League One Round-Up: Bolton preserve their 100% record, Scunthorpe smash Gillingham for five

Bolton Wanderers are the only English Football League club with a 100% record after recording their fourth successive victory in League One after fending off Fleetwood Town 2-1 at the Macron Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

However the Trotters had to come from behind after David Ball fired the Cod Army in front after 34 minutes on the clock, before Gary Madine bagged Bolton’s equaliser shortly after the interval. But midfielder Josh Vela, who is being linked with a move to Championship side Wigan Athletic this summer, showed exactly why he is in-demand after thumping in an 84th minute effort to send the home crowd into raptures and equal the club’s best start to a league season in 82 years.

Meanwhile Scunthorpe United occupy the runners-up spot in scintillating fashion after thrashing Gillingham 5-0 at Glanford Park. Kevin van Veen’s long-range effort slipped through the hands of opposing goalkeeper Stuart Nelson, before further strikes from Josh Morris (pen) and Jordan Clarke had the Iron three-nil up at half-time.

But Graham Alexander’s side didn’t stop there, instead they rubbed salt into the Gills’ wounds, as another mistake by Nelson on the hour-mark allowed Morris’ long-range effort to squeeze past him, before Tom Hopper made it high fives all round late on.

However at the foot of the division; pre-season promotion favourites for the League One title, Sheffield United, suffered their third defeat in four league outings to leave them rooted to the bottom of the table on one point after being beaten 2-1 at Millwall.

Shaun Williams had the Lions in front after 14 minutes, only for Stefan Scougall to level the scores once more shortly after. But veteran striker Steve Morison, 32, had the last laugh after converting the winning strike from the penalty spot in the 89th minute after Jack O’Connell was adjudged to have handled in the box.

Bradford City are up to third in the standings after their third league win on the bounce, defeating ten-man Coventry City 3-1 at Valley Parade.

Despite new signing Daniel Agyei giving the Sky Blues the lead inside 13 minutes, the Bantams roared back in emphatic style as three goals in the space of nine second-half minutes capped off a wonderful comeback. The game’s turning point was defender Jordan Turnbull’s dismissal after pulling down Billy Clarke in the penalty area, gifting Bradford a spot-kick and eventually their equaliser as Tony McMahon converted.

Morison’s late spot-kick helped Millwall climb up to eighth in League One – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Winger Mark Marshall then fired the hosts in front for the first time with an unstoppable long-range strike, before man of the match McMahon put the result beyond all doubt with another penalty just six minutes later after Josh Cullen was fouled by Vladimir Gadzhev.

Elsewhere in League One; Oldham Athletic recorded their first win of the new campaign as Leon Barnett’s own goal was enough to gift the Latics all three points at Bury, Chris Maguire’s spot-kick in the third minute of injury-time saw Oxford United also toast their first victory of the 2016/17 term after sealing a late 2-1 triumph over Peterborough United and Scott Wootton left it even later to net Milton Keynes Dons’ winner (0-1) at Rochdale after powerfully heading home the only goal of the game in the 95th minute.

Goals from Junior Brown and Adam El-Abd saw Shrewsbury Town narrowly fend off Chesterfield 2-1, Bradley Barry was the saviour at Swindon Town as his match winner shortly after the interval sealed a tight 1-0 victory over Port Vale and Charlton Athletic came away 2-1 victors from Walsall after a neat brace from summer signing Nicky Ajose.

Southend United striker Simon Cox scored a penalty just nine minutes from time to deny Bristol Rovers snatching all three points at Roots Hall after their 1-1 stalemate, whilst newly promoted duo Northampton Town and AFC Wimbledon couldn’t be separated at Sixfields after their goalless encounter.

Player of the Weekend: Nicky Ajose (Charlton Athletic)
Team of the Weekend: Scunthorpe United
Goal of the Weekend: Mark Marshall (BRADFORD CITY vs Coventry City)