Doughty display is lucky for Phil
PHIL BROWN thought his luck was out until a dramatic turnaround saw Michael Doughty’s two stoppage-time penalties seal a 3-2 win for Swindon over Macclesfield.
Summer signing Doughty scored a hat-trick on his Robins debut, leaving manager Brown relieved.
Koby Arthur’s double had Macclesfield eyeing a dream start to their Football League return, only for Doughty to convert penalties in the sixth and eighth minutes of added time.
“I don’t think there have been many games like that, never mind the opening day,” said Brown.
“One of the old managers once said to me ‘If you can’t be good be lucky’, and today I thought I was going to be an unlucky manager.”
Paul Tisdale hailed a winning start to life at MK Dons as his new club won 2-1 at Oldham.
Tisdale brought the curtain down on 12 years at Exeter after the Grecians lost last term’s League Two play-off final to Coventry.
“I’m really pleased with a win on the first day of the season,” said Tisdale.
New Exeter manager Matt Taylor branded Nicky Law “different gravy” for his role in the 3-1 win at Carlisle.
Debutants Law, Jonathan Forte and Tristan Abrahams sealed a comfortable victory, with Taylor saying: “They’re good players, I trust them and there’s a reason why I signed them.
“I thought Nicky was different gravy today, he really was.”
Jim Bentley said Morecambe’s 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Crewe was his lowest day in 16 years at the club, adding: “It looks like they’ve just had a week in Benidorm and got off the plane.
“They played like a load of strangers.”