National League State of Play: Matchday 10

 My apologies for being a little quiet this season. 

 

While I don’t tend to produce too much written National League content, I have generally been active on Twitter, sharing thoughts on teams, players and the odd statistic found during my research. I’ve kept abreast of everything happening but I’ve been a little delayed in doing so while I get used to my new routine of work, baby, more visits to family and a freelance second job. 

 

Thankfully, there are a number of excellent accounts producing and sharing facts and opinions on the National League. It feels like the number of those accounts has grown this year which is fantastic. You can follow my “NL Info” list on Twitter to help keep you up to date. My aim is to do a “share this account” feature at some point too. 

 

In the meantime, I've got a week off work, time to kill while doing night feeds and it just so happens to coincide with the tenth match day, a lovely round number to focus on. Therefore, I figured this would be an opportune time to check in and share my thoughts on each of the 24 clubs.  

 

This won't be a huge piece of written work. I'll save that for Christmas / New Year when I put together my mid-season review. At least, that’s the plan. This will be a little briefer, looking at the first ten games, what has gone well, what has gone wrong, how they have fared against my pre-season predictions etc. 

 

As ever, I’m gathering my thoughts from afar. I have knowledge of the division but I’m not going to pretend I know all the ins and outs of the situations at every club. If you disagree with my thoughts or I mention something that doesn’t tally up with the facts, kindly let me know so I, and others that follow my social media account, can learn more.  

 

Anyway, pre-content ramble over. Here we go... 

 

 

Aldershot Town  

 

When Mark Molesley changed Aldershot’s shape on the opening day from the 4-3-3 they had used throughout pre-season to a 3-4-1-2 that had mixed results last term, I immediately worried for them. The sale of Jay Harris was a blow but from afar, I felt the formation change an odd one and a little defeatist. Injuries were the reason Molesley provided for this, a fair one on reflection. They beat Boreham Wood on match day three but started the season poorly, conceding too many chances and not engaging with the opposition enough. They have since reverted back to 4-3-3 and looked better for it, offering more of a threat to the opposition with the front five regularly looking to stretch their opponents and the full-backs involved more – they assisted all five goals against FC Halifax Town in a thumping win. However, despite improved performances on the whole, The Shots remain something of a soft touch, lacking quality and know-how, especially in defensive positions – they are yet to keep a clean sheet and their expected goals against tally is the fourth highest in the division. Personally, I’m seeing signs of improvement and recruitment has been positive too. The challenge is changing the mentality. The Shots have been up against it for a while now and it’s hard to turn that around in ten matches. This may be a slow burner of a campaign and survival remains the primary aim.  

 

 

Altrincham  

 

My fears for Altrincham this season have become a reality. Tidy football side, clear structure but being punished for naivety. Phil Parkinson's side always had the potential to start this season slowly given the huge turnover of playing staff, losing seven stalwarts of their modern era. Then came the injuries to Isaac Marriott and Matty Kosylo, who would have formed part of the spine. And while their recruitment on paper was raw and exciting as a neutral, few had much, if any, experience of full-time, professional football so it has been a learning curve not just for the management staff and board but also the majority of first-team players. It's not that the Manchester-based outfit have been obviously poor and comfortably second best in every match. They're just naive, error-prone and struggle to produce where it matters in both boxes. Phil Parkinson has the youngest squad in the division in terms of minutes played. They have led for just 4.3% of all minutes played and failed to score in the first 30 minutes of any match this season. They have also conceded the second most goals in the second half of matches. Confidence can drain quickly in football and this newly-formed group not only need to mature but also help instil a different mentality. That's not easily done. Perhaps a first victory of the season, at home against ten-man Aldershot Town on match day ten can help that. After Notts County away, they play Gateshead, Dorking Wanderers, Torquay United and Oldham Athletic. They have to make the most of those fixtures to kickstart their campaign. 

 

 

Barnet  

 

How quickly football can change. Barnet have been something of a basket case for the last two years and fortunate that COVID and then a mixture of a strong run of form and three very poor sides have saved them from the drop into regionalised football. Dean Brennan and his staff set out on a recruitment drive for a very particular style this summer and on paper, it has worked. It’s a 4-3-3 with a higher press and wingers that play inside to support the lone front man with a little and large defensive partnership and energetic midfield. It was also working on the pitch, the Bees winning four of their first six matches. As with any club trying to change its culture, it doesn’t happen overnight. Brennan and his players have quickly realised that they aren't going to have it all their own way, losing four of their last six and seeing some variance kick in having created more opportunities in their defeats than they had in some of their early season victories. Barnet currently have the third highest expected goals against tally, showing the work they need to do – Brennan has been open about some of his players needing to do more for the team in that respect. When a team starts to level out but does so having had the bad form come more recently, it always looks and feels worse but Barnet’s aim was always about improvement rather than perfection and so far, it’s undeniable that this is a better team than the one Brennan took on last year.  

