NPL round-up | Goals galore as Curzon Ashton continue brilliant away form

Beginning on Friday evening, league leaders Cleethorpes Town suffered their first defeat of the season against an in-form Curzon Ashton. 

The Nash built on the momentum from a crushing 4-0 win at Warrington Town in midweek to clinch a 3-1 victory at the Linden Club. 

Harvey Hayhurst struck first on the stroke of half-time before Brad Holmes doubled their advantage in the 79th minute. 

The hosts threatened a fightback when Dan Gallimore headed in two minutes later, but the home supporters left disappointed after George Wilson scored his first senior goal for Curzon in stoppage time to seal victory.

The same evening saw further impressive wins on the road for Gainsborough Trinity and Lancaster City, who beat Ashton United and Guiseley respectively. 

Trinity secured their first win in three courtesy of a first-half brace from Lewis Butroid at Hurst Cross, despite a consolation effort from Justin Johnson late on. 

The visitors find themselves sixth after Matchday 7, while the Robins are two places below on 11 points following their first home defeat of the campaign.

In West Yorkshire, Lancaster City claimed consecutive wins away from home with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Guiseley. 

Lions skipper Lebrun Mbeka opened the scoring in the 39th minute with a clinical finish from close range, but the Dolly Blues’ fighting spirit saw them over the line. 

Steven Yawson, match-winner in their previous game against Bury, replied with an equaliser in the 74th minute, before Brad Moonan’s first of the season with a calm finish over keeper Brad Hall completed the turnaround 11 minutes later. 

It was a statement result for Jimmy Marshall’s side, who climb to 13th on 10 points having successfully backed up that huge result in midweek.

Playing a day later, arguably the result of Saturday’s fixtures came at Farley Way. 

Hosts Quorn suffered a remarkable 6-3 defeat to Whitby Town, as Callum Hickman ran riot with four goals to clinch a crucial third win of the campaign for the Seasiders. 

Lee Bullock’s side rise to 14th after responding well to two heavy defeats of their own. Meanwhile, the Methodists remain in the relegation zone and are still yet to register a win. 

Jesse Friend’s deflected effort sailed into the net midway through the first half to give them the perfect start. However, the visitors were quick to capitalise on a series of errors to snatch the three points. 

Following Cleethorpes’ first defeat of the season to Curzon, Step 3 newcomers Redcar Athletic are the only unbeaten side in the division after a dramatic 3-2 victory against FC United of Manchester. 

The contest was honours even at half-time as Arran Pettifer cancelled out Adam Boyes’ 18th minute opener.

But the game came well and truly alive deep into the second half. Andrei-Vasile Ardelean’s far-post header restored the Steelmen’s lead in the 75th minute, before Adam Le Fondre replied with his first of the season four minutes later.

With the drama not yet done, it was then up to the prolific Boyes to head home the winner in front of a home crowd. The 35-year-old has netted six times already in 26/27, and is a huge reason why his side sit third in the table heading towards the end of the opening month.

As for Mark Beesley’s FC United, they remain rooted to the bottom of the table and stay winless, with just two points to their name. It doesn’t get any easier on Monday as high-flying Avro travel to Broadhurst Park.

The aforementioned Avro put pressure on the leaders Cleethorpes with a 5-3 victory over Stockton Town. 

A topsy-turvy affair witnessed a first-half brace from Taylor Dyson, plus a hat-trick from current Golden Boot frontrunner Benito Vincenzo Lowe. The striker has netted eight times already in 26/27, taking Grant Shenton’s side to second in the table during their maiden campaign at Step 3. 

A disappointing result for the Anchors, who made last season’s play-offs, means they sit inside the relegation zone. Back-to-back defeats have followed their solitary win of the campaign against Alfreton Town on August 22. 

Another newly-promoted side continuing to impress are Bury, who responded emphatically to a defeat against Lancaster City. 

