Retford United have started the new Baris NCEL season by continuing where they left off at the end of the last campaign ? by being top of the Premier Division.

The Badgers were 3-0 winners at home to new boys Heanor Town, courtesy of second-half goals from Adam Scott, Rob Sanderson and Jake Stannard.

There was also defeat for the other two promoted sides as they both went down 2-1 on their travels.

Lee Whittington had put Worksop Parramore ahead after seventeen minutes at Staveley Miners Welfare but the hosts were soon back level, courtesy of an Andrew Fox penalty, and Simon Barraclough struck the winner with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

It was a similar story for Glasshoughton Welfare when Darrell Young gave them a nineteenth minute lead at Thackley before the home side turned the game round in the second half with a Mark Bett brace, his winning goal coming in the last five minutes.

Last season's runners-up, Bridlington Town, tasted defeat in their opening game as they also lost a first-half lead at home to Tadcaster Albion to be beaten 2-1.

Scott Phillips struck on 39 minutes but two goals in a minute around the hour mark from Steven Jeff and Daniel Gray made it all three points for the Brewers.

Three more Premier Division games ended 2-1 with away victories for Long Eaton United and Scarborough Athletic whilst it was an opening day home win for Arnold Town over Nostell Miners Welfare.

Shaun Rickford and Cameron Martin netted for Long Eaton at Armthorpe Welfare whilst Ollie Ryan and James Bennett ensured a winning start for Scarborough at Hall Road Rangers.

Ernest Boafa's fifteenth minute strike claimed a single goal victory for Brighouse Town at home to Pickering Town whilst Simon Spencer was the hero for Barton Town Old Boys in their 1-0 win at Maltby Main.

Keiran Corley and Gibril Bojang scored either side of the interval in Liversedge's 2-0 victory at Lincoln Moorlands Railway whilst, in the only Premier Division draw of the day, there were no goals between Winterton Rangers and Parkgate.

The Division One season began on Friday night with AFC Emley taking the honours in a 2-1 home defeat of Hallam.

Ashley Flynn put the hosts ahead on eleven minutes but parity was restored very quickly by Danny Wiltshire.

Sean Hazelden's header just before the break, though, meant Emley got off to winning start.

Two of the league's new sides faced each other in the rest of the games that were played on Saturday and it proved to be a six-goal thriller between Athersley Recreation and Cleethorpes Town.

Lee Stephenson scored Cleethorpes' first ever NCEL goal from the penalty spot on eighteen minutes and the visitors doubled their advantage soon after through Aaron Greenbeck.

The hosts pulled one back with Jason Bentley also netting from the spot but Stephenson got his second and his side's third to restore their two-goal advantage by half-time.

The Recs, though, made sure honours were shared after the break as Bentley struck again and Jack Briscoe equalised on 65 minutes.

Another side making their NCEL debut took a point from their opening game as Knaresborough Town drew 1-1 at home to Eccleshill United, Paul Eagling's early strike for them cancelled out just before the interval by Lee Hill.

But, Clipstone Welfare's first game in the league ended in defeat as an Ant Lynam double helped Dinnington Town to a 3-1 victory at the Lido Ground.

Shirebrook Town and Teversal won their opening matches by the same scoreline, Michael Taylor's brace helping Shirebrook to the victory at Bottesford Town whilst Ben Ferguson, Eli Mitchell and Danny Claridge found the net for Teversal in their success at home to Appleby Frodingham.

Selby Town, who were relegated from the Premier Division, settled down into life in Division One quickly with a 1-0 victory over visitors Rossington Main, Paul Jones with the winner on the stroke of half-time.

Worsbrough Bridge Athletic won 2-0 at Grimsby Borough whilst a double from Craig Heard saw Yorkshire Amateur triumph 2-1 at Askern Villa and Hemsworth Miners Welfare were single goal victors at Pontefract Collieries, thanks to a 65th minute strike from Neil Towler.

And, as in the Premier Division, there was one draw, as Louth Town's Matt Kennedy cancelled out Aron Heywood's opener on the hour for hosts Albion Sports in a game that finished 1-1.