 

 

Boreham Wood  

 

Fewest goals conceded? Check. Close to a clean sheet every other game? Check. Highest average age based on minutes played? Check. Despite a decent turnover in playing staff for Boreham Wood’s standards, they are still very Boreham Wood. I had a couple of doubts about the club this summer. Losing Jacob Mendy so close to the start of the season and seemingly replacing him with Erico Sousa, George Williams and Dennon Lewis stumped me, given my understanding of what a Luke Garrard side is. Signing Jack Payne, Alfie Egan (who has since departed) and Zak Brunt for the midfield also threw me too. On paper, it looked a less powerful and more technical team, slightly opposing what made Boreham Wood so good last year. But it’s working. Of course it’s working. Garrard knows exactly what he wants and after a little bit of early season muddling of personnel, unhelped by a couple of red cards, he has found balance to his team and things are slowly starting to click. They are unbeaten in seven and have conceded just two goals in the second half of matches, showing the concentration and fitness levels of his team, along with its organisation and heart. Despite having reservations in the summer, I had them to finish 5th because of the extra depth in attack and a belief in Garrard. That belief hasn't been misplaced so far, thankfully.  

 

 

Bromley  

 

I didn't really know what Bromley were going to be this summer and it meant I couldn’t really back them. An ageing side immediately signed two 30+ year olds. They didn't sign a goalkeeper until a couple of days before the start of the season. Then there was the discussion about whether Andy Woodman had run his course with Bromley having overseen an awful second half of the season, allowing the play-offs to slip from their grasp, after being courted by another football club. My concerns were misplaced, it seems. They are currently fifth in the league table, have kept six clean sheets, have the fifth best expected goals against tally and their home form has been imperious – five wins, a draw and just one goal conceded. There were some concerns around the team’s ability to score but they have won their last two matches 3-0. Woodman has been able to field a settled side so far and it is a group that contains decent depth too. Bromley are going under the radar but having a strong start to the new season and it will be interesting to see how much they have learnt from last year. 

 

 

Chesterfield 

 

I tend not to judge clubs by their pre-seasons but there was something about Chesterfield that really made me believe they were ready to start this campaign strongly. For starters, the club got it's business done early and it was so clear how this group would fit into Paul Cook’s preferred 4-2-3-1. The reduced age of the side too meant this would be a fitter, more impressionable group that would be more likely to run through brick walls for the Liverpudlian. And Cook selected the same XI for each of the final three pre-season fixtures – training was done, they were starting the real thing early. That approach has worked. They are the only undefeated side in the division and have a perfect home record. They have scored nine goals in the first 30 minutes of matches, the joint best record in the league, have led for 50.2% of all minutes played and been behind for 3.2% of minutes, comfortably the lowest. The fans are behind it too, recording the third biggest attendance. After a difficult end to last season, it feels the club are pulling in the right direction again and the players are responding positively. Maintaining it is the challenge now. They haven’t been hit by injuries through the spine of the team (eight of the starting XI have started all ten league matches) and while they’ve continued to pick up wins, they’ve certainly been challenged more during recent matches. One final note on Chesterfield: while I've taken to a few of their players, I'm absolutely delighted to see Joe Quigley leading the line and being received positively after a tough start to life at the club.  

 

 

Dagenham and Redbridge  

 

I’ve struggled to work out Dagenham and Redbridge. This is a side whose last five results have been 4-1, 0-5, 1-4, 4-1 and 5-4. Clearly, there is no crisis of confidence in terms of their attacking prowess and ruthlessness in front of goal but their lack of defensive structure is horrifying. They've had injuries, I understand that. I also appreciate that they lined up in both of the aforementioned losses without a senior central defender or natural defensive minded midfielder. It feels very much like the system is the system and no compromises will be made in the event that a number of key personnel are missing. As a supporter, it must be quite frightening and yet there is something admirable about the approach. Perhaps more should be expected of Daryl McMahon given his experience of the division and the size of the club he manages but I’m about to praise Dorking Wanderers for being a breath of fresh air for the same reasons I could potentially be criticising McMahon for. There is definitely a question of naivety but if a manager is going to go down, it’s quite right that they go down doing it their way than compromising and sending out mixed messages. They currently sit smack, bang in the middle of the table and I guess evidence of whether McMahon’s bold approach is working will become clearer towards Christmas. My primary concern is that the Daggers have conceded more goals before half-time than any other side in the division – match preparation clearly needs to be stronger. 

