Bradford are keen on getting on the front foot early here.

They turn forward and Antoni Sarcevic whips in a nice ball to the middle of the box but unfortunately, the move is too swift for his teammates to have got in position to make the shot.

It's Doncaster Rovers who have drawn first blood in the third tier.

Brandon Hanlan is found slap bang in the middle of the box and rifles in an opener to give his side the lead in an important contest with Plymouth Argyle at the bottom of the table.

Dan Gore has gone into the book for the hosts just four minutes in after a foul on Alfie May as he tried to break away.

That's a very long time on a yellow in a game like this...

Image source, Shutterstock

Almost a dream start for the visitors as the dangerous Amario Cozier-Duberry whips in an angled cross which is met by the sliding Thierry Gale whose effort cannons back off the far post.

Just 15 more doors to open on Saturday's EFL calendar - let's hope for a treat behind each one.

We're under way in the final action before Christmas, we have all been really good all year, right, so let's hope we get a lump of GOALS in our stocking, with, er, bells on...

Here we go...

Ben Mundy
BBC Final Score reporter at The Nigel Eady County Ground

The stewards have Christmas hats on, there’s tinsel on railings – oh, and this is my view for the next 90 minutes!

The joys of a good old fashioned press box.

I’m not complaining – sitting behind glass, when the temperatures are this low is a welcomed addition to my first County Ground experience.

Will the glass soften the noise generated by the home fans? I doubt it.

Swindon could go top of League Two this afternoon, and if their victory at Bristol Rovers is anything to go by… they are ready for a Christmas to remember.

Although, the hosts will be without club captain Ollie Clarke over the festive period.

The midfielder has been handed a seven-game ban, after admitting two charges of acting in an improper manner or using indecent behaviour to an opponent

The prize is wrapped up and sitting within reach under the tree for Swindon: win by three clear goals and they will go into Christmas top of the League Two table.

Any victory today against Crawley, who are struggling sitting just a point above the drop zone, will be enough to put them level on points with Walsall.

For all that is at stake the hosts bring mixed form into this with a 3-0 win against Bristol Rovers putting gloss on a run of just two wins in eight matches.

Ian Holloway will make it clear to his side before kick-off just what is at stake.

Crawley can boast exactly the same record of two wins in their last eight coming into this with a 2-2 draw with Oldham their most recent piece of form.

It looks a stiff test for them given their current predicament but nothing seems impossible in this division, for team.

The early buoyance of promotion has worn off on the four promoted teams in League One and it's showing.

Doncaster Rovers and Port Vale are embroiled in a relegation battle, while AFC Wimbledon's strong start is waning into a tough spell to see them tumbling down the table.

Bradford don't look like they are here to stay the distance either - but their direction leaves a different kind of taste.

The Bantams have won their past three league games to regain their place in the top two, with a two point gap on Lincoln City in third. They can't catch leaders Cardiff this afternoon but there's been enough weeks ticked off the calendar to know that Bradford are real contenders, not just for promotion but maybe even the title.

It took six years for the side to return to the third tier but while the celebrations had a lasting effect, boss Graham Alexander thinks it's time to start giving credit where credit is due as they visit Leyton Orient in a bid to stay in the automatic promotion spots.

"I don't think momentum has any bearing on our results right now," Alexander told BBC Radio Leeds.

"I think it might have at the start of the season with excitement and everyone is on a high. But certainly now when you get into late December, the results stand on their own."

Image source, Shutterstock

Plymouth Argyle's trip to Doncaster could have some heavy implications, with the Pilgrims looking to leapfrog their hosts and send Rovers into the bottom four as a result.

Peterborough visit a Port Vale side beginning to fall dangerously off the pace at the bottom of the league.

Exeter City are also seeking a departure from the relegation zone but welcome a Barnsley side wishing to close in on the play-off positions.

Meanwhile, Stockport will be hoping to hold onto their top six place by serving Mansfield a fifth loss in six games.

In a division where 10 points separates the top-six from the relegation zone, the term mid-table battle takes on a whole new meaning.

Just four points separates ninth-placed Huddersfield from today's hosts Rotherham, in 15th, but only two points above the bottom four.

Neither side have won in their past five games so what better day to end that run than against a rival from 25 miles up the road?

The Terriers have had the better of the rivalry down the years, claiming 56 points from the past 30 encounters, while the Millers have won only four of those.

Lee Grant might be under fire from many corners of the Huddersfield fanbase but his side have scored the most goals from corners in the division while their 12 goals from set-pieces is the second best in the third tier.

A win today could haul them back within a point of the play-offs.

