Altrincham FC manager Lee Sinnott will be giving us the inside track on the Robins’ return to the Conference. Here’s his latest column for Altrincham Today.
I was delighted with the players’ efforts in beating Braintree on Saturday. We played our football in pockets, maybe not as much as we would have liked, but you can’t fault them for effort, desire and commitment.
We took a 1-0 lead with a very well-executed goal, and then defended well, when we had to; that was pleasing. In fact, if you look across the back four, I don’t think we missed many headers all day.
In midfield, Jake Moult keeps putting in good performances. He has the qualities needed to be an all-round midfield player, and over the last six or seven matches, he has added a good consistency to his game.
I have had a word with James Lawrie about the role he is playing at the moment just behind Damian Reeves, because it comes with responsibilities. I just pointed out the options to him, if he is being looked on closely. Don’t forget, people do their scouting. They study reports and look closely at who they are up against each week, and it’s up to James to think his way round the problem, if he is singled out for close attention.
A Cup run can be good for the club, the supporters, the finances, everything… it goes without saying we will be ready for the challenge
One thing I found mind-boggling was when their keeper went down injured, as Nicky Clee cut in from the left along the goal line.
The ref was absolutely right to stop play, but what was all that about when he restarted it by dropping the ball and telling Jake to kick it out for their throw-in? We are in a dangerous position one minute and are then having to surrender possession the next. That infuriates me.
We are now preparing for Saturday’s FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie at Barwell, who will be given our full respect. I don’t do 110 per cent or 150 per cent. You can only give 100 per cent, but, believe me, that’s the respect we will be giving our opponents on Saturday. It will be no different to any team I have come up against before.
They are clearly on a very good run in the FA Cup and have hit a bit of form in the league, having moved up seven places to ninth in the Evo-Stik Premier Division in the three games that they have played since the draw was made.
The appeal of this competition is that someone always creates a shock, so we know it is going to be a difficult game. We know we have got to be right and we will prepare accordingly. A Cup run can be good for the club, the supporters, the finances, everything. We are fully aware of all that, so it goes without saying we will be ready for the challenge.
I don’t see it as a release from the league campaign – that would be disrespectful to Barwell, and I’m not going down that road. We have had them watched more than once since the draw was made, and we know they are going to be up for it.
We have to cope with that. In my mind, it could be Barnet or Barwell, it makes no difference to our approach. We have to make sure our desire to win is greater than theirs.
