Woking started positively, feeding the busy Tyreke Johnson on the left, as they were to do for much of the evening when on the front foot... The game continued to be fairly evenly balanced till midway through the half when the Ravens made what proved to be the decisive breakthrough.

A superb pass found Cheek in the box, whose shot was deflected back to Arthurs. His speculative lob,or was it a deflection?, towards the far post, with Smith stranded, seemed to be going wide but somehow just crept in to give Bromley a 1-0 lead.

[In the first half, Woking] had largely matched the Ravens but had not tested the Bromley keeper, while Bromley’s more incisive attacks, though relatively few in number, generally carried a greater threat...

The Cards continued to do most of the pressing, winning five corners in the space of a few minutes as the game approached midway through the second half...

The Cards were reduced to ten men, Annesley picking up two quick bookings, the second of which... was rash in the circumstances... A very solid Bromley defence saw out the game, leaving the Cards with nothing to show for their considerable efforts".

The Grimsby Telegraph reports that "The Mariners were beaten 1-0 at The Racecourse Ground to leave them on a run of two wins in 14 matches

Wrexham AFC boss Phil Parkinson believes his side should have killed off Grimsby Town earlier during their 1-0 win on Tuesday night.

The Mariners fell to their eighth successive away defeat at The Racecourse Ground, leaving Paul Hurst's side six points adrift of the play-off places.

Hurst felt his team deserved something from a tight encounter...

'It was a hard-fought victory,' Parkinson told The Leader... 'We know we should have had a couple more goals, we had some great chances to kill the game off'".

We learn from the Maidenhead Advertiser that "The return of key men from injury has been instrumental to Maidenhead United’s recent resurgence in the National League, says manager Alan Devonshire.

His side claimed an impressive and highly valued three points against league leaders FC Halifax Town on Saturday, lifting them nine points clear of the relegation zone and throwing another spanner into the works of a possible title challenger.

Their unbeaten start to the new year was brought to an end by Stockport County on Tuesday, but United played well in the first half and should carry some confidence from that into Saturday’s game at Wrexham.

This season has been one of Devonshire’s most challenging as manager, with injuries, illness and suspensions leaving him woefully short-handed during certain spells of the season. In the lead up to Christmas the side lost six games from seven in all competitions and Devonshire had to constantly juggle his line-up to cope with new injuries.

Throw a COVID outbreak in the camp into the mix, and players struggling to regain full fitness after contracting the virus, and all the ingredients were there for a disappointing campaign.

However, the return of key figures to the fold, including defenders Will De Havilland and Ryheem Sheckleford, has gone some way to turning around the club’s fortunes. Following the victory against the Shaymen at the weekend, Devonshire said... 'We’ve got a few boys back and they’re making a difference. Certain boys are also coming into form now, so I’m pleased. I’m pleased because it’s been a tough old season with all the injuries and COVID.

'It’s the worst season I’ve had as a manager in all the time I’ve had here. We’ve had some key players out for a long time now, but we’ve got some back today and another two will return next week.

'So, things are looking a lot better than they did a few weeks ago. We probably had enough chances to kill the game off but I’m not going to moan about that. It was good to keep a clean sheet at home. We beat the team that were going to be top if they got a draw on Tuesday, and we’ve won against the team that are top now.'”

Wrexham have announced "the signing of defender Callum McFadzean from Crewe Alexandra.

The left-back has put pen to paper with the club on a two-and-a-half-year deal, through to the summer of 2024... joining our record transfer Ollie Palmer at the Racecourse Ground...

McFadzean revealed... 'I want to be part of this journey'...

The 28-year-old left-back began his football career with Sheffield United... and has gone on to make more than 100 Football League appearances, including promotion-winning spells with Bury and Plymouth. He also signed for Phil Parkinson’s Sunderland.

The versatile defender, a former Scotland Under-21 international, joins the Red Dragons after making ten appearances in all competitions this season for League One side Crewe Alexandra".

At Notts County "Liverpool goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros has joined on loan until the end of the season.

The 20 year-old Czech youth international arrived at Anfield in 2017 from Slavia Prague... helping the Reds win the prestigious FA Youth Cup in his second season on Merseyside.

He went on to... [be] named on the bench for Liverpool’s Champions League matches against Ajax and FC Midtjylland and starting against Tranmere and Port Vale in the EFL Trophy.

Later in the campaign he joined Irish top-flight side St Patrick’s Athletic in what proved to be a hugely successful loan move...

Our head coach, Ian Burchnall, said... 'It’s well documented that we want to get Tiernan Brooks out on loan to further his first-team experience and as a consequence of that we needed to bring someone else in... Sam [Slocombe] was excellent at Wealdstone, has had a good season and is a top professional. He will be driven on by Vit and vice-versa.'”

ALTY BOARD GROWING TO TWELVE

Left: Co-chairman Bill Waterson

Press and Media Officer, John Edwards, writes that "Altrincham FC are on an ambitious journey, one that we hope will take us into the Football League for the first time in our history. We have risen from the Northern Premier League to the Vanarama National League with two promotions in quick succession, and that has been matched by significant progress in a number of other areas over the last couple of years...

To achieve our goals, we are going to have to transform the club from top to bottom over the next few years, across all aspects, on and off the pitch.

Your Board recognises the magnitude of the task ahead, and we are actively planning the next phase in our transformation. We cannot afford to sit back and become preoccupied with short-term challenges at the expense of the longer term...

To this end, the club are looking to expand the Board of Directors to give us the bandwidth and capability to help us meet not only our objectives for the next few months but beyond, into next season...

Right: Co-chairman Lawrence Looney

There are two roles we are recruiting for in the immediate term, namely an Operations Director and a Communications Director. We will be seeking external candidates to come and join an ambitious and dynamic team at the top of this Football Club, and in the interests of reaching the widest possible audience and therefore making the best possible appointments, we will be advertising the vacancies".

Footnote: Currently, the Board of Altrincham FC comprises ten people, listed below with (in most cases) their date of appointment to the Board in brackets.

NEXT OPPONENTS: SOLIHULL MOORS

On their latest win, Solihull Moors "struck two late goals at Torquay United to record back-to-back victories in the Vanarama National League...

Substitute Kyle Hudlin found the back of the net with five minutes left to play, scoring a sensational back heel after being teed up by James Clarke.

Andrew Dallas made the points safe in the final minute of added time with his ninth goal in just three games, as the Scot celebrated Burns Night in style.

The Moors made three changes to the team who dispatched Dover Athletic on Saturday afternoon. Mark Ellis made his debut in central defence after signing on loan until the end of the season from Barrow.

Danny Newton and Ryan Barnett also came into the team, with Adam Rooney and James Ball unavailable. Meanwhile, Kyle Storer was fit enough to return to the squad and took his place on the bench.

Ryan Boot, skipper for the evening, was the first goalkeeper to be called into action... The Gulls were forced into an early change with ex-Moors forward Danny Wright pulling up after six minutes; he was replaced by Dan Holman...

Moors were quick out the traps in the second period and almost took the lead... With nine minutes left to play, Neal Ardley called for Hudlin and, my, did the big man deliver.

On 85 minutes, Boyes’s deep cross was kept alive by Clarke who cushioned it to the striker before Hudlin took it upon himself to nonchalantly back heel the ball inside the near post, much to the joy of the 60 travelling Moors fans...

After the goal, Dallas sprinted away after being released by Hudlin, with only MacDonald to beat, he found the legs of the goalkeeper.

However, the Scot is a man in red-hot form and he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity when Sbarra played him in with 94 minutes on the clock. He coolly slotted past MacDonald to double Moors lead and, in the process, secure the club’s 100th victory in the Vanarama National League.

Solihull Moors: Boot (GK) (c), Clarke, Gudger, Sbarra, Maycock, Barnett (Osborne 73), Boyes, Dallas, Ellis, Newton (Hudlin 81), Maynard. Subs not used: Cranston, Storer, Myatt".

Before kick off, Barrow confirmed that "defender Mark Ellis has joined Solihull Moors on loan for the rest of the 2021/22 campaign.

The centre-back arrived at Barrow during the summer following a spell with Tranmere Rovers and has gone on to make 22 appearances in all competitions so far this term.

However, he’s been outside of Mark Cooper’s starting eleven in recent weeks and the Bluebirds boss has now given him the green light to join The Moors on a deal which includes an option to recall after the first 28 days".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Assistant manager Jason Bristow will take over on an interim basis.

Strevens was appointed as manager of the Spitfires in November 2018, following a spell as caretaker boss, and lead the club to the playoff semi-final. Eastleigh missed out on the playoffs last season after a final day defeat at Solihull Moors. The 41 year-old also played over 150 competitive matches for Eastleigh as a player.

An Eastleigh statement read... 'Ben has... helped the club to remain financially sound by managing on a budget and generating funds through player development and sales.

'However, after holding meetings in light of recent results and performances, both parties have come to an agreement that a change is required to move forward as a football club'".

Earlier, the Daily Echo had reported that "The Spitfires travelled to Dover having just sold star forward Ben House to Lincoln City and had a nightmare evening thanks to Alfie Pavey’s solitary goal.

It was the bottom-placed host's first win of the campaign after 25 attempts, while Eastleigh remain 14th...

Ben Strevens handed a first league start of the season to striker Dan Smith, who had been out on loan in the National League North.

After an evenly contested first-half where neither side threatened to break the deadlock, two half-chances fell in the way of Eastleigh just after the break but neither were converted.

The home side then made the decisive breakthrough in the 1-0 success just before the hour mark when Pavey coolly slotted home in the bottom right corner...

Strevens' side also lost at struggling Dover last campaign, before they withdrew from the season and their results were expunged".

Kent Online reports that "Whites earned their first competitive victory of the season on Tuesday as on-loan frontman Alfie Pavey scored the only goal in their 1-0 league success over Eastleigh at Crabble.

Bottom side Dover remain 30 points from safety despite the win, their first since a 3-1 success over Barnet on January 26, 2021 [which was voided later], but with 19 matches still to play this term, manager Hessenthaler now wants his side to build on it and have a say on how other teams' seasons pan out.

Hessenthaler, whose team host Southend this weekend, admitted 'It was nice to get that monkey off our back. The longer it (the run without a win) goes on, it becomes hard. You could see a little bit after losing Saturday’s game (5-0 at Solihull) that confidence was low. We know they’re a good side but we know we gave four goals away.

'But I said on Tuesday, we are at home so we have got to try and put that performance behind us. I've got to say, to a man, they were excellent. We got a little bit of luck which, over the course of the season so far, I think, we deserve. They hit the post, and Parkesy (goalkeeper Adam Parkes) made a good save.

'First half, I think we looked a bit nervous as a team but we came in at 0-0, which was really important having a clean sheet which we haven’t had. I said it might be an ugly win, and I think it was in the end, hard-fought but an ugly win really, but it was a nice feeling.

'I said to the players now we have won one game but we have 19 left so let’s see if we can try and go on a bit of a run now. Yeah, we picked up injuries on Tuesday and we are relying on some of these younger players which is good for them as well. But can we back it up against Southend now?

'That won’t be easy and can we have a say on the season going ahead for the next 19 games in terms of the teams we are playing?...

'Six minutes [of added time] went up as well after a couple of injuries! Those six minutes were the longest six minutes of my life really,' Hessenthaler said...

The match against the Spitfires, Hessenthaler's old club, also saw forward Michael Gyasi make his Whites debut off the bench, having signed on loan from fellow strugglers King's Lynn for the remainder of the season.

'I spoke to the manager at King’s Lynn, Tommy Widdrington, and he said he’s available to come out until the end of the season, so I thought why not? He gives us another option up front, with his pace. He came on and affected the game.'

Pavey's effort was his fourth of the campaign since rejoining Whites on loan from Maidstone in November... Teenage Academy midfielder George Wilkinson started for the third successive game against Eastleigh while defender Will Moses returned from a long-term ankle injury to come off the bench.

'Young George Wilkinson was excellent again. He got tired, and we took him off - but he... has played three games on the spin. He's been a revelation'" added Hessenthaler.

. 'It was good to see young Will Moses, he’s 18, he has been out for seven months with an injury... We also have Alex Green, Harrison Byford and Noah Carney - all these boys coming out of the Academy is fantastic. Teenage striker Noah Carney will miss Dover's match against Southend due to his England under-18 Schoolboys commitments as they play an RAF outfit".

The Echo News tells us that "Aldershot Town boss Mark Molesley felt his side came close to ‘executing the night perfectly’ against Southend United.

A late equaliser from Blues striker Harry Cardwell meant Molesley had to settle for a share of the spoils against his former club.

But Molesley, who bossed the Shrimpers between August and April last season, was pleased... 'We almost executed the night perfectly. We played low risk and got into the lead.

'Southend had a lot of possession but I thought we frustrated them and nullified them... We defended excellently and worked so hard. We played low risk but unfortunately we took a risk at the wrong place at the wrong time and we’ve been cruelly punished for it but that’s the nature of the league.'

The draw pushed Aldershot up to 15th in the National League table... 'You can’t underestimate a point sometimes,' said Molesley. 'We’ve nullified a very, very good Southend side and frustrated them at times... Our goalkeeper was called into action too much'".

Southend's Echo News reports that "Southend United boss Kevin Maher was pleased with how midfielder Noor Husin performed on his first start for the Shrimpers.

Husin replaced the injured Matt Dennis in the starting line-up for Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Aldershot Town...

'Noor did well,' said Maher. 'It’s difficult to get space when there’s a lot of bodies between the goal and the midfield. But he showed his quality on the ball at times and I was pleased with him. I was pleased with a lot of them to be fair'.

Husin also came off the bench during Blues’ 2-1 win against King’s Lynn on Friday".

According to the Maidenhead Advertiser, "The Magpies recent upturn in form was checked somewhat at the home of new league leaders Stockport County on Tuesday night but, had they taken their first half chances, the outcome might well have been different.

The visitors made almost all of the running in the first half in front of a large crowd at Edgeley Park of 5,352 which was bigger than all bar one of the EFL League One and Two matches played on the same evening.

Shaun Donnellan, restored to the starting line-up went close to scoring with an audacious chip from all of 40 yards, before Will De Havilland shinned a presentable opening wide of Ben Hinchcliffe’s goal...

Captain Alan Massey, in his 299th start for the Magpies, saw his header crash back off the crossbar following another dangerous United set piece and the consensus was that Maidenhead had dominated the opening 45 minutes against a side looking for a ninth consecutive win in league and cup.

United started the second half brightly... [but] another big opening came and went...

Within a minute the hosts led when Antoni Sarcevic’s header following a Macauley Southam-Hales cross wrong-footed [ex-Alty trialist keeper] Dan Gyollai and, just after the hour, United were two behind when Ryan Croasdale scored from the edge of the box.

Even then the visitors continued to fashion openings... Gloss was put on a flattering final score in injury time when John Rooney converted a cross from Ollie Crankshaw".

ALTY'S NEW INTERNATIONAL GOALKEEPER

Indeed, having joined in August 2020, he did not make his league debut until 3 May 2021 at Solihull Moors and, indeed, over the whole season was only named on the bench for four other league games. In cup matches he played once, as mentioned above, in the Cheshire Senior Cup, and was an unused sub for two other cup ties.

It has been a little better this season as he has made three National League appearances, owing to an injury to Tony Thompson, and also three appearances in cup competitions. Nevertheless, he has now just been selected to join the New Zealand international team!

He is currently in a second loan spell at Nantwich Town but Altrincham FC announces via press and media officer Brian Flynn that "Matt Gould has been called up by New Zealand for The All Whites' internationals against Jordan on Friday 28 January at New York University Stadium, Abu Dhabi and Uzbekistan on Tuesday 1 February at The Sevens Stadium, Dubai.

Matt's call up comes after a positive Covid-19 test for goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic forced his withdrawal from the squad.

Head Coach Danny Hay [said]... 'The situation gives us the opportunity to bring Matt Gould in for the first time, someone who has been on our radar for a while.'”

Matt, who is currently on loan at Nantwich Town, is qualified to play for England and New Zealand".

Footnote: Last week South African international Dean Furman left Altrincham.

NEXT OPPONENTS: SOLIHULL MOORS

The result leaves the Midlands club 16 points ahead of Alty, having played one fewer game. And Andy Dallas's goal in Devon makes it nine in three matches for the former Rangers striker.

Altrincham go into the game looking for a first league win in eleven National League fixtures and a first clean sheet in seventeen league outings.

Manager Phil Parkinson has revealed that virtual ever-present, Tom Hannigan (right), is likely to be out of action for a couple of weeks, having missed last Saturday's defeat by Torquay United.

Centre-back Tom recently passed the 200th appearance landmark for The Robins.

AFTER THE TORQUAY GAME

MIDWEEK RESULTS

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

• Aldershot Town 1-1 Southend United
• Bromley 1-0 Woking
• Dover Athletic 1-0 Eastleigh
• FC Halifax Town 0-1 Boreham Wood
• Stockport County 3-0 Maidenhead United
• Torquay United 0-2 Solihull Moors
• Wealdstone 0-0 Notts County
• Weymouth 1-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Wrexham 1-0 Grimsby Town

TOBY REMAINS POSITIVE

But an elementary defensive error was ruthlessly punished early in the second half to inflict a 2-1 defeat on a Robins side who are now without a win since beating Weymouth on November 20.

It left them worryingly close to the drop zone, having played more games than all the teams below them, but centre-back Mullarkey struck a defiant note ahead of Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors.

Left: Toby Mullarkey had had a close encounter with the barber before last Saturday's game.

He said 'We’ve got to cut out mistakes that are proving so costly, but the first half was probably the best we have played in a long time. Even after going behind again, we did more than enough to have taken something out of the game and were unlucky not to.

'We’ve had two efforts cleared off the line, as well as hitting the bar, and, any other day, one of those will go in and we are back in business... but we’ve only ourselves to blame for the errors we are making. We have to put that right, and we will...

'Everyone can see we are playing our brand of football and getting at the opposition... confidence is fine... We are a squad who are together. I’ve never known a changing room like it.

'We are all 100-per-cent committed to putting things right and getting back on track, and by sticking together, we will do it.'"

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 25-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at Preston and has not featured in the Championship so far this season. A recruitment source has told Football Insider that... Halifax have struck a deal to take Thomas on loan for the rest of the season...

Thomas penned a one-year deal at Deepdale in August 2021...

Thomas [impressed]... in a pre-season friendly while playing for non-league side Bamber Bridge. The Blackpool-born striker has played just seven minutes of senior action this term, all of which came in the League Cup.

Thomas came through the ranks at Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers but failed to make a senior appearance for either side. He then joined Burnley’s development squad but was shipped out on loan to Ayr United. He played seven times for the Scottish club during the 2016/17 season... before Thomas found his feet again in England’s non-league.

He had spells at Squires Gate, AFC Blackpool, and Bamber Bridge".

According to the Maidenhead Advertiser, "Maidenhead United have signed forward Shawn McCoulsky on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

McCoulsky’s previous clubs include Walton Casuals, Forest Green Rovers, Bromley, FC Halifax Town and most recently League 2 side Colchester United...

McCoulsky joins a Magpies side that are on the up after consecutive victories over promotion challengers Chesterfield and Halifax...

The 25 year-old began his career at Dulwich Hamlet and, after a move to Bristol City in 2015, he had loan spells with Weston-super-mare, Torquay United, Bath City, Newport County, and Southend United. He joined Forest Green Rovers in 2019 and had two further loan spells with Bromley and Halifax and linked up with Colchester in 2021 after his release from Forest Green.

He made his debut from the bench in Colchester’s 4-0 FA Cup first round win against AFC Sudbury on November 5, scoring the U’s fourth goal in the third minute of stoppage time. He left the club in January following the end of his short-term contract".

Before becoming the first team to be defeated by Dover Athletic this season, Hampshire's In the Daily Echo reported that "An honest Ben Strevens has revealed that he wants to bring in one or two younger players after Ben House’s move but added 'Whether I will be able to or not, I don’t know. We really need to.'

The Spitfires will be moving forward without their star attacker House, following his permanent transfer to League One Lincoln City for an undisclosed fee.

The forward is the third Eastleigh gem to move into the upper reaches of the Football League in three seasons, following Rob Atkinson and Joe Tomlinson’s moves.

Those deals have made the club 'a lot of money,' admits Strevens, but the power is out of his hands regarding what they can reinvest this winter...

He told us 'There is a couple targets in the Conference South that I want to go for... I don’t know if I’m going to be allowed to... Our identity for the last few years has been moving away from the finances that Eastleigh have, because we haven’t had it and we haven’t got it.

'All these teams have huger budgets than us but it’s always been can we push on and try and somehow make the play-offs. Twice out of the last three years we have overachieved, but other people take that for granted now... Now, I want that identity as well...

'We lost important players like (Jack) Payne, (Michael) Green, (Joe) Partington, you need them characters but I want our identity to be giving younger players chances and that’s what I want to do. Whether I will be able to do it I really don’t know... but we have to do something, we really do...

'We might have to take a young lad out of an under-23s and give them a chance... but the thing with those is they may do amazing[ly] but they are always going to leave, you know. They’re always going to go back to their parent clubs. I’d rather go for a boy out of the Conference South, or our level, a young lad to invest in, try and give them the platform to kick on, to go up to League One and make the club some money.'

Strevens then revealed that the club’s recent business has been very lucrative. He said 'I can’t say what [amount], but in those three transfers and the sell-on from Rob going this year, trust me, they’ve paid for my wages, Jason’s (Bristow) and everyone else’s over and over again. We have made this club a lot of money in the last few years, a huge amount of money. And we need it...

'We were very lucky to have Stewart Donald as a wealthy investor and it was amazing to be a part of, so enthusiastic in wanting to get this club into the Football League. Now Kenny and them are doing it the way they are, every penny counts and to sell someone... it helps when that money comes in'".

The Derbyshire Times reports that "Police remain tight-lipped over whether they are investigating allegations of misconduct against Chesterfield manager James Rowe.

The Spireites' boss, 39, was suspended by the club on Monday ‘pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct’...

Derbyshire Constabulary said in a statement 'We are aware that Chesterfield Football Club have taken action to suspend a member of the club for allegations surrounding misconduct. Due to a person being named in the media we are not able to confirm or deny at this time that a police investigation is taking place in relation to this matter'.

Since the announcement on Monday afternoon, Rowe’s social media accounts have disappeared".

ALTY HIGHLIGHTS

Above: Alty defend a Torquay corner, last Saturday.

The excellent Alty TV has highlights from the home game against Torquay United last Saturday.

NEXT OPPONENTS: SOLIHULL MOORS

Dallas said... 'We drew 0-0 at their place [Dover] so we feel we owed them one...

'When the third went in I was a bit frustrated because I had two good chances before, but it’s good I’m getting in those positions and the boys are seeing my runs'...

The fifth and final goal not only provided Moors fans with quality of the highest level, but also composure and confidence of a striker who had just tucked away an eighth goal in two matches...

The Scot continued 'Me and Joey [Sbarra] have got a good link-up... We needed to bounce back from the two league defeats on the trot, so we’ve been able to do that and it’s a big week for us with two more tough games...

'I always want more. It’s relentless and a kind of greed, but you can’t get too high with the lows and too low with the lows'".

By way of coincidence, Solihull's opponents tonight are Alty's last opponents, Torquay United. The Midlands side face a long midweek trip to the Devon Riviera whilst Alty have no midweek fixture.

As for Dallas, he was only a used sub in the reverse fixture between the Moors and Alty earlier this campaign. However, he scored twice against Alty last season whilst playing for Weymouth, as the Terras beat Alty 2-1.

Several Solihull players who will not face Alty on Saturday are the subject of a loan update from Solihull Moors who report that "Defender Matt Preston has completed a short-term loan move to National League North outfit Kidderminster Harriers.

Preston, 26, has made seven appearances for Moors this season and will remain at Aggborough until 22nd March...

Elsewhere, Jordan Piggott made his Telford United debut on Tuesday evening as the Bucks lost 4-1 at Gateshead. Melis Bushaj also made his loan bow at Stratford Town... Meanwhile, goalkeeper Tom Allsopp is on the move after he signed on a short-term loan to Highgate United until February 9th".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The striker has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Racecourse Ground, through to June 2025...

Palmer said 'I’m excited. It’s a brand new opportunity for me and something I really wanted to be involved with so I’m looking forward to it.

'I had a good conversation with the gaffer here, and he really sold it to me. The passion around the town for the Football Club; it’s obviously one of the oldest Football Clubs around and it’s just about getting them back to where they want to be'...

Standing 6ft 5in tall, the striker, who has scored eight times for the Dons this season and leads their goalscoring charts, spent time on loan with the Mariners in the National League in 2015...

Manager Phil Parkinson said of the signing... 'Ollie was a player we wanted right from the offset... Credit to Rob and Ryan for sanctioning the deal... When you’re attracting a player from a higher league, the deals are never easy'".

AFC Wimbledon confirm that they "reluctantly accepted an offer of £300,000 for our striker Ollie Palmer after the player insisted he wanted to leave the club...

Our Chief Executive Joe Palmer said 'Wrexham offered a substantial fee for Ollie and also made him an irresistible personal offer.

'In the end, though, it was entirely Ollie’s decision to leave. We couldn’t have offered him anywhere near what he was being offered'...

Ollie joined us in August 2020 but injuries restricted him to 52 first-team appearances, in which he scored 13 goals'".

Before the Welsh club splashed £300,000 and a three and a half year well-paid contract on Ollie Palmer,The Leader Live reported that Phil Parkinson was "experiencing a 'tough' January transfer window...

Parkinson, who has until January 31 to add fresh faces before the window closes, spelt out why it has been so difficult... He said, 'People think we have got a fortune to spend... Clubs are reluctant to let players go in and around the Covid issues, and the players I feel can improve us are the ones which are really tough to get because they are in a higher division and have probably got options at higher leagues so it is a combination of things...

Parkinson has room for new signings after allowing full-back Jamie Reckord to leave the club. The 29 year-old, who arrived at The Racecourse from Solihull Moors in the summer of 2020, has signed an 18-month deal at promotion rivals Boreham Wood after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent".

Chesterfield, who are top of the National League, have issued a brief statement about their manager, which is reproduced below in full...

"Chesterfield FC can confirm that James Rowe has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct.

Danny Webb will take charge of the team.

As the matter is subject to an investigation, the club is unable to make further comment until that investigation is complete".

The Grimsby Telegraph tells us that "Grimsby Town ... are keen to add at least three more bodies to their squad in the final week of the January transfer window.

Grimsby Town are set to sign Aston Villa midfielder Arjan Raikhy on loan until the end of the season, according to reports.

The Mariners have made four new addition in the January transfer window and Paul Hurst is still targeting more recruits.

Hurst told Grimsby Live last week that a midfielder, right-back and winger remain on their shortlist, before sanctioning the exit of David Longe-King.

The Athletic report that the Mariners have beaten off fierce competition to sign Raikhy until the summer. The 19 year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan at rivals Stockport County but was recalled due to a lack of first-team minutes.

Raikhy made his Aston Villa first-team debut against Liverpool in January 2021. Despite not featuring for the senior side since his debut, he is very highly thought of at Villa Park...

Grimsby Town have already added Scott Burgess to their midfield department this month but Hurst is keen to sign another option in the centre of the park... Hurst told the media... 'Our business hasn't stopped yet. We need to make probably three more additions to make us better'".

And the Grimsby Telegraph adds that "Paul Hurst has explained his decision to loan out David Longe-King and confirmed Grimsby Town do not have a recall clause.

The Mariners' centre-back joined Woking on loan until the end of the season on Friday after struggling for first-team minutes this season.

Longe-King's exit leaves Town with only Luke Waterfall and Shaun Pearson as options at centre-back, with Andy Smith covering for the injured Michee Efete at right-back...

'With David (Longe-King), he is under contract with us next season as well,' Hurst told Grimsby Live. 'His opportunities have been limited. We have worked with him and tried to improve him. Ultimately, he needs to go out and play the games for that to really come into fruition... If you look at his career, for his age he is not experienced. We are hoping the loan can help him...

