Midweek shocks in the National League

The National League has a reputation for unpredictability, but it surpassed itself with a series of unexpected upsets this midweek.

The Gulls did not play on Tuesday, but their former midfielder Matt Buse topped the bill with a shock winner (1-0) for lowly Wealdstone over leaders Grimsby Town on a remarkable night, even by NL standards.

Buse's 29th minute goal at Grosvenor Vale - he had been released at Plainmoor in the summer - inflicted only Grimsby's second defeat of the season for a team which had recently lost 5-0 at Torquay.

But the shocks didn't stop there.

Big-spending trio Stockport County, Wrexham and Notts County were all heavily tipped to win.

But the Hatters, down to ten men, lost 2-1 at home to struggling Barnet, Wrexham also had a player sent off in a 3-2 defeat at Maidenhead and Notts, despite a goal from ex-Torquay defender Kyle Cameron, were pegged back (1-1) by Michael Cheek's 80th minute equaliser for Bromley at Meadow Lane.

At least Chesterfield stuck to the form book, when they moved to within a point of Grimsby with a 1-0 home win over Eastleigh.

Big-money signing Kabby Tshimanga scored his eleventh goal in 13 games.

Former Torquay loanee Scott Boden hit the winner as Boreham Wood (3rd) won 1-0 at King's Lynn.

FC Halifax Town moved into fourth place after beating Dagenham & Redbridge 1-0 at The Shay and in-form Solihull Moors (5th) came from behind to win 2-1 away to Altrincham.

It all leaves Torquay still in 14th place, ahead of their trip to Wrexham this Saturday, but another surprise result in front of an all-ticket crowd at the Racecourse Ground could see the Gulls move into the top half of the table.

This weekend's match-of-the-day looks to be Grimsby-v- Notts (8th) at Blundell Park, but it would be a brave man to predict any results in a division where money is seldom any guarantee of success.