National League roundup: Rochdale stay top with another victory, York City snatch late winner

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Rochdale maintained their two-point lead at the top of the National League with a win over Forest Green Rovers, while York City snatched a late victory against Hartlepool United.

Dale have been in flying form, brushing aside another promotion-chasing side to maintain their lead over York.

The Minstermen needed a late penalty to secure three points against Hartlepool, while Boreham Wood also netted a stoppage-time winner against Yeovil Town.

Carlisle United came out on top in the third versus fourth clash with Scunthorpe United, which now sees Wood climb ahead of both Scunthorpe and Forest Green.

Here’s a full roundup of midweek National League action.

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Rochdale 2-1 Forest Green Rovers

Top goalscorer Emmanuel Dieseruvwe bagged a brace as leaders Rochdale secured a 2-1 victory over Forest Green at the Crown Oil Arena.

On the back of 11 wins from their last 12 league games, Dale made a flying start by taking the lead inside two minutes when Dieseruvwe struck from close range from Kyron Gordon’s pass.

Dale’s Devante Rodney saw his effort superbly saved by visiting goalkeeper Harry Isted, while Ricardo Rees – with four goals in five games for Rovers since moving from Merthyr Town – was denied by Oliver Whatmuff when through one-on-one.

Kyle McAllister did level for the visitors two minutes before half-time with a shot from the edge of the area, but Dieseruvwe’s second in the 64th minute, from Daniel Moss’ brilliant ball, ensured a fifth home win on the trot.

York City 3-2 Hartlepool United

Josh Stones converted a penalty in the 13th minute of stoppage time to hand York a dramatic 3-2 National League victory over Hartlepool at the LNER Community Stadium.

Charlie Caton had looked like salvaging a point for Pools when he levelled six minutes earlier, before Stones kept his cool to help York stay two points behind leaders Rochdale after extending their unbeaten league run to 20 games.

On the back of four successive wins, York took the lead in the 19th minute in stunning fashion, Alex Newby unleashing a half-volley from outside the box to register his third goal in five games.

The visitors levelled six minutes before half-time, Reiss McNally heading in Jamie Miley’s corner for his first goal since August, but Hiram Boateng put York back in front by nodding in an Ollie Banks cross before the added-time drama unfolded.

Carlisle United 3-2 Scunthorpe United

David Ajiboye struck twice as Carlisle edged out fellow National League promotion contenders Scunthorpe 3-2.

Elliot Embleton put Carlisle in front after 23 minutes when he found space on the edge of the box to shoot, but the visitors were level five minutes before the break as Cal Roberts seized on a mistake in the Cumbrians’ defence to beat Gabriel Breeze.

Embleton’s corner went all the way through to hit a post five minutes into the second half, and he was involved again as Carlisle retook the lead before the hour, with his deep free-kick headed back across the box by Morgan Feeney before Ajiboye turned it in.

Scunthorpe substitute Connor Smith had a goal chalked off for offside before Ajiboye got Carlisle’s third in the 84th minute, cutting in from the right to curl home, and it was a cushion they needed as Alfie Beestin stabbed home from close range for Scunthorpe in stoppage time.

Boreham Wood 3-2 Yeovil Town

Boreham Wood brought to an end a run of four straight National League defeats as Aaron Henry’s stoppage-time winner earned a dramatic 3-2 victory at home to 10-man Yeovil.

The hosts had seen their automatic promotion hopes fizzle out and looked set to drop more points before Henry’s 25-yard free-kick two minutes into added time flew into the top corner.

Zak Brunt had scored just past the half-hour mark to equalise for the home side after Jake Wannell had given Yeovil the lead minutes earlier.

Brunt got his second to make it 2-1 just after half-time and then, after Kyle Ferguson had been sent off for a second yellow card, substitute James Daly (71) whipped a long-range effort in the corner to seemingly rescue a point.

That was until Henry’s stunning late effort, which saw Boreham Wood climb to fourth while Yeovil are 16th.

Solihull Moors 2-3 Eastleigh

Eastleigh came from two goals down to beat Solihull Moors 3-2 in the National League.

Moors were in control at half-time as first Conor Wilkinson fired home after being picked out by Jacob Wakeling and then Scott High doubled the lead just three minutes later.

Eastleigh boss Scott Bartlett’s half-time words clearly fired his side up as Harvey Saunders volleyed home Archie Harris’ cross within a minute of the restart and then turned provider as Sam Pearson fired in the equaliser in the 49th minute.

That left plenty of time for substitute James Waite to complete the turnaround with a deflected 74th-minute strike.

