By Alex Narey
SUTTON UNITED returned to the top of the National League on Bank Holiday Monday – as Hartlepool United finally broke their Non-League duck.
Having slipped off the summit on Saturday following their defeat to Maidstone United, Paul Doswell's Sutton saw off Bromley.
Craig Eastmond got the game's only goal to condemn Bromley to back-to-back defeats. Neil Smith's side slip to eighth after coming into the busy weekend sat second.
On Saturday they were hammered 5-1 by Dagenham & Redbridge, who had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Maidstone on Monday. John Still also saw defender Sam Ling sent off for yellow cards in quick succession and they had to hold on for a first clean sheet of the season.
Leyton Orient have put their 6-1 drubbing to Bromley a fortnight ago behind them with two wins and a draw from the following three games.
Saturday's 1-1 stalemate at home to Eastleigh was followed up with a 1-0 win at Maidenhead United – in-form striker Macauley Bonne was on target after just six minutes.
Wrexham are up to fourth following a second 1-0 win in three days as Alex Reid headed the decisive goal against Boreham Wood.
After taking nine points from their first three games, Aldershot Town are now without a win in four. They took a point back up the M3 after securing a 0-0 draw with Eastleigh, having played most of the game with ten men after Kodi Lyons-Foster was shown a straight red card on 36 minutes.
It was a similar story between Gateshead and FC Halifax Town, where the result was scoreless and the visiting Shaymen had Matty Kosylo sent-off.
Goals from Ollie Norburn and Andy Cook were enough for Tranmere Rovers to ease past Solihull Moors 2-0, while Macclesfield Town won by the same score at Chester. Mitch Hancox and Kieran Kennedy were on target for the Silkmen, who moved into the top half of the table to tenth place.
AFC Fylde's highly-rated attacker James Hardy scored the winner in a 1-0 victory against managerless Barrow that was shown live in BT Sport.
And Ebbsfleet United's Darren McQueen cancelled out Ryan Bird's opener for Dover Athletic as the Fleet drew for the SIXTH time in seven games. It does, however, keep their unbeaten record in 2017 intact.
But the perhaps the big result of the day was at Guiseley where Hartlepool finally managed to get three points on the board.
It's been a tricky start to life outside the Football League for Pools, but Jonathan Franks' 49th-minute striker helped Craig Harrison's men to glory and the boss said: “We showed heart, a togetherness from all the players and we took the goal well that clinical touch is something that is crucial.
“I know that we won only by a goal and it was scrappy but I'd take that every day of the week, we dug in against a physical side and that's all that matters.”
It means Torquay United are the only side in the division without a win to their name. A 4-1 at Woking – who scored through Joe Ward, Kane Ferdiand, Charlie Carter and Alfred Bawling – ensuring the Gulls are rooted to the bottom of the table.
SUTTON UNITED returned to the top of the National League on Bank Holiday Monday – as Hartlepool United finally broke their Non-League duck.
Having slipped off the summit on Saturday following their defeat to Maidstone United, Paul Doswell's Sutton saw off Bromley.
Craig Eastmond got the game's only goal to condemn Bromley to back-to-back defeats. Neil Smith's side slip to eighth after coming into the busy weekend sat second.
On Saturday they were hammered 5-1 by Dagenham & Redbridge, who had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Maidstone on Monday. John Still also saw defender Sam Ling sent off for yellow cards in quick succession and they had to hold on for a first clean sheet of the season.
Leyton Orient have put their 6-1 drubbing to Bromley a fortnight ago behind them with two wins and a draw from the following three games.
Saturday's 1-1 stalemate at home to Eastleigh was followed up with a 1-0 win at Maidenhead United – in-form striker Macauley Bonne was on target after just six minutes.
Wrexham are up to fourth following a second 1-0 win in three days as Alex Reid headed the decisive goal against Boreham Wood.
After taking nine points from their first three games, Aldershot Town are now without a win in four. They took a point back up the M3 after securing a 0-0 draw with Eastleigh, having played most of the game with ten men after Kodi Lyons-Foster was shown a straight red card on 36 minutes.
It was a similar story between Gateshead and FC Halifax Town, where the result was scoreless and the visiting Shaymen had Matty Kosylo sent-off.
Goals from Ollie Norburn and Andy Cook were enough for Tranmere Rovers to ease past Solihull Moors 2-0, while Macclesfield Town won by the same score at Chester. Mitch Hancox and Kieran Kennedy were on target for the Silkmen, who moved into the top half of the table to tenth place.
AFC Fylde's highly-rated attacker James Hardy scored the winner in a 1-0 victory against managerless Barrow that was shown live in BT Sport.
And Ebbsfleet United's Darren McQueen cancelled out Ryan Bird's opener for Dover Athletic as the Fleet drew for the SIXTH time in seven games. It does, however, keep their unbeaten record in 2017 intact.
But the perhaps the big result of the day was at Guiseley where Hartlepool finally managed to get three points on the board.
It's been a tricky start to life outside the Football League for Pools, but Jonathan Franks' 49th-minute striker helped Craig Harrison's men to glory and the boss said: “We showed heart, a togetherness from all the players and we took the goal well that clinical touch is something that is crucial.
“I know that we won only by a goal and it was scrappy but I'd take that every day of the week, we dug in against a physical side and that's all that matters.”
It means Torquay United are the only side in the division without a win to their name. A 4-1 at Woking – who scored through Joe Ward, Kane Ferdiand, Charlie Carter and Alfred Bawling – ensuring the Gulls are rooted to the bottom of the table.