'Crookesy (Adam Crookes) is fit, I went with more attacking on the bench and Danny (Amos) played. We have got it (cover). Does it leave us light? Potentially. Michee (Efete) is out at the minute. You could say it's a gamble [letting Longe-King go] but I think we have enough. We will look at that area but you can't just carry people for the sake of it.'"

A rival manager not enamoured of the Lincolnshire club is the Bromley boss, who "has slammed Grimsby Town, labelling them 'disrespectful' after... The Mariners were beaten 2-1 at Blundell Park by Andy Woodman's side on Saturday" reports the Grimsby Telegraph...

Bromley opted to celebrate in front of the home supporters after their equaliser in the first half, much to the annoyance of the Blundell Park crowd. Grimsby Town fans gave as good as they got but nonetheless, there was no real malice in the actions of either side.

However, Woodman has taken exception to the conduct of the club... 'I don't like them, 100 per cent,' Woodman told BT Sport. 'I don't like the comments they made about my team. I don't like the comment they made when we won at our place. I'm not going to sit here and candyfloss it, I think they have been totally disrespectful to us.

'I say it as it is, that's it. I think you have to give a bit more respect to professional footballers, in my opinion. I think that revved our boys up. I didn't really have to do a team talk, it was all done for me, to be honest.'

The Mariners will be more frustrated in the manner they threw away Saturday's match after taking the lead".

Southend's Echo News tells us that "King's Lynn boss Tommy Widdrington suffered late disappointment on his return to Southend United.

A last gasp penalty from Sam Dalby saw King’s Lynn suffer a 2-1 defeat at Roots Hall.

But Widdrington did not agree with the decision to award the spot-kick or his subsequent red card.

'If I’m going to get sent off for flicking a gel packet at the fourth official there’s something gone blatantly wrong with the game,' said Widdrington.

'He said to the ref I had thrown something at him but what I threw at him was the gel packet he was supposed to pick up off the pitch which the Southend lad had left on there. If he puts that in and says that I will show you guys it the next time I have a press conference because that it ridiculous.

'I was frustrated because I thought it was the wrong decision. The fourth official’s job I understand is very difficult. He has me in one ear and Kev in the other at different times of the game. But his job is to appease us and if he doesn’t want to then he doesn’t have to talk to us.

'What he doesn’t do is come back at you and make you argumentative towards him, that’s what he did.'

The defeat kept King’s Lynn second from bottom in the table, 13 points from safety.

But Widdrington, who was assistant manager at Blues back in 2010, would welcome an apology from the officials following the contentious penalty decision.

'When I managed previously at any level and a decision like that happened I’ve always had a referee ring me up and ask my thoughts,' said Widdrington. 'If I’ve been wrong I’ve apologised but I’ve also had them say sorry. It doesn’t help us but there’s a crumb of decency there.

'I’m delighted Sam (Dalby) has said it wasn’t a penalty and he was the one getting tackled. It’s a crumb of decency I’m after, a "sorry I got it wrong"...

Widdrington felt the game could have gone either way... 'But the frustrating thing for me is that the game has been decided by people who shouldn’t be doing that'...

King’s Lynn have now been beaten 11 times in their last 12 league games.

But Widdrington wants his side to follow in Blues’ foot-steps by turning things round. 'Their fortunes have changed so I don’t see why ours won’t,' said Widdrington, who is based in Southend."

Meanwhile, the Lynn News confirms that "King's Lynn Town's Ethan Coleman has joined League Two Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee.

The midfielder, who signed a permanent deal at The Walks in the summer, put pen-to-paper on a two-and-a-half year deal... Coleman has been an integral part of the Linnets' squad since signing from National League North outfit Brackley Town.

A statement on the club's website a short while ago said... 'Ethan joins the growing number of excellent prospect that have been able to develop their careers through their time at The Walks, joining Simon Power, Sonny Carey and Joe Taylor who have all recently moved to league clubs, reflecting our growing reputation for developing players within our system.

'Ethan has played for us 20 times this season, scoring twice'...

Manager Tommy Widdrington hinted after the 2-1 league defeat at Southend on Friday night that there were likely to be a number of incomings and outgoings before Lynn's next league fixture at Boreham Wood on Saturday".

The Nottingham Post reports that "striker Lewis Knight has returned to former club Bradford Park Avenue on loan for the remainder of the season.

Knight joined the Magpies from the Yorkshire outfit in March 2021 for a nominal fee... The 23-year-old made eight appearances for Notts in 2020-21 but suffered a hamstring injury in pre-season ahead of the current campaign and was then injured again on his return to first-team action in October".

And there has been a new arrival at The Shay as the Halifax Courier reports that "FC Halifax Town have signed striker Aaron Martin on loan from Harrogate until the end of the season.

The Sheffield-born forward has made just eight appearances for Harrogate this season, six of them as a substitute.

He joined Harrogate in March 2020 after prolific spells in non-league with Brighouse Town and Guiseley...

Martin started Harrogate's play-off semi-final and final when they earned promotion from the National League in 2019-20, and then scored six goals in 42 games during the following campaign".

TOBY TALKS

NEXT MATCH: SOLIHULL MOORS

The Moors have 13 more points than Altrincham, from two fewer games, and the Midlands side now lies ninth in the table. Alty remain sixteenth but, on points per game, are actually twentieth after a sequence of results which is better only than that of the hapless Dover Athletic in the National League.

In the reverse fixture with the Moors, a Covid-affected Alty lost 1-2.

As for Dallas, Glasgow Rangers tell us that "Former Rangers youth talent Andrew Dallas might never have made the first-team at Ibrox but he’s certainly making his mark at English National League side Solihull Moors.

The 22 year-old striker came through the youth ranks at Ibrox and was signed by The Moors in the summer from League One Cambridge United.

And after a rocky start to life at the West Midlands club the striker has just netted five goals in a single game, following up from a perfect hat-trick last weekend! The potent forward now has eight goals in two games after firing a remarkable five goals past Dover in a 5-0 win...

All five goals came in a remarkable 47 minutes that we’re sure ex-Rangers kid Andrew will never forget.

The impressive rout comes just seven days after Andrew Dallas netted a perfect hattrick and all three goals in a 3-0 win away to Southport in the FA Trophy.

After a rocky start to life at Solihull, Dallas had netted only three goals in 23 games prior to these eight goals and hadn’t scored since mid-September, now Andrew appears to be finding his feet...

Signing his first ever professional deal with Rangers in 2016, Andrew Dallas never played for the Gers and had two loan spells with Stenhousemuir and Greenock Morton whilst on the books at Ibrox.

Leaving for Cambridge United on an undisclosed fee in 2019, Dallas spent the second half of last season on loan at National League Weymouth where he netted 12 goals in 25 games.

The result leaves Solihull Moors in 9th place in the National League".

And in off the field news, the Birmingham Mail reveals that "Solihull Moors are facing an upheaval over their ground - after the council earmarked it for development.

Above: Action from Alty's 1-0 win at Solihull in March 2014. Here, watched by Lee Sinnott and Neil Tolson in the foreground, Stuart Coburn puts (no.9) Dior Angus's freekick out for a corner.

The National League high-fliers are now looking for a new site after Solihull Council made their 10-acre home the subject of a land grab. The local authority is allowed to order them to leave as they need extra room for the Jaguar Land Rover factory which sits adjacent to the 5,000-capacity Armco Arena...

The plant has 5,000 workers and there are proposals to increase that figure by up to 25 per cent during the next few years.

Solihull Council described the future financial well-being of Jaguar Land Rover as 'critical' in its local plan. A significant six-figure sum has already been ploughed into the facilities at the site but the council do have an obligation to find the club another home to the same standard as they one they currently use.

The plan suggests the club could need to quit its base within the next three years".

THROUGH THE YEARS 29 January

Above: The teams of Altrincham and Stockport Sports line up in 2014 at Moss Lane.

The lineup was: 1. Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (capt), 3. Matt Doughty, 4. Adam Griffin, 5. Scott Leather, 6. Jake Moult, 7. James Lawrie, 8. Greg Wilkinson, 9. Kyle Perry, 10. James Walshaw, 11. Nicky Clee. Subs 12. Rob Gilroy, 14. Simon Richman, 15. Max Pouncey, 16. Damian Reeves, 18. Josh Samberg

Seven different players scored (and two others hit the woodwork) for Altrincham; the scorers were Walshaw, Clee, Reeves, Gilroy, Moult, Wilkinson, Lawrie (2).

In fact 29 January is a date for big Alty scores as the previous match before 29 January 2014 was a 7-1 win over Boston United!

TORQUAY REJOICE

"'I thought we deserved the win,' said Gary Johnson... [as] Torquay United were forced to work hard to get the win at Altrincham on Saturday and... Johnson called it 'a huge three points'...

'We started off very well,' the manager said. 'Obviously we had to try and press them, we wanted to press them to stop their pattern and we scored a terrific goal, which is something obviously that we were hoping would happen. And then we didn't quite keep going.

'We didn't get tight enough, we weren't close enough as a unit and at half time we had to say "lads, if you wouldn't mind, could you please pick up your man a bit tighter, closer, and we will start nicking much more than we did in the first half?"

'And I thought that's what we did and we scored a great goal... and then at that point it was important that we saw the game out properly"... It was then backs-to-the-wall stuff with everyone working hard to keep hold of the points, none more so than Shaun MacDonald, who had a great game in goal, making five or six fine saves. Torquay even survived two free kicks in injury time with probably the best player on the pitch, Ryan Colclough, unable to cap his performance when he blasted the final Altrincham chance over the bar.

'A few of them had heroic games today, including our goalkeeper,' said Johnson. 'I thought we deserved the win. It is a huge three points. I know Altrincham lost their last five games but a couple of them were against Stockport County - and they haven't had an easy last five games. And we know that they have got players that can win games for them'".

ALTY OLD BOYS

This is due to both players refusing to play in Tuesday night's game in the FA Trophy 4th Round against Guiseley as they wanted to go for a trial at two other clubs without our permission".

This followed an announcement last November that "Grimsby Town Football Club can confirm that Montel Gibson has departed the club by mutual consent.

"The striker signed for Stourbridge F.C. on loan earlier in the season until January 2022, but has since had his contract at the Mariners terminated by mutual consent.

"Gibson originally signed a three-year deal with the Mariners back in the summer of 2020, going on to make a total of 23 appearances in all competitions, scoring on three occasions".

The NL Paper elaborates, stating that "18-goal hitman Gibson, linked with League Two Rochdale, Mansfield Town and Oldham Athletic had been given the green light provided any trial did not clash with the game". On twitter, Gibson told the club that, "We did not refuse to play at all! [We] had a great opportunity to go for a trial to exprress ourselves which you refused!"

Gibson made two starts for Alytrincham, on loan from Grimsby Town, having joined on 1 March 2021. He had previously played against Altrincham for Halesowen Town in an Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie.

Earlier he had been signed by Notts County in 2016 from Midlands club Highgate United and had made five appearances for The Magpies... A successful spell at Ilkeston Town, following his release from County, led to brief spells with Redditch United and Bedworth United in the Midlands before a prolific spell with Halesowen Town in 2019-20.

He was signed by EFL2 club Grimsby Town in 2020 and had made 19 appearances for the Mariners before joining Altrincham. He was injured in the first half of his second start and returned to Grimsby.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Widdrington knows time is running out for his side who have won just once in their last 14 leagues games and are without a point this year.

And Lynn's boss is set to act following Friday night's 2-1 defeat to Southend where a controversial penalty decision robbed his side a share of the spoils.

Maidenhead's two victories against Chesterfield and Halifax this week have opened up an 11-point cushion over the bottom three in the table and Widdrington said 'The players were told in no uncertain terms before the game that it's time to ship in or ship out.

'There might be a few things happening at the start of the week. I've had enough looking at being nice but now I've got to be brutal if I'm being honest.

'There's still certain people programmed or computerised to play sideways and backwards and I don't want to do that.

'You look at Southend tonight, what they did competitively again, again, they asked questions of our back three. From that point if they are doing that, and this the club who played in the Championship ten years ago or whenever it was and we were a village team three seasons ago, you learn, learn everyday...

'Their fortunes have changed so I don't see why ours can't.'

Lynn's boss was delighted with the performance of loan signing Harry Phipps who marked his debut with a goal... 'We know he's effective in both boxes,' admitted Widdrington... 'He'll head a brick for you and I don't think there's enough of that in the group. If you look at who we've brought in, Zain Walker apart, they're all combative lads and I feel that's where we've lacked.

'You cannot as a football club expect to out-football every team in this division. You have to go toe-to-toe with them and win your battles'"

Meanwhile the Eastern Daily Press informs us that "Former King’s Lynn Town boss Ian Culverhouse has been unveiled as Kettering Town’s new manager... at Latimer Park where he will be joined by his assistant at Lynn, Paul Bastock".

We read in the Grimsby Telegraph that "Grimsby Town supporters left Blundell Park frustrated on Saturday after watching their side throw away a one-goal lead against Bromley.

The Mariners started the game quickly, fast out of the blocks and on the front foot. They got the goal their play merited through Jordan Maguire-Drew but an equaliser against the run of play threw the Mariners off course.

After a wobbly spell before half-time, the game coasted with neither side seizing the initiative to win the game.

The sucker-punch then landed when Town headed into their own net from a corner before Bromley saw out the victory...

Hurst refuted the question when posed to him by Grimsby Live after the match but he should have been more proactive with his substitutions. After an enforced change at the break, Town didn't make their second change until the 79th minute. That was 15 minutes too late.

The second half was a scrappy, cagey affair. I understand the reluctance to be gung-ho but equally, the game was there for the taking. The Mariners gave the initiative to their opponents rather than being proactive to win the match...

Bromley are a decent side... In truth, they were no better than Town but six places separate the two in the table. That's the real frustration...

The Mariners have managed just two clean sheets in their last 13 games, which is a concern... Tthe concentration levels do seem to dip throughout the 90 minutes. It's the goals they are conceding rather than the volume. A lot of them have been avoidable...

They have beaten the 'weaker' sides in the division, particularly at Blundell Park. The home record is still excellent but there's a familiar feeling after every near-miss against a promotion rival... They keep failing to get over the line which is a worrying, reoccurring theme.... They must show a more ruthless edge when they're on top".

"WE WERE POOR" SAYS SORVEL

Above: There is a variety of poses (and footwear) from Altrincham's players before kick off on Saturday against Torquay United. We see (l. to r.) Tony Thompson, Elliot Osborne, Ryan Colclough, Jordan Hulme and Jamie Morgan.

Following the home defeat by Torquay United on Saturday, Altrincham assistant manager Neiul Sorvel told the NL Paper's Andy Marshall, "We can't keep gifting teams chances. That's three games now we have conceded within ten minutes of the break.

"I thought we finally had our mojo back, as we showed in spells in the first half. But we were poor today, especially after the break".

Footnote: In fact the pattern of conceding within six minutes of the start of a game or start of the second half is even more marked than Neil Sorvel states. Altrincham have now conceded inside six minutes of the start of a half on no fewer than five of the last six halves of football that the team has played.

• v Stockport County: 6 mins: Antoni Sarcevic (making the score Altrincham 0 Stockport County 1)
• v Stockport County: 50 mins: Paddy Madden (penalty) (Altrincham 0 Stockport County 3)
• v Grimsby Town: 46 mins: John McAtee (Grimsby Town 1 Altrincham 0)
• v Torquay United: 6 mins: Connor Lemonheigh-Evans (Altrincham 0 Torquay United 1)
• v Torquay United: 51 mins: Stephen Wearne (Altrincham 1 Torquay United 2)

In seven earlier matches in the National League, Alty also conceded a total of eight goals in the first ten minutes of a half.

ALTRINCHAM 1-2 TORQUAY UNITED

Alty responded when centre-back Mullarkey picked up the ball more than thirty yards from goal and advanced to hit a fine, low shot into the bottom corner of MacDonald's net, just inside the keeper's right upright (30 mins).

Right: Toby Mullarkey is congratulated on his goal.

What proved to be the deciding goal was gifted to the Devonians and it arrived very early in the second half when Digie played a sideways pass straight to Wearne who scored comfortably past the exposed Thompson.

In a rousing final Colclough hit the bar with a superb freekick but Altrincham's winless run continued.

Match report here..

TORQUAY VIEW

There was an early goal for Connor Lemonheigh-Evans before Altrincham made it 1-1 on the half-hour mark. Loanee Stephen Wearne scored the winner just after the start of the delayed second half... and then at times it was backs-to-the-wall as Torquay did enough to hold on...

There were three big names missing... with key defenders Joe Lewis and Dean Moxey both absent because they have been forced to self-isolate and midfielder Tom Lapslie pulling out with a recurring groin injury.

Coming into defence was Ali Omar, after spending a lot of his time this season on the bench, and there was a debut for Stephen Duke-McKenna in midfield after his arrival on loan from Queens Park Rangers.

Lemonheigh-Evans opened the scoring on just five minutes. Duke-McKenna fed Danny Wright, who found the Torquay midfielder with a great pass. Lemonheigh-Evans took the ball around goalkeeper Tony Thompson and slotted it home...

Omar headed the ball against the crossbar from an Armani Little corner on 10 minutes as Torquay dominated the early stages.

A shot from 30 yards beat MacDonald, though; Toby Mullarkey given too much space in the final third and allowed to go for gold with a quality strike in the 30th minute for 1-1...

Altrincham played with more confidence after the equaliser and caused Torquay further problems. The Gulls had a lot of defending to do with Colclough especially dangerous in attack...

Wearne was closed down in a good position just after the restart, but the Sunderland loanee capitalised on a defensive mistake by Kennedy Digie in the 49th minute and put the Gulls 2-1 in front with a composed finish for a goal in his second game.

Colclough hit the Torquay woodwork with a dangerous free kick in the 54th minute... It was end to end...

Dan Holman came on for Wright in the 77th minute and another Digie mistake gave the striker an instant chance, but Thompson turned the shot around the post...

For the final five minutes of normal time... it was all Altrincham with Ben Pingle turning and shooting, but Hall getting in the way of the ball, and Johnson doing really well to deny Colclough with an excellent tackle."

From the home side, John Edwards's match report is on the official Altrincham FC website.

GOOD WIN FOR RESERVES

ALTY OLD BOYS AND LOANEES

Elsewhere, James Jones equalised for Barrow against Mansfield Town but The Stags went on to win despite playing with ten men for more than half of the game at Holker Street.

Dean Whitehead scored for AFC Fylde in a 2-1 win over Guiseley.

Alty loanee Tom Peers scored twice as Curzon Ashton beat Chester FC 4-3 with a 93rd minute winner.

As Ashton United beat Lancaster City, Jack Redshaw netted for the Tamesiders.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The match between Weymouth FC and Boreham Wood had to be temporarily stopped after Terras’ player Omar Mussa collapsed.

The midfielder looked to be in serious trouble when he fell during the Vanarama National League encounter at the LV Bet Stadium.

Weymouth’s Twitter account wrote on 40 minutes 'The game is paused as Omar Mussa is being treated to on the field'...

'An ambulance has been called for Omar Mussa. 15 minutes after collapsing he’s being walked off the pitch'...

Thankfully the Belgian looked to be fine, with Weymouth later tweeting 'Omar Mussa is on his feet and is feeling better'...

Mussa has made 14 appearances for his side in the league so far this season. In 2020, the youngster left his home nation to join Dover Athletic".

From the Grimsby Telegraph we learn that "The Mariners were beaten 2-1 by Bromley at Blundell Park in a frustrating match for the hosts.

Paul Hurst felt Grimsby Town gave away 'two poor goals'. The Mariners surrendered a one-goal lead at Blundell Park and conceded in the 83rd minute to hand the visitors all three points.

Town started brightly and went ahead through Jordan Maguire-Drew but couldn't sustain their dominance in the second half, allowing the result to slip through their fingers.

'It's a bad result which hurts'... Hurst told the media... 'We had chances to score more than one goal, we didn't take them. It wasn't one-way but when we had our good spell, we were well on top of the game. We didn't put it to bed. We let it slip away after starting very well.

'It's a mistake (from us) for the equaliser, he's onside. We didn't squeeze up, we played him on. We didn't take the chances, we concede an own goal...

'They were two poor goals to give away'...

Maguire-Drew was taken off at half-time with a calf injury and is now a major doubt to face Wrexham AFC on Tuesday. 'His calf (was the problem),' Hurst explained...

Hurst didn't make a second substitution until the 79th minute, to the frustration of some supporters".

Southend United confirm that "Terrell Egbri, Eren Kinali and Miles Mitchell-Nelson have gone out on loan.

Egbri and Kinali have completed moves until the end of the season to Farnborough and Hendon respectively.

Mitchell-Nelson joins East Thurrock United on a month-long loan deal".

WEEKEND LEAGUE GAMES

Friday 21 January

• Notts County P-P Barnet (Covid at Barnet)
• Southend United 2-1 King's Lynn Town (won by a 93rd minute penalty)

Saturday 22 January

• Altrincham 1-2 Torquay United
• Boreham Wood 1-1 Weymouth
• Chesterfield 0-0 Aldershot Town
• Dagenham & Redbridge 0-2 Stockport County
• Grimsby Town 1-2 Bromley
• Maidenhead United 1-0 FC Halifax Town
• Solihull Moors 5-0 Dover Athletic
• Woking 2-0 Wealdstone
• Yeovil Town 1-2 Wrexham

TODAY'S MATCH ARRANGEMENTS

After the shelving of the Government's Plan B, the restrictions that were in place against Wrexham and Stockport County have been lifted, and the stadium is now operating with a revised capacity of 5,300.

Furthermore, this increased figure will apply for the rest of the season, with all planned Phase One remedial works complete...

All parts of the stadium are open and you will be able to move around the ground during the game, from Pop Side to Golf Road, and into the Community Sports Hall.

And, once again, fans will have the choice between buying an e-ticket or paying on the gate...

We are actively looking to complete the first phase of the Fan Zone in order to deliver long-needed facilities on the Popular Side of the ground... There are still some repairs to be done on the Pop Side and to the external wall for the Golf Road."

TODAY'S OPPONENTS: TORQUAY UNITED

Johnson said it was the first time this season that all of his players have been available... So that means a return to the squad for four players who were still out last time Torquay played, two weeks ago when they drew 2-2 at home against Dagenham & Redbridge; Tom Lapslie, Byron Moore, Chiori Johnson and Armani Little...

'It has not happened once this season,' said Johnson... 'But we still have a couple of training sessions left so we are keeping our fingers crossed... It has been very difficult for any team really, as well as us, to field the same team week in, week out. So it is pretty even as far as that is concerned but it depends whether they are your top players who can affect the game more'.

With 'top' players like Danny Wright and Little missing games recently, and a splattering of Covid-isolations causing further problems, the fact that Torquay have picked up 13 points from their last six games must be considered a good return. Certainly the worrying early-season poor form seems to have been halted and a corner turned.

Altrincham, who beat them 3-1 at Plainmoor on the opening day of the season, have more recently been out of sorts. In fact, they haven't won a game in the league since they beat Weymouth back on November 20, losing seven games and drawing three of the 10 that followed that result. But because of their early season form, they are still well clear of the relegation zone, and another win has to come at some point, doesn't it?

'There are only one or two teams in our league that you could say are struggling,' said Johnson. 'Altrincham are one of those teams that are difficult sometimes to play against. They can put in a great performance like they did against us and then the following week they can put in a poor performance.

'That's the level, that's the way they are, that's the way a lot of teams are other than the lads at the top that have shown a consistency all through the season...

'We definitely won't be taking them lightly; every team has got a player or two that can change a game and it is those ones that you have to keep an eye on'".

In its match preview Torquay United remind us that "Prior to last season's goalless draw at Moss Lane, United have to go back to October 2015 for their last visit. A goal from Tyrone Marsh preceded a second half red card as the scores finished level at 1-1.

The Gulls dominated the opening stages of the first half with both Marsh and Alex Fisher going close on a couple of occasions. Jake Moult was Altrincham’s danger man coming close at the other end before United struck first in the 24th minute. The passage of play saw James Hurst put Marsh through and the striker cut inside before finishing with his left foot. Courtney Richards saw his piledriver blocked by Gianluca Havern and Fisher also went close again this time seeing his shot pushed away by Tim Deasy. Scott Leather shot over for the home side as the half ended with Torquay retaining their slim lead.

The second half started as the first had finished with United going close, Marsh having his good effort well saved. Altrincham started to grow in the game as the half wore on with the introduction of Ryan Crowther for the Robins being decisive. On 66 minutes Crowther won Altrincham a corner and although it was cleared it came out to Moult who hit the ball into the top corner from a full 30 yards out and the scores were level. United’s cause was not helped when Marsh was shown a straight red card for raising his hands to his own team-mate Dan Butler, but they held out to take a point away from their travels".

FURMAN DEPARTS

The vastly-experienced midfielder, a consummate professional throughout his time at the club, as befits a former captain of the South Africa national side, signed a short-term deal at Alty on August 25th after impressing in the final friendly of the pre-season programme away to Huddersfield Town B.

He made his first competitive appearance in Alty colours as a 62nd-minute substitute on... September 25th...

In all, he made 12 appearances for Alty, six as a substitute and six in the starting line-up".

On Thursday, Furman was acting as a commentator for the BBC on the Africa Cup of Nations match between Ivory Coast and Algeria.

The previous ten players to leave this season were Fisayo Adarabioyo, Barry Baggley, Joe Bunney, David Fitzpatrick, Connor Kirby, Adam Porter, Joel Senior, Tom Walker, Danny Whitehead, Sean Williams.

BOREHAM WOOD GAME: NEW DATE

The game will now be played on the following Tuesday, 15 February, at 7.45pm.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

House, 22, has been plying his trade in the National League with Eastleigh since leaving Championship side Reading in the summer of 2020.

Now, as per a report from Lincolnshire Live, the striker is set to make a return to the Football League.

The report states that Lincoln City are closing in on a deal to sign the former Swindon Town and Dagenham and Redbridge loan man, who sees his contract with Eastleigh expire at the end of this season.

House has made a good impression in his time with Eastleigh, managing 13 goals in 56 games for the club since his arrival and at only 22, the former Scotland youth international still has his best years ahead of him...

Although House only ever played once for the Royals’ senior side, the striker... scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 23 games for Reading’s U18s and also managed 13 goals in 38 games for their U23s".

Woking "announce the loan signing of David Longe-King.

The centre-back joins the Cards from Grimsby Town, on a deal until May 15th 2022.

David, 26, had spells at a number of non-league clubs before joining League Two’s Newport County in 2020.

The defender has also represented England C".

The Derbyshire Times tells us that "Chesterfield have rejected a bid from an unnamed club for midfielder Saidou Khan.

The 26-year-old only joined the Spireites in the summer on a free transfer after leaving Maidstone United.

He caught the eye playing for Dagenham and Redbridge on loan in the second-half of last season.

The Gambian-born man is Town’s joint second top goalscorer this season with five goals.

Boss James Rowe told the DT 'There has been a bid for Saidou but that has been rejected and also the player does not want to go anywhere, he is very happy where he is. I am pleased about that because you want players who are fully on-board'.

Khan has only started 11 of 22 league games this season and just one of the last five in the National League, although he did start against Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Explaining the reasoning, Rowe said 'In regards to Saidou, he needs to start hitting form again. He knows he can show more than what he is showing at the moment. Perhaps his minutes have been a little bit limited in terms of we have played quite a few away games in the last few weeks and we have set up differently...

'I monitored him for over a year when I brought him in. I really like his character, he is really enjoying the Chesterfield community and being part of it up here because he is a London lad.

'It is pleasing that he does not want to move anywhere because when any offer comes in for any player I always speak to them because you only want players who want to be here and he does'2>

Kent Online reports that "Dartford have sold influential midfielder Noor Husin to Southend United for an undisclosed fee.

The Darts have cashed in on their prize asset, who was out of contract at the end of the season, who has penned a two and a half year deal at Roots Hall.

Husin, who joined the Darts from Stevenage in February 2020, is relishing the new challenge.

