5 THINGS WE’VE LEARNED IN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE

1 IT WAS a poor opening weekend for the promoted sides, with just two of the nine winning. MK Dons’ 4-1 victory at Rotherham in the Championship was arguably the standout result while Burton in League One were the only other club to celebrate a victory. Defeats for Barnet and Bristol Rovers suggest the step up from non-League is bigger than it has been in recent seasons. 2 EIGHTEEN months after Roland Duchatelet’s takeover at Charlton and the Belgian’s vision is beginning to take shape. They beat QPR 2-0 with a blend of foreign imports and academy products, with home-grown players Nick Pope, Chris Solly, Morgan Fox, Jordan Cousins and Karlan Ahearne-Grant in their starting line-up. 3 COVENTRY may have done one of the best pieces of transfer business in League One this summer judging by their 2-0 victory over Wigan. England youth international striker Adam Armstrong, just 18 and on loan for the season from Newcastle, scored the two goals and was denied a hat-trick by the post. 4 HARTLEPOOL completed their Great Escape in the penultimate game of last season having been 10 points adrift in League Two. And they have hit the ground running in the new campaign with a 2-0 win over Morecambe. Ronnie Moore has had something of a Midas touch at Victoria Park and will be thrilled to see his marquee signing Billy Paynter score on his debut. 5 FIRST prize for sporting behaviour goes to Doncaster manager Paul Dickov, who ordered his players to allow Bury’s Leon Clarke to walk in an equaliser after Harry Forrester scored passing the ball back following an injury late on.