National League talking points: Get ready for a title showdown

The National League campaign took a break this weekend for FA Cup fourth round qualifying action.

For some, the cup is a chance to continue building on their early winning feeling, while for others, it was a welcome change of scenery.

With almost a third of the season in the books, we decided to look at some of the talking points from the opening two months of the 2025-26 campaign, including York City, Carlisle United and Forest Green Rovers.

Did we sleep on Rochdale?

All the pre-season title talk centred around the aforementioned three.

But it’s Jimmy McNulty’s Dale who leads the way with ten wins and two defeats from their opening 12 games.

No doubt fired by last season’s play-off eliminator defeat to Southend United – where they somehow surrendered a 3-1 lead with a little over 15 minutes to go before losing in extra-time – they have shaken off any hangover.

Perhaps most encouraging are two of their recent results – not to mention a fine defensive record.

They may have lost to FC Halifax sandwiched in the middle, but victories over Carlisle and Forest Green show their intent.

Tipped for a play-off push, is it too early to put them in the title conversation? Their start surely warrants it.

UP AND RUNNING: Regan Linney has hit the ground running at Carlisle United while Rochdale and York City, insets, are showing title promise
PICTURE: Ben Holmes

Play-off momentum

It’s interesting that of the four sides promoted from Step 2, it’s the play-off winners from each division currently higher in the table than the title winners.

National League North play-off kings Scunthorpe United sit in fourth place on 28 points from 13 games, just above South winners Boreham Wood on goal difference.

Of course, both sides have been at the level before, so this isn’t unknown territory.

The last time they dropped points? A 1-1 draw with Boreham Wood.

Relegated two seasons ago, Luke Garrard returned partway through last season after a brief break-up to expedite Wood back to Non-League’s top flight.

A different side – and style – than the previous incarnation that saw them reach the play-off semi-final the year before relegation, they are once again the formidable outfit of years gone by.

Savage’s garden

Love him or loathe him – and he probably doesn’t care anyway – Robbie Savage has brought his vibrant self to the National League in a big way.

From his enthusiastic post-match interviews to celebrating and singing in the stands with fans after the game, it’s certainly box office stuff.

But the results have been good too. They don’t concede many and they’re a far more enjoyable watch than last season, despite the third-place finish.

There was a big influx of new recruits in the summer and it’s not hard to imagine they will get better yet.

Yor-kidding

How many had ‘Adam Hinshelwood to leave York City in August’ on their bingo card?

Well it happened, and he’s now back at Worthing while the Minstermen push forward with Stuart Maynard.

Expectations were – and still are – sky high following last season’s second-place finish and impressive summer signings.

It has been a slower start than they’d have hoped, but the 5-0 thrashing of Carlisle United – and it could have been more – is a real reminder of their capabilities.

Carlisle Fighting back

Talking of Carlisle United, their 5-0 hammering by York was followed by a 2-0 defeat to Rochdale.

Since then, they’ve beaten Hartlepool United and Scunthorpe United to quieten the noise.

Summer recruit Regan Linney has hit nine goals already, but boss Mark Hughes clearly doesn’t want an over-reliance on their marquee signing.

Chris Conn-Clarke’s arrival in midweek on loan from Peterborough United is a top signing.

There were whispers of being flat-track bullies, but the Cumbrians will need to show what they’re really made of in this next section of games.

MORE-clean sheets required

After a close season of stress and angst of the very existence of their club, Morecambe fans may find it a novelty to have football worries again.

Ashvir Singh Johal was appointed manager immediately after the takeover by Panjab Warriors was announced, and it’s fair to say, he’s had a tough job assembling a new squad in double quick time once the season had already started.

Perhaps we’re seeing the lack of pre-season counting against them – and that has to be taken into account – but they need to stop conceding goals.

Already 36 have flown into their net in 12 games, including five from both Truro City and Gateshead.

The arrival of experienced shot-stopper Jamal Blackman in midweek is clearly a move to settle things down, but they will be keen to get some real work in on the training ground so they can move off the bottom of the division.

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