29 February 2024

PHIL SEES "GREEN SHEETS OF RECOVERY"

Alty have faced three away trips in the past four fixtures (to Aldershot, Hartlepool and Southend) and now face another trek, to Dagenham, at the weekend. The manager felt that these trips had been to the detriment of the team's performances as "sitting in a bus is wreaking havoc with the players' bodies".

Nevertheless, despite four succesive defeats, he vowed that "We will go again... We will turn it round".

Tuesday's defeat at Southend saw Alty without right-back Lewis Banks, a near ever-present this season, in addition having striker Regan Linney only fit enough to be an unused substitute. Matty Kosylo and Dan Mooney were therefore the only two usable outfield subs on a bench of just four players at Roots Hall, one of the others being goalkeeper Ollie Byrne.

Others who have played right-back this season include Liam Brockbank, George Burroughs and Justin Donawa, all of whom are out on loan.

George Wilson has also played in that position but was needed in midfield for last Tuesday's game.

Long-term absentees James Jones, Joey Jones and Ollie Crankshaw will not play again this season, goalkeeper Ethan Ross (right) has been out for the last eight league games, and winger Justin Amaluzor is also now apparently sidelined. Regan Linney was also not fit enough to be risked at Southend. So the manager's choices on Saturday will, again, be severely constrained.

Laurence's interview with Phil Parkinson is available through Alty TV.

SOUTHEND BOSS ON WIN OVER ALTY

The Shrimpers' Head Coach said 'The whole performance was very good and I think we deserved the result. We obviously had the setback early in the first half, but staying patient and getting the goals was the least we deserved.

Conn-Clarke’s a top player and finished the goal ever so well, but I was delighted with how patient the players stayed and we kept moving them about and waited for the openings to open up.

'It could’ve been four or five before half-time. We’ve had a number of set pieces going in there. While it’s 2-1 they always have a chance, but overall, we more than deserved the victory...

'Altrincham are a top team and the league is relentless, so any time you can put a run of results together, it can push you up the league....

Harry Cardwell 'had three or four real good attempts with so many balls going in the box. Marcus [Dackers] did brilliantly to nod it back for the goal and Cards showed good strength and a good finish'".

NEXT: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE

They have won two of their last six games, the victories being 2-1 at Rochdale and 7-1 at home to Oxford City. The other four games in that sequence comprised two draws and two defeats.

They have both scored and conceded 50 goals and, coincidentally, along with Alty's last opponents, Southend United, they are one of the only two clubs not to have drawn a home league game this season.

Perhaps as a consequence of never drawing, they have suffered more home defeats (12) than any other team in the National League.

The Daggers have won just six home matches out of 18 played and have actually earned more points away from home (24) than at Victoria Road (18).

Unlike Altrincham they had no midweek game this week, their last match being a 0-1 home defeat by FC Halifax Town.

Two Dagenham players have scored ten or more league goals this season, namely Josh Rees with 10 and Inih Effiong with 14.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The council’s preferred option is for the two clubs to take on the responsibility, said Coun Jenny Lynn, cabinet member for Public Services and Communities.

'This is not about making a quick buck to sell the Shay,' she explained. 'This is about us having discussions with both clubs who use the Shay with a view to seeing what can be arrived at for them to take responsibility for their own future in order to alleviate revenue cuts to this council'...

Coun Felicity Issott... was sceptical it would not be sold. 'The title "disposal of Shay", which is what this budget item is named, might be part of the problem because it sure sounds like trying to sell off the Shay', she said... 'It certainly looks like the Shay is going to be sold off,' she said."

Southend United report that "The Club and defender Louis Lomas have agreed the mutual termination of his contract.

Lomas joined in the June of 2022 and went on to play 22 times in his debut season... Lomas’s hopes of kicking on this season were hampered due to injury.

Unfortunately, despite working tirelessly to get back fit, setbacks in his recovery have continued throughout the season and with his contract ending in the summer, both parties have agreed to an early termination".

In York Press "York City co-chair Matt Uggla explained the decision behind Neal Ardley's sacking on Monday afternoon...

The club moved quickly to appoint Adam elwood as Ardley's successor, after a hugely-successful seven-year period with Vanarama National League South outfit Worthing FC.

Uggla explained that the decision-making behind Ardley's exit was largely due to his style of play, and how the former Minstermen manager had accepted the news respectfully...

'The decision wasn’t taken lightly, but when we came into the club we had a very clear vision of creating a real identity for the club and the thoughts of myself and others were that we were moving further and further away from the original vision.... I think it was to stop the bleed of moving further and further from the identity of the club. That was the decision we came to.

'Things were getting, and this is my opinion obviously and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think that we were getting worse, not better... Kdderminster have made a managerial change and they are flying, Ebbsfleet made a change and are flying, Woking made a change and have picked up wins... do believe that we are in trouble and that this gives us a better chance, otherwise we wouldn’t have made this decision'".

As for Ardley 'We spoke and he understood, his words were that it' football and these things happen, it’s a results based business. He can only be the one to tell you if he was shocked or not, but to me he didn’t seem too shocked'.

Uggla went on to explain that certain players had complained to the co-chair about a lack of game time... 'It’s an entertainment business and I want to come here on a Saturday and be entertained, Adam has come into a difficult situation but personally I believe that there is enough in this squad for it to start ticking... I think that if we sit down here in five years time, then you will say "good decision Matt"'".

The Maidenhead Advertiser reports after "Maidenhead United picked up a valuable and well-deserved three points at Altrincham on Saturday...

In any normal season, Maidenhead's total of 42 points with 10 games to play would be enough to see them safely nestled in mid-table or perhaps even higher... Hever, this season has been far from normal and the bottom half of the National League is so congested that the Magpies will likely have to push well past the 50-point mark Devonshire usually says is the tally needed for survival.

With the addition of striker Tristan Abrahams from Welling United, the Magpies played with an extra spring in their step at the J.Davidson Stadium on Saturday as they came from behind to beat their hosts 3-1... The result ended a run of four consecutive league defeats... Hver, Tuesday's results... mean the gap to the bottom four is now just three points.

'I feel like we've been playing quite well'... said Devonshire....

The bottom half of the table this season is also something to behold. From Dorking Wanderers in 23rd place to Southend United in 13th, 11 teams are blanketed by just six points and anyone of them could conceivably still be relegated. Only bottom of the table Oxford City, cut adrift and now 11 points from safety, look certain to be going down..

Added Devonshire, 'There are so many clubs involved in the relegation scrap and play-offs. It's mad this year... We're going to need a lot more points than normal... I do feel that apart from Chesterfield who are above everyone else most other teams are much of a muchness. So, we'll just have to see'".

SOUTHEND UNITED 2-1 ALTRINCHAM

In his team's first attack, Altrincham's Chris Conn-Clarke scored a fine goal from twenty yards in the fourth minute.

Indeed, in their occasional first-half forays Alty did look a potential threat but Southend attacked repeatedly, almost always up their left side. Two goals in six minutes just before the interval gave the hosts the lead 2-1 at the break.

Right: Lewis Banks was absent at Southend through injury

Their equaliser arrived in the 40th minute when ex-Alty loanee Dackers nodded down a cross for Cardwell to score.

Then, in the first added minute at the end of the first half, Fonguck got through a challenge inside the box to drill the ball into the corner of the net to Gould's left (45+1 mins).

In all of the last three games Alty have conceded twice in quick succession around half-time and in this case it was twice in six minutes just before the break.

The second half was a more even affair but, apart from a Conn-Clarke corner which hit the top of the bar, they never really looked like scoring.

Match report here.

NEXT: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE

Last season's visit to Victoria Road was a game to be forgotten as the Robins crashed 4-1, a defeat that left Alty bottom of the National League.

The reverse fixture this season was the opening-day game of the 2023-24 season at the J. Davidson Stadium. That game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Altrincham were hosting eighth home fixture on a season-opening day in the past nine league campaigns yet they were still seeking their first win at Moss Lane in that sequence! The last home win on opening day had been back in 2006 and after this draw, that remains the case.

Right: Chris Conn-Clarke is concealed beneath his bedraggled team-mates after his goal at a sodden J. Davidson Stadium..

The August 2023 match was also the teams' first National League match under the new refereeing time-wasting rules and lasted approximately 108 minutes yet it witnessed no major injury stoppage nor anything very significant in the way of time-wasting. Having kicked off two minutes late after a minute's silence to honour the lives of football administrator John Moules and Alty supporter Graham McLaren, it meant that the final whistle did not sound until getting on for ten-past five.

The match itself started in dry conditions but was beset by heavy rain around the 19 minute mark, which fell on an already sodden pitch after more than half an inch of rain overnight.

After a goalless opening half, Altrincham had the better of things overall before the 80th minute when a neat move on the right, involving the substitutes Donawa and Angus, fed Conn-Clarke who rifled home his shot.

Despite spurning several presentable chances, it looked as if the hosts had done enough to break their opening-day hoo-do at Moss Lane, only for the Daggers to equalise in the eighth of what turned into some 10 minutes of added time. The equalising goal came just after a superb save by Ross had given the visitors a corner on their right.

The corner was nodded forward by a Dagenham man for Phipps to loop a header over the defence and keeper and into the net to the delight of the 115 sodden travelling supporters in the open end of the stadium.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 3. Eddy Jones, 8. Isaac Marriott, 5. James Jones (c), 4. Lewis Baines, 7. Matty Kosylo, 6. Elliot Osborne, 9. Regan Linney, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 11. Justin Amaluzor. Subs: 17. Justin Donawa, 14. Dior Angus, 16. Sam Roscoe, 20. George Wilson, 22. Joey Jones

ALTY OLD BOYS

League One : Burton Albion introduced JOE HUGILL after 72 minutes, but lost 0-1 at home to Carlisle United.

CARL PIERGIANNI skippered Stevenage to a 1-0 home win over Cambridge United.

League Two : CONNOR JENNINGS was missing from the Tranmere Rovers squad at Swindon Town, but CHRIS MERRIE returned to the bench, and came on after 88 minutes. Four minutes later he was booked, and Rovers lost 3-1.

National League : JAMES BERRY was an 87th minute substitute for Chesterfield as they won 0-2 at Barnet , while TYRESE SINCLAIR also joined the fray late for Rochdale as they won 3-0 at home to Wealdstone.

ASHLEY HEMMINGS was booked as Kidderminster Harriers won 1-2 at Solihull Moors.

After Gateshead had gone behind at Woking, MARCUS DINANGA equalised. Soon afterwards he was booked, and although his team led at half time, they eventually lost 3-2.

National North : DYLAN MOTTLEY-HENRY scored Buxton's opener in a 2-3 victory at Boston United.

Although CONNOR BRANSON scored for Farsley Celtic, visitors Rushall Olympic were already two goal up, and went on to win 1-4.

JUSTIN DONAWA was an 83rd minute substitute for Chorley, who lost 1-0 at Brackley.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

• AFC Fylde v Maidenhead United
• Boreham Wood v Gateshead
• Bromley v FC Halifax Town
• Dagenham & Redbridge v Altrincham
• Dorking Wanderers v Chesterfield (k.o. 12:30pm)
• Eastleigh v Solihull Moors
• Ebbsfleet United v Rochdale
• Hartlepool United v Barnet
• Oldham Athletic v Southend United
• Oxford City v Aldershot Town
• Woking v Kidderminster Harriers
• York City v Wealdstone

THROUGH THE YEARS: 2 March

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 40-year-old attack-minded manager joins the Minstermen on a long-term deal following over six-years at Worthing FC.

Hinshelwood’s Worthing side have racked up over 269 league goals since the beginning of the 2021/22 campaign.

A Football League defender by trade during his playing days, Hinshelwood boasts over 100 Brighton & Hove Albion appearances across the Championship and League One.

Spells at Aldershot and Wycombe in the Football League also followed for the central defender during a playing career hit by injury.

In 2013, Hinshelwood was appointed manager of the Rebels before leaving a couple years later to pursue a coaching role at Brighton & Hove Albion.

A return in 2017 has seen an Isthmian Premier Division title and a Sussex Senior Challenge Cup secured since, with Worthing now plying their trade in the National League South...

Hinshelwood also brings two key major staff members with him to the LNER Community Stadium, namely Gary Elphick and Cameron Morrison".

Footnote: One of Hinshelwood's charges at Worthing is former Alty loanee in 2023, Danny Cashman.

Aldershot Town report that "One of our exciting Academy prospects has received international honours!

Toby Nelson was earlier selected to represent England Under 18s Schoolboys and started in their... game away to Northern Ireland Under 18s Schoolboys on Friday evening... Northern Ireland ran out 3-0 winners on their home turf.

Toby and his teammates travel to Wales for their next game on Thursday, March 28th, before two home games at Walsall and Chesterfield.

Everyone at the Club is immensely proud of Toby and the hard work he has put into earning international recognition!"

In an interview at Chesterfield's assistant manager "Danny Webb began by reflecting on Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Rochdale.

He said 'I think it’s probably the most disappointing result of the last three games. To be two-nil up and not see it out at home was really disappointing; we know that... We know the goals we conceded weren‘t good enough... <> 'We’re not panicking but we certainly want to get back to winning ways sooner rather than later. We’ve been fantastic this season and we want to get back to our best...

[Former Altrincham man] 'James Berry will be travelling with the squad and he’s fit for selection. That’s the real positive and we’re buzzing to have him back. Unfortunately, Miguel Freckleton is another couple of weeks away at least; he’s returned to Sheffield United for treatment...

'It’s hard to keep describing how fantastic the supporters have been this season. We appreciate them so much; they’ve been brilliant'".

27 February 2024

TUESDAY FIXTURES

Vanarama National League

• Barnet 0-2 Chesterfield
• Eastleigh 1-2 Oldham Athletic
• Rochdale 3-0 Wealdstone
• Solihull Moors 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers
• Southend United 2-1 Altrincham
• Woking 3-2 Gateshead

TONIGHT: SOUTHEND UNITED

Although seven places and eleven points separate Altrincham from Southend United in the official league table, that gap would be just a single point and a single league position had a ten-points deduction not been applied to the Shrimpers this season.

In their last ten fixtures Southend have won five times, drawn once and lost on four occasions, better than Altrincham's record of four wins, a draw and five defeats..

And, wheras Altrincham have lost their last three on the bounce, the Essex club has won its last two matches, away at Maidenhead, who beat Alty last Saturday, and, most recently, a 4-1 victory at home to Aldershot Town.

At home, Southend are one of the strongest teams, having won ten of their sixteen games at Roots Hall a number of home wins surpassed only by Bromley and Chesterfield in their first 16 home outings.

Southend have yet to draw a home match in the National League. Former Chorley striker Harry Cardwell is their leading scorer with 13 goals to his name.

Left: Dan Mooney. Right: Marcus Dackers.

Three players have started every league game for Southend, (Kensdale, Husin and Bridge) and Southend United report that "Ollie Kensdale rounded off a great Saturday by winning your Player of the Match award,

He collected 31% of the vote. Danny Waldron was second with 18%, and Jason Demetriou was third with 15%."

Whilst Dan Mooney will probably be involved against the club he left a couple of months ago to rejoin Alty, so too is Marcus Dackers likely to face the Robins following his loan spell at the J. Davidson Stadium.

Dackers scored for Southend last Saturday.

The unofficial Shrimpers Talk says that "The games are coming thick and fast lately for the Shrimpers and this time they welcome Altrincham to Roots Hall for National League action under the floodlights.

This fixture should have taken place in January but was postponed causing some controversy between both sets of supporters with either side blaming the other.

Southend took all three points on Saturday afternoon following a 4-1 victory at home against a high-flying Aldershot Town...

Altrincham come into this fixture without a win in three National League fixtures".

MAIDENHEAD'S FIRST WIN FROM BEHIND

Having fallen to within a point of the relegation zone after four straight league defeats, the Magpies travelled to Altrincham short on confidence and having lacked much of a goal threat in their most recent defeats to Oldham Athletic and Southend United.

However, Alan Devonshire sides often respond best when the chips are down, and they did so once again to beat a team challenging for the play-offs 3-1 on their own patch...

Having come from behind to lead 2-1 at the interval, the Magpies then stretched their lead in the early stages of the second half when Remy Clerima rose well to loop home a header from Adams' corner...

It was the first time the Magpies had come from behind to win in the league this season, and to do so on the road at a top half side like Altrincham felt particularly special for assistant boss Ryan Peters...

He said 'This is a bogey team for us. We've struggled against them away from home. I thought it was a really great performance against a team who will make the play-offs in my opinion.

'They're a good side and we had to be at our best after a sticky patch, but I thought we did really well today...

'The pitch isn't great, but the grit and determination to get over the line was good to see...

'We've brought in a little more firepower (in Abrahams) to help. Reece is back in the goal scorers, Loks (Kevin Lokko) now has a few as well'".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

"Action has been taken in an attempt to arrest York’s struggles, with the Minstermen hovering precariously above the National League relegation zone. A 2-0 defeat to Barnet at the weekend that extended their winless run to four games proved to be the final straw.

Ardley has left with York sat [sic] 20th in the table, with just one win in their last seven games. Former Middlesbrough defender Tony McMahon will oversee first-team affairs on a temporary basis".

Last Saturday's victors at Altrincham, Maidenhead United have "taken the difficult decision to withdraw from the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup for the 2023/24 season. Our fixture against MK Dons on Tuesday 27th February 2024 will therefore not take place.

We understand supporters will be disappointed by this decision, however, we have reached a congested stage of the season due to the recent inclement weather and the rearrangement of fixtures. Our priority is to ensure the wellbeing and availability of both first-team and academy players for upcoming league fixtures.

There is also considerable uncertainty regarding the date of the BBFA Cup Final with the possibility of being scheduled in mid-May, over 3 weeks after the end of our season, meaning we would be unable to field a team for the final were we to progress that far".

Dorking Wanderers have got themselves into a relegation fight in recent weeks and their cause was not helped on Saturday by a heavy home defeat.

Doking Wanderers report that "Goals from Luke O’ Neill and oncoming substitute Dominic Samuel, either side of a Rakish Bingham brace, allowed Ebbsfleet to end their barren run against the Wanderers, in turn ending our run of clean sheets.

The Wanderers had picked up four points out of a possible six on the road since their last league fixture at Meadowbank, the latter of which being a goalless draw against Kidderminster Harriers. Marc White made just one change from that outing... with Fleet nemesis Alfie Rutherford in for McManus.

The opening 20 minutes saw little action in front of goal in what had been a cagey affair, only for Charlie Carter to open the scoring against the run of play... Marc White’s side led for a short period before finding themselves on level terms once again...

As half time was beckoning, the visitors completed their turnaround via a freekick...

Marc White opted to make two changes from the first half, with his side now in search of an equaliser. Joe Cook, introduced in the second half last time out, was an oncoming substitute once more in place of Haydn Hollis, whilst Alfie Rutherford was swapped for Luke Moore.

The Wanderers started the second half in brighter fashion and were unfortunate to not grab an equaliser...

The afternoon would go from bad to worse for the Wanderers on the hour mark as captain Tony Craig received his marching orders for a high foot... The visitors killed the game ten minutes later through Bingham’s brace...

Danny Searle’s side would ensure all three points late on courtesy of Dominic Samuel...

Despite today’s defeat, Dorking remain in 21st, albeit now one point adrift of safety".

26 February 2024

YORK CITY SACK ANOTHER MANAGER

He will work with the owners on a smooth transition and Tony McMahon will be appointed interim manager. A search is already underway for a permanent replacement.

Co-Chairs Matt and Julie Anne Uggla said 'We’d like to thank Neal for his contribution to this incredible club both on the pitch and behind the scenes. We wish him well for the future. We now look forward to the next chapter for York City. We are working hard to be able to update the fans on the new appointment'"

Footnote: York are currently 20th in the National League and also in the NL Paper form guide. They are a point ahead of Dorking Wanderers who have a game in hand. The Minstermen have won 8 league games, drawn 15 and lost 12 times in the National League. Their 12 defeats are actually the joint lowest in number of any club in the National League outside the top nine clubs!

However, their 15 draws is the highest in the division and is reminiscent of Altrincham's performance in 1999-2000 when they only lost 14 times all season, yet drew 19 times and ended up being relegated.

According to Wikipedia Neal Ardley's record in all competitions at York was 10 wins, 14 draws and 10 defeats.

York have shown little patience with managers in recent years, with four managers dismissed in less than fifteen months.

After gaining promotion from National North, John Askey was sacked late in 2022 with the club firmly in mid-table in the National League. His successor was rookie manager David Webb who lasted fewer than three months before being removed from his job.

His assistant, Michael Morton guided York to a 19th placed position in 2022-23 season. He was sacked in the opening month of the current season after just six winless fixtures had been played.

Ex-Solihull manager Neal Ardley had been in post since September 2023 before he joined Askey, Webb and Morton in receiving his P45.

ALTY TV HIGHLIGHTS

GROUNDSTAFF EFFORTS NOT REWARDED BY VICTORY

Sadly, their efforts were not rewarded with a home win. Following the 1-3 defeat to Maidenhead United, manager Phil Parkinson referred more than once to the difficulties of his team trying to play in Altrincham's usual passing style on the current surface at Moss Lane.

For those supporters who have not been to the JDS recently, or who are based away from the area, and who may wonder what the extent of the problem is, the image below was taken before kick-off against Maidenhead United.

As can be seen, the worst area is in front of the main stand which is largely shaded from the benefits of the sun and drying winds. But the issue also affects a parallel section beyond the centre circle, which is also sanded..

NEXT: SOUTHEND UNITED

Southend is Alty's second longest away trip (after Bromley), a return journey of 444 miles and one that is having to be undertaken for a second time after the late postponement of the original fixture on 20 January owing to a frozen section of the Roots Hall pitch.

ALTY OLD BOYS

FEBRUARY'S HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?

Howard Watts and Mike Garnett's Through the Years data reveal an unwanted parallel between this Tuesday's trip to Southend United and the last time that Alty had a league fixture on that date, 27 February.

Back on 2 February 2021, Alty lay fourth in the National League, having just gone five games unbeaten.

Likewise, on 3 February 2024, Alty again lay fourth in the division, and were about to make it three unbeaten games in a row on the following Saturday.

Above: With Alty 1-3 down, Phil Parkinson attempts to rally his players (Lewis Baines, Matty Kosylo and Chris Conn-Clarke) during a break in play against Maidenhead United on Saturday.

