Robins manager Phil Parkinson with his latest column for Altrincham Today…
We enter the FA Trophy this weekend and it’s a case of déjà vu as we return to Bootham Crescent, scene of our magnificent FA Cup win a week last Sunday, to take on York City.
It’s pretty well the toughest draw that we could have got at this third round qualifying stage of the competition.
York have suffered their first two defeats of the season in the last two weekends as their exit from the FA Cup to us was followed last Saturday by a 1-0 defeat at Curzon Ashton… a result that certainly raised a few eyebrows and allowed King’s Lynn to leapfrog them at the top of the table.
I’m sure that Steve Watson wants to lead his team out at Wembley as much as I do and it should be a cracking cup tie.
Both clubs have agreed to finish the tie on the day, so if the scores are level after 90 minutes, then 30 minutes’ extra-time will be played and if the tie is still level then penalties will decide who progresses into the first round.
FA Trophy rules allow games in this round to be decided on the day if both teams agree and both clubs were keen to avoid a replay.
We travel with a fully fit squad, although Max Harrop will be driving as his partner is due to go into labour at any moment.
Watch highlights from the 5-1 win over Hereford:
The only disappointing aspect from our memorable visit to York earlier this month was the reoccurrence of Yusif Ceesay’s hamstring injury, that forced him off during the second half.
The injury seemed less serious than the hamstring pull that he suffered in the 5-0 win against Leamington back in early September, but this week, we have received the very bad news that Yusif’s injury is about as bad as a hamstring injury can be and he will be out of action for at least four months, so that could be his season finished, which is devastating for a player who has done really well in his two loan spells with us from Blackpool.
Watch highlights from the 3-0 win over Gateshead:
We will be travelling to York full of confidence after two great home wins this week, following up Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Hereford with a thoroughly professional display to beat a full-time Gateshead side 3-0 on Tuesday night.
We have won twice at Bootham Crescent in 2019 and there’s no reason why we can’t make it a hat-trick within the calendar year. There was just a single goal in each previous game with Josh Hancock’s 81st minute wonder goal settling the league encounter in March, whilst Tom Peers’ superb 82nd-minute strike in the FA Cup is still fresh in everyone’s memory!
Photography: Michael Ripley
