Tuesday's Round Up: Vanarama National League South

Truro`s excellent start saw them win 3-0 at Gloucester City on Monday night and they were joined at the top of the fledgling table by the Clarets and the Saints 24 hours later.

Chelmsford ensured Welling United would still be searching for their first points after winning 1-0 at Park View Road.

Former Braintree Town striker Lee Barnard grabbed City`s late winner from the penalty spot 8 minutes from time after Alfie Pavey had made a clumsy challenge in the box.

St Albans beat Wealdstone 2-1 at Clarence Park, despite playing for the majority of the second half with ten-men.

Josh Hill opened the scoring for the Stones against his old club after 34 minutes before Sam Merson equalised 4 minutes before the break.

Just 8 minutes into the second half, Tom Bender was shown a straight red card for deliberate handball, but Elliot Benyon's resulting penalty hit the post.

Zane Banton won the game for the Saints with a moment of magic on 65 minutes and, despite dominating the game for large periods, the Stones made the short journey home empty handed.

In contrast, joining Gloucester, Welling and Weston-super-Mare (who lost at Hungerford Town on Monday) on nil-points are Whitehawk, Oxford City, Eastbourne Borough and Bath City.

The Hawks suffered a best-of-five-goal defeat at the Enclosed Ground against East Thurrock United, who had drawn their opener.

The Rocks led at the break, thanks to a goal from Lewis Smith a minute before the whistle.

But 10 minutes after the interval, they doubled their advantage when Sam Higgins converted from the spot.

Connor Tighe pulled one back 10 minutes later, but Ben Marlow made it 3-1 in the 77th minute, and the Essex side held on, despite Tighe scoring again 3 minutes from time.

Oxford City were beaten by another side who shared the spoils on the opening day, Hampton & Richmond Borough.

The home team won a penalty in the 40th minute but Oxford keeper Craig Hill guessed right to save Tom Jelley's spot-kick.

The Beavers finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute through Ryan Moss's rifled effort from a tight angle.

City pressed hard for the equaliser in the last 10 minutes and Hampton had to hang on in the end.

Eastbourne`s new boss Jamie Howell has endured a tough start and his side were beaten 3-2 at Westleigh Park by newly-promoted Havant & Waterlooville – another team to have drawn last weekend.

The Hawks got off to a great start when Theo Widdrington put them in front inside the opening minute.

Rory Williams doubled Lee Bradbury`s side`s advantage on 22 minutes and they looked to be cruising when Jason Prior made it 3-0 within 10 minutes of the second half getting underway.

It got even worse for Boro when they had Gavin McCallum dismissed on 64 minutes for a second bookable offence.

But Sports produced an unlikely comeback with goals in the last couple of minutes from Ryan Worrall and Will Hendon but they ran out of time in the end.

However, arguably, Bath`s defeat will have hurt the most as it was against near-neighbours and newly-promoted Chippenham Town - and on their own Twerton Park patch too.

A crowd of 1,254 saw Matt Smith give the visitors an early 4th minute lead.

Andy Watkins bagged the leveller from a free-kick 6 minutes later, but in was all Chippenham after that.

Former Bath favourite Dave Pratt headed the Bluebirds back in front from an Andy Sandell cross on 16 minutes, and after Pratt had been brought down in the box, Sandell made it 3-1 from the spot just before half-time.

Will Richards powered home a header from a corner to make it 4-1, and Sandell made it a nap hand with 18 minutes remaining.

On loan Connor Lemonheigh-Evans converted a late penalty coinsolation for beleaguered Bath.

Hemel Hempstead Town, who had won their season opener last Saturday, went down to a 1-0 defeat to Concord Rangers, who had lost theirs.

The only goal of the game came 5 minutes into the second half when a long ball was flicked into skipper Steve Cawley’s path in the penalty box and he hammered it home.

The other two Tuesday games finished all-square.

Relegated Braintree Town had won on the opening day, while visiting Dartford had shared the spoils – as they did again at Cressing Road, coming back from being 2-0 down.

Karl Oliyede put the Iron in front after 34 minutes and 2 minutes before the break, Billy Crook doubled the hosts` lead.

But goals from Tom Murphy after 64 minutes and Elliot Bradbrook 15 minutes from time pulled Tony Burman`s side back on level terms.

Here are last night's goals - thanks to @kstdart for the footage. #DartsFC https://t.co/PnxX7K5VfN https://t.co/sMW35UGkD0— Dartford FC (@dartfordfc) August 9, 2017

It also finished 2-2 at Tatnam between Poole Town and newly-promoted Bognor Regis Town, who had both taken maximum points from their opening games.

It was the Rocks who took the lead on 9 minutes through Corey Heath.

Shaun Cooper levelled with a quarter of an hour gone and then less than a minute into the second half, Tony Lee put the Dolphins in front.

However, Bognor restored parity with less than 6 minutes to go, thanks to Jimmy Muitt.