Good morning! The wait is finally over. The Football League is back and the first game of the Championship campaign is a Burnley-Bolton Lancashire battle.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me bring you the team news emerging from Turf Moor...

BURNLEY XI: Heaton; Trippier, Lafferty, Shackell, Long; Wallace, Jones, Marney, Stanislas; Ings, Vokes

BOLTON XI: Bogdan; Baptiste, Knight, Wheater, Tierney; Andrews, Medo, Eagles, Pratley, Chung-Yong; Beckford

Plenty of new faces for both sides then. Burnley give debuts to keeper Tom Heaton and midfielder David Jones, while Bolton have fresh faces on show in Alex Baptiste, Marc Tierney and Jermaine Beckford.

With a new season comes new features on SM! Click here to see our new 'game pages' with head-to-head history and form guides as well as quick links to all the important stuff.

Football League footy actually begun last night, with Sheffield United and Notts County, two of the oldest clubs in world football meeting at Bramall Lane in League One. The Blades came through 2-1 against 10-man Notts.

PREDICTION TIME! Just 10 minutes until we begin at a sunny Turf Moor. For me, Bolton will be hard to beat this afternoon and I see them getting something out of the game. If I had to pick an exact result I'd go 2-1 to the visitors.

Ahead of the season getting underway, we've been previewing each team's prospects for the upcoming campaign in the second tier. My colleague Liam Apicella rightly decided not to select Charlie Austin as a key player for Burnley. Last season's top scorer has now left for QPR, the favourites for the title. Read the preview here to find out where we predicted Burnley would finish.

You'll find Bolton's season preview here. Under Dougie Freedman, the Trotters came agonisingly close to making the playoffs in the Spring, missing out on goal difference. You'll see in our preview that we think they might just sneak in this year.

Both managers have just told Sky Sports News that they're understandably very excited for the new campaign. There has to be a sense of nervousness as well because a good start is always welcome.

Here come the two sides out to a rapturous atmosphere. Both captains are holding a vintage brown ball as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations. Pre-match handshakes are just taking place. We're almost ready!

REFEREE WATCH: Today's man in charge is Premier League regular Mark Clattenburg.

SUBS: Here are the two benches today:

Burnley: Cisak, Edgar, Treacy, O'Neill, Arfield, Noble, Stock
Bolton: Lonergan, Mears, Ream, Hall, C Davies, Ngog, Moritz

Here come to the two teams! Cracking atmosphere! #BWFC — Official BWFC (@OfficialBWFC) August 3, 2013

KICKOFF! Burnley get us underway at Turf Moor.

Trippier does well to hook a cross into the six-yard box inside the first minute and Bolton keeper Bogdan should collect easily but anxiously fumbles it before finally smothering. Message to Burnley players: SHOOT!

Busy start to the game! Down the other end Pratley falls to the ground after having his shot blocked and he screams for a penalty. Clattenburg shakes his head and that's the right call, the midfielder was on his way down.

This really has been a brilliant, all-action start to the Championship. Burnley are zipping the ball around really nicely and delivering dangerous balls into the box. So far, the visiting defence is dealing well with the threat, with lanky Knight in particular a force in the air.

Trippier does what I advised earlier by letting fly from 30 yards. The right-back connects well and it bounces a few yards in front of Bogdan, who this time holds on well with Vokes ready to pounce on any mistake.

Medo has a long-range shot himself but that's dragged tamely wide. It's just calmed down a little after that frenetic opening few minutes. Burnley the better side at the moment but Bolton look menacing and pacy on the counter.

Marney slides in on former Claret Eagles and that's a free kick for the visitors, right of centre about 30 yards out. Eagles is lining it up.

Eagles's effort is well struck but finds the top of the wall. The number seven remonstrates with Clattenburg because of encroachment but nothing's doing.

Lung-busting run forward from Pratley - very Yaya Toure - and he searches for the cross-field run of Beckford. He holds it up on the right before finding Andrews in the middle, but the number eight carelessly pulls his pass and that's a promising position wasted.

By the way, if you want to also follow The Ashes then you should do what I've done and open our coverage of the third Test in a new tab.

