ORIENT EXPRESS!
Brisbane Road boys steam past Maidstone
NATIONAL League new boys Leyton Orient showed their promotion credentials after making it back-to-back victories with a hard-fought win over Maidstone United.
The O’s followed up their first win of the season against Solihull Moors on Tuesday night with a 2-0 success thanks to second half goals from David Mooney and Rommy Boco.
But it’s Aldershot Town who lead the way after Gary Waddock’s men went goal crazy against Guiseley – a 6-0 win maintaining the only 100 per cent record in the top flight.
Elsewhere, Dave Tarpey scored twice as Maidenhead United beat Hartlepool United 2-1, while Dagenham’s Corey Whitely and Eastleigh’s Ben Williamson also notched braces as their sides fought out a 2-2 draw.
AFC FYLDE are still looking for their first win of the season after Andy Drury’s 90th minute equaliser gave Ebbsfleet United a share of the points at Stonebridge Road.
In a thrilling battle of the newly-promoted sides, the visitors waltzed into a two-goal lead only for Fleet to hit back and level before the half-hour mark.
Sam Finlay restored the Coasters’ lead six minutes later but just when it looked like earning the visitors all three points, Drury popped up in the nick of time.
“I will definitely take a point from that game” declared Ebbsfleet manager Daryl McMahon. “I don’t think we performed anywhere near our usual levels, especially in the first half.
“We were a lot better in the second half. We showed terrific character and spirit. We know we can score goals. Losing our captain Dave Winfield to injury in midweek hasn’t helped us, but we can’t keep giving sides two goal starts in this league.
“We played against a very good side today and I am delighted with a point. This was a wake up call today and it showed us areas that we need to improve. We are in a tough division with a lot of tough sides.”
After two draws to start the season, AFC Fylde were keen to record their first win and got off to a cracking start when Henry Jones scored from inside the area after eight minutes – his shot taking a deflection off Sam Magri.
Jack Powell came close with a response six minutes later, but dragged his effort wide, and within a minute Fylde increased their lead when Jack Muldoon set up Danny Rowe to blast past Nathan Ashmore.
Two goals up after a quarter of an hour and the Coasters were coasting, but Ebbsfleet conjured up a goal after 18 minutes when Jack Powell floated a free-kick into the box and Kenny Clark celebrated his birthday with the touch that put the ball in the back of the net.
For ten minutes Ebbsfleet had Fylde rocking and it was a Powell free-kick that set up skipper Danny Kedwell to pull them level.
His joy, however, was shortlived and Fleet were back under pressure when Clark made a late intervention to deny Finlay on 34 minutes and conceded a corner. As the ball was swung in from the set-piece, Finlay got his reward and was allowed time and space to put Fylde back in front from inside the box. McMahon sacrificed Powell for Darren McQueen at half-time to add pace to his attack but the young striker was well marshalled by Josh Langley and Jason Tunnicliffe and they had to wait until the game was in its closing moments before Drury pulled the trigger from the edge of the box to secure a point. “We’ve got to learn quickly,” said Coasters’ boss Dave Challinor. “We are getting there slowly and improve game on game. There’s not much you can do between games as it’s just game, game, game, game at this time of year. “This was two completely different halves. It was a really open game in the first half and we looked a huge threat, but all credit to them in the second half when they pinned us back.”