Opening weekend frustration for Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Preston, Leeds and Reading supporters as five away teams win on a day of no draws

Bristol City 0-3 Millwall

Was it a good match? It’s obviously disappointing to lose the first game of the season, especially given the signings we made over the summer. On the day we were second best. The injury list doesn’t help – we started without our top two goalscorers of last season – but we didn’t really create any chances. On this evidence both sides will struggle this season. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Albert Adomah looks promising. Jamal Campbell-Ryce was our best player until he was substituted. The curse of the loan striker has struck again as his replacement Sam Vokes was injured shortly after coming on. Millwall’s defenders won everything in the air.

Nick Tomkins, OTIB.co.uk

Burnley 1-0 Nottingham Forest

Was it a good match? A bit scrappy. We were the better side in the first half but we lost our way in the second. It wasn’t a classic. Both teams struggled to pass the ball. And after last season in the Premier League it’s going to get a bit of getting used to. Forest were a tough side who were good on the counter and I think they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. I expect we’ve beaten one of the better sides in this division. Who played well/who had a nightmare? André Bikey had an outstanding game in central defence. Chris Iwelumo was only denied a second goal because of a fantastic save by Lee Camp.

Tony Scholes, ClaretsMad.co.uk

Coventry City 2-0 Portsmouth

Was it a good match? Coventry City supporters went into the opening game of the season in the hope that Portsmouth’s just victory in the high court would be their only one this week. And so it proved as a workman-like City side, which was probably not the one that manager Aidy Boothroyd wanted to start with, ground out an excellent first victory of the season. Who played well/who had a nightmare? With City playing much of their game down the right, Richard Keogh, David Bell, Gary McSheffrey and Freddy Eastwood, were four players who stood out. Young debutant Nathan Cameron, for me, had a fine game and was man of the match.

Kev Monks, CoventryCity-Mad.co.uk

Crystal Palace 3-2 Leicester City

Was it a good match? I was predicting a draw before the game and was slightly concerned that the new signings would need some time to gel so was pleasantly surprised to go in at half-time 3-0 up. Even though the visitors started off reasonably brightly we slowly got into the game . Wilfred Zaha scored with a neat finish, Darren Ambrose added a second before Alan Lee tapped in from close range. Leicester pressed in the second half and after a few substitutions came back into contention, which made for a nervy end to the game. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Kieron Cadogan showed some neat tricks. Julian Bennett had a solid game.

Peter Guntrip, Holmesdale.net

Hull City 2-0 Swansea City

Was it a good match? Both teams played some good football and, until we scored, Swansea looked the brighter side: the visitors were a bit quicker and crisper with their passing. That said the opening goal from John Bostock is an early contender for goal of the season. After a one-two with Nobby Solano he lashed the ball into the top right-hand corner from fully 30 yards out. A really encouraging start given how comfortable we looked throughout but there’s room for improvement. Who played well/who had a nightmare? The midfield played well yet we struggled to hold the ball up in attack. Ian Ashbee came back after 15 months out to cover every blade of grass.

Rick Skelton, HullCityOnline.com

Leeds United 1-2 Derby County

Was it a good match? This was our first opening‑day defeat since 1989. Over the 90 minutes Derby deserved it. The success last season was built on a 4-4-2 but we played 4-3-3 here which left a lot of holes for the visitors to exploit. Derby’s winning goal came from a penalty that was dubious to say the least and we hit the woodwork twice, so a draw, on the balance of chances, would have been a fairer result. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Kasper Schmeichel kept the score down, Robbie Savage played his customary role of pantomime villain while ex-Leeds United player Rob Hulse took his goal very well.

Kevin Markey, LeedsUnited-Mad.co.uk

Middlesbrough 1-3 Ipswich Town

Was it a good match? A very jittery start. It was good to see Scott McDonald score but I think he will feel under pressure after disappointing last season. Ipswich deservedly equalised and then took the lead moments later after some poor defending. Jon Stead had acres to volley in the third. The visitors are a totally different proposition to last season. A lot has been made about the influx of players from Scotland. Boro fans will soon find out how good the SPL really is. Our midfield is one-dimensional. Who played well/who had a nightmare? It was good to see McDonald find the net. Debutant Tarmo Kink needs to do a lot more to justify wearing yellow boots.

Andrew Glover, FMTTM.com

Preston North End 0-2 Doncaster Rovers

Was it a good match? A disappointing performance. We were two down in 17 minutes courtesy of goals from James O’Connor and James Hayter, and didn’t look like getting back into the game until well into the second half. Three new signings in the starting 11 made it difficult for us to settle. North End improved when substitutes Paul Coutts and Joshua King came on and, except for some poor finishing, could have changed the game. Doncaster look a strong and organised Championship side. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Brian Stock was absolutely outstanding for the visitors and controlled the game for long periods.

