New Year’s Day’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League

Mitch Hancox scored either side of half-time to put Macclesfield in command, before Scott Wilson added a third on the hour-mark.

Shaymen sub George Waring briefly reduced the gap on 70 minutes, but Hancox scored from the penalty spot just 2 minutes later to complete his hat-trick.

Sutton United, beaten by the Silkmen on Saturday, dropped to third place after being held to a 1-1 draw by Boreham Wood at Gander Green Lane.

A fairly even first 45 minutes finished goalless, but the deadlock was broken 12 minutes into the second half when Adam Coombes was brought down in the box and Jamie Collins converted the resulting penalty to put the U`s in front.

And that looked like being a crucial winner, until the first minute of stoppage time when sub Angelo Balanta popped up with the equaliser for Wood from a corner.
Aldershot Town are now second after achieving a holiday derby double over Woking, following up Boxing Day`s win at the EBB Stadium by securing a 2-1 success at Kingfield.

The Shots took the lead after 28 minutes when Manny Oyeleke fed James Rowe and his cross was met by Scott Rendell who headed home past Nathan Baxter.

But the Cards pulled back on level terms just 2 minutes after the break when Jason Banton crossed for Kane Ferdinand to beat Lewis Ward.

Aldershot had the majority of possession in the second half without really looking like breaching the Woking defence.

But in the 88th minute, they were rewarded for their dominance when a neat Jake Gallagher dummy allowed Rendell in to score his second to win the game.

For the second time in this festive period, the Kent derby between Maidstone United and Dover Athletic finished all-square at 2-2.

At Crabble on Boxing Day, it was the Whites who fought back to earn a point, and this time it was the Stones who twice came back from behind at the Gallagher Stadium.

Femi Ilesanmi gave Dover a half-time lead with a terrific long-range strike after 27 minutes.

Tom Wraight levelled with a powerful header after 69 minutes but the Whites looked like taking the points after Nortei Nortey’s solo effort made it 2-1 in the 76th minute.

However, Stones` subs Jack Paxman and Joe Anderson combined for the latter to net a last-minute equaliser for the hosts.

Wrexham are fifth but were denied victory at the Racecourse Ground against struggling Barrow AFC after a controversial finale.

Wrexham took a 19th minute lead when Marcus Kelly's corner was met at the near post by Chris Holroyd, who headed past Joel Dixon.

But the visitors were level on the half-hour mark when a scrappy ball into the box wasn`t cleared and Adi Yussuf tapped in from 5 yards, although the ball may have taken a last touch off the hosts` George Miller.

And then on 37 minutes, Barrow went in front when Dan Jones guided his shot into the top corner.

Wrexham were back on level terms 2 minutes into first half injury-time when a James Jennings free-kick was fired through the wall and into the bottom corner.

There was a frantic finale that saw both managers, Dean Keates and Ady Pennock, involved in a touchline bust-up that led to both being sent to the stand.

And 5 minutes into stoppage time, a Barrow corner was punched away by Chris Dunn but is half volleyed into the ground by Callum McDonald and bounced over all of the players and into the back of the net.

Tranmere Rovers travelled up to Mill Farm to take on AFC Fylde looking to move into the top three, but ended it suffering their biggest league defeat of the season to date as the Coasters ran out 5-2 winners.

The home side took a 21st minute lead through a familiar source – the prolific Danny Rowe, who poked the ball home from close range after a fumble by Rovers` keeper Scott Davies.

Seven minutes later, Jack Muldoon doubled the Coasters lead with a terrific 25-yard effort.

And it began to look bleak for Tranmere when Fylde added a third in the 36th minute when another mistake by Davies was pounced upon by Zaine Francis-Angol.

The game was practically over as far as Rovers were concerned 10 minutes into the second half when Jordan Tunnicliffe headed in a free-kick.

Three minutes later, Tranmere got on the scoresheet through Ollie Banks` effort from the edge of the box, but Serhat Tasdemir made it a nap hand for Dave Challinor`s side in the final minute, although the visitors did manage a second consolation with a penalty from Connor Jennings 2 minutes into stoppage time.

The second festive East London derby between Dagenham & Redbridge and Leyton Orient finished goalless in a hard-fought encounter at Victoria Road.

Both sides battled hard but there was to be no way through two solid defences as they had to settle for a point apiece.

Maidenhead United were looking to put pressure on the top seven when they travelled to the Automated Technology Group Stadium to play lowly Solihull Moors.

But it was the hosts who began the New Year in good spirits with a 3-1 win that lifted them to twenty-first in the table, albeit still seven points behind twentieth-placed Barrow.

There were no goals in the opening 45 minutes – but two red cards!

A minute before the break, Maidenhead had Adrian Clifton sent-off as he tackled Jamey Osborne and caught him in the face.

Osborne was booked almost straight afterwards for a foul on Rene Steer and within seconds received a second for a rash tackle on Alan Massey to leave both sides with ten-men for the second period.

It was the visiting Magpies who broke the deadlock after 53 minutes when a Harry Pritchard cross found Moses Emmanuel, who headed home from six yards out.

Moors were level 10 minutes later though when keeper Sheridan Martinez`s
goal kick found Kristian Green, who flicked it on to Dapo Afolayan who beat Carl Pentney.

A minute later, and the home side were in front when player-coach Darren Carter picked the ball up 25 yards out and curled a shot into the top right corner past Pentney.

And 8 minutes later, Jermaine Hylton pulled the ball back and crossed to Afolayan who fired home for his second of the game and Solihull`s winner.

The points were shared in a 2-2 draw in the North-East derby between Hartlepool United and Gateshead at the International Stadium on Boxing Day and it was the same outcome between the teams on New Year's Day fixture at the Victoria Ground.

The hosts made a positive start and opened the scoring after just 7 minutes, with a goal courtesy of returning defender Kevin Watson.

The game began to drift in the final ten minutes and Gateshead could clearly sense a way back into the game – and it came on 41 minutes.

Jordan Preston sent a teasing cross in from the left which bounced low across the box, taking a touch off Richard Peniket on its way into the bottom corner of Scott Loach’s goal to make it 1-1.

And then on 64 minutes, Pools were back in front when a Nicky Deverdics corner found Watson in space and he fired a volley into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

The visitors grabbed the leveller after 79 minutes later through sub Wes York, who was in the right position to meet Luke Hannant’s cross.

Strugglers Guiseley AFC and Chester FC met for the second time over the festive period, with the Lions having won the Boxing Day encounter at Chester.

But this time it looked as though Marcus Bignot`s Chester side were heading for a revenge victory as they led through Kingsley James, who benefitted from good work from James Akintunde to beat Jonny Maxted on the hour-mark.

However, there was late drama as Guiseley’s Ashley Palmer blasted home the leveller 3 minutes into stoppage time.

The result leaves both sides on twenty-two points – eight behind the safety-mark.