ALTY'S RED-HAIRED DUO

Pictured, right, we see both players during the warm-up before the victory over Eastleigh.

Both players were named on the bench, with striker Marcus coming on in the closing stages of the game.

DRAW FOR UNDER-16S

"The young Robins were looking to bounce back from a 5-1 defeat by a tough Chester side...

A penalty awarded to Alty saw Harrison Howells reluctantly step up, but his kick was poorly placed. The Alty forward soon made amends, though, moving well to create a one-on-one with the centre-half and cutting inside before tidily slotting the ball through the goalie's legs.

Wythenshawe responded swiftly and, after piling on the pressure, equalised" before Alty went ahead again as "A throw-in from Oscar Cooper set up the opportunity, but it was all Harrison Howells after that, as he controlled the ball immaculately and unleashed a ferocious volley from the left side of the box that flew into the top corner for a masterpiece of a goal".

Wythenshawe levelled again to secure a 2-2 draw.

1. George Huyton, 2. Simon McDonagh, 3. Lucas Edwards, 4. Teddy Woolland (C), 5. Harry O’Gara, 6. Henry Murphy, 7. Afernee Denise, 8. Kruze Pryce, 9. Harrison Howells, 10. Kian Gonzalez, 11. Jack Chandler Subs: 12. Lewis Lambkin, 14. Oscar Cooper, 15. Ben Taylor, 16. Nathan Wood, 17. Charley Jarrald

NEXT OPPONENTS: SOUTHEND UNITED

The Trust loaned £40,000 to Blues before also teaming up with other supporter groups to help raise £20,000 for the National League club...

A Trust statement said 'Southend United’s current cash flow problems are well documented, with our supporter groups currently running the GoFundMe initiative in support of our amazing off field teams...

'In addition, the Trust board sanctioned a loan to the football club of £40,000 earlier in November. We have all been humbled by... the generosity shown by everyone that has donated...

'The reality of the situation is however that the combined weight of the Trust loan and donations made so far will not be enough to pull our beloved football club through these difficult times...

'The Trust is planning to launch a number of fundraising initiatives and we are... currently asking for supporters to donate any sports memorabilia which is surplus to requirements and that might be suitable to include in one of the following, auction evening, programme and memorabilia fair and online auction or eBay sale'...

The Shrimpers remain in a transfer embargo due to money owed by HMRC who had a winding up petition against the club earlier this month.

Blues have also struggled to pay office staff on time this term...

The statement added... 'We will work to ensure that all money raised is ringfenced and donated to a specific cause to help the club'".

AMAAR SUFFERS ACL INJURY

Amaar (right) impressed in pre-season with the first team and was one of several Alty youngsters spending time at Alsager Town this season.

Sadly, "Alty’s talented attacking midfielder recently picked up a knee problem that has been diagnosed as an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and he faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Bookmakers BetVictor are, at the time of writing, listing Hird as the new favourite for the job, with odds of 5/2. After retiring as a player, Hird’s first experience in management was at Barrow, serving as Rob Kelly’s assistant...

Hird moved to League One side Bolton Wanderers as a first-team coach under Ian Evatt...

Elsewhere, former frontrunners Daniel Webb and Graham Alexander maintain high odds for the job, with 5/1 each".

The Leader Live reports that "Phil Parkinson believes a good FA Cup run will strengthen his case when he looks to add to his Wrexham squad...

Promotion is the priority but Parkinson feels he has got a big enough squad capable of challenging on both fronts, and the finances generated from the cup run will help fund new signings in the January transfer window.

The Reds’ boss is set to be without midfielder Jordan Davies who was stretchered off at the weekend with a serious knee injury.

'The FA Cup brings in money so if we do need some reinforcements, that helps make the case to the owners... But we have got a squad a lot stronger than last year and I feel we can cope with a cup run...

'The cup is a bonus; building up to the cup games is quite a nice break mentally for the lads and the staff because there is a different feel to the FA Cup', said Parkinson".

NEXT: SOUTHEND UNITED

In contrast, Altrincham have two wins and a draw from their three most recent league games.

However, before their recent demise, Southend had enjoyed eleven league games without defeat.

The match, which like all National League games on Saturday kicks off at 12.30pm to avoid a clash with a World Cup fixture, has the added spice of the likely inclusion of Dan Mooney in the Southend side. Dan moved from Moss Lane to Southend over the summer but has had mixed fortunes since leaving Altrincham for Roots Hall.

His 2022-23 season has been interrupted by injuries and recently he missed five games and played just one minute of a sixth game before returning to the side for the most recent three fixtures.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The forward, who joined the Dons in the summer of 2020 under Glyn Hodges, made 52 appearances during his time at Plough Lane, scoring 13 goals and picking up six assists.

Palmer scored eight goals under Mark Robinson in the first half of the 2021-22 season before dropping down two divisions and being sold to National League side Wrexham for £300,000...

Wimbledon were relegated to League Two at the end of the season and recorded a 27-game winless run in all competitions...

Palmer said... 'They [Wrexham] were going back and forth with my agent. The deal improved, I got a few more years, and they offered me a three-and-a-half-year deal. Wimbledon were not budging on giving me an extra year; they thought 29 was old. They had this ridiculously young philosophy at the club, and the guy involved with that has now been sacked.

'They have changed it, because you do need experience in the team. The guy in charge of recruitment at Wimbledon was like a gambler...

'They stuck with this whole bringing in 19 or 20-year-olds, and that was kind of the downfall in that moment, unfortunately for Wimbledon'.

Palmer has scored 26 goals in 43 appearances since joining Wrexham...

'The club made it a bit of an easier decision for me. It sounds pathetic... [but] I cried when I left Wimbledon... I was so happy there, but I’m at Wrexham, and, if anything, I’m just as happy, if not happier.'"

According to Bristol World "Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard described his sides win over Bristol Rovers as dominant. The 37-year-old masterminded a 2-0 win over the Gas...

First-half goals from Will Evans and David Stephens inside a strong 15-minute spell in the first half hour was [sic] enough for them to dispatch a below-par Rovers side that were second best...

'I think that we were very productive today,' said Garrard to BristolWorld... 'If we play Bristol Rovers ten times back-to-back, they would win eight minimum, maybe draw one and then we win the odd one.'

Rovers came into the match off the back of one defeat in their last twelve and were ranked as clear favourites... However it was a clear opposite for the away side, having not won in the national league in six...

Garrard added 'It’s a one off game, the form guide goes out the window... We stifled them, they didn’t really penetrate us and we looked a threat on all set plays

'There were a few gentlemen behind me saying fair play, you’ve done ever so well today.'"

A statement from Scunthorpe United tells us that former Alty man Tony Daws "has decided to step down from the position of interim first team manager and will return to his role as academy manager.

'I'd like to thank the owners for giving me the opportunity, the players for their efforts, all the club staff for their help and the fans for their support over the last three months,' said Tony.

'Lee Turnbull has been brilliant to me throughout too, giving me such good support.'

Michael Nelson will assume the interim first team manager role until further notice, with support from Paul Musselwhite and Lee Turnbull.

EMIRATES FA CUP DRAW

• Chesterfield v West Bromwich Albion
• Boreham Wood v Accrington Stanley
• Dagenham & Redbridge or Gillingham v Leicester City
• Coventry City v Wrexham

28 November 2022

ALTY AND THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CSC

Now there is another bizarre twist as Altrincham FC announce that they have "made it into the next round of the Cheshire Senior Cup without kicking a ball after Stockport County forfeited their tie with the Robins and withdrew from the competition.

The two sides were due to meet at Edgeley Park in the second round...

But with County still in the Emirates FA Cup, and facing a second-round replay at home to Charlton after forcing a 2-2 draw with a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday, the League Two side found they were struggling to fit Alty's visit into a busy schedule.

Discussions were held with the Cheshire FA, as well as with the Robins, in an attempt to find a solution, but one that would have suited all parties proved elusive.

Stockport therefore announced this afternoon that, with respect to the competition and the teams involved, they were forfeiting the tie and, consequently, handing Alty a bye into the third round".

ERNIE FRYER R.I.P.

Ernie was Chief Executive of the club in the mid-1990s and he was a director from 1995-97 and in 1998-99. After leaving the club he became a director at Witton Albion (2009-12)

Ernie also held roles at Northwich Victoria and Wigan Athletic in his long involvement with NW football.

Away from football, he was also well-known in the locality as the owner of a wool shop in Sale town centre. He was 84 years of age.

Our condolences go to his family and friends.

ALTY v EASTLEIGH HIGHLIGHTS

"DEFINITELY A MID-TABLE SIDE" SAYS PARKINSON

"We've created enough chances to be clear but we've just got over the line at the end. But we've drawn games we should have won and lost games we should've drawn this year, so I'll take a 2-1 victory all day long.

"We're definitely a mid-table side. Once we get a bit more consistency we'll be right up there".

For his part, Eastleigh manager Lee Bradbury said "I'm absolutely gutted. I made some big changes for this game and they just didn't deliver.

"Altrincham were better than us but we gave away two cheap goals from our perspective".

Alty TV has Brian Flynn's post-match interview with the Altrincham manager.

JORDAN GOES ON LOAN

The teenage centre-back has already made significant progress in his fledgling Robins career this season by captaining Alty's Reserves in the Cheshire League and excelling in a recent loan spell at Alsager Town in the North West Counties League Division One South.

After receiving positive feedback from Alsager about his contribution for them, it was felt Josh was ready to step up a level, and he has now joined Widnes in the Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division on an initial one-month loan.".

Jordan was an interval substitute in the Cheshire Senior Cup tie which Alty won 4-0 at Sandbach earlier this season.

ALTY OLD BOYS AND LOANEES

Ryan Morton, on dual registration with Trafford, scored both goals for the Shawe View side in their 2-2 draw at home to Newcastele Town.

Jonny Margetts's penalty started the deluge as Stamford trounced Yaxley 6-0, whilst another ex-Alty striker, Danny Mitchley scored for City of Liverpool but Mossley recovered to beat the Scousers.

Although Marine and Hyde United played a goalless draw, Hayden Campbell (right) had a goal disallowed for the hosts. A cohort of ex-Alty men were in Warrington Rylands's side at Stalybridge on Saturday, including Joel Torrance, Callum Dolan and Dean Furman.

Jamie Morgan played for Chester FC, whilst Darius Palma and Louis Potts were among the ex-Robins playing for West Didsbury & Chorlton in their 7-1 triumph over Ashton Athletic.

Elsewhere, Luis Morrison played for Stafford Rangers against FC United of Manchester.

Phil Jordan adds that Jake Moult and Connor Kirby played the full game as Buxton exited the FA Cup 4-0 at Ipswich on Sunday.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

It was a lead that the hosts successfully held onto as they snapped a five-game winless streak, keeping their first clean sheet since September.

City forged several attempts on goal, the best coming from Olly Dyson, Lenell John-Lewis and Manny Duku, but they were unable to score against a side that have conceded 45 goals in the league this term...

It was York’s second game under the guidance of interim manager Tim Ryan... Against Wealdstone, Ryan’s City deployed a three-at-the-back system, a system that he maintained at Meadowbank.

Sam Sanders... was drafted back into the side alongside midfielder Gus Mafuta... Mitch Hancox was absent due to suspension... as Adam Crookes... also missed out on the team.

Scott Burgess, having recently returned from his loan spell with Kidderminster Harriers, was named to the bench, as was AJ Greaves, who had been sidelined with a jaw injury. Lively wingers Alex Hurst and Maziar Kouhyar missed out on the squad entirely...

Injury struck just five minutes into the game for City when Ryan Fallowfield went down off the pitch, having pulled his hamstring, before being substituted for [by] Michael Duckworth...

City’s early efforts were undone when, from a long throw into the box, McShane headed beyond Ross at the far post, having evaded his marker Whittle...

Injury struck once more for City when... Dan Pybus departed the game...

York shifted to a back-four just after the hour-mark when Sanders was brought off in place of forward Luke James... City were poor in front of goal for much of the second half".

We learn from Devon Live that "Torquay United are now six points adrift at the bottom of the National League after dominating their home game against Gateshead at Plainmoor on Saturday but only managing to draw 1-1.

The reason that Torquay are bottom of the table and six points below Maidstone United in 20th is because they have won just three of their 21 games, a dismal record only matched Scunthorpe United...

But Torquay really should have won against Gateahead, who for most of the game looked the worst team to visit Plainmoor this season but who equalised mere minutes after the Gulls had finally made the breaththrough in the 70th minute, with Aaron Jarvis’s header... Relegation to the National South division for a second time is unthinkable...

Johnson said... 'Teams come here and waste time from very early on... We had 80 minutes of really good, proper Torquay United football... but we only had one goal to show for it...

'After the goal, the last 20 minutes was the poor part... I don’t know what happened, the lads seemed to switch off... We are not an easy team in this league to beat and they are not an easy team in this league to beat, the same as all the other teams that are down there'...

There were three changes to the starting line up that laboured at Barnet the weekend before with Dillon De Silva back after his hamstring problem, and Kieron Evans starting, along with Asa Hall. Dropping to the bench was Ryan Hanson, with Tom Lapslie out because of a hamstring pull, and Will Goodwin suspended".

According to the Maidenhead Advertiser, "Maidenhead United's hopes of closing the gap on sides above them in the National League table were thwarted by a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Maidstone United...

The Magpies came into the clash at the Gallagher Stadium off the back of successive 2-1 wins over Aldershot Town and Eastleigh, and they had three wins and a draw to their name from their past five league fixtures, but this game went against them, and they couldn't complain too bitterly about that...

They conceded three times in a league game for the first time since the opening day of the season, a 3-0 defeat at Notts County...

The result looks close on paper, but the Magpies were always chasing in this one, falling 2-0 behind in the first half before Charlee Adams reduced the deficit... Maidstone restored their two-goal cushion after the interval and were closing in on a comfortable victory when Reece Smith scored... in injury time.

The Magpies were missing central defender Will De Havilland... They fell behind after only three minutes... and that really set the tone for the opening 20 minutes.... They doubled their advantage from the penalty spot...

United gave themselves a foothold in the contest when Adams swept home a brilliant free kick in the 37th minute... Pattisson restored the Stones' two-goal advantage in the 48th minute...

The hosts held onto their two-goal cushion until injury-time".

EMIRATES FA CUP

Ties involving non-League clubs were...

• Bristol Rovers 0-2 Boreham Wood
• Burton Albion 6-1 Chippenham Town
• Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Fleetwood Town
• Ipswich Town 4-0 Buxton

27 November 2022

ALTRINCHAM 2-1 EASTLEIGH

Altrincham took the lead in the thirteenth minute when Eddy Jones cut the ball back from the byline, left of goal, for Elliot Newby to score his third goal in successive games after arriving on loan from Stockport County.

Above: Elliot Newby, far right, savours his goal as he and his team-mates walk back to the centre circle.

In a game of generally moderate entertainment value, Alty finally got a second goal after 78 minutes through Ryan Colclough's effort from just inside the box.

This had followed an unsavoury episode when an off the ball clash between Colcough and Eastleigh's Camp left the visitors' defender overacting a supposed injury. Colclough was booked for his offence but not before a mass episode of "handbags" had ensued.

Eastleigh substitute Whitehall was unmarked to head home at the back post from a Camp cross in the ninetieth minute to make it 2-1. But Alty rode out five added minutes comfortably enough to take the three points.

Match report here

EASTLEIGH'S VIEW

Right: The ball (to the right of Toby Mullarkey's thigh) enters the net to give Altrincham the lead against Eastleigh.

[After going ahead], The hosts were enjoying the lion’s share of chances...

With less than 10 minutes before the break, the Spitfires produced a good move that started with some slick passing and ended with a driven ball in from Tristan Abrahams that Charlie Carter couldn’t keep under the bar with his attempt...

With 20 minutes to play, a strong but fair challenge from Brennan Camp resulted in Ryan Colclough lashing out at Camp ending in Colclough getting booked.

Moments later, Brennan Camp was shown a yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Ryan Colclough.

Less than five minutes after the incident, the man involved doubled the host’s lead as he slotted his effort beyond the outstretched Joe McDonnell.

Just before stoppage time was announced, Danny Whitehall headed one back for the visitors after a delightful cross from Brennan Camp".

ALTY OLD BOYS

In the FA Cup, Jeff King scored the clincher in Chesterfield's 0-2 victory at AFC Wimbledon.

Harry Perritt stayed on the bench as Accrington Stnley beat Barnet but there was a yellow card for Luke Waterffall as Grimsby Town won 1-2 at Cambridge United.

In the National League, Dan Mooney was booked in Southend United's 2-0 defeat at Aldershot.

In National North, Scott Leather was dismissed for a second yellow card as Chorley went down 3-0 at Banbury. Simon Richmanequalised for Bradford (Park Avenue) as they came from behind for a 2-1 home win over Boston United.

Connor Hampson scored the second goal in Curzon Ashton's 3-0 home win over AFC Telford United, who were without the supended Brendon Daniels.

Kole Hall opened the scoring for Chester FC in their 1-3 win at Scarborough Athletic. Elsewhere, Jude Oyibo scored Radcliffe's second at Gainsborough Trinity but the home side recovered to draw 2-2.

And, finally, Sean Williams's goal proved to be the winner as Warrington Town secured a 3-2 victory over South Shields.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Caolan Lavery gave United the lead but a controversial red card decision involving Joe Nuttall ultimately led to Scunthorpe being beaten at Grosvenor Vale.

Daws said: "It was disappointing to lose the game. It was tough and always was going to be, but was made harder by going down to ten men... We don't think he did it purposefully.

'It changed the game. We were 1-0 up and doing okay, although we were disappointed we didn't hold on to the lead for very long...

'For them it was a case of being patient, and for us it was trying to be resolute. 10 vs 11 is hard...

The lads are keeping going and I'm sure we'll turn it around.'"

In the Halifax Courier we read that "Matt Worthington's penalty proved decisive in a game where Halifax failed to turn their superiority into any points in their first league defeat in five games.

'"I think we did enough up until the box and then we got the ball in the box and we didn't finish them off,' Millington said...

'We had a real strong spell in the first 15-20 minutes where we were in absolute control... We don't put the ball in the back of the net when we're on top often enough.

'It's not really about what Yeovil have done today, it's more about what we failed to do, which is put the ball in the back of the net."

'I can't describe how disappointed I am at the moment, this is as disappointed as I've been all season with a result... I'd argue that should have been a 0-0 if anything, because I don't believe it was a penalty...

'And their lad getting sent-off, from what I could see, looked like a strange decision. And there were loads in the game, probably equally as poor for both teams, but the big one that's decided the game is the penalty'.

Town are now the joint-lowest scorers in the National League, having netted just 17 times in 20 outings...

'We've got no-one to blame but ourselves so it's incredibly frustrating... We've got players like Jordan Slew who are yet to come back, we've got Yamen Osawe, who we've got to get available for games. We've got Mani Dierseruvwe, Rob Harker, Jamie Cooke, Matty Warburton; these lads are all goalscorers and they've got to start weighing in with more than they are doing at the moment...

'What we don't want to do is bring in a loan player from an under 21s' team who may or may not be able to contribute and spend five games finding out before discovering that they can't'...

On defender Jesse Debrah's absence, Millington said 'He's definitely better than he was but he's still very poorly'... Milli Alli was also not involved. 'He came down on Friday with what sounds like something similar to Jesse. They share the clubhouse so it wouldn't be surprising if he's picked something up'...

Millington confirmed winger Sam Smart is back among the squad after returning from loan at Dagenham and Redbridge".

26 November 2022

SATURDAY FIXTURES

• Aldershot Town 2-0 Southend United
• Altrincham 2-1 Eastleigh
• Dorking Wanderers 1-0 York City
• Maidstone United 3-2 Maidenhead United
• Torquay United 1-1 Gateshead
• Wealdstone 3-1 Scunthorpe United
• Yeovil Town 1-0 FC Halifax Town

EMIRATES FA CUP FIXTURES

Saturday 26 November.

• Accrington Stanley 1-0 Barnet
• AFC Wimbledon 0-2 Chesterfield
• Dagenham & Redbridge v Gillingham k.o. 5pm
• Forest Green Rovers 2-1 Alvechurch
• King's Lynn Town 0-3 Stevenage
• Wrexham 4-1 Farnborough

TODAY: EASTLEIGH

The Spitfires lie eleventh in the table and Alty have yet to beat any team in the current top fourteen after eleven attempts this campaign.

However, Eastleigh have never won at Moss Lane in four previous visits.

HALF-SEASON TICKETS AT ALTY

The tickets, which activate from the visit of FC Halifax Town on Boxing Day, represent outstanding value, working out at as little as £1.36 per game for children (under 12) and £12.95 for adults...

A half-season ticket for 2022/23 offers unrivalled value for money, with adults saving up to £66.50, compared to paying on a match-to-match basis, and concessions working out up to £48 cheaper...

• Adult £142.50
• Concession (Over 65 / Students / NHS) £117
• Junior (12 to 18) £38
• Child (Under 12) £15

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Johnson says he was expecting more time-added-on to the end of both halves this season after a meeting with the FA in the summer left him understanding that would be the case...

Johnson said 'It should have been taken on board long before now because all the managers had to go to a meeting and the referees said they are stamping down on time wasting. The most you ever get added on is like four or five and yet at the World Cup they are getting 10s, and there have been 15.

'Those extra three or four minutes can make a difference, if that’s the way the game’s going. And the public gets more of their money’s worth. That was the idea of it, and yet we don’t seem to have yet grasped what is time wasting and what isn’t, and who is doing it at our level.'

Johnson pointed out that in the 1-0 defeat at Barnet on Saturday, the ball was only in play for 48 minutes!...

'One of the big things about the Barnet game for me was... 48 minutes of play and 51 minutes of dead ball...

'We were a goal down at Barnet in 10 minutes and it is not as if you have got another 80 minutes to get the game back, so you have to take your opportunities quickly if you go a goal down. But if you go a goal up, then it’s a different ball game - knowing that it’s not 90 minutes, it’s probably going to be 60 or at the least 40.'"

According to the Echo News, "Southend United midfielder Jack Wood has joined Tonbridge Angels on a month long loan.

The 19-year-old has made one substitute appearance for the Shrimpers so far this season...

Tonbridge... also took Blues right-back Jaden Crowhurst on loan earlier this season".

Meanwhile, Southend United have a video interview with former Alty winger Dan Mooney in advance of the Shrimpers'game against Aldershot Town.

As Altrincham fans will know, a new Fanzone opened recently at the J. Davidson Stadium and from Gloverscast comes news of another such facility in the NationalLeague.

"A planning application has been submitted by Yeovil Town for the 'relocation and reduction in size' of the marquee at Huish Park.

The club has applied to (its landlord) South Somerset District Council for permission to relocate and reduce in size its 'refreshment marquee from the existing external location to within the stadium secure compound footprint'...

It ties up with comments made by club director Stuart Robins a couple of months ago when he [said]...

'In the short term we are trying to take part of the marquee and create a fan zone behind the Thatcher’s Stand.

'We still have to apply for a licence and then we can move part of the marquee to behind the Thatcher’s to create a better environment. It’s a semi-permanent structure, but it will be better than what we have at the moment. Our goal is to have some form of fan zone.'"

In the Oldham Times, "David Unsworth says he is in the midst of one of his most significant periods since becoming manager of Oldham Athletic, despite not having a game to prepare for this weekend.

The Latics boss has made a number of changes... including making nine signings...

[Now] there is a two-week gap between games. And Unsworth is looking to utilise it as a mini 'pre-season' to bed new players in work on the systems he believes will be most effective for them...

The Latics boss said... 'It's a huge, huge period for me on the training ground, recruitment wise, togetherness and camaraderie around the team. Little things like we all come together in a morning and at lunchtime in a nice room where there's an atmosphere.

'There's a team spirit and a team ethic. I can sense it... We're starting to get the fundamentals in place, the foundations in place of a settled team of characters, winners, leaders that we haven't had since I've been here'...

Unsworth signed Ellis Chapman on loan from Cheltenham... and after the goalless draw in Kent, Unsworth added striker Alex Reid on a permanent deal from Stockport".

