With the National League already a quarter of the way through the season, matchday 13 delivered the usual drama and goals we’ve come to expect from the fifth tier.
Over the weekend there were 44 goals across the 12 games played with a number of comeback victories and late winners. This article will put together a team of the weekend based upon individual performances across gameweek 13.
Goalkeeper:
Craig Ross – Maidenhead United
Craig Ross played a key role in Maidenhead picking up their second clean sheet and first in nine games. Providing the last line of defence, Ross was key to the Magpies leaving Southend United’s Roots Hall with a 2-0 win. The 34-year-old’s seven saves, with four from inside the box, kept out a number of Southend attempts to score from an expected goals (xG) total of 1.75.
Defence
James Plant – Yeovil Town
The versatile full-back on loan from Port Vale played a crucial part in Yeovil’s 1-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge. On his first start for the club, Plant provided the assist with a lovely whipped cross for Ciaran McGuckin to head home, giving Yeovil their first win in five games and securing a fourth clean sheet of the season following their promotion from the National League South last season.
Kevin Lokko – Maidenhead United
Kevin Lokko provided not only a strong defensive performance to keep Southend at bay, but also bagged a brace to ensure that the three points returned to Berkshire. Both goals were headed attempts from outside the six yard box from set pieces with a combined xG of 0.19. The defender also won 87.5% of aerial duels and 50% of ground duels to make it three wins on the bounce in the league for his side.
Jamal Fyfield – Braintree Town
The experienced defender was crucial in ensuring Braintree secured their fifth clean sheet of the season in a 2-0 win against Altrincham. The 35 year old marshalled the defence by making three interceptions across the 90 minutes. Fyfield also provided aerial dominance at the back for the Iron winning 83% of aerial duels against their opponents from Manchester to ensure Braintree clinched their third win of the season.
Nikola Tavares – Barnet
Tavares bagged his first goal for Barnet since signing from Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer to help his side beat Boston United 3-1. His goal was a close range header to give the Bees a 2-1 lead before Nicke Kabamba added a third. Not only did he help the North London side in the opposition penalty area, he also linked up play with a 87% pass success rate and provided strong defensive cover, winning 60% of ground duels he engaged with.
Midfield:
Regan Booty – Gateshead
Despite losing head coach Rob Elliot to Crawley Town earlier in the week, Gateshead managed to make it three wins on a trot, helped by an impressive performance by midfielder Regan Booty. The 26 year old provided a shield to the Heed defence having been dribbled past just once and winning 75% of aerial duels. Booty also carried on the footballing philosophy instilled by Elliot with his 85% pass success rate linking up play between the defence and attack.
James Henry – Aldershot Town
Despite his Aldershot side losing 5-2 away to AFC Fylde, Henry can be encouraged by the performance he put in from an attacking midfield role. The veteran Henry won 44% of 1 v 1 ground duels taken and provided an assist for Aldershot’s first goal from Joshua Barrett by threading a ball through the Fylde defence. The 35 year old found himself on the end of a similar ball to the assist he provided earlier before a lovely finish on the outside of his right foot from a xG of 0.23 before Fylde took the game beyond the Shots in the second half.
Jamey Osbourne – Solihull Moors
A dominating midfield performance that oversaw an impressive 3-2 victory for Solihull Moors at Oldham Athletic. The 32 year old allowed the Moors to play through the lines with an impressive 80% passing success rate and a 100% dribble success rate. Coupled with this was the fact that the midfielder won 58% of his 1 v 1 ground duels and provided defensive security with five interceptions across the 90 minutes to inflict a first defeat in eight games on Oldham.
Forwards:
Mani Dieseruvwe – Hartlepool United
Arguably the performance of the weekend was from Dieseruvwe. Having come on as a substitute in the 38th minute with his side 2-0 down at home to Sutton United, the striker turned the game on its head. The 29 year old bagged a second half hat-trick to give the Pools a 4-3 victory and a first win at home since the beginning of April. His third goal came from a header at the back-post in the 84th minute having scored his treble from a total xG figure of 0.8.
Charlie Jolley – AFC Fylde
The 23 year old bagged his first and second goals of the season in a 5-2 victory over Aldershot. Jolley’s first goal of the game was fired into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area to make it 2-0 and his second goal (and Fylde’s fifth) was a low shot drilled into the bottom corner across the keeper. The forward had a 60% successful dribble rate and added an assist to his two goals after a delightful ball across the box, in-between the keeper and defence, for Gavin Massey to tap in Fylde’s third of the game.
Connor McBride – Rochdale
Despite his Rochdale side surrendering a two goal lead to bottom side Ebbsfleet United, McBridge put in a performance that would have been worthy of a victory. His third goal of the season made it 2-0 just before half time following on from his assist for Tarryn Allarakhia to score Dale’s first. McBridge linked up play across his side’s attack with an 82% pass success rate and won nine ground duels across the 90 minutes.
