Step 4 round-up: NPL season gets underway

Stockton Town opened the East Division season with a 2-1 win in front of a four-figure crowd.

An attendance of 1,014 saw first half goals from Matty Tymon and Nathan Mulligan fire them past Worksop Town.

Joe Lumsden fired the first hat-trick of the season for Pontefract Collieries as they were 4-0 winners over NPL new boys Grimsby Borough.

Grantham Town, relegated from the Premier Division last season, got off to a solid start as they beat Shildon 3-1.

All four goals came in the second half, with a brace for Ashton Hall and a goal for Ricky Miller.

A topsy-turvy match at Dunston saw Stocksbridge Park Steels come out 3-2 winners.

After no goals in the first half, there were five in 19 as Luke Rawson put Steels in front before Richard Coulson and Michael Fowler gave Dunston the lead.

Gareth Curtis’ brace earned an away win for Steels.

Ossett United scored two second half goals through Ollie Fearon and Ify Ofoegbu to win 2-0 at Carlton Town, while Hebburn Town scored three in the last 16 minutes to win 3-1 at Brighouse Town.

Declan Howe scored a last minute winner for Cleethorpes Town to beat Consett 2-1.

Elsewhere, there were 1-1 draws between Bridlington Town and Long Eaton United, North Shields and Lincoln United, and Sheffield and Tadcaster Albion.

Two goals in either half saw Leek Town open the West Division season with a 4-0 win away at Bootle.

A crowd of 3,008 saw Macclesfield open up their NPL campaign with a 3-0 win at home to Clitheroe, with all the goals in the first half.

Hanley Town marked their first NPL game with a fine 3-1 win away at Ramsbottom United, Chris Dagnall scoring either side of half time.

Last season’s play-off finalists Runcorn Linnets got underway with a 3-1 win over local rivals Widnes, while Luke Nock’s goal fired Glossop North End past City of Liverpool 1-0.

Trafford spoiled Skelmersdale United’s return to the NPL as Tom Bentham and Mike Burke scored late to pinch a 3-2 win.

Oumar Camara’s goal deep in to injury time saw Mossley win 1-0 at Workington, while Newcastle Town shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at home to Witton Albion.

Elsewhere, Kidsgrove Athletic won 2-0 at Colne and 1874 Northwich and Prescot Cables battled out the only goalless draw of the day.

In the Midlands Division, Shepshed Dynamo, Halesowen Town and Stamford all recorded two goal wins away from home.

Cameron Johnson scored a brace for Stamford in a 2-0 win at Bedworth United, while Halesowen and Shepshed were 3-1 winners away at Harborough Town and Sporting Khalsa respectively.

Spalding United enjoyed the biggest win of the day in the division as they beat Daventry Town 3-0, all the goals coming in the second half.

Tsaguim Florian’s goal fired Corby Town past Coleshill Town, though he ended up being sent off late on, and Boldmere St Michaels won on their NPL debut beating Loughborough Dynamo 1-0.

Sutton Coldfield Town beat Yaxley 2-1 thanks to Rhys Hilton’s brace, while the spoils were shared between Dereham Town and Hinckley LR, and St Neots Town and Chasetown.

NPL East Division:

Bridlington Town 1-1 Long Eaton United
Brighouse Town 1-3 Hebburn Town
Carlton Town 0-2 Ossett United
Cleethorpes Town 2-1 Consett AFC
Dunston 2-3 Stocksbridge Park Steels
Grantham Town 3-1 Shildon
North Shields 1-1 Lincoln United
Pontefract Collieries 4-0 Grimsby Borough
Sheffield 1-1 Tadcaster Albion
Stockton Town 2-1 Worksop Town

NPL West Division:

1874 Northwich 0-0 Prescot Cables
Bootle 0-4 Leek Town
Colne 0-2 Kidsgrove Athletic
Glossop North End 1-0 City of Liverpool
Macclesfield 3-0 Clitheroe
Newcastle Town 1-1 Witton Albion
Ramsbottom United 1-3 Hanley Town
Runcorn Linnets 3-1 Widnes
Skelmersdale United 2-3 Trafford
Workington AFC 0-1 Mossley

NPL Midlands Division:

Bedworth United 0-2 Stamford
Corby Town 1-0 Coleshill Town
Dereham Town 1-1 Hinckley LRFC
Gresley Rovers 0-0 Cambridge City
Harborough Town 1-3 Halesowen Town
Loughborough Dynamo 0-1 Boldmere St Michaels
Spalding United 3-0 Daventry Town
Sporting Khalsa 1-3 Shepshed Dynamo
St Neots Town 1-1 Chasetown
Sutton Coldfield Town 2-1 Yaxley