Brighton leave it late

Things started disappointingly for last season's League One champions, with manager Gus Poyet sent to the stands after kicking over a crate of water bottles in the first-half and Billy Sharp handing Rovers the lead from close-range after 39 minutes.

But Buckley, a £1million summer signing from Watford, altered things with a game-changing effort from the bench, equalising in the 83rd-minute and stroking home the winner deep in injury-time.

Birmingham began life back in the second tier with a morale-sapping 2-1 defeat at Derby. Chris Hughton's side took the lead through Curtis Davies' header in the 19th minute, but the Rams responded through Jason Shackell's own headed goal and Steve Davies.

Promotion favourites Leicester kicked off their season with a 1-0 win at Coventry in the division's early kick-off. Right-back Lee Peltier, a summer signing from Huddersfield, scored the only goal in the 52nd. Both sides had a man sent off in the first half, with Darius Vassell dismissed for the Foxes and Carl Baker seeing red for the Sky Blues.

Last season's losing play-off finalists Reading staged a remarkable comeback in a 2-2 draw at home to Millwall. A brace from Mathieu Manset inside the last five minutes salvaged a point after the east Londoners led through Darius Henderson and John Marquis.

Steve McClaren's reign at Nottingham Forest got off to an unspectacular start as they were held goalless by Barnsley at the City Ground, while his old club Middlesbrough had to settle for a point in a 2-2 draw at home to Portsmouth, for whom Luke Varney grabbed an injury-time equaliser.

Newly-promoted Peterborough came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at London Road as substitute David Ball grabbed the winner. Sean Scannell gave the Eagles the edge in the 33rd minute but Darren Ferguson's men equalised when Grant McCann drilled home from a clever Lee Tomlin set-piece.

Ipswich's ?£1.5million summer signing Michael Chopra enjoyed a dream debut as the Tractor Boys won 3-0 at Bristol City. The former Cardiff man scored in either half to sink the Robins, with Lee Martin netting Town's second goal.

Sean Dyche was denied a win on his managerial debut for Watford as Burnley battled back for a 2-2 draw at Turf Moor. Craig Forsyth gave the Hornets the lead on the stroke of half-time and Mark Yeates appeared to have sealed the three points with 20 minutes to go. But Eddie Howe's men recovered thanks to goals from Charlie Austin and Keith Treacy.

Source: PA

Source: PA