2025/26 EFL League One MW7 Saturday Preview

2025/26 EFL League One MW7 Saturday Preview

The first international break sees both Premier League and Championship fixtures halted for the next fortnight. With a League One schedule also reduced due to national team call-ups, eight games are set to take place in England's third tier this Saturday as the seventh game week of the 2025/26 campaign commences. Although it is still early on, with three teams still yet to win this time out and a host of clubs jostling for a top six position, here is a look at the fascinating match-ups from League One this Saturday.

Doncaster vs Bradford

With the early top two of Cardiff and Stevenage not in action this weekend, an opportunity to go to the summit of League One awaits a travelling Bradford side. Fresh off a 3-2 win against Wimbledon last weekend, Graham Alexander's side come into this fixture undefeated across all competitions and will no doubt be looking to extend this run at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Doncaster, who have also enjoyed a positive start to the season, will be hoping to inflict a first defeat on high-flying Bradford and you would think their top goalscorer so far this campaign will have a huge say in doing so. Skipper Owen Bailey has already notched four times this campaign, scoring the winner against Rotherham last Saturday.

FT | Rovers 1 Rotherham 0

That's it!

Rovers take victory in the derby!

Owen Bailey makes sure it's a wonderful start to the weekend on the right side of South Yorkshire!

GET IN THERE!!!

Recap the action ⤵️https://t.co/T3pXOQsdmh

🔴 #drfc ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/HMV8PxsZoG

— Doncaster Rovers FC (@drfc_official) August 30, 2025

Bolton vs Wimbledon

Bolton come into this game having stagnated in their start to the season and will be eager to gain some momentum against a Wimbledon side who also find themselves in mid-table. Deadline day saw the culmination of a busy summer with the additions of Cyrus Christie and Marcus Forss. Both new signings look to be available for this Saturday after featuring in the 1-0 EFL Trophy win against Rotherham on Wednesday.

The new lads are in! 💪#bwfc pic.twitter.com/7wgQgAaeXL

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) September 2, 2025

Wimbledon, who have also been busy with their recruitment this summer, will be determined to put three consecutive defeats across all competitions behind them. The newly-promoted side have negotiated a tough start to life in League One very well and a trip to stuttering Bolton will be viewed as another brilliant opportunity to add to their points tally.

Wycombe vs Mansfield

A winless Wycombe side host tenth-placed Mansfield as they bid to register their first three points of the season. Mike Dodds' men find themselves in the bottom four after their first six fixtures, leaving a lot to be desired. After a narrow play-off loss to Charlton last year, many believed The Chairboys would be able to kick on this year in their quest to return to the Championship. But the summer departure of Richard Kone to QPR has undoubtedly had an impact on their slow start to this campaign.

Mansfield, on the other hand, will be relatively happy with their start to the league season. There have been signs of real progress for Nigel Clough's team from their 17th-place finish last year and will be buoyed by some positive performances. Joint highest goalscorers so far this term, The Stags have bagged 11 goals already and will travel to Wycombe believing more goals are to follow against the 22nd placed side.

🗣️ The boss previews this Saturday's match away at Wycombe Wanderers.

🎙️ Extended news conference: https://t.co/tQNZ99WbCi.#Stags 🟡🔵 pic.twitter.com/27hhqQcrmm

— Mansfield Town FC (@mansfieldtownfc) September 3, 2025

Port Vale vs Leyton Orient

Another winless team, Port Vale look to record a first victory of the campaign when they welcome Richie Wellens' Leyton Orient to Vale Park. The Staffordshire side can count themselves slightly unfortunate to be in the position in they are in, with performance potentially not translating into results so far this time out. However, the deadline day signing of Devante Cole is an exciting addition to Vale's front line and manager Darren Moore will be hoping for an immediate impact , with the Jamaican arriving from West Brom.

