Swindon Town 2 Crewe Alexandra 0

Yaser Kasim left Swindon fans smiling before his thoughts returned to the bloody insurgency at home.

Baghdad-born midfielder Kasim, 23, ran the show and fired in a stunning 34th minute free kick to see off Crewe, but the suffering in Iraq caused by Islamic State terrorists is never far from his thoughts. He said:

"A few fanatics are causing problems in a country that has so much to offer. The people deserve better. It's supposed to be our job as footballers to try and make people happy, but the situation is tough on everyone there.

"Fortunately my family are here with me, but you can't help but think of friends back at home."

Former Spurs youth product Kasim should win his second international cap in a 'home' friendly against Peru in Dubai on September 5th and is hoping to make the squad for the Asian Cup in Australia in January. He revealed:

"In 2007 we won the competition for the first time and the streets were deserted. Everyone was inside the cafés or their homes watching the team on the TV. When Iraq won it lifted everyone's spirits. Hopefully we can do that again."

Meanwhile Louis Thompson and boss Mark Cooper disagreed about Kasim's free-kick prowess.

Midfielder Thompson claimed:

"He takes fifteen to twenty every day in training and hits the back of the net with most of them."

But Cooper joked:

"I heard what Louis said and don't know what he's on about. I get rashes on my legs from nettles and thorns every day after training while I'm searching through the bushes for the balls Yaser has lost."

Andy Williams sealed a comfortable win after slotting in the second in the 77th minute and Crewe manager Steve Davis admitted:

"I was disappointed with our attacking play and we have made those little errors that have cost us. Saying that it was a great free kick."

Swindon Town 2 Crewe Alexandra 0

Yaser Kasim scored a stunner for Swindon to help see off awful Alex.

Kasim opened his account for the season in the 34th minute after fellow midfielder Louis Thompson was up-ended by Jamie Ness.

Iraq international Kasim then left keeper Ben Garratt flat-footed with a 22 yard free kick that flew into the top of the net.

Robins manager Mark Cooper was delighted with the win and said:

"I thought we were very comfortable. We had to be patient and Crewe gave us respect so we had to wait for the right moment.

"I didn't think we were ever in any trouble. We dominated and deserved to win. The league table makes decent reading."

Striker Andy Williams added a second goal in two games in the 77th minute when he stole the ball off midfielder Lee Molyneux 35 yards out before racing into the area and sliding the ball past the helpless Garratt.

But if it had not been for Garratt Crewe would have been severely embarrassed.

Garratt pulled some excellent saves as his team mates seemed void of ideas or desire.

In the first thirty minutes the Crewe stopper dived low to save a twelve yard shot from Kasim before diving to pluck a cross off Williams's toes and blocking close range efforts from Thompson and Brad Smith.

Five minutes after the break Garratt needed to be alert again to claim Michael Smith's eight yard flick-on from under his bar following a cross from right wing-back Nathan Byrne.

And in the 77th minute Garratt needed to be at his very best to tip over another superb Kasim free-kick from 30 yards.

Crewe boss Steve Davis admitted:

"A lot of the work we did was about defending - trying to frustrate them and falter their play."

Bristol City 0 Leyton Orient 0

Frank Fielding pulled off three good saves to keep City's unbeaten start to the season going.

In the 52nd minute midfielder Lloyd James let fly from 30 yards and Fielding had to scramble across his line to palm the ball behind.

Three minutes later Darius Henderson out jumped the defence to meet Dean Cox's cross, but Fielding did well to get down and save on his line.

And with two minutes left Fielding beat away another James long range effort as Orient pressed for the three points.

Substitute Henderson should have scored with five minutes left, but nodded Dean Cox's floated free-kick inches wide with Fielding beaten.

In injury time City cranked up some late pressure.

Substitute Luke Freeman fired just over the bar and defender Luke Ayling nodded wide with the goal begging.

Henderson replaced Kevin Lisbie who injured his shoulder and now joins Shaun Batt and Chris Dagnall on the treatment table as manager Russell Slade's striker problems mount after only three league games.

Romain Vincelot nearly gifted City the winner in the 77th minute when he lost he ball to Aaron Wilbraham as he tried to dribble across the face of goal, but keeper Adam Legzdins pounced to beat the surprised striker to the ball.

Keeper Adam Legzdins punched a Marlon Pack corner into his own net in the 37th minute under pressure from Sam Baldock, but the City skipper was adjudged to have committed a foul.