'I’m delighted to be here,' Husin told Southend's website... 'I knew they had been watching me... and I was really keen as soon as I heard. I’ve played at a decent level previously and hopefully coming to Southend I can help and bring my qualities to the team'...

Dartford issued a statement... 'Noor has been with us since signing in February 2020 from League Two Stevenage and has never hidden his desire to return to full-time football and is very keen to make this move at the present time'".

NEXT OPPONENTS: TORQUAY UNITED

In their last game this season, The Gulls' squad comprised: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 8. Asa Hall (c) (30. Dan Holman, 76′), 9. Danny Wright, 12. Stephen Wearne (19. Klaidi Lolos, 83′), 15. Harry Perritt, 16. Keelan O’Connell, 21. Dean Moxey, 31. Joe Lewis. Unused subs: 1. Mark Halstead, 5. Ali Omar, 27. Byron Moore.

From that squad the most familiar names from the distant past are probably:

• Asa Hall (aged 35), whose familiarity with Alty goes back to at last 2008 when he was in the Luton Town side which was very fortunate to defeat Altrincham in the FA Cup after a shoot out.
• Dan Holman (31), who has faced Alty for several clubs including Histon (2011-12), Woking (2015) and Brackley (2019).
• Danny Wright (37), who was playing against Alty way back in 2008 at Histon and in 2010 scored a brace for Cambridge United agsinst The Robins.
• Dean Moxey (36), who faced Alty for Exeter City as early as 2005.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 25 year-old has agreed a two and a half year deal with the Shrimpers. And Cardwell, who attracted interest from Chesterfield earlier this season, is delighted to have joined.

'This is a massive club and I’m really looking forward to getting started, training with the lads and then representing the club on the pitch'” he said. 'I’m over the moon to get it over the line.'

Cardwell, who is a former Scotland under 21 international, started his career with Hull City before joining Reading at the age of 16. After loan spells with Woking and Braintree, Cardwell joined Grimsby in 2017 before joining Chorley three years later.

The striker lined up for Stockport County on loan last season, scoring five goals in 19 games and has hit the back of the net seven times for Chorley in National League North this term...

'The manager was great in the conversations we had leading up to getting everything agreed,' said the striker...

'I’m predominantly an old-fashioned number nine, someone who gets in behind teams and gets in the box, can link up the play and bring others into the game,' said Cardwell".

Southend United add that "Kevin Maher believes the arrival of Harry Cardwell is a significant signing...

'He’s someone straight away that we earmarked and kept an eye on and I think it shows where we’re going as a club and what we’re trying to achieve,' said Maher. 'An important one to show that we’re ready to compete at this level in the league and I think he will do ever so well for us. He’s a great age, got loads of room for improvement but he’s also ready to play now...

'He’s a proper centre forward. They’re a bit of a dying breed now but he will get hold of the ball, he scores different types of goals, he’ll be good for the team and will bring more out of everyone else as well@".

According to the Grimsby Telegraph, "Grimsby Town remain odds-on with the bookmakers to finish inside the play-offs, but their hopes of automatic promotion are slim..

A bright start to 2022 has put them within touching distance of the play-off places after victory over Altrincham last week. A crucial run of matches against fellow top-seven hopefuls, Bromley, Wrexham AFC and Notts County could prove vital in their quest for promotion...

They are seen as the seventh-most likely team to earn promotion and finish inside the top seven. However, if anyone fancies Paul Hurst's side to go on a spectacular run back to the top of the division, they can back the Mariners at a whopping 40/1.

National League title winners:

• Stockport County - 2/1
• Chesterfield - 9/4
• Halifax Town - 6/1
• Notts County - 6/1
• Wrexham - 13/2
• Boreham Wood - 15/2
• Bromley - 33/1
• Grimsby Town - 40/1

National League promotion winners:

• Stockport County - 11/10
• Chesterfield - 5/4
• Wrexham - 5/2
• Notts County - 11/4
• Halifax Town - 3/1
• Boreham Wood - 7/2
• Grimsby Town - 9/1
• Bromley - 14/1

Odds courtesy of SkyBet".

Meanwhile, confirmation comes from the Grimsby Telegraph that Grimsby Town have completed "the loan signing of Carlisle United striker Tristan Abrahams, ending their search for a new forward.

The Mariners have agreed a deal to sign the 23 year-old until the end of the season, making him their fourth piece of business this month.

Abrahams joins Andy Smith, Danny Amos and Scott Burgess at Blundell Park after the trio joined last week.

He joined the Cumbrians in the summer transfer window and has made 20 appearances this term, scoring three goals.

The striker started out at Leyton Orient before signing for Norwich City. After several loan moves, he moved to Newport County in 2019 before arriving at Carlisle in the summer".

Earlier manager Paul Hurst said "I don't think playing two centre-forwards suits some of our players... There's no doubt having Ryan (Taylor) and Lenny (John-Lewis) is not feasible. We want to extend our season and to have those two and nobody else leaves us short".

The Maidenhead Advertiser tells su that "Luton Town loanee Sam Beckwith expects Maidenhead United will have shocked a few people with the strength of their performance in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Chesterfield.

The result, a hugely significant one at both ends of the table, will have sent shockwaves across the National League...

Goals from Josh Kelly and Dan Sparkes thrust the hosts into a two-goal advantage midway through the first half, before [ex-Alty man] Jeff King cut the deficit with a stunning free-kick on the stroke of half-time. The league’s leading scorer Kabonga Tshimanga levelled with a typically clinical poachers finish 10 minutes into the second half, but the plaudits went to Maidenhead and Kelly when he helped home Alan Massey’s flick 10 minutes from time.

'We stepped up to their level,' said Beckwith, on loan from Luton until the end of the season. 'At times we were the better side which I think shocked a lot of people. We then went 2-0 up and I feel like that woke them up a little and they came back at us really hard, but we defended really well. They managed to get it back to 2-2 but thankfully, Kelly came in clutch with a couple of goals.

'As a back four we were really compact. We didn’t allow Tshimanga, who is the top scorer in the league, much time. He scored but there wasn’t a lot we could do about that'...

Beckwith was forced to make a slight adjustment when an injury to Dan Sparkes saw him replaced by George Wells, but he was happy with the protection he received down the left flank from both players...

He said 'When Sparkesy went off after 20 minutes or so, Wellsy came on and did a perfect job... It feels like this is a shock to everyone, and hopefully it will be remembered for a long time. But I also feel like everyone will now realise that Maidenhead are a good side.

'In the last three games we’ve won two and drawn one. The results are coming, slowly but surely, and there’s still a long way to go this season.'”

The Lynn News reports that "New King's Lynn Town signing Harry Phipps has his sights on maintaining the club's National League status.

The attacking midfielder became Lynn's second new face this week after signing on loan from league rivals Dagenham and Redbridge for the remainder of the season...

Phipps said 'I am delighted to be joining the club and have only one aim. That is, to help them win enough matches through the rest of the season, with the conclusion that the Linnets remain in the National League.'

Phipps, who started his career with Margate, signed for the Daggers from Maidstone United in the summer of 2018. The youngster spent two seasons with the Stones, where he also enjoyed brief loan spells with Welling United and East Thurrock.

The exciting midfielder was ruled out for the entire 2020/21 after suffering a cruciate injury... He has featured in four games for the Daggers this campaign...

Phipps... goes straight into the squad for tomorrow night's National League clash at Southend United, along with Zain Walker and Olly Scott, who both signed permanent deals at The Walks until the end of the current campaign earlier this week".

ROBINS' RECRUITMENT

As Alty look to expand their recruitment nation-wide, Marcus Dinanga (right) is one of the few current players to hail from the south of England; he was born in Gravesend, Kent.

We have added a Player Scouting team to our footballing structure that will cover all of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

In addition to our existing scout, Ben Gardner, we have added Simon O'Neill to cover the North of England and Wales... Simon will focus on Step 2 to Step 5 teams, as well as taking in under-23 game...

Matthew McLintock has also joined the team. SFA qualified, Matthew will focus on Scotland, covering all SPFL teams... as we aim to achieve our ultimate goal of Football League status.

In Ireland, we have added Stacy Ramsey. Stacy has an in-depth knowledge of both the IFA and FAI leagues. He will also focus on the lower leagues in Ireland... based in Derry...

Tom Austin, now FC Clacton manager, will be covering the South of England for us... As the club grows, so will our recruitment network. This plan forms part of our overall strategy to support our first-team structure in every way that we can.

The future at this club is bright".

NEXT OPPONENTS: TORQUAY UNITED

And Johnson said... 'At this point in time we have nobody with Covid-related issues or even with injuries'...

There was a friendly game against a Plymouth Argyle side yesterday to give some of the players who have recently been injured a work-out, as well as some of the fringe players, and that went well...

'We have been reiterating everything that we are going to need to do to be successful this season,' Johnson said... 'We have got to try and get two points a game on average until the end of the season. Then you will sneak in the play-offs'".

THROUGH THE YEARS: 22 January

Howard Watts and Mike Garnett's Through the Years data confirm that, on that occasion, it was another home match against a team from the South West as Bath City were the visitors and they went back down the M5 with a 3-0 win in their pockets. The match was only Altrincham's second home league game in ten weeks.

Alty were unbeaten in four league games in 2011 before kick off. They should have beaten Bath in the reverse fixture, having led 2-0 but they only drew 2-2.

In the 2011 match, in the Blue Square Bet Premier, referee Mr S.J. West was again on the end of home crowd booing, just as he had been in November 2010 at Moss Lane, when he awarded Luton's winning goal despite protests that it had been cleared off the line. This time he awarded Bath a freekick when Jones appeared to go down without any contact from James Smith. He allowed the freekick to be taken very quickly, whilst he was still talking to Alty's players, and Bath scored the game's opener, through Phillips (35 mins).

Right: Wes Baynes, right, was later to be sent off against Bath. Here he is seen with Mark Beesley in the foreground.

A second controversial incident saw Wes Baynes sent off after 70 minutes when he brought down Mohamed, who had appeared to handle the ball as he went forward. Mr West and his assistant judged that Baynes's challenge had been inside the the Alty box and pointed to the spot. Leading up to this incident, the ref. had allowed "advantage" after the crudest of challenges by Jobarti on Piergianni inside the Bath half, only for Alty possession to be lost, and Mohamed to break free. To add insult to injury after sending off Baynes, he acknowledged the original foul and went back and booked Jobarti.

Coburn saved the penalty superbly. Next, when Densmore was "taken out" inside the Bath box a few minutes later, play was waved on before Mohamed made it 2-0 following a corner, nine minutes from time. The third goal for Bath was also mired in controversy as Clee was brought down and play again continued, leading to Phillips's goal in the 87th minute.

Despite all this incident, Alty's ten men had three good chances in the closing stages. Piergianni lashed a shot over the bar from 8 yards; Densmore headed wide in front of goal, and Reeves ballooned a shot over the bar at the back post. But overall this was a disappointing showing from Altrincham who, after a promising start, created few openings at the Bath end of the pitch until the closing stages and the visitors ran out deserved winners.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. James SMITH, 26. Carl PIERGIANNI, 5. Robbie WILLIAMS, 19. Mark BEESLEY, 6. Shaun DENSMORE, 7. Robbie LAWTON (capt), 8. Damian REEVES, 9. Michael TWISS, 17. Wes BAYNES, 20. Sam HEWSON, Subs: 11. Nicky CLEE, 15. Ryan BROWN, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 10. Chris DENHAM, 30. Craig DOOTSON

ALTY OLD BOY

The BBC reported that "Blackpool have signed Crewe forward Owen Dale for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Dale (left) spent the first half of the season on loan with the Tangerines ahead of a permanent move but that looked off when he returned to Crewe on Tuesday.

However, the Championship side have now gone ahead with the deal for Dale, 23...

Boss Neil Critchley said, 'This permanent move will settle him down and hopefully we'll see the benefits of that. He'll be full of confidence and we'll get to see the best of him.'

Dale, whose deal includes an option for a further 12 months, scored once in seven appearances for Blackpool in the first half of the season".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Although the Club has no intention of wishing to let Andy depart, we have always looked to do the right thing by our staff and players when official approaches have been made, and thus, permission has been granted for both parties to speak.

Gillingham are fully aware of the terms of Andy’s contract with Bromley Football Club and the level of compensation required.

Chairman Robin Stanton-Gleaves commented 'I will do my absolute best to retain Andy’s services and I very much wish to keep him at Bromley Football Club. Equally though, I accept the prospect of immediately managing an EFL League One side will be difficult for Andy to refuse'".

The Gills recently sacked manager Steve Evans after a poor run of results.

According to the Leader Live, "Shaun Harvey says redeveloping the Kop remains his 'major focus' off the pitch at The Racecourse.

Completing deals for new signings is top of the agenda for Harvey, the Strategic Advisor to the board, to give Wrexham's promotion challenge a boost.

But improving facilities at the iconic north Wales stadium [was] also a key part of Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds's mission statement when they completed their high profile of the club last February... Harvey says the club is committed to redeveloping the Kop stand which has not been in use for years, with supporters voting to introduce safe standing after responding to a survey.

'We had the big banner across the Kop because it is embarrassing looking at it as it is,' said Harvey. 'The wind took care of the banner so it is down at this moment in time but the target between now and the end of the season is to get a really clear direction with how we are going to develop the stadium so we can hopefully host international games in the future but more importantly, it can host bigger crowds watching Wrexham...

'The quantum leap to take us forward is getting the Kop back in use...

'We need to make sure that the club is in a position to be sustainable and to be able to generate the revenue needed to provide the manager with the support that he needs to get the job done on the pitch...We need to increase revenue on a matchday because that all helps support the club going forward.

'The club needs to generate as much revenue as it can do with its own operations and never just be reliant on Rob and Ryan because we want to build a sustainable club for the long term, not one that is just dependant upon their involvement.'"

According to the Derbyshire Times, "James Rowe is confident Chesterfield will bounce back when they host Aldershot Town on Saturday and has urged everyone to ‘stick together’.

The Spireites missed the chance to go back to the top of the league on Tuesday night as they fell to a 3-2 loss at strugglers Maidenhead United... Rowe said 'We have got to stick together. There is going to be some more adversity along the way to the end destination. We knew that. We obviously don’t like it but we have got to react like we did against Woking. Since the Woking defeat, this is the 13th game, I think we have got 28-29 points, which is an impressive return.

'I am sure we can do it again and I am sure the supporters will be right behind the team on Saturday. We come together and we make sure we get the three points at home and put this right. I am confident. I trust the group'...

Next opponents Aldershot, who the Blues beat 2-0 on the opening day of the season, are 17th in the table.

Rowe added 'We have got 46 points from 22 points [games] so we are above where we need to be to win it at the halfway stage. We are at the tipping point now. We have got to make sure we take our learning from the 50 per cent of the games so far. There have been a lot of positives. I don’t want to bring everything down from one defeat. We take our medicine, regroup, stick together as a club, which we will, and let’s have a right go on Saturday.'”

NEXT OPPONENTS: TORQUAY UNITED

Devon Live reported on their last match, a 2-2 draw at home to Dagenham & Redbridge, after which "Torquay United [were] left disappointed after letting [a] two-goal lead against promotion chasing Dagenham slip

'Of course I am disappointed but we got a point and what is that, four wins, a draw, and a defeat in six games? You would have taken that a little while ago' said Torquay United manager Gary Johnson [who] was disappointed his team couldn't hold on to all three points... Dagenham came to Plainmoor on the back of four league wins, but Torquay had won four of their last five National League games, and must have really fancied their chances after going 2-0 up in 12 minutes...

In the end Torquay did well to take a point from a game that was as entertaining as it was frustrating for Gulls fans.

Asa Hall got on the end of a Dan Martin cross in just 19 seconds to give Torquay the lead, and they were 2-0 up on 12 minutes when Danny Wright's flick at the back post beat Dagenham goalkeeper Elliot Justham.

But Dagenham were never as bad as the 2-0 scoreline suggested and from then on they were a constant threat and got one goal back through Josh Walker in the 29th minute.

Soaking up the pressure, Torquay got to half time without conceding another goal but in the second half it was much the same...

It was Dagenham who found the net with the excellent Angelo Balanta scoring in the 71st minute.. At the end it was probably a fair result...

Johnson said... 'I think both teams, to be fair, did well to play any sort of game on that pitch. The groundsmen have done great to get it on but if you walk on it it's like a mud-bath'...

Armani Little was missing with a dead leg, and there was no Joe Felix, Chiori Johnson, or Tom Lapslie, who is close to coming back from his injury. And after the return of Sinclair Armstrong to Queens Park Rangers and Jack Sparkes to Exeter City, the squad was done [down] to bare bones.

However, there was a good debut by Sunderland loanee Stephen Wearne on the left side of midfield... and Harry Perritt made an emergency dash to Plainmoor to play out of position in midfield in his last game for the club

Perritt has been away on compassionate leave so Johnson had said he had returned to Accrington Stanley during the week, with his loan spell ending after this game. But with the manager so short of players, he called Perritt back and the defender drove down on Friday to play on Saturday. Out of position in midfield, he did well and will now definitely return to Accrington...

Johnson said 'Unfortunately we had a couple of players who are our fittest not available today; more than a couple if you include Chiori Johnson and Jo Felix, Armani Little and Tom Lapslie'".

ALTY OLD BOYS

Midfielder Tom Walker [right] has returned to AFC Fylde on loan for the rest of the season from National League club Stockport County.

The 26-year-old joined the Coasters from Salford City on a two and a half-year deal in January 2020 but spent barely two months at Mill Farm.

He scored four goals in nine National League appearances for Fylde before Covid curtailed their season.

Harrogate Town then exercised a release clause in his contract to sign Walker that summer.

Loan moves to Notts County and Stockport last season were followed by a second permanent move to the latter in the summer.

This season he has spent a month on loan with the Hatters’ National League rivals Altrincham.

Fylde boss Jim Bentley said, 'Tom is a good player and character, who we know well from his time here before. He is an exciting talent, who is at a good age and in the right environment can get even better. Technically he is good, he’s athletic, mobile and will fit nicely into our set-up'...

Salford-born Walker said... 'I wanted to get back on board and I'm just excited to be here. Harrogate seemed like a good opportunity, after they had been promoted to the EFL, but it didn't work out....

'The gaffer is great and has very good man-management skills, which for me is massive... He has given me confidence to get back playing again and get into form'".

Tom played 2(+1) games for Altrincham on an emergency short-term loan this season.

Meanwhile, also at AFC Fylde, former Alty striker Joe Piggott is currently sidelined by injury.

For Hearts, Josh Ginnelly hit both goals as they beat St Johnstone 2-0.

Alistair Smith recorded an assist for Sutton United's added-time winner in League Two on Tuesday night. Elsewhere, Marcus Dinanga was also used sub but could not help loan club Kiddermnster HArriers avoid defeat against Hereford.

MIDWEEK NATIONAL LEAGUE GAMES

• Maidenhead United 3-2 Chesterfield
• Stockport County 3-0 Eastleigh

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst is not willing to let Evan Khouri leave the club on loan at the moment. The Mariners' midfielder made his first National League appearance on Saturday [against Altrincham] since... November 13.

However, following the departure of Alex Hunt, Town are still light in central midfield. The acquisition of Scott Burgess adds another body but Hurst is still looking to add another player in that department...

Hurst told Grimsby Live... 'Ryan Sears left recently, Seb (Revan) and Will (Bapaga) have gone, it's not that long since Sam Bell and Ryley (Towler) left. Alex Hunt makes six players that have left the squad. As I said, if there are a few suspensions and injuries added in, we are not going to have an array of players to select from.

'I'm hopeful of bringing players in, which could change the situation. Right now, I don't think it would make sense to let Evan leave on loan.'

The only other potential outgoing is James McKeown, though the club have received no offers for the goalkeeper".

The Halifax Courier reports that FC Halifax Town "boss Pete Wild says Matty Warburton is back to doing what he does best after the Halifax forward was named as National League player of the month for December.

Warburton netted in three consecutive league appearances last month, in Halifax's wins over Wealdstone and King's Lynn and their draw at Chesterfield. He has five goals in his last six league games.

'I'm really pleased, Matty's been excellent in and around the group and at the football club,' Wild said. 'He's got back to doing what he does best. I'm not surprised he's picked up the accolade because he's had a really good month and a really good season.. He's back to enjoying his football, which was one of the big reasons he wanted to join us'.

Wild said deals for some new additions to his squad are moving closer to completion... 'But they're not ready to announce yet'".

Altrincham went out of the FA Trophy to Notts County and on Monday, "Halifax were drawn at home to Notts County in the fifth round of the FA Trophy...

'It's a big one. We'll play each other twice in 10 days,' Wild said of the game... 'It'll be a big occasion, thank god it's at home, I'm sick of travelling!'"

KING'S LYNN AND ALTY: 12 ATTEMPTS = 5 GAMES

Originally set for Tuesday, 25 January, Altrincham's journey to Norfolk will now take place at 3pm on Saturday, 12 February.

Alty matches against King's Lynn have had a chequered history.

The clubs first played in the same division in 2019-20 in the National League North, from which both clubs were promoted at the conclusion of that truncated season.

In 2019-20, Alty secured a 2-2 draw at The Walks in a game which survived strong winds and rain before kick-off, but the return fixture was never played. Originally scheduled for 22 February 2020 it was moved tomoved from 31 March and then brought forward to 24 March. However, the Covid lockdown put paid to that plan. So four dates had been assigned but only one game had actually taken place between the clubs.

Above: Action from the November 2019 match at The Walks.

2020-21 was also bedevilled by changes of fixture date. Firstly, the game at home, set for 5 December 2020 had to be called off due to a waterlogged pitch. The rearranged fixture on 12 January 2021 was also called off, this time because of Covid at King's Lynn Town.

The game was played at the third time of asking on 23 March behind closed doors, with Altrincham winning 3-0. The return fixture, likewise with no spectators, was played just under a fortnight later on 5 April, with Alty losing 2-0.

So, for a second successive season, four dates had beeen assigned but this time two games had actually taken place between the clubs.

This season the two fixtures between the clubs were bizarrely set by the National League to be midweek games, despite the need for a 304 mile midweek return journey between the clubs. However, the curse of the Alty/KLT fixtures struck again as the match to be played at Altrincham on 14 September had to be called off, because of Covid at King's Lynn. It was played a fortnight later with Altrincham winning 4-1.

And now the return fixture in 2021-22 has also been moved, to 12 February.

All the above means that, assuming the clubs actually play on that date, there will then have been no fewer than twelve dates set for six planned matches between the clubs over three seasons with just five meetings ever actually taking place! However, there is still time before 12 February for something else to happen to cause another rearrangement...

NEXT OPPONENTS: TORQUAY UNITED

They will be looking to seek revenge following Alty’s 3-1 opening day win at Plainmoor. Our opponents have been in poor form and currently sit in 16th place".

FA TROPHY

• 1 York City v Morpeth Town
• 2 Tonbridge Angels v Bromley
• 3 Needham Market v Dartford
• 4 Stourbridge or Guiseley v Solihull Moors
• 5 Dagenham & Redbridge v Spennymoor Town
• 6 FC Halifax Town v Notts County
• 7 Wrexham v Boreham Wood
• 8 Stockport County v Cheshunt

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

McLintock joined Halifax late last week from Southern League Premier Central side Alvechurch on an initial 18-month deal.

The 21-year-old midfielder is staying at Alvechurch on loan for an initial month.

'Sam's somebody that was brought to my attention before Christmas,' Wild explained. 'Whenever I hear about a good young player, we frantically get him watched, we had him up for a week's training with us and we liked what we saw...

'He's doing really well at Alvechurch so why take him out of there at the moment? And it's close to his house, so he'll spend half the week down there and half the week with us.

'We'll decide a plan and a pathway for him of what his next move is, but he's chosen us over a lot of bigger clubs because he sees the pathway and the chance we give young players here.

'That speaks volumes for what we're doing and hopefully he can become yet another player that can serve this football club for the next four to five years...

'He's an athletic midfielder, two really good feet, wants to be on the ball and get a grip of the game, and he scores his fair share of goals'...

It was a case of one in, one out last week as winger Dom Tear departed the club having found first-team opportunities difficult to come by.. 'We both said if it's not working by January, we can shake hands, move on'...

Wild says striker Gerry McDonagh has now recovered from his ankle injury...

The Town boss said 'Hopefully in the next ten days we'll have [new] people in... We could do with some bodies in now'".

The Dorset Echo is one of several sources confirming that managerless "Weymouth have made contact with Oxford City over boss David Oldfield as their hunt for a new manager continues...

The former Manchester City midfielder has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Brian Stock, who was sacked on Wednesday. According to the Oxford Mail, Oxford City have reportedly been contacted twice by Weymouth... It is thought Weymouth must pay to release Oldfield from his Oxford City duties...

Oxford City are currently fourth in the National League South, while Weymouth are in relegation trouble in the National League, having lost eight of their past nine games in all competitions...

[Oldfield has] had caretaker spells in charge of Peterborough and Oxford United and was assistant to Chelsea legend Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink at Burton and QPR".

According to the Derbyshire Times, "Chesterfield striker Tom Denton is edging closer to a return after a year out through injury.

The striker has suffered two knee injuries in the last 12 months but the 32 year-old is set to come back into full training next month.

Manager James Rowe said 'I will need to assess him when he comes back into training in about 10 days time. Does he need a loan or can he contribute immediately to the first-team?

'If Tom can come back this season and make an impact I think that will be a real plus for us. He brings his own weapons to the game and it is clear what he can contribute and I think that is something we have not got in the squad at the moment'.

There is further good news on defender George Carline, who is on track to return in March after being out since October with a knee injury.

But unfortunately fellow centre-back Haydn Hollis, who has injured his Achilles twice since last April, will not play again this season...

Rowe added 'His contract expires in the summer so that is something we need to think about closer to the time'".

From the Grimsby Telegraph we learn that "Paul Hurst would still like to add a right-back to Grimsby Town's squad this month despite the impressive performance of Andy Smith.

The defender was signed on loan from Hull City on Friday and made his full debut during the 2-0 win over Altrincham at Blundell Park.

Smith filled in for the injured Michee Efete and impressed the Grimsby Town boss with his versatility and adaptability.

However, Hurst confirmed that the club have signed Smith to compete at centre-back and he would still like to bring in another right-back to rival Efete.

'On today's performance, yes (Smith could play there),' Hurst told Grimsby Live. 'He played against a good winger and acquitted himself very well. What you have to be careful of, if he was the cover at right-back and we lose a centre-back through injury or suspension, we'd be short there... He's been brought in as a centre-back'".

LOCAL CLUBS IN FA VASE

Former Alty players Darius Palma and Jerome Wright were in the Wythenshawe Town team which won on Saturday.

NORTH

• 1 Coventry Sphinx v Whitchurch Alport
• 2 North Shields v Rugby Town
• 3 Loughborough Students v Abbey Hey
• 4 Wroxham or Anstey Nomads v Wythenshawe Town

SOUTH

• 1 Southall v Stansfeld
• 2 Hamworthy United v Tunbridge Wells
• 3 Athletic Newham v Brockenhurst
• 4 Newport Pagnell Town v Buckland Athletic

NEXT MATCH: TORQUAY UNITED

As well as starting this season together, Alty and Torquay had also played against each other in the last match of the previous 2020-21 campaign when they played out a drab goalless draw.

The Gulls' last visit to Moss Lane before that was when they drew 1-1 on Saturday, 31 October, 2015. In that match, after a poor 45 minutes from the home side, The Gulls were deservedly leading at the interval through a 24th-minute goal scored by Tyrone Marsh. That had come from Hurst getting past O'Keefe in midfield and feeding the Torquay striker, left of goal. Marsh somehow managed to squeeze the ball past the combined efforts of goalkeeper Deasy and centre-back Leather near the foot of the post.

Right: Josh O'Keefe, Adam Griffin and Jake Moult in action during the 2015 match at Moss Lane.