However, in the rest of February 2021 they went on to lose the next four successive fixtures in the National League and had dropped to eleventh by 27 February 2021.

Two of those defeats were home fixtures against Wrexham and Boreham Wood, which had to be played at Broadhurst Park, the home of FC United of Manchester, because the Moss Lane pitch was unfit. Thus all five winless games were actually played away from Moss Lane.

This season, similarily, Altrincham are also enduring a sequence of away games, in this case the club is currently in a run of five fixtures, four of which are away from home.

Hopefully, history will not repeat itself in 2024 and Alty, now ninth in the league, will win at Roots Hall tomorrow and it is also to be hoped that the next home match, on 5 March 2024, will find the pitch at the JDS in playable condition.

The fact that all of the February 2021 games were played behind closed doors meant that supporters were spared watching that run of defeats in person!

25 February 2024

"WE WERE REALLY POOR" SAYS PHIL

Amongst his observations were:

"We were really poor, as bad as we've been, we looked flat, devoid of ideas, it's quite worrying to be honest".

"The pitch is massively not helping us... it makes it a level playing field".

"Second half we looked like we had nothing in the tank".

"I dont think anyone (of the players) comes out with much credit"

"We were so far off it, it's untrue".

He subbed Sam Roscoe as he had picked up a yellow card.

He explained why Lewis Baines and Isaac Marriott did not start; Baines, who came on at the interval, had been "a bit ill", whilst Marriott "looks dead on his feet".

But "We've got to stick to what we do", he concluded.

ALTRINCHAM 1-3 MAIDENHEAD UNITED

As at Hartlepool in midweek, when five first-choices were consigned to the bench, today again witnessed some unexpected omissions from the Alty starting eleven.

Altrincham's most consistent defender this season Lewis Baines was only named as a substitute, as was captain Isaac Marriott. It was revealed after the match that Baines had been ill and Marriott was exhausted. In addition, Justin Amaluzor was not in the squad at all.

Into the starting side came Linney, Conn-Clarke and Newby for Angus, Marriott and Kosylo In Marriott's absence, Osborne assumed the captaincy.

It started reasonably well for Alty when Banks netted from close range after a Wilson effort had deflected to him in the 13th minute. But Alty failed to build on that.

A crude challenge by Roscoe earned him a deserved card and the visitors a freekick, just right of the penalty area. The ball ricocheted in the box after the freekick and fell for Lokko at the back post to score a deserved equaliser (30 mins).

Right: Maidenhead equalised after this effort from Mitchell-Lawson pinged around the Alty box.

Maidenhead went ahead just before the interval when Smith got across the front of the Alty backline to slide home an equaliser.

And little more than sixty seconds after the start of the second half, Maidenhead's veteran defender Remy Clerima headed home, unchallenged, from a right-wing corner.

Altrincham never looked like recovering the deficit with possession being lost easily and no one having the guile to break down the resolute visitors' defence.

With two successive away games in Essex to follow next week, Altrincham will need to perform much better than this to realise their play-off aspirations.

Altrincham have now dropped to ninth.

Match report here.

NEXT: SOUTHEND UNITED

ALTY OLD BOYS

Championship: Although they left DUNCAN WATMORE on the bench, Millwall dealt a blow to Southampton's promotion hopes at St.Mary's, winning 1-2.

League One: By the time Burton Albion made four 57th minute substitutions, JOE HUGILL being one of them, visitors Northampton Town had finished the scoring and won 0-2.

Oxford United had led at half time, but by time OWEN DALE came off the bench after 64 minutes visitors Leyton Orient had levelled, and went on to win 1-2.

The only goal in Stevenage's win over visitors Wycombe Wanderers was scored by CARL PIERGIANNI.

League Two: Despite a full shift by CONNOR JENNINGS, Tranmere Rovers went down by the only goal at Forest Green Rovers, who were reduced to 10 men late in the game.

JOEL SENIOR put in a full shift for Morecambe, as did TOBY MULLARKEY for visitors Grimsby Town. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

A 1-1 draw was also the outcome of Colchester United's visit to Sutton United - ALISTAIR SMITH put in a full shift on his return to his old club.

National League: MARCUS DINANGA (right) notched a second half hat-trick as Gateshead cruised to a 4-0 win at the International Stadium against an Oxford City team forced to play the last hour with 10 men.

Boreham Wood also strolled to a 4-0 win at home to AFC Fylde. BILLY SASS-DAVIES for the hosts, and DANNY WHITEHEAD for the visitors, both played the full game.

None of Chesterfield's former Alty players were involved in their 2-2 home draw with Rochdale. The visitors brought on TYRESE SINCLAIR immediately before their 80th minute equaliser, but KYLE FERGUSON wasn't in their squad.

JOSH LUNDSTRAM returned to Oldham Athletic's starting XI in their 1-2 home defeat by Kidderminster Harriers. He played the full game, as did ASHLEY HEMMINGS for the visitors. Another to put in a full shift was LUKE WATERFALL, but his Hartlepool United side went down by the odd goal in three at Solihull Moors.

Southern Central : ANDY DALES scored the third goal in Mickleover's 4-1 home win over Kettering. They came from behind thanks mainly to an Ollie Greaves hat trick.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Added to the Aggborough ranks are defender Cole Kpekawa and winger Todd Miller.

27-year-old Kpekawa is a former QPR youngster who has featured for the likes of Colchester and St Mirren previously, joining Bromley from Maidenhead in the summer.

Joining alongside Cole is winger Miller, 21, who linked up with Bromley after leaving Brighton in the close season.

In addition to 13 appearances for Bromley this season, Miller’s previous experience also includes time with Colchester and Doncaster.

Both players will remain with Harriers for the remainder of the campaign".

Bromley add that Miller "scored his first Bromley goal in a 2-1 win away at Altrincham back in September...

As for Kpekawa, this marks his second loan spell this campaign after spending time with Oxford City... The former QPR defender has made seven league appearances for Bromley this season".

Kidderminster Harriers met Oldham Athletic on Saturday after Blyth Spartans had told us that "Dan Langley has been recalled from his loan spell at Blyth Spartans by his parent club Oldham Athletic.

The 23-year-old shot-stopper linked back up with the squad in December following time with the Club during the summer where he made one league appearance...

Since coming back to Northumberland, Langley has featured in 13 league fixtures".

24 February 2024

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

• Altrincham 1-3 Maidenhead United
• Barnet 2-0 York City
• Boreham Wood 4-0 AFC Fylde
• Chesterfield 2-2 Rochdale
• Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 FC Halifax Town
• Dorking Wanderers 1-4 Ebbsfleet United
• Eastleigh 2-0 Bromley (k.o. 12.30pm)
• Gateshead 4-0 Oxford City
• Oldham Athletic 1-2 Kidderminster Harriers
• Solihull Moors 2-1 Hartlepool United
• Southend United 4-1 Aldershot Town
• Woking 1-1 Wealdstone

TODAY: MAIDENHEAD UNITED

Although United have played three more games then Altrincham, they lie thirteen points and nine places worse off than their hosts in 17th place.

Maidenhead lost in midweek at home to Southend United when their line-up, with only four named on the bench, comprised:

• 13. Craig Ross, 4. Will De Havilland, 5. Kevin Lokko, 17. Reece Smith, 10. Kane Ferdinand, 3. Sam Beckwith, 16. Casey Pettit, 25. Sam Barratt, 27. Charlee Adams, 11. Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, 21. Chanka Zimba. Subs: 8. Ashley Nathaniel-George, 19. David Omilabu, 24. Alan Massey, 26. Lewis Kinsella

Maidenhead United have lost their last four fixtures:

• Boreham Wood 1-0 Maidenhead United
• FC Halifax Town 2-1 Maidenhead United
• Maidenhead United 1-3 Oldham Athletic
• Maidenhead United 1-2 Southend United

THROUGH THE YEARS: 24 February

On that date, six years ago, Alty visited Hurst Cross to face Ashton United in the EvoStik Premier League.

The sides had previously played each other twice that season with goals aplenty. In the Integro Cup Alty had won a penalty shoot out after a 3-3 draw, whilst in the league, Alty had let a 3-0 lead slip to end up only narrow 3-2 victors.

And this league game kept up the scoring, ending in a 3-3 draw at Hurst Cross.

However, it was three defensive lapses that cost Altrincham two points. In 2018 they had then conceded 11 goals in seven league matches having only conceded ten in their previous 19 league games (and five of those ten were in one game at Workington, where they were reduced to ten men).

Altrincham started the game on a bobbly pitch at Ashton well but did not get the breakthrough till the 32nd minute when Johnston converted a penalty after a foul on Poole. But they fell asleep from the restart and Pritchard equalised a minute later.

Above: John Johnston nets a penalty to open he scoring at Hurst Cross in 2018.

After a lacklustre start to the second half, two goals in a five-minute spell around the hour mark seemed to have secured an away victory. A superb counter-attack was finished off by Johnston to make it 2-1 then a Jones header span into the net to make it 3-1 (62 mins).

But, five minutes later, a foul by Moult gave Ashton a freekick from the front edge of the box which Pritchard curled home and in the 89th minute Hampson failed to make a clearance. Posssession was lost, Ashton struck the bar and Chadwick nodded in the loose ball.

Just 546 spectators watched this relatively local derby.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Andy WHITE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Ben HARRISON, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. John JOHNSTON, 8. Max HARROP, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. James POOLE, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12. Tom PEERS, 14. Simon RICHMAN, 15. Mason WALSH, 16. Tom HANNIGAN, 17. Josh AMIS

ALTY OLD BOYS

In their match at Partick Thistle he came off the bench for his debut in the 80th minute, and his new team fortuitously won 1-3 in a match most notable for a number of decisions from the officials that could be best described as questionable - including two Partick goals being disallowed for offside.

Had there been VAR the result would quite likely have been different.

And in the Irish Premier Division, with nobody having won both of their opening fixtures, Waterford sit top of the league after winning 1-4 at Drogheda. BARRY BAGGLEY, who was again captain, was credited with the assist for their third goal".

Hanley Town "have turned to former Altrincham captain JAKE MOULT (left)in their bid to ease relegation fears from the Pitching In NPL West Division. Moult achieved cult hero status at Alty, making over 450 appearances in total...

He decided to leave the club at the end of the 2021/22 season when they moved to a full-time playing model, subsequently joining Buxton...

Most recently, he was part of a Stafford Rangers squad fighting to avoid relegation from the Northern Premier League. However, it was announced earlier this month that Moult had been released."

Moult's new player/manager is another Alty Old Boy, RYAN SHOTTON.

News of a former non-playing Alty Old Boy comes from Macclesfield FC, who report that former Altrincham FC scout MICHAEL CLEGG has been appointed as "the club’s new First Team Manager.

Clegg joins us from fellow Northern Premier League side Warrington Rylands where he has seen success during his time with The Blues taking them into play off contention...

Clegg has had spells at Ashton United and Atherton Collieries before joining Rylands in February 2023...

Director of Football Robbie Savage said, 'Firstly, I would like to wish [ex-manager] Alex Bruce, Phil Bardsley and all his staff all the best. I would like to wish Alex success in his new role at Salford City and whilst we are disappointed at the timing of the decision, we wish him well in his future coaching career'.

Left: Dean Furman has been placed in caretaker charge at Warrington Rylands, in succssion to Michael Clegg.

'We are delighted to appoint Michael Clegg and his backroom staff... Michael has many years of experience having managed nearly 500 games at this level of football.

'We believe that this is the right time to offer Michael the chance to manage at one of the biggest clubs in Non League with the objectives being clear in trying to get out of the league and a potential trip to Wembley...

'Michael has signed an 18 month contract at the club'".

Footnote: Clegg was appointed chief scout at Altrincham in January 2023. Weeks later, he moved on to manage Warington Rylands on a two-year contract.

An ex-Alty player DEAN FURMAN (above, left) has been appointed caretaker manager at Rylands, whose rise up the non-League pyramid has been funded by football agent Paul Stretford, whose clients have included Wayne Rooney and Harry Maguire.

ALTY OLD FOES

He led them to the 2019 National League South title and helped the Gulls reach the National League promotion final in 2021, when they missed out on promotion to League Two on penalties.

The Gulls were relegated back to the sixth tier in May and went into administration on Thursday.

'After discussions today with the football club, we have mutually agreed that I should leave Torquay United with immediate effect,' Johnson said...

One win in 12 matches, including five successive defeats, had left the Gulls in 11th place in the table and seven points off the play-off places.

Going into administration will see the club docked 10 points and drop to 18th place, four points above the relegation zone...

Owner Clarke Osborne brought in administrators and said he did not have the finances to continue to fund the club".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Frank returned from his 3,000-mile row earlier this week, after breaking another world record and raising over £300,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK...

The crowd for this game is lower than the capacity of the stadium due to segregation and ongoing maintenance in some areas.

Frank will address the crowd at 2.45pm".

It has been busy at Aggborough where Kidderminster Harriers confirm that "Kobe Hall will spend the rest of the season out on loan, getting crucial match experience with Coleshill Town.

Young striker Kobe, a graduate of our Academy, has been involved in several first team squads this season, making two Harriers appearances.

He’s also spent a valuable spell out on loan at Bromsgrove Sporting, and links up with Coleshill ahead of their match at Rugby Town on Saturday".

And Kidderminster Harriers also announce that "Phil Brown has landed another new recruit in the shape of experienced striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

The former England U19 International, who counts Arsenal, Ipswich and Bristol City amongst his previous clubs, has been training with the squad for the last few weeks.

The 33-year-old brings with him a wealth of EFL experience...

Phil Brown said 'Jay is someone I have been trying to get a hold off for probably four or five years... His presence is enormous, he’s a character, he’s got personality, and all of those things, he needs to bring to the party.

'We’ve really been putting some miles into him over the last couple of weeks [and] hopefully he’ll play some part in the games over the coming week. It’s a bit early to make any statements at the moment'".

And another arrival at Kidderminster Harriers is "striker Seb Thompson.

Young front man Thompson, 21, is local to the area and spent time in the Aston Villa Academy as a youth, before spells at Liverpool and Derby.

He’s also featured for Leicester and most, recently, Burnley. He left the Turf Moor outfit after a busy 2022-23 season of Academy football, and spent time with Macclesfield earlier this campaign to maintain his readiness.

Seb has been training with Harriers for the last month or so while he’s recovered from injury".

From York City we learn of "the signing Alex Hunt on loan from League Two side Grimsby Town.

The 23-year-old central midfielder joins the Minstermen until the end of the season from the North East Lincolnshire-based side.

Hunt initially joined The Mariners on loan during their 2021/22 National League season... A product of the youth setup at Sheffield Wednesday from the age of seven, the midfielder made 17 appearances for his hometown club...

Upon his return from the loan spell at Grimsby, he would sign a new 18-month contract with The Owls, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2023.

A League Two loan spell with Oldham Athletic shortly followed, picking up 13 appearances for Latics...

Following Grimsby Town’s return to the Football League... the midfielder was picked up for an undisclosed fee on deadline day.

Hunt has so far made over 60 appearances during his spells at Blundell Park, with 15 picked up so far this season".

The National League "is proud to be participating in the national campaign ‘Unite for Access’ – a celebration of accessibility and inclusion for disabled football fans. Over the years, the annual Level Playing Field campaign has seen hundreds of sports clubs, associations, organisations, and supporters, celebrate good access and inclusion throughout live sport...

23% of disabled fans feel they are unable to attend certain sports or sporting venues because they are inaccessible.

The campaign will kick off for the National League on the weekend of 24 February, with all clubs encouraged to get involved and deliver meaningful change for disabled sports fans.

National League General Manager Mark Ives said... 'We are committed to ensuring accessibility for all and commit to working with our clubs to improve.

'We know many disabled fans avoid watching their favourite sports team live because of the barriers they face in and around the ground. That’s why I encourage all supporters to engage with this important campaign but also with your club to ensure access and inclusion is on the agenda and at the heart of everything we do'".

Woking "confirm that Assistant Manager Ian Dyer has been relieved of his duties.

The Board of Directors would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Ian for his nearly-six years of service to the Club as Assistant Manager and, on two occasions, Caretaker Manager...

No further comment will be made today".

Dyer arrived with previous manager Darren Sarll who was sacked before Christmas.

23 February 2024

"AL" IS LATEST VOLUNTEER TO BE HONOURED

Most Alty fans will remember Alan's invaluable input as physio from 2012 to 2017 but might not realise he had another role at the club, putting his expertise at the disposal of the wider community.

The experienced and widely-respected sports therapist marked the opening of the Community Sports Hall at The J.Davidson Stadium by launching a senior citizens fitness club, and it is still going to this day...

Well done, Alan, a deserving recipient of our £30 monthly voucher, kindly donated by Blanchflower and to be spent at their ever-popular town centre bakery and kitchen, renowned for its exceptional cuisine."

NEW DATE FOR WEALDSTONE

Wealdstone's Isuzu FA Trophy commitments led to their league game with Alty being postponed on Saturday February 10th and again on Tuesday the 13th.

Agreement has now been reached for another new date, and the match will take place at the third attempt on Tuesday March 26th at The J.Davidson Stadium, kicking off at 7.45pm".

THROUGH THE YEARS: 24 February

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Reds were sharp from the off and quickly set about trying to ask questions of a talented visiting side by allowing them little time to settle on the ball...

It was Gateshead who stole ahead on 30 minutes. Marcus Dinanga was played in, and while Aaron Harper-Bailey did well to get in a block of his effort, the ball skewed off him and towards the target where an opportunistic Whelan was there to finish...

Frustratingly, the second visitors' goal came... [when] Jobe [was] given too much space to dash and meet a corner with a well directed header that clipped the woodwork before finding the top corner.

A personal battle between Dinanga and Dibble then ensued, with Dibble coming out on top in at least that regard, twice pulling off point-blank saves to stop the ex-Harriers loanee from finding the net".

HARTLEPOOL HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT: MAIDENHEAD UNITED

Like Alty, Maidenhead also lost on Tuesday.

The Maidenhead Advertiser reports on "A damaging defeat to Southend [which] leaves Maidenhead United one point above drop zone...

The Magpies, who were forced into a playing Casey Pettit out of position at right back due to injuries and suspension, never really looked like getting anything out of the game against a Shrimpers side who were in poor form themselves coming into the contest.

It's now four defeats on the spin in the league for Alan Devonshire's men, who briefly rekindled hopes of a play-off charge earlier this month... Since then, missed chances and misfortune have afflicted the team at a crucial juncture of the season, with the side losing a game they should have handsomely won at Boreham Wood before going down to a 2-1 defeat in the 98th minute at FC Halifax Town last week.

Saturday's 3-1 loss to Oldham Athletic and last night's 2-1 loss to Southend United were much more disappointing performances and few could argue they deserved anything from either contest.

United briefly came to life towards the end of the first half, when Kevin Lokko rose well to head home Sam Barratt's free kick to make it 1-1, but generally, they were second best to a Shrimpers side who started the night four points below them in the National League table....

Devonshire's men hav[e] failed to score more than one goal in all but one of their last 12 matches, now 13. It means that whenever they fall behind, there's a general unease about whether they have the firepower to get back into a game"

CHESHIRE NEWS

The 39-year-old former Hull City defender took over at the Northern Premier League side in October last year for his first role in management...

Bruce leaves with the Silkmen in fifth place in the seventh tier."

It was later announced that Bruce had taken up a coaching role at Salford City.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

A 2-0 win over Altrincham on Saturday evening in front of the TNT Sports cameras and a 1-0 win last night against Barnet ensured the title came Tommy Widdrington’s way!"

Oldham Athletic "had to settle for a point in Yorkshire as they played out a 1-1 draw with York City.

The hosts started the better of two sides, but couldn’t make it count, and it was Latics who took the lead after making their way into the game.

That advantage didn’t last, however, and York equalised through Will Davies nine minutes later, seeing Oldham take a point home...

Oldham definitely stepped it up a gear after the break, and looked in a much better position to open the scoring...

On the hour mark, Athletic took the lead, with the move starting from skipper, Liam Hogan’s long ball [which]... caused Sykes-Kenworthy to emerge from his goal but Mikey [Fondop] beat him to it, heading the ball over him, before it bounced into the goal.

The advantage didn’t last though, with Davies making final contact with Will Smith’s header to divert it past Hudson.

That blew the game wide open, in a match where both sides wanted, and needed to win, and that was reflected in how they traded spells in possession in the final third, but no real chances of note came".

Despite three postponements forcing them to play their FA Trophy tie on their opponents' ground, Wealdstone "confirmed their place in the quarter finals of the FA Trophy with a 4-0 win over Hendon...

Goals from Alex Dyer, two from Tarryn Allarakhia and an Aaron Henry free-kick secured the win against local rivals.

Skipper Jack Cook made his way back into the starting eleven following suspension, alongside Dyer who made his first start back from injury. Max Kretzschmar also returned from injury onto the bench...

Dyer pick[ed] up the ball outside the box and plac[ed] it into the back of the net after only six minutes...

A mistake from Hendon's 'keeper let Corie Andrews square the ball to Allarakhia who expertly weaved his way through the Hendon defence and slotted it in to double the advantage...

Allarakhia found his second goal 61 minutes into the game...

Only two minutes later, an expertly placed free-kick taken by Aaron Henry slotted perfectly into the top corner of the goal to make it 4-0 to the 'home' side".

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 3-2 ALTRINCHAM

Goalkeeper Dixon probably should have done better than divert the shot into the roof of the net.

Earlier a Dior Angus (left) header had hit the bar following a corner. The same player also had a great chance to make it 2-0 when he beat a defender and got into the goalmouth only to miscue his shot weakly to Dixon's hands.

But the Pools were much improved in the second half and netted twice in the first eight minutes after the break.

Firstly, as Roscoe attempted to get the ball to him, Gould came out to his right but then retreated, allowing the ball to be played for Dieseruvwe to convert easily.

Four minutes later Gould was deemed to have brought down Grey. Dieseruvwe sent Gould the wrong way from the spot to give his side a lead they had not deserved at that stage (53 mins).

Alty then saw plenty of the ball without creating a clear chance and, when substitute Linney lost possession, the ball was played in from the right to Grey whose low cross was held up by Dieseruvwe, allowing Ferguson to sweep in a third goal (69 mins).

Alty got a consolation goal in added time when substitute Conn-Clarke found Angus from the left and his low shot went through Dixon's legs to make the final score 3-2 (90-+1 mins).

