Wigan's ties to Lancashire are rooted in history rather the present, Blackpool's trip down the M55 will still be laced with a desire for bragging rights.

However, the team from the seaside do have one advantage they haven't had in a while.

"For the first time since I've been here, we've got some serious options to choose from," Tangerines boss Ian Evatt told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Which is what we've been waiting for. We need to give the players some time to get fully up to speed and we are trying to that while getting results, which isn't ideal.

"We've got a really talented squad. I think there's a huge amount of potential when everyone is available but that's all it is at the moment. We haven't seen it yet. Since I've been here, we've seen it sporadically, not consistently enough but I do think we are improving."

Image source, Opta/Shutterstock

This looks like it could be a huge day in the third tier.

Stevenage have the chance to return to the automatic promotion places as they host Burton this lunchtime, but the real drama is to follow at 15:00 GMT.

Leaders Cardiff head to third-placed Lincoln looking to extend their advantage over the Imps to nine points, with a game in hand.

Bradford will look to keep pace as they visit Leyton Orient while Bolton, in fourth, and Stockport, two places back, will be looking for three points on the road at Wycombe and Mansfield respectively.

At the other end of the table basement-boys Port Vale welcome Peterborough, only outside the drop-zone on goal difference.

Blackpool will seek to climb out of the bottom-four, temporarily at least, as they head to Wigan in another early kick-off while Doncaster host Plymouth in a battle of two sides separated by the dotted line and a single goal of goal difference.

Exeter start the day third-bottom ahead of the visit of play-off chasing Barnsley.

Image source, Getty Images

Undoubtedly the pick of the fixtures in League Two, this one looks absolutely perfectly teed up with second-placed Notts County hosting table-toppers Walsall.

Just two points separate the two sides at the front of the race to escape the fourth tier but it is the Magpies who bring the hotter form into the contest with seven wins in the last 10 and just one defeat.

Goals are flowing at Meadow Lane with only Chesterfield having scored more than Notts County's 35 this season and with Matthew Dennis (10 goals) looking to score in a fourth consecutive league game and Alassana Jatta (9) seeking a third goal in three, Walsall's defence will have to be on point.

The Saddlers appear over the wobble which kicked in after imperious early season form took them clear at the top, but Mat Sadler's outfit were held by Shrewsbury last weekend despite winning four of their previous five.

In on loan Charlton striker Daniel Kanu, Walsall have their own red-hot front man with the striker having scored in his past three outings and with five goals from his last six league games.

Kanu was on target in the disappointing 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury at home last weekend but much more will be needed from the whole team if they are to get past today's hosts, fresh themselves from a 2-0- win against Grimsby.

Image source, Shutterstock

League Two's form team Bromley are looking for a seventh win in eight against Grimsby following a hard-fought 1-0 win at Accrington last time out.

It is a run of victories that has seen the Ravens climb from 14th to fourth in the table in their last 11 matches and into the top play-off spot.

But with just three points separating Andy Woodman's upwardly mobile side and leaders Walsall, the London side will believe something more solid than a play-off shot is within reach.

In contrast Grimsby are in a rut of alternating between disappointing results having lost and drawn their last seven. A draw here at Hayes Lane would keep the sequence going and in truth that would be a decent result.

There was probably no shame in losing last time out to Notts County given Grimsby held the second placed side to a solitary goal for over 90 minutes until Alassana Jatta's injury time second.

However with David Artell's side sinking away from the play off picture in 14th place and six points adrift of Salford in seventh place, the time is now to turnaround the form.

Image source, Opta/Shutterstock

Notts County will have a big opportunity to to topple Walsall at the apex if they take a win over the league leaders.

Should the Saddlers prevail though, it'll also wipe out Swindon's hopes of claiming Christmas number one.

Meanwhile, Harrogate dropped back into the relegation zone after Bristol Rovers picked up a point in Steve Evans' first game in charge at Crewe last night, but the Sulphurites will be hoping to spend the festive period outside the bottom two by securing at least a draw against an MK Dons side eager to remain the play-off places.

Chesterfield will be the ones the Dons need to keep an eye on, while Gillingham and Fleetwood Town's match could see seventh place as an added reward if things go their way elsewhere.

Image source, Shutterstock

League One

• Reading 3-2 Luton
• Northampton 3-1 AFC Wimbledon

League Two

• Barrow 1-2 Cheltenham
• Cambridge United 2-0 Accrington
• Crewe 1-1 Bristol Rovers

We've already seen plenty of drama and intrigue across the past two nights of EFL action.

Northampton moved into the top-10 in League One and Reading moved away from danger with wins which dented the play-off pushes of AFC Wimbledon and Luton respectively.

The Steve Evans era at Bristol Rovers began with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Crewe last night to end Rovers' 10-match losing streak and lift them out of the bottom two, while Cambridge are up to fifth after bearing Accrington and Cheltenham moved away from the danger zone with a win at fellow strugglers Barrow.

• Stevenage v Burton (12:30)
• Wigan v Blackpool (12:30)
• Doncaster v Plymouth
• Exeter v Barnsley
• Leyton Orient v Bradford
• Lincoln v Cardiff
• Mansfield v Stockport
• Port Vale v Peterborough
• Rotherham v Huddersfield
• Wycombe v Bolton

• Bromley v Grimsby (12:30)
• Notts County v Walsall (12:30)
• Barnet v Salford
• Colchester v Newport
• Fleetwood v Gillingham
• Harrogate v MK Dons
• Oldham v Tranmere
• Shrewsbury v Chesterfield
• Swindon v Crawley

Image source, Shutterstock

Welcome along to a festive feast of football.

While the temptation to hit the high street and pick up some final Christmas presents might be nagging at you, we have 19 great reasons to stay in the warm and dry this afternoon.

We have top of the table clashes, basement battles and six-pointers galore, so grab yourself a mince pie, pour yourself something nice, you deserve it, and settle in for five hours of EFL fun.

We don't have long before our first four 'starters' are served, so let's get cracking...