Fantastic low cross from Stanislas that Ings air-kicks. Best chance of the match so far. Bolton try to break but Beckford's first touch is slightly heavy. The visitors do look capable of breaking rapidly. Be wary, Burnley.

Lee Chung-Yong takes a palm to the eye and there's a brief stoppage in play as the Korean receives treatment on the pitch.

SHOT! "Medo, Medo, Medo!" chant the Bolton fans after the number 44's snapshot fizzes a yard or so over the crossbar with Heaton sprawling to his right in despair.

Burnley's third corner is a short one and it doesn't work out too well. Marney digs it back out to Wallace though and his centre is well caught by Bogdan under pressure from two claret shirts.

JUST WIDE! A low cross from the right is met on the volley by Ings and his side-foot effort curves wide of the far post with Bogdan worried.

New Burnley midfielder Jones has been very quiet so far. He tries to make an impact by having a pop from a loose ball but drags it way wide.

Vokes wins the aerial battle against Knight and his strike partner Ings takes it on and uses his pace to breeze past Wheater and move on goal. His side-foot shot spins off the underside of Wheater's desperate lunge and bobbles into the far corner. Not the tidiest finish but Burnley will take it. They score the first goal of the Championship season!

Eagles's cross is deep and only Beckford is in there. He collects the ball at the back post and sprints past his man before tumbling under a challenge. That looks worth an appeal to me but Bolton don't and Clattenburg keeps his whistle away from his mouth.

SCRAMBLE! Heavy, heavy Bolton pressure is desperately defended from Burnley. A couple of goal-line clearances as well as some brave defending and goalkeeping mean that they keep their lead.

It's Bolton now having more of the possession, with Eagles and Lee looking the most dangerous. That means that Burnley are now the side looking to counter and Vokes's deep cross is well taken down by Ings before Baptiste defends well to stop the striker getting past.

I was just about to say that Bolton would love to equalise before half-time and they've done just that! Lee finds the gap to play in Pratley down the middle and he spreads it wide to Eagles. The number seven then cleverly cuts it back for Pratley, who had held his run, and the former Swansea man drills a shot into the near corner, giving Heaton absolutely no chance.

Burnley look to regain the advantage straight away as Trippier, who has been fantastic getting forward this half, delivers another dangerous cross that zips right across the face of goal. The Clarets' right-back has been the best player so far.

Bolton are still having more of the ball as we enter TWO added minutes before half-time. Beckford is threaded through on goal but the ball rolls against the direction of his run and he has to adjust, allowing Heaton to race out and claim the ball.

An excellent half of football to get the Championship season underway. Burnley started the better and took the lead after 25 minutes. Bolton responded well and have been the better side since, levelling the scoreboard eight minutes before the break.

If you've only just joined us and don't want to skim through all the below updates, then read our half-time report right here.

Those of you interested in the cricket, click here to read our report on day three of the third Test at lunch. England have lost Jonathan Trott and captain Alastair Cook this morning, leaving it up to Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell to close the gap to the Aussies' big total.

There are 10 games kicking off at 3pm in the second tier and you're in no better place than right here on SM. We will have team news, half-time reports, match reports and reaction. As well as that, you can follow our rapid red live scores box on the right and see the goals go in up and down the country.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been super impressed with Burnley's number two Trippier. His willingness to go forward and crossing ability is brilliant. For Bolton, I likened Pratley to Yaya Toure earlier and he's played in that bustling energetic way like the Ivorian. If I had to pick a winner now, I'd have to go with Bolton as they have all the momentum.

Statistically, Burnley have had more possession (56%) but Bolton have had six more shots (11-5).

KICKOFF! We're back underway at Turf Moor. No changes made by either manager at the interval.

Boos ring around the stadium as former Claret Eagles goes down after a boot to the ankle from Jones. It was simply a follow-through from the Burnley man, no malice intended, but that will have hurt Eagles.

Eagles is now sprinting around so he's run off those studs to the ankle. Little goalmouth action to speak of so far in the second half as both sides have been sloppy in the middle.

