Adam Virgo Gives His Mid-Term Verdict Evatt’S Masterplan Has Left The

16 THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER, Sunday, December 29, 2019 Log onto www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com Log onto www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER, Sunday, December 29, 2019 17 ADAM VIRGO GIVES HIS MID-TERM VERDICT EVATT’S MASTERPLAN HAS LEFT THE BIG GUNS TRAILING IN THEIR WAKEconceded six, three and five in them. Where are the goals going E ARE right in the middle of a mas- MAKING A NOISE: separate games. That’s going to to come from? That’s their big- sive period of the Barrow are the team be their problem. gest issue. The other issue for to beat at the halfway them, along with those around National League stage of the National SUTTON UNITED them, are the teams below them season. League season It was always going to be a diffi- – Wrexham and Chesterfield. A busy festive schedule, big W PICTURE: Dan Westwell cult job to follow Paul Doswell. Teams that should be doing a lot derbies and teams facing each When a club has had a long-serv- better. other twice in the space of a week ing manager, it is a big change – back-to-back wins can be just as for the whole club. They’ve got WREXHAM pivotal as successive defeats. a good squad and maybe they We’ve crossed the halfway They just don’t excite me. I can’t stage now so here is a look at should be doing better than they fathom them being relegated but each team as the season moves are but they’ve really picked up they’ve got to sort themselves into the New Year. nicely in recent games. out because it could happen. On I love Harry Beautyman in Boxing Day they made it three BARROW midfield and with a fit Tommy wins in four which is much more Wright they will be OK. encouraging but I do fear for You wouldn’t have said at the them. They need to bring in two start of the season that they DAG & RED or three new players who hit the would be the team to beat at GOLDEN BOY: Jamie Reid has really impressed for Torquay The biggest fear is when you’re ground running. If they don’t Christmas. But Ian Evatt is show- they’re in trouble. ing what a good manager he is. At Cheek. Then Reeco Hackett-Fair- Woking back at the first attempt really relying on one player to do well. For Dagenham it’s Angelo the start of the campaign he was child is catching the eye. He’s and they’re thriving now at CHESTERFIELD disappointed with the goals they very talented and, at 21 years Step 1. Balanta. When he’s out of the were conceding and the manner. old, he has a real chance of being They are the hardest working team they’re not the same. In the These Chesterfield players are on But now they’re on a roll. snapped up. team in the National League summer they signed Mitch Brun- good money but they’re nowhere The 3-0 away win at Notts The thing with Bromley for when they haven’t got the ball. dle, who I like, but some of the near doing what they should be. County was a big statement. I me is, individually, sometimes That’s testament to the fitness other signings you think, ‘Decent I’m not just saying that because listened to Ian’s interview af- the players can be too incon- of how fit Dowson has got the enough but can he get them in the I tipped them at the start of the ter about how they came with a sistent. On their day, they are players. Part-time teams – those play-offs?’ season! gameplan – they scored a couple a match for anybody and when training on a Tuesday and It’ll be interesting to see if they I saw their game against Notts go out and look for more quali- of goals by using the width, get- they are all on form as a group Thursday night – are more likely County and even though they ty as they’ve been on a slippery ting good balls into the box. It they can be unstoppable. to be relegated but they’re prov- won, there is no way in a million sounds silly, but you can tell they ing me wrong. With a good work slope. years this squad is good enough. are taking on basic instructions. HARROGATE TOWN ethic and keeping things simple, They were so poor. you’ve got every chance. Proba- MAIDENHEAD UNITED At some clubs you point the That’s huge. Play-off hangovers do happen They’re the only team that ha- bly the team of the season so far. Alan Devonshire always loves to finger at the manager but the and Harrogate probably fell into throw the, ‘Told you so!’ at me. players should be doing a lot bet- ven’t really faltered since an in- that bracket with a slow start to consistent opening. The biggest It’s been an outstanding achieve- ter. It’s surely very embarrassing. the season. That’s never a real STOCKPORT COUNTY fear for me is not whether they ment to stay in this league over Being so poor defensively could surprise to me. They found wins The credit I give Jim Gannon is can finish the job off but can they the last couple of years. They’re maybe see them drop out of the hard to come by early on. Then how he gave the chance to the keep the manager? doing as well as they can, really. league. they got three points at Halifax players that got them promot- ed. He felt some weren’t good You’d worry if they lost Danny with a clean sheet and it was the Whitehall because where are the EBBSFLEET UNITED YEOVIL TOWN start for them. enough and, in fairness, has had When a club is relegated you al- to make some hard decisions. goals going to come from? I slight- What can you say? A club that They will have learnt a lot ly fear for them being down there. ways wonder how quickly they from last season. I can’t see them That’s not an easy part of man- had so much positivity – pro- motion, reaching the play-offs will adapt to the National League. breaking into the top two but cer- agement when someone has AFC FYLDE in their first season back – good Darren Sarll has done a magnifi- tainly a play-off spot. done well for you. cent job. They’ve got a really good But he’s made those tough Something just didn’t seem right players, a good young manager. spine to their team. SOLIHULL MOORS decisions and it’s worked. He’s there. They did so well last year, All of a sudden it’s turned into a Stuart Nelson is a good keep- brought in the likes of Joe Pig- Dave Challinor signed players nightmare. er, Charlie Lee has title-winning Don’t write them off winning gott, Joe Leesley and Tom Walk- quickly and all of a sudden he’s I played with Kevin Watson at experience and Jimmy Smith this league. The way they play, er. They are very, very good play- got the boot. Colchester. He wants to play the has, arguably, been their best the personnel they’ve got, gives ers. On their day they can give They’ve been so reliant on right way and since he’s gone in player this season. Rhys Murphy them every chance. teams a hammering. Danny Rowe to score goals but as manager they’ve had a reac- is probably the best No.9 in the Their frontline with Paul Mc- now he’s having a season where tion. It’s going to be very difficult league. Even Remeao Hutton has Callum, Danny Wright, Jake BOREHAM WOOD he hasn’t been so prolific. for them to get out of it so they Beesley and Nathan Blissett assists and the best right-back in season of sorting them out. I’ll been excellent at right-back. He’s At one stage you thought they’d NOTTS COUNTY FC HALIFAX TOWN BARNET DOVER ATHLETIC HARTLEPOOL UNITED I also wonder if they’ve got need to pick up some wins. are a problem for anyone. Then the division in Josh Hare. But I be keeping a close eye on them a great out ball, fit and strong. be looking at relegation. But Arguably the biggest club that’s They’re struggling for goals and Darren Currie will live or die If their home record was like Whether I didn’t like playing the players who will be used to Jamey Osborne being on song is think, as a club, they’re in a bet- in the summer because he will I imagine they are above where they’re doing unbelievably well. ever been in the National League clean sheets at the moment but by the way he wants his team to their away record they’d be top there and I’m still taking it out a relegation battle. They’ve got CHORLEY absolutely key. ter place now. want to bring in his own identity. they would have expected to be. It’s difficult for manager Luke but when you’ve been on a losing you can’t look at their current play. You’ve got to respect him for of the league. The way they play on them, but they don’t fill me nice footballers.

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