Another player to leave Stockport is the subject of a Derbyshire Times report that "Chesterfield have signed double title-winning centre-back Ash Palmer from Stockport County.

The 30-year-old, who has won the National League North and the National League with the Hatters, has joined on an 18-month deal for an undisclosed fee.

On joining Town, Palmer said... 'I’ve got good experience at this level so hopefully that’s something I can bring to this team'...

Palmer is a legend at County after making 185 appearances... He signed a new one-year deal in the summer, taking him into his fifth season at Edgeley Park, but the England C international has made just three appearances in League Two this campaign".

25 November 2022

NEXT: EASTLEIGH

From Hampshire the Daily Echo tells us that last Saturday manager "Lee Bradbury admitted his frustration as Eastleigh slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Maidenhead United, with a light squad due to injuries and fitness.

The Spitfires fall to 11th in the National League with 28 points from 20 matches...

Charlie Carter equalised for Bradbury’s side just minutes after Emile Acquah had opened, however, Reece Smith netted the eventual winner early in the second-half.

'Very frustrated, we’ve conceded a poor first goal but reacted fantastically to it to score five minutes later and get ourselves back into the game,' Bradbury reflected...

'They defended well but [we] had 14 chances in the game to their six, we’ve come here a little patched us today and had a few players who had been out for a while.'

He added... 'We started a little bit slowly but... too many times we switched off and we got physically outdone today, fair play to them. They did what they had to do to get points.'”

Eastleigh visit Altrincham next on Saturday, November 26, with still four more games to play before the Boxing Day fixtures".

THROUGH THE YEARS: 26 NOVEMBER

On that occasion, in 2007, Altrincham travelled to Broadhall Way where they lost 2-1 to Stevenage Borough (before they dropped the Borough element from their name).

This game had been moved to be played on an inconvenient Monday night as it was being televised on Setanta Sports. Consequently, the Altrincham travelling support was much lower than it would otherwise have been. Neverthless, there were sufficient fans to warrant a supporters' coach with the fans hoping to see a repeat of the previous season's win at Broadhall Way.

Above: Chris Senior and his team-mates shake hands with their opponents at the end of the game. Alty were playing in blue kit for the game.

And, indeed, Altrincham gave a very creditable performance, especially in the first half, but they were undone by two defensive errors which allowed Craig Dobson to score from right of goal on each occasion.

Altrincham likewise took advantage of a defensive mistake by Stevenage when Little got onto an underhit back pass and his low cross from the right was turned into his own net from close range by Luke Oliver as Senior went for the ball (14 mins).

Boro' levelled when Scott's miscontrol saw the ball fall for Dobson. With Coburn out of his goal, Tinson blocked Dobson's first attempt but the ball went back to the Boro' man who slotted home from an acute angle (24 mins). When Boro's Hungarian debutant, Liptak, played a diagonal ball towards Dobson, Scott could only knock the ball into the winger's path. Though Coburn half-stopped Dobson's shot, it crossed the line before an incoming team-mate arrived to make sure (68 mins).

Little had three decent second half chances, but Julian saved one well, the Alty striker then headed another effort at the keeper and, for the final chance, elected to dribble rather than shoot.

Altrincham: 1. Stuart COBURN; 15. Chris LANE, 4. Karl MUNROE, 5. Darren TINSON (capt), 3. Gary SCOTT; 12. Joe O'NEILL, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 6. Jake SEDGEMORE, 11. Warren PEYTON; 19. Chris SENIOR, 9. Colin LITTLE. Subs: 2. Steve ASPINALL, 13. Richard ACTON, 18. Pat McFADDEN, 21. Gareth WHALLEY, 22. Carlos LOGAN.

Alty lay 21st at kick off and at the final whistle and ultimately also finished the season in that position. But for the third season in succession they were reprieved from relegation at the annual Conference AGM, on that occasion by the financial demise of Halifax Town.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Reporter Oliver King [says]... After speaking with owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz, they are continually looking at the contract situations of players but remained focused on achieving their target of promotion this season.

Currently ten Notts players are out of contract in 2023... Sam Slocombe, Adam Chicksen, Aaron Nemane, Kyle Cameron, Connell Rawlinson, Matty Palmer, Jim O'Brien, Ed Francis, Ruben Rodrigues and Kairo Mitchell... No contract extensions have been offered to any of those players...

Luke Williams would like to bolster his squad, with the Notts boss explaining he had been to view a number of Nottingham Forest academy games and liked what he saw...

The one area that concerns me the most is that of left-wing back... If Chicksen were to get injured, Notts may have to switch formation to a four at the back or look to play Kyle Cameron in that position...

Frank Vincent will return in January from his three-month loan spell at Aldershot ... Ed Francis or Kairo Mitchell could be two players looking to gain regular game time away from Meadow Lane".

Gloverscast reports that "Mark Cooper has stamped out any talk of Yeovil Town pushing for a place in the National League play-offs after they went three games unbeaten.

A hard-fought point at leaders Notts County at the weekend meant the Glovers have picked up five points from their last three matches ahead of the visit from FC Halifax Town to Somerset this weekend...

Cooper said 'I won’t entertain any talk (about play-offs) we are miles away from it, you have to win four or five games on the trot...

'In the position we’re in it’s about making sure we come out of the game with something. I don’t want us to play really well and pretty and not get anything...

'We have to perform really well to get anything off Halifax because they are really durable. Chris Millington has stepped up to manager... and taken to it like a duck to water and done a great job on limited resources'...

Defender Ben Richards-Everton will be available for selection against the Shaymen having missed the last three games through injury.

Cooper also confirmed skipper Josh Staunton... had also trained on Thursday...

The manager said 'There’s no secret that at the top level, you have to run, the top teams run more than most. We had to run (a lot at Notts County) to hold on for a valuable point.

'All of the boys were out on their feet at the end'...

Asked about new signing Louis Britton... the boss said... 'The issue he has is he’s a number nine like (Alex) Fisher, who has been outstanding... When he gets his minutes... he has a chance to try and take Fisher’s place'...

The manager was asked about the form of centre-half Max Hunt... Asked about the player’s renaissance, Cooper said 'He’s 6’4″, he’s decent on the ball, he’s great in the air and whilst I have been here he’s been a good defender...

'Hunty has been out of the team, a new manager has come in and put him in the team and he’s done well.'”

From the Southend Echo we learn that "Southend United striker Callum Powell is ‘touch and go’ for Saturday’s match at Aldershot Town.

Powell was taken off with a knee problem during the 3-1 defeat at Gateshead last time out...

And Blues boss Kevin Maher [said]... 'He will be touch and go... He’s strained his medial ligaments slightly so he hasn’t trained as of yet.'

Top scorer Powell has netted seven goals in 19 appearances for Blues this season."

York Press tells us that "Tim Ryan has insisted that York City’s season won’t be defined away at Dorking Wanderers...

It is now seven consecutive games without a win for City and... they have featured some lows like the loss to Wealdstone.

Wanderers, meanwhile, have endured a similarly tough run of form, picking up just two points from the last 15.

'I said to the players just before training, (Dorking) are in a similar form to us, similar to Wealdstone as well,' noted interim City boss Ryan...

'It’s not going to define our season, but both teams need a result... The lads have been bouncing in training... We’ll train on 3G tomorrow looking towards Saturday...

'They try and build from the back as well as go for a few long balls. It sounds very similar to us'...

Against Wealdstone, in what was Ryan’s first game in charge, he implemented a three-centre-back system, flanked by wing-backs Alex Whittle and Ryan Fallowfield.

The duo offered a noticeable width to City’s system, consistently racing forward and tracking back to assist both the attack and defence...

'My preference is... the wide lads can get forward and it gives you more bodies in their defensive third...

'I don’t know much about him (Marc White, Dorking manager) if I’m being honest', said Ryan. 'That’s not being disrespectful to him, I’d just not come across him... For a smaller club, again without being derogatory, he’s doing well'...

City have been training on 3G pitches ahead of their clash with Dorking".

NEXT: EASTLEIGH

In eight league meetings of Altrincham with Eastleigh, each side has only won twice with four of the fixtures ending in a draw.

The Hampshire club first visited Altrincham on 13 September 2014 and that game ended in a 3-3 draw. In fact, all of the first three visits by the Spitfires to Moss Lane ended in draws, but that sequence was broken last season when Altrincham triumphed 4-0 on 12 March 2022.

Above: Toby Mullarkey is the only Alty player in this picture from the 2021 encounter at Moss Lane who is still at the club.

The home games for Alty against Eastleigh resulted as follows:

• Sat. 12.3.22 Altrincham 4-0 Eastleigh, gate 1,614, scorers Colclough (pen) 25,47 Hulme 29, Mooney 57
• Tue.22.5.21 Altrincham 1-1 Eastleigh, gate 900, scorer Colclough 78
• Tue.15.9.15 Altrincham 1-1 Eastleigh, gate 677, scorer Lawrie 29
• Sat.13.9.14 Altrincham 3-3 Eastleigh, gate 945, scorers Reeves 11,65 Griffin 35

So the Spitfires have yet to leave the J. Davidson Stadium with three points.

FUNDRAISER FOR RIO

In early April this year, little Rio Spurr’s stomach ache was put down to constipation. A few days later, after he was violently ill, it was thought the problem could be an obstruction that may need surgery.

Soon after, the search for an answer ended with the shattering news that Rio had cancer. Worse still, it was an incredibly rare variant, one that is likely to reoccur and is resistant to traditional methods of combating the disease.

With unimaginable bravery for a four-year old, Rio has since undergone a four-hour operation, scans under sedation and countless rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Months of further chemo lie ahead, but the worry for his parents, former Blackburn and Preston defender Tommy Spurr and his wife Chloe, is that, should the condition persist or return, they may have reached the end of the road, in this country, at least.

The only remaining hope would be the costly option of seeking alternative treatments or clinical trials abroad, a possible route to a cure for Rio but an expensive one.

Tommy and Chloe are not about to give up on giving Rio every chance of conquering the odds and have accordingly set up a GoFundMe page that outlines the ordeal he has been through and invites donations for treatment that could save his life.

Please click here to read the full heart-rending account of everything the family have been through over the past six months or so.

Neither have friends of the family given up. A group of them, including Altrincham director Chris Hamlett, have rallied round and asked Sellebrity Soccer to organise what promises to be a memorable afternoon at The J.Davidson Stadium on Sunday, December 11th, with familiar names from television and the sporting world giving up their time [or], in Marcus Rashford’s case, some personal items for this worthiest of causes".

Click here for further details.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Halifax’s game against Dorking was originally called off following the death of The Queen, but since then has had to be postponed twice because of a waterlogged pitch, the second time being on Tuesday.

The situation has left many Halifax fans, as well as Town boss Chris Millington, frustrated that the condition of The Shay surface is proving so disruptive to Halifax’s season, with fears there could be more postponements to come over the next few weeks.

The Shaymen have previously had to play games away from The Shay following postponements due to the state of the pitch.

Coun Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said... 'The sheer volume of rain over the last couple of days meant that on the morning of Tuesday 22 November, the worst affected areas of the pitch were still holding water, so the football club arranged for an experienced referee to inspect the pitch...

'We work hard all year round to ensure the pitch is in the best possible condition and do all we can to prepare it for each match. We continue to explore longer-term options with the clubs.'”

And the Halifax Courier also tells us that manager "Chris Millington has spoken...

'The biggest frustration for me is that it's another week where we've set our schedule out and prepared the training programme for a two-game week, and midway through the plans change," Millington said.

'First and foremost it's an opportunity to play and gain three points that we've lost.

'Secondly it's an opportunity to train and put in a really good training day because a Tuesday, on a one-game week, would be a heavy training session and we've missed out on an opportunity to do that because by the time the game's postponed, we would have already trained. So we lose on both counts, no doubt Dorking were in training on Tuesday and it didn't affect their training schedule but it messes ours up.

'It's the second week in a short space of time where our preparation and planning are undermined... It's not a good situation to be in over and over again...

'Quite how we move forward I don't really know, but my main concern is making sure the lads are fully prepared for every game we go into and, at the moment, I can't put my hand on my heart and say we're doing that when we're having situations like this occur over and over again...

'Performances are directly affected by what happens in your training week', he said."

23 November 2022

ALTY TO FACE CURZON IN TROPHY

And also as mentioned yesterday, this will be the second meeting of the clubs in the FA Trophy with the first match having to be played twice after a power failure at the Tameside Stadium deprived the Nash of a potential win as they led 2-1 at the interval before a local loss of the power supply caused the abandonment of the tie as the floodlights could not be used.

Alty won the replay 2-0.

In that abandoned tie, Alty could have been five down before the interval abandonment but two excellent blocks from Stuart Coburn helped to keep the score down, and Curzon's McDonagh also spooned a shot badly over the bar from close range. However, Coburn was unable to keep out a ninth-minute freekick from Birch or an Edghill goal after 40 minutes.

Above: Alty prepare to defend a freekick in the ultimately abandoned tie at the Tameside Stadium in December, 2010.

But, with the last action of first-half added time, Clee's trickery on the left led to a cross which Mark Beesley headed onto the inside of the upright from where it bounced back, but keeper Carnell was only able to help the ball into the net as he attempted to grab it.

The game had started in sunshine and with the floodlights on but they went off midway through the half as a power cut affected the local area. It was bright enought to complete the first half but, at the interval, referee Collin discussed the situation with both managers and set a deadline of 4.20pm for the game to resume. But the power remained off after that time and he had no choice but to abandon the match.

The Alty squad comprised: 1. Stuart COBURN, 2. James SMITH (captain), 4. Marc JOSEPH, 5. Robbie WILLIAMS, 15. Ryan BROWN, 6. Shaun DENSMORE, 25. Matt SOMNER, 17. Wes BAYNES, 11. Nicky CLEE, 10. Chris DENHAM, 19. Mark BEESLEY. Subs: 21. James COATES, 9. Michael TWISS, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 12. Kevin HOLSGROVE, 20. Sam HEWSON

ALTY OLD BOYS

From an Alty team of a few years back, Danny Mitchley won a penalty for City of Liverpool as they drew 1-1 with Witton Albion.

Alty's newest signing, Eden Bailey was a late substitute for Hanley Town who lost 0-1 to Prescot Cables.

Joel Swift netted twice as West Didsbury & Chorlton won 3-0 at Padiham and his former Alty reserves' team-mate, Joseph Faux, scored for Caernarfon Town against Connah's Quay Nomads.

From Tuesday night's action, Phil Jordan informs us that gave AFC Telford United the lead from the penalty spot at home to Kidderminster Harriers but the visitors fought back to win 1-2 and Daniels was sent off in stoppage time.

Another former Robin to see a red card in stoppage time was Craig Hobson, as Curzon Ashton fell 0-2 at home to Blyth Spartans.

There were two red cards at Farsley Celtic but they both went to home players as visitors Chester FC won 0-2 with Kole Hall netting the opener.

In the NPL, Dylan Mottley-Henry scored the fourth goal as South Shields romped to a 5-0 home win over Bamber Bridge.

And, finally, Jack Redshaw scored for Hyde United at home to Lancaster City to reduce the arrears but the visitors saw out the match to win 1-2.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The defender, who made his debut in the Carabao Cup second round win at Bradford City, has made the move on a deal until December 20.

The Bees have said that includes an option to buy.

Annesley... is no stranger to the club, having spent time as a teenager with Barnet, while he also has experience of the National League following a spell with Woking last term.

The 22-year-old has just returned from international duty where he played in Gibraltar’s back-to-back wins over Liechtenstein and Andorra, taking his number of caps to 35.

Annesley joined Rovers from Lincoln Red Imps in January 2019 and has been a regular for the Under-21s, playing 38 times in all, including seven this season.

His loan at Barnet... will take in five matches in all competitions.

Aldershot Town "provide an update on the process of hiring a new First-Team Manager.

As mentioned previously, the club had a large number of applicants for the vacancy and work began on narrowing these into a shortlist.

Talks have been ongoing with a number of these applicants and we are now in the final stages of the process.

Current interim Manager and Academy Manager Ross McNeilly is also being given the opportunity to discuss his vision of the future of Aldershot Town’s first-team affairs.

The Board are hoping to come to a decision as soon as possible but are keen to ensure that due diligence comes before urgency."

Oldham Athletic "announce the signing of striker Alex Reid... following his release by Stockport. [He] has signed a contract until the summer of 2025.

A proven goalscorer and National League winner at Edgeley Park last season, the 27 year-old has scored eight goals on loan at Solihull so far this campaign.

'Alex is a real quality signing for us and plays in a position we’ve been looking to strengthen in. He can play in multiple positions across the forward line, he’s a real goalscorer and is at a great age where he can really kick on and develop with us'...

The 27-year-old started out in the youth setups of Aston Villa and Walsall, before spending time with Rushall Olympic, which earned him a move to Fleetwood Town... Following a short spell with Stevenage in League Two, he featured for AFC Fylde, Ebbsfleet and Dagenham...

Alex signed for Stockport in the summer of 2020... He rejoined Solihull for a second time this season...

Reid said... 'As soon as I realised there was interest from such a big club I wanted to get it sorted'".

22 November 2022

ALTY TO FACE CURZON IN TROPHY

Curzon employ several ex-Altincham players in Craig Mahon, Tom Peers, Josh Hancock, Craig Hobson and Connor Hampson.

The sides have met previously in the FA Trophy. That was in 2010-11 when The Nash were leading 2-1 at the Tameside Stadium. However, a floodlight failure at half-time saved Altrincham from a possible defeat and the Robins won the re-played match 2-0.

The 2022-23 draw for the Third Round is as follows...

Right: Stuart Coburn punches clear in the abandoned FA Trophy tie at the Tameside Stadium in December 2010.

North Section:

• 1 Spennymoor Town v Darlington
• 2 York City v Blyth Spartans
• 3 Altrincham v Curzon Ashton
• 4 Marske United v Marine AFC
• 5 Chesterfield v Coalville Town
• 6 Wrexham v Scunthorpe United
• 7 AFC Fylde v Kidderminster Harriers
• 8 Tamworth v Leamington
• 9 Gateshead v Kettering Town
• 10 Farsley Celtic v Chester
• 11 Solihull Moors v AFC Telford United
• 12 Notts County v Chorley
• 13 Oldham Athletic v Peterborough Sports
• 14 Guiseley v FC Halifax Town

South Section:

• 15 Southend United v Boreham Wood
• 16 Woking v Eastleigh
• 17 Yeovil Town v Dorking Wanderers
• 18 Maidstone United v Worthing
• 19 Heybridge Swifts v Hungerford Town
• 20 Farnborough v Braintree Town
• 21 Banbury United v Bognor Regis Town
• 22 Dagenham & Redbridge v Uxbridge
• 23 Slough Town v Taunton Town
• 24 Torquay United v Chippenham Town
• 25 Aldershot Town v Welling United
• 26 Chelmsford City v Wealdstone
• 27 Swindon Supermarine v Harrow Borough
• 28 Folkestone Invicta v Leiston
• 29 Hemel Hempsted Town v Maidenhead United
• 30 Barnet v Plymouth Parkway
• 31 Bath City v Bromley
• 32 Eastbourne Borough v Bracknell Town

Round dates and prize money are as follow:

• Third Round: Saturday 17 December 2022. Winners £4,500, losers £1,250
• Fourth Round: Saturday 14 January 2023. Winners £5,250, losers £1,500
• Fifth Round: Saturday 11 February 2023. Winners £6,000, losers £1,750
• Sixth Round: Saturday 11 March 2023. Winners £7,500, losers £2,000
• Semi Final: Saturday 1 April 2023. Winners £15,000, losers £5,000
• Final: Sunday 21 May 2023. Winners £60,000, losers £30,000

BEFORE THE DRAW

You have to go back to 2017-18 for a season when Altrincham won more than one Round in the FA Trophy. That season Alty entered the competition at what was then termed the First Qualifying Round and beat Clitheroe, Ramsbottom United and Alfreton before going out at home to Warrington Town in a Round One replay.

In 2018-19 a win over Bradford (Park Avenue) led to another home exit, this time to Stockport County. For the third year running, in 2019-20, Alty exited the Trophy at home when they again failed to build on a drawn game away from home and lost a replay to Farsley Celtic, after defeating York City in the previous round.

Right: In December 2019, Alty players take on board instructions from Neil Sorvel during a break in play in the unsuccessful replay against Farsley Celtic.

In 2020-21 Alty had a home draw against Chester FC but had to play the tie away from home because of the waterlogged state of the pitch at Moss Lane but they won nevertheless. However, they then had to forfeit a Fourth Round tie away to Havant & Waterlooville because of Covid.

And last season, 2021-22, Alty lost at Notts County in their first outing in the competition that season.

Round dates and prize money are as follow:

• Third Round: Saturday 17 December 2022. Winners £4,500, losers £1,250
• Fourth Round: Saturday 14 January 2023. Winners £5,250, losers £1,500
• Fifth Round: Saturday 11 February 2023. Winners £6,000, losers £1,750
• Sixth Round: Saturday 11 March 2023. Winners £7,500, losers £2,000
• Semi Final: Saturday 1 April 2023. Winners £15,000, losers £5,000
• Final: Sunday 21 May 2023. Winners £60,000, losers £30,000

ALTY OLD BOY

Southend's Echo News reports that "Dan Mooney is eager to play his part in helping Southend United bounce back from Saturday’s defeat at Gateshead.

Mooney (right) came off the bench to score a late consolation goal for the Shrimpers in the 3-1 defeat... having now recovered from the groin problem which kept him sidelined for six games...

'I need to add more goals and take more of the chances I had been getting before the injury,' said Mooney...

'It was a bump in the road on Saturday but we can go again and we’re good enough to bounce back'...

Mooney’s appearance off the bench was just his second since being forced out of action in early October...

'It’s been a bit of a niggly one for me and I tried to play through it for a while,' said Mooney. 'But in the end it needed some time off to rest and repair the groin... It was just getting a little bit worse game by game...

'It feels fine now,' said the summer signing... 'But as a team we were disappointed with the loss and need to go and bounce back on Saturday now.'

Mooney featured in a number 10 role after entering the action against Gateshead having previously played wide in central midfield...

'I do like that 10 role and having the freedom to show my creative side'.

Mooney will now be hoping... to impress at Aldershot this weekend... 'I've played them before with Altrincham and it’s a tough place to go,' said Mooney".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

KentLive reported that the 23 year-old made 'a number of fine saves to keep the Latics at bay', preventing the Latics from scoring from five clear-cut chances.

The Stones’ goalless draw at the Gallagher Stadium keeps them out of the relegation zone and above Oldham by a single point".

In the Halifax Courier we read that "Chris Millington says the unity and spirit among his side is the driving force behind their improvement in form.

The Shaymen have won five of their last eight league games, the latest of which was their 1-0 victory against Boreham Wood on Saturday, and can move up to 12th in the National League table if they beat Dorking Wanderers at home on Tuesday night.

'I think there's a unity there that's evident,' Millington said. 'The thing that's most pleasing for us as staff is watching the lads fight for each other and really work hard for each other.

'I hope that the fans recognise that level of effort and commitment they've built up in a relatively short space of time.

'I think we can get better, there's an awful lot of things we can do better, both in and out of possession, and we'll keep working to improve every aspect of that. But the spirit among the group is great and that's probably the thing that's helped us improve our form'...

Town's game against Dorking has already been postponed twice...

'We've prepared for them so many times... They're a really exciting team, they've got goals in them, a really exciting style of play, very expansive and that leaves them vulnerable to conceding goals as well '", he concluded.

In the Echo News "Gateshead boss Mike Williamson thought his side’s resilience and determination proved key in their win against Southend United.

The 3-1 victory saw Gateshead work their way off the foot of the National League table.

But Williamson, who selected himself at centre-back, felt Gateshead were made to fight hard for the three points...

'I felt like our quality wasn’t as good as we hoped for but the actual performance, the battling and the desire, the picking up second balls was good...

'We were determined to be solid and we know when we give ourselves that base that we’ve got players who can score goals and hurt teams'", said the player-manager".

ISUZU FA TROPHY DRAW

The FA Trophy draw will be broadcast live on talkSPORT2.

