After been handed a major boost in the promotion race without even kicking a ball on Tuesday night, County are back in action this weekend against relegation threatened Weymouth at Edgeley Park.
The Hatters went six points clear at the top of the table last Saturday with that hard-fought win against Woking, after defeats elsewhere for both Chesterfield and Boreham Wood. No side has had a bigger lead at the top all season.
Things got even better for County in midweek with the rest of the top eight all in action, and only two of them (Wrexham and Solihull Moors) managing to pick up three points. Another home defeat for Chesterfield, alongside draws for Boreham Wood, Halifax, Bromley and Notts County, means that gap at the top remains six points going into the Weymouth game.
The Terras have been in good form themselves in recent weeks under new manager David Oldfield, and it was they who took points off Bromley on Tuesday night; twice taking the lead against the promotion chasers before being held to a 2-2 draw at their Bob Lucas Stadium.
Although considered a good point, it’s wins that Weymouth are in desperate need of at the minute, as they remain entrenched in the relegation zone, eight points behind Altrincham and safety.
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Since we last met:
Having completed a shock league double over County last season, Weymouth looked well on course for another famous upset against The Hatters last October as a Sean Shields goal had them 1-0 up at the break.
Simon Rusk’s side turned it round in the second-half thanks to a Paddy Madden strike, and a debut goal for Ollie Crankshaw off the bench, to secure a second successive win for County. That result lifted us to ninth, whilst Weymouth dropped down to 17th place, with eight points from their opening nine games of the season.
After finished 18th in a successful first season back in the National League since 2009, Brian Stock’s side will have been hopeful of avoiding the drop this time round – and successive wins against Aldershot and King’s Lynn shortly after that defeat to County had them sat seven points above the relegation zone heading into November.
What followed, however, was a disastrous run of seven straight National League defeats that saw them cut adrift in the bottom three, and spelt the end of Stock’s 18-month reign at the club. The former Bournemouth academy coach was relieved of his duties after a 1-0 defeat at Southend in January, leaving them in 21st place with four wins in 21 games, and four points adrift of safety having played a game more.
Acting quickly in bringing in a replacement, the club turned to Oxford City manager David Oldfield – the former Leicester City midfielder leaving the club in fourth place in the National League South to make the move to the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Although their league position has yet to improve under the new manager, with only one win in eight, performances certainly have, with the Terras proving much more competitive since his appointment.
After drawing 1-1 away at promotion contenders Boreham Wood in his first game in charge, impressive points against Yeovil Town, Chesterfield and Bromley have followed, as well as a first league win in 14 games at home to Eastleigh.
The Dorset side still have a big job on their hands to secure safety for another season though, as the improved form of the teams such as Maidenhead means the gap to the sides above them has actually grown, despite their upturn. A heavy 3-0 defeat at King’s Lynn Town in particular has left them with much work to do.
With just five wins all season, and only eight points picked up away from home so far, Oldfield will be well aware that those performances need to start turning into results if they are to have any chance of avoiding a return to the National League South.
One to watch:
Goalscoring has been a problem all season for Weymouth, with only 30 goals scored in their 29 games so far. Their top scorer is Josh McQuoid with five, but having been on the bench in the last three games the dangerman on Saturday may well be winger Sean Shields.
The former Northern Ireland U21 international has had a good career at this level at the likes of Ebbsfleet, Boreham Wood and Notts County, and scored five goals for Weymouth last season.
Despite only finding the back of the net twice this time round, the winger’s trickery on the ball has caused problems for County in the past, and it was him on the scoresheet for The Terras in the last meeting between the sides.
Match Stats:
- County are unbeaten in the last seven games that Ash Palmer has scored in, winning six and drawing one.
- County have now kept eight clean sheets in the last ten games at Edgeley Park, with only Chesterfield and Altrincham finding the net in that time.
- With Chesterfield not in action until later in the day, a win on Saturday would send County at least eight points clear at the top of the table – the biggest lead any side will have had all season.