As manager Lee Sinnott's cup of tea hit the deck, the Alty manager strode off at the interval and was clearly going to have serious words with his underperforming team. Despite a slow start after the break, Altrincham finally got on top and dominated most of the second half. The introduction of substitute Ryan Crowther made a difference and, three minutes after his arrival, Altrincham levelled in the 66th minute. A corner, won by Crowther, was cleared out to Moult who hit a superb shot from 30 yards into the top corner of the net.

Alty's cause was helped when referee Johnson stopped play and showed a straight red to goalscorer Marsh, for reasons which initially baffled the spectators. It later emerged that the Torquay striker had raised his hands in the face of team mate Butler. But, despite playing against ten men for eleven minutes plus added time, Altrincham could not get a winner and were to be relegated at the end of that season.

Two seasons later, in 2018, it was the Devon side's fate to be relegated but they immediately bounced back, winning the National League South division in 2019.

After a fourteenth-placed finish in the curtailed 2020 season, they were runners-up last season but failed to win through the promotion play-offs. This season has seen them start poorly but achieve mid-table security currently. They arrive at Altrincham in twelfth place with five more points than Alty from one fewer fixture.

200 FOR TOM

Now 33, Tom joined Altrincham on 23 May 2016, under Neil Young's management, after being captain at AFC Fylde who, at the time, were going full-time. He had been at AFC Fylde for two seasons after leaving Vauxhall Motors, who were then in Conference North. In his first season with Fylde he was named "Manager’s Player of the Season". Earlier in his career, Tom was released by Tranmere Rovers, aged 16, and then studied for ‘A’ levels before completing a degree at Hallam University.

He made his Altrincham debut on 6 August 2016 at home to Darlington. Sadly, Tom picked up a knee medial ligament injury in only his second competitive game and was ruled out for a substantial period. His season was further disrupted by suspension and another injury, in Spring 2017, which prematurely terminated his season.

However, he recovered to start the 2017-18 campaign and put in some assured performances before injury again sidelined him in late October 2017. However he again recovered and his consistency and experience were an important factor in Alty's strong run-in for the league title in 2018.

2018/19 saw him again as first-choice left-sided centre-back, a role he continued to execute with consistently good performances each season since then

Appearances to date 196(+5)*, goals 10. (*inc void match against Dover)

• 2016-17: 19 starts, 0 goals
• 2017-18: 33(+5), 5 goals
• 2018-19: 44, 2 goals
• 2019-20: 40, 2 goals
• 2020-21: 34
• 2021-22 to date: 26, 1 goal

200 FOR JOSH

Now 31, Josh was signed from Nantwich Town in May 2017, having come through The Dabbers' youth set-up before moving on to Winsford United (2009-10). Next, he joined Witton Albion and made more than 150 appearances and scored some fifty times there.

He next joined AFC Telford United before a return to Witton, which preceded a move to Salford City and then a return to Nantwich Town in January 2016.

After making his Alty debut on 12 August 2017 at home to Stafford Rangers, he started the season at Alty with four goals in his first six appearanes in league and cup matches and remained the leading scorer for the club in the league into mid-November.

By March 2018 he had become the club's leading scorer in the league with 14 goals and ended the season as the club's top scorer in the league with twenty goals to his name.

He started 2019-20 suspended after being sent off in the play-offs at Chorley in May 2019 and then he picked up a calf injury to interrupt further his 2019-20 season, albeit briefly.

2019-20 saw him a regular starter in the no.10 shirt. A season highlight for Josh was his goal at Fratton Park against Portsmouth in the FA Cup and he ended up the leading scorer in the league.

In 2020-21 he was the club's leading league goalscorer for the third successive season, aided by five penalties.

His current total of appearances, including the void Dover game is 180 starts, 20 appearances from the bench, and 78 goals.

AND TWO MORE RECENT PLAYER LANDMARKS

Saturday's game at Grimsby was Dan Mooney's fiftieth appearance, if his role in the subsequently voided match against Dover last season is excluded.

To date he has made 36(+14) appearances for Altrincham excluding that match against The Whites.

Amazingly in those fifty games he has only completed ninety minutes on eight occasions, since he arrived from Fleetwood Town for an undisclosed fee and made his debut in February 2020. In fact, his time on the pitch in his almost two years at the club equates to fewer than 26 full matches!

His 2020-21 season was disrupted by injury and he made just 13 starts and ten appearances from the bench.

Team-mate Ryan Colclough (right) reached fifty appearances in a much shorter timescale in the recent match against Barnet and has now made 44(+8) appearances and scored 13 times.

Colclough made a surprise debut from the Altrincham bench against Bromley on 24 November 2020, having been signed that day on a short-term contract after departing from Scunthorpe United.

On 12 December 2020, after just one start and two appearances from the bench for Altrincham, Ryan signed for the club until the end of 2021/22 season.

BOREHAM WOOD v ALTY MATCH POSTPONED

GRIMSBY v ALTY VERDICT

It helped settle the nerves after a tetchy first half, in which the visitors took every opportunity to slow the game down and eke out every second from the clock.

From the moment McAtee's strike hit the back of the net, the points were staying at DN35, with the Mariners dominant throughout the contest...

The first half was an all-too-familiar tale of watching Grimsby dominate but grow frustrated against a packed defence... They had plenty of territory but the breakthrough alluded [eluded] the Mariners. A moment of inspiration was needed and how they got it.

It's too simplistic to put the recent struggles down to McAtee's absence but their magician-in-chief pulled a rabbit out of the hat to settle the nerves around the ground. It's something they have really missed.

From then on, it was one-way traffic. Maguire-Drew's effort was a carbon copy of the strike that smacked the bar against Halifax Town but this time it was an inch lower, to the delight of everyone.

Amos was in for the injured Adam Crookes and on Saturday's showing, he will offer serious competition at left-back... Smith's adaptability and versatility earn him big brownie points. With one day's training under his belt, and only four appearances all season, he slotted in seamlessly at right-back...

It might go under the radar but that was Town's first shutout since beating Southend seven games ago. They have been far from leaky, conceding solitary goals against Chesterfield and Halifax, home and away...

This can't be a one-off. The Mariners now need to build some momentum".

RESERVES START 2022 WELL

On Saturday 8 January, the Reserves won the Altrincham Derby with a 4-0 win in the Altrincham FA Senior Cup competition away to Old Alts. To a hat-trick by Lewis Billingsley was added a goal from substitute Sean Higgins.

The Altrincham squad for the game comprised Lewis Billingsley, Morgan Chilton, Joseph Cooney, Rhys Cosquer, Madison Davis, Amaar Hussain, Scott Johnston, Raheem Mercurius, Ryan Morton, Kwame Osigwe and Harlan Rodgers-Morris. On the bench were Niall Butchart, Bryan Hamo, Sean Higgins, Ali Khral and Logan Taylor.

At home, on Saturday 15 January, they won again, beating Crewe FC 3-1 in a Cheshire League match, thanks to a brace from Amaar Hussain and a goal from Ryan Morton.

The squad for the match was Ryan Forde in goal and the outfielders comprised Lewis Billingsley, Joseph Cooney, Madison Davis, Amaar Hussain, Scott Johnston, Raheem Mercurius, Ryan Morton, Kwame Osigwe, Matthew Plested and Harlan Rodgers-Morris with the bench made up of Dionicio Bohe, Niall Butchart, Thomas Jones, Sami Mhar and Louis Morrison.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Robbie Neilson has made no secret of his desire to add more firepower this month.

Tshimanga has been in red-hot form in the National League, scoring 19 goals in 23 appearances. And The Scottish Sun reports that the 24-year-old has emerged as a possible target for the Jambos.

Tshimanga is under contract until 2024 though, so the Tynecastle club would have to pay a fee.

The DR Congo-born forward started off his career at MK Dons and was actually at the club during Neilson's reign in charge... He's since had spells at Boston United, Oxford City and Boreham Wood before joining Chesterfield in the summer...

Tshimanga will likely be attracted to the prospect of playing in Scotland's top-flight, as well as the lure of European football".

And the Derbyshire Times says that former Altrincham player "Jeff King believes Chesterfield are the ‘strongest team’ in the National League by a ‘country mile’ and says they will only have themselves to blame if they don’t get promoted.

The wing-back, who joined the Spireites on a free transfer from Halifax last summer, scored his first goal for the club in the 4-1 win against Barnet on Saturday. That came after he assisted Kabongo Tshimanga’s second of the afternoon at The Hive...

'I think we are the strongest team in the league by a country mile,' King told the DT after the final whistle. 'I think we have got a massive chance until the end of the season of staying top and it will only be our own fault if we don’t because our squad is more than good enough and a lot stronger than other squads in the league so I think we are going to be the winners'...

Jeff King scored and created a goal in Chesterfield's win against Barnet. 'I think with the squad we have got and experience we have, teams are going to fear us a lot more a lot more than we are going to fear them but we have got to respect every team around us.'

The 26-year-old said... 'I was welcomed in from day one and I feel part of it now. I thought I started quite slowly and then picked up a little bit of form but then I was unfortunate to pick up an injury. I will start coming back into my own again, start hitting a bit of form, I’ve had six-seven weeks out so it is important for me to get back to basics and do the right things.

'Last season I hit about seven or eight goals and I was wanting to beat that this year. I haven’t found my form, I am not too sure why, but assists I am doing quite well. I don’t know whether you get assists for penalties but I have won a few! I think I am up there for assists but I would like to score a lot more goals.'

Reflecting on the win against the Bees, King said it was a ‘deserved’ victory... Both strikers in Tshimanga and Asante got on the scoresheet...

He said 'The two of them up front are powerful and dangerous. People are scared of them, you can tell straight away. As soon as they see their names on the teamsheet they must get a little bit worried.'"

North Wales's Leader Live reports that Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson "looking to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window, has been linked with a number of Football League players including Gillingham striker Vadaine Oliver, AFC Wimbledon forward Ollie Palmer and Jay Mingi, a midfielder who is on loan at Maidenhead from Portsmouth.

Talks are on-going with potential targets... Parkinson, who saw his side beat Folkestone Invicta 5-1 to reach the last 16 of the FA Trophy on Saturday [said]... 'We are trying to get one or two things done but when you are looking for quality in terms of improving what we have got, it is never easy because we have got some good players...

'We could sign three or four players tomorrow, definitely, but they may not be the ones which are going to make a difference. Myself and the rest of the staff identify the players, then the negotiations are left to Shaun Harvey and the owners, and they are working hard but it is never straightforward.

'We will have a valuation for a player in terms of if there is a fee involved and the player's salary, and it is important that we stick to in and around that.'

Wrexham return to league action following a three-week break next Saturday at Yeovil".

From Essex, the Echo reports that "Southend United's FA Trophy clash at Dagenham & Redbridge was halted for close to four minutes in the second half due to crowd trouble.

In the aftermath of Dagenham’s second goal, a fan situated among Southend’s support from behind the goal ran to the left hand side of the pitch before confronting the home side’s supporters.

Items were thrown by both sets of fans and Blues' boss Kevin Maher explained at the final whistle why referee Sam Purkiss had been reluctant to restart the game straight away.

'He was worried about the linesman going near it,' said Maher.

A section of Southend’s support had started the game far closer to Dagenham’s fans before being moved behind the goal.

Dagenham won the FA Trophy fourth round clash 2-0".

16 January 2022

AFTER THE GAME

"Defensively we were better than we have been but we were quite restrictive in terms of chances created and we didn't deserve anything out of that performance.

"We are disapppointed but it's a tough place to come".

GRIMSBY TOWN 2-0 ALTRINCHAM

Match report here.

ALTY'S RUN

Right: The season started well for Alty; early victories included a comfortable win over King's Lynn Town which featured a goal from Ryan Colclough, who is here congratulated by team-mates.

With hindsight, we can now see that four of those early wins were against clubs which constitute the current bottom four in the National League.

In contrast to that early season optimism, Saturday's defeat at Grimsby means that Altrincham have now gone fifteen National League games with just one win, whilst in all competitions the record is just two victories in twenty matches in a three-month period.

The two wins were both away from home. One was at Weymouth, in the league, against opposition reduced to ten men after 23 minutes, and the other was an FA Cup victory at lower division Southport.

The last home win and the last victory over a National League side which finished with eleven men was on 9 October against Maidenhead.

Next, Alty face Torquay United hoping to bring an end to their poor run against the side which they beat on the opening day of the campaign at Plainmoor.

GRIMSBY VIEWS ON ALTY GAME

It was a match that Grimsby dominated and Town got the three points they deserved.

Two new signings, Andy Smith and Danny Amos came straight into the back four, with the third Scott Burgess on the bench.

Grimsby had the lion's share of the first half but goals and chances eluded them in the opening minutes, with Alty looking to waste time at every opportunity...

After the break Town won another corner and this time they struck gold. Maguire-Drew's corner kick was initially cleared but fell perfectly for McAtee who struck the sweetest of volleys which was a goal the moment it left his foot...

A second goal was needed to be certain of the points. A poor clearance fell to Maguire-Drew who curled it into the top corner with the 'keeper marooned on his line."

And the Grimsby Telegraph reported that "Paul Hurst heaped praise on debutants Andy Smith and Danny Amos after they impressed during Grimsby Town's 2-0 victory over Altrincham...

Smith, on loan from Hull City, particularly caught the eye of the Town boss...

Hurst told the media, 'Andy played in a position that wasn't his most favoured but we discussed it prior to the game.

'He had a terrible habit of passing to his team-mates. I'm not sure he'll fit in here (joke)...

'Their wide players are big threats, they [the home debutants] did very well.'

'I think it was great to see two goals of that quality,' Hurst added on the performance...

'We're really pleased. We all craved the win. We have to try and be more ruthless still. We were unlucky, a blatant handball and a header from Luke that was saved, one off the line.

'The goalkeeper wasn't overworked but we get in great positions that we have to make more of. They're good situations and we have players that are capable. It was a deserved result.'"

ALTRINCHAM OLD BOYS AND LOANEES

In the EFL, Alistair Smith scored as Sutton United drew 3-3 at Stevenage. AT Buxton, Warrington Town also drew 3-3 with Sean Williams on the scoresheet.

Although Alfreton Town went out of the FA Trophy against FC Halifax Town after a penalty shoot-out, Conor Branson scored The Reds' goal during the match itself.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Greenidge last Thursday had his contract terminated by Sky Bet League Two side Newport County by mutual consent, a day after turning 22.

He is understood to have trained with Weymouth the same evening.

The former Stoke City youth man had played six times for the Welshmen... He counts Cypriot top tier side Omonia and Spanish Segunda B outfit Badajoz among his former clubs.

Before his departure this week, ex-Weymouth manager Brian Stock was influential in completing the deal and said Greenidge would give the Terras a new 'focal point' up front.

'We’ve got Jordan in, a six-foot-four striker, he’ll give us a different dimension up front,' he said...

Weymouth now have five strikers at the club, including skipper Brandon Goodship, Brad Ash, Ben Thomson and Martell Taylor-Crossdale.

Skipper Josh McQuoid provides a sixth option, although the Terras have mostly used the ex-Bournemouth man in a deeper midfield role this season."

GRIMSBY TOWN 2-0 ALTRINCHAM

After a nervy start from Grimsby they soon got on top and dominated the first half. A fine save by Thompson from a Pearson header just before the interval kept the scoresheet goalless at the break.

It took Grimsby barely a minute of the second half to take a deserved lead as McAtee fired home from 25 yards following a corner. The Mariners continued to dominate the game before Alty replaced Hulme with Leitch-Smith (64 mins) and Pringle replaced Mooney (71 mins).

The only surprise was it took Grimsby till the 83rd minute to secure the game with a second goal. Pressure on Pringle and Thompson forced a hurried clearance which Maguire-Drew drove back into the net from 25 yards.

For Altrincham, striker Jordan Hulme returned to the starting eleven as centre-back Kennedy Digie moved to the bench where new loanee signing Kevin Berkoe was also named.

Grimsby Town: 21. Max Crocombe, 6. Luke Waterfall, 26. Andy Smith, 5. Shaun Pearson, 22. Danny Amos, 4. Ben Fox, 8. Giles Coke (c), 18. Erico Sousa, 25. Jordan Maguire-Drew, 10. John McAtee, 29. Ryan Taylor. Subs: 16. David Longe-King, 31. Evan Khouri, 30. Scott Burgess, 19. Max Wright, 20. Joel Grant.

Altrincham: 1 Tony Thompson, 19. Jamie Morgan, 25. Toby Mullarkey, 5. Tom Hannigan, 20. Andy White, 6. Jake Moult (c), 8. Elliot Osborne, 7. Dan Mooney, 10. Josh Hancock, 11. Ryan Colclough, 29. Jordan Hulme. Subs: 17. Ben Pringle, 18. Kennedy Digie, 24. Kevin Berkoe, 27. A-Jay Leitch-Smith, 28. Dean Furman.

SATURDAY LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday, 15 January 2022

• Barnet 1-4 Chesterfield
• Grimsby Town 2-0 Altrincham
• Wealdstone 2-1 Dover Athletic

BUILDBASE FA TROPHY

Saturday 15th January

• Aldershot Town 0-2 Bromley
• Alfreton Town 1-1 FC Halifax Town (Halifax won 3-2 on pens)
• Boreham Wood 1-1 Maidstone United (Boreham Wood won 5-4 on pens)
• Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0 Southend United
• Dartford 1-0 Weymouth
• Morpeth Town 4-3 Boston United
• Notts County 2-1 Eastleigh
• Southport 0-3 Solihull Moors
• Spennymoor Town 3-1 Plymouth Parkway
• St Albans City 0-3 Cheshunt
• Stockport County 3-0 Larkhall Athletic
• Stourbridge P-P Guiseley
• Tonbridge Angels 1-1 King's Lynn Town (Tonbridge won 5-4 on pens)
• Wrexham v Folkestone Invicta k.o. 5.30pm
• Yeovil Town 1-1 Needham Market (Needham won 5-4 on pens)
• York City 1-0 Slough Town

NEXT OPPONENTS: GRIMSBY TOWN

Alty have gone eight league games without a win and taken just three points from the last 24 available. Althorugh those three points have all come away from home, in Grimsby Town they face the club with the joint-fourth best home record in the division.

From the other side, the Grimsby Telegraph says that "Danny Amos will be hoping to make his Grimsby Town debut this weekend when the Mariners host Altrincham.

Paul Hurst's men confirmed the left-back as their first signing of the January transfer window on Thursday, after agreeing to a contract until the end of the season.

The defender will provide competition at left-back for Adam Crookes following the exit of Seb Revan earlier this week... and adds another body to their defensive options after Michee Efete's hamstring injury...

The left-back came through the youth ranks at Doncaster Rovers in League One. He made his first-team debut in 2016... before moving to the National League on loan.

He joined Hartlepool United in 2019, making seven appearances for the club before returning to Doncaster. Amos made a further 20 appearances at the Keepmoat Stadium before leaving the club in the summer to join Port Vale on a six-month contract.

Amos can play at left-back, left wing-back or as a left-sided defender in a back three... Amos made three appearances for Port Vale in six months at the club... He left the club last week".

BERCOE TO BECOME NUMBER 24, 16 AND 33

The 20 year-old, renowned as a forceful presence on the left flank, has joined the Robins until February 13th and goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's Vanarama National League game with Grimsby Town at Blundell Park.

His timely arrival provides manager Phil Parkinson with an important extra option, as Andy White builds up his match sharpness after only recently returning from injury and Connor Hampson (left) continues his recovery from a groin problem that has kept him out of the last four games.

Initially part of Chelsea's youth set-up, Berkoe, who will wear squad number 24 for Alty, continued his teenage development at Wolves, where he had three seasons as a regular in their under-18 side before signing for Oxford United in May, 2019...

He was snapped up by Salford, on his release from Oxford United, at the start of the 2020-21 season... before joining AFC Telford United on a month's loan... prior to Salford recalling him two months ago".

Footnote: Whilst his Alty squad number is 24, he will become the Robins' sixteenth debutant this campaign and the 33rd player to appear in a league or cup match for the club in 2021-22. .

ALTY OLD BOYS

Danny began his career at Stockport County, breaking through into the first team in the 2011/12 season and went on to catch the eye at Edgeley Park, earning him a move to West Ham United in 2013... Whitehead had a brief spell at Accrington Stanley before making a move in 2015/16 to Macclesfield Town in the National League. Some great performances for the Silkmen led to Wigan coming in for the Trafford born man, although he returned to Macclesfield on loan for most of the 2016/17 season. At the beginning of the 2017/18 season, the deal was made permanent, and he was a key figure in their promotion back to the Football League that season... before joining his old Manager, John Askey, at Port Vale in 2020...

Coasters Manager Jim Bentley said... 'He’s a good all-round midfielder, he’s hungry to do well, and he is still at a good age to get even better. It’s a really good signing for the Club'".

Whitehead played 6(+4) times for Altrincham.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The National League club made the most of their new financial might in the summer window, signing the likes of Aaron Hayden, James Jones, and Ben Tozer from EFL clubs, and it appears they’re keen to do the same again in January as they look to boost their promotion hopes.

Football League World understands that Wrexham have submitted an offer worth £180,000 for Palmer as they look to give manager Phil Parkinson more firepower... When available, the 29-year-old has been a regular fixture for the Dons this season and is their joint-top goalscorer in all competitions...

Wimbledon manager Mark Robinson told South London Press earlier this month that Palmer was '100%” a player that he did not want to lose' but it seems that the National League are determined to test their resolve".

And also Wrexham "confirm that, following [a] Welsh Government update, we will be welcoming supporters back to the Racecourse Ground for our Vanarama National League fixture against Grimsby Town on Tuesday January 25...

Outdoor sports events in Wales... will be back open to full capacity from next Friday (January 21)...

Tomorrow’s home game against Folkestone Invicta will still be played behind closed doors. The Buildbase FA Trophy fourth round tie, which kicks off at the Racecourse Ground at 5.30pm, will be live streamed as a result".

iNews believes that "In 2021, the lines between the lowest tier of league football and the highest tier of non-league football became more blurred than ever before. Phil Parkinson, whose previous two jobs had been in League One, was appointed by Wrexham. Dave Challinor, who had just been promoted to League Two with Hartlepool, left for the manager’s job at Stockport. Paul Mullin, League Two’s top scorer in Cambridge United’s promotion, dropped down two divisions. So too did Ben Tozer and Paddy Madden.

This new market of movement down the leagues as well as up raises questions about what 'league' and 'non-league' actually mean... The gap is virtually non-existent. There is clearly no longer any stigma about dropping into the National League. It is an excellent environment for the development of young players. In terms of attendances, eight clubs in League Two have average crowds this season of more than 5,000 compared to six in the National League.

In the FA Cup last season alone, 12 different league clubs were knocked out by non-league teams. Of the last 10 clubs to gain promotion from the National League, as many of them (Lincoln City) are now in League One than have been relegated back to non-league (Macclesfield) and the current top four in League Two contains three recently former National League clubs (Forest Green, Tranmere Rovers, Sutton United). In Macclesfield’s case, their demise was down to financial mismanagement that ultimately ended in liquidation.

The same is true of those clubs who are relegated from the EFL. The last time a club was promoted at the first time of asking were [sic] Cheltenham in 2015-16. Last season’s relegated pair, Southend United and Grimsby Town, are 18th and 10th in the National League respectively even with their EFL parachute payments...

More clubs are now fully professional. The average age of players in the division has decreased. So too has the average age of the coaches. Eleven of the 23 managers in the National League are aged 41 or under...

This season’s promotion race in the National League is like no other. It has a mix of former EFL clubs (Notts County, Chesterfield, Dagenham & Redbridge) who have taken their time to get back on two feet, non-league stalwarts (Borehamwood, Bromley) a phoenix club (FC Halifax Town) and clubs under new owners with significant budgets (Wrexham, Stockport). The competition is ludicrous: the current top six have lost one of their last 30 combined matches. That fight is intensified by the salary cap that will be introduced from the start of next season.

But then this bottleneck was always inevitable. While there are four promotion spots from League Two to League One, there are only two out of the National League despite the gaps between the two divisions being measurably smaller...

It would take agreement from EFL clubs for extra promotion places to be created and that requires turkeys to vote for Christmas. And so an impasse is reached...

And under the current rules, [EFL clubs] become doubly damned when they are eventually relegated because they are thrust into a division with clubs of at least as high a level and with only one automatic promotion place to fight for. So they become stuck in suspension, waiting for a new dream to come along. Eleven of the league’s 23 clubs are former league sides.

Time has come for change, whether clubs are persuaded to vote for it or it is foisted upon them for the good of the game. There is simply no good reason why double the number of clubs are promoted from League Two as are relegated."

In the Halifax Courier, "Town keeper Sam Johnson says The Shaymen don't want to take their foot off the pedal ahead of Saturday's FA Trophy clash at Alfreton.

Halifax go into the match four points clear at the top of the National League, and unbeaten in their last seven games. If they beat Alfreton, they would be just three more rounds away from a second Wembley appearance, having won the competition in 2016 with Johnson in goal against Grimsby...

Said the Town keeper... 'We don't want to take our foot off the pedal, we want to keep the wins rolling'...

The Shaymen moved four points clear thanks to Tuesday night's 1-0 win over Grimsby. 'I think it was a great win, we owed them one after the late goal last week,' said Johnson. 'They're a decent, physical side. We knew what they were going to do, and worked hard all week on it, and I think we nullified all their threats really well.

'We were gearing ourselves up for it, we knew it was a massive game... The gaffer's keeping us all grounded, we've had a mentality all season that we'll just look at the next game...

'I've played for this club when we've been in 14th, 15th, so looking at the table now, it puts a smile on everyone's face...

'It probably starts from the gaffer bringing in the right people at the right time. This season he's recruited really well'...

The Town keeper says this is the best Halifax team he has played in during his time at the club...

The win over Grimsby was Halifax's 13th clean sheet of the season".

The Southend Echo tells us that "Jason Demetriou is keen to continue a new found feel-good factor at Southend United.

The Shrimpers head into tomorrow’s FA Trophy clash at Dagenham & Redbridge after securing back to back wins for the first time this season...

'I haven’t felt like this here for a very long time'... said the defender. 'People have come in and tried their hardest to get it going but for some reason it hasn’t worked. But the three (Kevin Maher, Darren Currie and Mark Bentley) have come in and given us a lift...

'We’ve got ourselves going and the last two games have been quite impressive'...

Blues beat Yeovil Town 2-1 last time out, with Demetriou scoring the opening goal... And the 34-year-old felt.. 'Tuesday was our best performance this season and in quite a while'...

Blues are now lining up in a 3-4-3 formation and Demetriou is enjoying having more freedom to get forward.

'We’ve got momentum and we haven’t had this feeling for a long time'", he concluded.

According to Kent Online, "Gillingham midfielder Henry Woods’s loan spell at Dover has been extended until the end of the season.

The 22 year-old, who moved to Crabble in July, has made 21 appearances in all competitions for the National League side.

He had been due back at Priestfield from this Monday but will now remain with Whites, ahead of their match at Wealdstone this weekend...

The news comes after winless Dover brought in former Leyton Orient defender Myles Judd on a non-contract basis.

It leaves Whites still with four loan players in their first-team squad - Woods, defender Harry Ransom, goalkeeper Adam Parkes and striker Alfie Pavey.".

Also at the wrong end of the National League, the Eastern Daily Press reports that "King's Lynn Town head to Tonbridge Angels on Saturday for an FA Trophy fourth-round tie ...

Tommy Widdrington will be hoping striker Gold Omotayo has turned a corner after breaking his scoring duck at King’s Lynn Town, and silenced his detractors at the same time.

The summer signing scored his first league goal, at the 18th attempt, in the midweek defeat to Notts County.

Omotayo had been under obvious pressure, but... 'I keep saying, it is all right blaming the strikers for not scoring enough goals but, if you don’t service them, then you can’t expect them to score goals, and you give him that sort of service he will score goals,' said Widdrington, after watching Omotayo power in a header from Michael Clunan’s pinpoint cross...

'I hope a lot of people get off his back, if you like,' said the Linnets' boss. 'The style of football that he has been part of does not suit him. Now it does, because we want to service the guy. The guy is robust, he is big, he is a nuisance, he is technically not bad but he is a handful and if you have a handful then use it.