The Shakers thumped Ilkeston Town 7-0 in front of a crowd of more than 3,000 at Salford Van Hire Gigg Lane, as Tris Whitman’s side simply had no answer to the ruthlessness of the hosts. 

Owen Robinson, Kai Evans, Leo Graham and Tom Carr were on-hand to give Bury a 4-0 lead at the break, before Mo Touray’s clinical strike and second goals for Graham and Carr rounded off a stunning performance. 

Anthony Johnson’s side rise to fifth ahead of a trip to local rivals Hyde United on Monday, while Ilkeston languish in 17th. They have failed to win any of their previous five, drawing one and losing four.

Ruing a late equaliser from Emley, Warrington Town failed to capitalise on Cleethorpes’ misfortune with a 2-2 draw at GXO Stadium. 

Aaron Haswell gave the visitors the lead inside 26 minutes, before Yellows striker Ewan Bange was on hand to level from close range minutes later. 

Bange poked home a Reece Daly cross-cum-shot for his second 15 minutes from time to put the home side ahead, but Laurence Sorhaindo’s lovely strike from the edge of the box six minutes from time meant Richard Tracey’s side took a point back to Yorkshire. 

Warrington Town sit in fourth, while Emley are down in 10th with just one defeat and an unbeaten record away from home. 

Securing a second 3-2 win of the week, Workington continued their recent resurgence against Leek Town.

Luke Hunter gave the Reds a dream start inside the first three minutes, before Charlie Barnes’ strike and Hunter’s second gave them a three goal cushion early in the second half. 

A double from the in-form Jack Griffiths, who has scored in three successive matches, threatened to create a huge twist but Billy Barr’s side held on for the three points. 

The Cumbrian side have won three on the spin and climb to 11th as a result, following a rocky start to the campaign. 

As for the Blues, defeat here caps off a disappointing week which leave them 18th in the table, just outside the relegation zone on goal difference. 

Over at Irongate, a stunning comeback in front of home support was not enough to drag Bamber Bridge out of the relegation zone. 

Jamie Milligan’s side drew 4-4 with Hyde United, in a contest the visitors will believe they should have won comfortably.

A Jack Redshaw penalty and Max McCarthy’s wonderful strike from distance put the Tigers 2-0 ahead inside 26 minutes, before former Blackpool and Preston North End man Tom Barkhuizen halved the deficit with a debut goal for the Brig two minutes later.

Jack Baxter’s free-kick levelled the scoreline on the stroke of half-time, but a brace from defender Harry Ditchfield seemingly put the game out of reach with 20 minutes to play. 

The turning point, however, arrived when Hyde substitute Edy Maieco was shown a straight red card and Archie Lang converted the resulting penalty. 

Lang then scored again from the spot four minutes into stoppage time, meaning 16th-placed Hyde have failed to win any of their last three games. Bamber Bridge are 19th on six points ahead of a trip to Warrington Rylands next. 

Finally, Neil Reynolds’ Warrington Rylands bounced back from the Workington loss in midweek with a battling victory at Alfreton Town. 

Dylan Youmbi’s 22nd minute strike put the hosts ahead at the break, before Harrison Wood and Ben Hardcastle struck in the space of 10 second-half minutes to complete a 2-1 win comeback win for the Blues in Derbyshire. 

A first away win of the season, following successive defeats, lifts Rylands to 14th in the table. Jake Buxton’s Alfreton are just a place above them on goal difference in 13th. 

Results - Friday 28 August

• Ashton United 1-2 Gainsborough Trinity
• Cleethorpes Town 1-3 Curzon Ashton
• Guiseley 1-2 Lancaster City

Results - Friday 29 August

• Alfreton Town 1-2 Warrington Rylands
• Avro 5-3 Stockton Town
• Bamber Bridge 4-4 Hyde United
• Bury 7-0 Ilkeston Town
• Quorn 3-6 Whitby Town
• Redcar Athletic 3-2 FC United of Manchester
• Warrington Town 2-2 Emley
• Workington 3-2 Leek Town

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