 

 

Dorking Wanderers  

 

As eluded to above, Dorking Wanderers have been a breath of fresh air to the National League. In a division where certain sides are favouring an approach of keeping things tight and making the most of fine margins, Marc White has stood by his mantra of wanting to play a suffocating, attacking style of football, dominating possession, utilising width, overloads and flooding forward with numbers despite playing against better players and being one of few part-time clubs left in the National League. Oh, they have also had to deal with a number of injuries and suspensions, including losing every available central defensive option at some point and their leading marksman. They have arguably been the most entertaining side in the division, averaging 4.1 goals per game total. Defensively, they have problems. No side has conceded more goals, only Torquay United have a worst expected goals against and have conceded more shots and no side has conceded more second half goals. And yet, the “Wanderers spirit” that White talks about persists, his side managing four victories and scoring more goals in the final ten minutes of matches than any other side. Goals are never going to be a problem for the Surrey outfit. The challenge is finding a way to deny the opposition so many efforts at their goal but perhaps that will come with experience and the addition of a couple more players. I predicted Dorking would survive comfortably because of squad strength and a willingness to abide by their principles. They haven’t let me down, so far.  

 

 

Eastleigh  

 

I was worried about Eastleigh this summer. Lee Bradbury’s record as a manager is hit and miss, they had ended the previous season in terrible form and made wholesale changes, including a lot of long-serving players moving on, even if some had perhaps overstayed their welcome. In his bid to change things, Bradbury went almost entirely for ex-EFL players which comes with its own dangers (more quality, less motivation). However, so far, so good. Built around an experienced spine, Bradbury has managed to find some balance to make his side hard to beat and get on the right side of some finer margins, especially at home where they have won three, drawn two and are yet to concede more than one goal in a match. I think I’m positive on the Spitfires because I had no real expectations for them this season so their start has me wondering just how far they can push themselves – Bradbury hasn’t had the opportunity to field a fully fit, first XI yet. I’m wary of making sweeping statements just yet but the early signs are promising.  

 

 

FC Halifax Town  

 

FC Halifax Town signed Tom Clarke and Sam Minihan late in the window and it altered my view of how their season might work out long term but I’m worried I was a little hasty in making the call to predict them finishing mid-table rather than nearer the bottom four. My thought process was a quick one at the time – Halifax had to replace a few leaders so signing those two, plus Jordan Keane, looked a good call to support the new management team and key players remaining from last season. I’m wary of going too big too soon. The start of this season was never going to be easy to navigate in light of Pete Wild, captain Niall Maher and a plethora of other key players departing. It also hasn’t helped that the aforementioned trio of new signings, Matt Warburton and Kian Spence have been missing at various points while Jesse Debrah was the subject of transfer speculation which has no doubt disrupted him. New cultures and structures take time to build. At the same time, you can understand why fans are concerned at what they are seeing. They aren’t being entertained. They are yet to score in the opening 30 minutes of matches, have scored two goals by half time and just seven overall. They also have the fourth lowest xG. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe was reportedly cheered off the pitch when subbed in one match. I’m of the opinion that Millington needs a little more time to prove he’s up for the job with more of his key players fit and on the pitch together. At the same time, football is a brutal sport for managers and if things don’t improve soon, leaving the Shaymen in a difficult position to escape from, he may not get the time he feels he may need.  

 

 

Gateshead  

 

My concerns about Gateshead pre-season were around budget and the players they could attract more than the quality of coaching. Let’s be honest, the records of Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott wouldn’t have had the rest of the National League North quaking in their boots. Mike Williamson has remained in post despite various links elsewhere and he’s doing a very good job, Gateshead rarely being second best in games and always causing a threat to the opposition. I love their style of play, a patient one that springs into life thanks to their ability to find runners in behind that stretch the pitch. It’s concentration and a bit of naivety that has cost them at times, mistakes through poor decision in making in possession in particular. They have largely been reliant on the group that won them promotion last term with recruitment mostly focused on young players with minimal experience developing and improving as the season continues. That bodes well longer term so long as Williamson and his staff see the season out (they are going to attract suitors) but means short-term pain as the majority of coaching and playing staff get used to National League football and regularly playing against full-time opposition.  

