What Happened On The National League’s Opening Weekend?

By Tom Scott

Thought the pre-season hype wouldn't live up to it's billing on the opening day? You were dead wrong.

With no fewer than 30 goals - the drama was almost as red hot as the weather for the much anticipated first whistle.

All eyes on Edgeley Park for the live lunchtime offering from BT Sport where National League North champions Stockport County slipped to a narrow defeat.

Debutant Jake Cassidy struck ten minutes from time to leave Maidenhead United top of the league for the time being.

But it would be FC Halifax Town who ended the day top of the tree after thrashing Ebbsfleet United 4-1.

Tough afternoons for both relegated pair Yeovil Town and Notts County.

Simeon Akinola's second-half penalty for Barnet condemned the Glovers while Red Johnson's strike was the difference at the Silverlake for Eastleigh.

A missed penalty apiece left Harrogate Town and Solihull Moors wondering what could've been in North Yorkshire.

Mark Beck and Joe Leesley cancelled out Nathan Blissett's first-half goal before Paul McCallum added his name to the scoresheet on his debut.

Beaten promotion finalists AFC Fylde bounced back with a win at Aldershot with - you guessed it - Danny Rowe's goal the difference.

It wasn't the start Chesterfield might have hoped for at the Proact despite leading through Scott Boden.

A late Alfie Pavey double saw Dover break Spireites' hearts.

Wrexham opened their account with a narrow win over Barrow having gone behind to Josh Granite's early strike.

Bobby Grant and new boy JJ Hooper flipped the game on it's head after the break.

Dagenham & Redbridge fell to a 2-0 home defeat against Woking while Chorley and Bromley played out a stalemate at Victory Park.

Talk of whether Matt Gray could handled things at Sutton United was shelved as they ran out convincing 3-1 winners at Hartlepool.

Jamie Reid picked up where he left off for Torquay United.

The Gulls, back in the National League under Gary Johnson, put Boreham Wood to the sword with a 2-1 win.

National League Final Scores:
Aldershot Town 1 - 2 AFC Fylde
Barnet 1 - 0 Yeovil Town
Chesterfield 1 - 2 Dover Athletic
Chorley 0 - 0 Bromley
Dagenham & Redbridge 0 - 2 Woking
Eastleigh 1 - 0 Notts County
Ebbsfleet United 1 - 4 FC Halifax Town
Harrogate Town 2 - 2 Solihull Moors
Hartlepool United 1 - 3 Sutton United
Torquay United 2 - 1 Boreham Wood
Wrexham 2 - 1 Barrow

Where next?

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