League round-up: Saints and Seagulls set the pace

The South Coast promoted sides, Southampton and Brighton, emerged as early season leaders in the Championship after wins at Barnsley and Portsmouth respectively kept their 100 per cent records intact.

Saints striker David Connolly headed in after 30 minutes to earn the 1-0 win at Oakwell, despite Saints' Richard Chaplow's late sending off. At Fratton Park, Craig Mackail-Smith poked the ball in when Ashley Barnes' shot was blocked to give the Seagulls the lead, but Pompey's Liam Lawrence hit the post with his injury-time penalty and it stayed 1-0. "That luck went for the team and I think they deserved it," Brighton's manager, Gus Poyet, said after his side had withstood a late siege.

For the second Saturday running a Steve Davies goal was decisive for Derby County who beat Watford 1-0 at Vicarage Road.

Millwall overcame Nottingham Forest 2-0 at The Den, Darius Henderson forcing in James Henry's cross, Liam Trotter adding the second, to maintain their unbeaten start.

There were first points for West Ham United, whose new captain Kevin Nolan volleyed in Jack Collison's fifth-minute cross for a 1-0 win at Doncaster, and for Birmingham City who beat Coventry City 1-0, Keith Fahey scoring. A goal in each half saw Crystal Palace beat visitors Burnley 2-0, Jonathan Parr and Owen Garvan, from a penalty, on target, but Ipswich Town lost 1-0 at home to Hull City, Matt Fryatt scoring for the Tigers first win.

League One

Danny Wilson might be winning over Sheffield United supporters after a third consecutive win, the Blades beating Brentford 2-0. Also on six points: Charlton Athletic, who beat Notts County 2-1, and Tranmere Rovers 1-0 victors at Leyton Orient.

League Two

Adam Le Fondre scored twice as Rotherham United won 4-1 at Plymouth, Southend won 2-1 at Accrington Stanley, and a 2-1 success for Gillingham at Crewe ensured they too took six points.

Scottish Premier

Rangers needed two penalties, one scored by Nikica Jelavic, his second saved but netted on the rebound by Maurice Edu, to beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-0. Both sides ended with 10 men, Thistle's Ross Tokely dismissed on the hour giving away the first penalty, Edu sent off 16 minutes later after a second booking. Tom Hateley's 90th-minute free-kick saw Motherwell win 1-0 at St Mirren to stay top of the table.