Results elsewhere saw Altrincham drop out of the play-off places into eighth place.

Match report here.

PARKINSON POST-MATCH

POOLS' VIEW

Altrincham started the game strongly...

The deadlock was broken after 33 minutes though, after a failed Pools clearance fell to Matty Kosylo who struck from range...

Pools started the second half much stronger and got their reward when Dieseruvwe turned the ball home from a Joe Grey cut back just four minutes after the interval.

That goal made Dieseruvwe the first Pools player to score 20 or more goals in a single season since Joel Porter in the 2008/09 season.

Just minutes later, Grey found himself through on goal again only for Altrincham keeper Matthew Gould to recklessly bring him down in the area, forcing the referee to point to the spot.

Dieseruvwe would cooly dispatch the chance to grab his second of the game..

With 20 minutes left, Pools doubled their advantage with Dieseruvwe turning provider on this occasion. The forward neatly laid the ball off to the edge of the box where Ferguson was on hand to stroke into the far corner, making it 3-1.

Altrincham forward Dior Agnus grabbed a late consolation goal for the visitors, but Pools ultimately saw the game out to make it five games unbeaten for Phillips since his arrival".

NEXT: MAIDENHEAD UNITED

Their last visit was on Tuesday, 17 January 2023 when Alty won 3-2 despite having conceded the opening goal. Alty had signed Chesterfield winger Michael Gyasi on a season-long loan, a move announced on the eve of this match, but he was not in the squad for this game. However, there was a surprise new name in the squad in the form of Manchester United loanee midfield teenager, Maxi Oyedele.

The victory made it ten games unbeaten in all competitions as Altrincham moved up to tenth in the National League.

Maidenhead took the lead against the run of play when Alty headed a visitors' freekick out to Reece Smith. He fired an unstoppable shot past Byrne from outside the box (18 mins).

But Conn-Clarke levelled seven minutes later, direct from a freekick (25 mins). Then, from a Conn-Clarke cross, Kaja got a touch towards goal before Dinanga finished it off to give Alty the lead (33 mins).

Having largely dominated the first half, Alty's occasional defensive sloppiness gave Maidenhead an equaliser in the first added minute of the half. A long ball got McCoulsky in behind James Jones and he volleyed home to make it 2-2 at the interval.

Another wonderful freekick by Conn-Clarke, after he had been fouled, deservedly made it 3-2 and Alty looked set to secure a comfortable win (64 mins). But after taking the lead, they took their foot off the gas and sloppy defending gave Maidenhead occasional openings. But the Robins got to the end with the three points intact.

Just four of Alty's starters in last year's match also started the Robins' most recent game.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Oliver Byrne, 5. Toby Mullarkey, 26. James Jones, 6. Lewis Baines, 2. Eddy Jones, 4. Isaac Marriott, 8. Josh Lundstram, 16. Chris Conn-Clarke, 30. Marcus Dinanga, 9. Jordan Hulme (c), 33. Egli Kaja. Subs: 18. Ben Pringle, 10. Elliot Osborne, 32. Zak Goodson, 35. Connor Jennings, 28. Maxi Oyedele.

ALTY OLD BOYS

League One : OWEN DALE was substituted after 71 minutes by Oxford United, as they were held 2-2 at home by Northampton Town.

League Two : Although JOEL SENIOR put in a full shift, Morecambe slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Walsall

National League : Having already been booked, DANNY WHITEHEAD was withdrawn by AFC Fylde after 61 minutes. For the second home game in a row they conceded a two-goal lead, although, unlike Barnet on Saturday, Solihull Moors didn't complete the turnaround and drew 2-2.

MARCUS DINANGA was substituted after 79 minutes, as Gateshead won 0-2 at Kidderminster Harriers. ASHLEY HEMMINGS put in a full shift for the hosts.

Oldham Athletic again left JOSH LUNDSTRAM on their bench as they drew 1-1 at York City.

National North : KENNEDY DIGIE (above right) scored the clincher as Alfreton Town beat visitors Banbury United 2-0.

Although Southport earned a 0-1 win at Scarborough Athletic, LUKE BURGESS was sent off late in the game.

Southern Central : MONTEL GIBSON scored the only goal of the game as AFC Telford won at Stamford.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Dale were relegated from the EFL last season after 102 years but have faced major financial problems.

Gauge has put in £566,000 in the past few months to keep Dale going, but has reached his credit limit.

They now need an investor to put in £2m to gain 90% of the club.

Rochdale are 12th in the National League and 10 points off the play-off places after four successive defeats.

Dale became a fan-owned club in August 2022, but have had to undertake serious cost-cutting measures this season after dropping out of the EFL.

An Extraordinary General Meeting has now been called for Thursday, 7 March to try to agree to proposals, including the creation of nine million new shares, which would change the conditions for investment in the club.

In a statement, Gauge, who has been involved with Rochdale since June 2021, described the club as 'asset-rich and cash-poor' and that he and his family can put no further money into the club to keep it going...

He said, 'The threat of liquidation at the end of March is very real. The passing of this resolution [at the EGM] does not guarantee saving the club, but it will certainly give it a fighting chance. To be clear, the existence of Rochdale AFC is at stake'".

He came on as a substitute against Altrincham recently but nowSolihull Moors report that "Tyler Bruck has joined Bromsgrove Sporting on a 28-day loan.

Another product of the Solihull Moors Elite Academy, Tyler Bruck signed YPP terms last summer, before joining Studley on loan, where he got invaluable minutes in men's football whilst scoring a few goals for the Bees.

Since returning from Studley, the forward has featured under Andy Whing on two occasions, scoring against Nantwich Town in the Isuzu FA Trophy before making his Vanarama National League debut against Maidenhead United.

Bruck links up with Finn Howell, who also recently joined the Worcestershire outfit".

Two new faces arrived at Oxford City. The first was "the signing of centre-half Brooklyn Kabongolo on a contract that runs until the end of the season.

The young defender links up with the Hoops after leaving fellow Vanarama National League side Southend United earlier this month... The talented 6ft 6in central defender bolsters the Hoops’ backline after a number of injuries to the squad...

Kabongolo said... 'I look forward to helping the team out for the rest of the season. I like the style of play that the team play here and I think that suits me. I enjoy defending....

'I’m up for any battle and I feel I can help the team get out of the situation we’re in'...

Kabongolo rose through the youth ranks with Championship side Ipswich Town before joining Isthmian League side Billericay Town in September of this season... and was released by the Essex club so he could sign at Southend.

He went on to make thirteen appearances at Roots Hall, and was also used as a makeshift striker in some matches".

The second arrival at Oxford City is "highly-rated goalkeeper Tom Watson on-loan from Sky Bet League One side Wigan Athletic.

The 20-year-old Goalkeeper has been with the Latics since the age of seven, and now joins City on a rolling loan deal... The 6ft 2in shot-stopper... said 'When I heard about the move I couldn’t turn it down. The opportunity to get games in at this level will be massive for me!...

'I like to play out and that’s something that’s been ingrained in me since coming through at Wigan. I like to play with the ball at my feet but I’m also confident in my shot stopping ability as well.'

Watson is a product of the pre-academy at Wigan and signed for the club at just nine-years-old...

He joined NPL North West side Mossley on loan last season, and again impressed".

York City reveal that "Midfielder Olly Dyson will stay at Vanarama National League North side Scarborough Athletic on loan until the end of the season, after initially joining on a one month loan deal in January.

The 24-year-old midfielder has made four appearances on loan with Scarborough Athletic, playing a part in two National League North victories for the Seadogs.

Following injury, Dyson had returned to the Minstermen in order to receive treatment, but will now spend the remainder of the campaign with Scarborough".

20 February 2024

FIVE CHANGES BY ALTY

Out went regulars Baines, Linney, Conn-Clarke, Amaluzor, and Newby who are also the club's five leading scorers this season with 42 league goal to their collective names. They are swapped for the five players who populated the subs' bench last weekend.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Matt Gould, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Jake Cooper, 3. Eddie Jones, 8. Isaac Marriott (c), 6. Elliot Osborne, 16. Sam Roscoe, 7. Matty Kosylo, 14. Dior Angus, 19. George Wilson, 44. Dan Mooney. Subs: 4. Lewis Baines, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 30. Alex Newby, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 9. Regan Linney.

Hartlepool were unchanged...

HARTLEPOOL UNITED: 1. Joel Dixon, 3. David Ferguson, 10. Callum Cooke, 12. Joe Grey, 20. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, 22. Tom Crawford, 27. Luke Hendrie, 29. Tom Parkes, 35. Nicky Featherstone, 38. Brennan Dickenson, 42. Luke Waterfall. Subs: 13. Peter Jameson, 23. Manny Onariase, 32. Louis Stephenson, 6. Kieran Wallace, 41. Chay Cooper.

TUESDAY FIXTURES

Vanarama National League

• AFC Fylde 2-2 Solihull Moors
• Aldershot Town 1-0 Barnet
• Bromley 2-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Woking
• FC Halifax Town P-P Chesterfield (waterlogged pitch)
• Hartlepool United 3-2 Altrincham
• Kidderminster Harriers 0-2 Gateshead
• Maidenhead United 1-2 Southend United
• Oxford City 2-5 Eastleigh
• Rochdale P-P Boreham Wood (waterlogged pitch)
• York City 1-1 Oldham Athletic

Isuzu FA Trophy Fifth Round

• Bishop's Stortford 0-3 Coalville Town
• Wealdstone 4-0 Hendon ("switched to Silver Jubilee Park in Kingsbury following a failed pitch inspection at Grosvenor Vale on Monday". That is Hendon's ground).

The sixth round (quarter-final) ties take place on 9 March and the draw is as follows...

• Gateshead FC v Peterborough Sports
• Bromley FC v Barnet FC
• Wealdstone FC v Solihull Moors
• Macclesfield FC v Coalville Town

JOEY JONES'S INJURY

However, on X (formerly twitter), Altrincham FC unexpectedly stated on Monday, "We would like to send our best wishes to Joey Jones after the midfielder had surgery earlier on today on an ankle injury".

It would seem highly unlikely therefore that he will play again for Altrincham this season.

Before his injury, Joey's game time this season amounted to a little over the equivalent of four 90-minute matches. That comprised 4(+5) appearances.

Joey joined Altrincham last summer after being released by Solihull Moors. Earlier in his career he had joined Woking, initially on loan, from Yeovil Town in 2014 before signing on for the Cards. Next, he moved on to Eastleigh in 2018. In 2019 he moved into the EFL with Salford City

Next, he signed for Dagenham & Redbridge from where he went on loan to Grimsby Town before he joined the Moors, making 19 league appearances for them in 2022-23. An injury cost him the latter part of pre-season before his injury at Maidenhead.

PHILLIPS'S UNBEATEN POOLS FACE ALTY

Pools are unbeaten in four with Phillips in the dugout, recording an emphatic victory over Boreham Wood last time out. Despite going behind within the first minute, Pools responded with goals from Joe Grey, Mani Dieseruvwe and Luke Waterfall as they jumped to 10th in the table...

Phil Parkinson's outfit, which includes former Hartlepool loanees Jake Cooper (left) and Eddy Jones, remain fifth and in the play-off positions.

The sides have met just four times before, with Altrincham remaining unbeaten. In the reverse fixture this season, Pools rescued a point late on through a Joe Grey equaliser.

In the 2020/21 campaign, the sides played out two 1-1 draws, while the Robins also won 2-0 in an FA Cup clash back in 1973.

Otis Khan, Josh Umerah, Anthony Mancini and Dan Dodds all remain sidelined. Courtney Duffus is also expected to miss out after suffering a setback on his recovery trail.

Courtney Senior will be assessed ahead of the fixture, while Alex Lacey continues to build his fitness after returning to full training last week".

TONIGHT: HARTLEPOOL UNITED

The reverse fixture this season ended in a 2-2 draw at the J. Davidson Stadium with both sides letting a lead slip during the Tuesday evening match on 19 September, 2023.

The result was the sixth draw in ten outings for the Robins and was the least an injury-ravaged Altrincham side deserved against their visitors from the North-East.

Right: Lewis Baines (facing camera, right) is congratulated on his goal in the reverse fixture, last September.

Alty were without six injured first teamers in the shape of Ollie Crankshaw, Regan Linney, George Wilson, James Jones, Liam Brockbank and Matty Kosylo. There was a surprise in that Amaluzor and Donawa both moved to the bench as Joey Jones and Sam Roscoe started, giving the side a more defensive aspect.

At the back, Jake Cooper and Eddy Jones both started, the two also having been loanees at Hartlepool in 2021/22.

Altrincham fell behind against the run of play when Finney was played in behind the Altrincham defence and, as Ross raced out to meet him, he looped an excellent finish over the keeper and into the net (15 mins).

In swirling rain Alty levelled after 23 minutes. The goal arrived after Conn-Clarke, for the second time in the game, found himself behind the Pools' defence. He played the ball inside and it ricocheted into the path of Marriott who stabbed the ball home.

Alty took the lead in the fourth added minute of the first half. A freekick from the left arrived in the path of Baines, to the right of centre, who hooked the ball home impressively at the second attempt. Amaluzor and Donawa were introduced in the final quarter of the game with the former's electric pace causing the Pools' defence problems.

But Hartlepool netted an equaliser after 77 minutes when Grey was played in and he finished coolly past the advancing Ross. Ross made a couple of important saves in the closing stages whilst substitute Amaluzor also went close at the other end.

ALTRINCHAM: 29. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 3. Eddy Jones, 4. Lewis Baines, 16. Sam Roscoe, 22. Joey Jones, 6. Elliot Osborne, 8. Isaac Marriott (c), 14. Dior Angus, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 15. Jake Cooper. Subs: 11. Justin Amaluzor, 17. Justin Donawa, 20. Tom Jones, 21. Matt Gould, 32. George Burroughs

Just six of the above Altrincham line-up also started the club's most recent fixture at Aldershot, last Saturday, (Banks, Eddy Jones, Osborne, Marriott, Conn-Clarke and Cooper).

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Having gained one win in their last six games, Maidenhead are just four points ahead of 21st-placed Ebbsfleet United in the relegation zone and they have completed more fixtures than all the other clubs occupying the six places currently below them.

With 34 goals from 34 matches, they are the joint lowest scorers per game in the division, with Kidderminster alone the only club with a worse strike rate. At the back they are better, with 13 other clubs having let in more goals this season.

Since reaching the National League level in 2017, they have twice flirted with relegation but, under Alan Devonshire's experienced leadership, the part-timers have now reached seven successive seasons in non-League's top flight.

• 2017-18: P 46 PTS 64 PLACED 12/24
• 2018-19: P 46 PTS 54 PLACED 19/24
• 2019-20: P 38 PTS 41 PLACED 21/24
• 2020-21: P 42 PTS 56 PLACED 13/22
• 2021-22: P 44 PTS 51 PLACED 17/23
• 2022-23 P 46 PTS 50 PLACED 20/24

The Derbyshire Times reports that "Richard Hill left 15th-placed Eastleigh, who are winless in 11, by ‘mutual consent’ at the weekend. His last game was a 3-0 defeat away to Ebbsfleet United.

But the Spitfires have reacted quickly and appointed ex-Southampton keeper, Kelvin Davis, 47, who made 600 appearances during his playing career, as their new boss.

His experience includes being first-team coach at Southampton and MK Dons and assistant manager at Macclesfield".

The East Anglian Daily Times adds of Davis that "He has appointed Danny Butterfield has his assistant manager, who most recently worked under former Town player Mark Kennedy at Lincoln City.

Davis retired from football at the age of 39 in 2016 and subsequently served as both caretaker boss and first team coach at Southampton before leaving the club at the end of the 2021/22 season".

According to London's Standard "Barnet have announced plans to leave The Hive and build a new stadium, ending what chairman Tony Kleanthous has described as a “ten-year exile in Harrow”.

Underhill Stadium was Barnet’s home for more than a century, before the club relocated in 2013 amid lease disputes with the council.

The Bees have played at The Hive, [which was iriginally planned for Wealdstone FC], since then...

Underhill has been demolished, but the process of moving the club back to Barnet is set to begin, with plans for a new stadium with a capacity of up to 8,000. WSP Planning Consultancy have been instructed to commence the pre-application process.

A statement from Kleanthous read 'During the long months of Covid, I busied myself with trying to find a way to bring the club back home and met with Barnet Council to ask for their support in locating a suitable site on which I could build a new stadium.

'I undertook to fund the full cost of construction so that we could progress without any funding delays.

'After months of searching, it became clear that the best site was the one we originally identified at South Underhill and so we asked our architect to revisit these proposals. This new scheme is a redesigned slimmed down version of our original planning application at the South Underhill site'.

Barnet have pledged to put a school in the area 'at the forefront of the project', with a drop-off zone for pupils included in plans to help address rush hour traffic problems. There will also be two Multi Use Game Areas, as well as a training pitch next to the new stadium'".

York City "announce the capture of highly rated attacker Charlie Allen on loan from Championship side Leeds United.

The 20-year-old Northern Ireland youth international joins the Minstermen on an initial one-month loan.

Allen joined the Whites Academy back in August 2020, after moving from Northern Irish outfit Linfield for an undisclosed fee, where he was their youngest ever debutant at the age of 15...

After quickly showing his talent throughout both the Under-18s and Under-23s sides at Leeds United, the initial deal signed in 2020 was extended in the summer of 2023 to run for a further year.

Last season, Allen played 24 matches, stretching across the U18 Premier League, Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy, scoring three times.

Making seven appearances so far this season in Premier League 2, the midfield attacker has picked up two goals and an assist".

19 February 2024

NEXT: HARTLEPOOL UNITED

But their recovery, latterly under Kevin Phillips, has seen them go into tomorrow's clash with a better recent record than Altrncham. Pools have won four and drawn one of their last six games.

Neverthless they only lie tenth, eight points behind Alty despite having played three more games.

Their most recent opponents, Boreham Wood reported that "Wood succumbed to their second defeat on the road in four days when they have taken the lead. Kabs Tshimanga’s early opener gave Wood the lead before Joe Grey equalised on the stroke of half time and two late goals from Manny Dieseruvwe and Luke Waterfall sealed the points for the Hartlepool.

Boreham Wood got off to a flying start when Kabs Tshimanga scored in the first fourteen seconds for his first goal since his return to the club..

The hosts got a deserved equaliser just before the break when Joe Grey scored with a decisive finish following an excellent through ball by Tom Crawford. In truth, it was no more than Pools deserved.

Boreham Wood came out for the second half, a much-improved side... Hartlepool, who had been so quiet in the second half, gave a sign of things to come when Chay Cooper shot narrowly wid... With five minutes of normal time left, it looked like Boreham Wood would come away with a point (or more), but the hosts took the lead. David Ferguson’s cross was nodded in by Dieservwe... and the hosts were able to add a third goal on ninety minutes when Luke Waterfall finished well following a good Pools move...

Hartlepool United: Dixon, Ferguson, Cooke (Stephenson 82), Grey (Wallace 88), Dieseruvwe, Crawford, Hendire, Parkes, Featherstone, Dickenson (Cooper 67), Waterfall. Subs not used: Jameson, Onariase".

ALTY OLD BOYS

THROUGH THE YEARS: 20 February 2024

The most recent game on 20 February was a 1-1 home draw against Guiseley in 2016.

Back then, with just one win in their last eleven league matches Altrincham remained nineteenth after a hard-fought draw with Guiseley. The game was played in rain throughout, on a pitch made heavy by recent wet weather, but referee Derek Eaton passed it fit following a 2pm inspection.

Above: Altrincham FC groundsman, Neil Brown, thanked everyone who helped to get the 2016 game played at the J Davidson Stadium. That included those who helped with the pitch covers (above) and the forking at half-time. He is also very grateful to Manchester United for verti-draining the pitch on the eve of the game, as without it the game could not have been played.

Guiseley had the better of the first half but fell behind in the 43rd minute when substitute Scott Leather fed Michael Rankine. He made space well before blasting a shot past young Guiseley keeper Atkinson from outside the box. The Lions equalised in the 56th minute when Rob Atkinson netted with a free header following a freekick

ALTRINCHAM : 17. Tim DEASY, 2. Jordan SINNOTT, 5. Luca HAVERN, 28. Marcus HOLNESS, 3. Adam GRIFFIN, 4. Jake MOULT (capt), 14. Josh O'KEEFE, 7. James LAWRIE 19. Ryan CROWTHER 15. Josh GINNELLY, 9. Michael RANKINE. Subs: 27. Jonathon MARGETTS, 10. Damian REEVES, 23. Callum WILLIAMS, 6. Scott LEATHER, 12. Sam HEATHCOTE.

EARLY POSTPONEMENT AT ROCHDALE

After the rainfall over the weekend, including during Saturday’s match against Solihull Moors, an independent match official has deemed the playing surface as being in an unplayable condition.

Although the pitch is gradually improving in today's dry conditions, there is further heavy rainfall forecast before the scheduled kick-off time tomorrow. Taking this and the current condition of the pitch into account, and with Dale and Boreham Wood mindful to call an inspection in good time for the benefit of both teams and sets of supporters, the match has been called off".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Maidenhead started the game strong[ly] with two half chances created via Reece Smith and Tobi Sho-Silva but neither challenged Oldham keeper Matthew Hudson.

Oldham had the ball in the back of the net inside the opening ten minutes through Liam Hogan before the linesman raised his flag for offside.

The visitors grew into the game and forced Maidenhead into their own half for long periods during the first half and despite looking lively failed to threaten Craig Ross in goal.

The constant pressure from Oldham paid off in the 15th minute when... Joe Garner slotted the ball past Ross. ..

Oldham doubled their advantage just before the hour mark after a scramble in the box following a corner fell to Fondop who struck the ball into the roof of the net...

Oldham added their third in stoppage [time]... Maidenhead did get one back in stoppage time when a scramble in the box fell to Sam Beckwith".

18 February 2024

"WE DIDN'T TURN UP" SAYS PARKINSON

He explained the substitution of three forward players admitting we "didn't want itto be more than 2-0 so we cut our attacking threat a little bit" in the latter stages of the game.

More of the onterview is available via Alty TV. .

ALDERSHOT TOWN 2-0 ALTRINCHAM

After a tight first half in which the hosts were arguably the better of two less than impressive sides, Alty conceded two goals immediately before the interval.

The first goal arrived when Alty half cleared a cross from the Aldershot left only for Frost to react to the situation more quickly than Eddy Jones and he drove the ball home (45 mins).

