Tuesday night saw the second round of the dawning season's Blue Square Premier action take place, with a host of teams building on winning starts to become early front runners for the new campaign.

Newcomers Barrow built on their shock win against Oxford on Friday by gaining an away win in the first match on their travels. A period of six goals in twenty-seven minutes brought their trip to Altrincham to life, and Paul Brown's strike ten minutes from time gave The Bluebirds a 4-3 win. Co-managers David Bayliss and Darren Sheridan have brought their side the perfect start, going into Saturday with two wins out of two.

Their opponents on that day will be Cambridge United, one of three other sides to have consecutive wins to start the season. Lee McEvilly's brace saw off Kidderminster Harriers in one of only two matches to pass an attendance of 3000.

Weymouth and Rushden are the other sides with a maximum haul of points from the first days of the season, both having recorded impressive wins on Tuesday. Weymouth came away from Oxford with a 1-0 win courtesy of Stuart Beavon, a result that leaves Darren Patterson's men as one of three sides yet to collect a point.

Second half strikes from Sam Smith and Lee Phillips gave Rushden a 2-0 win in their first home match of the season, and it was Ebbsfleet United who found themselves on the losing end. Rushden are also yet to concede a goal, the only team to have played two matches to have achieved this.

Title favourites Stevenage Borough underlined their promotion credentials by falling to a home defeat against newly promoted Eastbourne Borough. Andy Atkin scored twice as The Sports recorded a 3-1 win, their first points since coming up from the Blue Square South last season.

Torquay United almost joined Oxford and Stevenage by falling to a home defeat, until Elliot Benyon and Wayne Carlisle netted second half goals to give The Gulls a 2-1 win against Woking. The Cards therefore join Graham Westley's men on no points so far.

Nigel Clough's Burton Albion also needed a late goal to avoid home defeat, Aaron Webster scored seven minutes from time to earn a 1-1 draw against Northwich Victoria, for whom Darryn Stamp had opened the scoring.

Mansfield Town recorded their first win since relegation from the Football League, building on Saturday's comeback at Ebbsfleet by seeing off Histon 1-0. Veteran Jason Lee netted his second goal in as many matches as Field Mill hosted its first nonleague match in 77 years in front of a respectable 2700 crowd, below only Torquay, Cambridge United and Oxford.

Forest Green Rovers fell to a home defeat against Salisbury City, who recovered from their own home loss on Saturday to claim a 2-1 victory. Darrell Clarke netted twice for The Citadels, while Andrew Mangan's goal proved only a consolation for the hosts.

The final two matches of the evening involved the respective champions of last season's regional divisions. Lewes fell to a heavy 3-0 loss at home to Crawley Town, the biggest winning margin of the evening, two goals in as many minutes just before half time seeing The Red Devils secure their first points of the season.

Kettering Town recorded a second consecutive 1-1 draw, but had their goalkeeper Lee Harper to thank for keeping them unbeaten. He saved Danny Kedwell's injury time penalty at The Recreation Ground as Grays Athletic missed a chance to secure the points. John Dempster had earlier scored Kettering's equaliser, his second of the season already.

York host Wrexham in Thursday's televised fixture, after which the second round of fixtures will be complete. If either side is able to gain a victory they will join the current four teams with a perfect record, due to both sides recording opening day wins.

Saturday sees the third round of fixtures in eight days before the sides have a week off before returning to action, by which time fans of clubs around the Blue Square Premier will have a good idea of which direction their seasons are heading in this fledgling campaign.

Matt Ramsay