National League Rundown: What did we learn from Round Five?

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By Sam Gale

The Bank Holiday served up the fifth round of National League action, offering early clues as to how the season may unfold.

While the 2025/26 campaign is still in its infancy, a number of teams are already showing signs of consistency – whether in the hunt for promotion or in the battle to find their rhythm. Even in August, momentum can prove crucial across a long season.

Monday’s fixtures served up no shortage of storylines, from emphatic wins to dramatic late goals elsewhere, all played out in front of packed terraces under the late summer sun.

Here, Sam Gale rounds up the standout results and performances from an entertaining afternoon around the grounds.

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National League serves up plenty of firepower

Aldershot Town 4-0 Morecambe

Buoyed by their dramatic return to the National League, Morecambe travelled for the first time to face an Aldershot Town side equally full of confidence after a thumping 5-1 win in their previous outing.

Coming so soon after their emotional 2-1 victory over Altrincham at the weekend – and with limited match fitness or training following a turbulent summer and rapid rebuild – the Shrimps were handed a stern early-season test.

The Shots provided a stark reminder of the division’s challenges, with James Clarridge, Archy Taylor, Joshua Barrett and Dejan Tetek all on the scoresheet.

That result makes it nine goals in their last two outings, a statement of attacking intent that Aldershot will hope to carry forward as they look to break teams down this season.

For Morecambe, the task is to regroup quickly and treat this as nothing more than an early setback on their journey back towards the Football League.

Yeovil Town 3-4 Gateshead

Goals galore and in spectacular fashion at Huish Park as Gateshead staged a remarkable comeback to edge out Yeovil Town in a thriller.

Josh Sims, Junior Morias and Harvey Greenslade all scored in the first half as the home side stormed into a 3-0 lead.

Nonetheless, Kyle Hurst and Frank Nouble gave the Tynesiders belief. Then a double from 23-year-old Kain Adom, including a 98th-minute winner, clinched all three points and lifted Heed to the edge of the play-offs.

Carlisle United 5-0 Braintree Town

While this match will be covered in more detail elsewhere, it deserves a mention here, given the emphatic nature of the result.

Carlisle United sit third in the table, while Braintree Town remain down in 16th.

Balance on display

Not every game was a goal-fest, with all four featured fixtures ending in 1-1 draws.

Scunthorpe United 1-1 FC Halifax Town

The match boiled over when Brandon Horton was shown a straight red five minutes before half-time after an off-the-ball incident.

However, Scunthorpe United struck first through Callum Roberts, but FC Halifax Town hit back almost immediately, with David Kawa finding the equaliser just three minutes later.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Iron held firm, and both sides ultimately settled for a point apiece.

Tamworth 1-1 Brackley Town

Fresh from their victory over Rochdale, Brackley Town travelled to Tamworth but quickly fell behind when Harvey Sayer put the hosts ahead inside nine minutes.

However, the Saints’ creative midfielder Morgan Roberts stepped up to level the scores, ensuring the points were shared in what was a tight, competitive encounter.

Woking 1-1 York City

Woking, still searching for their first point of the season, came into this clash determined to make a statement against last season’s runners-up.

They took the lead through Aaron Drewe, who scored from a tight angle after a deflection.

In the second half, Ollie Banks released Alex Newby, who produced a stunning chipped finish from an acute angle to bring York City level.

The game finished 1-1, with Woking likely feeling the more satisfied of the two sides.

Southend United 1-1 Hartlepool United

In a meeting of two unbeaten teams, the stakes were high at Roots Hall.

Southend United took the lead when skipper Tom Parkes inadvertently scored an own goal just two minutes into the action, but redemption came later in the second half as Nathan Sheron scrambled home an equaliser for Hartlepool United.

Neither side could find a winner, but with both maintaining their unbeaten starts, Simon Grayson and Kevin Maher will be content heading into their sixth fixtures.

A day of draws leaves the table finely poised, with plenty still to play for as the season unfolds.

Savage silences the doubters

Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Eastleigh

Tom Knowles stole the spotlight at The New Lawn Stadium, curling a stunning 25-yard free-kick into the bottom corner to secure victory for Forest Green Rovers over Hampshire side Eastleigh.

Questions had lingered over the appointment of former Macclesfield boss Robbie Savage, brought in to guide Forest Green back to the EFL after last season’s play-off semi-final defeat to Southend United.

However, Savage has silenced the doubters in emphatic fashion, guiding his side to four consecutive wins and propelling them to the summit of the table. 

Next up for the Gloucestershire side is an away trip to Braintree, hoping to capitalise on a team who may still be feeling vulnerable after their most recent drubbing. 

Home comforts: Three narrow victories

Boreham Wood 2-1 Truro City

Still without a win this season, the reigning National League South champions Truro City faced a tough trip to fellow promotion winners Boreham Wood – and heartbreak struck late.

Tom White scored his first goal for the club to put the Wood in front before Will Dean quickly replied for the visitors.

Despite battling hard, the Tinners left empty-handed as Matt Rush netted a dramatic last-gasp winner for the hosts.

Boreham Wood sit comfortably in 10th, while Truro remain rooted to the bottom, though it is still early in the season, so John Askey’s side has plenty of games in hand to turn things around.

Altrincham 2-0 Solihull Moors

Altrincham’s youthful talent shone through as goals from Kahrel Reddin and Lucas Weaver secured a deserved victory.

The win lifts Alty into 13th, firmly mid-table, while Moors’ struggles continue as they slip into the bottom four, facing a growing fight for survival.

Boston United 2-1 Wealdstone

Boston United claimed an important three points thanks to strikes from Lennell John-Lewis and Gregory Sloggett.

Wealdstone briefly hit back through Micah Obiero, but Sam Cox’s side couldn’t salvage anything and remain just inside the play-off spots.

Boston, meanwhile, climbed up to 15th with six points from their first four games, giving their supporters renewed optimism.

Hat-trick hero Linney inspires Carlisle

Carlisle 5-0 Braintree Town 

Brunton Park had only witnessed two draws before the Cumbrians’ encounter with Braintree, but on this sunny August afternoon, proven marksman Regan Linney had other plans.

A sublime curling strike into the right-hand corner left Mason Terry helpless between the Iron’s sticks, before Linney calmly slotted home a penalty and capped off his first hat-trick of the season with a cushioned header.

An unfortunate own goal from George Langston and a neat finish by young defender Jack Ellis completed the rout, as Carlisle stormed to a resounding 5-0 victory.

The result lifts them to third in the table, just two points off the early pace-setters, Forest Green.

Next up is a trip to Gander Green Lane to face Sutton United, and manager Mark Hughes will be hoping for more of the same after two impressive results away from home.

Click HERE to watch every National League fixture, live or on demand, via DAZN

READ MORE: National League Rundown: What did we learn from Round Four?