In the fourth added minute before the break Alty lost possession upfield and Barham advanced on the right. His shot was saved but not held by Matt Gould and Tolaj netted the rebound to make it 2-0 (45+4 mins).

Sadly, Altrincham never looked like retrieving the game in a second half during which three attacking players (Amaluzor, Newby and Linney) were substituted, none of them having seriously threatened the Aldershot goal. The Shots were well worth the points.

Match report here

ALTY OLD BOYS

Championship : Relegation threatened Sheffield Wednesday were 0-2 up at the break at Millwall, and that was the final score. DUNCAN WATMORE was introduced on the hour.

League One : CARL PIERGIANNI played the full game as his Stevenage side lost to the only goal at Derby County.

Fleetwood brought JUNIOR QUITIRNA off the bench after 75 minutes, but visitors Barnsley had already completed the scoring in a 1-2 victory by that time.

Burton Albion came from behind to win 1-2 at Leyton Orient, and left JOE HUGILL on their bench. Oxford United did the same to OWEN DALE in their goalless draw at Wycombe Wanderers.

League Two : JOEL SENIOR put in a full shift as Morecambe earned a 1-1 draw at AFC WIMBLEDON, as did ALISTAIR SMITH for Colchester United, who also drew 1-1 with visitors Accrington Stanley.

TOBY MULLARKEY wasn't in Grimsby Town's squad - they were thrashed 1-5 by visitors Doncaster Rovers.

Right: Jack Redshaw.

By the time Barrow brought ELLIOT NEWBY off the bench at Salford City they were already 4-2 down, and the game finished 5-3.

CONNOR JENNINGS scored the final goal as Tranmere Rovers beat his old club Stockport County 4-0 at Prenton Park.

National League : AFC Fylde restored DANNY WHITEHEAD to their starting line-up, but visitors Barnet won 2-4.

Whether it was the absence of all three of their former Robins from the squad at Bromley that led to Chesterfield going down 4-3 is something we can merely guess at.

BILLY SASS-DAVIES played the full game for Boreham Wood at Hartlepool, but the hosts won 3-1. LUKE WATERFALL scored the clincher, having been booked earlier.

Despite leaving JOSH LUNDSTRAM on the bench, Oldham Athletic won 1-3 at Maidenhead United.

Rochdale left KYLE FERGUSON out of their squad for the home game against Solihull Moors, while the visitors had already completed the scoring in their 1-2 win by the time TYRESE SINCLAIR came off the bench in the 74th minute.

MARCUS DINANGA scored Gateshead's third in a 2-4 win at Wealdstone.

National North : CONNOR KIRBY put Buxton 2-0 up from the spot, and added another as they won 3-1 at home to Banbury United.

National South : DANNY CASHMAN put Worthing ahead early at Weymouth, and despite playing some 80 minutes with ten men (and finishing with only nine!) they won 1-4.

NPL : JACK REDSHAW (above, right) rescued a point for Hyde, as they came from behind at home to draw 1-1 with visitors Stafford Rangers.

JORDAN HULME scored Radcliffe's second in a 3-2 home win over NEIL YOUNG's Marine.

Southern Central : Although ANDY DALES scored for them, Mickleover lost 4-1 at Royston Town.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

We will provide updates of a new manager in due course".

A little more detail comes from the Southern Daily Echo whic tells us that "Richard Hill has departed the club with the Spitfires 15th in the National League.

The decision... comes following a 3-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Ebbsfleet United.

Eastleigh are without a win in 11 matches in all competitions...

Hill was appointed for his second spell as boss at the Silverlake Stadium in September 2023, replacing the sacked Lee Bradbury.

He had been operating as club director since March the same year, before taking on the management job again.

Hill won promotion to the National League with the Spitfires during his first spell as manager, between 2012-15".

AFC Fylde report that "Owen Evans has completed a loan move to National League North side, Brackley Town.

Owen, spent several years with Swansea City and graduated from their academy, where he featured for the U18s.

From Swansea to Salford, Evans joined the Ammies’ U21s side in 2019 before a switch to Merthyr Town after two years at the Peninsula Stadium.

After one season back home in Wales with Merthyr, Gloucester sealed the signature of the 22-year-old and utilised him in 43 National League North fixtures, including one meeting against the Coasters at Mill Farm in March.

Owen has agreed to link up with Chris Beech’s side for the 2023/24 campaign".

17 February 2024

SATURDAY FIXTURES

• AFC Fylde 2-4 Barnet
• Aldershot Town 2-0 Altrincham (k.o. 5.30pm)
• Bromley 4-3 Chesterfield
• Ebbsfleet United 3-0 Eastleigh
• FC Halifax Town 2-1 Woking
• Hartlepool United 3-1 Boreham Wood
• Kidderminster Harriers 0-0 Dorking Wanderers
• Maidenhead United 1-3 Oldham Athletic
• Oxford City 0-0 Southend United
• Rochdale 1-2 Solihull Moors
• Wealdstone 2-4 Gateshead
• York City 1-1 Dagenham & Redbridge

DONAWA JOINS MAGPIES ON LOAN

The 27-year old brings a wealth of National League & National League North experience to the table, with over 100 competitive appearances in total.

Justin (right) has played 13* times for Alty this campaign, scoring three times in the process. His opportunities with the club have been limited through injury, though he is now fit, firing and ready to go again...

Justin joins the Magpies on a deal that is initially set to run through to the 15th of March".

Chorley boss Andy Preece explained that "We are really pleased to get Justin over the line. We have had to be patient and thanks to Phil for allowing him to come to us.

Justin is an exciting player with pace and ability to create and score goals".

*Footnote: Donawa has actually played 14 times for Alty this season, comprising 9(+4) league appearances plus a start in the Cheshire Senior Cup.

JUSTIN AMALUZOR INTERVIEW

Justin also discusses his former club, Aldershot Town, who entertain Altrincham today.

Right: Justin Amaluzor during the win over Rochdale last week.

ALTY OLD BOYS

A bit closer to home, Phil adds news from the Irish Premier Division where, between 1965-6 and 1972-3 Waterford were the Irish champions 6 times in 8 seasons.

They've been less successful of late, but, following their playoff victory over Cork City, they returned to the top flight this evening under the captaincy of BARRY BAGGLEY.

They led visitors Shelbourne after only 3 minutes, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw, despite their opponents going down to 10 men after 84 minutes.

OPPONENTS AIM TO PUT "BLIP" BEHIND THEM

The manager did state, however, that "The next game is always the toughest, because it is the next game" and he believed that "on a one-off basis we can beat every team" in the National League.

He said that three key players had to come off the pitch on Tuesday night, in addition to losing Cian Harries to a red card.

The "knocks" picked up on Tuesday night, included Josh Barrett, Theo Widdrington and striker Lorent Tolaj, who all of whom had to be substituted, two of them not even making it into the second half.

In addition, Tyler Frost had missed that game as he was ill but Widdrington believed that he "should not be out for too long".

In other news, Aldershot Town announced today that "Club Secretary Matt Wigman... will be moving on to a Championship club in the near future!

Matt joined Aldershot Town in 2018 as a Ticket and Merchandise Officer, before stepping up to the role of Club Secretary at the end of the 21/22 season...

Club Chairman Shahid Azeem said... 'Matt will be the second young and upcoming talent we’ve seen move to the Championship recently and it’s a great sign of the good work going on both on and off the pitch at the club.'”

That comment referenced player Josh Stokes, who has signed for Bristol City but has been loaned back to complete the season at Aldershot and can be expected to face Altrincham this evening.

TODAY: ALDERSHOT TOWN

With a later kick off time of 5:30 the Shots will be looking to return to form following Tuesday’s game against Fylde, and face a tough test as high flying Altrincham come to the EBB Stadium...

Altrincham were founded in 1891, and will be making a 200+ mile trip down from their 7,000+ seater[!] stadium Moss Lane. Also know as “the Robins”, Altrincham finished just above the Shots in 17th last season...

The Shots were defeated on the road at Moss Lane earlier in the season by Altrincham, but more than held their own in the game...

Altrincham have won... four in their last five against Barnet, Eastleigh, Solihull Moors and Rochdale".

PARKY AIMS TO BOOST ATTENDANCES

It includes the following comments by the Altrincham manager.

In the National League, he says, "the finishing line represents a golden opportunity to turn a memorable season into the greatest in the entire history of Altrincham FC...

A promotion unprecedented in the club's 130-year existence can no longer be dismissed as a pipedream. It is an aspiration driven by an ambitious, forward-thinking board, along with myself and Neil Sorvel, and it has gathered momentum and credibility on a weekly basis...

I'm fully aware there is a huge challenge ahead and work still to be done, but there is a strategy in place, and it includes a role for a fan base that stretches across the Altrincham area and beyond...

The fans can be our 12th man. The sight of Alty supporters packing the stadium and the sound of loud, sustained vocal backing from the first minute to the last is like having a 12th player out on the pitch.

So, with that in mind, my message to fans throughout the region is I want more of you here, because you can help us achieve something special. It's brilliant that more are coming through the gate, but I want to see even greater numbers filling the ground and making plenty of noise at every home game between now and the end of the season...

If you can't enjoy watching Alty at the moment, you never will.

We want to be a Football League team, and one of the requirements for that is building support, so get along and make this place a fortress, because it really does make a difference..

The good times are rolling, a fitting reward for a board of directors who had the vision and self-assurance to take the club into the challenging environment of full-time professional football 18 months ago...

So, whether you are from Altrincham, Hale, Bowdon, Sale, Timperley, Wythenshawe or further afield, get yourself along to The J.Davidson Stadium and be part of what we are all hoping will prove an historic end to the 2023-24 season".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

"The pitch issues at The Vale, which have led to a number of matches to be postponed are a huge frustration and draw concern from all corners of the club.

The complexity of the situation, and the intricate balance between finding a durable solution and managing the financial implications of extensive pitch remediation given club's current short-term lease arrangement at Grosvenor Vale, requires detailed analysis of any major capital expenditure on the ground. Clearly the current situation cannot continue, but this constraint makes it imperative we are confident that any investment addresses the issues.

The Board of Directors in partnership with the expert ground staff at Turfdoctor is committed to solving the problem by undertaking comprehensive drainage work and removing the organic matter affecting the pitch condition.

Quotes have been received from three specialist firms, with work scheduled to commence once this season ends. This initiative is expected to restore the pitch to optimal condition by the start of the new season...

Works were planned to take place last summer, however our contractor was delayed getting on site due to issues with their equipment. This meant the works would not be completed in time for the new season and unfortunately the work had to be cancelled".

Woking are already planning their end of season festivities.

For the May Bank Holiday Weekend "we host our first Woking Weekender, an epic three-day celebration of sport, community, music, food, drink and much more!

Early Bird Weekend passes are only £25.00 for adults and £20.00 for children, providing access to the entire weekend! Individual day tickets will be on sale once the Early Bird offer has ended on Sunday 17th March....

• Friday 3rd May – Legends and Celebrities Match... Fans will have the chance to buy in to a team, lining up with legends of the Club and Celebrities...

• Saturday 4th May – Cardinal Gold Cup & Back to the 90s... A 16-team, six-a-side community tournament taking place on the pitch... with the winning teams receiving a 2024/25 Season Ticket, and no one will go home empty handed...

  Each team will play at least eight matches in a group stage and knockout tournament. Enter yours for just £200...

  There will be an Open Mic Community Music Day in the Cardinals Bar, with food and drink in the Fan Zone available all day... [and] head to the Cardinals Bar for a night of 90s Nostalgia where DJ Ryan will be throwing a 90s Throwback Disco...

• Sunday 5th May – End of Season Party. Gates open from 12:00 until late...

  Head down as we take over the pitch, with more giant inflatables, toddler town, local market stalls, football tournaments, and music and food galore! This year, we are delighted to have Noasis headlining on the pitch main stage...

  We will also be hosting our End of Season Player Awards, with the Men’s, Women’s, and Academy teams all in attendance, with members of the management team being involved throughout the day".

At Southend United "Kevin Maher says Blues have to stick to their beliefs as we attempt to pick up a first win in four games at Oxford City on Saturday.

Two narrow defeats have left the Shrimpers 20th in the National League table...

'We’ve just come out on the wrong side of moments in games. We need to turn that around, but there’s a lot of good stuff that we do within the game...

'We’ve got to remain consistent in the work we do and not get too high or too low... The hardest thing is to keep the confidence there...

'We’ve trained on 3G today [Thursday] to get ourselves ready for it [at Oxford], but they come in different types, so it’s hard to replicate'".

Bromley "confirm that striker Adam Marriott has joined National League North side Boston United on a one-month loan, subject to final FA approval.

Marriott’s season has been hampered by injury with the forward only making three National League appearances this campaign.

During his time at Bromley so far, he has netted 11 goals in 32 league appearances after joining in the summer of 2022".

The Daily Mail reports that "Oldham owner Frank Rothwell says he cannot wait go get back to Boundary Park for ‘a big concert’ after breaking his own world record to become, once again, the oldest man to row across an ocean.

The 73-year-old completed a gruelling, 64-day and 3,000-mile voyage across the Atlantic on Thursday night... Rothwell, who capsized four times and was only saved by a tether which kept him attached to his boat, is closing in on raising £300,000 for Alzheimer’s UK.

And he told Mail Sport that he cannot wait for his homecoming at National League Oldham’s clash with Kidderminster next Saturday, which is a 12,000-sell-out. ‘I hope everyone who has bought a ticket knows it’s going to be a concert and not a football match!’ the crooning grandfather joked...

Existing on a diet of powdered food, he listened to music from the likes of Cole Porter, Cilla Black and Oldham-born composer Sir William Walton.

Rothwell, who lost 15 kilos during his solo effort, struggled with changing currents which worked against him".

Colchester United confirm that "Chay Cooper has joined Hartlepool United on loan.

The twenty-two-year-old will be in the North East on a short-term deal, hoping to get some much-needed competitive match time...

Cooper made his debut for the U's in the EFL Trophy against West Ham in September 2021, before showcasing his ability with a stunning goal at Hartlepool on the last day of the 2021/22 campaign.

Competition for places in the attacking midfiled areas has been fierce at the U's this season, but Chay has made fifteen appearances".

16 February 2024

NEXT: ALDERSHOT TOWN

Last season, too, the corresponding fixture was moved from 3pm to a 5.30pm kick-off. That was because it was the last match of the season and the National League decreed that all games should kick off at the same time, as TV coverage again dictated.

But those plans were thwarted when Altrincham's coach broke down en route to Hampshire, at Oxford Services on the M40, and the game did not actually start till 6.15pm after Alty's players had hired a fleet of taxis to complete the journey!

That fixture, on 29 April 2023, ended after 8pm in a 1-1 draw, thanks to a late equaliser by Eddy Jones.

In terms of the matchday squad this Saturday, it is assumed that Matt Gould (above) will continue in goal as there has been no indication that first-choice keeper Ethan Ross has yet returned to match fitness.

Whether Sonny Aljofree, who arrived a fortnight ago on loan from Manchester United, will make his first ever appearance in an Altrincham matchday squad remains to be seen.

Justin Donawa is now fit again and will be hoping to break back into the matchday squad.

For Aldershot Town, "Ryan Glover... was voted as The Aldershot Town Supporters Club’s Player of the Month for January!

Glover was an ever-present in the side throughout the month, starting every game except our New Year’s Day win over Woking; in which he came off the bench".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

With previous experience in the National League, the League of Ireland, at Premier League academy level and abroad, the UEFA Pro-licensed coach is fully up to speed with the Fleet squad and has already made great strides at the Kuflink Stadium as the team head into the final third of the league season. Working alongside Danny will be Anwar Uddin as assistant manager...

The strong performances against Oldham Athletic and Chesterfield are an excellent platform to take into the remaining fixtures this season".

Altrincham travel to County Durham next Tuesday. From Hartlepool United we learn that "Matty Dolan has left the Club via mutual consent following the termination of his contract.

During his three spells at the Suit Direct Stadium, Dolan accumulated 42 appearances for Pools, including six games this season".

Dolan was subsequently reported to have joined Spennymoor Town.

Lincoln City's fan site, The Stacey West spoke to Solihull Moors CEO Mark Palmer about Jay Benn, who "joined the Moors on loan at the start of this season and started the season strongly...

Injuries began to limit his game time, causing him to miss the whole of October. The former Halifax man then scored a goal immediately upon his return in November... . Another injury then came, with the right-back only picking up a handful of minutes from the start of December, but is now coming back into the fray...

The CEO could not praise the [Lincoln City] club enough. 'We’ve been really impressed with the support the player has received because with the injuries he has had, they’ve really helped out with the medical side of that,' he explained... Not every club does it. We would hope that there would be a further relationship with Lincoln...

It’s often said that Lincoln have a reputation for doing things right, yet it is uncommon to hear exactly how. Or in what areas, but another club’s CEO giving us praise when he didn’t have to says a lot".

FC Halifax Town "have confirmed that defender Festus Arthur’s loan spell at Southport has been extended by a further month.

Arthur has spent the last month on loan at the National League North side".

AFC Fylde's "captain Harry Davis says the Coasters' togetherness has been a key factor in the winning run which has seen them win six out of their last seven Vanarama National League games...

Three consecutive away wins at Dorking Wanderers, Eastleigh and Aldershot have seen the Coasters climb the table ahead of Saturday’s visit of third-placed Barnet to Mill Farm.

Fylde’s home form has been excellent as well, having secured recent Mill Farm victories over Rochdale, Hartlepool United and Bromley...

Davis said... 'We’re looking like a real good side after three away games and three great away wins... At the start of the season, we were on the wrong end of some results, we’re a young team...

'We’ve got a great group here, really honest bunch of lads, and the togetherness has really grown since Beechy [mamager Chris Beech] has come in'".

At Gateshead, wing-back Jordan Hunter has rejoined South Shields on loan for the remainder of the season. Hehas made 27 appearances for Gateshead this season.

Also at Gateshead, Luke Hannant explains how playing for Team Northumbria, the university side which competes against men's teams in the Northern League, led to his being signed by The Heed in 2017.

Via Port Vale, Colchester United and Dundee he returned to the International Stadium.

Bottom club Oxford City tells us that Ross Jenkins, "The City gaffer has confirmed that "Harry (Birtwistle) picking up an injury on Saturday isn’t great and now he’s back at Wolves and getting treatment...

'Nya (Kirby) had a sore knee and that kept him out of training, Andre (Burley) had a swollen foot, so that stopped them from starting against Dagenham. Levi (Lumeka) got onto the bench after some injury issues himself, so he wasn’t really fully-fit to come on or start. Josh Parker had some fatigue so wasn’t involved in general.

'Canice Carroll has a groin strain and Zac McEachran has a problem with his ankle. Tafari Moore had a little setback, but we’ve had more clarity on his injury which is nice. It is what it is. It’s never nice and it’s never a reason to refer back to the injury situation when we lose.

'We have to stay positive ...

'The National League is like League Three. You look at some of the clubs in the division, some of the budgets, some of the managers, facilities, infrastructures, training programmes and the wages to go with it, you have to really appreciate the level'....

It may look bleak at the bottom, but City shouldn’t lose sight of how far they’ve come in the last year. Already, the Hoops have a better points total than one of last season’s relegated teams (Maidstone) with thirteen games to play... Jenkins admits that statistic shows how difficult this year’s division is proving to be...

'It’s really competitive. It’s been an eye-opener to see where we are as a club. We’re learning all the time from behind the scenes and on the pitch... We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’re still part-time, but it can be difficult to match those full-time sides... Positivity is a must and we keep going!'”

JUSTIN DONAWA INTERVIEW

The Bermudan has had a disjointed season due to injuries and his international commitments with his native country.

He has managed just 5(+9) appearances for the Robins since joining Altrincham last summer. However, he has scored an impressive three goals in those games.

His most recent injury was a calf problem which flared up before the FA Trophy game at Halifax

Since regaining fitness, the team's good form has made it difficult to force his way back into the atarting eleven.

TRAVEL IMBALANCE FOR ALTY

The travel imbalance is detailed below...

• Sat.17.2.24 AWAY v Aldershot Town (420 miles return trip)
• Tue.20.2.24 AWAY v Hartlepool United (276 miles return trip)
• Sat.24.2.24 HOME v MAIDENHEAD UNITED
• Tue.27.2.24 AWAY v Southend United (444 miles return trip)
• Sat.2.3.24 AWAY v Dagenham & Redbridge (420 miles return trip)
• Tue.5.3.24 HOME v DORKING WANDERERS
• Sat.9.3.24 HOME v WOKING
• Tue.12.3.24 HOME v YORK CITY

ALTY OLD BOYS

TOPS AND TAILS

In the National League proper the leaders, Chesterfield, are 23 points clear of second-placed Bromley.

In National North the leaders, Tamworth, are eight points ahead of Scunthorpe United, having played an additional game

In National South the leaders, Yeovil Town, are ten points ahead of Worthing, with a game in hand.

All three of those leaders are clubs who have extensive experience at a higher level.

At the bottom:

In the National League proper the bottom club, Oxford City, are 7 points adrift of the fifth bottom who have played four fewer fixtures.

In National North the bottom club, Bishop's Stortford, are 17 points adrift of the fifth bottom.

In National South the bottom club, Dover Athletic, are 12 points adrift of the fifth bottom and have played three more games than that club.

Whilst looking forward to the end of the season, Altrincham currently have 50 points from 30 games, an average of 1.67 points per game which, if it continues, produces an end of season total of 76.67 points.

If that is achieved it would be the club's highest points total at the national level since 1991 when 82 points left Altrincham third in the league table but in that campaign they only played 42 games compared with this season's projected 46 fixtures.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

A valuable win in the race against National League relegation saw Dorking Wanderers founder and manager Marc White produce 'possibly the greatest first line of a post-match interview'...

The midweek result took Wanderers three points clear of the bottom four and level on points with the Minstermen.

And White celebrated the occasion in trademark fashion while conducting his post-match interview with DWTV. It wouldn't be fair to call the manager a man of few words, but it was his first ones that drew a reaction from viewers.

Asked to sum up the game after Tom Blair's 85th-minute winner up north, the chairman and manager chuckled into the microphone as he replied 'How d'you like them apples, motherf*****s, yeah? That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying, James, yeah?

'One thing you should learn about a team that's come as far as us is you should never write us off. Never write us off.'"

Kidderminster Harriers "confirm that Joe Leesley has left the club by mutual consent.