 

 

Maidenhead United  

 

Maidenhead United are relatively consistent, bringing in players early in the window and tending to see the season through with them, with the odd addition here and there depending on availability or necessity. The squad put together this term looked a little stronger defensively but weak going forward and concerns about the number of goals in this side are becoming a reality. Only Torquay United have scored fewer than their seven, they have scored just two goals in the second half of matches (joint fewest) and are yet to score a goal away from home, let alone pick up a point. It's unhelpful that Sam Barratt and Dan Sparkes continue to have fitness issues that are keeping them out of the side. Though they have some talented footballers, I’m not sure they have anybody that can produce the kind of numbers others have in recent years which means others need to step up. Maidenhead being Maidenhead, they will hurt teams and pick up points at York Road but whether it’s enough in a very tight division remains to be seen.  

 

 

Maidstone United  

 

I’m still very much in the learning phase when it comes to Maidstone United. Hakan Hayrettin is certainly assure of himself (suggesting the defeat against Dorking Wanderers would not have happened had he been there) and he will point to second half performances against York City and Aldershot Town to back that up. There are aspects of their season that are difficult to ignore and suggest this is a team that start slow and either get stronger or fall foul of the opposition when chasing. Only Dorking Wanderers have conceded more goals, no side has conceded four or more on more occasions, they have led for just 11.6% of minutes played (third lowest), are yet to lead a match at half-time and have scored just two or more goals in the first half of matches. I am going to give Hayrettin the benefit of the doubt. Maidstone are in a decent position, there is a clear structure to the side and performances at home, if not always results, have been positive. They have had clear issues fielding an orthodox defence on occasion and new signings haven’t really stepped up to the plate while they remain without Jerome Binnom-Williams and Joan Luque, two key performers from last season. I get the impression there is more to come from Maidstone once certain players are fit and up to speed but that they’ll be reliant on home form to keep them in the division.  

 

 

Notts County  

 

I was hesitant to back Notts County this summer and ended up pitching them in fourth. There were reasons for that – ins vs outs, management, fitness of Cameron, competition for promotion. I’m happy to admit that they are performing better than I had anticipated so far. Currently third in the league table, The Magpies have the second best xGF and best xGA and are yet to be defeated this season in the xG stakes per game. They showed mettle to recover from 2-0 down against Chesterfield and also to respond to a first defeat of the season by dominating at York City. Macaulay Langstaff has already surpassed double figures, Aaron Nemane is flying at wing-back and they have the best second half record in the division. The quality of this team and coaching is available for all to see. There isn’t much change from last season in terms of the style of football being about control of the ball and the game and the side getting stronger against weary legs – no side has scored more goals or won more second halves of matches. Rightly or wrongly, I hold Notts County to high standards because of the club’s stature and the aim has to be the title or a title challenge at minimum. They’ve fallen short since becoming a non-league club, despite some good points totals, so the challenge is maintaining this level of performance and results and proving they have learned to defend set-pieces. As we reach the winter months, I think their ability to pass those tests will be, well, tested. 

 

 

Oldham Athletic  

 

My prediction for Oldham Athletic this summer was a low mid-table finish and John Sheridan departing. I’ve already got part two right. Sheridan is very highly regarded by supporters for his work as a player and manager and it was lovely to see him part ways on his own terms and leave victorious in front of home supporters. The reality is that his side have been poor and have lacked a playing identity. They don’t start matches well – led once at half-time, scored three first half goals and conceded 12 – and are poor on the road – yet to win and scored once. What he has got right is making the most of home support, Oldham winning three of their five matches at Boundary Park in front of the second highest average attendance in the National League. David Unsworth has taken the reins and his job is enormous. While he will need to improve a muddled first-team squad reliant on a number of loanees amid injury problems, his remit should be less about immediate, on-field success and more about working with the new board to create a better culture and identity for a club that has been in the doldrums for far too long, and bringing the fans with them on that journey. This season should be about gearing up to ensure they can give it a real go next year. I do think Unsworth would be wise to bring in somebody on his coaching staff with knowledge of the level – Unsworth nor new coach Francis Jeffers have experience of non-league football 

 

 

Scunthorpe United  

 