Morecambe 2-2 Tamworth

Morecambe’s miserable run continued as they twice let the lead slip to draw 2-2 against Tamworth in the National League.

Jack Nolan and Chris Popov both put the hosts ahead, but Jordan Cullinane-Liburd and then Oliver Lynch responded as the Shrimps’ winless run reached nine games in all competitions.

Nolan scored a fine individual effort in the 24th minute, but Cullinane-Liburd headed home an equaliser seven minutes before half-time.

Popov slotted home in the 65th minute after Mo Sangare’s initial effort was saved by Jasbir Singh.

But Morecambe were denied a first home win since November 18 when Tamworth also scored from a rebound, this time substitute Lynch pouncing after Jamal Blackman had kept out Daniel Creaney’s header in the 84th minute.

Truro City 0-2 Woking

Louis Flower stepped off the bench to score on his debut as Woking left it late to beat Truro City 2-0 in Cornwall.

Aiden O’Brien had the ball in the net for Woking after just two minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out.

But 80th-minute substitute Flower broke the deadlock for the visitors four minutes before the end in his first game since joining on loan from Crawley Town.

And Jack Turner made the points safe in stoppage time.

Boston United 1-0 Gateshead

Tom Cursons’ early goal was enough for Boston United to edge out National League strugglers Gateshead 1-0.

Cursons got a glancing touch to Matty Carsons’ free-kick from the left just five minutes in, and that was how it stayed as the hosts failed to add to their lead despite some excellent chances.

Peter Jameson made an excellent save to keep out Oisin Gallagher’s strike and then, five minutes before half-time, denied Cursons as he followed up his own shot that had come back off a post.

Gateshead struggled to muster much of a threat, but appealed in vain for a penalty on the hour after former Pilgrim Billy Chadwick went down under a challenge from Connor Teale.

Altrincham 1-0 Wealdstone

Jimmy Knowles’ first-half strike saw Altrincham edge six points clear of the National League relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Wealdstone.

Knowles capitalised when the visitors failed to deal with a corner in the 35th minute, applying the finish from close range.

That came 10 minutes after Alty goalkeeper Luke Hutchinson made a fine save to deny Sak Hassan, and Wealdstone had several more chances in the second half.

On the hour mark, Nathan Tshikuna’s deflected strike fell to Hassan, but he could not find the target in space, and Dylan Kadji then fired narrowly over, while visiting goalkeeper Dante Baptiste denied both Matty Kosylo and Eddy Jones late on.

Sutton United 1-1 Braintree Town

Brandon Njoku scored a stoppage-time equaliser to earn 10-man Sutton United a 1-1 draw with National League relegation-threatened rivals Braintree Town at the VBS Community Stadium.

Substituted on in the 81st minute, Njoku fired a shot into the top corner in the fourth minute of added time – his first goal since November – to keep Sutton outside the drop zone and above Braintree on goal difference.

Lewis Walker, who netted the winner in Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Eastleigh, looked like repeating the trick by heading in Jacob Pinnington’s cross in the 53rd minute.

That came three minutes after Sutton were reduced to 10 men when Charlie Bell was shown a red card for his challenge of George Langston.

The visitors had goalkeeper Mason Terry to thank in the first half as he made superb saves to deny Edon Pruti, Charlie Bell and Besart Topalloj.

Brackley Town 1-1 FC Halifax Town

FC Halifax Town dropped more points in the National League after conceding a stoppage-time penalty to draw 1-1 with lowly Brackley Town.

Will Harris had struck from a spot-kick of his own in the 88th minute to seemingly return play-off chasing Halifax to winning ways after Saturday’s surprise defeat to lowly Aldershot.

But during eight minutes of added time, the referee spotted a handball in the visitors’ penalty area and pointed to the spot for a second time.

Shane Byrne stepped up to equalise as lowly Brackley extended their unbeaten league run to seven games to remain four points clear of danger.

National League midweek results

Tuesday 10th February

Altrincham 1-0 Wealdstone
Boston United 1-0 Gateshead
Carlisle United 3-2 Scunthorpe United
Morecambe 2-2 Tamworth
Solihull Moors 2-3 Eastleigh
Truro City 0-2 Woking

Wednesday 11th February

Aldershot Town P-P Southend United
Boreham Wood 3-2 Yeovil Town
Brackley Town 1-1 FC Halifax Town
Rochdale 2-1 Forest Green Rovers
Sutton United 1-1 Braintree Town
York City 3-2 Hartlepool United

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