Round dates and prize money are as follow:

• Third Round: Saturday 17 December 2022. Winners £4,500, losers £1,250
• Fourth Round: Saturday 14 January 2023. Winners £5,250, losers £1,500
• Fifth Round: Saturday 11 February 2023. Winners £6,000, losers £1,750
• Sixth Round: Saturday 11 March 2023. Winners £7,500, losers £2,000
• Semi Final: Saturday 1 April 2023. Winners £15,000, losers £5,000
• Final: Sunday 21 May 2023. Winners £60,000, losers £30,000

WOKING v ALTY HIGHLIGHTS

ALTY YOUTH BEATEN

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

But Notts had chances to ensure they remained at the summit of the table, with Kyle Cameron seeing his header cleared off the line before Adam Chicksen headed over from close range in injury time...

'I think we should have won the game; I can't remember many moments they had at the other end that was a particular threat on our goal. For me that is the most important thing... the bare minimum is to stop the other team from scoring...

'I don't think we could have done anything more in the game'.

A lot of the time during the game it was very much attack v defence, with Yeovil content on putting as many bodies as possible behind the ball to make them extremely hard to break down...

'To be really successful you have to completely shut the door on your opponents, and I think they were successful in doing that'", he concluded.

From the Derbyshire Times we learn that "Solihull Moors boss Neal Ardley criticised his team’s lack of ‘desire’ in both boxes in the 2-0 defeat against Chesterfield.

The Moors started brightly in the early stages but once Joe Quigley put the Spireites in front on 15 minutes there only looked like being one winner.

Bailey Clements scored for the second successive game with less than 20 minutes remaining and the scoreline could have been bigger in the end...

Ardley said 'Same old thing, you have to take your chances when they come and you have to do your jobs very well without the ball when you come away from home. You can’t concede from a set-piece like we have, it was poor, not just from the player who was meant to be marking their goalscorer but from everybody, the desire inside the box was not good enough. The desire to score goals in the other box is not where it should be either.

'Between the boxes there is not bundles wrong, we play good football, we can control possession as much as anybody, but you win and lose games at both ends of the pitch and at the moment we could not get them more wrong if we tried... We need to reset, nine games in four weeks is ridiculously tough. We have got a lot of injuries and a lot of players going out to play who aren’t really fit enough at the moment.

'But I am confident this group of players is good enough to be in the play-offs come the end of the season.'”

According to the Oldham Times, "David Unsworth felt Oldham Athletic delivered an almost complete performance in [their] draw at Maidstone.

Latics were just missing a goal to show for a much improved display, in which Timmy Abraham had a number of chances and newest signings Sydie Peck and Ellis Chapman impressed...

'It was a game we should have won,' said the Latics boss. 'We played really well and created numerous opportunities, but we just didn't have that killer instinct... But there were so many encouraging signs and so much to be positive about... We looked like a proper team...

'We played some really good stuff today... other than the final finish, and that's the hardest thing to do in the game. That's why strikers cost a lot of money...

'The positives in terms of performance, clean sheet, looking like a team, our build-up play, some decent football, it was there today, creating chances as well.'"

Devon Live tells us that "Despite playing well, Torquay could not find the net...

Torquay United slipped back to the bottom of the National League table... when they were beaten 1-0 by Barnet at the Hive... The early goal by the home side was all the north Londoners needed to take all three points from a game they didn't really deserve to win.

With Gateshead, who Torquay play at Plainmoor next weekend, winning 3-1 at home against Southend United, the Gulls replaced them at the bottom...

Manager Gary Johnson made three changes to the starting line up... with Brett McGavin and Ryan Hanson coming in, and Dean Moxey returning to the 11 in place of Dylan Crowe. Asa Hall dropped to the bench with Dillon De Silva missing out with a hamstring injury. Kieron Evans was on the bench, available for the first time since being injured on October 4.

Marvin Armstrong got the final touch on [a] Barnet attack in the ninth minute, turning in a cross to put the home side 1-0 ahead...

The game settled into being pretty even...

Torquay made a positive start to the second half but, for all their good play, the final ball was mostly missing... Torquay were a bit more direct now... [and] kept on attacking but to no avail".

20 November 2022

EX-ALTY KEEPER'S BOTTLE SWAPPED

Manager Mark Beesley slammed the incident, where Thompson’s water bottle had been apparently urinated in by a travelling fan, as 'disgusting' after the match.

The story has since received widespread attention, featuring on the likes of BBC Sport, Mail Online and Sport Bible... Opponents Guiseley have also issued a statement condoning [condemning?!] the incident.

The Yellows statement said 'The club is supporting goalkeeper Tony Thompson following the well-publicised incident that led to his sending off in the FA Trophy defeat to Guiseley at Cantilever Park on Saturday.

'The process of reviewing the video footage is ongoing. We note the statement from Guiseley AFC and will be providing them with the video footage. It goes without saying that the incident is deplorable and has no place in non-league football, football or society in general.

'We will await the referees report and FA charge before deciding what action to take regarding the red card.

'Our priority is ensuring that Tony is given the support he needs given the attention that the story is receiving, and we know he is thankful for the messages of support he has received, particularly from other goalkeepers.'

Thompson could be facing a three-match ban for his red card... Youngster Kian Hall made his debut as a substitute after the red card, but the Yellows are likely to be forced in to the loan market unless Thompson’s red card is rescinded.

The Yellows' woe was compounded as they conceded a 90th minute winner while down to 10 men, and then later saw striker Josh Amis [another ex-Alty man] shown a straight red card for an incident with Guiseley goalkeeper Kyle Trennery.

After the match, Yellows manager Mark Beesley [a third ex-Alty man]... said 'I don’t think I’ll ever be involved in anything like that again. The Guiseley staff apologised. It was disgusting and there’s no place in life for things like that.

'I think the referee has completely lost control after that; if someone urinates in my bottle and I drink it, I’m going to throw it away. To send him off for throwing the bottle away is a disgrace... What Tony was subjected to was disgraceful. Whoever did it should hang their head in shame and never be allowed into a football game again. The referee has to see common sense; I can’t understand it.'

Guiseley released a statement on Sunday morning. It read: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media which shows an individual swapping the bottles in the goal area, and that the replaced bottle allegedly contained urine. We unreservedly condemn this disgraceful action... If the individual(s) involved can be identified they will receive life bans from attending Guiseley AFC fixtures.'”

There is video of the incident here.

Former Alty defender Andy White and midfielder Sean Williams also featured in the match for Warrington Town.

"I FEEL ROBBED" SAYS PARKINSON

"[We had] two good chances that have got to be goals. It was a game of two halves".

WOKING 1-1 ALTRINCHAM

Match report here

PLAYER INTERVIEWS

And a first interview with loanee Connor Jennings is also available via Alty TV.

NEXT GAME: EASTLEIGH

This weekend the Spitfires lost to Maidenhead United. Eastleigh report that "Goals from Emile Acquah and Reece Smith were enough to condemn Eastleigh to back to back defeats and return to Hampshire empty handed...

Lee Bradbury’s side were edging the creative play as they looked the more likely to get the opening goal of the game... Just before the clock struck 30 minutes, captain Alan Massey headed the ball high back into the Eastleigh penalty area from a corner which evaded everyone but Acquah who poked home to give the host’s the lead.

The opener went against the run of play as the visitors looked the more likely to score before Maidenhead’s only second shot on target in the game which crept past McDonnell.

Carter and Hill were causing the most problems... Carter picked up the ball from 30 yards out, played a pass to Hill who returned the ball to Carter inside the penalty area who thumped an effort from an acute angle into the back of the net [1-1]...

The home side restored their lead on the 56th minute... as Smith slotted home from close range after a pinpoint cross by Ashley Nathaniel-George...

In the dying moments of the game, Eastleigh thought they were leaving Berkshire with the share of the points. Harper played a brilliant ball into the box which fell to Whitehall, his shot powered off the post and was then cleared off the line as our new loanee, Alfie Lloyd was millimetres from sliding it across the goal line".

RESERVES BIG WIN

ALTY OLD BOYS

In EFL2, Carl Piergianni was booked as Stevenage forced a 1-1 draw with Grimsby Town for whom fellow ex-Alty centre-half Luke Waterfall featured.

Chris Merrie was substituted after 55 minutes as Tranmere Rovers lost 0-2 at Prenton Park against AFC Wimbledon.

In the National League, Dan Mooney (right), a 67th minute substitute, scored Southend United's 87th minute consolation goal as they went down 3-1 at Gateshead.

Acting York City manager Tim Ryan got off to a bad start as visitors Wealdstone stole the points 2-1 with a 95th minute winner.

In the NPL, FC United of Manchester were already two goals down to Gainsborough Trinity before Dontai Gabidon reduced the arrears but the Lincolnshire side went on to win 1-3.

A Ben Harrison penalty gave Nantwich Town a half-time lead at Radcliffe and they eventually took the spoils 1-2 with a 91st minute winner.

Warrington Rylands won 2-0 at home to Morpeth with the clincher being the almost inevitable Callum Dolan penalty.

Finally, in the FA Trophy, a Josh Hancock goal sent Curzon Ashton level at the break at Southport, The Nash went on to win 1-3.

Ryan Brooke equalised for Runcorn Linnets at the Brewery Field but Spennymoor led 3-1 at theinterval and went on to win 3-2.

Both Tony Thompson and Josh Amis were sent off as Warrington Town were knocked out fo the Trophy 0-1 at Cantilever Park by Guiseley.

WOKING 1-1 ALTRINCHAM

Match report here

SATURDAY FIXTURES

• Barnet 1-0 Torquay United
• Chesterfield 2-0 Solihull Moors
• Dagenham & Redbridge 2-1 Scunthorpe United
• Dorking Wanderers 2-3 Bromley
• FC Halifax Town 1-0 Boreham Wood
• Gateshead 3-1 Southend United
• Maidenhead United 2-1 Eastleigh
• Maidstone United 0-0 Oldham Athletic
• Notts County 0-0 Yeovil Town
• Woking 1-1 Altrincham
• Wrexham 2-0 Aldershot Town
• York City 1-2 Wealdstone

CARDS LOOKING TO TRUMP ALTY

Right: Kingfield boasts an impressive stand behind one of the goals as seen in this image from Alty's visit in August 2015.

The Cards did themselves proud against League One Oxford United on Wednesday, enduring awful weather conditions to push the tier three side to their limit, scoring a fine goal through Rohan Ince and coming close with several chances to force a replay...

Darren Sarll’s side can now turn their attentions back to continuing their excellent league form, which has seen them win four games in a row without conceding and lose just one of the last ten, with that sole loss coming against title-chasing Notts County.

Sarll should have a nearly fully-fit squad to call upon for this game; Luke Wilkinson and Ricky Korboa are the only players currently sidelined, but neither are thought to be far from a return. Sid Nelson and Tyreke Johnson have also returned from their loan spells at Welling United and Dagenham & Redbridge respectively, although the former picked up a minor knock in his last outing and isn’t yet ready for a return. Bryant Bilongo remains with the club with his loan expiring next week.

The Robins are in their third season back in the National League... The shift to full-time has meant a huge turnover in players for the club, with 15 of last season’s squad leaving on free transfers, and over 20 new players coming in. Notable additions include England C international defender Lewis Baines from Chorley, Stockport pair Elliot Newby and Connor Jennings, plus former AFC Wimbledon winger Egli Kaja. They also kept hold of key players such as Elliot Osborne and Ryan Colclough.

It was a slow start to the season for the Robins, who didn’t taste victory until their tenth league game, but have now won five of their last ten...

Recent Meetings in the National League:

• Altrincham 2-2 Woking – 5th February 2022
• Woking 3-2 Altrincham – 30th October 2021
• Woking 1-1 Altrincham – 16th March 2021
• Altrincham 1-0 Woking – 2nd March 2021
• Altrincham 3-1 Woking – 26th January 2016

BEFORE THE GAME AT WOKING

The clubs last met in February 2022 when Woking visited Moss Lane with the hosts coming back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2, thanks to a Ryan Colclough brace. Indeed, Colclough is one of only two players who were club employees at the time and who started both that game and Altrincham's most recent fixture, last Saturday against York. Woking are, likewise, much changed in playing personnel, as well as in manager, since that meeting.

Right: Toby Mullarkey is seen here during the match against Woking in February 2022.

The Alty line-up in February was: 1 Tony Thompson (c), 19. Jamie Morgan, 25. Toby Mullarkey, 14. Jake Cooper, 28. Eddy Jones, 6. Jake Moult, 8. Elliot Osborne, 7. Dan Mooney, 31. Chris Conn-Clarke, 11. Ryan Colclough, 29. Jordan Hulme. Subs: 17. Ben Pringle, 18. Kennedy Digie, 27. A-Jay Leitch-Smith, 15. Matty Kosylo 32. Isaac Marriott.

Although there are today seven members of that starting eleven in this season's current squad at Altrincham, only three of them (Ryan Colclough, Toby Mullarkey and Elliot Osborne) were actually Altrincham FC employees back in February, with the other four (Eddy Jones, Chris Conn-Clarke, Jordan Hulme and Jake Cooper) all being loanees at that time.

Curiously, both Jones and Conn-Clarke are back at Alty for a further loan spell this season, whilst Hulme and Cooper have since become club employees.

In Alty's most recent game this season, of the club's employees in February, only Ryan Colclough and Toby Mullarkey were in the starting eleven against York City with the trio of Hulme, Osborne and Cooper only named on the bench.

Woking's team in February 2022 comprised 1 Mark Smith, 2 Kyran Lofthouse, 3 Josh Casey, 6 Moussa Diarra, 7 Jamar Loza, 9 Inih Effiong, 11 Tyreke Johnson, 16. Louie Annersley, 17 Tarryn Allarakhia, 23 Jermaine Anderson, 24 Rohan Ince. Subs: 5 Joe McNerney, 8 Solomon Nwabuokei, 13 Craig Ross, 18 Nicke Kabamba, 20 Jake Keles.

Of that Woking starting eleven in February at Moss Lane, only three players (Lofthouse, Casey and Anderson) also started in last Wednesday's FA Cup tie against Oxford United at Kingfield, though McNerney, who was a sub back in February, also started against Oxford.

The Cards have also appointed former Yeovil boss Darren Sarll since the clubs met in February. He replaced Alan Dowson who was sacked three weeks after the February 2022 draw at the J Davidson Stadium.

WHERE ALTY STAND

That trend continues today with a trip fourth-placed Woking. After the match in Surrey today, Alty will have made ten away trips in the league with all but two of those games being to a club currently lying in the top thirteen of the twenty-four-club division. And, to date, Alty have picked up just two points from their journeys to the seven grounds of the top-thirteen clubs visited so far.

An unfortunate sequence of strong opponents, dealt to the Robins by the National League fixture computer, has not helped Altrincham to match their points haul as recorded at the same stage of the season in 2021.

However, on the other hand, they have had ten home games so far this season compared with nine last season at the same stage of the season.

After their nineteen games in 2021/22, Altrincham lay twelfth and had 25 points compared with 2022/23 when they currently lie seventeenth with 21 points.

After 19 games:

2021-22

• HOME: P9 W4 D1 L4 F15 A11 PTS13
• AWAY: P10 W3 D3 L4 F18 A17 PTS12
• ALL: P19 W7 D4 L8 F33 A28 GD+5 PTS25 POS12

2022-23

• HOME: P10 W4 D3 L3 F14 A12 PTS15
• AWAY: P9 W1 D3 L5 F11 A24 PTS6
• ALL: P19 W5 D6 L8 F25 A36 GD-11 PTS21 POS17

In terms of points gained on the road at this stage Alty have earned just six of their 21 points away from home compared with twelve points gleaned from an overall total of 25 points earned at this stage last year, when they had completed one more away match than at home.

As for goals scored, Alty have netted 25 times this campaign compared with 33 at the same stage last season. In defence they have let in 36 goals this season compared with 28 last season after 19 matches.

So, in broad terms, Alty are not a long way from last season in terms of their points haul (four points worse off), despite the upheaval in playing staff implicit in the move to full-time operations and the imbalance in the quality of away-match opposition so far this season.

It is, however, disappointing that eight fewer goals have been scored and eight more have been conceded so, what was last season a goal difference of plus five at this stage, is today minus eleven. With two more top-ten clubs as the next opposition after today, the pre-Christmas and New Year periods when the opposition is arguably less strong may prove crucial to the outcome of this season.

JOHN CONNAUGHTON FUNERAL

Following the funeral, there will be a reception for mourners at the Bull's Head in Hale Barns.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

City’s Under-19s' manager will manage the side against Wealdstone this afternoon after being put in temporary charge following the shock sacking of John Askey earlier this week.

Askey lost his job after a breakdown in relations with chairman Glen Henderson. He was in charge for 368 days, taking York to the FA Trophy semi-finals and more importantly out of the National League North, where they had been for five seasons.

'“It is something I feel I can do for the time being. I am not saying I want the job by any stretch of the imagination. I am helping the football club. I have told the players that my job is to pick them back up so they can get the best versions of themselves.

'I am happy with what I do. I enjoy the job and it is a big job we have got on in developing youth football around York'” said Ryan.

York Press added that "York City Supporters’ Trust have apologised...in the wake of the shock sacking of manager John Askey...

The [sacking] news has been met with outrage by York fans, many of whom have called for the resignations of Henderson as well as chief executive Alastair Smith and marketing director Mike Brown, also the Trust's chairman.

Questions have been asked of the Trust, who own 49 per cent of the club to Henderson's 51 per cent, given that their 'Boost The Budget' campaign was advertised as "Boosting John Askey's budget"...

A Trust statement, written independently of Trust members Brown and Smith read... 'Mistakes have been made, they will be learned from and, to our best efforts, they will never be repeated. Your Supporters' Trust board were shocked and dismayed to learn of Askey's departure'...

The Trust board met with representatives from the York board on Thursday... and say they 'recognise that the relationship between both parties had reached breaking point' and that the situation was 'irretrievable'".

Scunthorpe United interim manager Tony Daws has provided "an update on the fitness of the squad, saying 'We’ve lost two or three players through injury in recent weeks, so that’s a blow'...

He went on to speak directly about [former Alty defender] Reagan Ogle, who has been out with a back problem since the Eastleigh game. He said 'Reagan’s making good progress but he’s not fit enough yet to join back in training. Fingers crossed that might be next week or the week after'...

Following last Saturday's defeat to Maidstone United, he said... It’s important that we don’t overreact because we lost to Maidstone... or get too down about it...

'Because if we’re all negative then we’re going to get beaten in the next game as well. It’s really important that we create the right environment around the place...

'The lads have been really good. They’re all on board. It's all been positive...

'We were okay earlier on in the week because we got on the grass on the training pitch but, on Thursday, Glanford Park and the training pitch was under a bit of water. Thanks to St Lawrence Academy we’ve been able to train on their astro turf. We’ve managed to do some work up there, and the work we were meant to do on Thursday, we will do on Friday instead.'

On this Saturday's opposition, the boss said... 'Any team that can go up to Solihull and turn them over on their patch are a good side. They play 3-1-4-2, they’re athletic, they’re got pace, runners from midfield, and strikers who will run down the sides of your defence to stretch the game out...

'The fans were great on Saturday against Maidstone as they stuck with us. They were cheering and getting behind the team, which I really appreciated...

'We’re doing our best, and we’re going out to attack. We will try and keep the back door shut, and make sure we defend as well as we can, as we desperately want that clean sheet and that first away win.'”

A report from Gloverscast tells us that "Yeovil Town midfielder Matt Worthington is enjoying playing in a more advanced position under new manager Mark Cooper.

The 24 year-old impressed playing a role supporting the attack in last weekend’s 3-1 home win over bottom club Gateshead...

He said 'Being higher up the pitch suits my attributes, I can press from the position higher up the pitch, win the ball back and I want to start adding goals and assists to my game'...

Cooper... said 'Matt has tremendous athletic attributes, so we need him to run through the middle of the pitch and create opportunities which he did on Saturday. I don’t want him sitting back and not being able to use his athleticism, so it makes sense for us to let him off the leash and let him run'.

Worthington spent half-a-season on loan at Forest Green Rovers working under Cooper in 2018 and said... 'He’s given everyone a chance to show themselves, it’s a clean slate for everyone. He’s made a big difference in terms of the style he wants to play, eventually he wants to have us playing good, attacking football.

'But, as he has said, that takes time. We need to get back to basics, get points on the board and however we do that, that’s what we need to do... He said the big problem was confidence...

'You can see what he has worked with us on; it’s keeping the ball, high intensity and getting after people'".

NEXT OPPONENTS: WOKING

On Wednesday, Woking faced Oxford Uited in a previously postponed FA Cup tie.

"In front of over 4,000 on a cold and damp Wednesday night, Darren Sarll decided to make just the solitary change... with Oxford academy graduate Kyran Lofthouse replacing Reece Grego-Cox, who dropped to the bench.

As expected, following heavy rainfall before and during the game, the opening ten minutes were rather scrappy, although the Cards did hit the bar...

The pitch was starting to absorb more and more water, which meant that the bounce was unpredictable at times. James Daly and Lofthouse were struggling to get down the flanks as a result of this, meaning that the game was mostly contested in the midfield...

Billy Bodin just managed to beat Craig Ross to the skidding ball and prod home, despite Woking protests for a foul on the Cards’ stopper. This was the first goal conceded by Woking since the 25th October.... But just five minutes later, Woking struck back... A deep free-kick was headed out to Rohan Ince, and the big midfielder showed all the composure of a prolific striker, as he curled a beautiful effort into the bottom corner.

The Cards good value for the score line at the break.

The sides battled on through more horrendous weather after the break, and it would be Oxford who would draw the killer blow less than ten minutes into the half... Oxford began to dominate the game afterwards...

[But] Kellermann flicked the ball up, before unleashing an audacious overhead kick that had McGinty beaten, but not the crossbar...

Darren Sarll will be extremely pleased with his side’s ability to more than match a League One opponent, ahead of three consecutive home games, starting with the visit of Altrincham on Saturday...

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 2 Kyran Lofthouse (14 Browne 62’) 3 Josh Casey (29 Vokins 75’), 4 Scott Cuthbert, 5 Joe McNerney, 8 James Daly, (18 Roles 75’), 10 Padraig Amond (9 Grego-Cox 62’), 12 Dan Moss, 17 Jim Kellermann , 23 Jermaine Anderson (15 Bilongo 90’), 24 Rohan Ince. Unused sub: Ethan Wady".

As for the game against Altrincham, Woking announce that "This match will be segregated, with Altrincham fans being allocated standing tickets in the Chris Lane Terrace and some seats in the Seymours Community Stand...

Pre-purchased tickets are £2 cheaper than at the gate to keep tickets affordable and reduce queue times at our turnstiles. This applies to both home and away tickets.

Please note that online tickets will go off sale around three hours before kick-off...

With the World Cup break now in place, holders of a Premier League or Championship season ticket will be able to purchase an Adult ticket for just £10, a 50% saving".

YOUTH TEAM'S FIVE GOALS

Alty player Oliwier Fiedor tells us that "Altrincham drew on a mixture of U-16s, U-17s and U-18s to take on Hyde United"...

DRAW FOR UNDER-16S

.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Joe, 20, came through the youth ranks at his local team Gillingham... He made his first team debut for The Gills in September 2019 in the EFL Trophy... ahead of making his first league appearance against Ipswich Town the following month, coming off the bench to replace the injured Jack Bonham.

In January 2021, Joe attracted the interest of Championship side Queens Park Rangers and was signed by the west London club for an undisclosed fee... Since September of this season, Joe has been playing regularly on loan at Hampton & Richmond Borough.

[He is] Joining the Wanderers on loan until January 8th...

Manager Marc White adds, 'Joe Walsh is a goalkeeper that I really believe is going to go right to the top of the game'".

QPR add that "Walsh, 20, has been recalled early from his temporary stint at Hampton & Richmond Borough in order to switch to Dorking, who operate a league above Hampton".

Another goalkeeper, this time moving out of the National League, is the subject of news from Bromley who "can confirm that goalkeeper Nathan Harness has been recalled by Charlton Athletic following his short loan spell with the Ravens".

London News adds that "Charlton Athletic have recalled Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Nathan Harness from their loans at Gillingham and Bromley.