Image source, Shutterstock

Bolton could jump into the automatic promotion places in League One if they can keep their form going at wobbling Wycombe.

The Trotters are unbeaten in seven, picking up 17 points from that run and after going winless in their opening six away games, claiming just three points, Wanderers have taken seven points from their past three on the road.

Wycombe have lost just one of their past 10 games under Michael Duff, but their upward momentum has stalled, with just two points and one goal scored, from their past three games, and that defeat came in their last home game against Plymouth.

Bolton have failed to score in seven of their 10 meetings with the Chairboys, including both games last season, and lost six of those encounters, but they have won 10 points from losing positions this season, second only to leaders Cardiff (13) after coming from 1-0 down to beat Exeter 2-1 last time out.

Image source, Shutterstock

Game of the day in the EFL? You won't find to many arguments.

Leaders Cardiff head to third-placed Lincoln seeking to extend their current six-point gap in the race for automatic promotion back to the Championship.

The Bluebirds' dramatic 99th-minute winner over Doncaster last Saturday made it five straight wins, though Brian Barry-Murphy's men did bow out of the EFL Cup against Chelsea on Tuesday night.

The Imps have won their past four at home, their best run in six years, 23 of their 35 points have come at the LNER Stadium and they have an incredible record against Cardiff.

Lincoln have won five of the past six meetings, keeping clean sheets in four of those, the last of those a 2-0 win in March 2001.

This is a different Cardiff, however, their 36 goals in 19 games is the most in the division and their most at this stage of a season in 13 years, when they ended up being promoted to the Premier League.

You won't want to miss this...

So, plenty of Christmas cheer for Bromley and Blackpool fans in those early kick-offs.

In-keeping with the spirit of this time of year Stevenage and Burton decided to share the points, while the same can be said of Notts County and Walsall as the clash between the top two in League Two failed to live up to its billing.

With plenty more to come, let's take a look at what's next on this packed afternoon.

Tom Heslop
Member of Walsall media team on BBC WM

Throughly deserved 0-0 draw, the defence effort was outstanding.

It could be absolutely huge, this point could be absolutely monumental come the 46th game of the season.

We've seen last season how these points can make a difference.

And Bromley go second with a convincing win.

Will Hondermarck, with two goals either side of the half time break, did the damage and delivered an impressive seventh win from their last eight.

In terms of the form team in League Two, Andy Woodman's outfit very much look like it and sit a point behind Walsall ahead of the afternoon action.

Whatever happens they will reach Christmas in the automatic promotion spots.

Grimsby huffed and puffed and could have levelled during the first half – they certainly had chances to do so – but once they went two down they never looked like getting back into it.

Ashley Fletcher and Dale Taylor make all the difference as Blackpool escape the bottom four with a big win against Wigan.

Fletcher was struggling to get into the game before Taylor arrived as substitute and the former Latics men combined to make a huge impact.

First, Taylor found Fletcher to ripple the netting before the reverse saw them with a double lead within five minutes.

Wigan applied pressure and found the back of the net but Paul Mullin's header was chalked off for a tight offside call, though all in all they lacked in the final third to see their seven-game undefeated streak marred by a team just up the M55.

Jodi Jones gets a cross in from the left byline and it is cleared for a corner. Last chance which comes to nothing and the final whistle is blown.

This was a game Notts County dominated but, in reality, in terms of clear cut chances it was Walsall who had the better options.

A point on the road is not bad for Mat Sadler's side for all that they appeared to lack a bit of ambition. They remain top for the moment although Swindon will take a shot at them at 3pm and can go clear on goal difference.

For Notts County lots of possession, 14 shots and three on target, but little in the way of incisive threat when all is said and done.

A rip-roaring game in the end, but it ends all square.

Tyrese Shade capitalised on some slack defending to slot the visitors into a half-time lead but Jamie Reid was gifted an equaliser within seconds of the restart by Dylan WIlliams' weak back-pass.

Jack Armer's unfortunate own-goal put Boro ahead but Jake Beesley's towering header ensured a point for the Brewers which was the least they deserved, in truth.

Stevenage climb to third ahead of the 3pm kick-offs, but may yet be overhauled, while Burton are up a place to 17th, though within striking distance of the bottom-four.

Jacob Bedeau is released down the left flank by Jodi Jones and his cross is met by Alassana Jatta but the header is misdirected and bounces safely to Myles Roberts in the Walsall goal.

Three changes for Boro. Jamie Reid is withdrawn in favour of Jovan Malcolm, while Phoenix Patterson is replaced by Jasper Pattenden for the final three minutes or so.

Louis Thompson is also off, with Jake Young coming on for Boro.