Robins manager Steve Cotterill was furious that referee Simon Hooper chalked off what he felt was the winner for his side and said:

"We scored a perfectly good goal. The keeper lost the flight of Marlon Pack's fantastic corner and punched it into his own net. I've seen it half a dozen times. When the referee watches that back he'll have to say it was a goal. We did enough to win that game.

"The dressing room was a little sombre afterwards, but that's great as they expected to win it and that shows how far we have come."

Orient chief Russell Slade said:

"I think before a ball was kicked I would've taken a point and certainly a clean sheet, but in the end we just lacked the killer touch to win it. We could've been more ruthless.

"There were times when Bristol couldn't get close to us. We moved the ball around well.

"We have an improving side that will just get better."

Cheltenham Town 2 Accrington Stanley 1

Koby Arthur ripped up his L-plates and showed he has a licence to thrill.

Rookie Ghanaian striker Arthur, 18, was no pedestrian when he outpaced the Stanley defence to score a superb 84th minute solo effort after coming on as substitute in his home debut. He said:

"I'm buzzing, I'm so happy. I passed my driving test first time on Friday, but scoring my first professional goal is better. It's been a great two days."

Birmingham loanee Arthur has signed a deal to keep him at Whaddon Road until January and he revealed:

"I came over from Ghana when I was sixteen because my Dad, who has an estate agency in London, wanted me to go to college. He supported me though and told me just to work hard. I started playing for Woodford United near Northampton and scored some goals before Birmingham signed me."

Strike partner Byron Harrison shrugged off a dead leg to grab the opener in the 34th minute and boss Mark Yates revealed:

"He got a smash on his thigh and it was nice that he scored as I was going to take him off. He wanted to stay on for the corner so it was great to see him score."

Kal Naismith cancelled out Harrison's opener in the 77th minute, but the midfielder blew an extra-time chance to grab a point from the spot when he fired over the bar.

And Accrington manager James Beattie revealed:

"They’re dejected in there but I’ve said to them that they need to pick themselves up. There’s a great opportunity for them to put it right on Tuesday against Shrewsbury. A few lads let their heads drop, which I’m not particularly happy about because you have to keep going to the final whistle, irrespective of what situation arises."

Cheltenham Town 2 Accrington Stanley 1

Kal Naismith went from hero to zero, but James Beattie was furious with some of his other players.

It looked as though the Robins had blown the win when Naismith pulled Stanley back into the game against the run of play in the 77th minute by slotting in striker James Gray's pass from eight yards.

But in the 93rd minute the midfielder blasted a penalty high over the bar after Lee Vaughan had up-ended substitute Piero Mingoia and manager Beattie fumed:

"Kal's the penalty taker, but there was some interference with that from some of our players and it's something we'll be studying when we look at the video."

But Koby Arthur became an instant hit with the Cheltenham faithful after scoring the winner on his home debut.

Birmingham City loanee Arthur out-paced and out-muscled defender Jordan Mustoe to collect a long punt forward from keeper Trevor Carson and slot in his first senior goal from a tight angle.

Striker Byron Harrison opened the scoring in the 34th minute and then promptly retired hurt.

Joe Hanks's corner was nodded against the foot of the post by central defender Troy Brown and Harrison was the first to react to tap in the rebound from two feet despite carrying a dead leg.

Cheltenham had come close to opening the scoring twice in sixty seconds.

In the sixteenth minute former Accrington striker Terry Gornell's curling shot took a deflection and flew just wide of the far post and Matt Taylor's downward header from the resulting corner was hacked off the line by defender Rob Atkinson. 

And Gray was forced to nod a Matt Taylor effort from under the bar as Cheltenham dominated.

Robins boss Mark Yates admitted:

"At the end it probably was a penalty, but fortune was on our side."

Blackburn Rovers 0 Scunthorpe United 1

Neal Bishop showed his mettle to nab his first Iron goal as Rovers rotten run in the cup continued.

Midfielder Bishop proved himself a steal after a free summer switch from Blackpool and scored the 34th minute winner in his second game.

Former Coventry winger Gary McSheffrey's corner was met by Bishop who outjumped the static Championship defence to bury a near post header.

It is the third successive season Rovers have been embarrassed by League One opposition following defeats by MK Dons and then Carlisle last term.

But Scunthorpe fully deserved the lead and nearly added a second five minutes later.

Another McSheffrey corner caused panic in the box and midfielder Chris Taylor put the ball narrowly over his own bar from a tight angle.