“I’m someone who will score goals.” 🥶

Our full interview with Devante Cole is over on PVTV: https://t.co/Y0CTmH9Rlc #PVFC | #PVFC150 pic.twitter.com/AmNklbyo8V

— Port Vale Football Club (@OfficialPVFC) September 2, 2025

Orient, who themselves have endured an underwhelming start to their season, will be looking to put their early struggles behind them. After back-to-back losses against Northampton and Mansfield, a positive result against the newly-promoted side is a must to reduce the pressure that is rising against Wellens and his team.

Huddersfield vs Peterborough

An abysmal opening month for Posh sees them rock-bottom in League One, accumulating just the one point from their opening six games. Exeter's 3-0 dismantling of Darren Ferguson's men will have left the Scot with a lot to ponder and with things not getting any easier for their next fixture, a trip to high-flying Huddersfield will be the last thing Ferguson and his team want to face as they look to put things right.

Finding themselves in the play-off places, Huddersfield have begun the season strongly following a mid-table finish last year. A number of shrewd additions in the summer window, such as Dutchman Zepiqueno Redmond on loan from Aston Villa, will have fans of The Terriers believing the Yorkshire side are in a position to challenge for a return to the championship.

✍️ We are delighted to confirm the signing of forward Zépiqueno Redmond on a season-long loan from Premier League side Aston Villa for the remainder of the 2025/26 Sky Bet League One campaign.

💬 Comments from Manager Lee Grant ⤵️

Welcome to the Terriers, Zépiqueno 🙌#htafc

— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) September 1, 2025

Lincoln vs Wigan

Lincoln go into their match against Wigan looking to continue their unbeaten home record this campaign. Sincil Bank is proving to be a fortress for The Imps in their positive start to the season, something Michael Skubala will be keen to continue if Lincoln are to achieve their objective come what May.

👏 Thank you for backing us today, Imps!

🙌 Your support pushed the lads all the way. #LINMAN pic.twitter.com/thwSJtBlfZ

— Lincoln City FC 🇺🇦 (@LincolnCity_FC) August 30, 2025

Wigan, who are also undefeated at home in the league, are yet to win on the road, scoring just once in their three away games last month. Manager Ryan Lowe will believe he is yet to have seen the best of his Wigan side in the opening stages of this League One campaign, and will be determined to improve upon an away record that has been a real negative of his team's start to the season.

Plymouth vs Stockport

Following their relegation from England's second tier, Plymouth have failed to live up to pre-season expectations and find themselves in the relagtion spots after their slow start to the season. A positive summer transfer window has failed to correlate with results on the pitch, with Argyle's only victory coming in a narrow 1-0 win against Blackpool. Manager Tom Cleverley will expect an improvement in both performances and results as they look to bounce back immediately to the Championship.

4 - Plymouth Argyle are the first team to lose each of their opening four games of a league campaign in the third-tier of English football, after suffering relegation the season prior, since the Pilgrims themselves in 1956-57. Unsettling. #OptaOnEFL pic.twitter.com/Lqdu5JBk7a

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 20, 2025

Stockport's lightning fast start saw them pick up maximum points from their first three game. Since then, inconsistency has crept into their performances and after being quick out the blocks now sit just outside the top six. With a tough run of fixtures that sees them face Cardiff and Huddersfield in their next four games, the clash against Plymouth will be seen as a great chance to pick up a second away league win.

Rotherham vs Exeter

Last, but not least, sees Rotherham host the travelling Exeter in what should already be seen as a must win game for The Millers. Without a win in the league since the opening game, Rotherham have endured a torrid time of things in recent weeks. With just one point from their last four games, a home fixture against the inconsistent Exeter will be a vital game in changing the fortunes of the Yorkshire side.

As for Exeter, an up and down start sees them sitting in mid-table. Three wins, three losses and a lot to think about for boss Gary Caldwell. With consistency already identified as the missing ingredient, they will be looking to put together a run of results and catapult themselves up the League One table.

🗣️ The Reflection // Kev Nicholson

💬 "Lots of positives to take. What pleased us most is the players behaviours." @kevnicho3 reflects on the win over @theposh, splitting the season into blocks, the transfer window and Rotherham on Saturday ⬇️#ECFC #SemperFidelis pic.twitter.com/t0OwM7k9jH

— Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) September 3, 2025