The Addicks need extra goalkeeping options with Joe Wollacott out for a number of weeks with a broken finger which has required surgery..

Harness signed for Bromley on a 28-day loan on October 25. He has not featured for Andy Woodman’s Ravens despite an expectation that there would be regular game time in the National League".

According to York Press, "York City Supporters’ Trust chairman and City board member Mike Brown is 'confident' that the sacking of John Askey was in the club’s best interest in the long term...

Speaking to BBC Radio York, when asked if Askey’s sacking was in the best interest of the club, Brown said 'In the long term, I’m confident that’s the case.

'Simply because, when any business gets into a situation where an employee is saying that they’re unhappy and there’s an offer to find solutions and they feel there isn’t a solution there and that message comes loud and clear on a number of occasions, then you’re left in a position where it’s not in anybody’s interest to carry on in that scenario.

'It was only going to get worse over time, for everybody. It was a heartbreaking decision to make and I feel awful about it as a supporter...

'For weeks before the takeover, as we knew we were getting there, Glen [Henderson, who holds 51% of the shares with the Trust holding 49%] was itching to talk to John. The day after, there was an interview with John and he was asked what he thought of the new owners and his answer was not much, so it didn’t get off to a particularly good start'...

York... hope to appoint a permanent successor to Askey by the end of November. 'We’ve had quite a decent volume of CVs come in already,' noted Brown".

At Oldham Athletic "Ellis Chapman has completed a loan move... from Cheltenham Town until 17 December.

The 21 year-old midfielder has spent the last two years at Whaddon Road, featuring in their promotion campaign from League Two having progressed through the academy at Leicester City...

Manager David Unsworth said 'We’ve been watching Ellis for a while now, he’s a player with great pedigree and knows how to get promoted...

'He can play wide or inside, he’s got a great left foot, he knows how to get goals and assists... We’re at the stage now where I want to get a settled team and a settled way of playing'...

Chapman made his debut in senior football, representing his hometown club of Lincoln... Chapman made 31 appearances at Sincil Bank having returned to the club following a move to Leicester...

In total, Chapman spent four seasons at Leicester, also making 14 appearances for Chesterfield in 2019, before a move to Cheltenham.

The midfielder featured 66 times at Whaddon Road".

TWENTIETH NEW FACE AT ALTY

He is preceded by the following 19 players who were not at the club last season: Lewis Baines, Ross Barrows, Aaron Bennett (loanee), Liam Brockbank, Oliver Byrne, Chris Conn-Clarke (loanee), Jake Cooper, Zak Goodson, Byron Harrison, Connor Jennings (loanee), Eddy Jones, James Jones, Egli Kaja, Josh Lundstram, Dan Malone (loanee), Dermot Mee (loanee), Elliot Newby (loanee), Aidan Roxburgh and Alex Samizadeh. This list excludes those Academy players who have been named in matchday squads this season.

This follows the announcement by Altrincham FC that the club is "snapping up teenage former Port Vale striker Eden Bailey.

The 18 year old Stoke-born frontrunner has signed until next summer, with an option for a further 12 months, and is being sent out on a youth loan to Northern Premier League Division One West side Hanley Town for the rest of this season to continue his development in a competitive environment" writes John Edwards.

"It is an arrangement that suits all parties, with Eden sure to benefit from the experience of first-team football at NPL level and Alty knowing they can recall him with immediate effect after an initial 28-day period, should they wish to".

Altrincham manager Phil Parkinson (left) observed that "Eden is Stoke-based player, a modern-day centre-forward. He’s all action and can do most things well; hold the ball up, run the channels and, most importantly, score goals.

"I first saw him as a 16/17-year-old for a very experienced Port Vale reserve team, playing at Burnley last season, and he immediately took my eye in that game. After doing my research on him, it turns out he was at Vale from the age of eight and topped the scoring charts every season.

"I think we could have a real diamond on our hands here, a lad who has fallen out of the professional game but has lots to offer. There are areas of improvement, as there are with all our players, but the full-time model and loan deal at Hanley Town should hopefully help us refine him and get him to the National League level... Hopefully he can be a valuable member of our new full-time squad".

Eden has appeared in the Carabao Cup as well as in EFL2.

His father, Mark, was a professional footballer at Rochdale and elsehwre, whilst his grandfather was a former Valiants' player who, earlier in his career, featured for Stafford Rangers against Altrincham in the early 1970s.

NEXT: WOKING

For the match Woking made one change from their last game as Browne replaced Grego-Cox in a starting XI comprising Ross, Lofthouse, Cuthbert, McNerney, Casey, Anderson, Ince, Kellerman, Moss, Daly, Amond. The subs were Bilongo, Browne, Grego-Cox, Roles, Vokins and Wady.

Wednesday, 16 November

• Woking 1-2 Oxford United

TEN MANAGERIAL DEPARTURES

The following list shows the clubs affected and their current league position as well as the date when the current managerial regime started. Three clubs remain without a "permanent" manager in place.

• 1st NOTTS COUNTY: Luke Williams, June 2022
• 3rd CHESTERFIELD: Paul Cook, February 2022
• 4th WOKING: Darren Sarll, March 2022
• 9th EASTLEIGH: Lee Bradbury, February 2022
• 12th YORK CITY: Caretaker, November 2022
• 16th FC HALIFAX TOWN: Chris Millington, May 2022
• 18th ALDERSHOT TOWN: Caretaker, October 2022
• 19th YEOVIL TOWN: Mark Cooper, October 2022
• 21st OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Dave Unsworth, September 2022
• 22nd SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Caretaker, August 2022

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The way out of the financial issues we are currently facing is to move to Fossetts Farm.

Our new training pitches are nearing completion; however, we will not be able to use them until spring, at which point the players can vacate Boots & Laces and work can commence on the new stadium and phase one of the apartment build.

At that stage very significant sums will be released to the Club. That will enable the Club to be funded pending relocation to the new stadium where, once fully operational, the Club will be self-sustaining.

Pending the commencement of the construction works (and the release of funds to the Club), work continues behind the scenes to secure bridging finance to pay off HMRC and to supplement the considerable parent company support, required at this time to compensate for double relegations, whilst we continue to build a squad to compete.

Whilst we currently have cashflow issues, there is a clear line of sight to see us through to the new stadium.

Our loyal staff have been patient and hardworking, we do not take that for granted and we are very grateful to them for their understanding and support".

According to the Yorkshire Post, "York City have claimed they sacked popular manager John Askey when he told them he wanted to leave but could not resign...

Askey was dismissed three days after the anniversary of his appointment... but his relationship with new chairman Glen Henderson appears to have broken down.

'On November 3, John reached out to directors Alastair Smith and Mike Brown to express his unhappiness in his role,' said the Club's second statement [of the day]. 'He went on to explain he didn't wish to remain at the club but was not in a position to resign due to his personal circumstances.'

'Lines of communication' and 'working practices' were cited as problems, as was Askey pulling out at short notice of a meeting to discuss club finances. So... he was sacked...

Henderson, who bought out Jason McGill in July... spoke of disagreements between the pair, admitting Askey was unhappy at being told how to do his job".

And York Press adds that "An emotional John Askey has said he is 'upset' and 'hurt' after being sacked as manager of York City...

Above: John Askey's last York City team selection lined up at Altrincham last Saturday.

Askey... turned down a move to Sky Bet League Two club Rochdale to sign a new deal until the end of 2023/24 in September...

However, tensions have risen between Askey and chairman Glen Henderson ever since the club’s takeover in July...

Speaking to BBC Radio York, Askey said '“I’m really sad. I’ve enjoyed my time at the club and the support has been fantastic. It’s not something I wanted to happen, so I’m really disappointed... with how it was done. I stood in front of a printing machine, waiting for a letter to be printed.

'I read the letter and it says "You’re sacked". That’s the biggest thing that hurt me more than anything. Alastair (Smith, chief executive) gave me the letter. Nobody spoke to me. I think I deserve better than that and I think anyone deserves better than that, to be perfectly honest.

'Nobody ever came to me and said ‘John, you’re not doing a good job. I’ve had no contact with anyone... other than over text, for six to seven weeks. When I have spoken to someone, I’ve had to make the phone call'...

A York statement claimed that Askey told the club he did not wish to remain at the club... 'The reason why I said what I said was because after the interview with the chairman and other things that had gone on, I felt undermined,' Askey explained. 'It got to a stage where I said that "I can’t work with a chairman who is doing this all the time".

'I didn’t say I wanted to leave. I said I couldn’t work with that going on. It started in the second game of pre-season. He (Henderson) went to the players and asked them if they were happy with the way that we play and the style of football. He said that when we won promotion, we weren’t playing good football.

'That’s not what you want to hear as a manager'...

First-team coach Kingsley James has turned down the approach to become interim manager".

The Hartlepool Mail informs us that "Neal Ardley was left ‘gutted’ after seeing his Solihull Moors side knocked out of the FA Cup thanks to the ‘sparkling’ form of Hartlepool United goalkeeper Ben Killip.

Ardley’s National League side gave an excellent account of themselves at the Suit Direct Stadium and can feel somewhat unfortunate it is not they who will face Harrogate Town in round two on Saturday week...

The goalkeeper made a number of standout saves following Ryan Barnett’s opening goal inside 10 minutes which kept Hartlepool in the tie before Reghan Tumilty grabbed an equaliser a minute from time... The tie would be decided on penalties where Killip, again, would prove a thorn in Ardley’s side when saving from Josh Kelly as Joe Grey sealed a 4-3 success for the hosts in the shootout.

'I’m absolutely gutted,' said Ardley... 'To be fair, at half-time, I thought we should have been two or three up. Second half I counted and their goalie must have made four or five one-v-one saves where we’re clear through and they’ve had probably three or four reasonable chances and scored with near enough the last kick of the game..

'By and large we were the better team... Their coach came up to me afterwards and said "we’ve dodged a bullet there"'... said Ardley".

WRITING WAS ON THE WALL FOR ASKEY

Right: Last Saturday John Askey was being interviewed in front of the BT Sport cameras at the J. Davidson Stadium, before the live transmission of the match against Altrincham.

On BBC Radio York... Henderson detailed a recent conversation with Askey.... 'I’ve suggested in comments, as we’ve not won in four, "Is it this that we need to change? Is it that that we need to change? Is it this?"

'The answer back (from Askey) was "Don’t tell me how to do my job. I’ll do my job and I’ll get them to play". His job is to get them to play. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out... I don’t think it’s meddling with team matters... A manager is the cauldron of the football club. You pay the manager to do the job'...

Henderson responded, 'If we’re not getting results, we’re back down in the National League North. It’s a results business. Yes, you need to be given time. But you’ve got your players, you’ve got everything, you’ve had 16 games. Hopefully it doesn’t get to that... If results aren’t going the way of a manager and change is not happening, then you have to change things up...

Said the South African-raised businessman,'He [Askey] thinks he’s got a mid-table budget. I think we’ve got a better budget than that because there’s certain things that weren’t factored into the budget that he was given, like player housing and bonuses... 'As far as the manager (relationship) goes, we’ve had our spats... It’s a results-based business and if the results don’t happen, football is football'".

Glen Henderson only assumed the ownership of the club in July 2022 after the departure of unpopular former owner Jason McGill.

YORK SACK ASKEY

Given John’s popularity and his incredible success last season, we understand that many fans may be upset and confused by this decision. However, after taking numerous factors into consideration the board are confident that it is in the best interests of the football club.

Recruitment of a new manager will commence immediately, and we aim to make an appointment by the end of the month. An interim manager will be appointed from within the club’s existing staff, with a further announcement due shortly.

We are eternally grateful to John for his efforts to help us gain promotion last season and wish him the very best of luck in his future career".

Footnote: York City lie twelfth at the time of Askey's sacking. A former Macclesfield Town player and manager, he became the boss at York City in November 2021, in succession to Steve Watson. Askey took the Minstermen up the National League North table to promotion via the play-offs.

CHANGE TO CSC DRAW

ALTY v YORK HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT OPPONENTS: WOKING

The Cards last visited Moss Lane on Saturday, 5 February 2022 when Altrincham found themselves a goal down inside 15 seconds, then missed a penalty after nine minutes, before two second-half goals from Ryan Colclough earned a deserved point in a 2-2 draw.

Right: Alty celebrate Ryan Colclough's first goal of his brace against Woking in the steady rain at Moss Lane last February.

Disaster struck initially when debutant centre-back Cooper's ball upfield went to an opponent who played in team-mate Effiong. The big striker slotted a low shot across the exposed Thompson to make it 1-0 (15 secs).

Alty seemed to have a way back into the game when lively debutant Conn-Clarke was brought down and a penalty was the clear outcome. But Osborne's spot-kick, though well hit, was impressively saved by keeper Smith.

Then, Altrincham's naive defending was exposed again when Lofthouse was allowed to stride unchallenged, up the middle from halfway, before firing past Thompson from outside the box. So it was 0-2 after 34 minutes.

The second half saw Alty dominate possession but, initially, fail to land an effort on the Woking goal. However, midway through the second half, Mooney's curling corner from the right was back-headed into the net by Colclough (66 mins).

And it was Colclough who scored again to level the game at 2-2 with a superb shot fom left of goal after his trickery had got him past Lofthouse towards the byline (84 mins). Alty pressed for a late winner but Woking were not content to sit back and they too went for the three points. Alty were indebted to goalkeeper Thompson for several one on one saves and he was named man of the match.

Altrincham had made six changes for this match and fielded a starting eleven that included four loanees, three of them debutants, all of whom have returned to the club this season. The three loanee debutants were central defender Jake Cooper, attacking midfielder Chris Conn-Clarke and left-back Eddy Jones.

So the Alty backline had a makeshift appearance as centre-half Tom Hannigan was also absent, sidelined by injury.

KEEPING TRACK OF ALTY

Right: The bulge near the collar of Ross Barrows's shirt reveals he is wearing a tracker.

Global leaders in the field of wearable technology, Fitogether’s special vests, fitted with a tracking device that feeds back specific and precise details of individual fitness levels, are already being worn by Alty players after a recent delivery by the club’s latest backers....

Alty director Rob Esteva said... 'It’s going to bring a whole new dimension to so much of what we do on and off the pitch and on match days as well as training.... It also helps us to identify injuries and so forth'...

Matt Fox, Alty’s strength and conditioning coach, added ‘It is essentially a GPS system, and, having gone full-time, it is the first time we have been able to use it in and around training and match days... It allows us to gradually increase the amount of work the lads are doing, especially pre-season.

‘That means gradually getting used to what they can tolerate, how much running can be done, and so on, and we can plan a lot around that. We can look at the data, as well as what we have seen with our own eyes, and it is going to give us a fuller picture. The gaffer will know if a player is up to speed in his recovery, and we will get a better understanding of how players can keep improving and keep moving forward.’"

EMIRATES FA CUP MATCHES

Monday, 14 November

• Chelmsford City 0-1 Barnet

Tuesday, 15 November

• AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Weymouth
• Cambridge United 0-0 Curzon Ashton Cambridge won 4-2 on pens. Josh Hancock missed the first pen for the Nash.
• Derby County 5-0 Torquay United
• Gillingham 1-0 AFC Fylde
• Hartlepool United 1-1 Solihull Moors Hartlepool levelled in the 90th minute and then won 4-3 on pens.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

But the Chair of Maidenhead Rugby Club has told councillors sitting on the town forum that the 48 acre Braywick Park is 'slowly being eaten up' by the development.

Stephen Bough says, 'The park is slowly being built on. We've lost so much of the park, and this is another 9 acres'...

As a result of the stadium, Mr Bough says the rugby club would lose almost half of its playing pitches at a time that it's growing in size

Despite being offered the chance to play at the new stadium, the chairman says it wasn't realistic for them to take up this offer, because they would have to pay to use it, and even if it was free it wouldn't meet their needs

Maidenhead United, which has been playing at its York Road football ground since 1870, said it needs a state-of-the-art facility in order to meet current demand and its future growt".

Derbyshire Times asks, "What do Bailey Clements, Tom Whelan, Mike Jones and Armando Dobra all have in common?...

Between them they have amassed 33 appearances, including 26 starts, but they are yet to experience a single defeat this season in a Chesterfield shirt...

Dobra missed six weeks of the campaign between the end of August and the middle of October with an ankle injury...

It was a bit of a slow burner for Jones at the beginning of the season, having only played eight minutes of league action before October. But the 35-year-old has not looked back since... His displays in front of the back four have helped shore up the side defensively...

Left-back Clements got his chance due to Branden Horton’s suspension and he has taken it with both hands... Chesterfield have won all four games that the 22-year-old has started... Horton can count himself a bit unlucky because he ‘took one for the team’ late on against Boreham Wood, resulting in a second yellow card, but he has got a fight on his hands now to get back in the team.

Whelan also deserves a mention.... after he was loaned out to Aldershot Town for a month but since his return he has made six appearances... and is yet to be on the losing side.

Overall, these four have helped Chesterfield go seven unbeaten, winning six, recording three shut-outs".

From the BBC we learn that "Southend United supporters have loaned the club £40,000 to ensure non-playing staff can be paid.

The National League club are facing a winding-up petition from HM Revenue and Customs, with the hearing adjourned earlier this month until 18 January.

The loan, which must be repaid in three months, was confirmed at the AGM of the Shrimpers Trust Board.

Trust chair Paul Fitzgerald said they became aware of a 'serious shortfall' at meetings earlier this month. 'We discussed this, and despite our obvious concerns, we have loaned the club a significant sum,' he added...

'At that time, based on the evidence we were given, we felt it was the right thing to do...

'There are many unsung heroes away from the public eye who endeavour tirelessly to underpin the success of the first team, and who we feel require some security in these difficult financial times'".

15 November 2022

ALTY LIGHTING UP THE TOWN

Entitled ‘Altrincham Welcomes Christmas’, it marks the start of the official countdown to the festive season, and what better way to herald this special time of year than by joining Phil, assistant-manager Neil Sorvel and the squad in the middle of Alty for a 5pm kick-off?

That’s the time the Robins’ players and staff will be joining others, including Darren Proctor from Happy Radio, in an area around the bottom of Shaws Road, as the Christmas lights come on for the first time...

Alty’s women’s team are also getting involved and are taking part in a Lantern Parade on Saturday, which starts at 5pm from Goose Green...

More details can be found at VisitAltrincham.com... so have a look at the full line-up of special events".

NEXT: WOKING

Reece Grego-Cox was the difference between the two teams with a well-taken first-half finish. Neither team managed to create many clear-cut opportunities aside from the goal, with the Woking defence holding strong in the second period.

The result means the Cards remain in fourth... in the Vanarama National League.

[Manager Darren] Sarll made one change to his side with the injured Ricky Korboa making way for the returning Grego-Cox.

It was a very quiet first half overall from both sides...

Woking worked the ball up the other end to create the goal. James Daly, as James Daly does, put some pressure on the on-rushing Nathan Ashmore in the Boreham Wood goal, causing him to fail to clear his lines properly. This left Daly to retrieve the loose ball and lay it back to Grego-Cox who perfectly executed a finish into the left-hand-side of the goal from 20 yards out, with the goalkeeper in no man’s land...

Stellar defensive performances all round kept The Wood at bay... Despite one or two dangerous crosses from both sides, there weren’t too many more opportunities of note in the match as Woking professionally saw out the victory...

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 3 Josh Casey ©, 4 Scott Cuthbert, 5 Joe McNerney, 9 Reece Grego-Cox (14 Rhys Browne 65’), 8 James Daly, 10 Padraig Amond (29 Jake Vokins 81’), 12 Dan Moss, 17 Jim Kellerman, 23 Jermaine Anderson (2 Kyran Lofthouse 65’), 24 Rohan Ince. Unused subs: 15, Bryant Bilongo, 18 Jack Roles".

THROUGH THE YEARS: 19 NOVEMBER

MIXED FORTUNES FOR ALTY LOANEES

There is better news of Harlan Rodgers-Morris who had recovered from illness to feature for Alsager on Saturday.

Indeed, Altrincham FC press and media officer reports that Harlan earned a penalty for Alsager at the weeekend but, unfortunately, ex-Alty forward Sam Madeley failed to convert from the spot..

Josh Jordan and Ewan McGeady also played for Alsager but Amaar Hussain (left) was missing from their line-up, injured.

Elsewhere Liam Brockbank is recovering from his ankle injury before he can return to play for Gloucester City. However, fellow defender Aidan Roxburgh played for Ashton United at the weekend.

And, after featuring for the Altrincham under-19s in midweek, Ryan Morton was on the bench for Trafford on Saturday.

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Amongst other things it says, "Until recently I thought that killing your dreams of promotion was the worst thing a chairman could do to its clubs supporters.

Chairman and owners have come and gone at our club, and there have been ups and down on and off the field.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, can compare to the depths of disasters we have seen under Ron Martin.

The list of failures and misdemeanours Ron has wracked up are on another level when compared to past custodians... Near top of that list is our departure from the Football League...

It wasn’t the players fault, nor the managers who did that Ron, it was all you... But even that has been put in the shade by the continued financial problems at the club, and the way that Ron has treated its employees.

We keep hearing that he has repeatedly fail to pay staff at Southend United... But Ron seems unable or unwilling to meet this most basic level of humanity...

How long before the players aren’t paid? How long before a game gets called off because the stewards haven’t been paid, and refuse to turn up for work?

And how long before Kevin Maher and his fantastic team have their heads turned by another club, and decide to go elsewhere?...

Even an optimistic budget set at the start of this season could not have anticipated the levels of support the club has been getting through the turnstiles.

If we continue with current averages, over 125,000 tickets will be bought this year for home games at Roots Hall, with about 60 per cent of those being paid upfront in season ticket sales in the summer.

That’s way more than nearly all the teams in this division...

And in the midst of this latest financial crisis we signed Kacper Lopata. A major signing for our club, but at a time when we can’t pay our tax liabilities, and can’t pay our junior staff, it now looks like a very strange or misinformed decision...

My biggest fear is not having a club to support in seven weeks from now... [Ron] won’t go until he has either killed the club, or seen his property development dreams come to fruition".

According to the Nottingham Post, "Notts County are expected to beat the current National League attendance record this Saturday

Only 800 home tickets remain for Notts County's National League fixture with Yeovil Town this weekend, with the club suggesting the allocation could sell out as early as Tuesday.

The uptake in ticket sales for the Magpies' 'Football for a Fiver' fixture is expected to smash the current record in English football's fifth tier, a record Notts currently hold.

With Luke Williams's side returning to the summit of the standings following their 2-0 win over Eastleigh, demand has skyrocketed, with the club opening up additional sections of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand to accommodate those visiting Meadow Lane.

The Magpies chief executive Jason Turner said... 'We have sold more than 1200 tickets today which leads us to believe the match might sell out on Tuesday.... even with five days to go, we can confirm we're going to smash the National League attendance record, which we set ourselves when a crowd of 12,843 saw us beat Solihull last season'".

Two National League teams have lent players to Kidderminster Harriers who confirm that "York City midfield man Paddy McLaughlin has joined from the Minstermen for the next month and brings experience almost 500 career appearances with him from multiple spells with City, Grimsby and Gateshead among others.

Returning to York is Scott Burgess who has been recalled by City following McLaughlin’s arrival. Scott made six appearances during his time with us...

Also arriving at Aggborough is defender Reiss McNally, a central defender who can also feature at full-back. The 22-year-old will be with us until the New Year on loan from Solihull Moors and counts AFC Telford United and Guiseley among his other clubs".

14 November 2022

NEXT GAME: WOKING

Woking host Altrincham next Saturday with the Surrey side on a run of seven wins and a draw in their last eight games in all competitions ahead of their Wednesday night FA Cup clash with Oxford United. The Cards have risen to fourth in the National League and their current run takes them to joint top of the VNL form guide over the past six league fixtures.

Last Saturday they won at usually hard-to-beat Boreham Wood. Boreham Wood report that "It was a disappointing day at the office for Boreham Wood as they were outplayed and outmuscled by a very good Woking side.The visitors secured the three points with the only goal of the match, from Reece Grego-Cox on twelve minutes. Woking were then able to not only hold on comfortably to their lead, but they always looked likely to add to it...