Joe joined Harriers in late 2022 and made a big impression on Harriers fans with his playing style and character...

He’s been out of action for the last number of months as he continues to work through injury and departs Harriers having made a total of 32 to appearances, scoring twice.

Boss Phil Brown said 'I know Joe has been a very popular player here at Aggborough and it has been a disappointment for me that I have just caught him at the wrong time... Had I come to the right club at the right time, he would have been part and parcel of my playing staff, and I’d have looked forward to working with him because I know he’s a footballer who plays with a smile on his face'".

FIFTH ATTEMPT AT DORKING FIXTURE

The history of the fixture is as follows.

• Sat. 21.10.23 postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
• Sat. 2.12.23 postponed owing to a frozen pitch
• Tue. 12.12.23 postponed owing to a clash with FA Trophy tie.
• Tue. 6.2.24 postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch

Sadly Dorking have already travelled to ALtrincham for two of the above games so, hopefully, the weather will not intervene yet again and cause another fruitless journey for them.

NEXT: ALDERSHOT TOWN

Already two goals down to AFC Fylde, they had Harries sent off in the first half with the Coasters finally winning 5-0. Harries will now miss the clash with Alty.

The Shots now lie seventh, four points behind Altrincham but having played two additional fixtures.

Whilst they have lost six of their last twelve fixtures, two of those defeats were heavy losses in cup competitions. They went out of the Emirates FA Cup 3rd Round, losing 4-1 at The Hawthorns against WBA.

Six days later they lost 6-1 at Bishop's Stortford in the FA Trophy.

In the League their last ten fixtures have produced three victories, away at Woking, Rochdale and FC Halifax Town, and three draws; two at home to Bromley and Woking and one away at Wealdstone. The other four matches in this sequence were defeats, at home to Eastleigh and AFC Fylde, and away at Chesterfield and Kidderminster Harriers.

At home they are usually formidable, having lost just twice there all season in the National League before Tuesday's defeat and they were four league games unbeaten before that loss.

• Sat 16 Dec: Home to Eastleigh 3-5 LOST
• Sat 23 Dec: Away at Chesterfield 1-4 LOST
• Tue 26 Dec: Home to Woking 0-0 DREW
• Mon 1 Jan: Away at Woking 3-2 WON
• Sat 20 Jan: Away at Kidderminster Harriers 2-4 LOST
• Tue 23 Jan: Home to Bromley 1-1 DREW
• Sat 27 Jan: Home to Rochdale 3-1 WON
• Tue 30 Jan: Away at Wealdstone 3-3 DREW
• Sat 3 Feb: Away at FC Halifax Town 2-1 WON
• Tue 13 Feb: Home to AFC Fylde 0-5 LOST

Aldershot supporters who have seen every one of their side's league matches will have witnessed 118 goals this season, which is the highest aggregate total of any club in the Division.

But with 62 of those goals being scored against them, The Shots have the worst defence of any club apart from 15th placed Eastleigh and bottom outfit Oxford City.

Their 56 goals at the other end of the pitch are just one short of Alty's total, but from two more games than the Robins have played.

SHOTS OFF TARGET

The Shots... [made] three changes, as Tyler Frost, Rollin Menayese and Josh Stokes were rested, and Haji Mnoga, Theo Widdrington and Josh Barrett came into the team in their places. Academy product Ashley Akpan was on the bench...

Fylde had been in excellent form coming into this fixture and, on 28 minutes they took the lead... From close range Ustabasi poked home through a crowd of bodies...

There was a huge element of controversy around Josh Kay’s goal as he doubled Fylde’s lead, as Cian Harries seemed to be quite obviously shoved out of the way by a Fylde attacker, however the referee played on, and Josh Kay raced through and finished well beyond Jordi Van Stappershoef to make it 2-0 to Fylde.

In the heat of the moment Cian Harries sprinted at the referee, but the referee decided dissent was a red card offence, and gave Harries his marching orders and reduced the Shots to ten men.

It went from bad to worse for the ten man Shots moments later, as Nick Haughton did well to control a ball in from the left and took it past Coby Rowe to finish past Jordi Van Stappershoef to make it 3-0 to the visitors...

Tommy Widdrington decided it was all or nothing for the second half, taking off Theo Widdrington for Kwame Thomas at half time..

Despite [this]... the Shots found themselves conceding again.

Mansfield [Fylde] got themselves a fifth in the 88th minute, as... Joe Westey... poked home from on the line...

Team: Jordi Van Stappershoef, 2. Haji Mnoga, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Cian Harries, 5. Coby Rowe, 6. Theo Widdrington (39. Kwame Thomas, 46′), 7. Stuart O’Keefe (C), 9. Lorent Tolaj (26. James Daly, 69′), 11. Ryan Glover, 20. Josh Barrett (10. Josh Stokes, 25′) , 22. Jack Barham. Unused subs: 13. Ashley Akpan, 25. Rollin Menayese

WEALDSTONE GAME

But with Wealdstone's FA Trophy game last Saturday being postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, Altrincham's league match against the Stones had to be postponed to allow the Trophy tie to be played on Tuesday.

Ironically, Wealdstone reported that "Tuesday night's rearranged FA Trophy game at home to Hendon has been postponed [again] due to a waterlogged pitch at Grosvenor Vale.

The pitch failed a Tuesday afternoon pitch inspection following rain Tuesday morning. And with further forecasted [sic] rain this evening the surface was deemed unplayable".

ALTY OLD BOYS

League One: JUNIOR QUITIRNA (right) was a 72nd minute substitute for Fleetwood with the game goalless, but visitors Reading took the lead within two minutes. Fleetwood salvaged a 1-1 draw in the fifth minute of added time. HARRISON HOLGATE was left on the bench.

OWEN DALE was booked in the first half, and substituted by Oxford United at the break. They went on to beat visitors Wigan Athletic 4-2.

Stevenage, skippered as usual by CARL PIERGIANNI, were 2-0 midway through the first half, but visitors Bristol Rovers recovered to win 2-3.

League Two : Although ELLIOT NEWBY played the whole game, Barrow fell to a shock 1-2 defeat against struggling visitors Forest Green Rovers, who again left MAXI OYEDELE on their bench.

CONNOR JENNINGS scored from the spot to give Tranmere Rovers a 2-0 lead after only 10 minutes, but visitors Morecambe, for whom JOEL SENIOR put in a full shift, recovered to win 2-3.

National League : AFC Fylde left DANNY WHITEHEAD (right)on the bench at Aldershot as they continued their recent revival with an impressive 0-5 victory. Cian Harries was sent off for Shots and will miss the visit of Altrincham on Saturday.

After trailing to an early goal, Oldham Athletic equalised just after the hour at Boundary Park, and withdrew JOSH LUNDSTRAM after 76 minutes. Soon after they scored again to see off Boreham Wood, who had BILLY SASS-DAVIES booked, 2-1.

NPL: There was a shock on the cards at Radcliffe, where visitors Atherton Collieries led 0-2 with only two minutes of normal time remaining but then JORDAN HULME reduced the arrears and, inthe thirteenth added minute BRAD JACKSON equalised.

TUESDAY RESULTS

Vanarama National League

• Aldershot Town 0-5 AFC Fylde
• FC Halifax Town 2-1 Maidenhead United
• Oldham Athletic 2-1 Boreham Wood
• Solihull Moors P-P Kidderminster Harriers (waterlogged pitch)
• York City 0-1 Dorking Wanderers

Isuzu FA Trophy Fifth Round

• Bishop's Stortford P-P Coalville Town (waterlogged pitch)
• Wealdstone P-P Hendon (waterlogged pitch)

The sixth round (quarter-final) ties take place on 9 March. There are only five survivors from the National League in the competition and four of them have, subject to a replay, been drawn against each other.

• Gateshead v Peterborough Sports
• Bromley v Barnet
• Wealdstone /Hendon v Solihull Moors
• Macclesfield v Bishop’s Stortford/Coalville Town

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

[Tuesday] night's home game against Boreham Wood marked the start of six fixtures in the space of three weeks...

'I’ve looked to use the break as productively as possible, trying to use the time right to get the lads recharged, but also keep working on things we want to work on,' Mellon said...

'We’ve been looking at keeping the team moving forward, building relationships between players, because a few new lads have come in'...

One aspect of preparation has been the playing of a behind-closed-doors fixture against Manchester United U21s at Carrington at the weekend.

Latics played two different sides in each half... Oldham came out on top in that game, running out 3-1 winners...

Among those who featured in that game were Youth Team players Alfie Atherton and Mo Doro...

'We were able to try some different things. Playing people in different positions, and things like that... The players got a 45-minute test each, which was good for them, and we’ve come out of it without any real injuries... Both Alfie and Mo gave really good accounts of themselves...

'I’m still learning a lot about the football club and I’ve learned that we’ve got two really good young players there...

'The forthcoming fixtures are why it was so important for all of them to get 45 minutes during that bounce game', Mellon added...

Mellon also provided an injury update on striker James Norwood... 'James has a hamstring injury and is going to be out for the next few games,' he said.".

Also at Oldham Athletic "After returning to the side three months ago, Charlie Raglan has enjoyed being back out on the pitch, having cemented his place at the back for Oldham Athletic...

'It was great to get back into the team. For the first few games I was just finding my feet again, but it soon became the norm...

'We’re probably blessed at centre-back for depth and quality, so certainly I’m not going to be relaxing'...

Charlie’s generally partnered Liam Hogan and Shaun Hobson, in defence when Latics have played a back three'...

Following the January signings of Andrew Dallas and Joe Garner, there’s an abundance of attacking talent at Boundary Park.

'It’s clear that we’ve got some good options now, especially at the top end of the pitch, and in my position too'".

Eastleigh "confirm the departure of Seung-woo Yang after having been released from his contract.

The South Korean-born midfielder moved to the United Kingdom as a child, growing up in Bournemouth before he joined Southampton FC’s academy at just 6 years old.

Yang went on to carry out his scholarship at Forest Green Rovers, before joining Eastleigh’s EDS programme.

‘Seuny’ [featured]... twice in total during the 2021/22 season. He then signed his first professional contract in May 2022 before making three professional appearances for the club".

Eastleigh also report that "Concerts are coming to the Silverlake Stadium, the home of Eastleigh Football Club...

The music from two global household names, Queen and ABBA, will be performed live on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May 2024.

Stars from London’s West End, including former cast from the smash hit musicals ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ will take to the stage set up on the Silverlake Stadium pitch in front of the new South Stand seating area".

13 February 2024

NEXT: ALDERSHOT TOWN

But one Shots player who won't be facing the Robins is Zain Walker, as the Shots confirm that "Walker has rejoined Bishop’s Stortford on loan until the end of the season.

The midfielder played 21 times for The Blues in a loan spell during the first half of the season and will link back up with them for the remainder of this campaign".

Off the field The Shots have a well-known Ukrainian as a supporter. Aldershot Town explain that they were "delighted to receive images of Mayor of Kyiv and former Heavyweight Champion of the World Vitali Klitschko donning the red and blue of Aldershot Town!

Thanks to Andy Drury of our Club Partners RLD Builders for supplying Vitali with the shirt and arranging the pictures!"

Aldershot have a midweek National League home match against AFC Fylde tonight.

THROUGH THE YEARS: 17 FEBRUARY

The match was the Royals' first ever visit to Moss Lane. Alty had won the reverse fixture 4-0 at Coles Lane but the Midlanders had made sweeping changes to their personnel since then and they came into this match with seven points from their previous four games.

Indeed, Sutton Coldfield belied their bottom of the table position to make Altrincham work hard for the three points. The home side started poorly and had Hawley got in a better shot the hosts could have been behind inside forty seconds. Indeed, it was the Royals who took the lead, in the 13th minute, when Alty stood off Hawley and allowed the former Stafford man to feed the overlapping Lyttle. From right of goal he drove a fine, low shot past Thompson.

Altrincham slowly improved and they levelled the score eight minutes later. A superb 22 yard shot from Harrop gave keeper Brown no chance.

Above: Max Harrop is engulfed by his team-mates after scoring his equalising goal.

On a soft surface Altrincham found it hard to create clear openings and it took a penalty, ten minutes from time, to decide the outcome. Hancock got to a ball just inside the box fractionally ahead of a defender who tripped him to concede the spot-kick. Johnston coolly converted the penalty, having come on as a substitute during the second half after an injury lay-off.

The action was not over as Sutton Coldfield substitute Dell lasted just four minutes before punching Harrop in reaction to a foul by the Alty man and being shown a red card in the 89th minute.

905 spectators watched the match, which left Altrincham top and their visitors bottom of the table.

ALTRINCHAM: 1. Tony THOMPSON, 2. Shaun DENSMORE, 3. Connor HAMPSON, 4. James JONES, 5. Ben HARRISON, 6. Jake MOULT (c), 7. Tom PEERS, 8. Max HARROP, 9. Jordan HULME, 10. James POOLE, 11. Josh HANCOCK. Subs: 12. John JOHNSTON, 14. Simon RICHMAN, 15. Andy WHITE, 16. Mason WALSH, 17. Josh AMIS.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Kevin Phillips named an unchanged team from last weekend’s win at Bromley... Pools enjoyed a great period of a possession, resulting in David Ferguson hooking a low cross into Joe Grey to tap home at the front post...

With 33 on the clock, Pools thought they made it two. Tom Crawford met a ball from the right and his header crossed the line, but it was ruled out for a foul...

Woking pushed forward in the second half but Dixon wasn’t tested until the 91st minute. The Pools keeper made a tremendous save initially, but the visitors failed to clear their lines and Lewis Walker fired home from close-range...

Pools: Dixon, Hendrie, Waterfall, Parkes, Ferguson, Featherstone, Crawford, Senior (Dickenson 68), Cooke, Grey, Dieseruvwe. Subs (not used) Jameson, Onariase, Burton, Wallace".

Next week's match should see former Alty loanee Luke Waterfall in action for the Pools.

Kidderminster Harriers "confirm the signing of former Crewe Alexandra midfielder Regan Griffiths.

The 23-year-old is a product of the Crewe youth system and... he went on to make in excess of 50 first team appearances in the EFL and cups.

Regan’s other experiences include loan spells in non-league with Notts County and, earlier this season, Boreham Wood in the National League.

Harriers boss Phil Brown said 'He’s a good, technically gifted player in central midfield... and has a range of passing that we don’t have in midfield'".

Dorking Wandreres' "First Team Head Coach Ross McNeilly has departed the club to move on to pastures new.

Ross, who joined the club following previous coach Mark Beard’s prompt appointment at Eastbourne Borough, has been an extremely popular figure with everyone at the club and brought a great deal of professional standards to Dorking during his stay.

He has been instrumental in the club’s transition to daytime training.

Manager Marc White commented 'Ross is a fantastic, talented guy who has given the club his full commitment during his stay'...

Ross will now move on to further his managerial career having made the move into Management during last season at Aldershot Town FC".

12 February 2024

CLEAN SHEETS

Right: Pictured on Saturday is Matt Gould, who has kept three successive clean sheets. For the Alty goalkeeper, football really does "run in the family", as the Golf Road End banner suggests; his father is goalkeeper Jonathan Gould (ex-Glasgow Celtic) and he is the grandson of prolific striker and manager of Wimbledon's "Crazy Gang", Bobby Gould.

1. Game 28: Sat.27.1.24 H EASTLEIGH, won 4-0
2. Game 29: Sat.3.2.24 A Solihull Moors, won 1-0
3. Game 30: Sat.10.2.24 H ROCHDALE, won 3-0

The current clean-sheet treble is the first for Altrincham in the league since 2022, when they recorded four shut-outs in a row and six clean sheets out of seven matches.

In a curious parallel with 2024, the 2022 sequence also included the loss of the first-team keeper to injury when one might have expected a more porous defence in his absence.

However, the cause in 2022 was significantly helped by five of the six "goalless" games being played at Moss Lane.

1. Game 30 goalkeeper Thompson Sat. 26.2.22 H DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE won 3-0
2. Game 31 goalkeeper Drench Sat. 5.3.22 A Maidenhead United drew 0-0
3. Game 32 goalkeeper Drench Tue. 8.3.22 H WEYMOUTH won 5-0
4. Game 33 goalkeeper Drench Sat. 12.3.22 H EASTLEIGH won 4-0
5. Game 34 goalkeeper Thompson Sat. 19.3.22 A Southend United lost 0-2
6. Game 35 goalkeeper Thompson Tue. 22.3.22 H CHESTERFIELD won 1-0
7. Game 36 goalkeeper Thompson Sat. 26.3.22 H ALDERSHOT TOWNwon 1-0

NEWBY CORNERED BY POLICE

There was an unaccustomed sight at the J. Davidson Stadium on Saturday as His Majesty's constabulary were out in force for the visit of Rochdale. Normally stewards are the only form of policing at the ground.

Pictured, right, four officers make sure that Alex Newby places the ball in the corner flag quadrant at the end where the Rochdale fans were housed.

A dozen or more other police officers were outside the ground, with their vehicles also in attendance.

So far as was visible from the main stand, the nearly 900 away fans were well behaved throughout the game. Presumably, the show of force was based on police intelligence.

ROCHDALE: NOT THE FIRST TIME!

Rochdale joined the Manchester League for the 1907/08 season and they met Altrincham twice in the league that season.

Altrincham won at home 4-1 and drew 2-2 at Rochdale.

Those metings were not repeated as, at the end of 1907-08, Rochdale moved to the Lancashire Combination for the 1908/09 campaign.

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

'I think Altrincham deserved to win,' said McNulty. 'We’ve shared two 3-0 score lines with them now. Truthfully, I don’t think we deserved to beat them 3-0 at our place, I thought they deserved to score on the night. I remember Phil [Parkinson] saying the same after that game, and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t say similar after today.

'Altrincham were more clinical than us, but I would say that’s all they were. We were in the game, we got around their goal a lot and had loads of opportunities and shots..

'If I was taking my Rochdale hat off and watched the game as a neutral, I would just say the team in red had quality when they were in the box, and the team in blue didn’t. But I know my guys have got quality and, on another day, we score.'".

11 February 2024

ALTY HIGHLIGHTS

ALTRINCHAM 3-0 ROCHDALE

On a pitch heavily sanded in several places, Rochdale started well before Altrincham began to assert themselves after the opening quarter of an hour. The hosts took the lead in the 44th minute when a fine shot from the left by Eddy Jones was pushed onto the post by the keeper, only for Amaluzor to net the rebound.

Above: Justin Amaluzor pounces to net the opening goal.

Rochdale were still well in the game with Gilmour pulling the strings in midfield but two goals in as many minutes settled the outcome.

Isaac Marriott won the ball in midfield and, via Conn-Clarke, the ball reached Linney, right of goal, from where he scored smartly (66 mins).

Just two minutes later Marriott was again involved as he set up Conn-Clarke to score his 17th league goal of the season. But the home defence played with assurance and despite plenty of the ball, Dale could not get a consolation goal.

Match report here.

PHIL PARKINSON'S VERDICT

ROCHDALE BOSS'S FAIR ASSESSMENT

ALTY OLD BOYS

League One : Having been a goal up at Lincoln, Fleetwood were reduced to 10 men in added time at the end of the first half. HARRISON HOLGATE came off the bench at the start of the second half, and he was joined after 61 minutes by JUNIOR QUITIRNA, but Lincoln made their man advantage pay, going on to win 2-1.

CARL PIERGIANNI was one of seven bookings, as Stevenage conceded a 98th minute goal at Port Vale to draw 2-2.

League Two : Barrow were two goals down after 26 minutes at AFC Wimbledon. Despite the best efforts of ELLIOT NEWBY and his colleagues there was no further score.

CONNOR JENNINGS was booked as Tranmere Rovers lost by the odd goal in three at Doncaster.

Despite being hammered 0-4 at home by Mansfield Town, Forest Green Rovers saw no need to bring MAXI OYEDELE off the bench. Similarly, Grimsby Town left TOBY MULLARKEY to collect splinters as they fell 1-3 to visitors Stockport County.

One ex Robin who did put in a full shift was ALISTAIR SMITH, but he couldn't prevent Colchester United from falling to the only goal at Harrogate Town.

JOEL SENIOR was credited with the assist as Morecambe struck after just 4 minutes at home to Sutton United. It turned out to be the only goal of the match.

National League : Chesterfield were surprisingly held 2-2 at home by Ebbsfleet United. JEFF KING played the whole game and was booked, while JAMES BERRY was a 74th minute substitute.

DANNY WHITEHEAD put in a full shift as AFC FYLDE won 1-2 at Eastleigh.

It was still goalless when Southend United withdrew MARCUS DACKERS after 82 minutes, but the evergreen Lenell John-Lewis popped up seven minutes later to give visitors York City a 0-1 win.

Hartlepool United's LUKE WATERFALL was disappointed as Woking scored an added -time equaliser in the televised National League game.

National North : TOM PEERS rounded off the scoring in the 94th minute as Chester won 3-0 at home to Scarborough Athletic.

Alfreton Town's starting line-up at Darlington included KENNEDY DIGIE, HARRY PERRITT (who was booked), and LEWIS SALMON. Digie was fouled early in the second half, and Alfreton went ahead from the resulting penalty. Despite a late red card "Ofton", as they describe themselves on their Twitter feed, added another goal in the 90th minute to win 0-2 for the first time at Blackwell Meadows since 2019. LEWIS SALMON was substituted in the closing minutes.

National South : DANNY CASHMAN was involved in a goalfest as Worthing beat visitors Dover Athletic 6-4.

NPL : JOSH HANCOCK gave Radcliffe an early lead at Worksop Town, but the home team fought back to draw 1-1.

Southern Central : MONTEL GIBSON scored twice as AFC Telford despatched visitors Kettering 4-0.

FA Trophy : SAM HEATHCOTE scored the clincher as Macclesfield won 0-2 at Hampton & Richmond, while MARCUS DINANGA scored the only goal for Gateshead at Hereford.

ASHLEY HEMMINGS and Kidderminster Harriers won't be going to Wembley this season, as 37 year old Michael Gash scored the only goal of the game for hosts Peterborough Sports.

