By Arandeep Singh Dhillon & Tom Paterson
Hyde’s disappointing FA Cup record continued on Saturday when they failed to reach the first round of the world’s oldest football competition for the 18th year running.
The Manchester-based club were beaten 2-0 by Wrexham in the fourth qualifying round, a return to normality after their mid-week 5-0 win against Cheadle Town in the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Scott McNiven was hoping his players would put in a similar performance but it wasn’t to be, the manager stressing the importance of the coming month and its two scenarios with his team rock bottom of the Skrill Conference.
“It’s a massive month in terms of the season panning out. If we have a good month everyone’s hopes will be high and the expectations will be high,” he said.
“If we have a bad month everybody will be solemn and low so hopefully its the first one because we want to be in this division next season no doubt about it.”
In the Skrill North Stockport County narrowly lost 2-1 away at Histon as their slump in form continued.
Alan Lord demanded a response from his players after last weekend’s 2-2 with Gloucester but their performance dwindled once again.
“It’s the same sort of stuff, missed chances, two poor goals and I’ve lost count of how many times I shout no fouls, It’s very difficult, I’m fuming and I mean fuming inside,” said Lord.
For next weekend’s game against Telford United, County will be without Rhys Turner who picked up a knee injury as well as some other key players.
“Bobby Lofthouse maybe not, (Phil) Jevons probably not, (Tunji) Moses maybe not and again we’re really thin on the ground,” added Lord.
Altrincham were knocked off the top of the table after they lost 3-2 to Boston United.
Hednesford Town reclaimed top spot as Alty narrowly lost out with Scott Garner’s strike proving the difference.
Ashton United bounced back from cup disappointment last weekend with a dominant performance at home to Marine in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
The Hurst Cross crowd saw the hosts win 4-1 thanks to Joe O’Neill’s opener, Martin Pilkington’s double and Matthew Chadwick’s last-minute strike.
Steve Halford’s men now move up to 11th just three points of the play-off places with games in hand over most clubs in the division.
Droylsden’s terrible run of form continued as a 2-0 defeat at Frickley Athletic kept them rooted to the foot of the table.
Karl Marginson’s FC United rounded off a great week – work will begin on the club’s new 5,000-seater stadium next month – with a 6-2 win at home to Stocksbridge Park Steels.
Michael Norton and Greg Daniels each grabbed two goals each whilst Matthew Walwyn and Astley Mulholland also got their name on the scoresheet.
Garry Vaughan’s Trafford failed to produce as they did in last weekend’s FA Trophy 6-1 win as they were held at home to Buxton.
In the Division One North John Flanagan’s Curzon Ashton replicated the cup win at Cammell Laird last weekend with another 1-0 victory in Merseyside thanks to Jonathan Hunt’s 35th minute goal.
Mossley were beaten 2-0 at Northwich Victoria while Salford City also endured disappointment at home as their late fightback fell short to give Wakefield the three points.
Wakefield went 3-0 up inside thanks to a Robert Boardman hat-trick inside 33 minutes but late goals from Daniel Browne and Gary Prescott gave the hosts hope but they were unable to find a third to steal a point.
Image courtesy of Iain Lees, with thanks.
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