Despite what was to follow, Boreham Wood had the better of the opening exchanges...

That was as good as it got for the Boreham Wood and on twelve minutes the visitors took the lead. While the ball was in the Boreham Wood penalty area, the usually reliable Nathan Ashmore was caught napping and ended up being dispossessed by James Daly who played it back to Reece Grego-Cox. Woking’s number 9 was then able to put the ball into an empty net from just outside the penalty area.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Boreham Wood and Woking played with a spring in their step for the rest of the match. The strength and power of Padraig Amond and Grego-Cox caused problems for the Wood defence...

Boreham Wood started the second half on the front foot... but ultimately, they were no match for the outstanding Scott Cuthbert and Joe McNerney at the heart of the Cardinals defence... as the visitors held on comfortably for the three points.

Woking : Ross, Casey, Cuthbert, McNerney, Daly, Grego-Cox (Browne 64), Amond (Vokins 81), Moss, Kellerman, Anderson (Lofthouse 64), Ince. Subs not used: Bilongo, Roles".

YORK "WERE VERY SLOPPY"

We were very sloppy. We started well and were controlling the game but we just stopped.

Right: Lewis Baines directs a team-mate to keep an eye on York's Lenell John-Lewis

We had chances but just couldn't hit the target. And we gave away two very poor goals".

York Press adds that "The loss extended the Minstermen’s winless run in all competitions to six, though they had chances to win the match throughout...

'When you’ve got chances like... the one in the second half that was pulled back by Michael Duckworth, you’ve got to hit the target,' reflected Askey. 'Too many times we missed the target. I think Olly Dyson had one where, if he gets it on target, then he might pick the rebound up if it doesn’t go in. There’s a lot of questions after today’s performance...

'In certain periods of the game, we didn’t show enough aggression when we didn’t have the ball'...

Askey brought defender Fraser Kerr on as one of his substitutes... Askey said... 'The two wide men weren’t producing anything. We got more crosses in when they went off than what we did before and we needed to get two up front'".

ALTY UNDER-19S

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Stones moved above the Iron and out of the National League bottom four with a 2-0 success at Glanford Park on Saturday.

Scunthorpe caretaker boss Daws claimed they should have been 'out of sight' and were 'controlling the game', pointing to 10 shots for his side and four from the Stones.

Hayrettin wasn’t buying that after goals from Jack Barham and Roarie Deacon earned a first win in 13 league games.

'I’ve read what their manager said; he’s deluded,' said the Stones boss. 'I think he must have had a bottle of scotch before the game. I’m not sure what game he was watching. Ten shots to four? I don't think so.' [The NLP says it was 6 shots to 3 for the Iron, with it being 1-2 for on-target shots]...

Said Hayrettin, 'Sometimes I get frustrated but I also know bad moments are going to happen and you’ve got to weather the storm. This was one of those days when everything just clicked. It was a good, battling Maidstone performance'".

We learn from the Maidenhead Advertiser that "Maidenhead United are climbing the National League table once again after scoring twice in the first half to seal their first win at Aldershot Town in 25 years.

Having ground out a goalless draw at Yeovil Town in mid-week... They edged in front in the eighth through Frenchman Remy Clerima.

It was academy product Reece Smith who created it... A second followed for the Magpies inside 20 minutes with Smith again heavily involved. This time it was his shot that was well saved by Ashby-Hammond and from the resulting corner Will De Havilland... rose well to plant a towering header into the back of the Shots' net...

The Shots gradually got themselves back on a more even footing, but they struggled to carve out chances... [Maidenhead] conceded early in the second half to give Aldershot a shot of renewed confidence and belief. It was Effiong who got the goal...

Instead of allowing the hosts to ramp up the pressure in the closing stages, Maidenhead were able to quieten their hosts and the crowd".

From the National League's south-west outpost, Devon Live reports that "Ahead of Tuesday night's big FA Cup replay against the [Derby County] at Pride Park, Torquay were well-beaten in the National League by a team who will be pushing for promotion this season...

Chesterfield were definitely fresher after their game in midweek was postponed, while Torquay's was on Wednesday after their Sunday's FA Cup date. It was 1-1 at half time...

Chesterfield captain Jamie Grimes opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he was left unmarked... De Silva equalised when he fired in a low shot from a tight angle. After that, Torquay were much the better team for the rest of the first half and it looked like Chesterfield were clinging on at times. But it was Chesterfield who were the sharper unit again after half time and goals from Darren Oldaker (49), Bailey Clements (57), Jesurun Uchegbulam (77) and Kabongo Tshimanga (87) were all excellent, to be fair...

Johnson was rueful afterwards, saying 'It was a difficult ending, that's for sure. We were in the game we felt at half time and for the second game running we have let a couple of goals in just after half time...

It was just a shame that at the end we looked very jaded and very tired... We looked like we had lost our legs through the number of games. Chesterfield have only played half the amount of games in the same amount of time'...

One positive was the introduction of striker Corie Andrews as a late substitute... within two months of picking up his knee injury".

From the Echo News we learn that "Dorking Wanderers boss Marc White praised Southend United’s organisation after seeing his side beaten 2-0 at Roots Hall.

Dorking did not force Blues goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi into making a save..

'Credit to Southend,' White told the club’s YouTube channel... 'They’ve got a long unbeaten record but I didn’t think we looked a massive second best... He’s got boys that know their limitations, the defenders are excellent and really well drilled...

'The idea was to play early into high areas early but Bobby (Taylor) and Jimmy (Muitt) were awful,' said White. 'I was appalled by it. Bobby-Joe has been really good recently but I genuinely don’t think he touched the ball or kept the ball the whole time he was on the pitch...

'I literally said, whatever you do, do not play into the press against this lot,' said White... 'I said about the strategy and playing to wingers early but why on earth we kept passing back to Slav (HUk) sideways I don’t know and why Slav is trying to do a Cruyff turn against the bloke who presses the most on the pitch I don’t know either...

'The ref was somewhere between really bad and bad,' said White."

13 November 2022

PARKINSON HAILS COLCOUGH

"We created a great chance at the end of the first half so I told them to continue with more of the same. York looked dangerous from set pieces but I knew we could score from open play if we kept going.

"And I'm really pleased for Ryan [Colclough]. He's outstanding. He could be a match winner on more occasions" he concluded.

ALTRINCHAM 2-1 YORK CITY

Right: Isaac Marriott (foreground) partnered Josh Lundstram in the Alty midfield against York.

However, Altrincham improved and should have been level by half-time, notably when Conn-Clarke delayed pulling the trigger when well placed in the goalmouth just before the break.

Nevertheless, they did equalise nine minutes after the interval when Colcough got free of a defender, who was holding him, and advanced from the halfway line on the left. He fed the overlapping Eddy Jones whose looping cross was impressively volleyed home by Newby from a central position.

It was another impressive move which won the game as Alty headed clear a York punt upfield by Ross. Jennings executed an excellent flick on to Newby, to his right. His first-time pass was slid in to Colclough who finished conclusively past Ross to make it 2-1 (74 mins). Alty were relatively comfortable as they retained their lead to the end of five added minutes and recorded their first points in four league fixtures.

Match report here.

YORK CITY VERDICT ON ALTY GAME

York led through Maxim Kouogun inside 15 minutes at the J. Davidson Stadium. However, second half goals from Elliot Newby and Ryan Colclough saw the hosts turn the game around.

John Askey named three changes...with Kouogun, Maz Kouhyar, and Alex Hurst all coming in...

A corner would yield a goal. Alex Whittle delivered deep where Michael Duckworth headed back across goal finding Maxim Kouogun who bundled in via the crossbar...

Toby Mullarkey went close for the hosts soon after... There was a close call on the stroke of half time when Alty attacked down the left and pulled the ball across the box towards Conn-Clarke in space, but Ross made himself big to pull off an excellent one-on-one save...

Altrincham... found an equaliser when Eddy Jones’s cross from deep found Elliot Newby unmarked and he tapped the dropping ball home from close range...

It was Colclough who found the winner... as he ran onto a Newby through ball and made no mistake with the one-on-one firing into the top right corner".

NEXT GAME: WOKING

Before that, however, The Cards have an FA Cup home tie to play against Oxford United. Following postponement of the tie last weekend, due to a waterlogged pitch, the Witney Gazette reports that "the FA Cup first round tie against Woking has been pushed back 24 hours from November 15 to November 16, after a request from the FA and its broadcast partners.

This is to allow the fixture to be broadcast overseas, although it won’t be available in the UK". The winners will be at home to Exeter city in Round Two.

UNDER-18S REPORT

Alty fell behind from a penalty "and, to make matters worse, Nodding found himself unable to resume the game because of an ongoing knee pain he had felt throughout the week. This resulted in Ajani Oshodin coming on as substitute...

[Later,] Fylde’s free man wrapped it into the top right corner from a left-footed attempt across goal, doubling the home side’s advantage... and it became 3-0 when a long ball caught the Robins’ defence unawares...

Something needed to change in the second half, and Alty prepared for it by sending on all their remaining substitutes, Charles Okpe coming on for Ali Abdullah, Cosgrove replacing Mannie and Arogun coming on for Jake Mallen and playing on the right of midfield to allow Fiedor to move into the centre alongside Mo Ceesay...

Okpe drove into the box, weaving past defenders, before swiftly cutting on to his left foot and placing a shot past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1, just 16 minutes into the second half... [before ] a fourth goal for Fylde, when a shot from just inside the box was parried on to the crossbar by Abdulelah Nassief and a home forward reacted quickest... and Fylde wrapped up a 5-1 win with another tap-in with the last kick of the game".

Alty line-up: GK- Abdulelah Nassief #29, LB- Ian Jose #3, LCB- Niyah Richards Gray #5, RCB- Josh Mannie #4, RB- Dan Nodding #2, LM- Ali Abdullah #11, LCM- Jake Mallen #8, RCM- Mo Ceesay #6, RM-Ollie Fiewdor #7, CF- Alvin Grazter #9, CF Oliver Dixon #10. Subs - Charles Okpe #15, Ajani Oshodin #16, Peter Arogun #12 and Ethan Crossgrove #14.

JOHN CONNAUGHTON R.I.P.

Terry Rowley's Alty Legends series gives us an account of John's career which included more than 100 appearances for Altrincham after spells with Halifax Town, Manchester United, Torquay United, Sheffield United and Port Vale

ALTY OLD BOYS

Ben Harrison opened the scoring for Nantwich Town as they won 3-0 at home to Morpeth.

Jude Oyibo scored for Radcliffe as they defeated Guiseley 4-2.

At South Shields, Dylan Mottley-Henry scored the clincher for the hosts as they defeated Belper Town 2-1.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The defender has not featured for the Magpies since their second game of the season against Boreham Wood... missing a large chunk of action through injury...

It's seen as a chance to give Taylor regular game time at a fellow side in the National League... Whilst it's a great move for the player and the club considering the astonishing form of Adam Chicksen this season, it does offer the question of depth within the Magpies ranks in that position, should the Zimbabwean become unavailable.

Kyle Cameron can operate at left-wing back... Taylor's loan deal will see him join the Daggers on an initial two-month loan...

The Magpies boss said 'Joel unfortunately suffered an injury at a bad time, when he was due to go into the team. On his return, we were on a very strong run, so it’s been extremely difficult for him'".

SATURDAY FIXTURES

Right: On Remembrance weekend, Alty showed their respects during the minute's silence which followed the sounding of the Last Post by a representative of the British Legion before kick off on Saturday evening.

Saturday, 12 November witnessed seven away wins...

• Aldershot Town 1-2 Maidenhead United
• Altrincham 2-1 York City
• Boreham Wood 0-1 Woking
• Bromley 1-1 FC Halifax Town
• Eastleigh 0-2 Notts County
• Oldham Athletic 0-2 Barnet
• Scunthorpe United 0-2 Maidstone United
• Solihull Moors 0-3 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Southend United 2-0 Dorking Wanderers
• Torquay United 1-5 Chesterfield
• Wealdstone 0-0 Wrexham
• Yeovil Town 3-1 Gateshead

TODAY'S SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS

There will be a Remembrance Day tribute before kick-off. A wreath will be laid in the centre of the pitch, and club Chaplain Andy Barclay-Watt will read ‘For the Fallen’, also known as the Ode of Remembrance, over the PA system. The Last Post will then be played by a bugler, followed by a minute’s silence.

With this in mind, we kindly ask everybody to try and ensure they are inside the ground a little earlier than usual. Turnstiles will be open from 3.50pm...

Following a series of events this week entitled Paint Altrincham Blue, we are delighted to announce that Prostate Cancer UK is the chosen charity for this live BT Sport fixture at The J.Davidson Stadium, kicking off at 5.20pm.

The first team squad will be wearing Prostate Cancer UK t-shirts in the warm-up, and it would be greatly appreciated if supporters could give as generously as possible to this worthy cause. Your donations will help to fund research that will stop men dying from prostate cancer.

And last but not least, we’d like to inform everybody that the Community Sports Hall will close shortly after half-time, due to a long-standing function that has had to be delayed due to the change in kick-off time. In asking everybody to kindly make their way out of the CSH promptly at the start of the second half, we are delighted to add that post-match beverages will be available for consumption in the Fan Zone post-match until 8.30pm".

BEFORE ALTRINCHAM v YORK CITY

The Minstermen lie seven places and six points ahead of Altrincham in their first season back at top-flight National League level.

The clubs last met in a league match at the JDS when the clubs were in National League North, with the visitors winning 3-1 in the first match of 2019/20 season. The Alty ranks were depleted by the absences of captain Jake Moult (recovering from an operation), Josh Hancock (suspended) and Simon Richman (injured). Steven Drench was preferred to Tony Thompson in goal, whilst James Jones partnered Tom Hannigan at centre back.

Over the preceding summer, Altrincham had witnessed four departures (Wynne, Poole, Harrison, Chadwick) and five arrivals (Arnold, Branson, Mullarkey, Peers and Walters). For their part York had seen a rebuild over the summer and were installed as the bookies' title favourites.

A promising start for the hosts tailed off into a comprehensive defeat as Altrincham were left still seeking their first win at Moss Lane on the opening-day of a season since 2006. And to compound the misery, Sean Williams was sent off with 17 minutes remaining.

Altrincham had taken a 12th minute lead when James Jones firmly headed home a Johnston corner. And the lead seemed reasonably secure till around the half-hour mark when York belatedly woke up. Dan Maguire fired a warning when he hit the bar and three minutes before the interval the Alty goal was again fortunate to survive as Maguire had an effort blocked.

Above: A header from James Jones, off picture to the left, beats Jameson to put Altrincham 1-0 up against York City.

But Alty's luck did not hold out and, in the 44th minute, York were level. Not for the first time, left-back Ferguson was allowed too much space on the Alty right but his lowish cross from the left somehow was allowed to find the far corner of the net, seemingly off a headed deflection from James Jones.

The second half was largely one-way traffic as, time and again, Alty tried to play the ball out of defence only to lose possession. But York's second goal came, like Altrincham's opener, from a corner. From the right, the corner found a York player deep in the box. He relayed the ball back to the right of the goalmouth to Tait who swept it home (52 mins).

Disaster struck on the hour mark when Drench, who had a mixed game but was nevertheless made the Altrincham Man of the Match, played Branson into trouble with a pass up the middle. Branson lost possession and fouled his opponent but play was waved on and Burrow finished off the move with a low drive to make it 3-1. To compound his woe, Branson was booked and received a facial cut.

Thereafter, Altrincham were never in the game and did not help themselves by bringing everyone back for corners when the less than mobile McNulty was left as York's last man but had no Alty man to mark. Things got worse in the 73rd minute when Sean Williams was outpaced by Moke and fouled the York player to pick up a second yellow and the inevitable red as a consequence.

James Jones is the only player in the Altrincham side likely to be involved in both the 2019 game and today's match.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Steven DRENCH, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON (c), 4. James JONES, 5. Tom HANNIGAN, 6. Conor BRANSON, 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Sean WILLIAMS, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. Max HARROP, 11. Nathan ARNOLD. Subs: 12.Tom PEERS, 14. Lewis WALTERS, 15. Shaun DENSMORE, 16. Toby MULLARKEY, 20. Tony THOMPSON

YORK CITY: 1. Peter Jameson, 2. Kallum Griffiths, 3. David Ferguson, 4. Sean Newton, 5. Steve McNulty (c), 6. Joe Tait, 7. Adriano Moke, 8. Andy Bond, 9. Jordan Burrow, 10. Dan Maguire, 11. Alex Kempster. Subs: 12. Paddy McLaughlin, 14. Kieran Green, 15. Macauley Langstaff, 16. Harry Spratt, 18. Ryan Whitley

LENDING A BIG HAND TO ALTY

By this site's unofficial statistics, in terms of player numbers, a little more than 29% of the collective starting elevens for Altrincham in the National League have comprised loanees (i.e. 7 loanees out of 24 players who have been selected in a starting eleven).

Right: Chris Conn-Clarke has spent more time on the pitch than any other Altrincham loanee and, of the contracted players, only Colclough, Lundstram and Osborne have played more league minutes than he has, despite Chris only having completed four matches of 90 minutes out of 18 league appearances this season.

By another measure, loan players have, collectively, 45 starts to their names, or getting on for 23% of all players' starts for the club in the National League.

In terms of time on the pitch, more than 21% of the team's National League playing time (excluding added time) has been expended by players on loan to the club.

As for goals scored, more than 30% of the team's 23 league goals have been scored by loanees, comprising four from Chris Conn-Clarke and three from Aaron Bennett, totalling seven of the team's 23 goals to date.

All of the above statistics relate to the first eighteen league games this season up to and including 11 November 2022.

ALTY GATES

The above source states that Alty are averaging 1,949 this season.

Above: Nearly two thousand spectators a game have come through the J. Davidson Stadium's turnstiles this season.

Below come, in descending order and with their current league position in brackets, Dorking Wanderers (13), Dagenham & Redbridge (12), Barnet (9), Aldershot Town (17), Wealdstone (14), Maidenhead United (15), Solihull Moors (5), Gateshead (24) and bottom are Boreham Wood (7) whose average gate is just 1,136.

Two of the bottom three (Solihull Moors and Boreham Wood) are currently in the play-off positions.

Top of the table are seven clubs who are well ahead of everyone else as they average more than 4,000 per game when no one else even reaches 3,000.

1. Wrexham 9,935
2. Oldham Athletic 7,307
3. Notts County 7,238
4. Chesterfield 6,677
5. Southend United 5,655
6. York City 4,915

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

"But with new ownership, thanks to the Rothwell family, and a new manager comes a cleaner slate and an opportunity to rebuild...

'I’ve fallen in love with this club and this town and my job here,' he said.

'I didn’t think I would as quickly as I have, and I think that’s because of the people that were already here who went through those horrible years and times and the way the owner is obsessed and Darren Royle is obsessed and the owner’s family are so dedicated to turning it around and it’s hooked me in...

'There’s been a lack of drive and love about the place.... What the owner’s done is save the club from oblivion. I believe that. Him and his family have. There should be a statue of them all...

'You cannot lose the likes of Hogan and McGahey and Hallam Hope and Porter and Gardner at this level; five experienced, quality players and young James (Carragher) as well who did great when he came in. Six players we’ve not had the luxury of playing with or working with up until this week with Hallam and Dan sporadically, out of your team,' Unsworth continued.

'It’s 60 per cent of your team. It’s right down your spine. It’s your senior players, it’s your characters, your grit, your drive, your engine room, it’s everything. That’s the foundations of your team and we’re plastering over, we’re fingers in the dam, and that’s not right...

'We want to be winning, I get that, but January window opening, summer’s recruitment drive, getting the training ground better. We’ve just inherited the gym at the ground, which is great for the players because they now all go in together, which wasn’t the case, they were paying for somewhere else to go and going in dribs and drabs. Just little things that the fans don’t see that make a difference...

'This can easily be turned because of the drive of the board and the staff that we’ve now got, and the people that are still here,' he said...

'No football club that has dropped to the level that we’ve dropped from where they’ve been has ever been turned round overnight. It takes a long-term plan and because... of the demands of our supporters they play an absolute vital role in the resurrection of the club as well because they need to stick with the players. I know they’re frustrated, I’m frustrated, and they need to vent it, but if I can ask them to vent it on their way home'".

Boreham Wood "announce the arrival of defender Kyron Gordon to the LV BET Stadium Meadow Park on loan from Championship outfit Sheffield United.

20 year-old Sheffield-native Gordon joined the Blades as a teenager... A brief loan spell away from Bramall Lane last season at National League North Boston United was cut short with Gordon recalled... Kyron has been on the fringes of the Blades first team over the past two campaigns, consistently named in Paul Heckingbottom’s match day squads, whilst making 10 total appearances for his hometown club.

Gaffer Luke Garrard had this to say... 'He is someone we have monitored in recent weeks... Ky brings very good athleticism and great quality on the ball'...

Kyron joins up with fellow-Blades loanees Zak Brunt and George Broadbent".

Wealdstone "confirm the loan signing of centre-half Miguel Freckleton, a move manager Stuart Maynard describes as a 'real coup'.

Keen to fill the void at the heart of the defence created by Deji Elerewe's return to parent club Charlton, Maynard has managed to persuade Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom to loan him the teenage defender until January....

'It’s exciting to get Miguel in as he’s a player we’ve really liked since he joined Sheffield Utd," said Maynard of the 19-year-old. 'He turned down two National League clubs who are competing in the top 10, so it’s a huge boost to get him in.. Part of our recruitment strategy is to always have contingency plans... We knew straight away that we wanted Miguel to be that man, so it’s a real coup to get him in'.

The Stones have forged a real reputation as a place where professional clubs are comfortable sending their young players for valuable experience. Aaron Henry, Charles Clayden, George Wickens, Connor McAvoy and Elewere have all enjoyed successful spells with the Stones in the last year...

Said Maynard, 'Miguel is an athletic, left footed centre-back and he’s very comfortable on the ball. He has that bit of aggression and bite that you need to play in the National League too'".

11 November 2022

VIDEO KILLS THE ALTRINCHAM STAR

The clash with Wealdstone left-back Lewis Kinsella was missed by referee Greg Rollason, who booked James Jones and visiting centre-back Jack Cook for their part in the melee that followed it.

But it was picked up on video, and the FA have now informed Alty that Barrows has been found guilty of violent conduct and must serve a three-match suspension.

Alty’s summer signing from King’s Lynn Town will therefore miss this Saturday’s game with York City at The J.Davidson Stadium... and the fixtures at Woking, the following Saturday, and home to Eastleigh, the Saturday after that".

The incident in question occurred on the Popular Side of the pitch and involved a melee after which Barrows was not even shown a yellow card, never mind a red.

CHANGES TO ALTRINCHAM FC BOARD

A "Board Update" issued today states "Over the last couple of months, we have made a number of appointments to the Altrincham Football Club Board, reflecting the changes we have made on the playing side in transitioning to become a full-time football club.

Right: Lawrence Looney continues is one of the two joint chairmen of Altrincham FC...

To that end, we welcome Mark Chapman, Chris Hamlett and Mark Luby to the Board. All three are based in the Altrincham area, and all have hit the ground running in making strong contributions to the club.

Mark Chapman is a well-known broadcaster in sports media, as host of Match of the Day 2 and BBC Rugby League, as well hosting Sports Report and The Monday Night Club on BBC Radio FiveLive. He is studying for a Masters in Sports Directorship at Manchester Metropolitan and is chair of Manchester Originals in The Hundred...

Chris Hamlett is the Managing Director at Armstrong Projects, and he has taken up the role of the club’s Stadium Director. Chris has already been responsible for the refurbishment of the Noel White Suite, the Armstrong Projects VP Lounge and the Board Room, the Fan Zone and the home and away changing rooms...

Mark Luby is the Managing Director of EBS Aftermarket Group Limited and brings extensive international business experience to the club. He has made a significant investment already in Alty and is now our single biggest shareholder. As a former Altrincham Grammar School for Boys pupil, Mark spent many an hour on the Golf Road in the Glory Days and is looking forward to seeing those days return. He has already taken on a couple of strategic projects that could make a game-changing difference to the club.

