We head to newly promoted Hallen this evening on the back of a fantastic win in the FA Cup against Step 4 side Darlaston Town on Saturday. I was really pleased with the performance — the lads pushed right to the end and got their reward, avoiding what would have been a difficult replay on the road.

I’d also like to take a moment to wish Dean and his team all the best for the season. He was great to speak to pre-match and his words after the game were incredibly gracious in defeat — a real credit to him and his club.

We’re still managing without several key players at the moment, but that’s opened the door for others to step in — and we’ve been really impressed with how they’ve taken that opportunity. It’s building strong competition for places, which is exactly what we want at this stage of the season.

Tonight brings another tough test against a Hallen side who also progressed in the FA Cup at the weekend. They’ll no doubt be full of confidence and, like us, looking to get off the mark in the league.

We’re hoping to see some of our brilliant travelling support there again tonight — you really do make a difference.

Dev