National League (England)

The leaders started strongly with Ollie Banks firing just wide and Liam Mandeville heading on to the roof of the net, and they went ahead with 29 minutes gone when Mandeville played Dobra in on goal and his fired past keeper Theo Richardson.

However, it was not until after the break that the floodgates opened when Mike Jones and Will Grigg struck within three minutes of each other to make it 3-0.

Danny Ormerod was presented with a chance to reduce the deficit from the penalty spot, but saw his 67th-minute attempt saved by Harry Tyrer, although the striker beat the keeper with a deft chip seconds later to give his side hope.

However, Ash Palmer’s 70th-minute strike restored the Spireites’ three-goal advantage as they eased over the finishing line to claim just a second win in six attempts.

The former Sunderland and West Brom striker was confirmed as Pools’ new manager shortly before kick-off and will have been delighted to see his side secure a first away victory since November.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, with Joe Grey bringing a save from Mark Cousins in the 27th minute, but Ebbsfleet’s Darren McQueen was denied twice in quick succession by goalkeeper Joel Dixon just before the break.

Hartlepool took the lead in the 59th minute when David Ferguson fed Mancini, he turned his man and let fly with a dipping 25-yard shot which went in off the crossbar.

Kieran Wallace sent a header over the crossbar for Pools, while Fleet’s Omari Sterling-James saw a free-kick blocked by the head of defender Emmanuel Onariase at the death.

Haughton looked dangerous from the very start as he hit a shot against the crossbar in the sixth minute, and he put the visitors ahead moments later as he turned in Connor Barrett’s cross.

It was 2-0 after 17 minutes when Adam King got his first Fylde goal, turning in a loose ball after a corner, with Haughton then volleying narrowly wide moments later after creating space for himself.

Ethan Mitchell headed in a third from Haughton’s cross in the 32nd minute. Oldham got one back through Dan Gardner just before the break, but any hopes of a second-half comeback were dashed by a 60th-minute red card for Mike Fondop.

It was a comfortable afternoon’s work for the second-placed team, who opened up a four-point gap on Bromley in third.

Gatlin O’Donkor opened the scoring just before half-time, before Kabamba’s double in the space of nine minutes secured an emphatic win.

Harvey Greenslade claimed a consolation goal for Oxford a minute from time, but it was City’s 27th league defeat of the season.

The visitors had led until late in the first half thanks to the first of two goals from Dominic Poleon, before Kabamba levelled deep into added time at the end of the first period.

Just after the hour Barnet went ahead when the 30-year-old struck again but their advantage was extinguished in minutes as Poleon also netted his second to level the score.

The hosts completed a memorable victory when Kabamba competed his treble 11 minutes from time to put just a point between Barnet and leaders Solihull Moors.

Jayden Mitchell-Lawson struck for the hosts after nine minutes, tapping into an empty net after Tristan Abrahams’ shot deflected into his path.

Maidenhead doubled their lead shortly after the break when Abrahams put Shawn McCoulsky through on goal and he squared for Reece Smith to finish.

But Callum Stead pulled one back with 20 minutes left and Kabamba converted his spot-kick four minutes into stoppage time for his 50th Barnet goal.

Kabamba put the Bees ahead in the 15th minute, slotting the ball past Nathan Ashmore in a one-on-one and turned provider in the 29th minute to set up Harry Pritchard, who found the net at the back post.

Kabamba earned his double in the 42nd minute, smashing the ball into the top corner and a miserable afternoon got worse for the Wood when Jack Payne was dismissed in the 49th minute.

Reece Hall-Johnson took advantage to make it four in the 53rd minute, tucking the ball home at the far post and Kabamba completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute from the penalty spot before Jordan Maguire-Drew extended the lead six minutes later on his debut.

Husin was on hand to tuck in, with the aid of a deflection, after Marcus Dackers had brought down a Jack Bridge cross.

Oldham had been on course for victory after Nathan Sheron – who was denied by a fine save from Collin Andeng Ndi in the first half – had opened the scoring with a powerful strike on the hour.

The closing stages of the game were played in heavy rain and neither side could find a winner.

Chances did come and go for both sides in the first half, as Lee Ndlovu struck the post for Boreham Wood in injury time.

Boreham continued to have their fair share of chances as Ndlovu went close again.

Jamal Fyfield blocked a late opportunity for Oldham’s James Norwood by sliding in front of him just before he could get a shot off.

Oldham’s Dan Gardner also had a free-kick late on, forcing Nathan Ashmore into making the save.

Mair, on loan from Norwich and sent on in the final minute of extra time for the spot-kick contest, denied Darren Oldaker and Jeff King with full-length saves as County won 4-3 on penalties after the game had been drawn 2-2 after 120 minutes.