FIVE POSTPONEMENTS IN 21 DAYS

Three weeks ago, Altrincham's fixture list looked like this

• Sat.20.1.24 Away at Southend United 3pm
• Tue.23.1.24 Home to ROCHDALE 8pm. Planned kick off changed from 7.45pm for TV purposes
• Sat.27.1.24 Home to EASTLEIGH 3pm
• Sat.3.2.24 Away to Solihull Moors 3pm
• Tue.6.2.24 Home to DORKING WANDERERS 7.45pm
• Sat.10.2.24 Home to WEALDSTONE 3pm POSTPONED Wealdstone in FA Trophy
• Sat.10.2.24 Home to ROCHDALE 3pm
• Tue.13.2.24 Home to WEALDSTONE 7.45pm

Now it looks like this...

• Sat.20.1.24 Away at Southend United 3pm POSTPONED Frozen pitch
• Tue.23.1.24 Home to ROCHDALE 8pm. POSTPONED Waterlogged pitch.
• Sat.27.1.24 Home to EASTLEIGH 3pm Played 4-0 WIN
• Sat.3.2.24 Away to Solihull Moors 3pm Played 1-0 WIN
• Tue.6.2.24 Home to DORKING WANDERERS 7.45pm POSTPONED Waterlogged pitch.
• Sat.10.2.24 Home to WEALDSTONE 3pm POSTPONED Wealdstone in FA Trophy
• Sat.10.2.24 Home to ROCHDALE 3pm Played 3-0 WIN
• Tue.13.2.24 Home to WEALDSTONE 7.45pm POSTPONED Wealdstone in FA Trophy

And on top of that the match next Saturday had its kick-off time changed to 5.30pm in January to accommodate the TNT Sport cameras.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

• Aldershot Town v AFC Fylde
• FC Halifax Town v Maidenhead United
• Oldham Athletic v Boreham Wood
• Solihull Moors v Kidderminster Harriers
• York City v Dorking Wanderers

10 February 2024

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS

• Altrincham 3-0 Rochdale
• Boreham Wood 1-0 Maidenhead United
• Chesterfield 2-2 Ebbsfleet United
• Dagenham & Redbridge 7-1 Oxford City
• Dorking Wanderers 1-3 FC Halifax Town
• Eastleigh 1-2 AFC Fylde
• Southend United 0-1 York City
• Woking v Hartlepool United (k.o. 5.30pm)

ISUZU FA TROPHY FIXTURES

Fifth Round

• Bishop's Stortford P-P Coalville Town
• Bromley 2-0 Aveley
• Chorley 1-3 Solihull Moors
• Hampton & Richmond 0-2 Macclesfield
• Hereford 0-1 Gateshead
• Peterborough Sports 1-0 Kidderminster Harriers
• Wealdstone P-P Hendon
• Welling United 0-3 Barnet

ONE MATCH ON, ANOTHER OFF

But Altrincham FC announces that "Looking ahead to Tuesday,unfortunately, our home Vanarama National League game on Tuesday evening against Wealdstone is OFF, due to the postponement today of their Isuzu FA Trophy tie with Hendon, of which the rearranged fixture takes precedence over our game next week".

So the next Altrincham match after today is currently an away game at Aldershot Town on 17 February.

"WE NOW THEIR STRENGTHS AND WAKNESSES"

Gilmour believes that with players such as Kairo Mitchell and Cian Hayes returning, along with the likes of Adam Clayton, Devante Rodney and George Nevett to come back, Dale can have a positive end to the season...

Commented the 25-year-old... 'We’ve also signed Hayesy [Cian Hayes] again who will be a great addition to the team – he was class a couple of months ago. We’ve definitely got a stronger squad now'...

Dale suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season last weekend...

'“It’s not nice to go two defeats on the spin but with it being the first it’s happened this season, it shows how much we’ve improved'...

Dale travel to Altrincham this weekend, an opponent we ran out 3-0 winners over back in November... 'They played very well on the day but we I thought we controlled large parts of the game, especially in the first half. We got our press and regains right.

'We know their strengths and their weaknesses. They’re good in the transitions and they have match winners'" concluded the midfielder.

TODAY: ROCHDALE

Rochdale report that "Altrincham have confirmed that the match is now all ticket. Tickets will be on sale online until 2pm on Saturday, with no pay on the day available...

Altrincham are enjoying a fine campaign so far, sitting fifth in the National League table. They have lost just twice at home in the league... It is Dale's first visit there in 41 years.

Saturday’s game will be only the fourth meeting between the two clubs.

The match earlier in the season, when Dale ran out 3-0 winners at home to the Robins, was the first meeting in league action.

Prior to that, the previous games came in the FA Cup, with Altrincham running out winners on both occasions. They won 3-1 in the 1965/66 second round, and 2-1 in the first round of the 1982/83 competition".

ALTY'S SQUAD

Following the news, yesterday, of Jake Cooper's contract extension, Altrincham currently have 23 contracted players who have actually made league appearances this season. Three of those are now long-term injured (James Jones, Joey Jones and Ollie Crankshaw) and one other (George Burroughs) is out on loan.

The 23 are 2. Lewis BANKS, 3. Eddy JONES, 4. Lewis BAINES, 5. James JONES (long-term injured), 6. Elliot OSBORNE, 7. Matty KOSYLO, 8. Isaac MARRIOTT, 9. Regan LINNEY, 10. Chris CONN-CLARKE, 11. Justin AMALUZOR, 12. Liam BROCKBANK, 14. Dior ANGUS, 15. Jake COOPER, 16. Sam ROSCOE, 17. Justin DONAWA, 19. George WILSON, 21. Matthew GOULD, 22. Joey JONES (long-term injured), 27. Oliver CRANKSHAW (long-term injured), 29. Ethan ROSS, 30. Alex NEWBY, 32. George BURROUGHS (on loan at Stafford Rangers), 44. Dan MOONEY.

More recently goalkeeper Ethan Ross has been out injured as well, reducing the squad to 18. Of those, Liam Brockbank and Justin Donawa have not been in recent squads, reducing the "regulars" to 16, plus goalkeeper Ollie Byrne, who has not been in a league squad since returning from loan at Cork City before Christmas.

ALTY OLD BOYS

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The citation for Paul Cook reminds us that the Spireites "widened the gap to sixteen points by the end of January, defeating Solihull Moors, Gateshead, Altrincham, Woking and Southend United.

They scored 14 times in January, an average of 2.8 goals a game, while only two sides conceded less than the leaders last month".

As for Lorent Tolaj, "He shone last month with four goals and an assist, playing every minute to keep his club in the mix for the top seven. That after fuelling their FA Cup adventure.

The 22-year-old Swiss was swashbuckling as he inspired his team from the front, netting in games against Woking, Bromley, Rochdale before a beauty at Wealdstone".

Southend United "confirm that Mauro Vilhete has left the Club.

Vilhete's dual registration contract has been cancelled and as a result he has departed Roots Hall.

The forward joined Blues in September 2023 and [made] 13 appearances in the National League".

Also at Southend United "Kevin Maher gave some insight into the process which led to Brooklyn Kabongolo leaving the club this week.

He said 'We were in talks with him and his advisors for the last three weeks. We have a contract that we give to young players with extra incentives if they play. We’ve done it with Collin and Oli Coker, but Brooklyn’s advisors wanted guarantees that we wouldn’t give.

'I feel for the lad – he’s a real nice kid and we felt he had potential, but it became too difficult in the end. We can’t guarantee anyone a certain amount of games but we wish him all the best',

The Head Coach provided an update on Harry Taylor’s injury after the centre-back felt his hamstring go last time out against Gateshead.

'He hasn’t trained this week and it looks like he’ll be out for two or three weeks... It’s disappointing for him but certain players are quick healers and I think he’s one of them.'”

Oldham Athletic report that "Midfielder Ben Tollitt has joined Chester on loan for the rest of the season.

Ben joined Latics after a successful trial in the summer of 2022, and was Latics’ top scorer in the first half of the campaign.

The 29-year-old has featured five times for Oldham in the league this season, netting once".

Meanwhile, Barnet "announce the loan signing of Oxford United striker, Gatlin O’Donkor for the remainder of the season.

The 19-year-old joined National League South side Oxford City on an initial one-month loan... He returned to his parent club and made his league debut for Oxford United...

He signed his first professional contract with the club in August 2022. His first... League start [came]... on 3 September 2022".

The local Witney Gazette adds that "The 19-year-old striker has struggled for starts this season with Oxford United, having been mainly used as a substitute, and as second choice centre forward...

Despite making 26 appearances across all competitions for the U’s this campaign, only three of them came as starts, with none of those in Sky Bet League One though."

9 February 2024

JAKE EXTENDS HIS CONTRACT

Earlier Altrincham FC had reported that "Jake Cooper [h]as signed a contract extension with the Robins.

A product of the Rotherham United academy, the 23-year-old has been an important part of Alty's success since committing to the club on a permanent basis at the start of the 2022-23 season...

'Alty is a great place to be at the moment. The club is really going places and I'm really happy to be part of it. The gaffer, the lads, the fans, everyone is pulling in the right direction and it's great to be involved'", said Jake.

Footnote: Jake had made 49(+4) appearances for Altrincham to date.

Only turning 23 years of age in January, he was a forward in the Sheffield United youth system before converting to a defensive role.

Before joining Alty, Jake had previous non-League experience, having had two loan spells at Gateshead in 2019-20 and 2020-21, making 29 appearances for The Heed before he also made two appearances for Hartlepool United in 2021.

In 2021-22 season, he made eleven appearances and scored three goals when on loan at National North club Darlington before he returned to Rotherham a fortnight ahead of his arrival at Altrincham, where he made his debut at centre-back on 5 February 2022.

Jake was sidelined by a tendon injury in early November 2022 and on 24 February 2023 it was announced that he was again going on loan to Darlington in National League North. On 23 March it was confirmed that the loan had been extended till the end of the National North season.

In 2023-24 he has established a good partnership with Lewis Baines at the heart of the defence.

DORKING THANKS

We would like to send our thanks Altrincham FC for their ongoing efforts to make this go ahead, but the weather forecast has unfortunately gone against us this afternoon".

NEXT: ROCHDALE

Another wet day (Thursday) will not have helped the pitch at the J. Davidson Stadium to dry out but, hopefully things will improve before matchday.

Since December, Rochdale have had some mixed results, losing three of their last four league outings.

• LOST Sat. Dec. 2, 2023: Bromley 1 Rochdale 0
• DRAWN Sat. Dec. 16, 2023: Rochdale 0 York City 0
• DRAWN Sat. Dec. 23, 2023: Halifax Town 2 Rochdale 2
• WON Tue. Dec. 26, 2023: Rochdale 2 AFC Fylde 0
• LOST Mon. Jan. 1, 2024: AFC Fylde 2 Rochdale 0
• WON Sat. Jan. 6, 2024: Rochdale 2 Kidderminster Harriers 0
• LOST Sat. Jan. 27, 2024: Aldershot Town 3 Rochdale 1
• LOST Sat. Feb. 3, 2024: Rochdale 1 Dagenham and Redbridge 2

ALTY OLD BOYS

It is alleged that McMahon breached FA Rule E1(b) by betting on football matches a total of 251 times.

The FA added that the bets were said to have been placed between 30 November 2019 and 14 October 2023.

McMahon, who stayed as assistant to Ged Brennan after Derek Adams' exit in November, has until Thursday to reply".

Footnote: John McMahon was a regular in Everton’s Central League side before moving to Southport and South Liverpool. He first joined Altrincham in October 1985 and made 19 appearances (one goal) before joining Witton Albion in the summer of 1986. He then moved on to Runcorn from where he rejoined Altrincham in the close season of 1988.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Shaymen started the game on the front foot, with some decent efforts going forward. It was the visitors who opened scoring however, with a looping Whitmore header... after an inswinging corner in the 24th. Capello also saw yellow that minute after bringing down Jay Benn...

Solihull scored a second in the 28th, with Maycock putting the ball in the net...

Town made their first substitution in the 38th minute, with Capello being replaced by new signing Jack Jenkins for his second Shaymen appearence.. Going into the second half, Town made another substitution, bringing on Evans to replace Hunter...

Town were beginning to put pressure on Solihull early in the second half, but conceded a penalty in the 58th however, with Stevens placing the ball into the bottom left corner, to put Solihull 3-0 up." And that is how it ended with the Moors swapping fourth and fifth places with Altrincham.

Things are looking up at Woking wher the Cards are ending "a week of three consecutive home games with the visit of Hartlepool United in front of the TNT Sports cameras.

Tuesday night’s home win against Oxford City ended a barren run of no home win in the league for the Cards since August, and saw two of Michael Doyle’s new signings in Lewis Walker and Jayden Luker both scoring their first goals since joining.

It was also Woking’s fourth clean sheet under Doyle, and another big positive was the return of Manny Oyeleke, who got some minutes near the end, as well as a first start for Curtis Edwards. Doyle will hope that the likes of Jim Kellermann and Rhys Browne are not too far away as well".

York City "announce the capture of left-back Danny Amos on loan from League Two side Grimsby Town.

The 24-year-old defender will stay with the Minstermen for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

A Northern Ireland international at youth level, Danny... signed a one-year deal [at Grimsby]

Sheffield-born Amos came through at Doncaster Rovers initially, making fourteen league appearances for them...

Seven National League appearances were also clocked up at Hartlepool United in 2019 when Amos went out on loan... A short-term stint followed at Port Vale in 2021..

Switching to Grimsby Town in January 2022, he has gone on to make 66 appearances".

Swindon Town confirm that "Tyrese Shade has joined National League side Solihull Moors on loan for the remainder of the 23/24 season...

The 23-year-old joined the club back in June 2022 and after several seasons with Town, now heads to The Moors ...

The former Leicester City player started his career with Solihull Moors back in 2016 and after spells with the Foxes, Walsall (on loan) and currently Swindon, now re-joins the club after making 71 appearances for Town since joining almost two years ago."

From Oldham Athletic we learn that "After 63 days and countless challenges, chairman Frank Rothwell is just over 300 nautical miles from finishing his row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Having started his journey from the Canary Islands on 13th December, so far he has travelled over 2,500 nautical miles...

His total raised for Alzheimer's Research is rapidly approaching the £250,000 mark.

Just a few days into his journey he capsized and was thrown out of the boat, after conditions deteriorated massively.

Thankfully, Frank was wearing his harness and was able to return to his vessel...

'The winds are in my favour now, however, and I’ve got about a week to go'">

PITCH UPDATE

We sincerely apologise to the Dorking fans who had already set off, with some who had made it as far as Altrincham. And while we did offer free food to all the Wanderers fans who got as far as the stadium, we would like to refund all Dorking fans for their matchday tickets and offer those away fans who had already bought tickets free entry to the rearranged game.

I also want to pay tribute to the officials and staff at Dorking...

Above: Parts of the pitch at the JDS were already showing signs of wear in early December 2023

An initial check from a respected local referee at 11am yesterday confirmed that the pitch was playable at that time. Although rain was forecast no referee would call off a game simply on the prospect of future rain, and we therefore arranged for the match referee to carry out an inspection at 5pm.

In addition, we had extensively Verti-drained the pitch the day before and applied a couple of specialist treatments that had certainly contributed to the pitch being playable at the morning inspection. However, continuous rain through the day meant that when the match referee arrived to carry out a pitch inspection at 5pm, water had not sufficiently drained from all parts of the pitch, leaving some parts unplayable, and the referee therefore called the game off.

I had been in continuous contact with Marc White, the Dorking Wanderers Chief Executive over the last 24 hours and he appreciated that we had been proactive and done everything we could. Marc added 'this morning this was an innocuous situation where everything pointed to the game being on, but the unprecedented weather saw an unexpected postponement. All we can ask from the host club is clear and unambiguous dialogue and Altrincham certainly gave us that.' The match referee also praised the way we had tried to manage the situation...

We apologise we weren’t able to confirm the call-off earlier, but this was a situation not dissimilar to the Bromley postponement last season: a playable pitch made unplayable but continuous rain in the hours before kick-off".

Sam goes on to discuss the ongoing situation with the state of the pitch and the action being planned to mitigate and then remedy the problem.

NEXT: ROCHDALE

The trio have all been absent in 2024, but the Head Coach hopes to have them back in contention in the next fortnight.

'They’re big players and every time we see one of them return, it’s a good feeling,' he commented. 'It means we’re not playing as many players out of position...

'George [Nevett] we hope will training next week. Training in time for the next game though doesn’t mean he will be necessarily ready to start.

'Adam Clayton, we think will train the week after. Devante Rodney, we think will train the week after. So, they’re sort of Solihull time [Saturday 17th February].

'Cian Hayes, we hope will train with us next week. BK [Brad Kelly] is a long-term one.'

Saturday also saw the return of Kairo Mitchell, who had been missing since November with an ankle injury... 'It was an innocuous injury in training, which breaks your heart really. He had just got to ten goals so early and he’s massive for the team...

'His selfless work from the front was so evident in the first part of the season'".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The centre-back, who signed a new two-and-a-half year contract at the weekend, received 43% of the vote.

He played the maximum 270 minutes in January as he continued to impress in a defensive role, looking composed at all times and coming up with some vital tackles and interceptions...

Gus Scott-Morriss was second with 29%, and Collin Andeng Ndi was third with 6%".

Less happily, Southend United "confirm that defender Brooklyn Kabongolo has departed the Club.

Kabongolo joined Southend United on a non-contract basis in September 2023 and made 13 appearances for Blues during his short spell.

Following several weeks of negotiations to reward Brooklyn's efforts with a longer-term contract, the club were notified yesterday of the defender’s decision to move on".

At Wealdstone "defender Brandon Mason has committed his future to the Stones by signing a new 18-month contract.

Brandon Mason, whose career began in the youth ranks of Watford, made his professional debut in 2016 in the Premier League. Following his tenure at Watford, Brandon continued to hone his craft with stints at Coventry City... and later with loans to St Mirren and MK Dons, among other clubs...

His defensive qualities, combined with his ability to support the attack, make him an invaluable asset to the squad. Brandon's leadership on and off the field has also been instrumental in fostering a strong, cohesive spirit amongst the squad.

The club is excited about the future and believes that securing Brandon's services for the next 18 months is a testament to our ambition...

Brandon Mason shared his excitement about the new contract, saying... 'Since joining the club, I've felt right at home. The fans have been incredible'".

"Goals either side of the break consigned Oxford City to defeat away at Woking...

A thunderbolt in the first-half from Jayden Luker and a Lewis Walker penalty was [sic] enough for the Cardinals on a wet & windy night at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, where the Hoops couldn’t seem to find their rhythm.

Ross Jenkins made two changes from Saturday’s defeat at Kidderminster Harriers. Harry Birtwistle was handed his senior debut and Alfie Potter also got the nod from the start.

Renny Smith & Aaron Williams-Bushell were the unlucky two who dropped to the bench.

City had to weather an early storm, in both senses of the phrase. The pouring rain and howling winds didn’t make for ideal conditions in Surrey... Marcin Brzozowski made a number of impressive saves to keep the score goalless... until Luker’s opener five minutes from the interval...

A tough night was made even tougher at the interval when Ross Jenkins was forced to shuffle the pack a lot earlier than he would’ve liked. Carroll was replaced with Giles Phillips at the break, as the centre-half couldn’t shake off an earlier injury. Alfie Potter was then replaced by Renny Smith five minutes into the second-half...

However, they were met with a hammer blow just before the hour mark, after Woking were awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances... Referee Ryan Atkin initially let play continue. Atkin did eventually point to the spot, after the game continued for a considerable amount of time, to the confusion of the City players.

Nevertheless, Walker was the coolest man in the stadium, stepping up to the spot, to send Brzozowski the wrong way and bury the penalty... to double Woking’s lead".

TUESDAY'S POSTPONEMENTS

In League One, the basement battle between Burton in 18th and Cheltenham... was called off.

After consistent heavy rainfall in the region on Tuesday, the playing surface at the Pirelli Stadium was deemed unplayable when the match officials arrived just before 18:00 GMT.

In League Two, Walsall's mid-table match at home to Morecambe was also called off just an hour before kick-off, with the visitors having completed the first leg of a 250-mile round-trip.

There was an even longer journey in the National League as struggling Dorking's game at promotion-chasing Altrincham was postponed.

Their 420-mile round-trip was in vain as the game was called off after an inspection shortly after 17:00 GMT".

Footnote: Tuesday's postponement was the eighth affecting Altrincham's league matches this season.

• 6 home matches; waterlogging x3, frozen pitch x1, clash with FA Trophy tie x2
• 2 Away matches; clash with FA Cup tie x1, frozen pitch x1

ALTY DROP A PLACE

Tuesday, 6 February

• Altrincham P-P Dorking Wanderers (waterlogged pitch)
• Dagenham & Redbridge 1-2 Chesterfield
• FC Halifax Town 1-3 Solihull Moors
• Gateshead 1-1 Eastleigh
• Wealdstone 0-1 Maidenhead United
• Woking 2-0 Oxford City

ACADEMY UPDATE

All the most recent matches, listed below, were in the league except where stated. Alty lie sixth in the league table.

• 6/11/23 13:00 South Shields 1 - 4 Altrincham
• 15/11/23 13:30 Boston United 1 - 3 Altrincham
• 22/11/23 13:30 Altrincham 4 - 2 Farsley Celtic
• 29/11/23 13:00 Solihull Moors 1 - 2 Altrincham
• 06/12/23 13:30 Altrincham 1 - 2 Chester
• Cup 20/12/23 13:00 Altrincham 4 - 0 Solihull Moors
• 10/01/24 13:30 Altrincham 1 - 2 Blyth Spartans
• Cup 24/01/24 13:45 Altrincham 0 - 4 Boston United
• 31/01/24 13:30 Altrincham 0 - 2 Gateshead

NEXT: ROCHDALE

Before that, Rochdale "had the great pleasure of welcoming Azhar Ali OBE, Labour candidate in the upcoming Rochdale by-election, to the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday, for our match against Dagenham & Redbridge...

On Sunday, Chairman Simon Gauge held positive talks with Mr Ali and his team, along with Rochdale Borough Council Leader Neil Emmott.

Mr Gauge used the opportunity to highlight the fantastic contribution that the Football Club makes to the local community and economy, but also to warn of the severe financial difficulties the Club face in the short and long-term.

We were very encouraged by the positive atmosphere that the meeting was conducted in, with a general willingness from all parties to look at finding ways in which the Club can survive sustainably in the long-term.

There were also positive discussions about how the Crown Oil Arena can be a home to both the Football Club and Rochdale Hornets Rugby League Club for many years to come, as well as being a hub at the centre of the community.

It was agreed that urgent talks will continue between the Club and the Council."