We have also seen two members come off the board recently.

Left: Bill Waterson is the other joint chairman of Altrincham FC.

Derek Wilshaw, our longest-serving Board member, passed away at the end of July at the age of 86...

In addition, Cathal Morrison has decided to step down after three years on the Board. He was instrumental in the set-up of the Altrincham FC Academy, oversaw the creation of our scouting network and implemented our player wellbeing programme. He has made a significant contribution to the club during his tenure, and he will always be welcome at The J. Davidson Stadium.

This year's AGM will be held on Tuesday 15th November in the Community Sports Hall at The J Davidson Stadium, commencing at 19:00. The bar will be open in the CSH from 18:30...

This is an ambitious Board, and we have consistently heralded the need for further investment, bandwidth and capability at Board level, and these three appointments will help us do that at scale. The next few years are critical to the football club, and we face the challenges and opportunities ahead in excellent shape".

Footnote: Cathal Morrison was appointed to the Board on 12 September 20 and resigned on 28 October 2022 and Chris Hamlett officially joined the Board on 20 July 2022.

So the current Board comprises:

• Joint Chairmen - Bill Waterson (appointed to Board 23/2/17), Lawrence Looney (21/3/18)
• Directors - Neil Faulkner (23/6/15), John Coyne (24/1/20), Rob Esteva (15/5/20), Chris Parry (1/1/21), Scott Burton (1/1/21), Sam Mackenzie (15/5/21), Chris Hamlett (30/7/22), Mark Chapman (30/7/22), Mark Peter Luby (1/9/22)
• Associate Director (Financial Adviser) - Mike Adams (2/17)

REMEMBRANCE DAY

George Cogswell's excellent Trafford War Dead website commemorates every resident of what is now Trafford who died in or in the aftermath of the following conflicts between the dates indicated; Anglo Boer War 1899-1902, First World War 1914-1921 and Second World War 1939-1947.

Right: This striking Remembrance Day memorial, featuring the town's iconic Station Clock was created in Altrincham in 2018, the one hundredth anniversary of the end of World War One.

In his Altrincham A/Z, Terry Rowley reminds us of how the two World Wars affected Altrincham FC. "Wartime Altrincham had a contrasting time in the two World Wars.

During the First World War they played right throughout. The 1914/15 season was a normal season but, as the War progressed, public opinion turned against organised football. Football was still played and Altrincham continued in the now regionalised Lancashire Combination League throughout 1915/16 and the first half of 1916/17 season when, due to travel restrictions and limited opposition, Altrincham withdrew from The Lancashire Combination and took over the fixtures of Mersey Athletic in the Manchester Amateur League which, with the exception of the Canadians at Buxton, was centred on an eight-mile radius of Manchester.

They played the whole of the 1917/18 season and the first half of the 1918/19 season in this league, eventually withdrawing when then the Lancashire Combination was re-established and set up a limited competition when peace was declared. The following season Altrincham withdrew from the Lancashire Combination and joined the newly formed Cheshire County League in which they were instrumental in its foundation.

Things were much different in the Second World War, after just three games of the 1939/40 season, all football was suspended but, a month later, football on a limited basis was permitted. Altrincham agreed to join the regional wartime competitions instigated by the Cheshire County League in 1939 and 1940 but the immediate pre-war years had been lean times for Altrincham and financially wartime football rarely met the costs.

So, at the end of the 1940 competition, the club shut down, not resuming competitive football until the 1946/47 season".

KAJA CONTRACT EXTENDED

The 25 year-old Albanian winger was initially signed on a short-term contract at Altrincham, as was announced on 19 August 2022.

After making three impressive substitute appearances, Kaja missed five league games through injury before making another trio of appearances from the bench in the National League.

He then made his full debut against Wealdstone last week before reverting to a used substitute role last Tuesday against Barnet.

To date, Egli has therefore made 1(+7) appearances and scored one goal for Altrincham in the league plus a further substitute appearance in the FA Cup.

FAN ZONE TO OPEN

Right: For the benefit of exiled fans, the image shows where the FanZone is located inside the J. Davidson Stadium. It is behind a fence as customers are not allowed to drink whilst viewing the match in progress.

Turnstiles will open at 3.50pm and fans are welcome to get to the ground early to sample some of the fine beverages on sale.

There are now six draught lines installed in the pod with a wide range of beers available.

As part of our phased opening, the capacity management will remain at 100 but we continue to monitor this in the hope that can be safely increased in due course.

With the Community Sports Hall closing after half-time due to a long-standing function, the Fan Zone will remain open after the match until 8.30pm and we invite as many of you [as can?] to come along".

The full drinks' menu and prices are available via the above link.

NEXT OPPONENTS: YORK CITY

City will aim to go one better than Tuesday night where we took a good point on the road against play-off challengers Boreham Wood.

We last met the Robins in 2020 in the National League North play-off semi-final... Now due to meet for the first time in non-league top step since 2011, we face an Altrincham side that have been defeated in their last three Vanarama National League matches without scoring...

A maximum of 56 seats for travelling supporters needing to be seated are available in the family stand. The standing supporters will have the use of the Chequers Away End Stand (which is uncovered)...

Left: Action from the last league visit of York City in August 2019. Here we see Connor Hampson (left) and Tom Hannigan (right> contesting an aerial ball.

City have won 2 and lost 4 of our previous 7 meetings with Altrincham". Of those meetings the games at Altrincham were:

• 3/08/2019: Altrincham 1-3 York City – National League North
• 17/11/2018: Altrincham 3-0 York City – National League North
• 22/02/2011: Altrincham 0-0 York City – Blue Square Premier

ALTY THROUGH THE YEARS: 12 NOVEMBER

ALTY MONTHLY DRAW WINNERS

• £500 cash | #324 | Neil Faulkner
• £75 cash | #77 | Marin Gill
• £25 cash | #571 | Nigel Lord
• Bottle of Alty Gin | #187 | Pat Butterworth
• Scarf & Team Photo | #423 E Mead

Congratulations to all the winners!

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Shrimpers saw a winding up petition issued by HMRC adjourned on Wednesday meaning the club remain in a transfer embargo.

Members of staff are also still waiting to be paid for October and Maher admitted... 'You can’t ignore it because it’s there... It’s difficult and it’s difficult in terms of the staff who are brilliant around the club...

'When we go out onto the pitch we’re playing for them and there’s togetherness around the club which helps. There’s stuff we can’t control and that I can’t control but what we can try and control is what happens on the pitch'...

Echosport understands the financial problems have also seen the squad not being able to use the GPS system which tracks the distances the Shrimpers squad travel during training and in matches".

According to the BBC, "Torquay United manager Gary Johnson says he would like to extend the loan of experienced defender Mark Ellis.

The 34 year-old returned on an initial month-long deal from Barrow, having previously played at Plainmoor from 2007 to 2012.

With Ellis in defence the Gulls are unbeaten in their past three games...

'He's been very important, people trust him,' Johnson told BBC Sport... 'If you've got a centre-back that reads the game in the penalty area then generally he's heading it clear or he's getting there first. Of course we'd like him to stay, but he's also got a family that are up north so we're having to manage that as well, but we're not just going to let it drift, we're going to ask the question'...

'There were a few clubs who were interested in taking him, which he'd turned down previously because he wanted to be somewhere that was comfortable for him,' Johnson said.".

Lancashire Live confirms that "Oldham Athletic have appointed Steve Thompson as their new Head of Recruitment.

The move sees the former Blackpool and Preston North End coach return to work following his exit from Deepdale back in January of this year...

Oldham... have created the brand new role for Thompson to undertake. He will oversee the Latics' "structure for the signing of new players, including a regional and nationwide scouting system"...

He told the club website, 'My Dad and Grandad played for Latics, and I’m from Shaw, so I’m delighted to be here... We’re going to have a network of scouts who’ll write reports on players, I’ll take a look at ones who fit the remit and then pass them onto the coaching staff who’ll get the final say. As well as being a good player, they’ve got to be a nice person too'".

BARNET'S VERDICT ON ALTY GAME

Right: Connor Jennings made his Alty debut on Tuesday night but, as seen here, he was frequently outnumbered by Barnet defenders.

The Bees were under pressure early on. It took an excellent save from Laurie Walker to keep the score level... Altrincham came close again as Chris Conn-Clarke’s cross found the head of an Altrincham man who couldn’t keep his shot down from close range.

The Robins would regret missing those chances as Barnet took the lead on 17 minutes. A brilliant through ball from the half-way line finds Sam Beard out on the left. Beard excellently beat his man and makes his way into The Robins' box. He passed the ball across the face of goal which Ryan De Havilland poked home from close range to give Barnet the lead...

The Robins started the [second] half brightly and again almost found the equalizer...

The Bees put the game to bed with ten minutes left of play. Substitute, Rob Hall whips in the corner which is met by the head of Danny Collinge. Collinge almost breaks the net with a powerful header from close range to put daylight between the sides".

NEXT: YORK CITY

From Shrewsbury Town we learn that the Shropshire club "has worked with West Mercia Police to secure the arrest of three supporters for football-related offences during our FA Cup tie against York City.

One male York City supporter was arrested for possession and use of a pyrotechnic device and throwing an object towards the playing area.

Another male York City supporter was arrested for going onto the playing area. And one male Shrewsbury supporter was also arrested for going on to the playing area."

In that match York City reported that on Tuesday night "The Minstermen shared the points against Boreham Wood as they were held to a 1-1 draw at LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park.

City went ahead after only ten minutes through Lenell John-Lewis’ penalty, but they were penned back by the home side five minutes into the second half through former City player Jamal Fyfield’s goal...

The Minstermen were narrowly beaten at the weekend by League One side Shrewsbury Town in the Emirates FA Cup...

Askey named two changes to his starting eleven from the one that featured against Shrewsbury at the weekend. John-Lewis and Olly Dyson returned to the starting eleven, who replaced Maziar Kouhyar and Manny Duku, whilst there was a place on the bench for winger Alex Hurst who returned from suspension...

City were awarded a penalty in the tenth minute after Luke James was taken down inside the penalty area by Fyfield. Captain John-Lewis was on hand to bury his penalty into the bottom-left corner to hand the away side an early lead with his eighth goal of the season....

The home side levelled the game five minutes into the second half through Fyfield...

York (5-3-2): Ross; Fallowfield. Duckworth, Kerr, Sanders, Whittle; Pybus, Mafuta, Dyson; John-Lewis (C), L. James (Duku 83’). Subs not used: Whitley, Hurst, Kouhyar, Hancox".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE S

Wednesday, 9 November

• Bromley 0-2 Woking
• Scunthorpe United 1-3 Wrexham
• Torquay United 3-3 Dorking Wanderers

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The club were back in the High Court on Wednesday morning over the outstanding payment...

The adjournement means Blues remain in a transfer embargo and are unable to add to their squad... Matters off the pitch remain a huge concern and the Shrimpers Trust have expressed their disappointment at how the club continues to be run by chairman Ron Martin.

'Whilst progress on the field in 2022/23 has exceeded the expectations of many supporters following a difficult start to life in the National League last season, it is disappointing that the hard work undertaken continues to be undermined by financial issues away from the pitch',," said a Trust statement.

'The decision today means a dark cloud will continue to hover over Roots Hall and the people that inhabit the stadium, the club offices and the training ground for another 56 days. It amounts to a stay of execution.

'Club Chair Ron Martin has less than two months to make good on his promise to the authorities and deliver in the same way the recruitment team, the coaching staff, the players and the unsung heroes behind the scenes have continued to do during a challenging period...

'We know that work has already started on a new training ground and the dream of constructing a new stadium appears closer than ever. But the dream will remain just that if there is no football club in Southend-on-Sea for us to unite behind'".

The Trust concludes that the owner should "Own your responsibility and sort out the mess that threatens the very existence of Southend United FC"...

The Echo also understands that members of the backroom staff at the Shrimpers are still waiting to be paid fo October".

A report in the Grimsby Telegraph says that "Scunthorpe United interim boss Tony Daws said Marcus Carver is 'raring to go' after being recalled from his loan at Southport this week.

The Iron signed the 29-year-old from League Two outfit Hartlepool United in August, but a month later, he was sent out on loan... to build his match fitness...

Carver made eight appearances for Southport during his time there, scoring two goals and now comes back to his parent club... The forward will look to push the likes of Joe Nuttall and Caolan Lavery for a spot in Daws’s team...

'The opportunity came along to send him out to Southport, and he wanted to go as well, which was good, and he has gone out there and got eight starts under his belt, so he has come back to us now with game time, and he is much fitter now ... he has come back smiling and is raring to go'".

Hampshire's Daily Echo tells us that "Eastleigh made it back-to-back league wins after beating 10-man Maidstone 5-2 at Silverlake Stadium.

The Stones scored two quick goals in the first half, but captain Gavin Hoyte was dismissed early in the second half, allowing the Spitfires to come from behind and seal three points.

Danny Whitehall opened the scoring for Eastleigh when he nodded home from close-range in the 16th minute.

Maidstone equalised in the 37th minute when Ryan Galvin stabbed the ball past goalkeeper Joe McDonnell, and they turned the game around just two minutes later when Reiss Greenidge headed home from a corner to take the lead.

Hoyte was sent off in the 50th minute and the Spitfires were awarded a penalty, with Tristan Abrahams converting from the spot to level six minutes after the break.

The Hampshire side... retook the lead... in the 63rd minute. Ousseynou Cisse added a fourth for the Spitfires in the 72nd minute... and an own goal... wrapped up three points for the hosts.

Eastleigh boss Lee Bradbury told the club’s YouTube channel... 'I think we thought it was going to be an easy game... We took our foot off the gas and they scored twice in a couple of minutes and we are backs to the wall again. But a great reaction after half-time'".

POST-MATCH PARKINSON

ALTY'S GREAT DIVIDE

In their ten fixtures played, so far, against current top 14 clubs, seven of which have been away, they have not won a single game and, indeed, have taken just two points (both in away games) out of the thirty available in those matches.

But, in eight games (six at home) against bottom ten teams, they have not lost a match and gained 16 points out of a possible twenty-four.

Mirroring this, they have not scored more than once in an away game against the top 14 clubs all season and have totalled just five goals from ten matches.

Against the bottom ten, however, they have scored in every match and netted 18 times in eight outings.

Meanwhile, Alty have conceded 24 times in ten matches against top fourteen teams but only 11 in their eight matches against lower clubs.

ALTRINCHAM 0-2 BARNET

Right: Connor Jennings made his Altrincham debut against Barnet.

Before kick-off, manager Parkinson made four changes to the starting eleven as four players either made their debuts or returned to the side after lengthy injury absences. In came the duo of Isaac Marriott and defender Lewis Baines, back from injury, whilst new loan signings Elliot Newby and Connor Jennings also started. Out of the starting eleven went Kaja, Hulme, Osborne and Cooper.

Match report here.

MIDWEEK FIXTURES

• Aldershot Town P-P Dagenham & Redbridge (waterlogged pitch)
• Altrincham 0-2 Barnet
• Boreham Wood 1-1 York City
• Eastleigh 5-2 Maidstone United
• Solihull Moors 0-1 FC Halifax Town
• Southend United 2-2 Notts County
• Wealdstone P-P Chesterfield (waterlogged pitch)
• Yeovil Town 0-0 Maidenhead United

NOCTURNAL ALTY

Indeed, had Eastleigh not exited the FA Cup last weekend, there would have been no 3pm match at the JDS between the visit of Dorking Wanderers back on 8 October and Boxing Day, 26 December, a period of more than eleven weeks.

But the Spitfires' defeat last Saturday means that Altrincham should now play Eastleigh at 3pm on Saturday, 26 November. Then follows another full month without a daylight home game before Boxing Day brings FC Halifax Town to Altrincham for a 3pm match.

NEXT OPPONENTS: YORK CITY

Altrincham have not met their next opponents, York City, since 2019/20 when the sides clashed three times.

In the opening match of the season, the Minstermen won 3-1 at Moss Lane but Covid struck just as the return match was due to take place and that fixture was never played as the season was aborted.

However, the curtailed season meant the sides did then meet at Bootham Crescent in the Promotion Play-Off Eliminator, which Alty won 2-0. In fact, that was just one of three knock-out matches between the clus that season with Altrincham winning all three of them, despite them all being away fixtures.

The Robins knocked the Minstermen out of both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy 1-0 with Tom Peers the scorer on each occasion.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Rossett Cllr Hugh Hones (Con), lead member for place and environment and leader of the council’s Conservative group voted against making plans to give the Hollywood star co-owners of Wrexham AFC the civic honour...

Cllr Jones referenced a widely-reported social media post by Wrexham striker Paul Mullin featuring football boots which contained the slogan ‘**** the Tories’.

Cllr Jones described it as a 'message of hate', and also criticised one of the co-owners for liking the post on Instagram.

He said... 'I’ve looked at the nature of the freedom and the fact it's rewarded [awarded] to people of [or] persons of distinction or [who have] rendered eminent service to a place... But for me the timing and the values and the priorities are wrong we’re awarding the freedom at a time when one of their star players has engaged in a message of hate to a section of our community, and one of the owners has liked an Instagram post containing that same message of hate'...

The Executive Board voted for the decision to be made at full council, except for Conservative members Cllr Hugh Jones and Erddig Cllr Paul Roberts, who voted against. The full council meeting will take place on December 21".

8 November 2022

ANOTHER LOANEE FOR ALTY

Right: Connor Jennings is here seen in Wrexham colours at Moss Lane on 14 March 2015, a match that the Welsh side won 4-1 with Connor netting the fourth goal for his side. In the background is Jake Moult.

"Jennings is the second loan signing from Stockport in less than a week, following the capture of winger Elliot Newby on a two-month agreement last Thursday, and both players (pending NL/FA ratification for Connor) will go straight into the Robins' squad for [tonight's]... fixture at home to Barnet .

Six-feet tall and with an enviable scoring record over a number of years... he took the eye at an early age, forcing his way into Stalybridge Celtic's starting line-up... an impact that earned him a move to Scunthorpe United, then of League One....

After loan spells with Stockport, Macclesfield and Grimsby Town, he signed for Wrexham and then Tranmere Rovers before moving to Edgeley Park on a permanent basis in July, 2020".

Footnote: Connor Jennings, now aged 31, follows in the footsteps of his brother James, who arrived at Altrincham from Macclesfield Town on a 93-day loan, effective from 1 January 2008 to 2 April 2008. James made his Alty debut at Northwich on New Year's Day, 2008 and became an ever-present for 10 games until he was suspended for a match in late February and before he could play again, Macclesfield sacked their manager and new boss Keith Alexander recalled James to the Moss Rose.

Connor becomes the seventh loanee signed by Altrincham this season after Aaron Bennett from Preston North End, Christopher Conn-Clarke on loan from Fleetwood Town, Dermot Mee from MAnchester United, Eddy Jones and Dan Malone from Stoke City, and, as mentioned above, Elliot Newby.

Connor has played against Altrincham several times before now joining The Robins and he has also scored against them, including a brace in Stalybridge's 5-1 win in October 2011.

Other appearances against Alty have included, for Wrexham, as a used sub in Alty's 3-2 win at the Racecourse in 2014 but he scored in the Welsh side's 4-1 win in the reverse fixture that season.

He has also captained Wrexham at Moss Lane, in a 1-1 draw in February, 2016, having also played in the reverse fixture in 2015/16.

TONIGHT'S OPPONENTS: BARNET

Barnet have a pre-match interview with manager Dean Brennan. He says Altrincham are "a good side" and "their philosophy is very technical".

He revealed that he will name the "same squad as last Saturday" for the match.

Following their draw in the FA Cup last Saturday, Barnet have announced their FA Cup first round replay against Chelmsford City will be on Monday 14th November at the Essex club's ground..

The BBC has highlights of the draw with Chelmsford City.

On Monday evening, Barnet or Chelmsford City were drawn to play away at Accrington Stanley in the Second Round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Since beating Bromley, away, 3-1 on 25 October, The Bees have had a mixed time. They drew at home with Scunthorpe United and then lost 0-3 at The Hive against Southend United United before their FA Cup draw last Saturday against lower league opposition..

THROUGH THE YEARS: 8 NOVEMBER

The clubs had met in the pre-season friendlies when County won 2-0. On the eve of tonight's match, County boss Dietmar Hamann had left the club so Willie McStay was in charge for this fixture.

County named a decidedly second-string squad, including just four players who were in their last first-team match squad and six names not even allocated a squad number, as listed on the County website. So Carl Piergianni [right] (who attended the match) and Nick Chadwick did not renew their acquaintance with Moss Lane but Sam Sheridan did.

Altrincham, too, rested several first-choice players from their starting eleven, namely goalkeeper Coburn, defender Flynn, midfielder Danylyk and strikers Twiss and Reeves, but all, except Flynn, were in the squad.

The first half was a crazy affair with six goals scored, four of them by County. Poor defending from Alty contributed to several of the efforts, including the first by German after seven minutes. The same player made it 2-0 when County counter-attacked after an Alty move had broken down (18 mins). But Chris Lynch (left), playing in midfield, scored for Alty from a Clee cross three minutes later.

County restored the two-goal margin in the 25th minute, through Halls, after Altrincham failed to clear a corner. A well worked goal involving Lynch and Lawrie ended with Lynch's second goal of the night in the 28th minute; 2-3.

Whitehead made it 4-2 in the 37th minute but when Jack Redshaw scored in the first minute after the interval to make it 3-4, it looked as if Alty might retrieve the game. But despite plenty of open play from both teams, no more goals were to be scored.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Adam REID , 2. Robbie LAWTON (c), 5. Rob WILLIAMS, 6. Mark LEES, 3. Ryan BROWN, 7. Simon RICHMAN, 4. Chris LYNCH, 8. Shaun DENSMORE, 11. Nicky CLEE; 10. Jack REDSHAW, 9. James LAWRIE. Subs: 15. Damian REEVES, 14. Michael TWISS, 12. Anthony DANYLYK, 18. Stuart COBURN (gk), 16, Joe COOMBS.

STOCKPORT COUNTY: 1. Ian Ormson, 2. Andy Halls, 3. Danny Rowe, 4. Sam Sheridan, 5. Nabil Bounab, 6. Euan Holden, 7. Cameron Darkwah, 8. Ryan McCann, 9. Antonio German, 10. Danny Whitehead, 11. Ryan Fraughan. Subs: 12. Ben Say, 13. Dane Smith, 14. Josh Amis, 15. Andrew Graham, 16. Deji Omoboye,

MIXED FORTUNES FOR ALTY LOANEES

As previously reported Zak Goodson broke his arm on his debut for Boston United. Press and media officer John Edwards now reports that "Surgery is not required, but he has a plaster cast on his wrist and faces six to eight weeks on the sidelines"

Likewise we reported that Liam Brockbank had picked up an ankle injury whilst turning out for Gloucester City. we now learn that he "is recovering with the Robins, but he will be back playing for Gloucester again in a week or so".

Closer to home Aidan Roxburgh (right) is still fit and playing for Ashton United.

However, at Trafford, Jayden Matthew "has gone down with a hamstring injury that will keep him out for several weeks, and he is therefore back with Alty". However, Ryan Morton played on Saturday for Trafford as a used substitute.

Altrinham sent five young players to Alsager Town earlier this season. One of them, goalkeeper Ryan Forde "has unfortunately suffered a long-term knee injury which is going to keep him out for a while, and he is back with the Robins"

Also, Harlan Rodgers-Morris "missed Saturday's game at Stockport Town through illness", whilst Amaar Hussain "came off on the half-hour mark after feeling a slight problem with his knee".

However, Josh Jordan and Ewan McGeady both played in the match against Stockport Town.

ALTY OLD BOYS

After leaving Alty, James joined Hednesford Town in June 2017, before signing at Nantwich Town in 2018. In 2021 he joined Witton Albion before moving to the Midlands with Hanley.

Ryan (34) is now the player-manager at Hanley.

And Phil Jordan advises us that on Monday, Simon Richman gave Bradford (Park Avenue) the lead at half-time but they lost the game 1-2, at home, to Peterborough Sports

EMIRATES FA CUP SECOND ROUND DRAW

Second Round matches are to be played over the weekend of 26 November.