The first hour of Scunthorpe United’s opening fixture against Yeovil Town was something of a surprise, the Iron well structured, dominating the ball, full-backs getting forward and Jacob Butterfield showing why he had spent his career at a higher level. It didn’t last. Scunthorpe held on for three points but lost the next five and Keith Hill lost his job. Probably the most unsurprising development of the season. His management and their recruitment screamed Phil Brown and Southend United last summer. Tony Daws has taken the job and given the side a slightly more youthful look, particularly in forward areas where the side has more pace and directness in what appears to be a 4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 system. It’s difficult to know just how The Iron will fare for the rest of the season. There is definitely a drop off in quality between those starting now and those out of the side so covering for injuries is tough right now and with the ownership situation up in there, we can’t be sure of who the next manager will be, when they will be appointed and if they will receive any sort of backing to start turning the club around. For now, I’m going to enjoy watching the excellent Butterfield and Rob Apter strut their stuff from afar as we await further developments.  

 

 

Solihull Moors  

 

In some respects, Solihull Moors are where we probably didn’t quite expect to see them just yet. They have the third best xG for, third most scored, have scored four or more goals on four occasions and are five goals to nil in the final 15 minutes of matches. In other respects, they are. They have kept just one clean sheet and either conceded first or an equaliser at 1-0 in nine of their ten league matches, the only game they didn’t follow that pattern was against Dorking Wanderers who had ten men for the majority of the game. There is a lack of control about their play and the side are reliant on their attacking patterns and individual quality to bail them out. Perhaps the returns of Alex Gudger and Kyle Storer will help, neither having started a game this term. The shorter summer was always going to have an impact and recruitment was key to helping refresh a side on the comedown from a difficult day at the London Stadium but those players haven’t stepped up in the main so far and they need to do so if Moors have any chance of keeping pace with the big three.  

 

 

Southend United  

 

If there is one thing I’m convinced about and willing to lay my reputation on, it’s that unless somebody (Ron Martin) does something very stupid, Southend United are going to finish in the top seven. After a strong second half to last season, Southend have started this one impressively, recording the fifth best xG for and second best xG against to date. They have kept five clean sheets and conceded just nine goals. That’s without Steve Arnold, Nathan Ralph, Tom Clifford, Gus Scott-Morriss, Noor Husin, Harry Taylor, Jake Hyde and Harry Cardwell at various points of the season. Leading striker Sam Dalby was sold just prior to the start of the season and Kacper Lopata was a late arrival on a permanent deal. Maher is slowly being able to field a stronger XI and bench and should do so with more consistency moving forward. It means that the lapses in concentration and poor, perhaps greedy, decision making in the final third (only nine goals scored, fourth lowest) should appear less often. It also means that Southend are likely to field a slightly more experienced XI (currently third youngest based on minutes played) and consistent one (most players used). I feel good about Southend and I’m looking forward to seeing the development of this squad moving forward.  

 

 

Torquay United  

 

Any team that loses Shaun MacDonald, Ben Wynter, Joe Lewis, Armani Little, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Danny Wright should expect to the start the following campaign slowly. Still, nobody expected a Gary Johnson Torquay United to start this slowly. They have been awful so far and even the defensive resilience shown against a constant barrage of attacks has wilted recently with four conceded against Solihull Moors and six against Wrexham. The Gulls have the lowest xG for and highest xG against. They have scored fewer goals than any other side and are yet to win at home. Most concerning is that Gary Johnson sides are usually fit and finish strongly but they are yet to win a second half, have a 2-12 goals record and 0-7 in the final 15 minutes of matches. I appreciate that this is an almost entirely new group and a young one at that, so there will be teething issues. There have also been glimpses of promise in the way Goodwin, Andrews, Jarvis and Evans progress forward. But Torquay are otherwise a very poor football team right now and summer recruitment again has to be questioned. Thankfully, their manager is a problem solver and I’ve no doubt he’ll find fixes, be that a tactical change or a couple of strong loan signings to get them out of the mess they find themselves in. 

 

 

Wealdstone  

 

Wealdstone have to be the story of the National League season so far. They currently sit eighth in the table having won four and drawn four of their opening ten league fixtures and even went top of the table during the August Bank Holiday weekend. The reason this is so impressive is because Wealdstone are a part-time football team. Their recruitment has been excellent over the last 15 months or so, matching seasoned part-time players with talent from local clubs be that via loans or picking up those dropping out of the game and proving they are good enough to return. Merging that group into one is Stuart Maynard who is rightly making a name for himself as a shrewd tactician and man-manager. He understands that his group aren’t going to blitz their opposition so he sets them up to play on the finer margins – not one of their ten matches has been won or lost by more than one goal following a trend last season of just five of their opening 29 league fixtures being separated by more than one goal. And despite that, and their impressive goals conceded tally and weak xG numbers, Wealdstone have genuinely produced some of the best football in the division at times, willing to play out from the back and draw the opposition in to find talented footballers such as Rhys Browne, Max Kretzschmar and Tarryn Allarakhia, who are all thriving with relatively free roles in possession. Hard to beat, fun in possession and giving players a platform back into full-time football. You’d have to be pretty stupid to predict them finishing bottom. Oops.  

