OK, everyone. Let's stop it there.

Really can't believe how Cambridge snatched that last night. One defensive error and we've been punished again, despite recovering well after an early setback and largely dominating proceedings. Impressed with Duffy, he certainly caused the centre backs a headache and wound up the home support. Shame he was knackered after about an hour. Two wingers, Smith and Daley look good and the lad Boyce we signed from Gainsborough looks assured at the back. Great work rate from the players undone by an individual error. Encouraging performance though.

Today's Conference scores:
Telford 3-0 Braintree
Alfreton 0-3 Hereford
Cambridge 2-0 Southport
Ebbsfleet 1-1 Wrexham
Gateshead 1-1 Forest Green
Grimsby 0-0 Nuneaton
Kidderminster 2-3 Mansfield
Macclesfield 2-0 Dartford
Newport 2-1 Lincoln City
Tamworth 1-0 Stockport
Woking 3-1 Barrow
Friday night:
Hyde 1-2 Luton
Newport's brilliant start continues, their 2-1 win over Lincoln leaves them clear at the top with the only 100% record in the league. Behind them are four teams all on 7 points in the play-off spots, Hereford, Luton, Cambridge and Tamworth.
Down at the bottom there are two teams who have not yet got a point on the board, Kidderminster and Dartford. above them in the other two relegation places are Nuneaton and Alfreton on 1 point, with four teams above them on 2 points.

Today was my first game this season, and it was a well earned point against Stockport. We created a few chances, though some of the decision-making on the final ball was a bit hit and miss. Hopefully we can keep up this early form and get some points on the board before our customary mid-season slump.

Were the other 2 points not so well earned then?

From the highlights I saw of the game against County , it seemed that City were again dominant for large periods but failed to convert chances. Really have to giving away cheap early goals. Jamie Taylor took his goal really well with a superb header. Duffy was carried off in the first half, no news yet as to how long he's out for and Mark McCammon is going to need a few matches to settle in.

frontier psychiatrist wrote:

Oops. To be honest, Stockport helped with the other 2 points by doing very little all game. Gannon's excuse that it was one game too many doesn't wash, seeing as we, and everyone else in the division, had played the exact same amount.

I took that to mean three good performances in a week is a bit much to expect from a team full of youngsters. I'm certainly appreciating a bit more inconsistency compared with last year's endless run of one-all draws.

HORN wrote:


I'm guessing the current table's pinned to the bedroom wall?

Heh. I'm too afraid doing that will put the mockers on things.

We've a tricky tie at Braintree coming up followed by a 1970s throwback v Hereford. We'll probably be languishing in midtable by next Tuesday night.

HORN wrote:


Mockers or not you have made a great start and have a very rich chairman, new ground, decent support... could well be the start of you regaining league status, if not this season then... Can't see you being weakened anytime soon.

Begrudgingly glad O'Connor is doing well for you, never quite got the run he deserved at Luton.

Today's Conference scores:
Barrow 1-3 Alfreton
Braintree 1-2 Newport
Dartford 1-0 Kidderminster
Forest Green 3-1 Woking
Hereford 4-2 Ebbsfleet
Lincoln City 2-3 Macclesfield
Luton 0-1 Telford
Mansfield 1-0 Hyde
Nuneaton 2-2 Cambridge
Southport 0-3 Tamworth
Wrexham 0-0 Grimsby
Friday night result:
Stockport 1-2 Gateshead

A 2-1 win at Braintree means Newport retain their 100% record and stay top with 12 points. Following up on 10 points are Hereford, 4-2 winners over Ebsfleet, and Tamworth behind them in third after a convincing 3-0 win at Southport. Macclesfield are fourth on 9 points after they win 3-2 at Lincoln, with Cambridge, Gateshead and Forest Green all on 8 points behind them.
At the bottom, Kidderminster's nightmare start continues as the only other team with no points before today's games, Dartford, beat them 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom 4 and leave Kiddy alone at the bottom. Above Kiddy are four teams with 2 points: Southport, Nuneaton, Barrow and Hyde.
Result of the day was probably Telford winning 1-0 at Luton, where there were also three players sent off in the last ten minutes, one from Luton and two from Telford.

Bank Holiday Conference scores:
Telford 2-2 Stockport
Alfreton 0-3 Nuneaton
Cambridge 1-2 Dartford
Ebbsfleet 1-3 Luton
Gateshead 1-1 Lincoln City
Grimsby 4-1 Mansfield
Hyde 0-2 Southport
Kidderminster 0-1 Forest Green
Macclesfield 2-0 Barrow
Tamworth 0-1 Wrexham

Newport stay top with twelve points, despite not having a game, leading Macclesfield, 2-0 winners over Barrow, on goal difference. Forest Green are third, one point behind, after winning 1-0 at Kidderminster, despite being down to ten men for nearly an hour after Omar Koroma was sent off. Hereford are fourth on ten points, and can go top tomorrow, but only if they win at current leaders Newport tomorrow. Luton and Tamworth share fifth place, level on ten points with matching goals for and against, after Luton win 3-1 at Ebbsfleet, whilst Tamworth lost for the first time this season, 1-0 at home to Wrexham.
Down at the bottom it is still Kiddy, still without a point after today's loss at home to Forest Green. Hyde and Barrow, who both lost 2-0 today, to Southport and Macclesfield respectively, are both sat above Kidderminster on two points, whilst Alfreton, who lost 3-0 at home to Nuneaton, are in the last relegation place on four points, behind Ebbsfleet, Braintree and Lincoln on goal difference.

It looks like we need to get the opposition to score for us to be able to win games. OG is now our joint highest top-scorer, on one goal.

By all accounts we couldn't hit a barn-door today.

You couldn't. Even the penalty skimmed off the outside of the post. To be fair though, at least you gave our keeper something to do. All we could manage were a few long range punts, and didn't really trouble Mayebi. Wrexham could easily have won by 3 or 4 if they had taken some of their chances on goal, and lack of clinical finishing could be what stops them matching their feats last season.

There's a great deal of excitement in Newport ahead of tonight's clash with Hereford. Back in the Seventies games between the two sides never passed peacefully, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a few grey-haired fans dust off their denim for the occasion.

Meanwhile Newport's new chairman, lottery winner Les Scadding, has vowed not to indiscriminately fritter his hard-won fortune away on the club.

Good luck for tonight HORN.

And tonight's results, well that's Sean's job but I will congratulate HORN here so that's a clue to one of the results.

Please tell us why Newport are doing so well.

Because Justin Edinburgh's a decent manager with an eye for a bargain and has been given a semi-reasonable budget.

And he's had nearly an entire dead-season to get things right.

Not sure whether they'll be up there the entire season but I'm not surprised to see them start so well.

Just got back.

It's a mystery to me. We appear to have four very one-paced defenders, so watching Hereford break forward was excruciating.

Hereford missed an early pen, then the key incident took place when our midfield enforcer neutralised Hereford's right winger with a committed tackle.

Two fabulous goals later and we are still top, though I don't think this is a championship-winning side.

Edinburgh has signed some exciting players, though we've too many pedestrians in the squad. I will just enjoy it while it lasts.