Stanislas with a massive run-up for a free kick left of the area. He whips it around the wall and it bounces just in front of Bogdan, who doesn't deal with it convincingly, parrying it out for a corner. The Clarets go short with the set piece, with Stanislas laying it off for Marney to strike, but the midfielder hoists it way over.

Yet another dangerous cross from Trippier results in a Burnley corner and Stanislas's low delivery is deflected out again for another corner. The resulting set piece is taken short before a deep cross ends in ANOTHER corner. This time Baptiste heads clear and that's the pressure over.

Trippier bombs on down the right and he's body-checked by Tierney. For me, that's a yellow card but Clattenburg opts to keep his cards in his pocket and give the left-back a final warning.

IMAGE! Here's Ings giving Burnley the lead midway through the opening half:

© Getty Images

BOLTON SUB: Moments ago, Eagles slipped over on his ankle and stayed down, shaking his head at the bench. Freedman wastes no time in removing last season's top scorer by bringing on David N'Gog in his place.

Lafferty's overhit pass sums up the underwhelming nature of this second half. We're now into the final quarter of this game. Will either side find a winner?

Another Burnley corner pops out for Stanislas right on the edge of the area. The number 11 goes for power and lashes his effort high, wide and not very handsome.

Bolton get hold of the ball after some Burnley pressure and Pratley kicks it out of play so that Medo, who went down after an accidental collision in the middle, can receive attention. He's been a composed figure in the middle for Bolton today, arguably their best player. His partnership with Pratley could blossom nicely this season.

Steven G is awesome. Best P.L. player I've ever played against but I can't watch no more friendlies. I'm watching Championship today! :-)

— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) August 3, 2013

Good decision Vinny! He's referring to Steven Gerrard's testimonial against Olympiacos, by the way.

Back to the footy and N'Gog's introduction remains the only substitution to be made. Surely Dyche and Freedman must be thinking about shaking it up to find that winning goal?

Lee's deep corner goes over everyone and hits Wheater on the thigh before Beckford, inside the six-yard box, can't make a solid connection.

Into the final quarter of an hour now and you have to say that a draw would please both managers. Dyche will have known that Bolton were one of the tougher teams to face on the opening day, while an away point is always pleasant for Freedman.

BURNLEY SUB: Stanislas takes his leave as Scott Arfield comes on for his debut.

BOLTON SUB: No debut goal for Beckford and he's replaced by Craig Davies.

SAVE! Davies makes an immediate impact by bringing the ball down on his chest before unleashing a vicious strike with left foot that Heaton has to parry away for a corner.

Unless someone does something memorable in the final five minutes, the outstanding candidate for man of the match is Burnley right-back Trippier. He's been phenomenal going forward but also look assured defensively. If there's any teams in the league in need of a quality full-back, then bids may come Burnley's way for the 22-year-old.

Ings turns away from Medo on the edge of the box and looks to bend it in the corner. It's too close to Bogdan though, who holds with ease.

Bolton have a free kick right on the right-hand edge of the box. Any nearer the goal and that would have been a penalty as Arfield carelessly slid on Pratley. Chance for Wanderers...

Terrible delivery from Lee and it's headed out to Medo, who escapes Wallace's challenge before fizzing a left-foot half volley wide.

Att: 12,919 (2,477) — Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) August 3, 2013

BURNLEY SUB: Burnley's goalscorer Ings is taken off, with David Edgar coming on. Moments before, Wallace had a decent opportunity from a free kick but hit it well over.

YELLOW! The first booking of the game comes right on the stroke of 90 minutes. It's given to Lee for a nasty slide on Trippier.

FOUR minutes have been added on.

The stadium announcer rightly proclaims that the man of the match has been given to Trippier. Just two minutes left in this one and it looks like the two teams are settling for an opening-day point.

No late heroics from a claret or white shirt as it finishes one apiece in the opening Championship game of the season. An action-packed first half was followed by a more tense, safe second.

Here at SM we're super-quick at delivering match reports. Our full summary is already live and can be found here.

That's all we've got time for today. Thanks for joining us. We'll have live updates of the feature match this afternoon between QPR and Sheffield Wednesday from 2.30pm as well as HT and FT reports on all 10 3pm kickoffs in the second tier. Love it!