 

 

Woking  

 

I didn’t want to draw too many comparisons to Darren Sarll’s time at Yeovil Town and his job at Woking but there are definitely similarities and truthfully, Sarll has done a good job at both clubs, at least so far at Woking, so it’s not a bad thing. They are already a difficult team to play against, well organised, aggressive and direct in how they move the ball forward without it being ugly and they get bodies forward to support the attack. The difference between this side and his Yeovil side is that he has more physicality, know-how, quality and depth. His Yeovil side were very good at making games low-scoring affairs but his new team are more competent in attack – they have already scored two or more in six of their ten matches. And remove the opening day loss at York City, The Cards have performed well, especially at home where they have won four and lost one – a 3-2 loss against Wrexham during which they scored two goals with ten men on the pitch. I held myself back from going big on Woking in the summer but the early signs are positive and I see no reason why that will let up. They’re going to be in the mix.  

 

 

Wrexham  

 

There’s a lot of talk about Wrexham, the pressure of succeeding, whether Phil Parkinson is up to the job amongst other stuff. Well, they’re second in the league table, have scored more goals than any side in the division, no side has conceded less, they have a perfect home record, best xG for, best first half record, have scored four or more goals on four occasions and have spent more than half of their matches leading. If the pressure is getting to them, they aren’t exactly showing it. Of course, it is early days. They had some difficulties early on and Parkinson chose the right course of action, reverting back to the side that performed so well last season, meaning the quartet of James Jones, Jordan Davies, Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer leading the attack. And unlike last season, they have real quality in the form of Elliott Lee and Sam Dalby to call upon from the bench. The reason I had Wrexham to win the title is because I believe they are a better side than last season, the understanding of what the club is post-takeover is clearer and it will take another side reaching 95 points or more to stop them, which would be extraordinary.  

 

 

Yeovil Town  

 

I still don’t truly know what to make of Yeovil Town and if I’m honest, I’m not entirely sure that most associated with Yeovil Town know either. Not a huge amount has changed in terms of the quality and openness of Yeovil matches, most of them being played on fine margins (not one match has been separated by more than one goal) with defensive resoluteness on show but a reliance on individual moments going forward rather than consistent quality or form (third lowest xG for). It’s still early days under Chris Hargreaves, however. There was a sizeable turnover, Luke Wilkinson, Dale Gorman and Tom Knowles moving on leaving Josh Staunton and Matt Worthington to carry the can as leaders from last year while the front line and wide options has been all change. Hargreaves has also utilised Charlie Wakefield in a number of roles, evidencing that he is still learning about his players. The Glovers have drawn six of their ten league games, winning one and losing one of their last seven so it will be interesting to see which side of the coin they land on once games start being won or lost. Their performances have been inconsistent so it’s difficult to tell at this point. My thoughts in the summer were that the change of manager and poor results could quickly open the distances between the parts of the club that have been kept together during a tough couple of years. Hargreaves appears to be showing an understanding of the club and his team are still scrapping away. I’m feeling slightly better about the club than I thought I would do although I wouldn’t be surprised if that changed quickly. 

 

 

York City  

 

It’s been a positive if inconsistent start to the season for York City, perhaps expected for a side with plenty of ambition, a respected manager but a lot of squad churn – they made over 15 signings this summer. Like others, York have focused on being resolute defensively and making the most of their moments going forward, only three of their league matches containing more than two goals and Notts County being the first side in a York City match to score three last time out. There have definitely been signs that Askey has been able to implement structure to his side’s play, shown by their solid base and ability to keep key attackers Maziar Kouhyar and Lenell John-Lewis involved whether they play 4-3-3 or 3-4-1-2 – Kouyhar has assisted five goals this term, including three of John-Lewis' four. The building blocks have been put in place for a solid, if at times unspectacular, season for York and given they have spent a number of years in National League North wondering when they can begin climbing the ladder again, that should feel like progress, particularly under new ownership. It’s good to have the Minstermen back in the division.  

 

 

*Credit to FootyStats, Soccerway, SoccerStats and Fbref for majority of statistics.