ALTY OLD BOYS

CARL PIERGIANNI put in a full shift for Stevenage, but they lost by the only goal of the game to visitors Reading.

National League : JAMES BERRY scored for the third game in succession to give Chesterfield the lead at Dagenham, but was substituted after 79 minutes. The hosts had earlier equalised, but the Spireites regained the lead just before the substitution and held on to win 1-2. JEFF KING was left on the bench.

MARCUS DINANGA played the whole game as Gateshead were held 1-1 at home by Eastleigh.

NPL : A late JORDAN HULME goal enabled Radcliffe to win 0-1 at FC United.

6 February 2024

MATCH POSTPONED

It is the fourth time that this fixture has been postponed and, unfortunately, Dorking have twice travelled in vain.

The history of the fixture is as follows.

• Sat. 21.10.23 postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
• Sat. 2.12.23 postponed owing to a frozen pitch
• Tue. 12.12.23 postponed owing to a clash with FA Trophy tie.
• Tue. 6.2.24 postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch

However, this fixture has some way to go to match the eight dates needed to determine an FA Trophy tie and replay in 2015/16.

After an initial postponement at Moss Lane, Altrincham drew the First Round tie, necessitating a replay.

That replay was postponed five times before being played with Altrincham and their supporters travelling twice to Warwickshire to be met by very late postponements.

Right: The Leamington pitch on Tuesday, 5 January 2016.

1. Sat. 12.12.15 FAT1 Altrincham v Leamington postponed
2. Tue. 15.12.15 FAT1 Altrincham 1-1 Leamington
3. 22.12.25 FAT1R Leamington v Altrincham, postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
4. Tue. 5.1.16 FAT1R Leamington v Altrincham, postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
5. Wed. 6.1.16 FAT1R Leamington v Altrincham, postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
6. Tue. 12.1.16 FAT1R Leamington v Altrincham, postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
7. Thu. 14.1.16 FAT1R Leamington v Altrincham, postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
8. Sat. 16.1.16 FAT1R Leamington 1-2 Altrincham after extra time

With the team having travelled three times (twice abortively) to Leamington in the above sequence, it was perhaps no surprise that they lost the Second Round tie at Bognor Regis, a 500-mile round-trip away, which had to be played just three days after the Leamington replay.

That was the celebrated match where Bognor used a number of cars with their engines running, parked on the pitch, to melt frozen parts of the playing surface. At least that tie got played at the first attempt!

ACADEMY SIDE UPDATE

All the most recent matches, listed below, were in the league except where stated. Alty lie sixth in the league table.

• 6/11/23 13:00 South Shields 1 - 4 Altrincham
• 15/11/23 13:30 Boston United 1 - 3 Altrincham
• 22/11/23 13:30 Altrincham 4 - 2 Farsley Celtic
• 29/11/23 13:00 Solihull Moors 1 - 2 Altrincham
• 06/12/23 13:30 Altrincham 1 - 2 Chester
• Cup 20/12/23 13:00 Altrincham 4 - 0 Solihull Moors
• 10/01/24 13:30 Altrincham 1 - 2 Blyth Spartans
• Cup 24/01/24 13:45 Altrincham 0 - 4 Boston United
• 31/01/24 13:30 Altrincham 0 - 2 Gateshead

DORKING MATCH: TEAM NEWS

Altrincham... have emerged victorious in five of their last six home games.

Dorking, on the other hand, have fallen victim to inconsistency with 3 wins and 3 losses since the turn of the year...

Niall McManus, Tony Craig and Seb Bowerman all missed out at the weekend, with the latter still recovering from a hamstring problem, thus unavailable. TC and McManus’ status’ are still yet to be determined.

Barry Fuller remains sidelined, along with James McShane.

Luke Moore has served his four game suspension, following his red card at Macclesfield in mid-January, and will be available for selection.

Left: Matt Gould could start a fourth successive league game tonight for the first time in his Alty career which is now half way through its fourth season.

Alfie Rutherford, who went off in the first half against Fylde, is unavailable for the trip to Altrincham...

After winning eight of their last ten league games, Altrincham will pose a significant threat to Dorking’s defence having already netted 54 times this campaign"

For their part, Altrincham remain without Joey Jones and James Jones who are seemingly out for the rest of the season. Goalkeeper Ollie Byrne made his first appearance of the season last week in the Cheshire Senior Cup but Matt Gould can probably expect to remain in goal tonight, assuming that first-choice Ethan Ross remains sidelined by the injury that has caused him to miss the last three league outings.

If Matt does play, it will be the first time in his three and a half years at Moss Lane that the former Spennymoor keeper will have started four successive league matches.

Alty signed centre-back Sonny Aljofree on loan from Manchester United recently but he has yet to figure in a matchday squad.

BEFORE: DORKING WANDERERS

In a fascinating and very honest interview, Dorking manager Marc White spoke after his team had lost 1-3 to AFC Fylde at the weekend.

Despite defeat, he thought that his players "won their duels all over the pitch" and that "we were so dominant". He referred to Fylde's win as a "smash and grab" raid.

He was not afraid to name those of his players who made mistakes during the game, referring to "terrible decision making" of specific players.

He added that "Our home form is abysmal" yet, away from home, he felt they were better. (In fact, their home and away records are identical insofar as they have won five and drawn two of their fixtures both at home and away with identical goal differences of minus seven at both venues).

Referring to tonight's game at Alty, the manager said that his side would have to travel "up and down on the day because we are part-time". Whilst he conceded that most people would think Alty are favourites to win, he insisted that Dorking could beat any side in the league on their day.

Last season, Alty won the match at home to Dorking Wanderers 4-1.

Above: In the match last season, Ryan Colclough's freekick from the left went into the net off the underside of the bar to give Alty the lead in first-half injury time.

Altrincham's side in the October 2022 clash with Dorking included seven players who have since either left the club or have not played a league game this season. On the bench were five players, four of whom have left and one (James Jones) who is out injured. So just four of last year's matchday squad of sixteen are likely to start tonight's game; they are Cooper, Eddy Jones, Osborne and Conn-Clarke.

Last season's line-up: 1. Oliver Byrne, 22. Ross Barrows, 5. Toby Mullarkey (c), 23. Jake Cooper, 2. Eddy Jones, 10. Elliot Osborne, 8. Josh Lundstram, 16. Chris Conn-Clarke, 17. Brad Jackson, 11. Ryan Colclough, 30. Marcus Dinanga. Subs: 9. Jordan Hulme, 26. James Jones, 18. Ben Pringle, 27. Aaron Bennett, 31. Dan Malone.

ALTRINCHAM RESERVES UPDATE

• 3/2/24: Bollington Town 3-2 Altrincham FC Res, in the Altrincham FA Senior Cup Quarter Final
• 27/1/24 Altrincham FC Res. 2-3 Broadheath Central FC in a cup match in which a George Raftery double was scored for Alty
• 13/1/24 Altrincham FC Res. 2-2 Winstanley Warriors in a league match. Ryan netted one of the home goals.
• 30/12/23 Garswood United 5-2 (HT 4-1) Altrincham FC Res. in a league match. Partington netted both Altrincham goals.
• 23/12/23 Middlewich Town 2-0 Altrincham FC Res. in a league match
• 9/12/23 Egerton FC 2-6 Altrincham FC Res. The six different Alty scorers were Raftery, Atkinson, Lynch, Yousaf, Cleary and Jarrald

Altrincham lie fourth in the Cheshire League but have played more games than any other team, with other teams having up to eight games in hand.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The Club strongly condemns the actions of the Wealdstone fans involved at the closing stages of yesterday’s match and the thousands of pounds worth of damage once again caused to The Hive Stadium.

Unfortunately, this is an ongoing and escalating problem with various groups of Wealdstone fans involved in multiple criminal acts – including assault, entering the field of play, throwing flares and missiles, and causing criminal damage. While we have expressed our serious concerns in the past, we hope that the support we have been asking for over the past few seasons in relation to this fixture will now be forthcoming from both the League and Wealdstone FC.

We will continue to work closely with the relevant regulatory bodies and Metropolitan Police throughout the remainder of their investigations.

We can confirm that no serious harm was suffered by the steward attacked, and we thank all those involved with ensuring the safety of all fans and staff on the day".

For their part, Wealdstone state that "The Board of Directors at Wealdstone Football Club unequivocally condemn the actions of the individual who invaded the pitch during our National League fixture at Barnet FC yesterday, following our equalising goal and assaulted a match day steward. Such behaviour is totally unacceptable and goes against the values that our club stands for...

We will be working closely with Barnet Football Club and the Metropolitan Police to identify and take appropriate action against any supporters who entered the pitch and those directly involved in this incident. All culprits identified will face the full consequences of their actions.

It is with deep regret that the reprehensible behaviour of a few has overshadowed what was a moment of celebration for our team and the vast majority of our supporters, who behaved impeccably and adhered to the ground regulations throughout the match. We are very disappointed that the actions of these few individuals have cast a shadow over our club and our dedicated fans.

The club wishes to express its sincere apologies to the match day steward affected by this incident, and we will ensure they receive our full support".

By way of background to the clubs' rivalry, Wikipedia reminds us that Wealdstone "attempted to redevelop the local disused Prince Edward Playing Fields at Canons Park, owned by the London Borough of Harrow, into a new home ground. Construction of the new stadium started in 2003 but, when over 30% completed, building work was suddenly halted in April 2004 when the private company who were co-financing the project in partnership with the club went into insolvency.

Unable to afford to complete the new stadium on their own, Wealdstone were forced to leave the site unfinished for two years, until Harrow Council, frustrated that the site was still unused and falling into disrepair, eventually sold the site lease to Barnet F.C.".

On the eve of last Saturday's match, Bromley announced "the permanent signing of defender Deji Elerewe from Charlton Athletic.

The 20-year-old made 18 league appearances over two loan spells at Hayes Lane, netting on four occasions.

Elerewe first joined the club back in March 2023... The defender... returned for a second loan spell in October...

He represented the Addicks five times in League One. During his time at the Valley, he also spent time on loan at Wealdstone... [in] 2022/23".

Altrincham entertain Rochdale on Saturday.

Dale report that "16-year-old Mateus Mane made the First Team matchday squad against Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday...

'Mane deserves a mention, a 16-year-old making the bench,' commented Dale’s Head Coach. 'He’s been fantastic for the Youth Team. He trained with the First Team on an occasion last week and he showed real talent, for such a young boy.

'As we’ve shown all season, we want to realign this club with what has been an amazing element of this club, the Academy. What’s at stake for that moving forward I truthfully don’t know, because we’re in different financial territory than we ever have been before. I'm the Head Coach, I don't run the Club operationally, so I don't know.

'But I believe in falling in line with the brave coaches that have been here before in showcasing those players, putting them in the front line'...

Mane... is the most recent Youth Team player to be part of a First Team squad. He follows the likes of Isaac Burgess, Corey Edwards and Luke Mann, who have all made their professional bows this season.

17-year-old George Nevett, who had begun the second year of his scholarship before signing a professional contract in the summer, has made 23 appearances for the First Team so far this season. He has been missing since the turn of the year but McNulty is hopeful of him returning soon".

5 February 2024

SOLIHULL ACTION

And Phil Parkinson's post-match interview is available on Alty TV.

After Saturday's matc, Solihull Moors reported that "An Alex Newby goal was enough for Altrincham...

The away side began the better side with Justin Amaluzor being played in behind the Moors defence and running through on goal inside two minutes. With just Nick Hayes to beat, Amaluzor curls the ball wide of the goal....

The biggest [Solihull] chance of the game came after 17 minutes... Sbarra clipped the ball towards the far-post for Alex Whitmore to send towards goal. But his header went just wide of the post.

On 31 minutes though, Altrincham took the lead through Alex Newby. After regaining the ball, the away side broke on the counterattack with Amaluzor dribbling down the right-hand side and crossing into the danger area for Newby to tap home and make it 0-1...

On the hour mark, Altrincham thought they had doubled the lead with a couple of brilliant chances.

Chris Conn-Clarke saw his shot from the edge of the box whistle wide of the post, before Regan Linney was played in behind and hit a shot that somehow avoided the far corner as the score remained 0-1.

Hayes was also called into action a minute later, with Linney again having the space to strike towards goal. But his shot across goal was well saved by Hayes..

Despite Solihull keeping possession, they just could not break down the stubborn Altrincham defence as it ended in defeat".

NEXT TUESDAY: DORKING WANDERERS

The three previous dates for the match were...

• Sat.21.10.23 postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch
• Sat.2.12.23 postponed owing to a frozen pitch
• Tue.12.12.23 postponed owing to a clash with FA Trophy tie.

Sports Mole reminds us that "The hosts are currently fourth in the table, boasting 49 points from their opening 29 matches of the campaign, while Dorking sit down in 19th, just two points ahead of the relegation zone...

The Robins will enter this match off the back of successive wins... Altrincham recorded a 4-1 win over Dorking in the corresponding game during the 2022-23 campaign...

Dorking, meanwhile, have only managed to pick up 17 points from their 14 matches on their travels...

Marc White's side recorded a 3-0 victory over Boreham Wood in their last away match on January 27, but they will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Fylde on Saturday afternoon...

Dorking have struggled defensively this season, conceding 50 times in their 30 league games, and they will be welcoming an Altrincham side that has scored 54 times, making them the fourth-best attacking team in the division...

For Dorking, Jason Prior is their leading goalscorer this season with nine... It is likely that Alfie Rutherford will miss out with the injury which forced him off in the first half of Saturday's loss to Fylde.

Male; Francomb, Hollis, Taylor, Carter; Pybus, Ottaway, Taylor, Muitt; Prior, Blair".

ALTY OLD BOYS

Now 35, Luca (right) was at the heart of the Altrincham defence from 2012 to 2016 where he made 181(+1) appearances and scored 6 goals

Alex graduated to the Reserves from George Heslop's youth team and was captain at both levels. Nowadays he is the manager of Chaderton club Avro whilst Luca most recently was at Bradford (Park Avenue).

Alex and Luca met as young players at Mossley and now Havern is fulfilling his promise to finish his playing career under Frost's management.

Alex was a right-back/centre-half when he started to play for Altrincham Youth from 2002-03 season as a 16 year-old, (he is seen left at Alty in April 2003). After leaving the club he returned on non-Contract terms in March 2009. CLubs for which he played included Ashton United, Nantwich Town and Droylsden.

NEXT SATURDAY: ROCHDALE

From Spotland, Rochdale announce that "Tahvon Campbell has joined fellow National League side Solihull Moors on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.

The striker had spent the first part of the season on loan at Wealdstone, scoring six goals in 19 league appearances.

That loan spell has been mutually cut short to allow the 27-year-old to join Moors permanently.

Campbell joined Dale in January 2022 and made 21 appearances for the club during an injury-hit spell, scoring three times.

He spent the final two months of last season on loan at Aldershot Town, before joining The Stones in the summer".

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

There was a greater energy and forward-thinking approach to the Fleet, and that lifted the mood around Stonebridge Road despite the club’s current predicament. If this was the first game of his audition for the job, then Searle did his chances no harm at all...

Said former Braintree and Aldershot boss Searle... 'I agreed to do it on an interim basis and I will help the club as much as I can for as long as I can. But I never made any bones about the fact that if the job is there to be taken, then I’d take it...

'It would have been nice if we had a run of games where we’re not playing Oldham and Chesterfield, I think we’ve got eight sides in the top half in the next 10 games,' smiled Searle...

'But we need to get the fans going, it’s not their job to get us goin...

'We go to Chesterfield next Saturday – if it is me – and that’s a real tough ask, But we go there with a bit of freedom and excitement and try to go toe-to-toe...

'If I’m honest Oldham go home [tonight, Saturday] feeling a bit lucky that they got the point that they did as we were definitely the better side, especially second half.'"

According to the Isle of Man's GEF "Manx footballer Adam Long has joined AFC Fylde on a deal until the end of the season.

The former St George’s defender left League Two Doncaster Rovers earlier this week after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent...

Long said... ‘The club’s facilities are outstanding for this level, and the mentality around the squad is a really positive one. I feel I’m a player with a lot to give'...

Chris Beech, AFC Fylde head coach, added... 'Living locally in Wigan at the club where he made his name he’s a big strong left-footed defender at a great age with League One experiences... We are currently running off just two centre-halves a third was 100% a priority area to recruit'".

4 February 2024

SOLIHULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

BOTH SETS OF MANAGEMENT HAPPY!

"The difference between this season and last season is being able to hang on to all four* of those [forward] players, whereas we had to rebuild that last season.

"We know that if we give them the service, nine times out of ten, they're going to produce the goals we need".

But Moors boss Andy Whing was also upbeat stating "Performance wise, I'm really happy because we've been outstanding.

"We had a three-week break that affected us because we were on a run of form. We've had a blip but our performances have gotten [sic] better and better.

"The final pass isn't going right for us at the moment but, if we keep playing like that, results will come".

* Footnote: The four forward players to which Neil referred are Newby, Amaluzor, Linney (right) and Conn-Clarke.

The NL Paper's match stats say that the Moors had zero shots on target and six off-target compared with Alty's three on target and eleven off target, The Moors won four corners to Alty's single flag-kick.

ALTY NO LONGER "A STEPPING STONE"

"'January is always a nervous time for us', says Parkinson...'We know we're not the Mecca of football for everybody. Certainly before this season, I knew deep down the only reason players came here was because we'd help them move on.

'But we're getting stronger and bigger in everything we do. Players are still coming here with one eye on pushing on but they're also coming here with one eye on getting into the EFL with Altrincham. We're not just a stepping stone, now'"

SOLIHULL MOORS 0-1 ALTRINCHAM

After the midweek defeat in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Phil Parkinson predictably made eleven changes to restore the starting eleven to that which beat Eastleigh last time out in the National League.

Following a quick throw by Banks, Amaluzor fed Newby (right) whose shot took a deflection as it found the net to put Alty ahead (32 mins). Alty goalkeeper Gould was barely troubled in the first half.

Still ahead 1-0 at the hour mark, Linney twice went close to adding to the lead. In the final quarter Solihull made changes of personnel and formation and applied pressure which Alty withstood well to secure the win. The Robins move up to fourth in the table.

Match report here

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS

• Barnet 1-1 Wealdstone
• Bromley 1-2 Hartlepool United
• Dorking Wanderers 1-3 AFC Fylde
• Eastleigh 1-3 Chesterfield
• Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Oldham Athletic
• FC Halifax Town 1-2 Aldershot Town
• Kidderminster Harriers 3-2 Oxford City
• Rochdale 1-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
• Solihull Moors 0-1 Altrincham
• Southend United 0-1 Gateshead
• Woking 0-1 Boreham Wood
• York City 1-1 Maidenhead United

NEXT TUESDAY: DORKING WANDERERS

On Saturday,Dorking Wanderers reported that "A brilliant finish by Connor Barrett alongside a brace from Ustabasi allowed AFC Fylde to brush past the Wanderers, in what proved to be a difficult day at the office for Dorking.

Marc White came into today’s encounter on the back of an emphatic victory away to Boreham Wood and made just two changes to last week’s line up as a result. Bobby Joe Taylor returned to the side for the injured Bowerman, having pulled his hamstring in our last encounter. Jimmy Muitt, an unused substitute last weekend, would also be introduced in place of captain Tony Craig, allowing Haydn Hollis to pick up the armband...

Fylde capitalised on an error at the back to take the lead. Male’s attempt to punch the ball away from danger instead caught Joe Westley and created a collision in the box, with Ustabasi tapping home the loose ball beyond a bewildered Dorking backline...

just before the break, a quick move from Fylde opened up a pocket of space for Ustabasi to cut inside, eventually sending a shot across goal and into the far corner. HT 0-2...

With twenty minutes left to play, Fylde hit Dorking for three through Connor Barrett...

Dorking did pull one back late on through Blair following tidy work from Harry Ottaway. A knock-down from the centre forward following a good build up played Blair through on goal, in the end firing past Richardson".

NEXT SATURDAY: ROCHDALE

This Saturday Rochdale boss Jimmy McNulty said, "he trusts in his players to react positively to Saturday’s defeat against Dagenham & Redbridge.

It is the first time this season that Dale have lost back-to-back league matches, after the defeat at Aldershot Town last weekend was followed by a 2-1 reverse against Daggers...

'What I trust in is the culture of this group, their togetherness and their humility,' said McNulty. 'They accept when we haven’t done that well, and I think that’s the reason why we’ve gone 30 games in the league, and this is the first time we’ve been beaten back-to-back'...

McNulty admitted...'We struggled – a lot of the performance was sluggish... We were slow out of the blocks... We were able to get the ball around Dagenham into the key areas but the final pass, cross, one-two, shot, all eluded us'".

ALTY OLD BOYS

Championship : DUNCAN WATMORE was substituted after 67 minutes as Millwall lost to the only goal of the game at Hull City.

League One : OWEN DALE made his Oxford United debut from the bench after 68 minutes with his team a goal up, but an own goal handed visitors Reading a 1-1 draw.

JOE HUGILL was substituted after an hour by Burton Albion, who had seven players booked. Visitors Lincoln City played for over an hour with ten men, but still managed to win by the only goal of the match.

JUNIOR QUITIRNA and HARRISON HOLGATE both came off the Fleetwood Town bench in the 6th added minute as their team ran down the clock, beating visitors Port Vale 3-0.

Stevenage captain CARL PIERGIANNI was booked near the end of his team's 1-0 home win over Blackpool.

League Two : Grimsby Town dropped TOBY MULLARKEY (left) to the bench, where he remained as they fought out a goalless draw at Accrington Stanley.

ELLIOT NEWBY put in a full shift for Barrow as they beat visitors MK Dons 1-0 to leapfrog Wrexham into the automatic promotion places; the Welsh side went down 3-1 at Salford City, who again had JOEL TORRANCE on their bench.

JOEL SENIOR played the full game for Morecambe as they won 1-2 at Crawley Town, as did CONNOR JENNINGS for Tranmere Rovers in a goalless draw at home to Crewe Alexandra.

National League : LUKE WATERFALL played the full game for Hartlepool as they pulled off a fine 1-2 victory at Bromley. So did DANNY WHITEHEAD for AFC Fylde as they won 1-3 at the Robins' next opponents Dorking Wanderers - a result that edges them out of the relegation places.

JAMES BERRY (left) opened the scoring for Chesterfield, but was substituted after 72 minutes as they won 1-3 at Eastleigh. JEFF KING stayed on the bench.

