The 2018/19 Toolstation NCEL season opened under blistering sunshine and red hot temperatures on Saturday afternoon as all forty clubs embarked on the new campaign, all with hopes and dreams of a memorable next nine months.It was mixed start for the four new sides in the Premier Division with last season's Division One champions
Knaresborough Town being the only ones to begin with a victory.
They went behind to Ombeni Ruhanduka's eleventh-minute opener at
Albion Sports but Brad Walker's second-half brace turned the game around in favour of the visitors as they ran out 2-1 winners.
Yorkshire Amateur began their return to the top flight in ideal fashion as Fernando Moke gave them an early lead at
Bottesford Town but the hosts stormed back to take a half-time lead with goals from Lewis Bemrose and Jack Cross.
And, the home side took further control as Martin Pembleton, Wayne Graves and Jack McMenemy netted to secure a 5-2 victory with Ashley Flynn grabbing the Ammers' second.
The third promoted team,
Eccleshill United, started with a point as Jassim Alali's 70th-minute equaliser cancelled out Jordan Hines' tenth-minute strike in a 1-1 home draw with
Thackley.
Goole AFC, who returned to the NCEL from the Evo-Stik League, were beaten 2-1 at home by
Worksop Town, Adam Lund's leveller for the Vikings sandwiched by goals from Jamie Price and Kyle Jordan for the Tigers.
There were first day away wins for
Liversedge and
Hemsworth Miners Welfare with Joe Walton's double helping Sedge to a 3-1 defeat of hosts
Athersley Recreation.
And, there were two goals each for Bradley Dockerty and Seon Ripley as Hemsworth were 5-2 victors at
Hall Road Rangers.
A late double from Joe McFadyen saw
Bridlington Town snatch a 2-1 home win at the expense of
Garforth Town, Jed Phillips also struck twice as
Handsworth Parramore prevailed 3-1 over visitors
Penistone Church and Danny Frost got both of
Maltby Main's goals as they won 2-0 at home to
Harrogate Railway Athletic.
And, it was a point apiece for
Staveley Miners Welfare and
Barton Town at Inkersall Road as Adam Baskerville's first-half opener for the hosts was cancelled out late on by Jamie Goddard.
The result of the day came in Division One where
Hallam galloped home 7-0 at
FC Bolsover, Benjamin Thornton's hat-trick added to by a Reece Treasure double and goals in the last quarter-of-an-hour from Sam Smith and James Steer.
The long-awaited return to the NCEL of
Skegness Town and
Harworth Colliery saw them both start with defeats, Mark West's 89th minute could not rescue anything for Harworth as goals from Kieran Hirst and Joe Dungworth ensured visitors
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic went home with a 2-1 win.
And, Skegness went down 4-0 at
Selby Town, courtesy of a Sam Cable hat-trick and a fourth from Gary Collier.
William Pears scored both of
Winterton Rangers's goals in their 2-0 home victory over
Swallownest whilst
East Yorkshire Carnegie enjoyed a 4-1 success against visitors
Glasshoughton Welfare.
Ryan Williams and James Webb netted in the opening period, Robert Oldham pulled one back before half-time but Thomas Bennett and Samuel Foster made sure of the win soon after the interval.
There were perfect starts on their travels for
AFC Emley,
Campion and
Nostell Miners Welfare with Nostell the biggest winners as Jack Owen, Daniel Critchlow and Bradley Kerr secured a 3-0 victory at
Parkgate.
Ruben Jerome and Shane Hamilton helped Emley to beat
Armthorpe Welfare 2-1 and Campion were 2-0 winners at
Dronfield Town, thanks to goals from Benjamin Kendall and Lee Bradshaw.
The spoils were shared in the remaining two matches as Max Curzon restored parity for
Ollerton Town in a 1-1 draw at
Rossington Main following a 20th minute strike from Lee Holmes.
And,
Grimsby Borough's home game with
Shirebrook Town ended goalless in a match that was delayed in the second period due to a serious injury to Borough's Renzie Lobendhan.
He was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg and all at the NCEL wish him a speedy recovery.
Photo: James Webb polishes the boot of Thomas Bennett after he scores in East Yorkshire Carnegie's 4-1 home victory over Glasshoughton Welfare. (Picture: Darren Thompson)