'We need to service him better, we need to give better service in the box to him. It isn’t about pumping balls forward to him, that’s not what I want. I want balls put into areas where he can either effect a chance on goal himself or create and help other people get chances.

'I thought he was excellent again tonight... He ran his trollies off and put himself in great positions in the first half for us to be able to go in leading the game'..

Said Widdrington 'Change of scenery on Saturday, a different competition. I wish it was a league game if I am being honest. I want to get a bit of momentum going, because I think we are very close to spanking somebody and I would rather that be in the league than anything else'".

ALTY v STOCKPORT REVISITED

NEXT OPPONENTS: GRIMSBY TOWN

Right: Altrincham will be hoping for a better outcome than that achieved on their last league visit to Grimsby, a 5-0 defeat as they sank towards relegation in 2016 and the Mariners headed for promotioon back to the Football League. Above: Omar Bogle nets Grimsby's second goal.

Ahead of the match, the Grimsby Telegraph reports that "Grimsby Town have completed the signing of Danny Amos on a free transfer after the defender left Port Vale.

The 22 year-old left the League Two club last week after the end of his six-month contract and becomes the Mariners' first January transfer addition.

Amos can play at left-back or as a left-sided centre-back in a three-man defence and is available for Saturday's match against Altrincham, where he could make his debut.

Amos made three appearances for Port Vale after signing in the summer, but now joins Town on a contract until the end of the season.

On the acquisition, Paul Hurst told Grimsby Live 'He has joined us until the end of the season... He was at Doncaster and so he was someone I was aware of. He will bring us competition in that left-back area with Seb (Revan) going back to Aston Villa. It's important we don't just have Adam Crookes there.

'He could play left wing-back or left-sided defender if we change systems into a three. It gives us flexibility... I guess he wants to kick-start his career a little bit, he might have a point to prove. He's found it difficult at his last couple of clubs'".

However, the Grimsby Telegraph also reports that "Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst has accused some agents of being 'disrespectful' to the club as he bids to bolster his options in the January transfer window.

The Mariners are working hard to bring in new faces after losing five loan players in the last month, in addition to the exit of Ryan Sears.

On Monday, Hurst revealed that a contract had been offered to one player until the end of the season, whilst a loan bid had also been submitted for another player. That loan deal is now looking unlikely, with the Town boss openly airing his frustrations at the lack of respect some agents have shown towards the club...

'Since Monday, yesterday in particular, there have been a lot of conversations. Things that look like they might happen and then haven't happened... It's frustrating because some information you get isn't correct or people have a change of heart and various other things...

'Whether people like it or I like it, we're Grimsby Town, we're in the National League,' he added. 'We're not everyone's first choice. No matter how proud we are of our football club, how good we think it is, it's not always the first thought on the outside, to the point where people don't understand how professional the football club is run and what we can offer...

'People who haven't been here or haven't been involved in this league can be disrespectful to it. I am convinced that the top ten upwards, and maybe a few below, would hold their own and more in the league above. I'm convinced of that. I don't think we'd be anywhere near relegation trouble. We went through a bad run of results but this squad is better than what it was when I came. I'm sure we wouldn't have that trouble.

'The problem is getting out of this league, that's the hardest part. There's three or four that can kick on again in the league above and compete at the top. Sometimes it gets a little frustrating, the tag and how people think you go about your work. We could be in League Two, League One, the budget would be more and we might have a new piece of equipment but nothing would change, in general.

'We are a professional football club and we try to do things right. The workload doesn't change. It stays the same and that is important from my point of view.

'With players, I get it. If you're not on Quest on a Saturday night or you talk to friends and it's like "who do you play for - what league are they in?", it's not as attractive. I get that. At the same time, there are some players out there that need to, in my opinion, see what's important. Is that being in the squad where you don't play, or playing football?

'Overall, maybe they're not the ones you want if stature and a higher division is more important even if they're not contributing'".

Also from the Grimsby Telegraph we learn that "Grimsby Town will almost certainly be without Michee Efete this weekend for their home clash with Altrincham.

The Mariners' right-back was taken off on Tuesday night with a hamstring injury, making him a major doubt for the weekend.

Paul Hurst has revealed the defender has been unwell in recent days and still needs to be assessed on his hamstring complaint...

Hurst told Grimsby Live... 'We're on Thursday, the game is Saturday, I can't see him realistically being involved'...

With Efete unavailable, Ryan Sears departed and Harry Clifton suspended, Town are short of cover at right-back. David Longe-King played that role in midweek as a substitute and he could be required to fill the void again".

And Grimsby Telegraph adds that "Paul Hurst... The Mariners boss confirmed on Monday that two offers have been placed by the club.

Paul Hurst has admitted Grimsby Town will be looking to add another right-back and central midfielder after the departures of Alex Hunt and Ryan Sears.

Sears' contract was mutually terminated by the club on Sunday, whilst Hunt's loan expired...

Having already confirmed plans to recruit a centre-back this month, Hurst confirmed central midfield and right-back would be areas to address...

'We can certainly get by for the time being but we need competition... You can only name 11 in the starting line-up and 16 in the squad but you need more than that, with injuries, suspensions'...

Hurst added on the right-back scenario. 'I wasn't expecting to have to look at that... With half the season remaining, we need to look at options there and see if we can find someone to come in and be direct competition for Michee (Efete)."

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Oliver has chipped in with five of Gillingham’s 18 league goals this season, with the forward proving to be a regular starter when available.

The 30 year-old enjoyed a prolific debut season... finding the back of the net 17 times in 43 League One outings...

The Gills now find themselves in an extremely difficult position where the goals have dried up, and subsequently, they are currently operating inside the relegation zone."

According to the BBC "A new stadium for Southend United has cleared a major hurdle after it was confirmed the plans would not face a planning inquiry.

Southend Borough Councillor Carole Mulroney....sid, 'The legal agreements are to be concluded. Permission won't be issued until that is finalised.

'They will have to submit detailed planning applications for certain aspects of the scheme so we shouldn't expect spades in the ground just yet but it is good news.'

The new stadium will include a 107 bed hotel, 1,461 homes, a club shop, restaurant and conference space... The club's current home at Roots Hall will be redeveloped into 502 new homes for rent once it has relocated."

The Maidenhead Advertiser reports that "Maidenhead United boss Alan Devonshire will be hoping his players are in the mood to cause a few upsets in the coming weeks, as they prepare for a raft of matches, both home and away, against sides looking to challenge for promotion.

Having played just twice since the middle of December, the Magpies are desperately short of match practice going into a hectic schedule of four matches in just 11 days. But, when they have managed to get themselves on the pitch in recent weeks, performances have been good.

Their 1-0 home win over Bromley on December 27 lifted the gloom... while Saturday’s 1-1 draw was further evidence the club can drag themselves clear of relegation danger.

The 1-1 draw at the Recreation Ground... lifted the Magpies four points clear of the bottom three...

Focus now switches to home games against second placed Chesterfield on Tuesday and new National League leaders Halifax Town the following Saturday...

[Devnshire] said, 'We were the better side in the first half, and they were probably the better side in the second...

'It’s our second game in a month so we got a little bit tired and that’s when they scored. But it’s a point and after the win against Bromley, it’s four points out of six.

'We’ve now got four massive games. We’ve got Chesterfield and then Halifax, who are second and first. Then we’ve got eighth-placed Stockport County and Wrexham who are fifth...

'We’ve only played two games in a month which isn’t ideal. But the atmosphere is good, the mood is a lot better so we will see how we go'...

Maidenhead played Brentford’s B side in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Tuesday, losing 5-1...

'The friendly gives me an opportunity to hand minutes to those who need it and we’ve got another couple of trialists coming in to play as well'".

The Dorset Echo reveals that "'High calibre' applications have been flooding in for the vacant managerial position at Weymouth, interim boss Paul Maitland has revealed.

Weymouth parted company with manager Brian Stock after a run of seven league losses... Sean O’Driscoll, who managed Stock at Bournemouth and Doncaster, has also exited along with assistant Louis Langdown...

Maitland said, 'I've not seen all the applicants... There are some really high calibre names. We saw this last time round. When you speak to some of these people, their expectations, they're not realistic to our model...

'Potentially there might be a bit more pain to come for us all before we get to what we want... We can wallow in self pity, feel sorry for ourselves or we can roll our sleeves up and go to war; that's what we've got to do...

'Clearly, we can’t take the time that we took with Brian,' he told BBC Solent Sport. The phone hasn’t stopped. The emails haven’t stopped. There have been a couple that are really interesting and a few that are just not what we’re looking for...

'We’re not going to be going into the Football League and taking a manager from there... There aren’t too many National League managers out there that are out of work that at present would consider Weymouth as an option...

'Somebody with some management experience at the level we’re at, or somebody just beneath it, would certainly be a box ticker for us.'"

AFTER ALTY'S DEFEAT

Phil Parkinson will look at the way the game turned in the space of 60 seconds early on, and how his side contributed to their own downfall at times, but credit where it’s due - Stockport were irresistible, outstanding in all facets of the game.

Strong and powerful enough to match the most physical teams in the league, they have a quicksilver passing style that Alty struggled to live with and a speed of thought and deed that put them out on their own as the best side to visit Moss Lane this season...

Safeguarding National League status is the main focus for Alty now".

From the other side, Stockport County we learn that "County took to the field showing just one change from the starting line-up at Solihull two Tuesdays previously – with Sarcevic, having served his one-match suspension, returning in place of Ollie Crankshaw. New signing from Port Vale, Ryan Johnson, was named among the substitutes, whilst an ex-Hatter most recently of Stevenage, Elliot Osborne, who had arrived at Moss Lane since the turn of the year, started in midfield for the hosts".

NEXT OPPONENTS: GRIMSBY TOWN

But the statistics conceal Grimsby's very good home form as they have won seven and drawn one of their ten home league fixtures this season. They lie seven points ahead of Alty with two fewer games played. And they were impressive winners at Moss Lane early this season.

But Saturday's match now pits the two teams who occupy 20th and 21st place in the form guide, with only Weymouth and Dover below them in that respect.

However, the Grimsby Telegraph reports that "Grimsby Town loanees Sebastian Revan and Will Bapaga have returned to their clubs after their season-long loans were cut short.

Revan arrived at Blundell Park from Aston Villa and Bapaga from Coventry City, both on deals until the summer.

However, after discussions between Town boss Paul Hurst and their clubs, agreement has been reached for the duo to be recalled early. Both young players showed promise at times in the early stages of the season, but as Town’s form declined, first team opportunities became few and far between.

Their departure frees-up two loan slots for January incomings as Hurst looks to revitalise his squad for the second half of the season. A club statement said...'Revan made a total of nine appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring twice... Bapaga made a total of 12 appearances in all competitions for the Mariners, scoring on three occasions".

Meanwhile Sheffield's Star reports that "Alex Hunt’s time at Grimsby Town ended after they were asked to pay 100% of the youngster’s wages by Sheffield Wednesday...

The 21-year-old midfielder impressed in 18 appearances for the Mariners in the National League but is back at Wednesday... with Grimsby boss Paul Hurst making clear he felt it was unlikely Hunt would return to continue his progress at Blundell Park.

Hurst claimed the terms of the arrangement put to Grimsby had changed and while it is not known exactly what percentage of Hunt’s wages were being paid by the National League side during the first half of the season, sources have confirmed to The Star that they were told they would have to stump up his entire wage if the arrangement was to be extended."

THROUGH THE YEARS: 15 January

Howard Watts and Mike Garnett's Through the Years data show us Alty's past record on that date.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Ian Burchnall admits Notts County have received transfer bids for some of their talented players but insists the club is not 'interested' in letting their prized assets leave.

Ruben Rodrigues, Kyle Wootton and Callum Roberts have all been linked with Football League clubs over the last month... But Notts' owners the Reedtz brothers have made it clear that they have no desire to sanction any exits unless it significantly benefited the ambitions of a return to the EFL..

'We've had bids, but we're not interested,' he said... Chesterfield were understood to have made an offer for Roberts last week... The bid fell way below Notts' valuation of the former Newcastle winger...

'There will be noise around some of the other talented players that we have got because they are playing and performing well'".

At Dover Athletic, "Manager Andy Hessenthaler has added to his defensive options after completing the signing of former Leyton Orient defender Myles Judd on a non-contract basis.

The 22 year-old right-back, who will wear the number 30 shirt for us, made 66 appearances in all competitions for the O’s. A member of the O’s team that won promotion from the National League in the 2018-19 season, Judd also played nine games while on loan at Barnet last season...

At the end of the 2016/17 season, he won the LFE Apprentice of the Year for League Two... making 20 appearances in Sky Bet League Two".

The Halifax Courier reports that "Town manager Pete Wild has praised the 'phenomenal' team spirit which has helped propel his side to the top of the National League...

'Because the players give us everything they've got every week, it's all about the players,' Wild said when asked what had been the most important factor in Town's season so far... We can put plans together, we can do our analysis, our homework, we can explain how to exploit teams, but if they don't go out and deliver then you've no chance...

'We've got a phenomenal dressing room here... We're over two points a game... It's a good return, we've just got to keep going... We're only 23 games in. There's some big teams that are on the coat tails, waiting for us to slip up, we're waiting for them to slip up, so let's just keep getting points on the board.

'Let's see if we can get to that magical 50, then fingers crossed we won't get relegated, and then we'll see where we are after that'".

The Bournemouth Echo picks up on the story that "Weymiouth have parted company with manager Brian Stock...

Former Wales international and Cherries [AFC Bournemouth] midfielder Stock exits Weymouth having lost seven successive National League matches, leaving them in the relegation zone. Stock had been working in Cherries' academy before taking over from Mark Molesley at the Terras in September 2020.

He won just 17 of 69 games in charge, but did turn fortunes around last January on his way to helping the Terras finish 18th on their return to the National League last season, following an 11-year absence.

His final game was Saturday's 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals Southend United, the loss leaving Weymouth in 21st, four points from safety with 23 matches remaining.

During the match against Southend, Stock was subjected to boos and chants calling for his departure from irate home fans. The ex-Doncaster midfielder told the Dorset Echo post-match that he did not fear for his future, however 96 hours later he has been relieved of his first job in management...

The Dorset Echo understands some members of Stock's backroom staff are likely to follow him out of the door. Weymouth are also expected to be managerless for the FA Trophy fourth round tie at Dartford on Saturday, with the Terras thought to be favouring a temporary in-house caretaker".

In the Leader Live, Wrexham's "Phil Parkinson has challenged a fit-again Dior Angus to play his part in Wrexham's promotion challenge after extending the striker's contract by 12 months.

Angus joined from Barrow on transfer deadline day last February, putting pen to paper on an 18-month deal, and the club has elected to take up the option to secure the 27 year-old striker’s services for anther year, keeping hin at The Racecourse until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Opportunities have been limited this season with Angus making three league starts and nine substitute appearances, scoring once... But Reds' boss Parkinson feels the 27 year-old, out of action for nearly two months due to a knee injury and illness before making his comeback... has a lot to offer during the second half of the campaign...

Said Parkinson...'He is now back to full fitness and we are looking for him to really push on and make a contribution'..

Angus said, 'It’s nice that the manager has showed some faith in me. I want to repay it by getting out there and scoring more goals but we’ve got a good squad so you just have to be patient, and take your chance when it comes.'"

CURT DEPARTURE FOR WEYMOUTH BOSS

It adds "Further details will follow".

The BBC adds that "Manager Brian Stock has left Weymouth with the club in the bottom three of the National League after seven consecutive defeats.

The former Bournemouth and Wales midfielder, 40, took over at the Terras in September 2020.

This season Weymouth have won four of their 21 league matches and sit four points from safety having played one game more than the teams above them".

ALTRINCHAM 1-4 STOCKPORT COUNTY

Match report here

TUESDAY GAMES

• Altrincham 1-4 Stockport County
• Boreham Wood 1-0 Wealdstone
• FC Halifax Town 1-0 Grimsby Town
• King's Lynn Town 2-4 Notts County
• Southend United 2-1 Yeovil Town

ALTY LOAN WATCH

LAST SATURDAY: BARNET REPORT

The Robins’ first chance of the afternoon arrived in the 23rd minute as a corner was sent towards the back post. Toby Mullarkey got on the end of it and shot goalwards to force the Bees defence to throw bodies in front of the strike and eventually clear their lines.

Oxborough was called into action as the first-half came to a close when Dan Mooney picked up the ball and found space inside the box. The Robins’ No. 7 rifled it towards the bottom corner, with only a diving save from the Bees’ stopper preventing Phil Parkinson’s side from finding the opener.

Altrincham looked to score their first of the match in the 51st minute after Josh Hancock dibbled along the edge of the box before firing just over the crossbar.

The Bees responded... Adam Marriott rose highest and flicked his header goalwards to make Thompson pull off a reaction save and tip it over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken just after the hour mark when Thompson’s long ball forward was brought down by Hulme towards the byline. He held the ball up before passing to Ben Pringle on the edge of the box who curled it into the far corner to give his side the lead...

Dean Brennan’s side levelled deep into stoppage time after Harry Taylor crossed into the centre of the box following a long pass forward by Oxborough. Marriott took the ball under control before laying it off to Mitch Brundle who hit a first-time half volley into the bottom corner to rescue a point for the Bees".

NEXT OPPONENTS: GRIMSBY TOWN

They then collapsed, losing eight of their next nine matches before securing a home draw with the Shaymen on New Year's Day. And they lost again last night on the road.

Before last night's return fixture with FC Halifax Town, the Grimsby Telegraph reported that Grimsby Town were "expected to make one change to their team to face Halifax Town at The Shay... eight days after earning a 1-1 draw...

It was the least Town deserved from a spirited performance at Blundell Park and translating that level of display on the road is their biggest challenge.

Paul Hurst's side have lost their last six successive away matches in all competitions and will need to show a renewed level of solidity against the Shaymen.

After such a strong performance last Monday, Hurst has just a few positions to consider for this encounter.

The return of John McAtee from suspension is the greatest with their top-scorer now available again after serving a three-match ban.

The spotlight is on Max Crocombe too after his error in the 1-1 draw, with James McKeown hoping to regain the gloves.

Grimsby Town's defence should stay the same, with Michee Efete, Luke Waterfall, Shaun Pearson and Adam Crookes across the back.

Alex Hunt has returned to Sheffield Wednesday but Giles Coke, who came off with an injury last week, is fit to partner Ben Fox and Harry Clifton in midfield.

McAtee could replace one of the wide players, with Maguire-Drew most likely to drop out despite his goal last weekend. That would leave Erico Sousa on the opposite flank to support Ryan Taylor.

That XI could start in a 4-3-3 with McAtee off the left-hand side, with the flexibility of switching to 4-2-3-1 and Clifton coming out wide.

Predicted Grimsby Town XI: Crocombe; Efete, Waterfall, Pearson, Crookes; Fox, Hunt, Clifton; Sousa, McAtee, Taylor".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

'We got a letter from the FA the week before saying that the cost of it would be deducted from the expenses of the game so between us and Chelsea we had to pay over £9,000 for VAR to be in operation on Saturday,' Spireites chief executive John Croot told BBC Radio Sheffield.

'It was a bit of a shock to me...

'We were surprised because obviously we have never had VAR before so we did not know'...

An FA spokesperson said 'Its cost of £9,250 is a match expense, and is therefore shared equally by the competing clubs from gate receipts'".

Peterborough United report that "United goalkeeper Dan Gyollai has turned his loan deal at Vanarama National League side Maidenhead into a permanent switch.

The 24 year-old has made two appearances for Maidenhead after joining the club just before Christmas, a 1-0 victory over Bromley and a 1-1 draw at Aldershot Town. Gyollai joined Posh in the summer of 2020 and made four appearances for the club in the EFL Trophy".

Right: Dan Gyollai played for Altrincham at Whitchurch Alport in a 2019 pre-season game after his release by Stoke City.

Peterborough Today adds that "The 24 year-old has left on a free transfer...

Gyollai joined Posh from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2020... He failed to make a single League One appearance and was placed on the transfer list at the end of last season".

The Hungarian stopper had a tough time in a friendly on Tuesday as Brentford reported that "Brentford B picked up a victory in their first match of 2022 as they beat National League side Maidenhead United 5-1 at York Road.

The goals came courtesy of a Nathan Young-Coombes hat-trick whilst Jude Russell also notched two on the day.

Neil MacFarlane had a strong B Team squad to choose from... The opening stages were relatively even...

The opener then came on 22 minutes when Young-Coombes grabbed his first... It got even better for The Bees just four minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after tenacious running from Trevitt paid off as he was fouled by Gyollai and the referee pointed to the spot. Young-Coombes then stepped up to fire his effort home...

His hat-trick then came on 31 minutes when a ball back to the youngster saw him hold his run before finishing low into the bottom left-hand corner as he claimed his 22nd goal of the season across B Team and Brentford XI fixtures.

The Bees were running riot in a sensational period...

On 39 minutes Maidenhead pulled a goal back when a ball from the right went behind the Brentford back line and Reece Smith slotted under Winterbottom to reduce the deficit.

Jude Russell got his first goal for the Club in stoppage time in the first half as he got on the end of a corner...

The second half continued in similar form as The Bees started brightly... and the fifth and final goal arrived shortly before the hour...

Maidenhead United: Gyollai, Wells, Parry, Asonganyi, Burley, Scheckleford, Smith, Acquah, Mingi, Trialist, Trialist. Subs: De Havilland, Clerima, Donnellan, Kelly, Adams, Trialist".

Southend United "have completed the signing of right-back Leon Davies on a permanent deal until the end of the season.

The 22 year-old rose through the ranks at Cambridge United, making 66 appearances for the League One side.

He spent time on loan at fellow National League side Weymouth earlier in the season, making three appearances.

Head Coach Kevin Maher said 'He comes with great pedigree, he’s played 60+ games for Cambridge and helped them get promoted last season from League Two. He’s had a tough time with injuries but he’s been back and played a few games.

'It was an opportunity that came up to get a player of his calibre in and provide healthy competition in that area. I have to say Jason [Demetriou] has done ever so well in that area and played brilliantly on Saturday, but Leon comes in and I think he will be good for us.

'He’ll be looking to kick start his career again after the injuries that he’s had'...

Leon said 'I’m really happy. I know the stature of the Club and how big it is so, to get it over the line, is really exciting and I can’t wait to get going.

'There’s not been too much football over the past year for me so to have someone want me to come and play for them is really exciting. I met the manager last week and... I got good vibes from him and for what he’s trying to do for the Club moving forward so it was a no-brainer in the end'".

The Daily Mirror tells us that "Non-League pair Kidderminster and Boreham Wood land big paydays. Just two non-league sides remain in the world's oldest cup competition and both will be hoping for TV coverage in round four, with Harriers welcoming West Ham and The Wood travelling to Bournemouth...

The financial impact can also be huge for those lower down the footballing pyramid. Kidderminster Harriers ply their trade in the National League North, the sixth tier. But they belied a 79-place difference between themselves and Reading last weekend to dump the Championship side out.

Kidderminster started in the second qualifying round way back in September against Sporting Khalsa.

Now, after Sunday's fourth round draw, they will welcome top flight side West Ham United to Aggborough next month. The game against the Hammers will be Kidderminster's eighth game of the competition. They have already banked £157,000 in prize money and with their upcoming tie likely to be screened by either the BBC or ITV, a further cash windfall is surely on its way.

Manager Russell Penn said of the weekend's events 'I'm stuck for words. I'm so proud of the players and the football club... Did we expect to win? No, we thought we had a chance but we are shell-shocked. We deserved the victory and the chairman was like the Grinch at Christmas, his smile went from ear to ear'...

As for Boreham Wood, of the National League, they have so far beaten Barnet, Eastleigh, St Alban's City and AFC Wimbledon. They have done so by winning all four games without conceding and their current total earned is £148,000.

They travel to Championship leaders Bournemouth in round four and will be hoping TV coverage can boost that figure even further".

NEXT OPPONENTS: STOCKPORT

After County thrashed Alty 5-1 on Boxing Day they won again on 28 December, 1-0 at Solihull, and they now lie eighth.

BARNET v ALTY HIGHLIGHTS

YOUTHS' MIXED FORTUNES OVER CHRISTMAS

After Bailey had put Alty ahead against The Nash, around the hour mark, Morton doubled the lead. A third goal followed from McGeady to complete the scoring.

Altrincham's line up was Ryan Forde, Michael Vale, Aiden Kelly, Ewan McGeady, James Cook, Lucas Aldcroft, Joel Trevor, Joe Holt, Angus Bailey, Liam Evans, Nathan Wall. Subs: Danny Watson, Jayden Matthew, Tom Jones, Ryan Morton, Ben Lawson.

Altrincham now find themselves third in the NWYA Premier Division, a point behind leaders Chester FC.

Before Christmas, in a home match played on 5 December, the youths beat Prestwich Heys Youth 5-0 before travelling to AFC Fylde the following Sunday where they were beaten 4-1 by the young Coasters.

Alty's goals against Prestwich were scored by Bailey, Hussain, Morton, Lawton and Vale. The team that faced Prestwich was Michael Vale, Ewan McGeady, James Cook, Lucas Aldcroft, Morgan Chilton, Amaar Hussain, Jayden Matthew, Ryan Morton, Angus Bailey, Joel Trevor, Nathan Wall. Subs: Joseph Cooney, Liam Evans, Aiden Kelly, Ben Lawson, Danny Watson.

The Altrincham players who experienced defeat at Fylde were Angus Bailey, Morgan Chilton, James Cook, Joseph Cooney, Amaar Hussain, Aiden Kelly, Harlan Rodgers-Morris, Joel Trevor, Michael Vale, Nathan Wall, Loui Williams. On the bench were Liam Evans, James Kelly, Jayden Matthew. Alty's goal came from Joel Trevor.

ALTY OLD BOYS

When Warrington Rylands beat Mossley on Saturday, Callum Dolan netted for Rylands and Mason Fawns did so for the Lilywhites.

The Bradford (Park Avenue) team on Saturday included Luca Havern, Nick Clee (as a used sub), Simon Richman and Dylan Mottley-Henry.

CHESHIRE NEWS

Crowds are allowed in England but the club has revealed it has been warned by North Wales Police and Flintshire Council about playing further home games with fans because of the Welsh Government’s Covid rules which effectively ban crowds from matches.

Over to Chester FC chairman Andy Morris... 'There have been a lot of conversations and a lot of opinions over the weekend. The situation we are in as a club is we want to start actually talking to these people who are in power and are making the decisions that are impacting on our football club.

'Yes, a proportion of our ground is in Wales, however, a proportion of it is also in England... What we are saying is that, as an English club, and the way we function and have been governed for the last 30 years, the club should be treated as English...

'The fact that we could erect a screen in the car park and could have 2,000 people stood in our car park watching the game, or could play the game in another stadium, shows for me that this issue is a political one rather than actually ensuring the safety of spectators.

'If that is put forward as a potential alternative, it shows to me it is more about enforcement and not playing football in the stadium to make a political point than the well-being of the match-going spectator...

'There is one entrance to the stadium, that is in England. The registered offices are in England, the front door is in England. What we have seen this weekend is the ability of a number of people to screenshot a print of a map and draw a line on it. Nobody has ever denied that the pitch is on the border, everybody has known that...

There needs to be a level of common sense that needs to work for the club. Usually the front door and the entrance to the building is the primary address. We have been used as a political football, I have absolutely no doubt about that..

'It was delightful to actually speak to people. We have seen this played out on social media, nobody had actually sat down and spoken to us...