• Curzon Ashton/Cambridge United v Grimsby Town
• Wrexham v Farnborough
• Accrington Stanley v Barnet/Chelmsford City
• Ebbsfleet United v Fleetwood Town
• Ipswich Town v Buxton
• Barnsley v Crewe Alexandra
• Forest Green Rovers v Alvechurch
• Portsmouth v MK Dons
• Shrewsbury Town v Peterborough/Salford City
• Solihull Moors/Hartlepol United v Harrogate Town
• King's Lynn Town v Stevenage
• Charlton Athletic v Stockport County
• Bristol Rovers v Boreham Wood
• Dagenham & Redbridge v AFC Fylde/Gillingham
• Woking/Oxford United v Exeter City
• Sheffield Wednesday v Mansfield Town
• Weymouth/Wimbledon v Chesterfield
• Burton Albion v Chippenham Town
• Walsall v Carlisle United
• Newport County v Torquay United/Derby County

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

'We are expecting to finish the season with the players we currently have,' said Alexander Reedtz. 'He is not for sale, but in football you can never rule out anything if there is an extraordinary offer, but we are not expecting to sell anyone this January.'

At the end of the 2022/23 campaign, ten players will be out of contract at Meadow Lane including the likes of Ruben Rodrigues, Adam Chicksen, Kyle Cameron, and Matty Palmer. With so many players able to leave Meadow Lane for free at the end of the season, there has been growing concern surrounding the contract situations involving those players.

Explained Christoffer Reedtz, 'We try and be as well prepared as best that we can for the summer'".

In the Southend Echo, "Southend United boss Kevin Maher provides [an] injury update on Jake Hyde and Rhys Murphy

Hyde injured his hamstring during... a 2-0 win at York City nine days ago while Murphy had to be helped off the pitch on Tuesday after suffering an ankle problem...

'Jake has had his scan and hopefully it’s a matter of weeks with him rather than anything longer than that'... said Maher.

'Murph has had a scan so we’re just waiting on the results of that... Fingers [crossed] it’s not as bad as we might have feared.'”

NEXT GAME: BARNET

Altrincham host Barnet on Tuesday night in the Vanarama National League.

Last Saturday, the Bees drew 1-1 with Chelmsford City and face a replay of their Round One tie.

Barnet reported after the match that manager "Dean Brennan made two changes today, replacing Robert Hall and Sam Woods with Sam Beard and Dale Gorman...

A lively first ten minutes have seen Barnet apply a lot of pressure... When they have a corner, Chelmsford City looks scary...

Barnet seemed to start the second half strong, shooting or crossing the ball, either way, the Chelmsford city goalkeeper was called into action early on. It won’t be long before Barnet breaks the deadlock. Kabamba heads the cross back across the box to Ben Wynter, who volleys it into the net from close range. Shortly after their first goal, Barnet could have doubled their lead...

From another corner, Chelmsford almost equalizes, but their captain Winfield... can’t head it down...

During the dying seconds of a game, Chelmsford equalized. While it was scrappy, Charlie Ruff managed to tap the ball in after Barnet couldn’t clear a corner.

Barnet FC XI: 1. Laurie Walker 4. Danny Collinge 6. Jerome Okimo 8. Dale Gorman© 9. Nicke Kabamba 11. Idris Kanu 14. Harry Pritchard 21. Ben Wynter 23. Sam Beard 32. Sean Shields (Rob Hall 62′) 33. Ryan De Havilland. Unused subs 5. Marvin Armstrong 16. Kian Flanagan 18. Connor Smith 28. Sam Woods 31. Aymen Azaze".

ALTY OLD BOYS

In Scotland, Josh Ginnelly played the first 75 minutes for Hearts against Motherwell. Within three minutes of his substitution Motherwell scored to make it 2-2. Jake Moult's brother Louie had scored their first from a penalty but Hearts also won a spot-kick, in the 87th minute, which they converted to win the game 3-2.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Reynolds and McElhenney decided to add some extra spice to what is already set to be a lively tie by responding to the jibe by each posting a video... in which they satirically profile the life of Rothwell.

'Oldham Athletic's Frank Rothwell says he's never heard of Wrexham's owners', McElhenney begins before Reynolds adds 'Well, we've heard of you Frank,' and kicking off a series of highlights of Rothwell's life.

Born in England in 1950, he grew up to be a 72-year-old man with a hat and glasses,' they say. 'He founded Manchester Cabins in 1979, he's also the oldest man to row across the Atlantic Ocean. He's got a nice smile. Very nice. Gentle. And he likes to shake hands, looks firm.'

They then confuse Rothwell with the Irish Olympic weightlifter of the same name before concluding... saying 'Either way, we know you Frank and you'll know us tomorrow [Sunday].'"

Devon Live tells us that "Torquay United manager Gary Johnson said 'it feels like we have won the FA Cup' after the Gulls' dramatic comeback against Derby County in front of the ITV1 cameras set up a first round replay against the League One 'giants'.

It was a rollercoaster of a ride for Johnson, who watched his side go 2-0 down just after half time, before a red card for Derby and a goal by Asa Hall from the penalty spot set up an unforgettable 95th-minute climax, with young striker Will Goodwin the hero of the hour when he turned the ball home in the hosts' final attack of the day...

'It is just like getting a good draw in the second round, by getting a replay, because obviously they get big gates and everything and we will take a lot of supporters, I am sure,' he said...

'We will concentrate on our league games before we go to the replay, but it does give the lads confidence. We have just matched a first division team'...

Goodwin, 20, who is on loan from Stoke City for the season, said... 'It's massive for the club, the money side of things'".

6 November 2022

FA CUP

• Wrexham 3-0 Oldham Athletic
• Curzon Ashton 0-0 Cambridge United
• Woking P-P Oxford United (waterlogged pitch)
• Torquay United 2-2 Derby County

MONDAY 7TH NOVEMBER

• Bracknell Town v Ipswich Town

DOZEN FOR THE RESERVES

The scorers were Lewis Billingsley who, once more, found the net four times, Sharif Islam who struck a hat-trick, Max Pouncey with a brace, and single goals from Dionicio Bohe, Adam Lynch and Riley Jackson.

ALTRINCHAM SUPPORTERS' TRAVEL

Above: Before Covid and lockdown, Altrincham's supporters' coach service was organised by TASC

In this context, Altrincham Football Club "is currently in the process of reviewing the Away Travel offering.

In the face of rising costs and a decrease in regular demand, we have taken the decision to amend the service offering to a regular 15-seater minibus, with larger coaches booked ad hoc when there is a demand.

The review has identified minibus driver availability as the primary challenge in delivering a regular service. This has been particularly challenging for long-distance fixtures, which require two drivers...

Therefore, we are hoping to build a list of potential drivers who would consider driving the minibus to, or part-way to an away game. Although we currently have three willing volunteers, we do need to significantly increase this number so that we have the best possible chance of fulfilling the service for the rest of the season.

Would you consider volunteering to drive, if you were available? Please e-mail Brian Flynn to express interest, along with your mobile phone number. You will be added to a list of volunteers that will be contacted well in advance of upcoming away games, giving you the opportunity to commit to driving if it suits your schedule.

Key information:

• Drivers need to have a clean driving licence and have passed their test before January 1st 1999 to be able to drive up to a 16-seater minibus.
• You would, of course, travel for free and have your match ticket paid for.

At this stage, there is no obligation or commitment to drive anywhere. We are simply looking to build a cohort of potential volunteers that we can contact to assess availability. We will then contact you all well in advance of upcoming trips, giving you an opportunity to commit to the trip.

For our fans, we are aiming to post travel information a fortnight before the game is due to take place, starting with information on 19th November's trip to Woking, owing to driver availability".

ALTY OLD BOYS

As a United supporter, Peers said, "We're 180 minutes away from potentially playing Manchester United. Of course, it's a long shot. Referring to The Nash he added, "We are a good, honest, hardworking group who play an old-fashioned, rigid 4-4-2 and give it 100 per cent every week".

Both Jake Moult and Connor Kirby started for Buxton on Saturday, whilst Tony McMillan was in goal for Southport who beat Chorley 2-1.

Brendon Daniels played for AFC Telford United who are now seven points adrift at the foot of the National League North after losing 3-0 at Blyth Spartans. It was a happier day for Jude Oyibo who scored in Radcliffe's 3-1 win at Bamber Bridge.

Andy Keogh, the captain of Mossley, played in the Lilywhites' 3-0 win over 1874 Northwich Victoria. Keogh's team-mate Mason Fawns also started that game.

Harry Perritt (left) made a rare appearance on the bench for Accrington Stanley but he did not get onto the field as they won 4-1 at Crawley Town. The same fate befell Kyle Ferguson as his Harrogate Town side upset Yorkshire neighbours Bradford City by the only goal at Valley Parade.

Carl Piergianni captained Stevenage to a 3-2 FA Cup victory at Gateshead, the club which had knocked Altrincham out of the competition in the previous round.

In the NPL, Jack Redshaw opened the scoring for Hyde United as they won 3-1 at Liversedge.

Dontai Gabidon opened the scoring for FC United of Manchester in their 2-1 win at Stalybridge. Manwhile Callum Dolan's umpteenth penalty of the season clinched victory for Warrington Rylands in their 2-0 home win over Whitby Town.

Warrington Rylands had Joel Torrance and Dean Furman in their side but new signing A-Jay Leitch-Smith was not involved. James Berry scored the goal as Macclesfield FC beat Skelmersdale 1-0. Joe Bunney also started the game.

And, finally, Ryan Brooke was sent off in Runcorn Linnets' 1-0 win at Clitheroe.

NEXT GAME: BARNET

After a goalless first half against their National South opponents, Wynter put Barnet 1-0 up after 49 minutes but Chelmsford levelled in added time to leave the game at 1-1 and send the teams to a replay, presumably in ten days' time.

WOMEN'S CUP PROGRESS

The game ended Penwortham Town LFC 3 Altrincham Women 5

Ian writes, "Altrincham Women rekindled the magic of the cup with a delightful performance at the Vernon Carus Sports Club.

Altrincham had an indifferent start to the season with a win, a draw and 3 defeats including a 7-2 home defeat a fortnight ago.

In contrast Penwortham had three wins and a draw which saw them reside at the summit of the NWWRFL Division 1 North.

The early exchanges saw both keepers making fine saves to keep the game scoreless. The ninth minute saw Altrincham take the lead when a fine cross from the left found Megan Rowley who controlled the ball and calmly lifted it over the keeper from seven yards.

Megan Rowley scored her second on 22 minutes when she scored directly from a corner. Jade Hesketh made it 3-0 just before half-time when she dispatched a loose ball from eight yards past the keeper.

HT Penwortham Town LFC 0 Altrincham Women 3

The second half saw Altrincham continue to play some nice football, playing out from the back the Parkinson way. They were rewarded with a fourth on 59 minutes when three players combined to find Jade Hesketh who scored her second from seven yards.

The home side got on the score sheet on 70 minutes with a delightful 25 yard free kick.

Penwortham then began to show why they were top of their league as they then started an onslaught of the Alty goal. Town got their second on 79 minutes when a cross from the right found an unmarked player to score from nine yards.

Substitute Laura Kelly alleviated the pressure on 87 minutes after outpacing the defence to run on to a through ball to poke it pass the keeper from 18 yards to make it 5-2.

Penwortham scored another cracking 25 yard free- kick on 89 minutes to reduce the deficit to two goals.

Lauren Diskin made an excellent save in the 91st minute pushing an 18 yard free kick onto the post as the home side continued their onslaught.

Finally after seven minutes of injury time the FT whistle was blown and Altrincham had earned a place in the next round."

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Now he has fired a broadside at Sunday's opponents. Wrexham were famously bought by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in early 2021... Not that Rothwell appears impressed.

'I don't know who the hell they are,' he said on the eve of the Racecourse Ground match. 'I know they're film stars and all the girls go "whoo" but I've never seen anything they've been in. These lads have bought a football club for as cheap as they possibly could do so they could tell their friends in Hollywood that they own a club.

'When they decide they've had enough of this and sell to another investor, it (Wrexham FC) will disappear. That won't happen to Oldham.'"

The Nottingham Post reports that "With a timely break from National League football this weekend, the statistical readings look good for Notts County after 17 games of the season...

Luke Williams's side are... in possession of the second-best offensive and defensive record in the division... with... an average of 2.65 goals scored per game so far this season, which is higher than the average number of 1.47 goals...

17 of those goals have been scored by Macaulay Langstaff... with Cedwyn Scott sitting on seven and full-back Adam Chicksen enjoying his best goal-scoring season of his professional career so far on six.

But of the 45 goals the Magpies have scored in the league this season, only three have come from headers".

Manager Williams said of the paucity of headed goals, "I think it is more about the delivery that we are seeing to try and breach the lines. So often we find ourselves on the inside channels of the box and hitting the ball hard across the box or cut back...

"The fact of the matter is that players are generally more accurate with their feet than they are with their head, so if we can find people's feet, I will always feel more comfortable".

WEEKEND FA CUP FIXTURES

FRIDAY 4TH NOVEMBER

• Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Morecambe
• Hereford 1-3 Portsmouth

SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER Shocks today included the lowest ranked club Alvechurch winning at Cheltenham, King's Lynn Town winning at Doncaster, Chippenham beating Lincoln City and Ebbsfleet overcoming FC Halifax Town. Alty's victors Gateshead lost 2-3 at home to Stevenage. Another non-League winner over EFL opposition was Chesterfield.

• AFC Fylde 1-1 Gillingham
• Barnet 1-1 Chelmsford City
• Barrow 0-1 Mansfield Town
• Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Barnsley
• Boreham Wood 3-1 Eastleigh
• Bradford City 0-1 Harrogate Town
• Bristol Rovers 1-0 Rochdale
• Burton Albion 2-0 Needham Market
• Buxton 2-0 Merthyr Town
• Carlisle United 2-1 Tranmere Rovers
• Charlton Athletic 4-1 Coalville Town
• Cheltenham Town 1-2 Alvechurch
• Chesterfield 1-0 Northampton Town

  Right: Josh Lundstram is the only Altrincham player to have played every minute of every league match this season. But he will have a rest this weekend as Alty miss out on FA Cup action.

• Chippenham Town 1-0 Lincoln City
• Crawley Town 1-4 Accrington Stanley
• Crewe Alexandra 1-0 Leyton Orient
• Doncaster Rovers 0-1 King's Lynn Town
• Ebbsfleet United 2-1 FC Halifax Town
• Fleetwood Town 3-1 Oxford City
• Gateshead 2-3 Stevenage
• Grimsby Town 5-1 Plymouth Argyle
• Maidenhead United 0-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Milton Keynes Dons 6-0 Taunton Town
• Newport County 2-0 Colchester United
• Peterborough United 0-0 Salford City
• Port Vale 2-3 Exeter City
• Shrewsbury Town 2-1 York City
• Solihull Moors 2-2 Hartlepool United
• South Shields 0-2 Forest Green Rovers
• Stockport County 4-0 Swindon Town
• Sutton United 0-2 Farnborough
• Weymouth 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
• Wycombe Wanderers 0-2 Walsall

NEXT: BARNET

With no fixture today (Saturday), Altrincham's next match is their third successive evening home match under the J Davidson Stadium's lights, when Barnet will be the visitors.

Revisiting and updating the late Mike Garnett's data, covering all competitions, we are reminded that Altrincham's record against Barnet is extremely strongly weighted towards the home team.

In fact, before the 2014/15 clashes, Barnet had only won once in 13 visits to Moss Lane. In contrast, Alty had only won twice in 14 visits to Barnet's North West London home before 2020.

However, whilst home advantage has favoured Alty historically at Moss Lane, the last six league meetings (home and away) between the clubs have included just one Alty win, three defeats and two draws to leave the following statistics...

• At Altrincham P16-W10-D3-L3-F34-A15
• At Barnet P16-W3-D4-L9-F12-A26
• All games P32-W13-D7-L12-F46-A41

Last season the two National League fixtures each ended in 1-1 draws.

Above: In Barnet's 3-1 win at Moss Lane in 2015, we see Villa's freekick from wide left drift into the Alty net, with Gash (#40) claiming a touch, to make it 2-0.

ALTY OLD BOY

Leitch-Smith, now 32, first appeared for Altrincham in a pre-season game on 27 July 2021 but his signing was not announced until 7 August.

His career started at Crewe Alexandra where, during a six-year stay, he enjoyed loans to Halifax Town, Newcastle Town, ÍBV (Iceland), and Curzon Ashton. In summer 2014 he joined Gary Johnson's Yeovil Town for a season and then signed in at Port Vale for 2015-16, ending up as The Valiants' top scorer that season. The next season saw him playing for Shrewsbury Town before a loan-move in 2017-18 to Dundee.

The pattern of changing clubs every summer continued in 2018 as he joined Morecambe where, despite a hamstring injury, he became the Shrimps' top scorer in 2018-19 season.

He made made 23 appearances in EFL2 in 2019-20 but in only eight of those matches did he start and that was followed by just five league appearances for Morecambe in 2020-21 season before he was released.

His Alty games were mainly from the bench but he proved an adept finisher when given the opportunity. He left the club having made only four starts but he also made a further 15 appearances from the bench. He scored four goals for the club.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Now, the Nottingham Post, tells us that their "reporter Oliver King sat down with the Magpies owners to discuss... the appointment of Luke Williams

For many, it was beyond their wildest dreams to see Notts County top of the National League after 17 games under a new manager, but Magpies owners Christoffer and Alexander Reedtz knew the managerial capabilities of Luke Williams the moment they sat down with him.

Since the Danish brothers took over at Meadow Lane back in 2020, there have been three different managers... Under the careful ownership of the Reedtz brothers, the Magpies have come within touching distance of returning back to where they belong...

Following the departure of Ian Burchnall to League One side Forest Green Rovers... and a handful of interviews later, the former Swindon Town manager was revealed...

The pair, who founded football analysis company Football Radar ten years ago, were particularly impressed with Williams's tactical approach to football...

Said Christoffer Reedt, 'His whole approach to analysing football... really impressed us with his detail and knowledge... That is how we see football as an extremely complex game, you can't solve football, you can only try and get better whether that is through recruitment or tactics'".

Dorking Wanderers "announce the signings of defenders Joe Cook and Archie Procter.

Joe, 23, joins Wanderers on a season-long loan deal having joined Chesterfield back in the summer from Bognor Regis Town.

Cook said... 'It's a club going in the right direction and they have a style of football which I feel suits me'...

After beginning his career at Sheffield Wednesday, Joe moved on to get first-team football at Winchester City, going on to make over 50 appearances... Joe moved across Hampshire to Havant & Waterlooville, joining Bognor Regis on loan during the season before making the permanent move...

Joe made 40 appearances last term... attracting the interest of Chesterfield manager Paul Cook, who made Joe his second signing of the close season.

Wanderers' manager Marc White adds 'Joe's a player we've watched several times during his time at Bognor Regis, and we have always kept close tabs on him. He's a fantastic ball-playing defender with great athleticism and a good physical presence'...

Defender Archie Procter joins The Wanderers from Accrington Stanley on a permanent deal. Archie, 20, began his career in the youth ranks at AFC Wimbledon... He would go out on loan to local based sides Met Police and Carshalton Athletic, prior to joining Maidstone United...

In the summer of 2021, Archie made the permanent switch to Accrington Stanley, a club with close family connection after his uncle Andrew made nearly 400 appearances for the club...

Manager Marc White adds... 'He is a local lad, a physical left sided centre-half, with a big future ahead of him'">

The Derbyshire Times adds that Cook "has made just two appearances for the club".

Of Proctor, Accrington Stanley said that... "in July 2021, made his Reds debut against Oldham Athletic the following month and then featured in three Papa Johns Trophy fixtures.

Procter also played 17 times for Ged Brannan's Under-23s team".

"Callum Rowe has today departed Yeovil Town following the expiry of his short-term deal.

Rowe, who signed on a free transfer in August, made four appearances during his time at Huish Park".

Gloverscast adds that "The 23-year-old was brought to Huish Park by former manager Chris Hargreaves and made his debut coming off the bench... a few days after his arrival.

But, having come off the bench in the Bank Holiday Monday draw at Wealdstone, the former Aston Villa youngster suffered an injury which kept him out until he was given his first start in the ill-fated FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay at Taunton Town.

His last game came in the 2-0 home defeat to Aldershot Town which proved to be Hargreaves’s last in charge of the club".

NEWBY RETURNS

Right: Away at Bradford (Park Avenue), Elliot Newby is congratulated on his goal in his final match of his first spell at Altrincham in March 2017.

He follows Christopher Conn-Clarke, Jake Cooper, Jordan Hulme, Eddy Jones, James Jones and Josh Lundstram in having a second (or third) spell at the club.

A Barrovian, Elliot first joined Altrincham on an initial one-month loan from Barrow on 29 December 2016, which was extended for a further two months.

Elliot had earlier made 19 appearances on loan at Workington in 2015/16 season. He is an attacking right-sided midfielder, who was on Bolton Wanderers' books as an Academy youngster before returning to Barrow, his hometown club. He made an impressive debut for Alty at FC United on New Year's Day, 2017 and continued to impress as he scored five times in 16 appearances before a questionable red card marked his final game, away at Bradford PA on 25 March 2017.

In all, his Altrincham appearances comprised 14(+2) games in which he netted five goals.

After leaving Alty, Elliot was part of the Chorley squad which beat the Robins in the National League play-offs in 2019. He subsequently went on loan at Stockport before making a permanent move to County in April last year.

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

Last time out Barnet lost 0-3 at home to Southend United and from Essex's Echo News we learn that "Barnet boss Dean Brennan admitted Southend United were worthy winners at the Hive...

'I thought we started really well for the first 20, 25 minutes,' Brennan told Barnet’s YouTube channel.

'We had four or five corners and got in some good areas but they defended those corners well... Southend got on top in the back end of the first half and managed to score in that period.'

Kacper Lopata fired Blues in front just before the break and Callum Powell doubled that lead at the start of the second half...

'At the start of the second half we knew the next goal was going to be vital and they got it from a long throw,' said Brennan... 'We were without too many key players against a very, very good Southend side.. from our point of view we need to strengthen...

'The opposition deserved that victory and deserved to win by that scoreline as well'".

This Saturday, Barnet face Chelmsford City in the FA Cup at The Hive.

RESERVES REPORT

Altrincham FC has a report on the game in which "Alty's Reserves extended their unbeaten run to four games with a resounding victory at Winstanley, and, as an added bonus, first-teamers Isaac Marriott and Lewis Baines stepped up their recovery programmes by getting 45 valuable minutes under their belts.

The Robins wasted no time stamping their mark on proceedings, notching five goals in an opening 23-minute spell...

Marriott underlined his first-team pedigree by dancing past two defenders before rifling the ball into the far corner to open the scoring after only three minutes. Lewis Billingsley then demonstrated his predatory instincts with a hat-trick in the space of 15 minutes...

The first-half scoring spree was rounded off when Dion Bohe smashed the ball past the goalkeeper...

The second half continued in the same vein as the first half ended, with Altrincham squandering chance after chance.

Billingsley added his fourth of the afternoon...

Winstanley were awarded a consolation goal when a goalline clearance was adjudged to have crossed the line...

Lucas Edwards, from the under-16s, made his debut and became Altrincham’s youngest-ever senior player, slotting in at left-back for the final 10 minutes.

An Alty player of a slightly older vintage, veteran striker Max Pouncey, completed the scoring, converting a George Raftery cross".

ALTY OLD BOY

NON-LEAGUE DAY

The prospect of seeing Dan Mooney back at Moss Lane already made this a fixture to savour; now there is even more cause for saving the date...

The club will announce a full list of activities nearer the time".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Lainton, first choice stopper since arriving at The Racecourse in the summer of 2018, has not played since he sustained a serious wrist injury in the goalless draw at Bromley in March.

Manager Phil Parkinson arranged an in-house practice match at Nantwich, where the Reds play their reserve-team fixtures, to give long-term injured players a much needed run-out and Reece Hall-Johnson (thigh), Harry Lennon (back) and Ryan Austin (knee) also got game-time.

