Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League North

The Magpies took a 32nd minute lead when Jason Walker cut the ball back for
Nick Haughton to smash the ball into the top corner.

Five minutes later and it`s 2-0 to the visitors when Marcus Carver was put through one-on-one and he calmly put the ball past Max Crocombe.

Ten minutes into the second half and it`s virtually game over as Matt Jansen`s side made it 3-0 when Carver played a ball in for Josh O'Keefe to score in front of the Magpie supporters.

And on the hour-mark, Chorley almost added a fourth as a long ball forward was stabbed goalwards by Carver, but the ball was cleared off the line.

Sixteen minutes from time, it got even worse for the Ammies when Scott Burton was shown a straight red card following an off the ball collision with Carver.

But the hosts almost reduced the deficit 6 minutes from time but a 25-yard Louis Maynard effort came back off a post.

Harrogate Town closed the gap on Salford and moved into second spot after a convincing 3-0 win against bottom-markers North Ferriby United.

Terry Kennedy finished Joe Leesley’s corner in the 32nd minute to break the deadlock.

George Thomson made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute to put Town in a commanding position, before Leesley converted Simon Ainge’s knock-down to ensure maximum points were collected on 67 minutes.

The afternoon did finish on a sour note for Harrogate, however, as Ainge was shown a straight red card for an incident with Jake Picton, who had fouled the attacker.

Brackley Town dropped to third after being held to a 1-1 draw at St James`s Park by mid-table AFC Telford United.

The visitors took the lead on the half-hour mark as Marcus Dinaga found the net from the penalty spot after Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had been brought down.

The Bucks produced a battling display and it looked as if they were going to hang on for a surprise win.

But Gavin Walker had other ideas as he grabbed an equaliser with a scrambled effort in stoppage time to rescue a point for Kevin Wilkin`s side.

Blyth Spartans are fourth after edging out York City, who are now eleventh, by the odd goal in five at Bootham Crescent.

The visitors should actually have won by a far greater margin after dominating large parts of the game.

Spartans were rewarded with goals from Sean Reid from the penalty spot after 25 minutes and substitute Adam Wrightson on 35 minutes, either side of a controversial Jon Parkin spot-kick.

But Greg Rutherford deservedly extended Blyth`s lead after 71 minutes before top scorer Parkin's late second a minute from time made the scoreline rather flattering for the hosts.

Spennymoor Town are sixth and Kidderminster Harriers seventh, but only Harriers won on Saturday as Moors were involved in an eight-goal thriller at the Brewery Field against lower mid-table FC United of Manchester.

Moors looked to be coasting to victory as they led 3-1 at half-time.

Ryan Hall gave them an early 5th minute lead that Rob Ramshaw added to after 23 minutes.

The Reds reduced the arrears 5 minutes later through Jordan Fagbola, only for Hall to net his second and Spennymoor`s third a couple of minutes before the break.

And when Glen Taylor added a fourth for the hosts just 7 minutes into the second period, it really did look like game over.

But a tremendous fightback by FC United saw Connor McCarthy pull the first back just shy of the hour-mark and then Craig Lindfield made it 3-4 on 72 minutes.

And then 4 minutes later, McCarthy popped up with his second to make it 4-4, with the only surprise being that no other goals came in the remaining 14 minutes or so!

Kidderminster had a much more comfortable afternoon at Aggborough.

Emmanuel Sonupé opened the scoring after 32 minutes against a Nuneaton side who had captain Ryan Beswick and midfielder Tom Elliott both sent-off near the end of the first half after a hot-headed spell.

The hosts increased their lead with a Joe Ironside penalty after 52 minutes and then a Liam Truslove strike made it 3-0 with 3 minutes of normal time remaining.

North Ferriby`s defeat at Harrogate leaves them a massive fifteen points adrift of the safety mark, while second-bottom Nuneaton are two points behind Southport and Darlington, who were both beaten as well.

Port suffered a 4-0 Merseyrail Community Stadium loss to a Bradford Park Avenue aside who are now fifth.

It`s worrying times for Southport boss Kevin Davies as it was a little too easy for Avenue once Adam Boyes had given them a 24th minute lead.

The same player doubled the visitors` advantage 9 minutes later and Nicky Clee added a third just before the break.

Port tried hard in the second half, but were unable to find a response and Avenue added a fourth in the final minute from Lee Knight, who closed down Port `keeper Jon Worsnop`s clearance and the ball bounced straight into the back of the net.

It`s a similar story for Darlington`s relatively new boss Tommy Wright as his side`s poor first half performance cost them dear at The Northolme against fellow strugglers Gainsborough Trinity.

They conceded two goals in the first 20 minutes from Ashley Worsfold after 11 minutes and then Shane Clarke and had Dominic Collins controversially sent-off right on the cusp of half-time.

And, despite a spirited second half, the Quakers couldn’t make up the deficit, although Josh Gillies did pull one back on 67 minutes before former Darlington striker Nathan Jarman rubbed salt into the wounds with a third for Trinity 7 minutes from time.

Another battle between two teams near the foot of the table saw Boston United earn a crucial 3-2 win at the Impact Arena against Alfreton Town to move above the Reds into sixteenth place.

The Pilgrims couldn`t have asked for a better start as they were awarded a penalty after just 16 second!

Reece Thompson was brought down in the box by Alex Cover and Ashley Hemmings duly converted from the spot.

And just 11 minutes later the referee was again pointing to the spot in Boston`s favour after Tom Allan flattened Thompson this time, and Hemmings once again converted.

But the Reds fought back and on the hour-mark, new loan signing Frank Mulhern reduced the deficit and 3 minutes later, Craig Westcarr pulled them back on level terms.

However, 10 minutes from time, Jordan Keane made it 3-2 to the Pilgrims, and they hung on – just as 4 minutes into stoppage time, only a magnificent save from George Willis prevented Allan from equalising.

A crowd of 1,473 saw the derby between Curzon Ashton and Stockport County end all-square at the Tameside Stadium – an outcome that will be disappointing to a Hatters side who were looking to put pressure on the top seven.

The visitors led from the 7th minute through Darren Stephenson.

But, despite dominating for long periods, Stockport had to make do with a point when The Nash were awarded a penalty 20 minutes from time after Jimmy Ball was adjudged to have fouled Ryan Brooke and Niall Cummins converted the resulting spot-kick.

Like Stockport, Tamworth were also looking to take closer order towards the play-off places when they hosted mid-table Leamington at The Lamb.

But the Brakes came out comprehensively on top by 3-0.

Colby Bishop gave the visitors the lead just past the half-hour mark.

A minute before the interval, Leamington grabbed a vital second through Callum Gittings.

And 7 minutes into the second half, a second for Bishop eventually condemned the Lambs to defeat.

(Photo: DJ Nelson Photos)