With FC Halifax Town setting their sights on play-off candidates Salford City, the Shaymen will be expecting a tough affair at the MBi Shay. Manager Billy Heath is hoping that his side can bolster their position in the league and put their recent bout of poor form behind them.
Town will be relieved this week to have forward Richard Peniket available for Saturday’s visit of Salford, after a successful appeal to the FA following the ex-Fulham man’s sending off at Tamworth last week.
This week, Saturday’s opponents Salford lost fan favourite Matty Warburton to rivals Curzon Ashton. Described as a ‘creative and skilful goal-scorer’, Warburton returns to the club that he left this summer for Moor Lane.
Starting his second spell with Curzon, the forward is a well-respected custodian at Tameside Stadium. He scored 54 goals in 118 appearances during his first spell at the club.
After mutually terminating his contract with Salford, Warburton will go straight into the squad to face league leaders AFC Fylde.
Fylde, who currently sit nine points clear of second place Kidderminster Harriers, have extended right-back Macauley Wilson’s loan deal. The teenager has played in every game for the title hopefuls since joining from Blackpool in November.
Wilson signed his first professional contract with Blackpool in April after a successful youth career with the seaside club. While plying his trade at right-back, the defender scored 12 goals as captain for their under-18 side last season.
Following their signing of Warburton, Curzon Ashton have let Simon Woodford and Andy Watson go. After nearly six years at the club, Woodford will see out the 2016-17 campaign on dual registration and Watson will join rivals FC United of Manchester.
The pair are both favourites at Tameside, after gaining double promotions with Curzon. Woodford also etched his name in Curzon Ashton folklore when he scored the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division play-off final winner against Ilkeston in 2015.
Elsewhere, 18-year-old striker Dan Turner has joined Worcester City from League One Port Vale. Making his debut for Vale last season, Turner will go straight into the Worcester squad to face Alfreton on Saturday.
The forward made his full debut for Port Vale in the Football League Trophy against Doncaster Rovers in November and joins on a month’s loan deal.
With an unfortunately terrible campaign so far, Altrincham fans have been given something to smile about as top goal scorer Sean Miller has extended his contract with the National League North strugglers.
Alty are sat firmly at the bottom of the league, five points adrift from Stalybridge Celtic, the team who overcame FC Halifax 1-0 in their last outing.
Miller struggled with injury this year but has netted 10 goals in 24 appearances at Moss Lane and has earned himself an extended contract keeping him with Altrincham until the end of the 2017/18 season.
Town will face promotion candidates Salford City at the MBi Shay this Saturday (21st Jan).
You can catch all the build-up and live match commentary on Shaymen Player HD from 2:45pm, as well as live match updates on the Shaymen Wall and our official Twitter account, @FCHTOnline.
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