Kidderminster Harriers had been two goals down to visitors Oxford City at the break, but by the time ASHLEY HEMMINGS was substituted in the 90th minute they'd completed a stirring comeback to win 3-2.

MARCUS DINANGA was substituted in the 89th minute by Gateshead at Southend United, but had earlier scored the game's only goal.

BILLY SASS-DAVIES was booked only 5 minutes into Boreham Wood's match at Woking, but, despite playing with ten men from the 41st minute, his team won 0-1.

JOSH LUNDSTRAM was booked during Oldham Athletic's goalless draw at Ebbsfleet United.

After visitors Dagenham and Redbridge had taken an early lead, TYRESE SINCLAIR equalised for Rochdale. However, the visitors restored their advantage from the spot in added time at the end of the first half, and a barren second half saw Dale lose 1-2.

National North : HARRY PERRITT played the full match, while LEWIS SALMON was a 77th minute substitute, as Alfreton Town fought out a goalless draw at home to title chasers Tamworth.

TOM PEERS played the full game for Chester, while KOLE HALL was an 82nd minute substitute. Visitors Banbury United took a 1-1 draw after their keeper saved a penalty in added time.

NPL : Hyde United followed their Cheshire Senior Cup success against the Robins with a 2-0 home victory over Workington, with JACK REDSHAW netting the clincher.

Radcliffe were a goal behind to visitors Guiseley after only 6 minutes, but 12 minutes later found themselves facing ten men. JORDAN HULME and JOSH HANCOCK (above, right) put them 2-1 up, but by the 55th minute Guiseley had scored another three goals, and held on to win 3-4. However, Radcliffe remain 8 points clear at the top of the table, and have games in hand.

JONNY MARGETTS opened his King's Lynn account as they won 1-2 at Gloucester City in National North.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Pools went behind early in the game when attacking play by the hosts saw Michael Cheek smash the ball in from close range in the ninth minute.

The visitors got their first chance of the game just six minutes later as Callum Cooke fired over the bar from the edge of the box.

It remained a stalemate until Pools then took the lead in the 60th minute when Cooke broke forward to find Grey... only for the ball to be turned into the Bromley’s goal by their own defender Kamarl Grant.

New signing Brennan Dickenson made his debut coming on for Courtney Senior just over midway through the second half...

The result sees Pools move up one spot in the National League table to eleventh place on 40 points.

Hartlepool were without Otis Khan, Anthony Mancini and Courtney Duffus today who were all unavailable due to suffering injuries in training".

3 February 2024

BEFORE: SOLIHULL MOORS

However, although parent club Manchester United will expect their young defender to gain reasonable game time, Aljofree is more likely to figure on the bench tomorrow. If so, that would be his first involvement at National League level as his previous loan spell last season entailed just a single Cheshire Senior Cup appearance against Runcorn Linnets.

For their part, Moors will be adjusting to the loss of leading scorer Josh Kelly, who has moved to AFC Wimbledon. With his departure, no remaining Moors player has scored more than five league goals for the club this season.

Solihull Moors say "We look to return to winning ways against Phil Parkinson's side.

Following last night's frustrating draw against Dagenham & Redbridge, the gap between the fourth placed Moors and Gateshead who lay [lie] just outside of the play-offs to [is] just four points.

Josh Kelly's spot-kick was cancelled out by Dion Pereira's late strike to share the spoils at the ARMCO Arena...

This weekend provides another stern test against another side on the hunt to secure a play-off position as we welcome Altrincham to B92 for a highly anticipated [?match]. Ahead of this fixture, we announced that all Nuneaton Borough Season Ticket holders will be eligble to receive a free ticket upon the presentation of their season card to the Box Office".

NEIL LOOKS BACK AND FORWARDS

He first discussed last week's "thoroughly deserved win" over Eastleigh and compared this January with last season when four key players departed for various reasons at that stage of the season. In that game against Eastleigh Neil said that Alty complated more than 500 passes and won such a match for the first time.

After "four enjoyable seasons" so far at Altrincham, Neil also looked forward to the trip to Solihull and the following three home games, a venue where Neil praised the home support. With the Wealdstone home match now rearranged for 13 February, Alty now have a Saturday-Tuesday rotation of fixtures throughout February.

TWO GO OUT ON LOAN

Left: George Burroughs. Right: Owen German.

George Burroughs is a 21 year old versatile defender comfortable at centre back, right back and right wing back. Having spent 15 years at Coventry City and being part of their successful U23 side, Coventry based George signed for Altrincham in the summer. During his career George has had loan spells at Nuneaton, Telford and Redditch United.

Owen German, an 18 year old central midfielder is a local talent, who spent time on loan at Wythenshawe Town, and since October at Warrington Rylands FC featuring in our heavy defeat there, earlier this season.

Both players are now training with us ahead of our next fixture at Hyde United on Saturday 17th February.

Footnote: Coincidentally, Stafford's next opponents are Hyde United, who beat Alty in midweek in the CSC, so George Burroughs will be playing two successive games against The Tigers.

George has made 3(+2) appearances for Altrincham this season, with one of those appearances from the bench being in the National League. Otherwise his game time has been limited to cup competitions.

Owen has made one cup appearance for Alty this campaign to add to his previous 1(+1) appearances last season.

ALTY OLD BOYS

Footnote: Jake, who is 35 next week, joined Stafford last summer, following a season at Buxton which came after his departure from Moss Lane where he had spent virtually ten years.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The 23-year-old arrived at Hayes Lane ahead of the 2021-22 season from Millwall and went on to make 38 league appearances for the Ravens whilst also playing a key role in our FA Trophy run of 2022.

Alexander... also had loan spells at Welling United, Slough Town and Dartford".

ALso, Bromley "announce the permanent signing of defender Deji Elerewe from Charlton Athletic.

The 20-year-old made 18 league appearances over two loan spells at Hayes Lane, netting on four occasions.

Elerewe first joined the club back in March 2023... The defender, who is a product of Charlton’s Academy, returned for a second loan spell in October...

He represented the Addicks five times in League One...

He also spent time on loan at Wealdstone".

There has been plenty of player activity at Eastleigh where "Malachi Dotse has signed his first pro deal with the Spitfires... after coming through our youth system.

The 19-year-old has featured three times for the Spitfires this season... The striker... featured... against Altrincham last week before signing his pro deal".

ALlso at Eastleigh we learn of "the signing of David Longe-King on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge!

The 29-year-old central defender has played for 11 different sides so far in his career.

He began his career 10 years ago with Colney Heath of the Spartan South Midlands Football League, before earning a move to St Albans City... before moving on to Dunstable Town in the 2015/16 season...

Following a season playing for Biggleswade Town... the Brent-born defender then returned to St Albans City for a season before moving to Newport County... moving on to Grimsby Town at the end of the season.

He spent the first half of the 2021/22 season with Grimsby, he was loaned out to Woking in January and spent the remainder of the season with them.

Longe-King then signed for Dagenham & Redbridge at the end of that season on a permanent deal and has been there since, playing 31 times across two seasons for them".

A further move at Eastleigh is "the signing of left-back, Ben Greenwood on loan from AFC Bournemouth!

The 20-year-old joined the AFC Bournemouth academy during the 2018/19 season...

Greenwood enjoyed loan spells at Poole Town and Wimborne before gaining some National League experience with Weymouth... making eight National League appearances...

The Irishman was on the bench for AFC Bournemouth for their Premier League games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham last month. He was also on the bench for their game against Liverpool last week".

Another new face at Eastleigh is Ben Reeves, "The 32-year-old midfielder joins us after he left Gillingham at the end of last season.

The former Northern Ireland international began his career with Southampton... He made 13 appearances... including three in the Premier League.

Following loan spells at Dagenham & Redbridge and Southend United, Reeves joined MK Dons on a permanent deal and played for the[m] 134 times between 2013 and 2017, scoring 32 goals in the process.

He then spent two seasons with Charlton in League One before returning to MK Dons for a season. Reeves then moved to Plymouth Argyle in 2020... He most recently played for Gillingham; he spent two years in Kent".

Hartlepool United "announce the signing of Brennan Dickenson on loan from Oldham Athletic until the end of the season.

The versatile winger has played more than 200 times in the Football League...

Dickenson spent two years at League One side Gillingham before [joining]... Colchester United.

The left-footer then went on to play for MK Dons, Exeter City and Carlisle United... before putting pen to paper at Oldham in the summer...

Hartlepool United Head Coach, Kevin Phillips, added... 'He's a wide player with a fantastic left foot... He's got physicality and can be quite direct'">

Oldham Athletic add that "The 30-year-old joined Latics following a trial last summer, agreeing a one-year deal.

Making 15 league appearances and scoring five goals... Brennan now links up with Kevin Phillips’s side in the North East.

2 February 2024

ALJOFREE RETURNS

The 19-year-old has been a mainstay of United’s under-21 side in 2023/24, making 10 appearances... in Premier League 2 as well as playing twice in the EFL Trophy.

'I'm really pleased to have secured Sonny on loan until the end of the season. It was an easy decision for me to act on Manchester United's interest to trust us with another one of their young players. He'll provide cover and competition for Coops with James [Jones] being out for the rest of the season. He's a fantastic person and a player I'm really looking forward to working with again' [said] Phil Parkinson".

Footnote: Sonny was one of three United players announced as Altrincham "loanees" exactly a year to the day ago (1 February 2023) but, unlike team-mates Joe Hugill and Maxi Oyedele, Sonny never played a league game for the Robins.

In fact, he only made a single appearance in Alty colours, in an away Cheshire Senior Cup tie at Runcorn Linnets in April 2023.

Born in Plymouth, Altrincham FC announced central defender Sonny's arrival on 1 February 2023 for a season-long loan. His father Hasney also started at Old Trafford and went on to make more than a hundred appearances for Plymouth Argyle as well as playing for Bolton Wanderers, Dundee United, Swindon Town and Oldham Athletic.

NEXT MATCH: SOLIHULL MOORS BLOW

The 25-year-old arrived at B92 in the summer transfer window on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee...

Chairman of the Football Club, Darryl Eales, said 'We accept that on occasion we will lose players in less than ideal circumstances... He made it clear that he wanted the opportunity to move into the EFL.

'From the club perspective, and having discussed with Andy Whing and Stephen Ward, we collectively felt that the Wimbledon offer was sufficiently attractive to enable us to strengthen our attacking options by bringing in two new strikers in short order.

'This will enable us to freshen the squad further and having recently recruited Alex Whitmore and John Benton and also having Joe Sbarra back, we feel that we will be in an improved position to maintain our playoff push this season'...

So far this season, Kelly has been in fine form under Andy Whing, netting 15 goals in all competitions... The forward has scored 26 goals in 74 appearances for the Moors".

Solihull started the season as the last team in the National League to suffer defeat in match fifteen on 7 October, a 0-1 reverse against Aldershot Town. But since then their form has been erratic.

Indeed, they lost their next league fixture 5-0 at Southend United and in their next seven league games there was a sequence of four successive defeats.

However, league form has recovered recently with three wins and a draw out of five games, including a 2-0 victory at home to Chesterfield.

Last Tuesday they drew at home to Dagenham & Redbridge in front of just 855 spectators.

Alty's last five fixtures have brought a slightly lower return from two wins and a draw, both wins being at home.

In fact, Alty are on a run of six winless games away from home, with just three draws in that sequence.

ALTY OLD BOYS

25-year-old Owen first caught the eye after stepping up from the Academy to First Team at Crewe Alexandra. In 2022 he signed for Blackpool ahead of their Championship campaign and, having made 43 appearances on loan at Portsmouth last season, has since featured regularly for Blackpool this season.

'He is an exciting player,' Head Coach Des Buckingham told oufc.co.uk. 'He gets at defenders, has a lot of energy and has played over 200 games so he knows his game and we feel still has plenty of potential to keep improving'"

Footnote: Owen joined Altrincham on a month's loan in time to make his debut on 25 August 2018. He had already made his Crewe first-team league debut in September 2017 and, including cup matches, he had made six senior outings for Alex in 2017/18. Owen proved to be a good addition to the Altrincham side and his loan was renewed for a further period in September 2018. Sadly, Crewe took him back at the end of November 2018 after he had made 13(+3) appearances and scored 3 goals.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

Kabby, a prolific forward, previously graced Meadow Park from July 2019 to August 2021... In the 2019/20 season, his 19 league goals propelled Wood to the National League play-offs semi-final...

Undeterred,... notching another 19 league goals... he played a pivotal role...

In August 2021, Kabby made a move to Chesterfield for an undisclosed fee, where he continued his impressive goal-scoring form, netting 31 goals in 51 games. His remarkable 2021/22 campaign saw him score 24 goals in just 27 league games...

Securing a transfer to League One side Peterborough United in January 2023, Kabby initially joined on loan before the deal became permanent in the summer. The 26-year-old spent the current season on loan at Fleetwood Town...

Manager Luke Garrard expressed his excitement, stating, 'The business that the Chairman and Charlie have done to get this over the line is incredible, the hoops and red tape let alone the financial commitment shows how much we feel Kabby is a huge addition'".

Another player leaving the National League is Oldham Athletic's "Joe Nuttall [who] has joined Cheltenham Town on loan until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old joined Latics in December 2022...

He finished the 2022/23 season on seven goals in 23 league games...

Nuttall has featured 12 times in the league this season for Latics, scoring against York City.

Also departing Boundary Park is "Kurt Willoughby [who] has completed a loan move to Ayr United for the remainder of the season.

The striker, who signed for Latics in the summer from Chester, joins the Scottish Championship side until the end of the current campaign.

Willoughby, 26, has made six starts and a further 12 substitute appearances so far this campaign for Oldham... He joined Latics from Chester ahead of the current season having previously played for York, Fylde and FC United of Manchester" report Oldham Athletic.

At Ebbsfleet United, following the sacking of Dennis Kurtrieb, "the process to appoint our next permanent manager at Ebbsfleet United is ongoing.

In the interim period, Danny Searle has this week been working alongside our coaching staff.

He will act as head coach during this period and take charge of Saturday’s match v Oldham Athletic pending the finalisation of our recruitment process to appoint the new manager".

Kent Online add that Searle is "best known in non-league circles for his time in charge of Aldershot, had most recently been assistant head coach at FC Banik Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

He left that role less than two weeks ago, stating 'I had to go back to England for some paperwork reasons to allow me to work in Ostrava. Unfortunately, during this time we’ve had some personal things come up that means I really need to be at home with my family...

'It’s disappointing for me to have to walk away right now'...

Prior to that he was in charge of League of Ireland First Division side Waterford but was sacked in March 2023 just five games into their league season...

He led Aldershot to National League safety in two consecutive seasons... Previously, Searle was manager at Braintree...

It’s been a busy few days at Stonebridge Road with defender Mustapha Olagunju returning to parent club Huddersfield after a loan spell which was disrupted by injury. He’s already been replaced by centre-back Tommy Fogarty, who has joined on loan for the remainder of the campaign from Birmingham City...

Ebbsfleet striker Shaq Coulthirst has extended his loan deal with National League South Braintree for a further month".

Aldershot Town report that they "shared the points in a game which saw six goals and two red cards, as Jack Barham, Lorent Tolaj, and deep into added time Kwame Thomas scored for the Shots in a 3-3 draw at Grosvenor Vale.

Tommy Widdrington made two changes to the side which were 3-1 victors over Rochdale on Saturday, bringing in Theo Widdrington and Rollin Menayese... Coby Rowe and Stuart O’Keefe were rested ...

Jack Barham scored the first goal of the game... but it would be the Shots who had the second goal of the game...

Stones had looked threatening from balls over the top, and scored twice in a matter of minutes from balls over the top just after the half hour mark...

Nathan Ferguson levelled the game... 2 each with 34 minutes on the clock...

Wealdstone made quick work of taking the lead in the second half...

The Shots were given a lift with 79 minutes on the clock, as Aaron Henry tripped up Lorent Tolaj on the counter attack and got himself a second yellow card...

Aldershot got themself back on terms in added time... At the back post Kwame Thomas got the highest and got the Shots level with minutes left on the clock.

With a minute to go of added time Wealdstone were reduced to 9, as Mason Barrett put an awful challenge in on Ryan Glover and was sent straight off... so the points were shared between Aldershot and Wealdstone."

Aldershot Town also "confirm the signing of James Daly on a loan from Harrogate Town until the end of the season!

The attacker came through the youth ranks at Crystal Palace, before joining Bristol Rovers.

Daly then joined Stevenage, before a successful season with Woking saw the 24-year-old move back to the Football League with Harrogate".

Having lost their manager recently, Wealdstone have now lost a player to a league rival as Bromley "announce the signing of midfielder Ashley Charles from fellow National League side Wealdstone for an undisclosed fee.

The 24-year-old [has] made 20 league appearances for the Stones so far this season...

Charles began his career at Watford before... a loan spell at Barnet in 2019. In the same year, his time at Watford came to an end with Wealdstone proving to be his next destination.

During his time at Grosvenor Vale, which included a loan spell at Concord Rangers, Charles featured 112 times in the National League".

Kidderminster Harriers "players firmly believe they can keep their good recent form going over the remaining months of the National League season, says Caleb Richards.

Three straight wins under new boss Phil Brown have given the Reds and their fans a shot in the arm after a period of struggle at Aggborough... ahead of this weekend’s crunch clash with Oxford City at Aggborough...

Richards said, 'I think it is just a bit of belief... and I think we can keep it going'".

At Southend United "Kevin Maher believes Gateshead will provide a difficult challenge... when the Tynesiders visit Roots Hall on Saturday...

'They’ve lost their manager and lost some players so they’re in a bit of a transitional period, but credit to them because they had a brilliant result last weekend [against Barnet]. They’ll stick to their principles and that can’t be easy when they’ve had to introduce new players. They deserve to be up and around it'...

Last time out, Blues were beaten by runaway leaders Chesterfield... 'You can see we did come close. We’ve had more shots and more crosses, but they were more clinical than us,'...

Harry Cardwell returned for that game, and... the Club have been able to extend the contracts of several players over the last five weeks...

Finally, it was confirmed that Callum Powell is back... after a spell rehabilitating at St. George’s Park".

NEXT: SOLIHULL MOORS

Damson Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Altrincham in recent years as the following results show.

• SOLIHULL MOORS (2) 5 ALTRINCHAM (1) 1, played on Saturday, 3 September 2022.
• SOLIHULL MOORS (4) 5 ALTRINCHAM (0) 0, played on Saturday, 29 January 2022
• SOLIHULL MOORS (1) 4 ALTRINCHAM (0) 0, played on Monday, 3 May, 2021.

Right: in the game against Solihull Moors at Moss Lane earlier this season, we see four of Altrincham's scorers celebrating Justin Amaluzor's first goal. As well as the scorer, we see Chris Conn-Clarke, Marcus Dackers and Alex Newby.

So the Moors have netted 14 times in their last three home matches against Alty; curiously this tally matches Hyde United's 14 goals in their previous three fixtures in the NPL before facing Alty last Tuesday! Hpwever, Alty will be expecting a better return than was acheived by the much-changed squad at Ewen Fields.

But Altrincham have extracted some revenge on Solihull in the reverse league fixtures over the last two seasons. They trounced the Moors 6-1 at the J. Davidson Stadium in November 2023, having beaten them 4-1 in the corresponding match in the 2022-23 season. So over the last two meetings home and away, 23 goals have been scored!

ROSS SPEIGHT SPEAKS ABOUT HYDE

However, Ross has "relished the challenge" of managing Alty's Cheshire Senior Cup campaign this season and feels he has learned a lot in the process. He was especially pleased to see his Academy charges getting experience of higher-level football alongside first-team squad members in the team's Cheshire Senior Cup run.

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NEWS

The forward joins Latics having made nearly 600 professional appearances including over 200 in the Championship and a further 200 in League One.

Garner arrives at Boundary Park on a contract until the end of the 2024/25 season...

'He had other offers but he was very keen to be a part of what we’re doing here', said manager Micky Mellon...

Joe started out with his hometown club, Blackburn Rovers, but got his big break with Carlisle United... earning him a move to Championship side Nottingham Forest... two seasons with Watford followed, before he joined Preston North End...

More recently he’s enjoyed time in Scotland with Rangers, Cyprus with APOEL, returning to Carlisle for his fourth spell twelve months ago".

Barnet "announce the signing of Luke Freeman.

The winger joins The Bees after leaving Premier League side Luton Town in the summer. Freeman has made over 350 EFL appearances and 11 Premier League appearances throughout his career...

Freeman signed for Arsenal in 2008. He would spend four years with The Gunners before joining Stevenage.

Freeman spent three seasons with Stevenage in League One playing over 120 games and scoring 17 goals. In 2014 he would join Bristol City... After 121 appearances for The Robins he would then move to QPR where he would spend two and half seasons.

In 2019 Freeman would join Premier League side Sheffield United and feature in 11 Premier League games in the 2019/20 season... before moving to Luton Town. The 31-year-old would play his part in The Hatters historic promotion to the Premier League".

Meanwhile, at FC Halifax Town the Shaymen "confirm the signing of midfielder Jack Jenkins from Championship side Leeds United...

The midfielder was... offered a professional contract by Leeds in January 2019... Jenkins signed another new deal to keep him at Leeds until the Summer of 2023... In September 2021, Jenkins signed a new three-year deal keeping him at Leeds until the Summer of 2024.

The central midfielder spent the 2022/23 season on loan at League Two side Salford City... In September 2023, Jenkins joined National League North side Scunthorpe United on loan until January".

At AFC Fylde the Coasters "announce the signing of free agent Ashley Hunter on a short-term contract until the end of the season...

Hunter spent time at the academies of Derby County, Aston Villa, Barnsley and finally Burton Albion, before leaving the Brewers to join Ilkeston in 2014.

Six months later, the midfielder attracted interest from Lancashire rivals Fleetwood Town, whom he joined in January 2015. It was with the Cod Army where Hunter made a name for himself, making 216 appearances in all competitions... before leaving for Salford City in July 2020... before he arrived at Morecambe, moving on to MK Dons at the start of the 2023/24 season....

Hunter said... 'I first heard the club’s interest on Friday and it’s gone through really quickly. I’m hoping to score plenty of goals and further my career, getting back to match fitness after a spell out through injury'...

Chris Beech commented... 'I’m really pleased to have secured the services to support our attacking intentions and threat while Luke Charman has picked up his injury'".