Rovers boss Gary Bowyer must have regretted resting TEN of the players who started in the season's opener last Friday.

After only one minute David Dunn fluffed his lines from six yards and fired wide after being teed up by co-striker Josh King.

And on the half hour debutant youth product Jack O'Connell was lucky not to give away a penalty when he appeared to drag down Bishop.

Ben Marshall had come closest to scoring for Rovers in the 51st minute, but keeper Sam Slocombe did brilliantly to palm the ball behind after the winger's left wing curling free kick evaded everyone else in the box. 

Striker Rudy Gestede managed to find the net in the 77th minute, but winger Luke Varney was ruled to have fouled Slocombe.  

And with four minutes to go Varney blew a great chance to keep the game alive when he sent a diving header straight into Slocombe's arms from ten yards.

Seething Bowyer watched his team lose for the first time since March said:

"From my point of view that was unacceptable. In my time here that's the worst we've been in that first 45 minutes, but credit to Scunthorpe.

"It wasn't good enough and I won't hide from that. We had strong words at half time.

As a manager you get players knocking on your door and asking for an opportunity. Well some took it tonight and some didn't. It highlights the need to bring more bodies in."

Scunthorpe manager Russ Wilcox gushed:

"In the last twenty minutes they were throwing everything into the box and we defended brilliantly. I was delighted with that final period of the game.

"Blackburn had quality players out there with real Championship experience, but we've got real quality players in our group.

"When we got the ball we frustrated Blackburn and that's the best form of defence."

Swindon Town 3 Scunthorpe United 1

Massimo Luongo has called on the Swindon faithful to give their full support to Michael Smith.

Midfielder Luongo, 21, was a non-playing member of Australia's World Cup squad in Brazil and he opened the scoring in the third minute before striker Smith sealed the win with a first half brace. 

Smith,22, came in for criticism from sections of the County Ground last season despite scoring eight goals following a January move from Charlton, but Luongo said:

"If anything he's the most important player in our team. That's why I think everyone should back him. He does the job and does what every good striker should do - he scores goals. His hold up play was good, but everyone loses the ball sometimes - me in particular."

Boss Mark Cooper also backed Smith and revealed:

"He had a go at me for bringing him off as he was on his hat-trick, but I'm sure he'll get plenty more chances for that at this club. No matter what anyone says about him, and he does get his fair share of stick, he scores goals and that's another two for him."

Striker Paddy Madden pulled a goal back for newly promoted Iron before Smith's second, but defender Marcus Williams was shown a red card for punching Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson.

Scunthorpe Manager Russ Wilcox said:

"Marcus's sending off was down to frustration. It cost us a little today, but it's going to cost us more in the weeks to come."

And midfielder Neal Bishop, 33, called on his new team to hold their nerve. The free summer signing from Blackpool said:

"You have to earn the right to play in this division. We worked hard in pre-season to prepare for more than 46 games not just the first one, but that's the standard we have to expect week in, week out."

Swindon Town 3 Scunthorpe United 1

Michael Smith's brace of tap-ins got the Robins off to a flier against ten-man Iron.

But boss Mark Cooper refused to get carried away and said:

"We could've had five or six in the second half, but we know we still have some work to do defensively."

Hit man Smith scored his first in the twelfth minute.

Midfielder Louis Thompson crossed from the left and Smith darted past a static defence to side-foot home from four yards.

Smith grabbed his second just before the break.

Strike partner Ben Gladwin's low shot from the right side of the box came back off the foot of the post and Smith pounced to knock the ball in from two yards.

Aussie midfielder Massimo Luongo had opened the scoring for Swindon in the third minute.

Gladwin fed Nathan Byrne on the right flank and the wing-back picked Luongo who slotted in from six yards at the near post.

But Republic of Ireland striker Paddy Madden pulled a goal back for newly promoted Scunthorpe in the 20th minute when he raced on to a header from substitute Deon Burton to drill a low shot past helpless keeper Wes Foderingham.

And Scunny's first-day blues turned red in the 80th minute when full back Marcus Williams was sent off after decking Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson.

Foderingham pulled off two brilliant point-blank saves from winger Jennison Myrie-Williams and Madden to make sure of the win.

And Madden was given the bum's rush when he tried to notch his own brace, but saw his ten yard shot fly off the backside of Southampton loanee defender Jordan Turnbull before going behind.

Scunthorpe boss Russ Wilcox said:

"We were striving for ten months to be here, so while we're disappointed, we're not going to be negative."