Altrincham v Wealdstone - Match Preview

THE DETAILS

Altrincham v Wealdstone

National League

Moss Lane

Tuesday 26th January, 7:45pm kick-off

This fixture will be hosted behind closed doors.

HOW TO WATCH

Due to current COVID-19 lockdown measures across the UK, this fixture will be played behind closed doors. The hosts are streaming the fixture and you can find the link HERE.

THE CONTEXT

Roles have been reversed since the sides last met in Wealdstone's 1-0 win in November, with the Stones dropping out of the play-off places into lower mid-table and Altrincham going the other way. Their 2-1 win over Barnet on the weekend propelled them into fifth position, whilst the Stones third straight league defeat saw them drop to seventeenth.

TEAM NEWS

Ross Lafayette and Connor Stevens both remain a couple of weeks away, although positively for Stevens he was involved in the warm-up in Saturday's defeat to Aldershot Town. Danny Parish is close to a return from a hamstring injury, whilst Josh Meekings was subbed at half time in Saturday's game with a tight groin. Goalkeeper Stuart Moore was also struggling with a knee injury but should be OK for Tuesday night's fixture. The rest of the squad is available for selection

FORM GUIDE

Stones:

Aldershot Town (H) 3-4 L (Lewis, Dyer, Emmanuel) Gloucester City (H) 3-1 W (Dyer, Emmanuel, Green) Hartlepool United (A) 3-1 L (Mendy) Maidenhead United (A) 4-0 L Eastleigh (H) 4-3 W (Wakefield, Cawley, Lewis, Mendy)

Alty:

Barnet (A) 1-2 W (Kosylo, Hancock) Sutton United (A) 2-2 D (Mullarkey, Hampson) Stockport County (A) 2-2 D (Ceesay, Colclough) FC Halifax Town (A) 3-2 L (Hancock, Mooney) Stockport County (H) 1-1 D (Ceesay)

WHAT WAS SAID Dean Brennan: "They're a very technical team, very well coached that have good interactions in their play. Everyone's available for the ball and they make the pitch as big as possible and they're a very good side. I thought the 1-0 here was a very tight game, if anything there was probably half a goal in the game and we are going to have to defend better than what we have done as we've been letting in too many goals. I am frustrated with it."

WHO TO WATCH FOR

Matty Kosylo: Tricky winger Kosylo is in his fourth-consecutive season in the National League after joining newly-promoted Altrincham from AFC Fylde in pre-season. He has featured in all but two of Altrincham's games so far this season on the wing and his style is very suited to the physicality that is often required in this league.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played – 18

Stones – 6

Draw – 3

Alty – 9

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

Nov 2020 - Stones 1-0 Altrincham (Emmanuel) Mar 1988 - Stones 0-0 Altrincham

Aug 1987 - Altrincham 1-0 Stones

Apr 1987 - Altrincham 1-2 Stones (Graves, Walton)

Sep 1986 - Stones 0-2 Altrincham

Preview by Chris Woods