John Roper, PSG.me.uk

QPR 4-0 Barnsley

Was it a good match? Very entertaining. Apart from the opening 10 minutes of the game we ran the show, especially in the first half. Jamie Mackie impressed but Adel Taarabt was instrumental, pulling the strings in an advanced midfield position, just behind the front man. To be honest Barnsley are my candidates to go down this season. I think they’ll struggle. As for the Rs, next week’s game at Bramall Lane will show us whether we are promotion candidates or not. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Paddy Kenny had nothing to do. Bradley Orr looked solid in defence, as did Clint Hill at left-back. Heidar Helguson struck his penalty with confidence.

Peter Davies, WeAreTheRangersBoys.com

Reading 1-2 Scunthorpe United

Was it a good match? We seemed to play very well and dominated for long periods but their first goal knocked the stuffing out of us. However, confusion followed as the linesman flagged for offside only to be ignored by the referee. For some reason we can’t get the final ball to the forwards. While we dominated the game we never really looked like winning this and once they scored a second there was no way back as Scunthorpe put 10 men behind the ball and shut up shop. Who played well/who had a nightmare? Jobi McAnuff tore their defence ragged. If we were going to get anything from this game he was going to be the catalyst.

Ian Frampton, Observer reader

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Standy in here

Natasha Dowie can’t hide her excitement. She is exhausted, but cannot keep the wonder from her voice. On Monday, the 21-year-old striker scored a goal in the last minute of extra time which won Everton a first FA Women’s cup in the club’s history – and time inflicted the first cup-final defeat on reigning champions Arsenal. And after a night of celebrating she still cannot believe her luck. “It’s like a dream. As soon as I connected with it [the ball] I knew it was going in. I just ran into the crowd and hugged some random boy – I don’t even know if he was a supporter.” The rest of the team were, of course equally ecstatic at the win. “We didn’t even shower,” Dowie laughs, “we just went straight out in our tracksuits into Liverpool. I was still wearing my flip flops. I must have got in about four o’clock this morning, so I’m struggling a bit, but it’s worth it.”

The only cloud marring the win, was the fact that on the day her family and friends were cheering her victory, a more famous Dowie – her uncle Hull manager Iain – was watching his team drop from the Premier League. “It’s a shame because he’s a terrific guy,” she says. “But he’s done his best in Hull it’s probably not worked out the way he wanted it to, but he will kick on and do well wherever he goes. “And she says, he was still one of the first to congratulate her after the game – after getting home in time to catch her winning goal. “He texted me and rung me to tell me how proud he was. He didn’t talk about his own game he was more focused on me and how proud he was of me which was lovely.”

Now she says, she is just pleased that playing for Everton means she is closer to the former striker, who lives in Bolton, and who has been a “massive influence” on her. “I always ask his advice when I see him,” she says. “I was quite young when he played, but I watched tapes of him and he was a terrific striker.”

It’s the second time Dowie’s professional path has crossed her uncle’s. In 2006 (CHECK) she played at Charlton Athletics Ladies while Iain Dowie coached the men’s side. Yet hearing her talk about holding down a full time job coaching at Stevenage Borough football club’s academy, getting lifts from her father and “scraping for pennies”, it’s obvious her lifestyle cannot compare with players involved in the men’s Premier League. Does the difference annoy her? “It is frustrating when you see what kind of money the men are on a week,” she agrees. “They train two hours a day and we are training probably more than they do. We are all holding down full time jobs. It’s very tiring, I’m not going to lie. Mo [Everton coach Mo Marley] helps out with travelling expenses, but we don’t get paid to play so it is tough. But days like yesterday (Monday) make you realise why you play the sport. “

But she hopes the new Women’s Super League due to be launched in 2011, will helps change things. “I’m very excited. Hopefully more people will come and watch us play, and if we get paid we might have more time to train. It’ll be more competitive and it might even attract foreign players.” And she says the fact more girls than ever are taking up the sport should also help. “When I was at school I was only girl playing, but now it’s 50 50. The boys didn’t even like me playing with them in the playground. When I was 14 we were in a 5-a-side tournament and our team got through to the final. I scored most of the goal but the boys complained so I wasn’t allowed to play in the final. I wasn’t the most confident kid when I was younger and I found it quite hard but I loved playing football so any chance I had I would play.”

For now though her mind is on one thing – the Premier League title. On Thursday Everton will play Leeds and on Sunday they will face Arsenal again. “I’m getting alot of attention people wanting to know me now! It’s nice and I’m going to make the most of it as we are back in the League on Thursday so I am going to enjoy it while I can. We have three games in less than a week so it’s back to business.”

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