Shortened to 70 minutes, Lainton played the whole game, Hall-Johnson and Austin got an hour with Lennon making a 45 minute appearance.

Parkinson... said, 'We were supposed to play Blackpool and they pulled out; each week a team keeps pulling out for various reasons. Great credit to our youth department that their players came and we had an in-house game, and that was much needed'...

Parkinson was particularly pleased so see forgotten man Austin, who sustained a serious knee injury before the 54-year-old took over as manager at The Racecourse in July 2021, take to the pitch...

'Ryan hadn’t played for 18 months so that was a huge step for him,' said the Reds’ boss. Parkinson, who only has Jacob Mendy (hamstring) and Christian Dibble (knee) out of action, saw centre-back Jordan Tunnicliffe forced off with a dead leg against Maidenhead while Ben Tozer and Ollie Palmer completed the game with bandaged heads...

'Ben got stitches in his eye and Ollie the same but that’s the kind of game you get against Maidenhead... It’s like an old-school battle and you have got to be prepared for that'".

Meanwhile, Bromley drew 1-1 at Notts County this week.

"The opening half was full of chances for both sides... The missed chances proved costly as Notts opened the scoring on 15 minutes after a ball is fizzed in towards the back post by Ruben Rodrigues for Adam Chicksen to bury from close range...

[Notts] then kept the scores at 1-0 denying Forster after a defensive error before Bingham’s deflected shot also forced a great save. Another glorious chance fell Cheek’s way on 36 minutes...

Rodrigues then smashed an effort against the post in the latter stages of the first 45, but his missed effort meant the scores remained 1-0 going into the break...

The Ravens piled on the pressure themselves and eventually equalised after Reece Hannam’s lofted ball was headed home by Cheek.

Further unbelievable saves kept the scores at 1-1 as Bromley picked up a vital point on the road."

ALTY'S VERDICT ON DEFEAT

Right: Ryan Colclough was singled out by his manager as the star performer last Tuesday.

After the match, Press and Media Officer Brian Flynn interviewed Altrincham manager Phil Parkinson, and the audio interview is available on YouTube.

Characterising the team's display on Tuesday as a "Jekyll and Hyde performance", the manager said his team were "abysmal in the first half" before playing much better after the interval. He went on to criticise both his team's defending and its failure to take goalscoring chances.

Referring to the Wealdstone goal he stated, "It's the same players making the same mistakes" and he vowed to do something about that. At the other end of the pitch he witnessed "absolutely diabolcial finishing", concluding that "To miss the chances we had was scandalous" adding that they were "not difficult chances".

However, on a positive note he was fulsome in his praise of Ryan Colclough who he said had "carried the team". He added that other players were privileged to be in the same team as the former Scunthorpe winger.

WEALDSTONE'S VERDICT ON WIN

Olufela Olomola scored the winner just a minute into the second half, tapping in a great cross from Giovanni McGregor...

Left: Alty form a huddle before taking on Wealdstone on Tuesday.

The Stones almost took the lead in freakish circumstances just after half hour. Charlie Barker's cross took a wicked deflection off Eddy Jones that looped over Ollie Byrne and onto the crossbar...

Stones were teasing the Altrincham goal and on the stroke of half time McGregor put in a great cross for Olomola that saw James Jones almost poke the ball into his own goal.

A minute into the second half, McGregor repeated that cross, and this time Olomola beat his man to poke past Byrne and give the Stones a deserved lead.

The hosts rallied... when Ryan Colclough cut inside from the left and saw his low swerving effort smash off the outside of the far post.

Sam Howes's goal lived a charmed life and he didn't have to make a save until 78 minutes, and it was a great stop at that. Getting down low to deny sub Dan Malone.

There was further heroics from the keeper with a minute to go, denying Ben Pringle twice in a crowded area.

And further blocks and tackles ensued in the seven added minutes to seal an important three points".

NEXT: BARNET

Last Tuesday, Barnet "hosted play-off place rivals Southend United.

Both sides started the game well... In the 41st minute, Southend broke the deadlock. The Bees failed to clear their lines from a corner kick and the ball was fizzed into the box before being turned into the back of the net by Kacper Lopata.

Barnet began the second half well, testing Southend’s backline by launching numerous counterattacks. However, the Bees were unable to capitalise on any of their opportunities.

Despite Barnet’s promising start, Southend doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. A poorly defended throw-in found its way through to the goalmouth and, after a scramble from both sets of players, Callum Powell blasted it home from close range...

Southend fancied attacking down the left wing...

In the 79th minute, Southend were awarded a penalty as Jack Bridge was brought down in the penalty area. After a brief moment of consideration, Alan Dale pointed to the spot. Bridge stepped up to the ball and sent Laurie Walker the wrong way, before smashing home to the left-hand side of the net...

The result sees the Bees lose ground in the race for the playoff places, as they finish matchweek 17 in 10th place on 24 points.

Barnet Line-Up: Laurie Walker, Danny Collinge, Jerome Okimo, Rob Hall, Nicke Kabamba, Idris Kanu, Harry Pritchard, Ben Wynter ©, Sam Woods, Sean Shields, Ryan De Havilland. Subs: Aymen Azaze, Marvin Armstrong, Kian Flanagan, Connor Smith, Sam Bear".

THROUGH THE YEARS

It was an FA Cup Round 1 match, played on Saturday, 8 November 2008.

And it was Luton who were the more fortunate of the two sides to reach the Second Round draw of the FA Cup after Altrincham, who brought tremendous support, had the Hatters on the back foot for much of the second half. Indeed, Chris Senior had the ball in the net on the hour-mark, but it was ruled out for offside.

Above: Andy Ralph punches clear in the first half at Luton, as Warren Peyton guards the line.

But both sides lacked a killer punch and so they had to replay at Moss Lane when Alty sadly lost on penalties after another goalless match.

Right: The Alty supporters' coaches arrive at Luton Town; the away entrance is through the two "terraced houses" where the blue sign is.

The three Alty supporters' coaches were given an unnecessary police escort from the motorway which meant they were taken through the traffic-jammed town centre instead of being able to go directly to the ground.

Both teams were badly hit by injuries. Alty were without Denham, Street, Coburn and O'Neill, though Coburn was named as a third keeper today. In addition, on the bench, was Val Owen, who had yet to play for Alty that season following his knee operation. However, Chris Lane passed a late fitness test to keep his place. With Senior partnering Little up front, Elam started on the bench, along with new signings James Smith and Richard Acton. The match was Colin Little's 200th start for Altrincham.

Luton, hit by a 30-points deduction in League Two, went into this game bottom of the division though their playing record would place them nearer to the middle of the table.

ALTRINCHAM: 13. Andy RALPH; 2. Chris LANE, 4. Mark McGREGOR, 5. Greg YOUNG, 3. Matt DOUGHTY, 21. Shaun DENSMORE, 16. Anthony DANYLYK, 7. Robbie LAWTON, 11. Warren PEYTON, 9. Colin LITTLE, 19. Chris SENIOR. Subs: 1. Stuart COBURN (gk), 8. Val OWEN, 14. Dale JOHNSON, 15. Alex MEECHAN, 18. Lee ELAM, 22. James SMITH, 23. Richard ACTON.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Gulls swept on-form Aldershot away with a 6-1 drubbing which featured a hat-trick for striker Aaron Jarvis. Tom Lapslie, Will Goodwin and skipper Asa Hall weighed in with the other goals...

The three points... were not enough to lift the Gulls off the bottom of the National League, but the gap at the foot of the table has closed. Johnson has been poring for weeks over the puzzle of how to get the best out of an injury-hit squad and how to bring the right loan players in to make it better, and last night everything finally clicked.

New arrivals Mark Ellis, back in defence on loan from Barrow a decade after he last played for Torquay, and Lucas Ness fitted in seamlessly at the back, and fellow loanees Stephen Wearne and Dillon De Silva tormented Aldershot down the flanks. Ellis was a delighted and deserving recipient of the Man of the Match award...

Said Johnson afterwards, 'We have been saying for weeks that we will have a better squad as lads come back and as we pick and choose people from outside the club to come in and improve us, and today it was our game... We looked a formidable football team today against a team which had won its last three matches.'

The game, played in challenging conditions with gusting winds and rain, came at the beginning of a run of four home games which includes Sunday’s FA Cup match at Plainmoor against Derby County...

'It’s nice to know we’ve got that in us, now it’s just about trying to keep it in us for the next few games, so we can get out of the position we’re in' he went on. 'This wasn’t a team that looked like it was struggling'

Altrincham entertain Barnet next Tuesday. The north London club lost on Tuesday and from the opposition side the Southend Echo reports that "Southend United made it three away wins in the space of eight days with a 3-0 victory at Barnet.

Kacper Lopata fired the Shrimpers in front from close range just before the break. And second half goals from Callum Powell and Jack Bridge saw Blues record a comfortable win at the Hive where their following of 1,446 outnumbered the support of the home side.

Despite the final score-line, it was Barnet who started on top... But Blues made their pressure count in the 42nd minute, with Lopata scoring the first goal of his senior career... He swept the ball home from close range.

The Shrimpers stayed on top and extended their lead seven minutes into the second half... before Blues completed the scoring nine minutes from time with Bridge on target from the spot.

The left wing-back also won the penalty after being brought down in the box by Danny Collinge".

The Grimsby Telegraph has news of one-time Altrincham player Tony Daws who is now the Scunthorpe United interim boss. He "believes his side deserved a least a point from the Eastleigh game, which ended in a 2-0 defeat for the Iron.

A second half double from Vincent Harper, with his second coming deep in stoppage time, was enough to see the home side past Scunthorpe, who are still yet to claim a victory away from home this season.

Despite the result, Daws believes his side gave a good account of themselves and are close to finding consistency in their performances...

Daws said 'It seemed it would be only a matter of time before we scored, but we didn’t in end, which is obviously frustrating. We've had chances, and I honestly don't think we deserved to lose...

'Eastleigh are a decent side, and I think we more than matched them on the night'...

Andrew Boyce, 'He's a great professional, a fantastic lad, and he stuck his hand up in the changing room and said, "listen, fellas, I should have scored". I respect that because he understands what it's about, and it's being honest.

'We’re not the finished article by a long way, but we’re improving... Consistency is all we’re missing in our performances'".

York Press says that "York City chairman Glen Henderson has revealed that manager John Askey told him 'Don't tell me how to do my job', after a discussion over recent results.

York [are]... currently sitting 11th and only four points adrift of the play-offs. However, City find themselves on a four-match winless run in the league, their longest sequence without a league victory since Askey took charge almost 12 months ago...

On BBC Radio York... Henderson detailed a recent conversation with Askey.... 'I’ve suggested in comments, as we’ve not won in four, "Is it this that we need to change? Is it that that we need to change? Is it this?"

'The answer back (from Askey) was "Don’t tell me how to do my job. I’ll do my job and I’ll get them to play".

'His job is to get them to play. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out... I don’t think it’s meddling with team matters... A manager is the cauldron of the football club. You pay the manager to do the job'...

Askey has proven to be an immensely popular figure among York supporters, having led the club from mid-table mediocrity in regional football... His reputation was further enhanced when, less than two months ago, he turned down an approach from Sky Bet League Two club Rochdale and signed a contract extension at City until the end of the 2023/24 season...

Henderson responded, 'If we’re not getting results, we’re back down in the National League North. It’s a results business. Yes, you need to be given time. But you’ve got your players, you’ve got everything, you’ve had 16 games. Hopefully it doesn’t get to that... If results aren’t going the way of a manager and change is not happening, then you have to change things up...

Said the South African-raised businessman,'He [Askey] thinks he’s got a mid-table budget. I think we’ve got a better budget than that because there’s certain things that weren’t factored into the budget that he was given, like player housing and bonuses.

'As far as the manager (relationship) goes, we’ve had our spats... It’s a results-based business and if the results don’t happen, football is football'...

Askey has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring in a new striker this season and last week revealed that the club did not have the ability to pay a fee for recruits.

'He’s always known that he had the money from (Scott) Boden to get a (new) player,' Henderson said, referring to Boden's transfer to Buxton in September. 'We’re struggling to find a loan player. He (Askey) brought me a player with a fee that we couldn’t afford unfortunately. So I put the club first and I said no. We’ve got to put the club first.

'He knew that that was the money that was available... The club has to do what it can to survive. The way it stands right now, it’s a player in, a player out'".

Gloverscast reports that "Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper was under no illusions... after Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Woking.

The Glovers failed to score for the eighth time this season and managed only two shots on goal, with only one being on target, during the defeat which left them in the National League relegation zone.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Cooper said '“The players in the team to create did not produce tonight... The aim has to be to create more in front of goal'...

He added that 'players in the squad that have not featured yet' may get their opportunity soon with striker Jake Scrimshaw not in the squad despite travelling to Surrey.

In the final stages at Kingfield, giant centre half Ben Richards-Everton was moved up front in a desperate roll of the dice... Asked about this, Cooper added 'That might be the way we have to go, stick (Ben) up front and bash balls up to him.'”

ALTRINCHAM 0-1 WEALDSTONE

But the lacklustre Robins were second best in the first half before falling behind very early in the second period.

Right: Ryan Colclough and Egli Kaja take on fluids during a break in play against Wealdstone on Tuesday night.

The Stones' goal had come in the 47th minute when Olomola got to a low, near-post ball from the left, just ahead of an Alty defender, to turn the ball into the net. Beforehand, the visitors had looked the better side in the first forty-five minutes with pacey attacks and a solid defence which belied the team's recent record.

The Stones were then largely on the back foot during the second half as Altrincham laboured to create openings, only to spurn chances when they did arrive. Indeed, Alty did have the ball in the net in the 86th minute when substitute Malone netted at the second attempt, having hit the post with his first attempt, but he was flagged offside.

Alty finished the game without a goal for the first time at home this season.

Match report here.

Altrincham made two changes for the match, with Hulme replacing Dinanga and Kaja making his full debut in place of Malone. There was a welcome return on the bench for Lewis Baines who had missed the last ten league games with injury. It was also good to see Isaac Marriott taking a small part in the warm-up as he too recovers from injury.

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts and red socks): 1. Oliver Byrne, 22. Ross Barrows, 23. Jake Cooper, 26. James Jones, 2. Eddy Jones, 10. Elliot Osborne, 8. Josh Lundstram, 11. Ryan Colclough (c), 16. Chris Conn-Clarke, 33. Egli Kaja, 9. Jordan Hulme (c). Subs: 6. Lewis Baines, 17. Brad Jackson, 18. Ben Pringle, 30. Marcus Dinanga, 31. Dan Malone,

For the visitors, there were three changes as Kinsella, Elerewe and Dyer replaced Akinola, Hutchinson and Mundle-Smith.

WEALDSTONE (Blue shirts, white shorts and socks) 13. Sam Howes, 2. Jack Cook (c), 3. Lewis Kinsella 5. Deji Elerewe, 7. Tarryn Allarakhia, 12. Giovanni McGregor, 9. Olufela Olomola, 14. Micah Obiero, 18. Alex Dyer, 24. Charlie Barker, 28. Sam Habergham. Subs: 11. David Sesay, 17. Dom Hutchinson, 21. Jordy Mongoy, 23. Jaydn Mundle-Smith, 25. Sam Matthew

NEXT OPPONENTS: BARNET

Like Alty they lost on Tuesday night but lie six points and seven places above Altrincham in tenth place.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The winger arrived at Blundell Park in the summer from Sunderland after a successful loan spell with Torquay the season prior. His time there was ended prematurely, however, due to injury, which has also hampered his early development with the Mariners... with ten appearances in total and one goal for the club since joining...

The Grimsby manager... Paul Hurst said 'He [Stephen Wearne] has had some good moments and others where it hasn’t quite worked for him so far. Maybe some people forget that, in general, he is still quite a young and inexperienced player'".

Devon Live adds that "Attacking midfielder Stephen Wearne has returned to Torquay United in time for tonight’s match [Tuesday] at Plainmoor against Aldershot. Wearne, who was at Torquay for a successful loan spell from Sunderland last season and now joins from his subsequent club Grimsby... made 17 appearances and scored three goals during his stint from Sunderland last season...

'I’m obviously delighted to get Stephen Wearne back on a short-term loan,' Johnson told the official club website. 'He showed us last season his capabilities, he also knows our game and our mentality, so it won’t take him long to get straight into our ethic'".

MIDWEEK RESULTS

• Altrincham 0-1 Wealdstone
• Barnet 0-3 Southend United
• Chesterfield 2-1 Gateshead
• Eastleigh 2-0 Scunthorpe United
• FC Halifax Town P-P Dorking Wanderers (waterlogged pitch)
• Maidstone United 0-0 Solihull Moors
• Notts County 1-1 Bromley
• Torquay United 6-1 Aldershot Town
• Woking 1-0 Yeovil Town
• Wrexham 1-0 Maidenhead United

TONIGHT'S OPPONENTS: WEALDSTONE

So, Wealdstone make the long trek to Altrincham tonight to face a Robins' team which, like the visitors, will be seeking to improve on conceding four goals last Saturday.

But, last season, the victors in the clash between the two sides also produced a four-goal haul as Alty beat their visitors 4-2 on St George's Day. Curiously an Alty own goal meant that five of the goals were scored by Altrincham players (Kosylo 2, Marriott, Mooney and Mullarkey) and none of those four scorers is expected to start tonight.

On that occasion, a gusty wind was a contributory factor to an entertaining game at the J. Davidson Stadium in which Alty got themselves 4-0 up before spending the last twenty minutes on the back foot as the Stones' triple substitution gave them the upper hand.

Right: Eddy Jones congratulates Matty Kosylo on his first goal in the match against Wealdstone at the JDS last season.

Alty took an eighth-minute lead after a poor clearance by Wickens went to an Alty man. The ball was fed, left, to Colclough whose rasping cross-shot was smartly diverted into the net by an alert Kosylo. However, Thompson was the busier keeper in the first half as Alty played into a tricky wind.

It took just 32 seconds of the second half for Altrincham to double their lead when Kosylo's well-hit 25 yarder went through the hands of Wickens and into the net.

It was soon 3-0 as another long-range effort from Marriott hit the back of the net from 25 yards (52 mins). And the match seemed to be all over four minutes later as Mooney scored from just outside the box.

On the hour the Stones made a triple substitution and, after good skills from Dyer, a Cooper effort was diverted into his own net by Mullarkey to make it 4-1 ten minutes later. Umerah's stooping header from a freekick made it 4-2 after 77 minutes as the visitors pushed forward till the final whistle.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Tony Thompson (c), 20. Andy White, 25. Toby Mullarkey, 24. Kyle Ferguson, 28. Eddy Jones, 8. Elliot Osborne, 32. Isaac Marriott, 7. Dan Mooney, 15. Matty Kosylo, 11. Ryan Colclough, 10. Josh Hancock. Subs: 2. Shaun Densmore, 6. Jake Moult, 14. Jake Cooper, 17. Ben Pringle, 26. Kole Hall.

WEALDSTONE: 1. George Wickens, 2. Jack Cook, 14. Connor McAvoy, 6. Jerome Okimo (c), 17. Nik Tavares, 22. Aaron Henry, 7. Nathan Ferguson, 23. Jaydn Mundle-Smith, 20. Medy Elito, 10. Rhys Browne, 9. Josh Umerah. Subs: 11. David Sesay, 19. Charles Clayden, 24. Charlie Cooper, 25. Jamie Mascoll, 18. Alex Dyer.

Compared with the above match, just six months ago, Alty fielded only two of the same club employees in last Saturday's match at Wrexham; they were Ryan Colclough and Elliot Osborne. However, loanee Eddy Jones was in the starting eleven for both the games in question.

One of the home players in April, Isaac Marriott, has not played this season, through injury, but he is reportedly well on the way to recovering match fitness so there is a very much outside chance that he could get a place on the bench. The more recently injured Toby Mullarkey is not expected to be fit to replicate his defensive role in the last meeting of the clubs at Moss Lane. And the hero of last year's clash, two-goal Matty Kosylo, remains sidelined by his ACL injury.

Wealdstone, too, have seen considerable turnover in players over the past six months as only Cook and Mundle-Smith from the April game started again for the Stones last Saturday, though Dyer and Sesay started on the bench in both the games in question.

THROUGH THE YEARS: 1 NOVEMBER

That occasion, as this year, was a home match. The opposition then was Alfreton Town who were with Alty in the Vanarama Conference at the time.

The visitors from Derbyshire won that game 1-0 in front of a gate of 960 on a Saturday afternoon.

Altrincham could have no complaints as Alfreton went home with all three points. Throughout the 90 minutes, the Robins scarcely tested the visitors' keeper in a lacklustre display.

However, Altrincham had started quite well, before they lost the initiative. Alfreton won two corners and the unmarked Graham headed home the second of these to give the visitors a lead after 20 minutes. Alty lost Clee to injury to compound a wretched first half.

Altrincham again struggled to create chances in the second period but raised their game in the closing stages without ever really looking like scoring until Reeves's toe-ender span wide of the post in the closing stages. Keeper Dawson became the Reds' hero as he saved Gillespie's injury-time penalty, a spot-kick which the substitute had himself won.

After the game, Nicky Clee went to hospital with a suspected broken toe.

For the game defender Adam Griffin was serving the final element of his three-game ban, whilst winger Ryan Crowther remained sidelined with a back injury. Alty brought in Kyle Perry to partner Damian Reeves up front.

ALTRINCHAM: 1 Stuart Coburn, 2. Shaun Densmore (c), 5. Gianluca Havern, 16. Tom Marshall, 6. Scott Leather; 4. Jake Moult; 25. Peter Cavanagh, 11. Nicky Clee, 7. James Lawrie, 10. Damian Reeves, 14. Kyle Perry, Subs: 8. Simon Richman, 9. Steven Gillespie, 15. Greg Wilkinson, 17. Dave Parton 18. Sean Williams.

WREXHAM CELEBRATE SHUT OUT AGAINST ALTY

'We are a bit disappointed that they got that shot in at the end because we have been hankering as a defensive group to get clean sheets,' said Parkin. 'We have found them hard to come by this season so to get one today is really satisfying...

'We have been free-scoring this season but we have looked a little bit open...

'It was important that we were a little bit tighter, more compact defensively'...

Wrexham... had failed to keep a clean sheet in the last eight league and cup games. The last team that failed to score against Wrexham were Torquay who were thrashed 6-0...

'The quality of the goals was outstanding but in my career,... if you suddenly start keeping clean sheets, that does bring confidence'... said Parkin...

'The manager had a chat with the players and we showed them a video about how we played against Altrincham last year, and the intensity which we played at. To be fair, they have duplicated it; the lads have done exactly the same'" he concluded

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

• Tue. 1.11.22 H WEALDSTONE 7.45pm
• Tue. 8.11.22 H BARNET 7.45pm
• Sat. 12.11.22 H YORK CITY NB 5.20pm
• Sat. 19.11.22 A Woking 3pm
• Sat. 26.11.22 H EASTLEIGH 3pm

'We may have a new signing for tomorrow, and everyone knows what we need to do to get out of our predicament at this moment in time...

'We have to go out to put in a massive effort in our next four home games, and because of this, the team is going to need our supporters to keep with us... And so, when we do, and we will, turn it around, everyone can feel they played a part in their Club recovering from adversity.

'A strong Club is needed right now, Torquay supporters have been here before, so let’s all give it a right go'".

After defeat at Altrincham and FC Halifax in the last week, Oldham Athletic manager David Unsworth has told the BBC that he "has vowed to make big changes as his team struggles in the National League...

Since replacing John Sheridan last month, Unsworth has overseen just one victory in nine league and cup games.

Defender Mark Kitching, 27, could make his debut in Sunday's FA Cup first round tie against Wrexham after joining from Stockport on Monday until 2025.

'We have nearly two weeks until our next league game and by hook or by crook, our team will look totally different,' he told BBC Radio Manchester. 'I'll work night and day to get better players in, I assure you'...

'We've had harsh words, we've had kind words, we've had encouragement, we've cajoled. We have tried to give them confidence,' he said.

'There have been nine opportunities, and if you keep picking the same team and you keep doing the same things and you keep losing, then something has got to change. Before people change me, I will change the team.'"