NATIONAL League leaders Harrogate extended their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Maidstone United.

Callum Howe put the visitors in front when he nodded in after Liam Kitching's header had come back off the bar.

Jack Muldoon doubled the advantage just before the break, slotting home after being played in on goal by Joe Leesley.

Maidstone's best chance to get back in the game fell to Shamir Mullings, but his header was deflected on to the bar.

Harrogate: Belshaw; Burrell, Howe, Kerry, Kitching, Langmead, Agnew, Thomson, Leesley, Muldoon (Williams 77), Knowles (Beck 69). Subs (not used): Parker, Cracknell, Sutton.

JOE Ellul netted a second-half winner as Braintree registered their first victory of the National League season at Gateshead.

The home side threatened to take the lead after half an hour when Greg Olley got on the end of a fine move but fired just wide with an effort from the edge of the area.

But Braintree went in front after the break when Ellul headed in a free-kick at the far post.

Goalkeeper Ben Killip saved Steven Rigg's header with his legs as Braintree hung on to their lead to secure a vital 1-0 victory.

GATESHEAD: Pears; Tinkler, Kerr, Otley, O’Donnell, Mellish, Forbes, White, Salkeld, Rigg, Boden. Subs (not used): Foden, Barrow, Hunter, Williamson, Devitt.

YORK City caretaker boss Sam Collins felt only “two or three players” performed well during a 3-0 home defeat to Kidderminster Harriers.

Collins, the former Hartlepool defender and coach, endured the first defeat of his four-game reign as the undefeated Harriers won a fourth consecutive game thanks to Ed Williams’ brace and a second-half Joe Ironside effort.

As a consequence, the Minstermen dropped down to 13th in the National League North table, with Collins quick to dismiss the display as a “bad day”.

He told the York Press said: “Nobody is happy when you lose 3-0 and the goals we gave away were poor. Kidderminster were better on the day and that happens in football.

“They are a good team who won’t be a million miles away. Their manager has also been there all season and has worked on styles of play and formations.

“They’ve got good players in forward positions, which we knew about, but we had too many players who didn’t play as well as they have been doing. The players have been consistent during the games I have been taking them and, while there were two or three that did well again, that’s not enough to win a football game.

“But I won’t be blaming anybody because it’s a collective thing, which includes the decisions I make. We just had a bad day and they had a good one.”

York: Bartlett, Griffiths, Tait, Bencherif, Griffiths; Law, Heslop, Moke (York 63); Langstaff, Wright (Parkin 46), McAughtrie (Newton 46). Subs (not used): Burrow, Whitley.