GOAL RUSH!
National League clubs hit 50 on a barnstorming day
THE NATIONAL League went crazy with 50 goals as Grimsby Town loan star Alex Hunt fired in a late winner in one of three seven-goal thrillers!
The Mariners were able to complete their fightback against ten-man Barnet, who led 3-1 in the second half, to win 4-3.
Gary Johnson’s Torquay led 4-0 at half-time but ended up hanging on at York Road as Maidenhead notched three of their own.
Weymouth won by the same scoreline at Solihull Moors, while Notts County beat Aldershot Town 3-2.
Dagenham & Redbridge,
Chesterfield and Boreham Wood all saw their perfect starts come to an end.
In National League North, Chorley hammered ten-man Gloucester City 9-0 and Dartford made it five wins from five in National League South.
GOLDEN boy Michael Cheek struck twice – including a 96th-minute equaliser – to earn Bromley a valuable point and bring Chesterfield’s 100 per cent record to a halt.
Cheek – the National League’s top scorer in 202021 – put the Ravens in front via the penalty spot, only for George Carline to equalise two minutes later.
Sub Manny Oyeleke looked like wrapping up the points for the Spireites with a second 19 minutes from time but Cheek popped up in the nick of time, bundling home Harry Forster’s cross to earn Andy Woodman’s side an unexpected point.
Chesterfield boss James Rowe admitted it was a tough one to take. “I think that’s the best we’ve played at home for quite some time” the Spirietes gaffer said.
“There’s no excuses, we’ve got to do better ourselves, but we can’t let that linger on or mask the performance because the performance was excellent.”
Woodman was left beaming at the performance of goalkeeper Mark Cousins, who made a top-drawer save to deny Chesterfield’s Jamie Grimes a killer third goal.
“We expect him to make those unbelievable saves,” Woodman said. “It used to wind me up as a keeper when managers used to expect that, but Cousins is excellent.
“I think we’ve got the best keeper in the league by a country mile.”
Chesterfield saw strong penalty claims turned down early on when Jack Clarke went down in the box after taking the ball around Cousins
but referee Martin Woods waved away the appeals and booked the former Aston Villa man for simulation.
Bromley threatened through Jude Arthurs and made the breakthrough on 36 minutes when Laurence Maguire brought down Cheek inside the area and the Ravens striker dusted himself down to convert from the spot.
Rowe’s men responded well, however, and within two minutes they were level – the ball falling to Carline on the edge of the area and he unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner.
Chesterfield were presented with a huge opportunity to take the lead just after the break when Kabongo Tshimanga went through on goal, only to be denied by Cousins.
Joe Partington went close to restoring Bromley’s lead with a header from Louis Dennis’ free-kick and Chesterfield made them pay on 71 minutes when Oyeleke received the ball on the edge of the area and he fired home into the far corner to the delight of the majority of the 5,229 crowd.
Cousins was forced into action again when he produced an acrobatic save to deny Grimes and that provede crucial with almost the last kick of the game when Cheek popped up deep into stoppage time to turn home Forster’s low centre.
Michael Cheek (Bromley)
5,229