Vanarama Make Their Team Of The Weekend Picks!
Is the title race suddenly back on in the Vanarama National League?
Leaders Barnet dropped points for the second successive weekend, only drawing 1-1 with fierce rivals Wealdstone in the early game.
York City responded with a 7-2 thrashing of FA Trophy Finalists Aldershot Town, going 3-0 up inside 20 minutes. City head to Gateshead in the early kick off on Good Friday, meaning they could cut the Bees’ lead to just three points by the time Dean Brennan’s men get underway at home to Eastleigh.
Elsewhere, there were big results in the relegation scrap for Boston United, Maidenhead United and Woking. Ebbsfleet United – already heading down – picked up just their third win of the season.
Each week, title sponsors Vanarama provide their Team of the Week for the three divisions and use this column to justify their selections...
Vanarama National League
Wealdstone might have solved their long-running goalkeeper issue with Dante Baptiste who had not made his debut until April 1. He made more saves than keeper on Matchday 42 – 11 in total to preserve a precious point for the Stones at The Hive.
Connor Teale got one over old side Altrincham as Boston United picked up a huge 1-0 win. With four games to play, the Pilgrims are five points and two places clear of the drop. Teale was successful in eight of his 10 defensive actions, recording seven interceptions.
Solihull Moors have all but staved off the threat of relegation, at the same time denting Southend United’s playoff hopes with a 1-0 win at Roots Hall. Alex Whitmore ranked fourth among all centre-backs in the National League for successful defensive actions with 14. He was third for successful aerial duels (8).
Any chance of Maidenhead United pulling off another Great Escape just about remains alive after the Magpies’ 2-0 in at FC Halifax Town. Will De Havilland racked up six interceptions and won 66 per cent of his aerial duels at The Shay. They remain five points from safety.
Beck-Ray Enoru made one and scored another as Tamworth kept their playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 win over Braintree. He opened the scoring after 17 minutes from a Jordan Ponticelli assist and returned the favour three minutes later, supplying the pass for the striker to bag the Lambs’ second.
Dale Gorman was the Woking hero as the Cards moved eight clear of the drop with a 1-0 win over AFC Fylde – now 10 points from safety with four to play. The Ulsterman completed the second most ball recoveries in the opposition’s half of any central midfielder (7) on MD42. He also attempted the most crosses (6).
A brace from Sonny Blu Lo-Everton all but guarantees Yeovil Town will be playing National League football next season, recording a 2-1 win over Oldham Athletic. He had the second-most penalty area touches (4) of anyone in his position and the third most shots (3).
Ebbsfleet United might be going down but green shoots of recovery have been visible in recent weeks. The Fleet breezed past Sutton United 4-1 with Aaron Cosgrave helping himself to two. No striker took more shots (5) on MD42, and he also recorded the highest expected goals (xG) tally with 1.67.
A Devante Rodney double helped ease Rochdale’s disappointment at missing out on a trip to Wembley in the Trophy. It’s now six in his last five in all competitions for the Dale hitman as Jimmy McNulty’s men thrashed Eastleigh 4-0.
If there was ever a debate over whether Ollie Pearce could step up to the National League, it looks foolish now. He bagged his second hat-trick of the season to reach 30 as City battered Aldershot 7-2. No striker had more penalty area touches (8) or won more attacking duels (5). Those chances were worth just 1.37 xG, showing impressing finishing!
It’s now back-to-back wins for Gateshead with Jovan Malcolm’s double seeing off Forest Green Rovers 3-2 live on DAZN. The Heed hitman took four shots and had five touches in the opposition’s box, while completing 13/14 passes for Carl Magnay’s men.
Vanarama National League North
Ashley Hemmings’ frankly absurd season continued with a hat-trick as Kidderminster Harriers overcame promotion rivals Curzon Ashton 3-0. It’s now 30 for the season for the 34-year-old hitman – named March’s Player of the Month in the Vanarama National League North last week. Remarkably, Hemmings’ five shots totalled an xG of just 1.4.
Count Brackley Town out of the title race at your peril. The perennial playoff contestants were 2-1 winners at Warrington Town on Saturday and remain a point behind leaders Scunthorpe United. Attacking midfielder Morgan Roberts scored one, completed more dribbles (6) and won more attacking duels (9) than anyone else in his position.
Buxton remain firmly in the playoff shake-up after winning 3-0 on the road at Scarborough Athletic. Centre-back Kieran Burton opened the scoring while succeeding in 14/17 defensive actions and winning nine of 12 defensive duels for the Bucks.
Vanarama National League South
Losing simply isn’t an option atop National League South where just three points separate leaders Truro City and fourth-placed Torquay United. Luckily for Worthing, they’ve got reliable goal scorers in Temi Babalola and Muhammadu Faal.
Both bagged braces in the Rebels’ 4-1 win over Chippenham Town. Babalola attempted three shots, had eight penalty area touches and recorded an xG of 0.64. Faal took four shots, five touches in the box and had an xG of just 0.33. Clinical!
We’ve got to give an honourable mention to Hampton & Richmond striker Harry Gardner who bagged a hat-trick in their 5-0 win over Welling United.
Another hat-trick hero was Truro’s Jaze Kabia. He only needed three shots in the 3-1 win at Hornchurch. Incredibly, his personal xG was just 0.16. In other words, there was less than a 20 per cent chance of his three goals going in before he shot!
Where next?