Macaulay Langstaff, Ruben Rodrigues, Jodi Jones and Cedwyn Scott were successful from the spot for County, the latter achieving redemption having missed from 12 yards in the promotion showdown with Wrexham last month.

Andrew Dallas’ early penalty seemed set to signal more end-of-season misery for County before John Bostock equalised with just two minutes left on the clock.

Paul Cook’s Chesterfield quickly regained the lead in extra time with Armando Dobra’s superb curling effort worthy of winning any cup final, but Rodrigues’ equaliser 12 minutes from time sent the game to penalties.

It was promotion delight at last for County who were relegated from the EFL in 2019 and have contested the National League play-offs in every campaign since.

Luke Williams’ side had finished 23 points clear of Chesterfield at the end of a regular season in which they had pushed champions Wrexham all the way.

Chesterfield, themselves beaten in the play-offs in the last two years, showed their attacking intent inside 35 seconds as Ryan Colclough fired over.

Nerves were clearly on show as goalkeeper Sam Slocombe dribbled out the resulting goal-kick.

Slocombe was penalised for kicking the ball twice and penalised to offer the Spireites a golden chance top open the scoring.

But as County defenders rushed from the goal-line, Slocombe atoned for his mistake by blocking King’s free-kick.

County’s reprieve lasted just moments as Slocombe suffered another rush of blood and brought down Dallas, who had raced onto a pass over the top of the Notts defence.

Dallas, part of the Solihull side beaten by Grimsby in last year’s play-off final, sent his penalty down the middle as Slocombe dived to his right.

The route to goal offered real promise for a Spireites side keen to exploit County’s high defensive line.

County had some hairy moments but finally found a foothold in the game and Chesterfield struggled to contain Aaron Nemane out wide.

Nemane’s powerful effort forced a save from Ross Fitzsimons at the near post and County upped the tempo after the restart.

Sam Austin had a clear sight of goal after another Nemane burst and Connell Rawlinson then had an even better chance, the unmarked defender sending his header from eight yards just wide.

Chesterfield were becoming increasingly camped in their own half, but Colclough drove agonisingly wide from a rare Spireites forward raid.

Time was fast running out for County when Fitzsimons spilled Bostock’s free-kick at his near post and the ball squirmed over the line.

Chesterfield were in front again three minutes in to extra time when Dobra was released on the left and cut back on to his right foot to beat Slocombe in style.

County belatedly fashioned a couple of chances for Langstaff and Rawlinson drifted an effort wide.

But Rodrigues’ shot bounced into the turf and over the head of Fitzsimons, and Williams’ decision to send on Mair would prove a masterstroke.

The Magpies lost chief executive Jason Turner suddenly in March, aged just 50, with his funeral held last week.

Williams, who was among those who carried his coffin, has helped lead a club through heartache while trying to win promotion from the National League.

A staggering 107 points still saw them finish second, behind Wrexham, but they then claimed a blockbuster 3-2 win over Boreham Wood in their play-off semi-final on Sunday as Jodi Jones’ strike in the final minute of extra time capped a comeback from 2-0 down.

Now, Saturday’s play-off final against Chesterfield is their chance to end a four-year EFL exile with the memory of Turner a driving force.

“I don’t think there’s a manual,” Williams told the PA news agency.

“You can be involved in 1,000 games of football but this is something that is about life and there’s no rule book for this. I try my best to support people and to try to support Jason’s family as best I can.

“It’s been a huge challenge for me but at the same time I got to work with Jason and got to know him as a man. He’s made a huge impact on my life in a very, very positive way.

“Nothing that I’ve had to do has been a burden to me. It’s actually, in a way, helped me to mourn Jason’s passing.”

Saturday’s final at Wembley will mark the finale of a thrilling campaign, one where Williams and the club have kept going in tragic circumstances.

Yet it leaves the former Swindon boss wary for when the adrenaline wears off and he and the Magpies have time to reflect.

He said: “When you experience very, very strong emotions, very, very high emotions and very low emotions – when they’re all very extreme – I feel like you’re always very vulnerable when you come to an end of a chapter like this.

“I have experienced things similar in the past and I have a brilliant family and that is the key thing.

“After this type of rollercoaster you need to be with people that care about you and people you trust with your life to be able to help you to recover before it all begins again.

“Will I be able to draw on these experiences? I’m sure, yes. l hope nothing like that happens but you know life is so fragile so there is every chance I’ll be involved in something of a similar nature.

“So I think this stressful experience will help me to cope with that in the future.”

