National League Review | Matchdays 30 April and 2 May 2022

Stockport County endured a topsy turvy bank holiday weekend with a loss against Boreham Wood and a slender victory over Chesterfield giving them just enough to remain at the top of the National League table. 

Saturday’s home game against Boreham Wood saw the Hatters suffering a bleak 2-1 defeat as a result of goals in each half from Boreham’s Dennon Lewis and Jamal Fyfield. Monday’s 1-0 away victory wasn’t that much more convincing with Paddy Madden scoring the only goal from a penalty. Chesterfield even came close to equalising in the 90th minute but were thwarted thanks to a fine save from Stockport’s goalkeeper Ben Hinchcliffe. 

The race for automatic promotion

Stockport’s mixed form gave Wrexham a real chance to launch a late bid for automatic promotion by leapfrogging the Hatters at the top of the table. Things looked to be going to plan on Saturday as Wrexham hung on to a 1-0 win thanks to a strike from Ollie Palmer.

However, Monday saw Wrexham frustrated by an increasingly resolute Boreham Wood who earned a 1-1 draw despite the sending off of Jamal Fyfield in the first half. Wrexham went ahead thanks to a Paul Mullin goal early in the second half, but a 90th minute penalty by Boreham’s Tyrone Marsh meant that Wrexham went home with just a single point. Wrexham remain three points behind Stockport, although Stockport have a game in hand. 

Halifax maintained their upward momentum with two solid wins over the bank holiday weekend which put them two points behind Wrexham. Saturday’s home game against Yeovil was won 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Zak Dearnley, while there was a hard-fought 2-1 away win over strugglers Eastleigh on Monday. 

Not to be outdone were Solihull Moors who also earned six points across the long weekend and scored seven goals in the process. Saturday’s away game against Weymouth was a fine 4-2 win while Monday’s 3-0 home win again gave Andrew Robert Dallas a chance to show his goalscoring class.

Also in the play-off picture are Notts County who suffered a 3-1 away defeat against Aldershot before redeeming themselves with a slender 1-0 home win against the already relegated Dover Athletic. 

Play-off hopefuls Grimsby only played once over the weekend and their 2-2 draw is enough to keep them in with a chance. Chesterfield’s play-off aspirations took a hit with a 4-2 away defeat by Bromley before the loss against Stockport. Chesterfield’s slip-ups mean that Dagenham and Redbridge have some room for optimism thanks to Saturday’s 2-1 win over Wealdstone and the point earned in the goalless draw against Torquay.

The bottom of the table sees Dover joined by the hapless Weymouth and it’s also looking bleak for Kings Lynn. But the relegation dogfight between Aldershot and Eastleigh should provide a few more fireworks for the end of the season.