'“We have been in dialogue with the National League through this. Obviously they are very concerned, as are the English FA. At the moment, the guidance would be that they would wish that the game be played behind closed doors or alternative arrangements are made... Back in 2018, the costs and charges we were quoted to play at other grounds runs between £5,000 and £10,000 on occasions... Financially that may not be a viable option'".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

• Saturday January 22 – Dagenham & Redbridge vs Stockport County (5.20pm)
• Tuesday January 25 – FC Halifax Town vs Boreham Wood (7.45pm)
• Saturday January 29 – Eastleigh vs Chesterfield (5.20pm)
• Saturday February 19 – Maidenhead United vs Boreham Wood (5.20pm)
• Saturday February 26 – Chesterfield vs Yeovil Town (5.20pm)

The Leader Live tells us that "Wrexham have been dealt a blow with the news that injured striker Jake Hyde is facing another eight weeks on the sidelines.

The 31 year-old has not featured since the Reds' 1-0 home win against Weymouth on December 11 when he was forced off at half-time with a calf problem.

Manager Phil Parkinson revealed that Hyde, who has scored three goals in 13 league appearances since making the switch from Halifax Town last summer, will be out for even longer after undergoing a scan...

'They have found there is a split in the tendon,' said Parkinson, who is looking to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window... 'And he is going to be out for eight weeks'...

Wrexham, without a league game at the weekend, are back in action on Saturday against Folkestone Invicta at The Racecourse in the fourth round of the FA Trophy, and there has been a change in kick-off time. Under the current Welsh Government Covid-19 regulations, the match is due to be played behind closed doors with no supporters allowed to attend.

But the club has agreed with Folkestone to move the kick-off time to 5.30pm so the tie can be streamed live. All profits from the stream will be split between both teams".

From Hampshire, the Daily Echo reports that "FC Halifax Town registered an easy 4-0 win over Ben Strevens’s travelling Eastleigh to go top of the National League.

Jordan Slew opened in the first-half before completing his brace after the break, when Jamie Allen and Matt Warburton made it a rout in the north.

The Spitfires dropped to 13th in the division following the result

Halifax took the lead 22 minutes in when Slew won the ball and calmly hit it past goalkeeper Joe McDonnell...

The Shaymen doubled their lead through Slew again, who found the net with a long-range shot in the 65th minute.

Substitute Allen scored the third in the 73rd minute and Warburton smashed the ball into the top corner for Halifax's fourth 10 minutes from time".

In the Grimsby Telegraph, "Paul Hurst has revealed Grimsby Town have made two offers for players in the transfer market whilst Alex Hunt is 'unlikely' to return to the club...

Ryley Towler and Sam Bell have both returned to Bristol City, whilst Alex Hunt was pictured playing for Sheffield Wednesday's Under-23s on Monday, scoring twice.

Hurst has revealed that the club have made two offers, one a permanent contract until the end of the season, the other a loan deal, and he remains hopeful of adding fresh blood to the squad... 'We're waiting to hear back from those to see if we get a positive... I feel like I am spinning plates at the minute. Lots of conversations, lots of time on the phone.

'This is part and parcel of the job, it's that time of year, you get used to it. A lot of it isn't in my hands so it's difficult to put a timeframe on it. The sooner the better, realistically... We can't wait forever on these things... One was a loan, one was a permanent deal but for the remainder of the season,' he added.

'I did say I want permanent players and that would be the ideal scenario but that is proving extremely difficult for the players I'd like. The loan market is the easiest one to get deals done in and then there are others where they are free agents or the clubs have made them available'..

Alex Hunt has returned to Sheffield Wednesday after his loan expired, with Hurst admitting... that the terms the Owls were looking for on an extension were more than the club were willing to pay".

ALTY'S ANNUAL UPS AND DOWNS

By way of context, the calendar years before Covid, 2018 and 2109, each saw Alty play roughly the same number of competitive league and cup games; 52 in 2018 and 51 in 2019.

But in 2020, with the league season curtailed, the following season 2020-21 starting late and the curtailment of cup competitions, Alty played just 33 times competitively.

In 2021 calendar year that total shot back up to 56. The starkest increase within that figure was the much higher number of league games from the 2020-21 season which were played during 2021 calendar year. That figure was 27 matches, which was five matches more than in any previous calendar year from 2018 to date.

In terms of results, 2021 was disappointing compared with previous campaigns. 2021 saw the lowest win rate since the disastrous 2016 year when Alty were in the midst of what proved to be two successive relegations. However, the number of defeats in 2016 was almost matched in 2021, with 27 losses in 2021 and 28 in 2016, albeit from four fewer fixtures in 2021.

The 17 wins in all competitions in 2021 matched the 17 in 2020 but from considerably more games (56 against 33 the previous year).

In terms of league points, in 2021, Alty earned 53 points from 48 league games; in 2020 they gained 52 points from far fewer games, just 30 league matches.

League goals scored by opposing teams in 2020 totalled just 31 from 30 games but goals were conceded by Altrincham at a far higher rate in 2021, when 76 goals were let in from 48 matches in 2021.

ALTY MANAGER ON RECENT SIGNINGS

ALTY OLD BOYS AND LOANEES

As Kidderminster Harriers caused an upset in the FA Cup by beating Reading, Ashley Hemmings was involved in one of their two goals. For the opposition, an ex-Altrincham resident if not an ex-Alty player, Danny Drinkwater, played for Reading.

Alty TV has Brian Flynn's interview with Jordan Hulme after he rejoined Altrincham.

In another interview with Brian Flynn, Phil Parkinson revealed that Brad Jackson (left) "broke down" in his first game on loan at Buxton and has been brought back to Moss Lane for treatment. Likewise, Will Hall suffered an injury for Ashton United on his loan and he, too, has had to return to base for attention to his injury.

he alsoindicated that Curtis Miller would be returning to the club from his loan at Trafford.

FA CUP DRAW

• Kidderminster Harriers v West Ham United
• AFC Bournemouth v Boreham Wood

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Mariners' right-back was charged with drink driving in November but, after a spell out of the team, featured in their 4-0 defeat to Stockport County last month.

The right-back made eight appearances for Paul Hurst's side in total after arriving in the summer.

Hurst previously worked with Sears at Shrewsbury Town and despite his reintroduction into the squad, the two parties have decided to go their separate ways.

A club statement said... 'Sears signed a one-year deal at the Club back in the summer of 2021'".

Y Clwb pel Droed confirms that JD Cymru Premier club Newtown AFC "have started their January transfer business by re-signing hometown defender Ryan Sears.

He has put pen-to-paper on a deal which will keep him at the club for the next 18 months...

Sears returns to his hometown club after making 31 apps for the Robins during a loan spell from Shrewsbury Town back in the 2017/18 season.

He began his professional career with the Shrews and was handed his first professional contract with Paul Hurst, who later signed him for Grimsby.

After appearing in all but one Cymru Premier match in 2018, he returned back to the New Meadow.>.

The right-back was sent out on loan to AFC Telford United for one match before COVID-19 truncated the season. A further five appearances would follow under new boss Steve Cotterill last season but that was mainly as a substitute.

He was not kept on and was released in the summer".

Meanwhile the Grimsby Telegraph reports that "Grimsby Town have released full details on how to vote on the club's new crest.

The Mariners released a digitalised and updated version of the badge over Christmas but the changes were not well received by some supporters. However, after a backlash over communication around the changes, the club have opened the decision up to a poll, which is available on the new Grimsby Town website.

Owner Jason Stockwood has continually reiterated his backing for the new crest, designed by Apple designer Rich Lyons, but has offered the opportunity for fans to cast their verdict.

The new crest has a few subtle changes... In summary, the badge has been redesigned for a more digital world. It has been geometrically recalibrated to suit a new era. In addition, there has been a flag placed upon the trawler, which reads '1878', the year the club was founded".

Also from the Grimsby Telegraph we learn that "It's Town's results on the road that need to change to get them higher up the table.

The performances, by and large, have been consistent at Blundell Park... However, on the road, the Mariners have shown a soft centre and lost their last six away from home.

Performances at Solihull Moors, Dagenham and Redbridge, Aldershot Town and Wealdstone all struck a similar tone of starting poorly and being unable to break down the opposition...

If there was any doubt that McAtee is Grimsby's most influential player before this run, those have now been subsided.

The Mariners' top-scorer has only started once since the end of October 23, which marked the start of their poor run after losing to Wealdstone.

Injury, suspension and postponements have extended that period of absence but it's clear Town are a much, much better proposition when he's on the pitch.

Hurst believes Taylor & McAtee's combination play could be as important as signing a new striker...

Town need three signings this window. A striker, centre-back and another central midfielder...

Hurst has tinkered with the team a lot, which is understandable given the poor form... Continuity is what the club must try to achieve this month, particularly in defence."

FC Halifax Town "defeated Eastleigh in the first game of 2022 played at the Shay Stadium. In what was a 4-0 victory, the middle of the pitch was dominated by Kian Spence...

Spence played a pivotal part in individual battles to help Halifax to a comfortable win, and he gave an assessment on the game, 'The first-half wasn’t as good as we would have expected at home,' Spence began. 'We’re in form at the Shay, and we always play good football... As the game went on it got more and more comfortable for us'".

"WE WILL BE A REAL FORCE" SAYS PARKY

"The long balls into our box we dealt really well with but, of course, it's really disappointing at the end.

"You have to concentrate for the entirety of the game.

"We had a few counters which we could have done better with but, if the lads perform like that off the ball, and when we start to play with the new players we have brought in, we will be a real force in this division".

BARNET 1-1 ALTRINCHAM

Match report here

COMINGS AND GOINGS

• New Signings: 4, namely Jamie Morgan from Chester FC, Elliot Osborne ex-Stevenage, Isaac Marriott from Bradford (Park Avenue) and Jordan Hulme on loan from AFC Fylde.
• Returned to Parent Club After Loan 5 , namely Connor Kirby to Harrogate Town, Adam Porter to Stoke City, Barry Baggley to Fleetwood Town, Tom Walker to Stockport County and Danny Whitehead to Port Vale
• End of contract: 1 David Fitzpatrick
• Left Voluntarily: 2 Joe Bunney to Warrington Rylands and Joel Senior to Carlisle United
• Gone Out on Loan: 6 Marcus Dinanga to Kidderminster Harriers, Brad Jackson to Buxton, Tom Peers to Curzon Ashton, Andy White to FC United of Manchester, Will Hall to Ashton United after his brief return from Ramsbottom United, Ritchie Sutton to Alfreton Town for second loan spell.

In addition, James Berry and Curtis Miller have remained on loan at Macclesfield FC and Trafford FC respectively.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

An early goal from Tyrone Marsh and a late strike from substitute Adrian Clifton sent the League One Dons spinning to a 2-0 defeat...

It was a memorable afternoon for Garrard, who as a player made more than 100 appearances for Wimbledon and helped them to two promotions.

Garrard said, 'I’m on top of the world. It is my biggest achievement as the manager here for six years. It hasn’t sunk in yet'".

Kent Online report that "Dover's scheduled National League game against Notts County on Saturday was called off, hours before kick-off.

With persistent rain coming down throughout the day, the decision was made at Crabble by the referee at around 1pm.

Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler had been due to miss their match...

Meanwhile Notts County fumed 'Despite receiving no warning whatsoever of a pitch inspection or the match being in doubt, the referee has arrived at the stadium and called the game off, stating the pitch is totally unplayable'..

. Dover chairman Jim Parmenter gave his thoughts... 'Really disappointing. I don't know exactly why the referee has made that decision!

'He said he's done it for the welfare of the players; well, I don't know what they are used to playing on these days, but the pitch was much worse when we played Dagenham.

'I think it's the wrong decision. I believe he is a new referee, so maybe he is not that experienced. But the game could have, easily, gone ahead (so I'm) very disappointed in the decision...

'I was here from 10am this morning and the pitch was great. There was very light rain, and the pitch was perfect for playing. The rain got a bit heavier at about 11.30am or 12 o'clock.

'The referee arrived at about quarter to one and decided that, because the weather forecast was that it was going to continue to rain this afternoon, he was going to call the game off.

'He has called it off, in my opinion, based on the view of the weather forecast, rather than the actual state of the pitch because the pitch is clearly playable.'"

The Southend Echo confirms that "Siuthend United moved four points clear of the National League drop zone with a vital 1-0 victory at relegation rivals Weymouth this afternoon.

An early effort from Matt Dennis saw the Shrimpers secure all three points at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

And Blues were not made to pay for wasting a succession of good chances in the second half.

Kevin Maher’s side bagged the only goal of the game after just five minutes, with Dennis on target for the third game in succession.

The on-loan Norwich City youngster latched onto a long defensive clearance and nipped in ahead of a hesitant Ollie Hartfield before sprinting clean through on goal from the halfway line and scoring with an excellent low finish into the right hand side of the net...

With the Shrimpers still on top, Dalby blazed a right footed effort over the crossbar from a decent position following a dangerous ball from Dennis... but the Shrimpers did not need a second goal as a poor Weymouth side posed few problems late on and the visitors started 2022 with a win".

According to Devon Live "Torquay United were 2-0 up in 12 minutes against Dagenham & Redbridge at Plainmoor this afternoon, but had to settle for a point in their second National League match of the year after the visitors fought back and were much the better side in the second half.

In the end, it felt like a point well won rather than two lost, but after such a positive start, there was some disappointment...

It was Asa Hall who got the first goal, on just 19 seconds, and Danny Wright who made it 2-0 on 12 minutes.

But Dagenham came back before half time and after lots of pressure in the second half got the equaliser with 19 minutes to go. Torquay had to do a whole lot of defending after that but held out.

There was a debut for Stephen Wearne, who joined on loan from Sunderland in the week, while Harry Perritt, who had supposedly returned to Accrington Stanley after the end of his loan spell, was named in the starting 11...

There was no Armani Little in the squad after the midfielder suffered a dead leg in training, with Keelan O'Connell coming in... There was also no Joe Felix in the 16 either".

Both sides were trying to win the game in the three minutes that were added on - there was no time-wasting - and Lewis made a good block with his head from a Balanta shot, with the same player putting another chance over. But it was still 2-2 when the game ended - and a point".

8 January 2022

BARNET 1-1 ALTRINCHAM

For Altrincham, Andy White made a welcome return to action after missing the last 39 League games, through injury, whilst Dan Mooney was also back in the starting elven. However, after illness, Ryan Colclough was only named on the bench. There were two Altrincham players making their debuts; Elliot Osborne and Jamie Morgan, whilst the returning Jordan Hulme was making his second debut for the club.

Just moments after Alty had subbed Mooney in favour of Colclough, Kosylo appeared to tweak his hamstring and Pringle came on in his place (59 mins). And just four minutes later the red-haired midfield substitute hit a superb left-foot curler past Oxborough to give Altrincham a 1-0 lead (63 mins). The goal came from a clever feed by Hulme from a long freekick by goalkeeper Thompson.

But Barnet conjured an extremely late equaliser in the 93rd minute when Brundle scored after two other attempts had been blocked.

Match report here.

SATURDAY LEAGUE FIXTURES

• Aldershot Town 1-1 Maidenhead United
• Barnet 1-1 Altrincham
• Bromley 2-1 Solihull Moors
• Dover Athletic P-P Notts County (Waterlogged pitch; no prior pitch inspection)
• FC Halifax Town 4-0 Eastleigh
• King's Lynn Town P-P Woking (Waterlogged pitch)
• Torquay United 2-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Weymouth 0-1 Southend United
• Wrexham P-P Boreham Wood (Boreham Wood in FA Cup)

EMIRATES FA CUP TIES

Ties involving non-League clubs are:

Saturday 8th January

• Boreham Wood 2-0 AFC Wimbledon ko 3pm
• Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Reading ko 3pm
• Chelsea 5-1 Chesterfield ko 5.30pm
• Yeovil Town 1-3 AFC Bournemouth ko 5.45pm

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

And it seems likely that there will be at least three debutants in the squad at Barnet as Alty have signed Jamie Morgan, Jordan Hulme and Elliot Osborne this week, to join another very new face in Isaac Marriott, who only made his own debut in the game against Wrexham on 28 December. However, Isaac went off injured on his debut so it remains to be seen how fit he is for today's fixture.

If Jordan, Jamie Morgan and fellow recent signing Elliot Osborne all get on the pitch today, they will take the total to 31 of players to have turned out for Altrincham in a league game this season.

NUMBERS: JORDAN HULME

Jordan originally signed for Altrincham on 13 July 2017, just after he had left Salford City where he had scored ten times and provided eleven assists in 48 appearances in 2016-17 in National League North. At the time Alty were in the tier below, the Northern Premier League. The previous season he had netted 18 times in 54 appearances for the Ammies.

Jordan's earlier clubs included CMB Sports Club, Walshaw Sports Club, Shevington, Padiham, Ramsbottom United (2012) and New Orleans Jesters (USA). At Ramsbottom, he had scored more than thirty goals in 100 or so appearances before following the Rams' management duo of Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson to Salford City in January 2015.

A versatile player, at previous clubs he has turned out as a right-winger and right-back, as well as striker. By mid-November he had established himself as Alty's leading scorer in all competitions and crowned a fine season as Alty's top scorer, breaking the 30-goal barrier, and the NPL's Player of the Season.

He started 2018-19 with seven goals from eight starts before being suspended for a game and then missed further game time with a persistent eye problem. Nevertheless, he netted nine times in his first ten games of the campaign.

However, a flurry of yellow, and two red, cards meant that he missed more than a quarter of the club's first 30 fixtures in 2018-19 through suspension. Nevertheless, he still finished the season as joint top scorer in all competitions, with twenty goals. When the 2019/20 season was prematurely ended Hulme was again the club's leading scorer in that competition.

In summer 2020 he signed a new two-year contract but, just weeks later, he opted to take lower league AFC Fylde's offer of full-time football, his departure being announced just twenty hours before the start of the 2020-21 season.

His appearances for Alty, to date, comprise 132 starts and seven more games from the bench. He netted more than a goal every two apperances, with a tally of 70 goals for the Robins.

NUMBERS: ELLIOT OSBORNE

He thus became at least the eighth member of the current Altrincham squad to have played for The Dabbers, Phil Parkinson and Neil Sorvel's former club, with two other players having gone the other way, on loan to Nantwich this season (Matty Gould and Curtis Miller), to make a total of ten players who have featured for both Cheshire clubs. The eight who played for the Dabbers from before the Parkinson-Sorvel period began at Altrincham are Morgan, Mullarkey, Sutton, White, Osborne, Hancock, Kosylo and Peers.

When he steps onto the pitch, Elliot Osborne (or fellow new face Jamie Morgan!) will become the fourteenth player to make his club debut in any competition this season.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Black Cats have recorded a number of positive cases in their first-team squad, meaning Patterson is required for their Sky Bet League One matches against Wycombe Wanderers (Saturday) and Lincoln City (Tuesday).

Patterson will then return to Meadow Lane to resume his loan spell until the end of the season".

Meanwhile, Notts County confirm that "Jayden Richardson has extended his loan stay at Meadow Lane until the end of the season.

The 21 year-old Nottingham Forest wing back initially joined us for a month in December and has enjoyed a 100% win record since his arrival, contributing two assists and a goal in his three matches so far...

'Keeping Jayden is a huge boost for us,' said head coach Ian Burchnall. 'He’s added another dimension to our attack with his pace and power, and he’s shown what an excellent end product he has, too... Both Forest and Jayden... are really happy with the environment we’re providing and the style of play we’re implementing.

'Being able to loan such talented young players like Jayden, Anthony Patterson, Connor Parsons and Zak Brunt shows what an attractive proposition we are and can only bode well for the future.'”

Port Vale "confirm that Ryan Johnson has joined Stockport County for an undisclosed fee.

Director of Football, David Flitcroft said... 'He was one of the stand out defenders in the National League last season and was a mainstay in Hartlepool's promotion winning back four.

'His involvement in the play-offs meant he joined us later and needed more time to get match ready, unfortunately for him this coincided with a good period for our team and it was a struggle for him to get the game time he would've liked.

'The decision to let Ryan leave is a difficult one but ultimately it is best for all parties for him to move on to a Stockport side where he will get the minutes he deserves. Ryan would have remained in the clubs plans moving forward, however a deal was presented to the club that offered us really good value for the player and will provide us with an opportunity to reinvest this money back into other areas of the club.

'This aligns with the clubs new player trading philosophy, looking to extract value from its assets in a variety of different ways to help maximise the growth and improvement of the football club'".

The Eastern Daily Press discusses how "Tommy Widdrington defends his 100pc home record on Saturday as King’s Lynn Town begin a 'brutal' spell of games.

Woking head to The Walks before the rearranged clash against Notts County on Tuesday and then the FA Trophy trip to Tonbridge in a week’s time.

The good news for the Lynn boss is that players are steadily returning to the fold; only Kyle Callan-McFadden, Tyler Denton and Arthur Iontton remain sidelined by injury, while the squad has remained Covid-free.

'I have got to give the lads a pat on the back,' said Widdrington. 'For all these big clubs that seem to be riddled with Covid and getting games called off left, right and centre, they have been superb in their efforts to stay clear of it, which is difficult. From that point of view I am really delighted with the lads sticking to their guns with that and hopefully long may it continue... The lads who had it have all come back to train...

Tyler Denton (knee) is expected to rejoin training next week and could even be in contention for the trip to Southend on January 21 while Callan-McFadden (knee) is perhaps a week behind his team-mate...

'Kyle has probably played too early and returned to training too much, he should have been managed a little bit more...I think now at his age he realises he was part of it, making a decision to come back too early. But he isn’t a million miles away...

'With the postponement of the Notts County and Grimsby games,' he said, 'Both have been reassigned to dates probably earlier than I thought they were going to be... but it has just moved the very brutal period at Christmas to a brutal period in January.'

Widdrington has had four games in charge, a home win over bottom side Dover and an FA Trophy victory over Nantwich, and defeats at Halifax and Chesterfield, the teams who are leading the battle for promotion. It’s those two away performances which have firmed up his belief...

'In the four games I have been here I’d like to think can see a pattern to what is happening', he said. 'I definitely think... the team look harder to beat. People will argue that we are not scoring enough goals – well... at least we’re not shipping a load of goals in...

'People who have been programmed to play in a certain way for a certain period of time, it takes a long time to re-program. I don’t want to re-program the whole lot because a lot of it is good. They are a technically proficient group of players, they just need to become a little more street-wise, a bit more Kyle McFadden if you like. If we had three or four more of them in the team with the mentality he’s got I could see the group being really strong.'"

Chesterfield report that "Ahead of the Spireites’ trip to Stamford Bridge, manager James Rowe spoke about the importance of the FA Cup third round tie against Chelsea...

He said, 'It’s exciting for us. It’s a nice break from the league... I trust the changing room. We will go there to try and win the game'...

Rowe said 'It’s exciting for me to go against Thomas Tuchel. His background is similar to mine. I like to concentrate on, not the resources he’s got, but his game-plans... Hopefully I get time to sit down, talk to him and learn what I can...

'You’ve got to dream,' Rowe said'...

'The result will look after itself. We’ll perform to our maximum like we have done all season. It’s been a rocky road over the past five or six years and we’re on the up'".

In Devon Live we learn that "Torquay United manager Gary Johnson will have a new loan player in the squad to face Dagenham & Redbridge at Plainmoor on Saturday;- 21-year-old attacking midfielder Stephen Wearne.

Having lost Sinclair Armstrong, Jack Sparkes and Harry Perritt, who all returned to their parent clubs after the 2-1 win at Yeovil Town on January 2, Wearne's arrival from Sunderland, where Gary's son Lee Johnson is the manager, is a big boost...

Wearne recently made his first team debut in the Papa John's Trophy and scored against Lincoln City. He has signed for Torquay until the end of the season...

Johnson said 'Clubs are certainly not going to move out any of their more experienced players. So generally you are looking at an age group below that and probably players who are not close enough to the first team.

'In January though you start looking at next season as well, whether you can take somebody that might be available now. Instead of them being released by their club at the end of the season, maybe you can take over the contract... Everyone is waiting until the end of January to see what's what; certainly all the players are'...

He explained it had been a tough week leading up to the game with a few loan deals falling through and the recall of Armstrong and Sparkes, who he would have liked to have kept hold of...

Returning from his one-match suspension will be leading goalscorer Armani Little, who has 10 goals from midfield, and after Dan Holman's brilliant winner at Yeovil, he will be hoping for a start up front.

Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, whose sublime chip over the Yeovil defence led to Holman's goal, seems to be coming right back into form. Whether the cut that Dean Moxey got on his foot at Yeovil was bad enough to keep him out remains to be seen; and Tom Lapslie and Byron Moore are out injured.

Dagenham will be without a few injured players too, including striker Scott Wilson and midfielder Harry Phipps - although Paul McCallum, Kenny Clark and Dean Rance have all returned to training."

JORDAN HULME COMES BACK

By common consent, Alty have struggled to find a fully-functioning, free-scoring number nine since Jordan Hulme left for the chance of full-time football with AFC Fylde at the start of last season.

He may be wearing 29 this time, but the irrepressible striker was as confident as ever that he will deliver what is required and the search can be called off after he returned to his spiritual home on loan from Fylde for the rest of the season".

Above: Jordan netted the last Alty goal before lockdown, against Spennymoor Town in March, 2020. In goal was Matt Gould now, of course, also an Altrincham player, albeit he is currently out on loan at Nantwich Town.

Hulne said of his return to the club after his shock departure to AFC Fylde, "It looks like I’ve got some making up to do with some people, so let’s hope I can do it... But I’m glad to be here and can’t wait to get going. It hasn’t been the best 15 months for me, football-wise. It’s nobody’s fault, but it just didn’t happen for me at Fylde, and when I got the call to come here, I thought let’s give it a go.

"This is where I’ve been happiest and played my best football. Parky always believed in me and believed in me again by bringing me back, so I’ve got to pay him back, haven’t I?

"Great times, great lads and a great manager. That’s how I remember my first spell here, and I want those moments back again. I’m taking a step up at a place I love, and I’m buzzing at the thought of getting out there with the lads again.

"I’m fit, available and raring to go. To be honest, it feels like I’m back home. It’s great to be here again", he concluded.

THURSDAY'S NEW SIGNING

The 25-year old['s]... all-round dynamism and goalscoring flair featured prominently in Stockport County's 2018-19 National League North title triumph and... earned him elevation to the Football League with Stevenage...

He clocked up a remarkable 22 goals from central midfield in a single season under the tutelage of Phil Parkinson and Neil Sorvel at Nantwich Town!".

Osborne observed 'I played my best football under them, and it earned me a really good move (to Fleetwood Town). That is why I am here now. I trust them both and I trust the process they follow...

'A new manager came in at Stevenage, and it hasn't gone the way I wanted it to, but I'm delighted to be signing for Altrincham'...

The six-foot tall Stoke-born Port Vale Academy graduate created considerable interest from League clubs with his sensational scoring record at Nantwich before opting for Fleetwood, who loaned him out to Tranmere Rovers, Stockport and Morecambe, prior to Southport snapping him up for an undisclosed fee in 2018.

Stockport took him on loan again and followed up by signing him on a permanent basis... In all, he scored 10 goals in 72 appearances for County...

As Elliot signs in, central midfielder Adam Porter has ended his loan spell at Alty and returned to Stoke City...

In addition, Alty forward James Berry has extended his loan spell at Macclesfield FC and will remain with the North West Counties League club for the rest of the season."

Another signing is to be announced tomorrow.

NEXT GAME: BARNET

The away trips so far have gleaned three wins (at Dagenham & Redbridge, Torquay United and Weymouth) and three draws (at Chesterfield, Yeovil Town and Aldershot Town). However, just one away win has been achieved on the last seven away journeys.

Five defeats have come at FC Halifax Town, Stockport County, Eastleigh, Woking and Wealdstone.

JAMIE MORGAN INTERVIEW

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Nottinghamshire Live has been told the bid fell way short of the club's valuation of the winger who is regarded as one of the best in non-league. Several sources have told Notts Live that it has been made clear that he is not for sale for any price to any club in the National League.

Head coach Ian Burchnall... stressed the winger remains an integral part of the club's ambitions.

It comes amid mounting speculation that Spireites striker and top scorer Kabongo Tshimanga is wanted by Championship clubs after a stellar start to the campaign.

It is understood Chesterfield are looking at targets should he depart during the transfer window with EFL clubs free to do business again until the end of January.

