Diamonds glittering on top

Indeed the Third Division saw plenty of action from the man in the middle with a number of sending offs and penalties.

The Silkmen travelled to Hartlepool looking to dent the home side's 100 percent start to the season and did so with two goals in the last five minutes as Danny Adams (85) and Danny Whittaker (86) gave the visitors the win.

Rushden went ahead in the 17th minute through a Sean Flynn own goal as he headed a corner into his own net and it looked all over for Kidderminster as first Drewe Broughton was sent off just before the hour then Stuart Gray doubled the advantage in the 64th minute.

Although Danny Williams gave the visitors brief hope, Duane Darby restored the two goal advantage for Rushden to put them top.

Trevor Molloy's penalty midway through the second half gave eight-man Carlisle a 1-0 win over Lincoln City.

The game got off to a fiery start as Simon Weaver and Richie Foran both saw red in the eighth minute after an altercation.

Molloy (pictured) put Carlisle in front and they appeared quite comfortable until defender Brian Shelley was sent off after a couple of industrial tackles in close succession put the visitors down to nine men.

Then goal-scoring hero Molloy was ordered off in the game's dying moments but the eight men of Carlisle held out.

At Bootham Crescent it was goals that provided the excitement as York threw away a three goal cushion before somehow pulling out a 4-3 victory.

Strikes from Peter Duffield (15), Lee Nogan (49), Jonathan Parkin (53) put York into a seemingly unassailable position only for Torquay to hit back with Sean Hankin (56) then two in a minute through Marcus Richardson and Matthew Hockley midway through the second period.

However, in such an open game there always looked like there would be a winner and so it proved as Parkin got his second of the match in the 73rd minute to end the scoring.

Stuart Green turned from hero to villain at St James' Park as he opened the scoring for Hull but was then sent off as Exeter cruised to a 3-1 win.

Green got the first goal in the tenth minute but former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe equalised 11 minutes later.

With five minutes to go in the first period, Green saw red and Steve Flack gave the home side an interval lead with a strike just before the break.

To complete a miserable day for Hull, Justin Whittle's own goal a minute into the second half secured the points for Exeter.

Rochdale recorded a good win at Bristol Rovers with Clive Platt (36) and Paul Simpson 12 minutes from time getting the goals, with Simon Bryant's leveller in the 45th minute not enough to save Rovers.

Bury came out on top in a five goal thriller against Swansea that saw another sending off.

Another former Manchester United starlet George Clegg gave Bury the lead in the tenth minute and when Jon Newby made it two the home side were fully in control.

James Thomas and a Danny Swailes own goal made it 2-2 only for Swailes to give Bury all three points ten minutes from time.  This proved too much for veteran striker Steve Watkin who saw red for abusive language.

Oxford travelled to the North East and came away with all three points after Steve Basham's goal in first half injury time saw the visitors beat Darlington 1-0.

John Martin (38) and a Matthew Lockwood penalty eight minutes from time gave Leyton Orient a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe.

Luke Rodgers continued where he left off last season with another two goal burst at Southend as Shrewsbury snatched a 3-2 win.

Neil Jenkins gave the home side the lead in just the ninth minute but three unanswered goals from Rodgers (40, 57) and Mark Atkins (77) seemed to have given the visitors all three points.
 
Tesfaye Bramble's 81st minute penalty caused a few last gasp flutters but The Shrews held on.

Bournemouth and Cambridge United shared the spoils on the South Coast as Terry Fleming's opener was cancelled out by Warren Feeney.

Finally Boston United are on negative two points following their 1-1 draw at Wrexham.  Simon Rusk's 63rd minute strike equalised Lee Trundle's opener.

Click below for more information on the relevant game:

Division Three
Bournemouth v Cambridge United
Bristol Rovers v Rochdale
Bury v Swansea City
Darlington v Oxford United
Exeter v Hull City
Hartlepool v Macclesfield Town
Leyton Orient v Scunthorpe
Lincoln City v Carlisle United
Rushden & Diamonds v Kidderminster Harriers
Southend v Shrewsbury Town
Wrexham v Boston United
York City v Torquay United

Click here for the Division Three table