By Steven Oldham Cover photo: Callum Pilkington (Ashton Town vs Euxton Villa)
As ever, it's been a busy start to the North West Counties First Division North with all clubs playing two game before the calendar flipped over to August. Much like the Premier - it looks set to be a competitive season - with only three teams winning both of their opening games.
Bacup Borough find themselves atop the fledgling table, having thrashed Ashton Athletic 5-0 in the opener and followed this with a 2-0 victory at Route One Rovers on Monday night. Toby Wright scored twice in both games, with Callum Hewitt, Connor Morris and Oliver Hodgson all on target against Athletic.
Hot on their heels are two clubs that spent last season desperately trying to avoid the drop into county football. Nelson were 3-2 winners at newly-promoted Thornton Cleveleys, and picked up a 3-1 midweek over Steeton - with Charlie Frost bagging a hat-trick to add to the two he claimed in the opening match.
READ MORE: North West Counties: FC St Helens and Stockport Town start life in Premier with victory
AFC Blackpool's form picked up in the final stages of last season - and they've started in the same vein with two wins against promotion chasers Ashton Town and Thornton Cleveleys. Last year's playoff contenders Town were seen off in the final minute, with David Lang scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win.
Nick Hepple is already on three goals for the season after netting twice in the 3-1 home win over the promoted side. While they've had a tough start, Terry Green's side have scored in both games at Step 6 - with Oliver Wilkinson netting the side's first goal and brace in the North West Counties.
Another promoted side, Maghull, have faired better and are among a gaggle of teams on four points. An opening day 3-2 victory over Darwen - in which both sides ended the game with ten men after Maghull's Nathan Peet and the visitors' Chris Bailey were given their marching orders - was followed by a 2-2 draw at Ashton Athletic.
Holker Old Boys are off to a positive start, sharing the spoils with Daisy Hill in a 1-1 draw on the opening day, and beating Garstang 3-1 in their own back yard in midweek. The Cutters also have four points, having beaten the laterally transferred Maine Road 1-0 in midweek.
Atherton Laburnum Rovers and Droylsden complete the sides with four points - and the two shared a goalless draw on Tuesday. An Opening day for LR 2-1 - at relegated Skelmersdale United) - was matched by The Bloods' home victory over Euxton Villa.
Darwen bounced back from their opening day defeat impressively, beating Skem 5-2 at The Anchor - with Dale Bury and Leon Creech both scoring twice after Fin Devenney's first. Incredibly, all five of Darwen's goals came in the final half hour - and Creech's second earned him a century of goals in a Darwen shirt.
ALL SQUARE: The points were shared between Holker Old Boys and Daisy Hill (GR Visuals)
Ashton Town also got their first points on the board midweek, with a 1-0 win over Euxton Villa, who have lost both their opening games in the division for the first time. Carl Peers' early goal settled the tie. Maine Road won their first game 3-0 against Steeton, with Yousif Yousif netting the opener.
Garstang won their opening match 2-0 at R1, with the Yorkshire side the only one in the division failing to score in their opening two matches. Five teams are yet to pick up a point - including Skelmersdale United, who have turned to Tommy Lawson after Pascal Chimbonda left the season following their relegation to Step 6.
Something will have to give this weekend as early pacesetters AFC Blackpool and Nelson meet, as do the pointless Thornton Cleveleys and Route One Rovers.
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