While champions Wrexham have been partying in Las Vegas, courtesy of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Notts County have one last game.

Reynolds and McElhenney are expected at Wembley to support the Magpies, something which Williams welcomes as he looks to join them in League Two.

“It’s brilliant we’re able to be really fiercely competitive and do everything we possibly can to try to get to the title and then be able to be respectful and supportive at the same time,” added Williams.

“Not that I think anybody wants to take the passion and the competition out of football, we all want rivalry.

“We want passionate performances and brilliant moments to celebrate and the fans to be able to wind each other up. Then, afterwards, it is a nice development to see the class of the two clubs and the respect they have shown towards each other.”

Oldham passed up two early chances to take the lead. In the fifth minute Sai Sachdev’s ball took a deflection before landing for Joe Garner but his close-range effort was blocked by Grant Smith, who then denied Garner again three minutes later.

Moments later Bromley had a great chance of their own, but Michael Cheek’s diving head went over the bar.

Bromley had the better of the second half, with Ashley Charles’ shot deflected narrowly wide before Olufela Olomola fired over late on, with neither side able to make the breakthrough.

The Spitfires were awarded a penalty after Paul McCallum was brought down in the box and Chris Maguire stepped up to fire them ahead in the 26th minute.

However, Oldham levelled in the 69th minute when Mark Kitching set up Alex Reid, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

A closely-fought draw left both sides tied on 24 points, five off the play-off places.

They went ahead in only the eighth minute thanks to some fine work from Devarn Green.

He did superbly to pick out Nuttall just inside the box, with the forward spinning and finding the bottom corner with a cool finish.

Reid added a second late on when he held off a defender before turning and rifling home.

Norwood opened the scoring midway through the first half, netting his first goal for the club from six yards.

Dickenson doubled the home side’s lead with a fierce 30-yard strike and Oldham’s domination continued as Ben Tollitt made it three.

Aldershot pulled one back in the 74th minute through an own goal from Mark Kitching.

But this turned out to be mere consolation after Norwood grabbed his second of the game shortly after Kwame Thomas had been sent off for the Shots for a second yellow card.

Dickenson made it five late on with his second of the afternoon to cap a fine display.

Brennan Dickenson put the visitors ahead in the 28th minute when he converted Devarn Green’s cross with a clinical finish past Archie Mair.

Jordan Hunter levelled for Gateshead just two minutes after coming on as a substitute with a deflected effort, but Oldham captain Liam Hogan put his side back ahead in the 65th minute after initially heading against the crossbar before sliding home Dickenson’s cross.

The visitors thought they would finally grab three points for the first time since August 12, but Stephen Wearne levelled in the 86th minute for Gateshead.

Oldham midfielder Mark Shelton was sent off two minutes later for two bookable offences as they endured a nervy finish, but held on for a share of the spoils.

Dion Pereira had a chance for the Daggers before team-mate Ryan Hill had an effort saved while, at the other end, home goalkeeper Elliot Justham made a great stop to deny Mark Kitching from close range.

Dagenham went close again when Hill picked out Josh Rees, but the midfielder dragged the ball wide before Pereira had an effort from distance saved by Mathew Hudson.

Pereira almost found the breakthrough in the 79th minute only to see his shot smash off the post while Hill fired over in the final minutes as the spoils were shared, leaving Oldham two points off the top seven.

Mike Fondop got the decisive goal four minutes before half-time, smashing a shot high into the roof of the net after Dorking failed to clear a corner.

The goal came as reward for Oldham’s dominance of the first half, but Dorking threatened an equaliser after the break.

The best chance came just after the hour when Oldham goalkeeper Mathew Hudson made an outstanding double save to deny Jason Prior and Seb Bowerman.

The Latics came into the match winless in the last eight games but made a bright start at Marsh Lane as Hallam Hope stabbed an effort wide in the 12th minute and then saw another effort saved by goalkeeper Tom Watson.

The home side threatened just after the hour when a shot from captain Reece Fleet was pushed away by Latics keeper Matt Hudson before Oldham forward James Norwood saw his curled effort hit the post.

Watson then tipped a powerful effort from Dan Gardner wide and a late free-kick from Oxford midfielder Josh Ashby was pushed over by Hudson to make sure the points were shared.

Alex Penny put Harriers in front in some style in the 22nd minute, striding forward from midfield before letting fly with a shot from distance which nestled in the net.

Nathan Sheron levelled four minutes into the second half, finishing from inside the area, but Kidderminster were back in front nine minutes later.

Ashley Hemmings swung in a corner which Reiss McNally headed home.

And this time there was no response from the hosts as Harriers boosted their survival hopes.