Non league football round-up from Phil Brennan
National League
Saturday – Macclesfield Town 1 (James) Lincoln City 2
Monday – Solihull Moors 2 Macclesfield Town 3 (James 2, Norburn)
Ollie Norburn’s late goal at Solihull on Bank Holiday Monday gave Macclesfield Town a fully deserved three points to put the smile back on John Askey’s face after a disappointing defeat at the hands of Lincoln City on the Saturday.
The Silkmen suffered their first home league defeat of the season against The Imps as two second half goals cancelled out their half time lead given to them by Kingsley James. Following an even first half, James reacted quickest to bury the loose ball after Chris Holroyd’s effort struck a post two minutes before the break. The visitors were the stronger side in the second half and claimed the win thanks to goals from Harry Anderson and Adam Marriott.
Monday’s win moved Askey’s team up to eighth in the table after a game that saw James grab two more goals, both from the spot, to bring his side level twice before Norburn’s dramatic late winner.
In an entertaining game Moors took the lead on 22 minutes as Shepherd Murombedzi saw his long range effort deflected in. James slotting home a penalty to level the scores after a foul on Danny Rowe. The home side reclaiming the lead on the stroke of half time through a spot kick of their own, Akwasi Asante successfully converting after a foul by Paul Lewis. The referee awarded a third penalty of the match soon after the restart as James was sent tumbling in the box, the midfielder picking himself up to dispatch his sides’ second leveller. Town dominated the game from then on and deservedly clinched the points in the dying minutes as Rowe created the chance for Norburn to slam the ball home from the edge of the box in injury time.
National League North
Saturday – AFC Telford 0 Stockport County 0
Monday – Stockport County 1 (Lloyd) Worcester City 0
Two clean sheets and four points from the Bank Holiday fixtures were the least Stockport County deserved, albeit they made hard work of it. A goal less draw at Telford on Saturday was followed up by a single goal victory over a stubborn Worcester City side on Monday to keep The Hatters in mid table.
County earned their first clean sheet of the season at Telford, when the home side looked stronger in the first half, with Jim Gannon’s men the better outfit after the break. The Hatters were in debt to keeper Ben Hinchliffe for keeping them level at the break, the stopper making good saves from Sean Williams and Dave Hibbert. Josh Amis, John Marsden and Adam Thomas all going close for the visitors in the second period.
Danny Lloyd’s expertly struck free kick, three minutes before half-time combined with a second successive clean sheet, was enough to give Gannon’s team all three points in the second of the Bank Holiday games.
The relief at the final whistle was evident at Edgeley Park as County’s first win in five games kept Gannon’s side in touch with the play-off chasing pack, the top three of AFC Fylde, Salford City and Harrogate Town having all clinched maximum points over the weekend to create a six point gap at the end of a gruelling August schedule for all concerned.
The Hatters had enjoyed the lion’s share of both possession and chances in a first half which had seen them frustrated by the visitors, that is until Lloyd stepped up to place a free kick into the top-left corner after a foul on Lewis Montrose. After the break the visitors forced several corners in their search for something from the game, albeit without severely testing Hinchliffe in the County goal.
Lloyd struck the visitors bar with one of several corners that The Hatters accrued as they went looking for the ‘killer’ second goal, and Marsden saw a late effort saved, but come the final whistle they had done enough to claim the points, thanks to that one moment of brilliance from their man of the match.
Hallmark Security Premier Division
Barnoldswick Town 4 New Mills 2
Having lost in the week to West Didsbury & Chorlton, The Millers defence leaked four goals for the second successive match at Barnoldswick Town to slip down the table. Harry Thompson gave the home side an early lead before Tunde Owalabi brought the visitors level. Aaron Hollindrake grabbed a double to give the home side a two goal lead at the break. Haydn Foulds gave Brown’s side hope of getting something from the game but Thompson made the points safe for Town with his second of the game late on.
Hallmark Security 1st Division
Cheadle Town 1 FC Oswestry Town 4
Cheadle Town suffered a second home defeat of the season as league newcomers Oswestry Town maintained their solid start to life at this level. Sam Noar opened the scoring for the home side after just five minute with his fifth goal of the campaign, Richard Litchfield levelling for the visitors before the break. Callum Graybrook put the visitors ahead before a double from Liam Molloy clinched a second victory on the road for the Shropshire club.
Stockport Town 1 Whitchurch Alport 5
The Lions suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of inform Whitchurch Alport, the visitors taking the points thanks to a three goal burst in a five-minute spell just before the break through Dan Tinsley, Simon Everall and Alex Hughes. Within a minute of the restart Hughes added his second to take the game away from Calum Sykes’ team. Sam Scott pulled a goal back almost immediately but the Everall added his second of the match to ensure that the visitors left with all three points.