Discussing Roberts, Burchnall said 'He's played really well this season in the moments he has had. He missed last week's game because he was out all week ill. But he can play a variety of positions in the system we play. He can play as a 10, an eight and he can play wide... A fully fit and firing Cal Roberts is really important to us'".

According to Football League World, "Wrexham are interested in signing Ibou Touray from Salford City during this month’s transfer window as they seek to bolster their promotion bid further...

The defender has been a regular for Salford this season with him making 17 appearances in League Two, providing four assists in the process, and so it underlines Wrexham’s ambition in targeting such a player.

With Salford struggling for form this year, meanwhile, there is every chance that the two sides could meet in the fourth tier next season...

Born in Liverpool but representing The Gambia at AFCON this month, Touray could have a new club by the end of the tournament".

Also from the Leader Live comes news from Wrexham's Howard Ker who discusses "our frustrating trip to Notts County on January 2 where, I wouldn't say nothing went right, but after one thing went very right, everything else went very wrong.

Reece Hall-Johnson's goal was the very definition of a rocket, Harry Lennon's Morecambe and Wise-style skip saw the ball strike his hand so close to the goal line the referee couldn't help but dive into his family-size value pack of cards and the next 80 minutes of toil and disappointment was set in motion.

Add to that some 50-50 decisions that didn't go our way, a missed penalty and a County third that remains the subject of some fierce debate and you have the perfect recipe for a January Blues inducer...

Our next two league fixtures present us with the perfect opportunity to get back on track and exact some revenge on two teams in Yeovil and Grimsby who have both taken three points off us this term...

We are at the exact halfway point in our season, based on games played... The club has been hit pretty hard in recent weeks [by Covid] both off and on the field, though we are collectively pulling through the worst of it... We as a club are not out of the woods yet and we wait to see what steps the Welsh Government are going to take in regards to fans in stadiums over the next few weeks...

Our January transfer operations are in full swing... We are working on bringing in reinforcements. We want to get them right. We will let you know as soon as we have done".

The Hammy End reports that "Boreham Wood have extended goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond’s loan from Fulham until the end of the current campaign.

The 22 year-old custodian has kept seven clean sheets in ten appearances since joining the Wood last October. He kept the latest of those clean sheets in Saturday’s goalless draw with Barnet at Meadow Park. Ashby-Hammond has conceded just four goals in almost 1,000 minutes of first-team action...

Garrard told the Boreham Wood official website, 'I’m very happy to finally get Taye tied down for the season, as he has been a real positive since arriving back in October. In truth, he had huge boots to fill when replacing Nathan Ashmore, but his stats have been immense since taking the number one spot. Seven clean sheets from ten matches is an unreal return.

'The players and staff have all taken to Taye and to know we have his services until the end of the season is a real positive.'”

Brentford report that "Brentford B play their first match of 2022 when they take on National League side Maidenhead United on Tuesday 11 January... behind closed doors.

Having returned to training just prior to the new year following a short break over the Christmas period, the side have been hard at work...

The young Bees will be aiming to continue what had been a positive finish to 2021 where they were five matches unbeaten".

NEXT GAME: BARNET

Above: Back in 2014 was the last time Alty supporters could watch their team play a league match at Barnet as last season's match was played behind closed doors. In 2014, the travelling fans saw a 5-0 win for the hosts. Here Stuart Coburn tips Luisma Villa's freekick over the bar after the Alty keeper had come on as a substitute.

On Saturday, Altrincham will also hope to end a run of three games without scoring; the only goal netted for them in that trio of games was an own goal by Stockport's Croasdale.

Curiously, the Robins go into the match without either of the two full-backs who each completed ninety minutes of their most recent fixture, with both having left the club in the past week. Left-back David Fitzpatrick departed on completion of his short-term contract, whilst right-back Joel Senior left to join Carlisle United for an undisclosed fee.

Indeed, at Barnet, it will be the first time this season that the Robins go into a league match without Joel Senior in their starting line up. He had played every minute of every league game so far this season.

However, on a more positive note, his replacement, Jamie Morgan may be involved in the game on Saturday although manager Parkinson has hinted that the former Chester defender may need time to adapt fully to his new club.

After Saturday, Alty will have completed 22 games, the half-season marker. So far they have amassed 25 points. Last season they had picked up 30 points after 22 completed fixtures.

TONY WEBBER R.I.P.

Courtesy of Terry Rowley comes detail of Tony's footballing career.

"Born in Wigan he was with Bolton Wanderers as a youth before joining Horwich RMI. Roy Rees, then Skelmersdale’s manager, signed Tony along with Malcolm Woodward in July 1971 for a large fee. Unfortunately, Tony fractured his leg early in August, ironically against Altrincham and missed the rest of season.

Skelmersdale United Ladies section raised £37 for him by holding a dance. The following season,1972/73 an ankle injury meant he did not play from August until August till late October. On his return, he showed enough for Morecambe to sign him in July 1973.

Tony scored on debut and went on to play a total of 124(+3) League games in addition to scoring 24 goals in 38 cup games He scored 22 goals in the 1974/75 season and 29 goals in the following (1975/76) season. His last game came on 5th October 1976 as a substitute against Great Harwood. He won an FA Trophy winner's medal in 1974.

He joined Altrincham in December 1976, scoring on debut, along with Jeff Johnson in a 4-1 win over Gainsborough Trinity.

However, Tony never settled at Moss Lane. His Altrincham record was modest and, after the arrival of John Rogers, his participation was minimal. His Altrincham record was:

• 1976/77: 13(+1) NPL appearances, 4 goals; 1 Cheshire Senior Cup (CSC) goalless appearance; 4(+1) appearances and no goals in the FA Trophy; 1 appearance and 0 goals in the NW Floodlit League (NWFL). So in all, that season he made 19(+2) appearances and scored four goals.
• 1977/78: 10 NPL appearances, 1 goal; 1 CSC appearance; 1 substitute appearance in the NWFL; making a total of 11(+1) appearances that season and 1 goal scored.

After Altrincham he joined Lancaster City then briefly joined South Liverpool in April 1980 before gong on, also briefly, to become player/manager of Rossendale United in 1980/81. He moved on to Glossop, first as a player and then as manager, finishing his football career as manager of Horwich RMI, before resigning in February 1987.

Outside football, Tony was a teacher, and lived in Blackrod, near Bolton".

THROUGH THE YEARS: 8 January

On that occasion in 2011 they secured an excellent 2-1 away win at Nene Park against Rushden and Diamonds.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Mullin continues to be plagued by a hamstring injury but Wrexham, beaten 3-1 at Notts County on Sunday, don't have a game this weekend because scheduled opponents Boreham Wood are on FA Cup duty while the Reds entertain Folkestone Invicta in the FA Trophy fourth round on Saturday, January 15.

The next league match is at Yeovil on Saturday, January 22 and Parkinson is keeping his fingers crossed that time is a healer for 12-goal striker Mullin who will be 'ready to come out flying'...

'Mulls has still got a problem coming from his back and his hamstring,' said Parkinson... 'We [sic] had an epidural which we thought would solve it but it hasn't quite solved his problem...

'There are one or two other things we need to get right before Yeovil. We have got to use these three weeks to assess everything about the squad, look at the stats of the team, what we have done well, what we can improve on and obviously the January transfer window as well.

'Look to see if we can make some strategic improvements into the squad which will really give us a great chance in the second half of the season.'"

According to the Grimsby Telegraph, "Paul Hurst has insisted Grimsby Town are in no rush to send Will Bapaga back to Coventry City despite a lack of minutes for the Mariners.

The 19 year-old has been left out of Town's last two National League squads and has struggled for game time in recent months. Bapaga was a regular at the start of the season but the Mariners' poor run of form has coincided with a lack of opportunities for the young winger.

Coventry have the option to recall Bapaga from Blundell Park this month but despite Hurst having seven options to fill two wide spots, he is in no rush to terminate the loan early...

'I'm sure, or I would hope, that they will look at it and think "Is there another option?" At the same time, we are not in a rush to do anything... With the current situation, we don't know what can happen from one minute to the next.

'I'm hoping we have got it all out of the way but not every single player has had it. I know someone went down today with it who hasn't been near anyone but has still caught it... It's seemingly inevitable that we all get it at some point'...

Hurst admitted that Bapaga's absence has been purely down to selection... 'At the minute, he's simply not been to the standards of the other players that can make the difference. If you look at it, Maguire-Drew came in, Max Wright came back into it and had a good impact. We have Erico (Sousa) who carries the ball for us and gets us up the pitch.

'We have good options and I might want to add to that. Competition is strong and if you're not absolutely at it (you won't play).'"

We learn from the Eatstern Daily Press that "Tyler Knowles left his mum in tears at the news he had signed his first professional deal at King’s Lynn Town.

Knowles is the latest product to come through the KES academy and sign for the Linnets. The 18 year-old and his family are lifelong fans of the club...

'My mum is ecstatic; the gaffer rang me up on Friday and spoke to the chairman (about getting a deal). She was in tears, it really is a proud moment for me' it's brilliant.'

Manager Tommy Widdrington has been impressed at how Knowles has adapted to life around the first team and made his debut in the 2-1 win in the FA Trophy over Nantwich Town last month...

'I was saying last year that my ambition was to get into the first team and it’s brilliant that I have signed a contract', [he said].

The business model at Lynn includes the development of young players and... to sell them on at a profit to sustain the club...

'I’d love to be playing regularly, starting in front of the fans and having a local lad come through would be excellent' he said".

The Halifax Courier informs us that FC Halifax Town "boss Pete Wild says his side will face a different challenge when they host Eastleigh on Saturday.

Halifax recorded hard-fought back-to-back draws at promotion rivals Chesterfield and Grimsby over the Christmas and New Year period and will go top of the National League if they win against the Spitfires.

Eastleigh are 12th in the table, having won nine of their first 20 league games, and come into the game on the back of three straight victories.

When asked if, after two tough away games, the onus will be back on Halifax to break down the opposition, Wild said '"Probably, yes, so it's a different challenge... We need to be us, be what we've been all season, move the ball around, keep the ball, look to hurt them in wide areas. That's what we'll be trying to do on Saturday.'

On what he is expecting against Eastleigh, Wild said 'Big, strong, Ben (Strevens, manager) always puts excellent teams together who can play. They've got robustness, they've got a bit of everything, Ben always has a bit of everything in his teams'...

Wild said, 'We're at the halfway point on Saturday, so let's hope we're at the 44-point mark on Saturday and if we are we'll be right on course'...

Six of Town's last seven matches have been away, with the visit of Eastleigh the first home game for Wild's men in just under a month...

On any potential new signings to come, Wild said 'It depends what we do in the wide forward areas, we obviously need to replenish that at some point, and I'll take the rest from there... Just because it's January doesn't mean we need to start going doing stuff'...

Forward Jack Vale has returned to Blackburn Rovers after his loan expired. Wild is hopeful that left-back Jack Senior will be available for Saturday's game. 'Jack was ill over the weekend'/...

Wild said Dom Tear's loan expires on January 12, while Jamie Cooke is around halfway through his loan deal with Curzon Ashton".

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET'S UPS AND DOWNS

Having gained Football League status in 1991 in what was then Division Four, Barnet almost won promotion immediately to Football League Division Three having reached the play-offs in their first season in the Football League. But they lost to Blackpool in the 1992 Promotion semi-finals.

The next season, 1992-93, Division Four had been re-badged as Division Three and this time Barnet did win promotion to the next tier up (then called Division Two, nowadays EFL One). They were immediately relegated back down to the fourth tier (then called Division Three) in 1994.

By 1998 they had again qualified for the promotion play-offs but again were unsuccessful, losing out to Colchester United at the semi-final stage.

Their third failure in the play-off semi-finals occurred in 2000 when they lost out to Peterborough United. The following sesson they plummeted out of the Football League and back to the Conference (2001). Alty at this time had been relegated, in 2000, to the Northern Premier League so the clubs did not meet.

A fourth failure for Barnet in promotion play-off semi-finals occurred in 2004 when Shrewsbury beat them on penalties.

But in 2005 they regained their Football League status as champions of the Conference. This meant that they missed playing Alty once again as the Robins were only promoted back to the Conference in the same year.

After eight years, the Bees were relegated again to the Conference level (2013) but, two years later, they regained their League status as champions for the third time of non-League's top flight.

By now the fourth tier was known as Football League Two. But three years later they suffered a third relegation from the EFL (2018). They were spared a relegation to Conference South at the end of the 2019-20 season when they finished rock bottom of the National League but relegation was not implemented because of Covid having halted lower-league football.

PARKINSON INTERVIEW

In the interview, the Alty boss also hinted at likely further departures in the summer of which he is already aware.

COUNTY GAME RE-ARRANGED

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Hunt has impressed during his time with the Mariners, and played his 19th game of the season on Tuesday night against Halifax Town. But at this point it may be the last time he turns out for the club.

The 21 year-old midfield man will see his Owls contract expire at the end of the season, and Darren Moore said over the weekend that the club wanted him to stay with Grimsby in order to keep up his development as he picks up regular game time in a senior setup.

But there don’t seem to be any guarantees that he will remain at Blundell Park, with Paul Hurst saying that things aren’t ‘particularly straightforward’... The Mariners boss said of the loan players... 'There are some changes I'd like to make and that's not trying to be critical of the players we have. How we do that without stockpiling players is something I have to consider.'"

News of another Sheffield-based loanee comes from Notts County who have completed the signing of Sheffield United midfielder Zak Brunt on loan until the end of the season.

Brunt, 20, is a product of the Blades’ academy and is fresh from a tremendously successful loan spell at our fellow National League side Southend United, who he joined at the end of August...

Ian Burchnall believes Brunt will give us a huge boost as we head into the second half of the season. 'Zak’s someone we’ve had our eye on for a while,' revealed the head coach. 'He played against us for Southend a few weeks ago, which gave us a chance to take a look at him up close, and his performance only reaffirmed our thoughts that he’s a quality player with a bright future.

'He And according to the Nottingham Post, "Ian Burchnall says it wouldn't be 'smart' to go through the rest of the season with two goalkeepers as he explained Anthony Patterson's return to Notts County.

The Magpies sealed the signing of the Sunderland goalkeeper for the rest of the season with the highly-rated stopper plunged straight into the team which beat Wrexham 3-1 on Sunday. Patterson produced an excellent performance against the big-spending National League side, saving a second-half penalty from Paul Mullin to stop Wrexham from making it 2-2...

'It's fair to say when Patto was here earlier in the season, he was excellent,' he said. 'We are in a situation, for me, where we could lose on or two players from Covid. That could be a goalkeeper. I don't think it's smart to go through the rest of the season with [just?] two goalkeepers... We've had a good dialogue with Sunderland and they were really happy with what he was doing here.

'They were quick to send him back and for me knowing how many long throws and crosses Wrexham put in, Patto has been so strong.'

Patterson is highly rated by Sunderland and will provide competition to Sam Slocombe who started the campaign as the club's regular number one...

And the goalkeeper... says he has returned to help Notts achieve their aim of sealing promotion. "I got recalled from my first spell when the goalkeeper at Sunderland got injured," he said... 'But I am buzzing to be back and playing. I really enjoyed it here first-time aroun... The manager(Lee Johnson) at Sunderland said I needed to play 20 to 25 games this season and see how I am after that... There are a great bunch of lads here.'"

Football League world claims that "Morecambe have had a bid rejected by Halifax Town for midfielder Kieran Green...

Stephen Robinson’s side picked up a crucial 4-3 win over Doncaster Rovers over the weekend to haul themselves up and out of the relegation zone in League One... Football League World understands that Morecambe have seen a bid rejected for Green, with Halifax holding firm when it comes to the 24-year-old at this early stage of the transfer window.

Green, though, continues to attract interest from a number of EFL sides... The midfielder has struck twice in 21 appearances this season, as well as registering four assists in an ever-present league campaign so far".

Meanwhile, at Southend United, the Shrimpers "announce the signing of midfielder Harrison Neal on loan from Sheffield United until the end of the season.

The 20 year-old has spent time out on loan at National League North side Kettering Town this season... [and] was on the scoresheet for the Poppies in their 3-1 win over Brackley Town on Sunday. [He] is described as a ball playing midfielder.

Head coach Kevin Maher [said]... 'We’ve had a couple of injuries and a couple of people missing in midfield on top of that. Harrison’s a great character and everything we’ve found out about him, speaking to those at Sheffield United, from what Darren [Currie] knows about him and from what we've watched of him, there was nothing but good things.

'He’s been playing for Kettering on a regular basis and done ever so well for them, in a tough league as well, so that’s a bonus that he’s ready to hit the ground running... [Sheffield United] have been brilliant to deal with,' he added... Darren knows them well, so it’s a good relationship that we have, both ways.'"

4 January 2022

MORE ON THE JOEL SENIOR TRANSFER

'We’re really pleased to have him in,' he said. 'He’s a player the club have been looking at since last April, so when I came here he was one that was highlighted to me. I think he won all of the end of season awards at Altrincham last year and his stats on assists and things like that are really good... and I’ve been able to watch him three times now.

'He’s probably the player I’ve watched more than anyone, so we’ve certainly done our homework on him... He’s done really well at Altrincham for 18 months and he deserves his chance now. I see him as a real prospect, with a lot of potential. He’s come here to fight for a place, but he’s got great athleticism and he can get up and down the pitch.

'A big thing is he can play on both sides, and that’s one of the things that attracted me to him. He’s predominantly a right-back, but I’ve watched him a couple of times at left back and he can play that role as well... He’s a great signing for the club but we’ve got to do some work with him. 'He’s not used to training every day, because Altrincham are part-time, so it might take him a bit of time to get used to that. He’s keen to learn and improve... He’s hungry, I think that’s a good word to describe him... I’m sure we can improve him...

'He can be involved in the Harrogate game tomorrow, which is good, because it gets him around the lads and shows him what I expect from our defenders. It’s a longer-term project and he needs to learn what I want as quickly as possible...

'When he was at Altrincham, they train part-time, but he would train on his own in the gym, almost every day.. The way we play, I want my full backs to get up and down and give us the width... and that’s what I’ve seen Joel do...

'He’s going to be fighting for his place. I think he’s good enough as a left-back to compete for that position as well... I’ve got no worries in his attacking sense, that’s the strength of his game, but first of all he’s got to learn how to defend properly...

'How quickly he gets in the team and has an impact, we don’t know yet. I think he’s got the basics of progressing and becoming a better player... We’ve paid an undisclosed fee, which we knew was in the contract at Altrincham.

'They realised what sort of player they had and there was a lot of interest in him, so we’ve done well to get him to sign for us'"

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

Boreham Wood report that "A goalless draw with local rivals Barnet prevented the Wood from completing the hat-trick over their neighbours.

Some enforced changes saw James Comley make his first start in a Wood shirt in an unfamiliar role at the left of a back three, alongside Jamal Fyfield and Mark Ricketts, the latter also filling in at right side centre half. In came Dennon Lewis in place of Kane Smith, who narrowly missed out after picking a knock up in training this week, whilst there was a place on the bench for latest recruit Danilo Orsi who arrived this week on loan from Harrogate Town for the remainder of the season.

It took under a minute for the visitors to produce their first opening, as a free kick from Rob Hall led to a goal-mouth scramble that needed to be cleared. Opportunities were at a premium for much of the early stages...

The visitors would have been disappointed to not take the lead when a fierce cross by Jordan Thomas whistled across goal begging for somebody to tap into the empty net, but nobody was there to get a deciding touch...

The Wood’s unbeaten run in all competitions increased to ten games as a valuable point was earned after yet another resilient defensive display with an 11th clean sheet of the season. The likes of Comley, Fyfield and Ricketts impressed at the back, while Mafuta, Raymond and Rees once again worked tirelessly in midfield".

The Barnet line-up comprised: Oxborough, Turley, Taylor, Richards-Everton, Thomas, Woods, Brundle, Beard, Hall (Fonguck 86’), Marriott (Tasdemir 79’), Bloomfield. Subs not used: Askew, Granville, De Havilland".

ALTY OLD BOYS

MIDWEEK NATIONAL LEAGUE GAMES

Monday, 3 January 2022

• Altrincham P-P Stockport County (Covid at Altrincham)
• Grimsby Town 1-1 FC Halifax Town

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Mariners' manager is looking for players in the Football League to bolster his squad this month, with loan deals as well as permanent acquisitions possible.

While he admits that Town’s current position of tenth in the National League is not the most alluring of prospects for players, he insists the club will still be seen in high regard by some...

He told Grimsby Live. 'It’s never the easiest market and it is even trickier now because of Covid, and clubs being reluctant to let players go as they are uncertain about numbers...

'Much of the time that we have been forced to be away from the training ground, I have spent ringing up clubs and agents... We don’t want to leave it too late but, on the other hand, we don’t want to jump in and get someone we’re not really sure about...

'Some players will see that this is still a good level and this is a good, well-supported club'...

'Wrexham, Stockport and probably all the top sides in this division will try to strengthen. We are no different,' Hurst added. 'Some of those clubs will be looking at players that are perhaps out of our reach... Last summer we kept a few players but not loads, we brought a hell of a lot of new players in.

'Naturally some have done better than others. Some will stay and some will move on... I am thinking a bit about next season too. Some people may say I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, but you have to have a bit of foresight. The club has gone through a lot of changes and we have to get a bit of stability and consistency.

'You need people in positions for a length of time otherwise it’s just constant change and you are not really building anything.'

Hurst added that the loan deals due to expire this month (Alex Hunt and Sam Bell), as well as the season-long loan deals that do have return clauses inserted (Seb Revan and Will Bapaga), will be assessed after the Halifax game. He also admitted he is ‘not close’ to sealing any deals for new players just yet".

The Newham Recorder tells us that "Dagenham & Redbridge made it four consecutive league wins with a 3-1 victory against Dover Athletic.

The Daggers move up to fifth in the National League table... With Daryl McMahon isolating, Steve Gritt and Dave Jupp took their places in the technical area, and they didn’t have long to wait for Josh Walker and Mauro Vilhete to combine and force a save out of Andre in the Dover goal.

The rest of the opening quarter of an hour had half chances for both teams, but nothing of real note...

Later, it was Morias who would open the scoring. The forward collected the ball out towards the corner flag, cut inside towards the edge of the box, and leathered the ball into the far corner with an exquisite finish...

Another screamer, this time in the 36th minute, saw the Daggers double their advantage. Josh Walker evaded a challenge, threw in a couple of stepovers, and unleashed a bullet of a shot with his left foot into the top corner...

The Daggers looked firmly in control. [But] only five minutes into the second half Dover were able to pull one back, as Alfie Pavey managed to wriggle free to earn half a yard of space before glancing his headed effort beyond Justham.

Thankfully, only four minutes later, Myles Weston reinstated the home side’s lead [margin]. A customary powerful run into the box from Westy resulted in the wing-back rifling a shot into the top corner!"

From the other side, Kent Online reports that "Nicky Southall admits he has never known anything quite like it as Dover’s wait for a first win of a torrid season goes on.

Assistant manager Southall watched Whites fall to an 18th National League loss in 22 games in their 2021/22 campaign on Sunday, going down 3-1 at fifth-placed Dagenham.

Dover are still without a win this season, have lost six successive matches in all competitions and they are 24 points from safety... When asked if he and manager Andy Hessenthaler were resigned to relegation, the 49-year-old replied: 'Not at all. We just want to win some football matches... for our own sanity and everybody else's sanity around because I have never been involved in something like this throughout my career.

'I’ve won promotions with various teams but never known anything like it, especially with the effort the boys are putting in. In 10 (league) games this season, we have lost by one goal.

'The margins are so fine but you won’t fall the right side of those margins if you are not switched on and not concentrating, or you make that mistake that lets the opposition in. With the way things are, it’ll drop and end up in the net'...

Striker Alfie Pavey got one back for Whites early in the second half but ex-Ebbsfleet winger Myles Weston restored the home team’s two-goal lead at Victoria Road to seal the points.

Southall reflected '“We got back to 2-1 just after half-time and you are thinking "We have the wind behind us and we should be full of confidence". But the ball gets rolled across the box and we find ourselves 3-1 down.

'You are pulling your hair out on the touchline!... We have got to defend better. You can see we are a threat going forward. We scored two away at Woking (in a 3-2 defeat) and scored against an outfit that should be where they are with the budget they have got (in Dagenham).

'It starts from the front... because it makes it a lot easier for the boys behind.'

Full-back Junior Tiensia, who set up Pavey’s goal with a left-wing cross, is now due back at parent club Millwall with Southall saying... 'We are speaking to Millwall at the minute and we’re going to see what they have got planned with him - whether he stays or goes. He’s been a good signing for us'...

Midfielder Henry Woods' loan at Crabble will end on January 10... The match at Dagenham was also Dover’s first since top scorer Aaron Cosgrave had been recalled by AFC Wimbledon, albeit he had not featured recently with Whites saying he had tested positive for Covid.

'We miss his pace in the team,' Southall conceded. 'He stretches defenders. We have Alfie up there but he’s a different striker. He needs the service coming in from the sides, whereas Aaron needs it down the sides and running onto things.

'We are looking to bring in another striker or maybe two to give us a few more options, as well as (making signings) in the centre-back position.'"

According to the Dorset Echo, "'Gutted' Weymouth manager Brian Stock was deeply unhappy after the Terras lost 3-2 to 10-man Eastleigh, adding, 'We’ve shot ourselves in the foot'.

Stock’s comments allude to three defensive errors, which Eastleigh punished with a goal on each occasion.

Their first came via route one, goalkeeper Joe McDonnell’s kick finding Ryan Hill on the left, the winger crossing for Tyrone Barnett to score.

Eastleigh’s Jake Hesketh saw a straight red before half-time but the spirited hosts went 2-0 up 20 minutes into the second half when Christian Maghoma fired home from Josh Leslie-Smith’s mistake.

Weymouth improved and hauled themselves back level, influential sub Brandon Goodship setting up Josh McQuoid for 2-1 before bagging his third league goal of the season three minutes from time.

However, there was a final punch in the guts for the Terras as Danny Whitehall raced onto a long ball to score a 93rd-minute winner.

Weymouth’s sixth straight Vanarama National League loss keeps them in 21st, a point behind Southend ahead of an enormous clash between the two on Saturday.

Asked for his reaction... Stock said 'Gutted. Performance-wise, we dictated the game with the ball. We moved it well, even at 0-0. I felt the impetus from the subs gave us a lot more thrust going forwards. We stuck to our beliefs. The difference between the first and second half is that we put the ball in the box more and asked a question of Eastleigh.

'But we’ve shot ourselves in the foot. We’ve conceded three very, very poor goals. When you do that, especially away to a hard-working side like Eastleigh, it’s an uphill battle... “Ball over the top for the first one, gave away possession into the middle of the park for the second goal.

'When you’re 2-2 with only a few minutes to go you’re shouting from the sidelines to be nice and secure, be compact, make sure we come away with at least a point. We shoot ourselves in the foot by not adjusting to the ball over the top again. It’s almost schoolboy errors.

'There was only one team that looked like they were going to win it; we just needed to make sure we didn’t lose it and unfortunately we’ve done that. You understand the value of a point at Eastleigh, it breaks the cycle of defeats in the league and gives us a platform to kick on... We went with a possession-based attack but, ultimately, with Eastleigh down to 10 men we need to at least be taking a draw, especially when we got ourselves back into the game'...

Stock admitted. 'We are a young squad with lack of experience in this league. Those mistakes have proved costly. It’s happened on more than one or two occasions previously. We’ve been here before, we need to stick together.'”

Devon Live reports that "Goals from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and an 89th minute winner from second-half substitute Dan Holman gave Torquay United another win.

Torquay United completed their Christmas and New Year double over Yeovil Town... After beating Yeovil convincingly, 3-0 at home on Boxing Day, the Gulls came from behind to beat the Glovers again, this time 2-1... after a cracking opener by the home side.

It was Torquay's third win in four National League games as their domestic form continues to improve, and it was a great way to start 2022, especially as the win came in front of 1,000-plus Gulls fans in Somerset.

