National North round-up 12/03/2018
We made it five wins in six on Saturday, as Dave Syers late goal saw us overcome Curzon Ashton. It m...
Harrogate returned to the top of the table in emphatic style, as they crushed FC United of Manchester. Salford’s game at home to Blyth was called off, meaning victory for Harrogate took them back to number one spot on goal difference. George Thomson scored a hat-trick along with goals from Jack Emmett, Liam Kitching and Jake Wright as Harrogate won 6-0. The top two both have ten games to go. Defeat leaves FC United level on points with Curzon Ashton dangerously close to trouble.
Third placed Brackley kept in touch with the top two with a late winner at Stockport County. Aaron Williams scored in the 89th minute for Brackley, the only goal of the game, to leave them seven points off Harrogate. Stockport drop to 12th and are just one point ahead of ourselves.
York moved up to fourth with a 1-0 win over Boston United. David Ferguson scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute. However, the game will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, as three players, one for York and two for Boston were sent off in the final two minutes of the game.
Kidderminster Harriers playoff hopes suffered a setback as Gainsborough Trinity helped their hopes of survival. Nicky Walker won the game for Trinity 1-0 deep into stoppage time. They remain second bottom, but they have moved level on points with Telford and are now only three points off safety.
Tamworth are only three points ahead of Gainsborough and Telford after their latest defeat at Southport who like ourselves have shot up the table in recent weeks. Jason Gilchrist, Dion Charles and Billy Priestley won the game for Southport 3-0, they are now 10th in the table.
Bottom of the table North Ferriby picked up a point away to Nuneaton. The hosts twice took the lead through George Green and Daniel Nti, but Ferriby earned a point thanks to Jack Mail and Bobby Johnson.
Alfreton picked up an important point away to Bradford Park Avenue, but it could have been all three. The hosts took the lead through Matthew Hill, but Thomas Platt and Christopher Sharp turned it around to put Alfreton ahead. Oliver Johnson brought Park Avenue level, before Brendan Daniels again put Alfreton ahead with just seventeen minutes to go. However, Johnson scored again in the final minutes to earn a 3-3 draw for Bradford. They stay eighth but are still three points behind Spennymoor in the final playoff place who have six games in hand. Alfreton are 15th, four points above the bottom three.
Five games are due to be played on Tuesday night including our game at Tamworth.
