After a bumper weekend of FA Cup action, the National League North returned with storylines unfolding up and down the division and impressive comebacks for Curzon Ashton and Telford United.
Credit: Matthew Appleby/ Farsley Celtic
By Amos Murphy
Chasing a return to the fifth-tier, AFC Fylde had led the way in the National League ahead of the trip to Farsley Celtic, but they missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the summit.
James Hanson’s strike after seven minutes was not the start Fylde would’ve hoped for and despite continued efforts either side of the break, Jim Bentley’s side were unable to respond.
Their comeback hopes were dealt another blow in the second period when Danny Philliskirk was dismissed for a second yellow card, leaving Fylde with plenty of work to do in the closing stages.
One of a handful of sides to have now played 10 games, the defeat was the Coasters’ first of the season and now means they could be uprooted at the top of the table, should Brackley Town win their game in hand.
Hereford came from behind on three occasions to eventually take a point from their trip to Alfreton Town, with Luke Haines scoring the final equaliser in the 94th minute.
Miles Storey scored twice to peg the hosts back, with Alfreton netting through first-half goals from Bailey Hobson and Robert Evans.
It looked as if it were to be third time lucky for Alfreton, with Elliott Reeves netting 10 minutes from time to seemingly snatch it for Reds.
Their luck would prove to be out once again, as Hereford hit back through Haines, moving above fellow-relegation rivals Bradford Park Avenue in the process.
In their first game without recently departed manager Steven Cunningham, Curzon Ashton came from two goals down to steal a point against high-flyers Spennymoor Town in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Jack McKay started the comeback with 10 minutes to play, before Matthew Waters popped up in added time to snatch the draw.
Goals either side of the interval from Scott McLean and Glen Taylor had seen Spennymoor 2-0 up after an hour, with a seventh win of the season looking like an inevitability.
The draw keeps Curzon in the playoff spots, whilst Spennymoor missed the chance to go to within one point of Fylde at the top of the table.
A dominant display from Kidderminster Harriers saw the Worcestershire club down Bradford PA 5-1, taking them to within touching distance of the playoff spots.
Omari Sterling-James opened the scoring for the Harriers, before adding a further two in the second-half to secure a memorable hattrick.
Nathan Cameron and Ashley Hemmings were also on target for Kidderminster, who ended a run of four league matches without a win.
Dylan Mottley-Henry netted for Bradford PA midway through the first half, at the time reducing the deficit to one for the Yorkshire side.
There were two goals in added time as Gloucester City were denied what they thought was a late win by Telford United’s Kai Williams’s 95th-minute equaliser.
Leon Chambers-Parillon scored in the 90th minute of the match for the hosts, as it looked like Gloucester had stolen a win at the death.
Jason Oswell had put Telford in front, before Matt McClure and then Chambers-Parillon hit back for Gloucester.
Telford’s job was made much harder halfway through the second period, when Theo Streete was sent off with a straight red card, but they continued to dig deep and were rewarded for their efforts.
York City maintained their playoff push with Mark Beck’s goal securing a 1-0 win over Chester.
Michael Liddle was the unfortunate culprit for Blyth Spartans, as the defender netted in his own goal to give Boston United all three points.
Dan Turner’s first-half strike cancelled out Kevin Santos’s earlier goal, as Leamington fought back to take a point away to Darlington.
Whilst, Prince Ekpolo was sent off for Guiseley, as they held off the efforts of Chorley to share the points in a goalless draw.
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