• Harry Forrester opens scoring when attempting to return ball to visitors • Rovers let Leon Clarke score unchallenged in show of sportsmanship

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Doncaster allowed Bury to walk in an equaliser after netting a freak goal themselves in a bizarre 1-1 draw at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Paul Dickov instructed his players to clear a path for Bury to find the net after Doncaster scored by mistake in second-half stoppage time when attempting to return an act of good sportsmanship.

The midfielder Harry Forrester tried, following a throw-in, to return the ball to visiting goalkeeper Christian Walton who had knocked it out of play following an injury, but the ball bounced over Walton and found the Bury net.

Rather than take advantage, Doncaster allowed Leon Clarke to amble half the length of the pitch unchallenged before tapping home.

David Flitcroft said: “I’ve got the ultimate respect for Paul Dickov. He tried to get the referee to award a foul throw initially but then he’s allowed us to score from the restart.” The Bury manager added. “Paul put football into a good place with his sportsmanship today because if you lose morality the game has no substance for me.”

Dickov said: “I didn’t really think twice about allowing them to equalise. It just wouldn’t have been right for us to take three points in the circumstances. It was just an unfortunate ending to the game. Harry Forrester hit the ball too sweet and I was just hoping it wouldn’t go in. When it did we just had to allow them to score because you can’t win a game like that.”

Elsewhere, Nigel Adkins’ first game as the Sheffield United manager was one he will quickly want to forget after seeing his side beaten 4-0 at Gillingham. The Blades, who sacked Nigel Clough at the end of last season and replaced him with the former Scunthorpe, Southampton and Reading manager, are hotly tipped to finally win promotion this time round but their opening-day defeat shows they are not going to have it all their own way in League One.

Gillingham went ahead after only eight minutes through Emanuel Osadebe and Deji Oshilaja doubled the lead just before half-time.

John Egan headed a third goal with eight minutes remaining before Bradley Dack completed the rout in injury time to leave Adkins’ men bottom of the table at this embryonic stage.

The day’s other big result came at the County Ground between two other teams fancied for a promotion tilt. Bradford went ahead through Josh Morris’ fourth-minute strike and were handed the opportunity to go 2-0 ahead in the 17th minute but Billy Clarke’s penalty was saved by Lawrence Vigouroux.

Clarke’s miss proved to be a turning point as Nathan Byrne hit a 16-minute hat-trick at the start of the second half before Jonathan Obika’s 70th-minute goal sealed a brilliant comeback victory for Swindon, who were beaten in the play-off final last season.

Much was made of the summer departures at Chesterfield but they, and new manager Dean Saunders, began with a 3-1 home win against Barnsley.

Conor Wilkinson put the Tykes in front early on but second-half goals from Jay O’Shea, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Sam Morsy gave the Spireites a morale-boosting start.

Stuart Beavon scored Burton’s first ever goal at this level as last season’s League Two champions overcame Scunthorpe 2-1 at the Pirelli Stadium.

Lucas Akins added to Beavon’s opener from the penalty spot after Luke Daniels had been sent off for violent conduct before Charlie Goode headed an injury-time reply.

Millwall were also 2-1 winners at Shrewsbury as Steve Morison and Lee Gregory cancelled out the lead given to the hosts by James Collins.

Coventry beat Wigan 2-0 thanks to Adam Armstrong’s double and Rochdale were also 2-0 home winners against Peterborough, with Callum Camps and Reuben Noble-Lazarus on the score sheet for Keith Hill’s side.

There were a handful of draws, with the highest-scoring coming at Colchester where they drew 2-2 with Blackpool. The Seasiders twice led through Mark Cullen goals but Alex Gibley and Darren Ambrose replied for the Essex club.

David Worrall equalised for Southend at Fleetwood, whose goal in the 1-1 draw was scored by Declan McManus.

It was also 1-1 at the Banks’s Stadium between Walsall and Oldham as Jonathan Forte cancelled out Romaine Sawyers strike for the hosts.

The local derby between Crewe and Port Vale at Vale Park was the only game to finish without a goal.