York City striker Joe Grey has acknowledged he still has progress to make despite being compared to Argentine legend Diego Maradona by his manager, Scott Lindsey. The 23-year-old forward, who began his career at Wallsend Boys Club, played a key role as York extended their unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory over Exeter in League Two action.

Grey, a Tyneside native, expressed that while the comparison boosts his confidence, he recognizes the gap between himself and Maradona’s level. “I’ve got a little way until I get to his level, but the comparison gives me confidence and I want to take that out onto the pitch,” he said.

Elsewhere in the league, Walsall recorded a narrow 3-2 win over Accrington Stanley to remain unbeaten with two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. Reece Smith, Harrison Burke, and Aaron Pressley scored for Walsall. However, head coach Lee Grant warned that despite their dominance, the team remains vulnerable. “No matter how dominant you are, how much of the football you have, or how many good goals you score, there’s a way back in for teams if you have a moment’s breather. It’s a warning for us,” he said.

League leaders Barnet saw their perfect start come to an end with a 2-2 draw against Cheltenham Town. The match included a contentious penalty awarded to Barnet’s Kabongo Tshimanga, which Cheltenham’s manager Steve Cotterill disputed. Cotterill argued the penalty should not have been given, claiming that the foul did not occur within the penalty area.

At the bottom of the table, Rochdale suffered a late 1-0 defeat to Colchester United, with Jaden Williams scoring the decisive goal after coming off the bench. Rochdale manager Ian Watson described the loss as painful, especially due to the timing of the concession in the 86th minute. He stressed the need for improvement moving forward, dismissing any sense of self-pity. “There’s no victim mentality or feeling sorry for ourselves here – we have to be better,” Watson said.

Salford City remains without a point in the season after a 1-0 defeat to Shrewsbury Town, courtesy of Will Boyle’s goal. Manager Peter Cklamovski expressed frustration and confusion regarding the result. “It’s criminal how we don’t win the game and it’s unexplainable how we actually lose the game,” he remarked.

The early stages of the League Two campaign continue to provide a mixture of tight encounters and emerging narratives as teams strive to secure their positions in a competitive division.