There were three changes from the team that lost 2-1 at Eastleigh with the goalscorer there Armani Little suspended, Tom Lapslie injured, and Jack Sparkes, who the manager said was isolating, dropping out.

Asa Hall, Chiori Johnson and Joe Felix all came in with the latter making his Torquay debut. Returning to the bench after isolating, like Felix, was Sinclair Armstrong.

Yeovil were fresher having not played in midweek, though they were without influential defender Luke Wilkinson. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who was sent off in the win for Torquay at Plainmoor on Boxing Day, has since had his red card rescinded and was on the bench. Following goalkeeper Grant Smith's sending off, after the final whistle at Plainmoor,Yeovil gave a debut to Queens Park Rangers' loan shot-stopper Dillon Barnes.

Torquay were delayed on the M5 on the way to Yeovil and got to Huish Park just before 2pm for the 3pm kick off... After some good early pressure by Torquay, Yeovil came back into the game... It wasn't the best half of football...

It was a bright opening to the second 45 for Torquay.

Wright made a mistake in the middle of the park and Yeovil left-back Jordan Barnett's strike from 35 yards on 65 minutes was more accurate with the ball flying past MacDonald to give the home side the lead. It was a spectacular strike... with MacDonald having to make another good save to stop Yeovil extending their lead.

Goalkeeper Barnes didn't do so well from Lemonheigh-Evans's corner on 77 minutes when he flapped at the dangerous cross, tried to punch it clear, but instead helped the ball into the net for the equaliser.

Both teams went for the winner... In the 89th minute, Holman scored a brilliant goal as Torquay applied more pressure, with Armstrong finding Lemonheigh-Evans, who supplied the striker with a wonderful lifted-ball for the chance... Some decent defending from Wright and Lemonheigh-Evans, plus some safe hands from MacDonald, and a bit of game management further up the pitch, saw the game out."

SENIOR LEAVES

He becomes the thirteenth player to leave the club temporarily or permanently since October, of whom six are players loaned out but expected to return. Of the seven permanent departures Senior is the only established player to leave, the other six comprising five loanees who completed their loans and a short-term contracted player.

Altrincham FC quoted manager Phil Parkinson as saying "It is a fantastic opportunity for Joel. That’s why he came here, to progress and move forward. We took a risk on him as much as the other way round, and he has got his just reward for all the hard work he has put in.

"It is disappointing to lose one of your best players, of course it is. No one knew who Joel was before he came to us, but we have helped him develop and given him a platform to showcase his talents. We knew this was going to happen, and it was important we were ready for it"

MORGAN ARRIVES

Morgan is "another energetic, attacking right-back...

Like Joel, 24 year-old Jamie can operate effectively at left-back, but it is on the right flank where he has made his name as a solid, dependable defender with a flair for not only creating goals for others but scoring them himself...

Alty’s latest signing, a product of the famed Crewe Alexandra Academy, reflected on a possible Robins debut in the number 19 shirt at Barnet on Saturday, and said 'If I am involved, it will be a massive occasion for me. I was ready for a new challenge, and it feels really good to be at such a big club with great fans and a great set-up.

‘What do I know about Alty? Well, I know that every time I’ve played against them, I’ve struggled to beat them! I’m really looking forward to testing myself at this level. I do like to get forward, that is my style, but I also know the importance of defending. I am a right-back first and foremost, but left-back isn’t a problem, and you can put me in midfield as well, if you want.’

After being released by Crewe, Jamie picked up the pieces at Sandbach United and really began making his mark in a highly-successful two-year spell with Nantwich Town from 2017-19.

He won young-player-of-the-season in his first year and swept the board the following season, carrying off the manager’s, players’ and supporters’ awards before being snapped up by Chester amid interest from several higher-placed clubs.

The accolades continued to flow, with an unstoppable volley against Bradford (Park Avenue) being voted Chester’s goal of the season for 2020-21."

Alty boss Phil Parkinson added, "I have had my eye on Jamie for a very long time, because he is the type of player who will really suit us. He ticks pretty much every box we look for in a full-back. He is really attack-minded, and he has all the attributes.

‘We’ve got to get him up to speed for the National League, but our fans will find him very entertaining, because he has great athleticism and he is probably more of a goalscorer than Joel.'"

ALTY MEN ON THE MOVE

"Defender Jamie Morgan has left Chester FC for National League side Altrincham. The 24-year-old full back departs after two-and-a-half years at the Deva Stadium having been signed from Nantwich Town in the summer of 2019.

He made 36 appearances for Chester, scoring four goals, and had a spell back on loan at Nantwich this season as he regained match sharpness after an ankle injury...

Morgan becomes the third player to leave the club over the last ten days, opening up space as new manager Steve Watson makes room for signings.

Striker Jack Redshaw has returned to Ashton United at the end of his three-month loan. Meanwhile, Jude Oyibo has joined his former Chester FC managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley at Spennymoor after his contract at the Deva Stadium was cancelled by mutual consent."

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

The Bees have turned their seaon around after a dreadful start to the campaign.

Under Dean Brennan they have risen up the table and their draw at Boreham Wood on Sunday lifted them above Altrincham into fifteenth place and with a game in hand on The Robins.

Barnet are the only National League side yet to face Altrincham this season and completion of the game would see The Robins achieving the half-way mark of their season. Over the last five games the Bees lie seventh in the form guide with Altrincham 21st.

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Head coach Ian Burchnall's side found themselves behind after just five minutes after Reece Hall-Johnson's 25-yard thunderbolt gave Anthony Patterson no chance.

But in a frenetic opening, Notts were level just moments later when Harry Lennon was sent off for the visitors for deliberately handling Kairo Mitchell's shot. Referee Paul Marsden pointed to the spot and it allowed Kyle Wootton to bag his 14th goal of the season.

Notts' top scorer then made it 2-1 when he headed in before half-time following superb work from Kyle Cameron.

There was further drama to come when Frank Vincent was penalised for raising his foot in the area, but Paul Mullin's spot-kick was superbly saved by Patterson.

And those heroics proved decisive as Jayden Richardson killed the game off for Notts when his header was adjudged to have crossed the line".

The Derbyshire Times reports that "King’s Lynn Town manager Tommy Widdrington was ‘proud as punch’ of his players despite losing to Chesterfield.

The Linnets were well organised but were edged out thanks to Liam Mandeville’s second-half strike. The result leaves the Norfolk club second from bottom of the league and five points from safety.

'We were in a two-horse race and I know we were 9-1 to win it, but I was happy with our application and that's two sides at the top of the table who we have gone toe-to-toe with in the last few weeks,' Widdrington told Lynn News.

'I can't take anything other than positive feelings and positive thoughts from how we've performed. We were a little bit patched up and had cobbled a team together and we've lost to a slightly deflected shot, so I was as proud as punch of the players at the end of the game...

'Obviously I don't like losing games of football and it's hard to be jubilant, but it's about how you lose and who you're playing that matters to me... Every rock I'm turning, I haven't seen anything too ugly under it yet,' he added.

'We need another couple of new faces, not players who are going to affect the group of 16 but ones who are going to come in and improve the team.'”

Also from the Derbyshire Times we learn that "Spireites' boss James Rowe is ‘not sure’ if Danny Rowe will play again this season.

The striker has not played for Town since the win against Boreham Wood on October 23 because of a ‘health issue.’

Despite not playing, the 31 year-old, who joined the club last April from Bradford City, is still the Spireites’ second top goalscorer this campaign with five goals...

Manager Rowe said, 'It is a health issue. I can’t really go into more detail than that...

'At the moment there is no update on him and he won’t be coming in in the near future'. And when asked if he will play again this season, Rowe replied: 'Not sure'".

Aldershot Town "started 2022 in perfect fashion with a 3-2 win against local rivals Woking FC at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Goals from Jayden Harris, Corie Andrews from the penalty spot and a last-minute Mikael Ndjoli goal cancelled out a brace from Woking’s Max Kretzschmar to give Aldershot Town their first win of the New Year.

The Shots made six changes to the starting XI that fell to a narrow defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge last time out.

Alfy Whittingham, Ryan Glover, Mo Sylla, Corie Andrews, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Giles Phillips all returned with Scott Wagstaff, Mikael Ndjoli, Ben Shroll, Elis Watts, Brad Webb and Tommy Willard taking their places either on the bench or were not involved in the match-day squad.

It was a frantic start to the game, with the returning Berkeley-Agyepong... seeing his deflected effort deflect off a Woking leg and bounce back off the crossbar... However, despite the early pressure, it was the home side who took the lead in an end-to-end first-half as Inih Effiong kept the ball in down their left-hand side before laying the ball across for the onrushing Kretzschmar, who found the far corner to give Woking the lead just two minutes later.

Despite this, Aldershot Town continued to the look the more threatening of the two sides of the first-half... A succession of corners and free-kicks into the Woking penalty area were unfortunately cleared by the home side... Aldershot Town... found themselves a goal behind going into the midway break.

However, it wasn’t long in the second-half before The Shots found themselves level as Harris was on hand to equalise just a minute into the second-half with a well-taken header...

Midway through the second-half Woking began to threaten and following the introduction of Jamar Loza and Kyran Lofthouse, found themselves able to go back in front in the 72nd minute with Loza fouled in the Aldershot Town penalty area, which left Kretzschmar the chance to score from the penalty spot for his second of the game...

Aldershot Town did find themselves back on level terms following persistent pressure, with the recently introduced Mikael Ndjoli and Tommy Willard involved with the former’s cross seeing the latter brought down by Champion in the Woking penalty area, leaving top scorer Corie Andrews to score after an extended delay in the build-up to the penalty.

Despite playing with a player less, Aldershot Town continued to create chances... They would see their hard [work] pay off late on in the game, with Kinsella driving forward into the Woking penalty area and earning a penalty off Woking’s Tom Champion, as top scorer Corie Andrews stepped up and smashed home the 10-men of Aldershot Town into the lead in the 86th minute.

There was still time for a last-minute winner and in true derby fashion, Aldershot Town would do just that with recent substitute Mikael Ndjoli picked out at the back post from a Lewis Kinsella cross as the forward’s first-time volley squeezed in at the near post and gave Aldershot Town a deserved victory".

Yeovil Town report that they fell to late defeat against Torquay United who completed a late turnaround to take the three points in a tight affair.

After a quiet first-half Jordan Barnett provided a moment of magic in the 66th minute with a 35-yard screamer to give Yeovil the lead.

Torquay equalised in the 75th minute directly from corner through Connor Lemonheigh-Evans who went on to provide the assist for Dan Holman’s 90th minute winner.

Following a comprehensive 3-0 defeat on Boxing Day at Plainmoor, Darren Sarll made four changes to the starting XI. Dillon Barnes made his debut in goal replacing the suspended Grant Smith and the back four comprised of Morgan Williams, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton and Jack Robinson.

Jordan Barnett, Dale Gorman and Matt Worthington made up the midfield trio while Tom Knowles returned to the side to join Charlie Wakefield and Adi Yussuf in the front three...

The first half hour was an unusually quiet affair...

The deadlock was eventually broken in the 66th minute when Jordan Barnett made the roof come off. The ball was bouncing 35 yards out and the midfielder struck it on the half-volley right into the top corner giving MacDonald absolutely no chance.

Yeovil used the momentum to keep going forward... Barnes had a quiet debut up until the 74th minute when he was called into action to make a brilliant save from what looked like a certain goal from Lemonheigh-Evans. From the resulting corner Lemonheigh-Evans’ delivery went over every player and curled into the back of the net to equalise...

The game was opening up by this point with frequent chances at either end and the rain was absolutely lashing down.

In the 90th minute Lemonheigh-Evans provided for the winner as he scooped the ball over the whole Yeovil defence to Holman who finished expertly to make it 2-1".

From Kent Online we read that "Dover’s losing run extended to six matches as they were beaten 3-1 at Dagenham...

The Daggers went 2-0 up through cracking first-half strikes by Junior Morias and Josh Walker.< P> Striker Alfie Pavey got one back for Whites early in the second half to give them hope but Myles Weston restored the home team’s two-goal lead soon after to seal the points for them... in front of a crowd of 1,631...

It was the hosts who drew first blood on 29 minutes when winger Morias cut inside from the left and fired a sumptuous strike beyond Andre. Whites were well in the match at this stage, though, and came close to levelling...

However Dagenham had a little more quality in the final third and doubled their advantage in the 35th minute. It was another sublime strike, too, which saw Walker emphatically blast into the net after the brilliant solo run to give them a two-goal advantage at half-time...

The away team made an attacking half-time change which saw midfielder James Caton replace Goodman, who was on a booking, and the defence reverted to a back four.

Whites pulled one goal back five minutes into the second half. Pavey heading in Junior Tiensia’s left-wing cross at the far post... But in the 54th minute, the Daggers restored their two-goal cushion when ex-Ebbsfleet man Weston converted Morias’s low left-wing delivery...

Dover’s winless season continued as Dagenham completed the league double over them, with Whites now 24 points adrift and without a point since their draw at Yeovil in November, while the Daggers moved into the play-off places...

Hessenthaler had made two changes to their starting line-up which had lost at 3-2 Woking on Tuesday. Defenders Tiensia and Seth Twumasi came in for Sam Wood and Da Costa. Andre kept his place in goal, despite on-loan Watford keeper Adam Parkes returning from a hip injury to take a place on the bench.

The Daggers had a number of staff test positive for Covid before the game, or who were isolating after coming into contact with the positive cases, which meant their manager Daryl McMahon wasn’t at the match".

NEW YEAR GAMES

Saturday, 1 January 2022

• Chesterfield 1-0 King's Lynn Town

Sunday, 2 January 2022

• Boreham Wood 0-0 Barnet
• Dagenham & Redbridge 3-1 Dover Athletic
• Eastleigh 3-2 Weymouth
• Maidenhead United P-P Wealdstone (Covid at Wealdstone)
• Notts County 3-1 Wrexham
• Southend United P-P Bromley (Covid at Southend)
• Woking 2-2 Aldershot Town
• Yeovil Town 1-2 Torquay United

A SEASON OF DISRUPTIONS

Early this season two Altrincham matches were also postponed, through Covid infections, just as is the case for Monday's fixture at home to Stockport County, which would almost certainly have seen the highest gate of the season at the J. Davidson Stadium. The matches in question were:

• Tuesday, 14 September 2021: The home match against King's Lynn Town was postponed owing to Covid-19 at Altrincham
• Saturday 18 September 2021: The away game at Yeovil Town likewise was called off because of Covid-19 at Altrincham

Added to the above woes, there was a season-ending injury to loanee midfielder Connor Kirby in game four, as well as long-term injury absences for defensive trio Kennedy Digie, Andy White and Connor Hampson (pictured, right).

Despite these disruptions, the team started the season very well, winning six of its first nine league fixtures, a sequence which had the club in eighth position. A draw followed in game ten lifting the Robins to seventh by mid-October.

But, then the matches against Solihull and Woking (games 12 and 13) at the end of November and early December had to be played despite Covid absences and injuries in the squad which meant that emergency loan players had to be signed and young reserve players named in matchday squads to enable the club to fulfil its fixtures.

Since then there have also been significant attendance restrictions applied by Trafford Council (from game 17) which have further disrupted the season and affected club's income.

It should also not be fogotten that there have also been significantly interrupted seasons, through injury, for the likes of Dan Mooney, David Fitzpatrick, A-Jay Leitch-Smith, Ben Pringle, Brad Jackson and Dean Furman.

So, as a result of Covid and injuries, 32 players have already been named in league matchday squads, with 29 of them being used in one capacity or another.

Phil Parkinson will, no doubt, be hoping for a more settled 2022 but the year has not got off to a good start.

ALTY OLD BOYS

Closer to home Josh Amis and Sean Williams scored for Warrington Town in their 4-1 victory over Bamber Bridge.

And Ryan Brooke netted for Runcorn Linnets in their 2-1 win away to 1874 Northwich.

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

From North London, Barnet report that "Sam Woods has put pen to paper on a new long-term deal!

Woods, who operates as a defensive midfielder, has signed a new contract after impressing in his initial spell at the Club.

The 23 year-old joined the Bees in October and has made eight appearances in all competitions since his arrival".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 25 year old arrives at the LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park with plenty of experience of scoring goals in the Non-League. Raised in the North London area, Orsi moved to the US between 2015 and 2018 on a soccer scholarship at Eastern Florida State College, where he scored 27 goals in 32 games across two seasons and broke their goalscoring record, as well as winning Conference Player of the Year and making an All-American XI. The striker would also feature for Chivas in California and Fort Lauderdale Strikers in Florida during his time Stateside.

After returning to England, Danilo was offered a trial by Premier League side Watford. In 2018 Orsi joined East Thurrock United, then of the National League South. This spell was short-lived however, and he signed for divisional rivals Hungerford Town. Despite joining midway through the campaign 11 goals for the season thrust his name into the spotlight and he moved to yet another National League South side in Hampton & Richmond Borough ahead of the 2019/20 season.

After a prolific period with Hampton... Orsi’s form attracted interest from the National League and he joined Maidenhead United in the 2020 off-season. Taking to the fifth tier like a duck to water, Orsi he bagged 19 league goals (21 in all competitions) in his debut campaign at Non-League’s top table, finishing as the league’s second highest scorer whilst also winning his club’s Player of the Season award.

Orsi’s rise to the Football League would be completed in the summer of 2021, as League Two side Harrogate Town gave him his first taste of league football when they announced his signing in June 2021... Orsi has netted six goals in 14 games in all competitions this season for Town, but joins the Wood bolstering Luke Garrard’s frontline options."

Yeovil Town "announce the< signing of Dillon Barnes on a short-term loan deal from Queens Park Rangers.

The 25 year-old signs as the club have depleted numbers in the goalkeeper position, due to Grant Smith’s two-match suspension.

Arriving with Football League experience, Barnes has made 25 apps within the EFL in both League One & Two for Burton Albion and Colchester United. Last season, he spent a short spell in the Scottish Premiership with Hibernian, where made eight appearances in all competitions.

Earlier this year, Barnes made his full international debut for Jamaica... Yet to play this season, Barnes will be hoping to hit the ground running".

And Yeovil Town also "confirm that, after an appeal, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton’s red card against Torquay United has been rescinded".

We learn from the Halifax Courier that "Another stern test awaits Halifax in their televised trip to Blundell Park on Monday against The Mariners, who started the season strongly but have tailed off since then and are now 10th in the table.

'It's brilliant isn't it because little old Halifax have got Chesterfield away and then Grimsby away, so it's a tough run of fixtures,' said Wild...

'We're at the halfway stage with that magical two-points-a-game, we're a match for anybody'...

'Nothing will be won in December, or January, we just need to keep chipping away at that points total... We made an astute decisions as players and staff at the start of the season that we were going to take every game as it comes and just concentrate on the next game, so Grimsby on Monday is all that matters'...

Wild thinks Grimsby will offer a similar test to that of Chesterfield... He said, 'They'll be very direct and we're going to have to defend our own box well'...

The Town boss reckons his side are at their best against the bigger teams in the division. 'Yeah because they come out and play you, when teams come out and play us it's a decent football match, like you saw on Tuesday,' he said. 'When teams sit in against you and make it difficult, it ain't half frustrating, so yeah, I prefer the big games because both teams go at each other, which is how it should be...

'We're progressing aren't we, the club's progressing. With the financial clout that Chesterfield have got, compared to what we've got, we've just gone toe-to-toe with them'...

Captain Niall Maher is now one booking away from a suspension, along with Matty Warburton, Billy Waters, Jack Senior, Jordan Slew and Kieran Green, after he was cautioned in the draw at Chesterfield.

'That puts Maher on four so we've now got six players on four bookings, with three games to go'.

Wild confirmed Jack Vale is available to play after his loan was extended by a day with Blackburn Rovers. The 25-year-old comes in as cover due to Grant Smith's two-match suspension and has previously had spells at Burton Albion, Colchester United and Scottish top-flight side Hibernian.

Reports from the Nottingham Post tell us that "Notts County's owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz say selling their best players would have to be 'significantly beneficial' to the club in order for them to leave Meadow Lane.

The January transfer window opened for business today allowing Football League clubs to move for National League players until then end of the month.

Notts stars Ruben Rodrigues and Kyle Wootton have been linked with moves to Rotherham and Portsmouth respectively having had an excellent first half to the season...

The Reedtz brothers say they are under no pressure to sell and have received no offers as yet for their prized assets...

[They said] 'We do, however, understand the prospect of losing players at this important stage of the season is concerning to supporters and would therefore like to reaffirm our stance that, for any sale to be approved, the terms of the deal would need to be seen as significantly beneficial for the club and helpful towards our ambition of returning to the EFL as soon as possible... We have received no formal offers for any of our players and Ian is very much planning for the second half of the season with his current squad intact'...

The Reedtz brothers have confirmed they are also looking at new signings after goalkeeper Anthony Patterson returned to the club on loan from Sunderland yesterday...

'We’re very pleased with the quality we’ve added via the loan market this season and will continue to use it as a tool to supplement the core of what we believe is a strong squad. We are, as ever, closely monitoring several interesting potential signings'" concluded the owners.

1 January 2022

HAPPY NEW YEAR

SQUAD CHANGES APLENTY

Whilst there has been just the one recent permanent arrival, a dozen others have either moved on or gone on loan since October...

• Player signed: Isaac Marriott from Bradford (Park Avenue)
• Player loaned and still at club: Adam Porter from Stoke City
• Players sent out on loan: Marcus Dinanga (pictured, right, to Kidderminster Harriers after 14(+4) appearances), Brad Jackson (to Buxton after 5(+3) apps), Tom Peers (to Curzon Ashton after 8(+9) apps), Andy White (to FCUM, yet to play for Altrincham this season), Will Hall (to Ashton United after returning briefly from a loan at Ramsbottom United, no apps this season for Altrincham), Ritchie Sutton, who briefly returned to Alty from a loan at Alfreton Town before having that loan renewed in November to run till the end of the season.
• Players departing: Joe Bunney (October, to Warrington Rylands, after 3(+1) apps), Barry Baggley (loan completed, November, after 3 apps), Tom Walker (loan completed, November, after 2(+1) apps), Danny Whitehead (loan completed, December, after 6(+4) apps), Connor Kirby (loan due to be completed in January 2022 but injured in September in game four and his loan was effectively over thereafter) and David Fitzpatrick (end of short-term contract, December, after 11(+1) apps).

In addition to the above James Berry and Curtis Miller remain on loan at Macclesfield FC and Trafford respectively.

STOCKPORT GAME OFF

At midday on Friday, Altrincham FC issued a statement, saying "Altrincham's Vanarama National League fixture with Stockport County at The J.Davidson Stadium on Monday has been called off due to the Robins' squad being decimated by injury and illness.

The postponement became inevitable, as Covid cases escalated along with injuries, and was finally confirmed by the National League today.

A new date has yet to be agreed, but details of tickets for the rearranged game will be announced as soon as they are known, as will options for those who had already bought tickets for Monday".

ALTY TV HIGHLIGHTS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 21 year-old previously had a spell with the Magpies earlier in the campaign, making 16 appearances after being drafted in as cover for the injured Sam Slocombe.

Patterson is now back at Meadow Lane... The deal comes after Notts head coach Ian Burchnall revealed that his squad had been affected by Covid-19.

'Everyone could see Anthony’s quality in the short time he spent with us,' said Burchnall. 'Having him back is a huge boost as it means we now have two excellent senior goalkeepers competing with each other for their place in the team'".

And also from the Nottingham Post we are reminded that "The Magpies saw their Boxing Day clash against the Linnets postponed an hour before kick-off in the National League

Notts County head coach Ian Burchnall says claims that he did not want to play King's Lynn on Boxing Day are 'absurd' as he insisted the game could have been saved from the weather.

The National League clash was called off an hour before kick-off after referee David Richardson deemed the surface unplayable due to surface water at the Walks Stadium...

But there have been some suggestions from King's Lynn's local media that Notts did not want to play the game because of the state of the pitch... Burchnall dismissed those claims... 'I think it's quite an absurd suggestion. We turned up ready to play a game and we'd had absolutely no inclination that there was an issue with the pitch.

'When we got there, immediately, the referee said "Ian, I think you need to see the pitch. In my opinion, it's not playable."

'There was a lot of surface water on the pitch and we had staff at their ground early in the day setting up and there wasn't anybody working on it. I think after the referee expressed there may be a concern and that we want to give it another 20 minutes to see how it settles, there was a couple of guys that kind of put a bit of effort in to try to remove surface water, but it was too little too late.

'In my opinion, if King's Lynn felt so strongly that this was a really important game to play and economically, they needed to play it, I understand that. But there should have been preparation for the weather because we knew there was going to be a lot of rain. There were no covers on. There was no groundsman working on the pitch, so it shouldn't be a surprise to them that the game was off.

'I certainly didn't plan to travel to King's Lynn on Boxing Day, sit in a dressing room and play no football. Every single person associated with Notts County wanted that game on'".

Southend United "announce the signing of defender Ollie Kensdale for an undisclosed fee.

The 21 year-old centre back becomes head coach Kevin Maher’s first permanent signing, joining from National League South side Concord Rangers. Kensdale progressed through Colchester United’s youth system... He made six appearances in total for the U’s, also spending time out on loan at Maldon & Tiptree, Bath City and Braintree Town.

Following his release, the young 6ft 3 defender joined Concord Rangers in February of last year...

'He’s someone we’ve had watched and he’s been in training with us so we have seen the quality he has. He’s comfortable on the ball, a good size for a centre back and has a good range of passing... and he’s one we’re looking forward to having for a number of years.

'He’s absolutely one for now and one for the future as well because there’s a lot of potential there... We’ve changed a lot in terms of the recruitment and how we go about things so we’re now looking at all levels, and especially locally. It’s very important that we cover the local area, that’s something we’re keen to do'".

The Grimsby Telegraph tells us that manager "Paul Hurst admits Grimsby Town’s first game back after their Covid-enforced break will be a step into the unknown in terms of how well prepared his players are for the physical exertions of matchday.

The Mariners squad is now Covid-free following a spate of positive cases which meant their last three fixtures had to be postponed... The Town boss knows a full-on battle with second-placed Halifax will be a whole new challenge entirely.

'Everyone is back in for training. The players who have had the virus; it is hard to understand exactly where they are at... We were back in on the 29th with an ease-in session and then we trained for the last two days. The sessions have been tough in one sense, but they're still not the same as playing games and I guess we won’t know where we are at until we get into the match and see how the players manage'...

They are only missing Lenell John-Lewis who starts his three-game ban and John McAtee who serves the last game of his suspension".

The Eastern Daily Press reports that "King's Lynn Town skipper Michael Clunan is a Covid worry for manager Tommy Widdrington ahead of Saturday's trip to National League leaders Chesterfield.

Widdrington was waiting on test results, but said Clunan would not train ahead of the game.

Defender Pierce Bird has been unwell and almost certainly misses out but Brett McGavin and Aaron Jones look set to feature after contracting Covid...

Said Widdrington... 'I am definitely going to be without Pierce Bird and anyone else who had been injured previously, other than Luiz Fernandez'...

'Kyle Callan-McFadden came back to training and did four days and I thought it was brilliant we got him back,' added the Lynn boss... 'He is not stupid, he is intelligent and he knows he is not quiet ready so he has told me that; that is as brave as playing and breaking down. I am really appreciative of that'.

Brett McGavin and Aaron Jones have also had Covid but returned negative tests this week and returned to training. Tyler Knowles has jumped into the reckoning... It’s on the training ground where he has caught the new manager’s eye... I didn’t know Tyler from Adam when I came to the club, but he has trained with us near enough every day since and he is the only one of the five [youngsters] I have kept that I want to train with us...

'Don’t get me wrong, he’s an 18-year-old kid, he is not ready to play 90 minutes every game, but I would trust him to go out on the pitch and do what I asked him to do, and that is a win or me... If he gets used to playing in front of six or seven thousand people at Chesterfield quite quickly I would like to think we as a football club and me as a manager will be the first step on his career and he’d get used to that and hopefully go on to better things,' said Widdrington."