Saturday's East Division action

By David Watters

It was a good opening day in EVO-STIK League East for a number of the newly-promoted sides, writes Steve Whitney at Non-League Today.

Marske United, Pontefract Collieries and AFC Mansfield all achieved first wins at Step 4, while it was a disappointing start for Wisbech Town, Morpeth Town and Pickering Town.

Former Northern Leaguers Marske sealed a comfortable 4-0 home win over Sheffield FC, thanks to a second half brace from Jamie Owens after Craig Gott had given them a 28th minute lead – Andy May sandwiching Owens' double.

Pontefract, up from the Northern Counties East League, won 3-0 at home against Lincoln United, with Eli Hey scoring two in the fifth and 71st minutes and Connor Smythe adding the third nine minutes from time.

AFC Mansfield, who came up with Colls from the same division, beat former league rivals and fellow newcomers Pickering 2-1 with goals from Lynton Karkach after 23 minutes and Nick Guest on 66 minutes, the Pikes replying through a Ryan Blott penalty five minutes from time.

Belper Town won 1-0 at The Marstons Stadium against the other former Northern League side, fancied Morpeth, with Nathan Curtis` 10th minute effort proving enough for the Nailers.

Wisbech went down 1-0 at home to another side tipped to be chasing promotion, Frickley Athletic, whose Tyler Walton won it in the Fens in the 15th minute.

Carlton Town had a good 2-0 away win to start with at Tadcaster Albion, courtesy of Ollie Robinson on 56 minutes and Aaron Opoku theee minutes from time.

Stamford AFC also started off with an away win, 4-2 at Bracken Moor against Stocksbridge Park Steels, whose Scott Ruthven gave them a first-minute lead.

But Stanley Mugisha levelled within two minutes and then second half goals from Bradley Fortnam-Tomlinson, Cooke and Mugisha again sealed the Daniels win, despite Aaron Moxam`s late second for Steels.

The new Ossett United side, merged from Town and Albion, also started with a good 3-1 away win at Loughborough Dynamo, with Aiden Chippendale bagging a brace and Gibraltar international Adam Priestley the other after Danny Gordon had replied for the hosts just after the break.

Recent recruit Tom Robinson and then Aaron Martin late on were on target as Brighouse Town beat Gresley FC at home, and George Zuerner gave Spalding United a 32nd minute lead at Cleethorpes Town, only for Brody Robertson to earn the home side a point 12 minutes from time.

To read the EVO-STIK League round-ups on matchdays from Non League Today and the latest news from across Non-League visit http://news.forwardsport.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=1536.

Images courtesy of Non League Today & @evostikleague/Twitter

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Where next?

Hayward wished a speedy recovery Chasetown manager Scott Dundas has wished Oli Hayward a speedy recovery after the midfielder broke his leg on Saturday's opening day of the 2018-19 EVO-STIK League season.
Students play key role in pre-season The Northern Premier League Football Academy's coaches were proudly watching the EVO-STIK League’s 2018-19 season kick off on Saturday after many of their students played vital roles in helping their parent clubs get ready for the big kick-off.

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