Vanarama Make Their Team Of The Weekend Picks!

Elsewhere, Barnet banished their away-day hoodoo with a dramatic 4-3 win at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Solihull Moors were 6-0 winners at Ebbsfleet United – that despite losing James Clarke to a sixth-minute red card!

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

FC Halifax Town leapfrogged Yeovil Town into the playoff places with a 1-0 win at Huish Park. Long-serving keeper Sam Johnson kept out efforts worth 0.87 expected goals (xG) and recorded more goalkeeper exits – defined as leaving his line to claim or punch a high ball – than anyone else on Matchday 18.

Altrincham were 2-0 winners over Southend United with Lewis Baines imperious at the back. No centre-back completed more defensive actions successfully (22) or won more defensive duels (13) on Saturday.

For the second week running, Braintree Town skipper George Langston is included after the Iron made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season, beating relegation rivals AFC Fylde 1-0.

Hartlepool United made amends for last weekend’s capitulation at York City with a goalless draw against Eastleigh. Tom Parkes ranked third among all centre-backs for successful defensive actions with 17/17 attempted. He also posted a 100% success rate for defensive duels (7/7).

Matt Ward was Woking’s match winner as the Cards beat fellow strugglers Boston United 1-0 in a cliched six pointer. He completed 3/4 dribbles and recorded the third-most touches in the opposition’s box of any wing-back.

Finley Barbrook capped an all-action display for Sutton United with the winner against Maidenhead United. He led the way among all central midfielders for interceptions (8) on MD18 while also completing 12/20 final-third passes to rank second in his position.

Next to him, Harvey Bunker hit the back of the net as Forest Green Rovers handed York City just their second National League defeat of the season. He completed 23/30 passes in front of the DAZN cameras and was successful in 6/9 defensive duels.

Wealdstone have enjoyed a recent upturn in results, capped with a third win in their last four in the League, 2-0 over Rochdale. Kallum Cesay starred for the Stones, so we’ve crowbarred him in on the left-hand side to recognise that!

James Norwood has five in his last five after hitting a hat-trick in Oldham Athletic’s 4-0 win over Tamworth. No striker recorded a higher xG on MD18 than Norwood’s 2.46. The 34-year-old recorded more shots (4) than anyone else.

Barnet won a topsy-turvy encounter at Dagenham & Redbridge 4-3 with Nicke Kabamba keeping up his hot streak since returning to fitness. His double came from a pair of penalties in quick succession – his only penalty area touches at Victoria Road.

Solihull Moors didn’t let going down to 10 men after six minutes bother them, thrashing Ebbsfleet United 6-0. Striker Conor Wilkinson was on fire, bagging a hat-trick for the visitors, doubling his League tally overnight.