Vanarama Make Their Team Of The Weekend Picks!

Every week, title sponsors Vanarama provide their Team of the Week for each of the three divisions and use this column to justify their selections…

Vanarama National League North

It’s been an unforgettable season for Warrington Town goalkeeper Dan Atherton who has been a regular in the Vanarama Team of the Week – and on Saturday, things got even better.

With the Yellows trailing 2-1 at home to Alfreton Town, the 24-year-old sauntered forward to head home Dec Walker’s free-kick to earn the hosts a point.

What makes that achievement all the more remarkable? Atherton had already done it once this season to salvage a draw against Farsley Celtic in October!

In defence, Jordan Richards supplied the assist for Devon Matthews’ late equaliser in Curzon Ashtn’s 1-1 draw at Boston United.

No right-back in National League North provided more shot assists (2) than the 30-year-old who was behind only Scunthorpe United’s Regan Ogle (3) for completed crosses with two.

Buxton came from 2-0 down at home to King’s Lynn Town to draw, with goals from Max Brogan and Dieg De Girolamo separated by just four second-half minutes.

But it was Brogan’s quality in possession that caught the eye. He ranked seventh among all central midfielders in the North for attempted passes (55) and the same again for completed passes (43).

A further six of eight final-third passes were accurate, putting the 21-year-old eighth among his positional peers.

Rushall Olympic won a topsy-turvy seven-goal thriller against Spennymoor Town 4-3 with top-scorer Danny Waldron netting twice to take his tally to 16 for the season against an expected goals (xG) value of just 11.77.

His brace against Moors came from five touches in the opposition's box – second among all National League North strikers – and an xG value of 2.03, more than anyone else on the day.

Vanarama National League South

No team in the South has scored more goals than Worthing’s 57 after they ran in four at Truro City on Saturday. Attacking midfielder Danny Cashman and striker Ollie Pearce – the
division’s top scorer with 20 – helped themselves to braces in a 4-1 win.

Cashman attempted more shots (4) and took more penalty-area touches (5) than any other attacking midfielder in the division. No-one in the 23-year-old’s position recorded a higher xG (1.72) or better pass completion rate (89.66%).

Team-mate Pearce, meanwhile, received more passes (25) than any other striker in the North or South and led the line from the front with seven interceptions – again ranking first in his position group.

Honourable mentions go to Shaun Jeffers who scored both goals in St Albans City’s 2-1 win over Eastbourne Borough and Ryan Seager who bagged a brace as Havant & Waterlooville upset FA Cup giant-killers Maidstone United.

FA Trophy

Where else to start in the FA Tropy than Bishop’s Stortford? Kane Crichlow grabbed five in the 6-1 thrashing of National League Aldershot Town – themselves cup heroes several times this season.

The 23-year-old only notched his first National League North strike of the season against South Shields on Tuesday and now has six goals in a week!

Solihull Moors also hit the goal trail, beating Northern Premier League Division One West Nantwich Town 5-1 at the Armco Arena. Jack Stevens was among five different scorers for the National League side.

Peterborough Sports are in the hat for Round 5 thanks to Mark Jones who smashed in a 21-minute hat-trick at Horsham of the Isthmian Premier Division.

One of the results of the round belonged to National League South Hampton & Richmond who took National League Hartlepool United to penalties following a 0-0 draw, winning 4-2 from the spot.

Defender Luis Fernandez played a pivotal role in the Beavers’ pulling off that cup-set.